SB Nation - DelJuan Robinson

Texans State of the Union: Defense

Jake — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 23:58:02 -0000

Three weeks ago the Texans were cruising. They were riding a three-game winning streak, and at 5-3 Houston was positioning themselves for a run at the post-season. Now after three divisional losses that were all squandered in the fourth quarter, the season seems lost for the Texans. Some have begun speculating that head coach Gary Kubiak will lose his job and the franchise will once again start over, while others have already started to focus on the pinnacle of the Texans' season (the draft), while another small contingent of fans cling to hope that the remaining soft schedule will allow the team to pull off a five game miracle finish to sneak into the playoffs.

The wide spectrum of feelings is understandable. The Texans have what is undoubtedly their best team ever, but despite that promise, they keep meandering around mediocrity. The game Sunday against the Colts is a perfect metaphor for the season. In the first half the Texans looked unstoppable on both sides of the ball, and then in the second half they didn't look like they belonged on the same field.

So what should we think of this colossally frustrating squad? I'm sure Tim will write a great breakdown on the train wreck for this weekend, so I want to cover what I think of the future, not just for the season but for next year as well. In an effort to break it up, I will start with the defense, then move on to the offense and finally look at the coaching staff.

Author's Note: Please don't consider this as me giving up on 2009. I will explain my opinion on what can and should be accomplished in the remaining five games, but I feel the near and far-term future go hand in hand so it's easier to explain it all at once.

The defense was the biggest focal point of the offseason. It didn't take a genius after 2008 to figure out that side of the ball needed more help. The vast majority of draft and free agent focus was spent on the defensive squad after Gary Kubiak went out on a limb to give longtime friend and colleague Fred Bush the defensive coordinator position despite having Bush no experience at that level.

- Defensive End:

- Antonio Smith has been worth the ransom we paid for him. He is one of the new additions that has created a mean streak that had been lacking last season. That emotion can be detrimental at times, but I think he is just one of those players who you have to take the occasional bone-headed play from along with his inspired ones. Smith has applied considerably more pressure than his 2 sacks suggest, and he also has been adept against the run.

- Mario Williams is seriously hurt, and his shoulder likely won't heal until the offseason. That's a shame too because he finally has a bookend supplying the kind of pressure Williams never had before when he was being singled out by protection schemes. One thing that still plagues Mario is his aggressiveness. Opponents continually allow him to rush straight into the backfield and then run the ball right by him. Williams is a gamer and will continue to give his best, but I don't think he will be back to regular form until next season, and there might even be a possibility of surgery following this year.

-Rookie Connor Barwin is just as raw as expected. His two sacks were the results of both speed and effort, which constitute the entirety of his pass rushing moves as of now. While some may argue that second round picks shouldn't be used on projects, the presence of Smith gives Barwin some time to learn his trade before he learns the tricks.

- Defensive Tackle:

- Amobi Okoye is not a bust, but he's not yet a Pro Bowler either. I'd like to think that he'll get to that level eventually, but at least he's showing that last year was more of a fluke than 2007 was. So far Amobi has been better against the run than I thought he'd be, but not as good at pressuring the quarterback as I'd expected.

- The Texans larger nose tackles have been decent to invisible, but out of Shaun Cody, Jeff Zgonina, DelJuan Robinson and Frank Okam, there isn't a single starting caliber player at the position.

- Linebacker:

- DeMeco Ryans is about as consistent as possible, which is key considering he plays a position which values that attribute above all others. Ryans isn't the type of player that will ever have an abundance of sexy stats like sacks or interceptions, but he can almost always be relied upon to know his assignments, lead the defense and plug the middle. Losing him would be an enormous blow because while he may not be the best defensive player, he is by far the defensive MVP.

- Brian Cushing has been just as good if not better than advertised. You can nitpick at his coverage technique but no player is perfect, especially a rookie. All bias aside, Cushing gets my early vote for Defensive Rookie of the Year because while Brian Orakpo has the sacks and Jairus Byrd has the interceptions; Cushing has shown the ability to do it all.

- Zac Diles has been decent at the WLB position but nothing earth shattering. Xavier Adibi has seen little of the field since his removal from the nickel package in favor of Cushing in Week Two. Both are serviceable, but added depth would be beneficial, although low, on the list of priorities.

Cornerback:

- Dunta Robinson is not a number one corner... period. I know he is still a fan favorite to some, but the tape doesn't lie--he is not good in coverage. Quick, without looking, how many pass interferences can you remember Dunta committing because he was burnt? Now how many touchdowns do remember getting thrown to his man? Now how many interceptions and pass breakups do you think he has? I will give it to him that he plays the run extremely well for a cornerback, but that's not why you pay $25 million dollars guaranteed. I would be shocked if he was re-franchised. Rick Smith won't pay him the kind of money he is looking for, so in all likelihood he has five games left in Houston.

- Glover Quin is the reason that Dunta is expendable. He plays the run just as well and in the same fashion that Dunta does. He would, however, be just as abused as Robinson if he was out in the position to cover number one wide receivers, as would Jacques Reeves. Both are pleasant surprises as a number two cornerback and nickel corner respectively, but that doesn't mean that they can move up the depth chart once Dunta leaves. A lack of a true good-to-elite cover corner is one the biggest problems for this team, and considering that they don't get to free agency very often, it will likely be a problem next year too. By the way, you might have been able to tell but I have written off both Fred Bennett and Antwaun Molden.

Safety:

- Bernard Pollard has changed this defense because of a mixture of good play on his part and complete lack thereof on all the other strong safeties prior to Pollard's assumption of the starting role. He is not a prototypical interchangeable safety that can cover deep just as well as he can play the run, but it is rare to find a safety so good at one discipline. I can understand Kansas City feeling that they didn't want to start him, but he has made them look terribly stupid for giving him an outright release. As long as he is paired with a good coverage free safety, Pollard is a huge asset against the run and I am just as in favor of re-signing him as Mike Kerns is.

- Eugene Wilson is a good coverage safety and plays well with Pollard. The problem is that Wilson has played all 16 games in just one of his 7 NFL seasons, which is probably the reason why the personnel savvy Patriots let him go. What amplifies this problem is that the depth at safety is probably the weakest throughout the entire team (offense and defense) as Dominique Barber and John Bushing are substandard.

Summation:

- After three games of sieve-like defense, Gary Kubiak was under fire for elevating Frank Bush to a position that he appeared to not be ready for. Since those first three games, however, the defense has outperformed the offense. During the four losses in the time period stated, the defense allowed an average of 12 second half points, which is counting the two pick-6 interceptions that Matt Schaub threw. These were all games that were winnable and while the defense is not without fault, the offense continually showed an inability to put games away.

- The defense's performance is admirable considering the lack of depth and talent at certain positions, and Frank Bush should be commended for it. Take for example the lack of talent at NT, which has allowed opposing quarterbacks to step up in the pocket even when pressure is being applied on the outside. To counter this, Bush has sent Cushing on blitzes, resulting in 1.5 sacks but also making the defense susceptible to outside runs as well as quarterback sneaks like what we saw against Tennessee. Another huge problem is the coverage. If zone coverage is called, tight ends like Dallas Clark and Vernon Davis eat the middle for lunch, but if you go with man coverage you either concede Dunta getting burnt or lose a player to continually helping him over the top. Both options allow for quarterbacks to know exactly where they can deliver the ball and thus avoid pressure with quick throws. It's a vicious cycle.

Future:

- This season looks good for the defense considering they face the 24th, 22nd, 21st, 12th, and 2nd (in a game that may not feature starters for too long) offenses in the remainder of the season. Not only are they unproductive, but many are one-dimensionally favored toward running, which is something the Texans have stopped lately, even if marginally so in a loss against a Titans squad that scored 20 points. I believe that DeMeco will go to another Pro Bowl, and Brian Cushing will be defensive ROY.

- The future looks bright for the Texans' D despite the current holes. Pollard, Okoye, Williams, Ryans and Cushing have all yet to play their fifth season, making the corps of the unit extremely young. Cornerback would be my first priority for the draft as it is not only the most glaring weakness but the position also typically takes at least a year or two before a player can rise to a great or even good status. Defensive Tackle and Safety are close behind with both being slightly less crucial because serviceable players currently fill those spots.

Take The Half-Season Poll: Most Disappointing Defensive Player For Your Houston Texans?

Tim — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:00:34 -0000

Two sides to every coin; we've already taken a look at the best, so now let's turn our attention to the other extreme. Which defensive player on the Texans has disappointed you the most thus far? Vote in the poll below and let us know why you voted the way you did in the Comments.

Poll

Who Has Been the Most Disappointing Player on the Texans' Defense Through Nine Games?

Mario Williams

101 votes

Antonio Smith

58 votes

Frank Okam

45 votes

Amobi Okoye

37 votes

Xavier Adibi

27 votes

Fred Bennett

135 votes

Jacques Reeves

6 votes

Dunta Robinson

155 votes

Connor Barwin

28 votes

DelJuan Robinson

7 votes

Dominique Barber

14 votes

Nick Ferguson

9 votes

622 votes | Poll has closed

New York Jets Run Offense vs. Houston Texans Run Defense

John B — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:00:30 -0000

by David J. Phillip - AP

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This will be a case of strength against weakness. The Jets had arguably the best running game in the AFC a season ago. The Texans were one of the five worst run defenses in the league. This should provide Thomas Jones and Leon Washington a real opportunity to start 2009 on the right foot.

The Texans made some upgrades up front. The one with the biggest impact will likely be Antonio Smith, who is a quality run defender at defensive end. The Jets love to run the ball to the right side with Brandon Moore and Damien Woody lining up over there. Gang Green will probably attack Smith's side, frequently pulling Alan Faneca as well. The rest of the defensive line is not great against the run. Mario Williams is developing into an elite pass rusher. His play against the run has been slower to develop. D'Brickashaw Ferguson surely improved a year ago run blocking, but it's still the weak point of his game. That will be less pronounced against Williams.

Houston is still searching for the right mix at tackle and will show a rotation of Lions import Shaun Cody, Amobi Okoye, Frank Okam, and DelJuan Robinson. It will be difficult for them against the interior of Moore, Faneca, and Nick Mangold. This combination in conjunction with Tony Richardson will bring the run game a lot of success if they can beat this unremarkable duo and hit the second level, getting bodies on Texans standout linebacker DeMeco Ryans.

One area where the Jets will have a disadvantage is a matchup between Brian Cushing and Dustin Keller. Gang Green telegraphed too many plays last season, constantly throwing with Keller in the game and putting in Wayne Hunter and Robert Turner before calling a run play. I would expect to see plenty of Ben Hartsock to play against Cushing on the run. If Keller can consistently beat Cushing on passing routes and force Houston into sticking a nickel to play Keller, the Jets will have a much easier time playing Dustin on run downs. The advantage will go away.

I anticipate the Jets trying to do what they do best, attacking Houston's interior weakness by running between the tackles and to the right, minimizing the amount of work Ferguson has to do. The Jets should run early and often to force eight into the box and open things up for Sanchez. Once the Texans start selling out on the run, it will be up to the rookie to perform.

New York Jets Pass Offense vs. Houston Texans Pass Defense

John B — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:00:40 -0000

by James Nielsen - AP

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Mark Sanchez's debut comes against a team searching for a new defensive identity. New defensive coordinator Frank Bush is installing a 4-3 under defense. He's never been a coordinator before so it's impossible to say exactly what his philosophy will be. He was a disciple of current Kansas City defensive coordinator, Clancy Pendergast, a guy noted for attack schemes. You can assume Houston will be aggressive, attempting to attack and confuse a rookie quarterback.

There's a lot of uncertainty at cornerback for the Texans. At his best, Dunta Robinson is a lockdown corner. He looked a bit rusty last season, returning midyear from a torn ACL. He also held out until Sunday over a contract dispute, skipping all of training camp and preseason. It's tough to say how much this will hurt. Cornerback is a position where it's easy to jump right in and play well. Think of the way Darrelle Revis jumped right in and played at a high level after a holdout two years ago. Will Robinson be able to do the same. One figures they'll stick him on an island on Jerricho Cotchery a lot, take away Sanchez's best target, and force secondary players to get open.

Another key matchup will be Dustin Keller against Brian Cushing. The system Bush installed requires the strongside backer to be able to play man coverage against the tight end in addition to blitz and get off blocks in run support. Cushing is extremely athletic. His ability to hang with Keller will be critical for Houston's success against the pass.

The rest of Houston's pass defense is unproven. Starter Jacques Reeves will miss the game with a leg injury, leaving Fred Bennett, Glover Quin and Antwaun Moldin to match up against David Clowney and Chansi Stuckey. This might be one of the few matchups in the early going where one could argue the Jets have a slight edge. Domonique Barber and Nick Ferguson will start at safety for Houston.

Houston will look to generate pressure and force Sanchez to make quick decisions. The key matchup on the line will be between a pair of 2006 top five picks, Mario Williams and D'Brickashaw Ferguson. Williams posted 12 sacks a year ago. The rest of the defensive line provides more questions than answers. His fellow end, Antonio Smith, is more of a run stopper than a pass rusher. He'll probably give way to rookie Connor Barwin on third down. The Texans are still waiting on Amobi Okoye to develop into a force on the line. The new system will likely give him more of a chance to work one on one and try to penetrate than he has in the past. Thus far, the youngster is still a work in progress (but still has plenty of time to get better at 22). DelJuan Robinson, Shaun Cody, and Frank Okam will likely rotate at tackle and aren't distinguished pass rushers.

With the Texans expected to attack, a first time starting quarterback, and a newfound devotion to Leon Washington, this would seem like a great game to utilize a lot of screens. They're high percentage throws that will help Sanchez get into the flow of the game and build his confidence. They will allow the playmaker to make a play. This could create a compelling Washington-DeMeco Ryans matchup in space.

I am optimistic. Last year opposing quarterbacks posted a 92 rating against the Texans. They changed the scheme, but they might not have the horses to successfully play the pass, especially with a starting corner out. David Clowney has been burned backups for two years in preseason. He'll have the chance to go to work against second tier players again.

Decision Day: 53-Man Roster Speculation

bigfatdrunk — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 14:13:47 -0000

More photos » by Steve Nesius - AP

3 months ago: Houston Texans' David Anderson (89) congratulates James Casey (86) after Casey's 11-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Rex Grossman during the second quarter of a preseason NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, on Friday, Sept. 4, 2009, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Steve Nesius)

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With cuts due by 3pm CDT (I believe, please correct me if I'm wrong), I wanted to pontifibate one last time on the 53-man roster. It's not going to be much different than my first take.

As a refresher, here's the composition of the Texans original 53-man roster last year:

2 QBs
3 RBs
1 FB
5 WRs
3 TEs
5 OTs
5 Gs (1 C/G)
1 C
3 Special Teamers (P, K, LS)
6 DEs
5 DTs
6 LBs
4 CBs
5 Ss

Again, there's substantial reason to believe the roster will be similarly composed. So here goes:

2 QBs: Matt Schaub and Dan Orlovsky
3 RBs: Steve Slaton, Chris Brown, Arian Foster (over Ryan Moats)
1 FB: Vonta Leach
5 WRs: Andre Johnson, Kevin Walter, Andre Davis, David Anderson, Jacoby Jones
3 TEs: Owen Daniels, James Casey, Anthony Hill
4 OTs: Duane Brown, Cliff Washburn, Eric Winston, Rashad Butler
5 OGs: Antoine Caldwell, Chester Pitts, Kasey Studdard, Mike Brisiel, Chris White. Last year, there were 5 OTs and 4 OGs.
1 C: Chris Myers
3 Special Teamers: P - Matt Turk, K - Kris Brown, LS - Clark Harris
5 DEs: Antonio Smith, Mario Williams, Connor Barwin, Tim Bulman, Jesse Nading
5 DTs: Amobi Okoye, DelJuan Robinson, Frank Okam, Shaun Cody, Jeff Zgonina
6 LBs: Zac Diles, Xavier Adibi, DeMeco Ryans, Brian Cushing, Buster Davis, Kevin Bentley
5 CBs: Jacques Reeves, Fred Bennett, Brice McCain, Glover Quin, Antwaun Molden
4 Ss: Dominique Barber, Eugene Wilson, Nick Ferguson, John Busing

Again, that leaves us with 52 of the 53 spots. I think it's going to come down to:

Rex Grossman: He'll be tough to cut after last night's performance.
Glenn Martinez: Was a fiend on special teams all preseason.
Joel Dreessen: Your basic, but very good, utility TE.

After Anthony Hill's performance last night, I believe Dreessen takes the last spot. While Casey needs some time to mature into the position, Hill is definitely not ready. Dreessen will be the steady hand.

As far as Grossman, I believe there's a chance he still makes the team over Jeff Zgonina. Kubiak hasn't shown any indication he's going to take three QBs, and after last night's game, he seemed pretty non-committal about keeping Rex. Personally, I don't believe Rex makes the team.

I'll be out of town when the cuts are made, but I'll be back this afternoon.

bfd's First Take at the 53-Man Roster

bigfatdrunk — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 23:31:53 -0000

Great discussion last week on the possible composition of the 53-man roster started by Texans-Brocos. Here's my take with a little bit of background.

Last year, the Texans' opening roster consisted of:

2 QBs
3 RBs
1 FB
5 WRs
3 TEs
5 OTs
5 Gs (1 C/G)
1 C
3 Special Teamers (P, K, LS)
6 DEs
5 DTs
6 LBs
4 CBs
5 Ss

I think it's reasonable to believe the 2009 roster will be similarly composed. After last night's game, here's my guess as to how the 53-man is shaping up:

2 QBs: Matt Schaub and Dan Orlovsky
3 RBs: Steve Slaton, Chris Brown, Ryan Moats (depending on his injury)
1 FB: Vonta "Human Coke Machine" Leach
5 WRs: Andre Johnson, Kevin Walter, Andre Davis, David Anderson, Jacoby Jones (almost by default)
3 TEs: Owen Daniels, James Casey, Anthony Hill (no Joel Dreessen, which is our loss)
4 OTs: Duane Brown, Cliff Washburn, Eric Winston, Rashad Butler
5 OGs: Antoine Caldwell, Chester Pitts, Kasey Studdard, Mike Brisiel, Chris White. Last year, there were 5 OTs and 4 OGs.
1 C: Chris Myers (depending on his health, obviously)
3 Special Teamers: P - Matt Turk, K - Kris Brown, LS - Clark Harris
5 DEs: Antonio Smith, Mario Williams, Connor Barwin, Tim Bulman, Jesse Nading
5 DTs: Amobi Okoye, DelJuan Robinson, Frank Okam, Shaun Cody, Jeff Zgonina (no Travis Johnson)
6 LBs: Zac Diles, Xavier Adibi, DeMeco Ryans, Brian Cushing, Buster Davis (depending on Cato June's health), Kevin Bentley
5 CBs: Jacques Reeves, Fred Bennett, Brice McCain, Glover Quin, Antwaun Molden (no Dunta Robinson...just in case)
4 Ss: Dominique Barber, Eugene Wilson, Nick Ferguson, John Busing

Several differences from last year, though nothing crazy. Last year, we carried 6 DEs and 5 DTs, whereas I have us carrying 5 DEs this year. Sadly, I still have us carrying Jeff Zgonina as I just don't see anybody on the roster otherwise. There's the difference in OGs and OTs, and I have us keeping 5 CBs and 4 Ss, where that was swapped last year.

Also, and I doubt you noticed, but I have listed only 52 players for 2009. If Dunta signs, I do believe we'll keep 6 CBs on the roster as I believe the Texans, rightly so, would be afraid to release either McCain or Molden, who are the two I believe to be most on the bubble. I also believe that one of the CBs will be in line for a position change to S.

One guy who really intrigues me is Glenn Martinez, as he was the most "on" last night. He can return punts and kickoffs and looks like an excellent gunner on special teams. As I said in the game thread, he reminds me of Steve Tasker in the way he plays. There's a chance he overtakes Jones, but because we're carrying extra CBs, it'll make it tougher for Martinez to win a job.

What do y'all think?

A Defensive Adventure in 4-3 Under Minor

bigfatdrunk — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 00:47:10 -0000

Bill Kollar and Frank Bush having a laugh...via www.gonemovies.com.

While the fan club for my previous squishy post was rather....small, it and Jake's post on Bill Kollar really helped me put some things together, so to speak. Let's start with the conclusion: I'm not ready to chug the new system Kool Aid, and I think our defense is still gonna suck ass...just not as much ass. HERESY!!!

(For the record, drawing with a touchpad is hard)

For this post, I'm going to talk a little about our assumed new defense, the 4-3 under, our base personnel and base assignments (expanding just a bit on Riott's fantastic tour de force), and how it compares to last year. I might also use stats. Beer will be drunk. And there was much rejoicing (yay!).

LDE: 2009 - Antonio Smith. 2008 - Whatever sacks of poop we just happened to have lying around (oh, Earl Cochran, why did thou forsake me?). In the base scheme, the LDE is assigned to the strong side 5 gap (outside of the RT), with primary responsibility as a run-stopper. Last year, Smith played in the Cards' chameleon-esque system of 4-3/3-4, and he was highly credited with helping strengthen the Cards D, especially on the run. However, the raw numbers don't bear this out. In fact, Football Outsiders ranks....*gulps*...Anthony Weaver as a better run-stopper than Smith. I still think there'll be a substantial upgrade at LDE thanks to signing Smith, but it's not like we signed Julius Peppers. I'm tempering my expectations for Smith's performance. (Yes, I actually watch the effin' games, not just look at stats. Stats are a handy, non-emotional measuring stick, though far from perfect in a game like football. But they are what they are in this case.).

NT: 2009 - Oh dear Jeebus. 2008 - Former 1st round pick and Rhodes scholar Travis Johnson. Look, Travis plays his little retarded ass off, but he's a horrible fit for this system...or any NFL system, for that matter. He neither has the quickness nor size. In the 4-3 under, the NT is expected to tie up multiple blockers, allowing (effectively) the MLB and WLB to make tackles. The only player on the roster with the potential to remotely fill this role is Frank "Evil Genius" Okam. According to a friend who went to practice yesterday (Saturday), Okam was working out with the first team and was getting quite a bit of feedback, though not necessarily positive reinforcement. Neither is DelJuan Robinson the answer here, though he would be a far better choice than Trent Green's nemesis.

For the record, the girl in the LBD has awesome boobies. (Late note: Wow, super-MILF just walked in. I might need a moment.)

DT: 2009 - Amobi Okoye. 2008 - Amobi Okoye. It's hard to label 2009 a make or break year for Okoye, but it's at least time for him to nut up and do something. Unlike Johnson, Okoye has the speed to become a premier interior pass rusher while still being able to handle the run, his responsibilities in this system. I believe that, if there is one player most likely to take a step forward under Bush, it's Okoye. Penetrate, disrupt, penetrate.

RDE: Mario. Maul quarterbacks. Make Reggie Bust piss his pants. Eat LTs. Teams may be able to exploit Mario's outside pass rush tendencies. He will need to play with more discipline as he is responsible for outside rushing containment, but his role his to kill QBs.

SLB: 2009 - Brian Cushing. 2008 - Zac Diles. Looking at the raw stats, Diles was amazingly efficient at being around the ball last year as he ranked 5th for being in on team plays. Of course, that's largely a function of being toastified by opposing offenses at every possible occasion as he could neither stop the run nor the pass. With the power of hindsight, the first game against the BE-SFs was a horrible harbinger for the rest of his year. Outsourcing to Riott:

The number one reason why more teams don't run a 4-3 Under is the difficulty in finding a player good enough to play the SAM. He needs to be big, strong, fast, and able to cover or rush the passer at any given time. He lines up on the outside edge of the TE at all times, and harasses him off the line, never allowing a free release, staying underneath on routes because you have your safety over the top. He also gets one-on-one matchups on the outside to pass rush. I'll take Brian Cushing versus Dallas Clark, Bo Scaife, or Marcedes Lewis any day of the week. He needs to be a great run defender as well, because he CANNOT be reached, or there is a huge running lane to the strong side.

Let's put it more bluntly: A large measure of our defensive success is reliant upon...a rookie SLB who often played more like a defensive end and had trouble in coverage in college?

Look, this isn't to say that Cushing won't be good. Hell, anything's going to be a massive improvement over Zac Diles. But if there's any defensive position where it's easy to cover pure incompetence, it's SLB. Diles, I believe, proved that last year (remember when his injury was a "big blow?"). Rookies are always a massive wild card, and Cushing is no exception. For our defense to play at at least a moderate level, thus for the Texans to have a decent chance at the playoffs, we are putting a helluva lot of hope on Cushing's allegedly 'roided shoulders.

MLB: 2009 and 2008: DeMeco Ryans. DeMeco's role is to be a traditional, instinctive MLB...which, you know, shouldn't be much of a stretch. Football Outsiders has him ranked as pretty mediocre, and there may be an unfortunate amount of credence to that analysis. Ryans' ankle has given him trouble the past couple of years, but when he's fully healthy, this should be an excellent role for him. With the ankle problems, he has been noticeably slower.

WLB: 2009 - Xavier Adibi or Zac Diles. 2008 - The bones formerly known as Morlon Greenwood. Again outsourced to Riott:

Your weakside linebacker in the 4-3 under needs to be your fastest and best coverage linebacker as he is protected by the defensive lineman in front of him and therefore must be able to get anywhere on the field pretty darn quick. He has control of the backside A (1) gap, and will either shoot the gap on inside runs or scrape over on outside runs. If the play is to his side, he is the primary pursuit to the outside as well. On coverage situations, he generally plays short middle and helps out where he needs to be. Adibi, due to his speed and coverage skills, is a great WLB for the 4-3 Under. He will be allowed to make more plays because he will be harassed significantly less by offensive lineman.

In limited action, Adibi wasn't bad. But after Diles' injury (broken leg), it's imperative Adibi win that battle, as Diles will lose a step or two. More importantly, Adibi has the speed to fly around the field. I've got a feeling about Adibi, but health is a skill, and it's one Adibi has not displayed well.

As for Morlon's collapse from not-badness? I blame Matt. For the record, I also blame Matt for my impotence. Can I use that word here?

CBs: 2009 - Fred Bennett, Jacques Reeves, Dunta Robinson. 2008 - Fred Bennett, Jacques Reeves, Dunta Robinson, Petey Faggins. We don't have a great idea about coverage schemes, but it's likely to be simple with a focus on man coverage. Frenchy was one of the most targeted CBs in football last year, which is understandable as he was the worst CB not named Petey I saw in 2007, but he was solidly average. Twas a nice surprise, to say the least, and if we can get that guy a swivel for his neck, dare I say he might become above-average?

Dunta will likely be in the classic CB1 spot, but I don't think he deserves it. Yes, I should give him a mulligan for last year, but he was simply horrible. Bennett wasn't any better, but something tells me coaching and scheme are also to blame. Aside from Okoye, if there's somebody I expect to jump ahead thanks to the new coaching and scheme, it's Bennett. Overall, CB coverage will be simple.

Ss: 2009 - Nick Ferguson and Eugene Wilson. 2008 - Nick Ferguson and Eugene Wilson (Smoooooooove Will, we hardly knew you). Part 2 of my major pain points on the D. The safeties need to be fairly interchangeable in order to adapt to offensive schemes. As "well" as Wilson played for us last year, it's not entirely fair to have similar expectations for 2009. In many ways, it was a career statistical outlier (see also: Rosenfels 2007), and he really wasn't all that great anyway. As for Nick Ferguson, he was simply horrible, one of the worst safeties in the league, especially against the pass.

In the 4-3 under, both safeties need to be versatile, capable of handling both the run and pass. I have absolutely no faith we have a *safety* on our roster capable of handling these types of assignments.

We do, however, have two CBs who are mighty interesting candidates to do so. On that old, bloodied blog, I fantasized often about sliding Dunta to S, allowing him to use his range. Yes, he is under-sized, and he most certainly wouldn't be worth $10MM/year there, but it's an interesting possibility. The other is Glover Quin. Yes yes, the team wants him at CB and blah blah blah. Whatev. Like Dunta, Glover may not have the ideal size, but I'd prefer to have a couple of ballhawks at S rather than hitters. Maybe it's the whiplash speaking, seeing how we have had such a tendency to give up huge gains at will.

Summary: I'll go into more detail on specific assignments in the next post, but I've been working on this one for over two hours and I need more beer. Anyway, here's how I see things:

No true NT
Relying on a rookie at SLB
Major question mark at WLB
Safeties not reliable in this scheme

This is little different than before the draft. We addressed the issue at SLB, whether I like the pick or not. But we still have major, gaping holes at DT, possibly WLB, and at one, if not both, S positions. On the whole, we are returning eight of 11 starters last year (hopefully just seven). It's realistically unfair to expect substantial changes to our all-around performance, especially seeing how we are returning some really not so good players.

Scheme change or not, our best case scenario is we have the 17th best defense in the league. Best case. Most probable is we are still a mid-20s defense, capable of bipolar performance depending on the competition. It took the first game of last year's pre-season to see exactly how poor the D was. We may not have such insight this year (I hope, above all, we disguise our schemes until Week 1), but we will have a good idea of our talent.

Edit: I meant to, but forgot to mention, that I believe we'll see a ton of rotation throughout the season, especially on the D-line. It's something called depth, a pretty foreign concept around these parts.

Texans Down 'N Dirty: Camp Finally Here Edition

Jake — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 14:55:47 -0000

Gary Kubiak talked to the press last night on the eve of training camp. Most of the press conference was centered around the success of this year's season, but he did note that Antwaun Molden, Travis Johnson and Anthony Hill will all start camp on the Player Unable to Preform (PUP) list. One name not on that list is Amobi Okoye, whom Kubiak stated was going to take it slow at first. Also from the official site, Vonta Leach has started the locker room mantra of "Playoffs or Bust."

Two players who will likely not be at camp today are Dunta Robinson and Owen Daniels. Dunta is under no penalty since he has not signed his franchise tag tender, but OD is subject to $17,000.00 a day in losses. I think that Daniels might miss a few days to make a point, but it's hard to take that hit over 5 weeks of training camp, especially with a rookie like James Casey wainting in the wings. Casey obviously doesn't have OD's résumé but if Smithiak decides to play hardball they do have somewhat of a backup option.

The Chronicle makes the point that DelJuan Robinson is trying to make the best of Travis Johnson's absence. I would think that at this point is Robinson's job to lose, and the player with the most to gain from Johnson's absence is Frank Okam. I'd be really interested to hear from anyone going to camp about how Okam looks over the weekend.

Lastly, for anyone that enjoyed Part One of the podcast between myself and Diehard Chris, here's the follow-on Part Two. In this part Chris and I discuss players on the hot seat, players who's good play is integral for success, and we went over most of the rookie class. I'd like to thanks Chris again for having me. Hope you all enjoy.

Texans Down 'N Dirty: Chris' Boy Edition

Jake — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 12:09:34 -0000

After everyone and their mother at the Chronicle had something (and by that I mean very little) to say about the Texans yesterday, it's back to the regular faces today. Stephanie Stradley breaks down the Texans offense. One point of note, everybody keeps freaking out about the lack of a backup running back for Steve Slaton. I will admit that if the season started tomorrow, I'd be freaking out too, but it's not starting tomorrow. NFL teams have a lot of trimming to do. I think that Smithiak chose not to draft a RB in the later rounds because they felt what was left was not going to be as good as backs that would eventually be cut before the season (please, someone like Ryan Torain). Remember that Kubiak came from a system that turned RB discards into studs regularly.

The official site did some previewing as well, but this time the defensive line was the subject. If you're a regular reader you're savvy on most of what they brought up, but one thing was interesting. Under position battles, not only did they note NT as the closest competition, but they insinuated that the job was DelJuan Robinson's to lose, not Travis Johnson.

Chris at HDH put a video of Brian Cushing lifting a lot of weight a lot of times on his site. Tim, I want you to quit calling Cushing my boy. He's now officially Chris' until further notice.

I have a guy I work with who is an obnoxious Colts fan. Last night ESPN posted their power rankings which had the Colts at 5 and the Texans at 16, and I heard all about it first thing this morning. Paul Kuharsky is soliciting advice and input for the rankings on his site, please let him know what you think. Man, I can't wait for the Texans to beat the Colts this year...

More Dominant Defensive Line - Titans Vs. Texans Part II

Jake — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:37:46 -0000

On Tuesday I wrote an article regarding Adam Schein’s theory that the Houston Texans’ defensive line will be better in 2009 than the unit belonging to the Tennessee Titans. I laid out my case of why Adam might be right on this account, specifically because of the loss of defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth. My contention was that it wasn’t the loss of Fat Albert alone that would cause the Titans defensive line to struggle; rather, the absence of such a dynamic player would expose the rest of the defensive lineman’s weaknesses.

Paul Kuharsky of ESPN was kind enough to link that article as he had previously linked Adam Schein’s column that spurred this debate. Paul runs a great site specifically dedicated to the AFC South. Not only does he have great information pertaining to all four teams in the division, but he does a great job of trying to interact with fans by conducting live chats like the one he will hold on Friday at 2:00 P.M. EST. I’m sorry to say that the Texans are a little underrepresented on his site, which is something I think we should try to fix.

Paul made a point when linking the article that was justified:

"Two words that have not been factored into this enough: Travis Johnson."

Not only was Kuharsky justified in that statement, but if he or anyone else who had read the article had taken a step further and identified my one-sided criticism toward the Titans defensive line that would have been justified as well. I assumed that any naysayers of Schein’s original argument would automatically focus on how good the Titans’ line was rather than how bad the Texans’ was, so I centered the article on disproving the former line of thought rather than the latter. In hindsight this line of thinking left my point of why I agree with Schein half stated. Allow me to finish what I started.

All of the defensive units for the Texans have been substandard for a long time now, including the line. Since I examined the performance of the Titans line over the last two years because of Haynesworth playing for a new contract in both seasons, I will use the same timeframe for any historical analysis of the Texans’ line as well.

You can’t have a discussion about Houston’s defense, much less the line, without starting with Mario Williams. After being hampered by a foot injury in his rookie year, Williams has accumulated 26 sacks in the last two seasons, becoming one of the most dominant pass rushers in the league. An average of 56 tackles over those two years also shows that Williams is stingy against the run as well and is not just a one-dimensional pass rusher. Even more impressive, Williams has spent the majority of the last two years getting double-teamed by offensive lineman.

The reason why Williams was facing two blockers on almost every play was because of the lack of talent among the rest of the defensive ends. Anthony Weaver showed early and often that he could simply not produce in a 4-3 scheme after leaving Baltimore’s 3-4. Tim Bulman showed brief flashes last year in 14 games but garnered a mere 4 sacks and 18 tackles. Even commonly facing one blocker because of the respect given to Williams, the two of them still couldn’t produce regularly.

This lack of production was the catalyst for signing Antonio Smith at the onset of free agency. Smith comes from the recently successful Arizona Cardinals, who benefited from Smith’s great play in the 2008 playoffs. Smith won’t wow you as a pass rusher as exemplified by just 9 sacks in the last two seasons, but it was his jack-of-all-trades role that enticed the Texans into targeting him early. Smith can not only play stout against the run, but he can slide inside and rush from the defensive tackle position on obvious passing situations like third downs. Just like I said about Jovan Haye, no one knows how Smith will perform in the Texans' system, but Smith has a better track record than Haye had in Tampa Bay.

Connor Barwin was also added to the defensive end rotation via the draft to address the lack of production at the position opposite Mario Williams. Barwin burst onto the scene after an all around amazing performance at the 2009 NFL Scouting Combine. Barwin has the ability to be a great pass rusher in the NFL, but he is still very green, having only one defensive season under his belt in college, albeit a very productive one. Barwin will see the field in passing situations and special teams, but the true determining factor for full-time play will be his ability to improve against the run.

As to Kuharsky’s original point, Travis Johnson has been terrible since being draft in the first round of the 2005 draft. I have no doubt that Johnson had incredible upside when coming into the league, but obviously lack of work ethic and caring got the better of him. He should be motivated by playing in the last year of his contract, but if the way he showed up to OTAs is any indication, even a new contract is not enough to overcome his sloth. Frank Okam has been the common answer to who will replace Johnson, but he has yet to see significant playing time. DelJuan Robinson, while playing well in the Tennessee victory at the end of the season last year, probably doesn’t have the talent to be a permanent starter.

The real wild card on the Texans' line is Amobi Okoye. After a breakout rookie season in 2007 in which the penetrating under-tackle tallied 5.5 sacks, Okoye significantly regressed last year. Amobi was hampered in the beginning of the year with a high ankle sprain and an apparent lack of offseason conditioning, but came on strong in the end of the year. Okoye is the same age as most rookies drafted this year, but he has two years of NFL experience under his belt. His regression is probably the biggest reason why Mario Williams experienced a slight dip in his production, even though it was very slight (14 to 12 sacks).

Even with my biased spin, the Texans look lacking in comparison with the recent success of the Titans' defensive line. As stated above, there are many reasons to expect great things from this unit in 2009 but past experience is not at the top of that list. One thing that both defensive lines had in common in the last two years was the presence of dynamic players. The title of dynamic is assigned because of a level of talent that creates opportunities for players around them.

It’s this difference that tips the scales in the Texans' favor in my opinion. Both Mario Williams and Albert Haynesworth are such rare talents that, when they are lost, it is hard to replace them. The Texans don’t have to address that problem this year whereas the Titans do. Furthermore, the only player that the Texans lost was an unproductive defensive end, and they added two players in his stead. Neither is certain to be great, but that’s two opportunities to get better at that position, which shouldn’t be that hard given the utter lack of past production.

The other reality is that the Titans not only expect more from their defensive line, they need more. The success of their team has been based off of a dominant pressure defense which allows a ball control offense. The Texans have had an offense, especially last year, that was good enough to win with marginal success from the defense at large. If the Titans' defense regresses at all, it will require an offensive change in philosophy that they may not be able to achieve with Kerry Collins and Vince Young. The Texans, on the other hand, are entering their first year with a healthy Matt Schaub and a second-year offensive coordinator. If their defense manages to improve past 22nd in the league, they very well may obtain their first winning season. In summation, the Texans’ defensive line has a decent chance to be better than the Titans, but even if they’re not, the team still has a chance to benefit more.