SB Nation User Blog: Jake

Deciphering The Texans' Playoff Chances

Jake — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 22:04:05 -0000

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I know that writers on other sites as well as this one have broken down the possibilities of your Houston Texans making the postseason, but I found myself doing the math today so I thought I'd share it with everyone. I know it's a little silly to talk about the playoffs when you barely put away a struggling St. Louis Rams team, but we might as well know what it will take so we know when to give up the dream.

There are two 8-6 teams currently holding the two AFC wildcard spots. There are an additional six teams that are still in the chase at 7-7. Considering the absurd amount of possibilities those eight teams with remaining postseason chances present, it's important that everyone knows the tiebreaker criteria. Below is that criteria which should be followed until one is applicable:

1. Head to Head

2. Divisional Record (only applicable if deciding between two teams of the same division)

3. Conference Record

3 4. Best record against similar teams (minimum of four)

4 5. Strength of victory (points for minus points against)

Author's Note: There are more tiebreakers, but the chances of any being necessary are amazingly slim.

It seems fairly obvious that the only way that Houston could make the playoffs is to win their two remaining games. In addition to that happening, the Texans need a great deal of luck, considering that they control their own destiny with just two of the seven teams still in the hunt. I'll break each one down, but all are under the assumption that the Texans take care of business, which won't be easy.

1. Baltimore Ravens - Despite the Ravens tallying one more win than the Texans at this point, this is one of the few teams that a tiebreaker would not favor against us. If the Ravens were to lose one game, the Texans would have an advantage under criteria 3 4 as Houston is currently 2-2 against like opponents (Indianapolis, Oakland, Cincinnati, and New England) and Baltimore is 0-4. The Ravens still have to face Pittsburgh and Oakland; losing to either team would suffice for us.

2. Denver Broncos - As with the Ravens, the Texans could conceivably beat the Broncos in the case of a tiebreaker. The Texans could finish with the same AFC record (6-6), and if they beat New England they would have identical records against like opponents (New England, Indianapolis, Oakland and Cincinnati). The only way that this could happen though is if the Broncos lose to Kansas City in the last game of the season and do not outscore Philadelphia by enough to overcome the point differential lead the Texans currently hold (Broncos - 25, Texans - 41).

3. Jacksonville Jaguars - The Jags have beaten the Texans twice this season and therefore hold the tiebreaker. The only way that we can overcome them is if they lose at New England this week or at Cleveland in Week 17. Obviously the more likely of the two would be New England this Sunday. This would also help the Texans cause because a win against the Jags and a Houston win over Miami would clinch the AFC East for New England, making the week 17 contest between the Texans and Patriots less significant for New England.

4. Miami Dolphins - This is one of the few instances in which the Texans control their own destiny as they play Miami this week. It would actually been nice for the Dolphins to beat the Tennessee last week because the Texans would still make the playoffs over Miami because of a head to head win but a Tennessee loss would have knocked them out of contention.

5. Tennessee Titans - The Titans hold a tiebreaker over the Texans because of a superior division record (Titans: 2-4, Texans: 1-5). The only way that Houston can jump into the playoffs ahead of Tennessee is if the Titans lose to San Diego on Thursday or at Seattle in Week 17. Hopefully the Chargers stay red hot in an attempt to lock up the second seed in the AFC.

6. New York Jets - The Jets hold a tiebreaker over the Texans because of a win in Houston in Week 1. The only way that the Texans can beat the Jets to the postseason is if New York loses in Indianapolis this week or against the Bengals in Week 17. Luckily, the Colts are exclusively in pursuit of history now that the Saints lost and the Bengals are still fighting to lock up the AFC North and a higher playoff seed.

7. Pittsburgh Steelers - This is one of two teams that Houston doesn't have to worry about winning their two remaining games. They don't play each other this season, and they would finish with identical AFC records if both teams won out (6-6). Against like opponents (Oakland, Cincinnati, Tennessee and Miami) though, the Texans are 3-1, whereas the Steelers are 1-3. Even if the Steelers beat Baltimore and Miami, the Texans would have the tiebreaker because of criteria 3. Obviously, it would be nice if Pittsburgh beat Baltimore for previously mentioned reasons, although their game against Miami in Week 17 is inconsequential for our purposes.

So there it is. Does your head hurt as much as mine? Again, all of the above is completely moot unless the Texans win their two remaining games against the Dolphins and Patriots. Even if the aforementioned scenarios don't turn out in the Texans' favor, winning the last two games would give the franchise its first winning record and go a long way to keeping Gary Kubiak around for an additional season. In summation, the Texans have to take care of business and have four of the remaining teams (Broncos, Ravens, Titans, Jets and Jaguars) lose at least one more game. Feeling lucky, Texans fans?

Late Edit: As Nolander pointed out in the Comments, my math with the Ravens was wrong. For us to top them, they would have to lose to both Pittsburgh and Oakland to give them the same conference record as the Texans, which would be irrelevant for tiebreaker purposes because that would leave them with an 8-8 record. Sorry for this mix-up; this post exhausted all of my cognitive abilities. So now we need Tennessee, Jacksonville, New York and Denver to all lose at least one more game, or have three of them lose another and Baltimore lose both remaining games. Even better.

Texans vs. Rams: Post Game Thread

Jake — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 21:28:10 -0000

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Was it pretty?... No. Embarrassing... Maybe. Does it count in the W column?... Yup. Neither the offense or the defense played well, but neither played terribly either. It's a good thing that the Texans pulled out a win against the Null led Rams because I think a loss would have made Gary Kubiak's seat immensely hot.

Leave your rants and raves here.

Texans Five on Five: Week 15 Edition

Jake — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 04:02:32 -0000

The Houston Texans picked up some momentum last week by trouncing the Seahawks 34-7. They'll try to keep that drive going on Sunday when they travel to St. Louis to play the struggling Rams. Remember last year when the Texans were coming off an emotional victory and played the struggling Raiders? Let's avoid the quintessential letdown game. Here's the five matchups I feel are the most pivotal to make that happen.

1. Amobi Okoye vs. Jason Brown - Brown rode his success in Baltimore to a lucrative contract with the Rams in the offseason. Now Brown finds himself on an island with the recent release of talented but impetulant guard Richie Incognito. Okoye has gone a long way to undo the "bust" label this yearl, but now it's time to start proving that he is going to take the next step. Look for Okoye to penetrate through a reworked interior line for the Rams.

2. Mike Karney vs. DeMeco Ryans - As people focus on the stellar rookie season of Brian Cushing, Ryans is quietly having a Pro Bowl year. Meanwhile, Steven Jackson is having the best season since 2006, even with the revolving door at quarterback this season. The Rams released talented fullback Madison Hedgecock early in 2007, which coincided with 4.1 yards per carry and an average of 1,022 yards over 2007 and 2008 despite Jackson being the focal point of the offense. This year, Jackson is averaging 4.5 yards per attempt and already has more than 1,200 rushing yards, largely due to the lead blocking of Karney. Ryans needs to shed the blocks in order to meet Jackson in the backfield and add to the 3 tackles for loss he recorded last week.

3. Bernard Pollard vs. Steven Jackson - With both Marc Bulger and Kyle Boller out, 6th round draft pick ~~Kyle~~ Keith Null will start at quarterback on Sunday. Look for the Rams to screen and check down to Jackson, who is easily their most talented player, often. Pollard showed last week that not only can he tackle in space, but he can jump running back routes and make opposing offenses pay. He also like to knock the piss out of people.

4. Matt Schaub vs. Rams Secondary - Schaub has already shattered his career highs in passing yards, completions and touchdowns this season. Unfortunately, he is also averaging an interception per game. On Sunday he will throw against a secondary that is second to last in the league with only 8 interceptions. Schaub has only had two weeks this year where he didn't throw a pick. If Schaub wants to put this game out of reach and therefore avoid even the possibility of a fourth quarter collapse, he needs to take care of the ball.

5. Texans players vs. Possible Kubiak Firing - Last week the Texans showed that they don't want to see head coach Gary Kubiak get fired. Andre Johnson not only made a public plea for Kubiak, but he also showed on the field that he flourishes under the offensive minded coach. The quickest way to put Kubiak in jeopardy is to lay an egg against a one win team. Hopefully the players continue to give Kubiak a stay of execution.

Texans vs Rams coverage

TE Anthony Hill Out For Season With Torn ACL

Jake — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:34:19 -0000

TE Anthony Hill Out For Season With Torn ACL

Anthony Hill has a torn ACL that has ended a season that was best known for being the first NFL player with a confirmed case of Swine Flu. All that for Sage Rosenfels.

The Thief Of The 2009 Season: The Running Game

Jake — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:09:46 -0000

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The 2009 season for the Houston Texans has been wildly inconsistent and disappointing. For the third straight year, they find themselves looking at a 6-7 record and possibly a third consecutive .500 season. Although the numbers in the W and L columns are the same, the way they got there is different.

Back in the offseason, many Texans fans speculated that even a slightly improved defense, combined with the impressive offense, would catapult this team directly into the playoffs. Since the record is the same, the casual observer would assume that the defense failed to make this minor improvement, but they'd be wrong. Frank Bush's defensive squad is currently ranked 13th in total defense thus far after finishing 22nd last year.

So what gives? Matt Schaub is having a career year and doing his best to shake to "injury prone" description commonly associated with him. Andre Johnson is again leading the league in receiving yards and has equaled his touchdown total from last year. There's only one possibility left--the run game.

Last year Steve Slaton was seriously considered for the title of Offensive Rookie of the Year. 1,659 all-purpose yards made General Manager Rick Smith look like a genius for drafting Slaton in the third round despite widespread belief that he was too small to be an every-down back. This week Slaton was placed on the injured reserve with 437 rushing yards and 3.3 yards per attempt, a full yard and a half down from his average of 2008.

Slaton's sophomore slump was mostly mental prior to his season-ending neck injury. Slaton didn't show the conviction to hit holes when they appeared and also lost 7 fumbles in just 11 games. To put it all on Slaton would be unfair though. As of last week, Slaton had 40 more receiving yards than last year, averaging 15 more yards through the air per game than he did last season. The increased involvement of Slaton in the passing game was an attempt to get Slaton out in space, a strategy made necessary because of a lack of holes to run through.

Alex Gibbs is widely considered one of the best positional coaches in all of the NFL. Wherever he has coached offensive lines throughout his career, the rushing attacks have been good to dominant, including the Texans last year. The entire Texans offensive line starting all 16 games last year was a phenomenon that was new to even him, however, and that continuity allowed those players to gel and produce fantastic results down the stretch.

The line has not been so lucky with injuries this year. Left guard Chester Pitts was placed on the injured reserve after Week 2, and right guard Mike Brisiel followed after Week 5. The team wasn't exactly dominating the line of scrimmage in those initial games of the season, but two of the four 100 yard rushing games came during that period. By way of comparison, the Texans rushed for 100 yards in all but five games in 2008.

Chester Pitts will be an unrestricted free agent following this year. As long as it is determined that he is healthy, he needs to be re-signed at all costs. His and Brisiel's absence has highlighted how substandard Chris Myers is at the center position. Myers continually loses at the point of attack while run blocking. If you want to see for yourself, watch him block throughout the Seattle game to see opposing defensive tackles push him aside. Then watch rookie Antoine Caldwell in the one play after Myers is hurt push his man five yards down the field.

That brings me to my next point. Why isn't Caldwell getting a shot at center? Myers not only loses regularly while run blocking, but he continues to have issues with larger defensive tackles while in pass protection. Myers is a great story, going from a practice squad to starting every game last year, but without good to great guards to help him, he is simply too small to be effective.

Another factor that has adversely affected the Texans in general this year, especially in the run game, is a lack of depth. Once Slaton started his mental problems, Gary Kubiak had Chris Brown, Arian Foster and Ryan Moats to rely on, which is woefully inadequate. Furthermore, Kasey Studdard and Chris White might not be terrible guards but when both are thrust into the lineup at the same time next to an inferior center, bad things will happen. All the same, an acquisition of a more quality interior lineman for next year couldn't hurt.

One last aspect that cannot be overlooked is the absence of Owen Daniels. Obviously Matt Schaub misses him as a target, but a tight end that can run routes and catch as well as run block is an enormous benefit for the run game. Daniels has deceiving blocking ability but his prolific talent as a receiver keeps a linebacker or a safety from attacking the line of scrimmage automatically. Both offensive tackles Duane Brown and Eric Winston have played well this year, but if OD clears out a linebacker, that frees one of them to get to the next level in order to block downfield.

Keep in mind how inconsistent this team has been this year. The Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde halves, the fourth quarter collapses...they can all be partially attributed to the lack of running success. The Texans have been successful converting 3rd or 4th and 2 yards or less 64% of the time running to the right, and a terrible 44% running up the middle. No matter how successful you are with the pass, if you continually live by the sword, you will eventually die by the sword. Take for example Matt Schaub's 13 interceptions. That sounds a little high until you take into account that equals one INT for every 36.4 attempts. That's still a little high, but when opposing defenses know that you have to pass to move the ball whether you have a lead or not, it stacks the deck against you.

Gary Kubiak has come under intense scrutiny because of game situations that have cost the Texans several games near the end. This season, Kubiak finally got a better defense, only to lose his running game. Last year's average of 115 yards per game would be the fourth best rushing output for this year's team. I'm trying to avoid the apologist angle, but if the running game was even close to last year's, I don't think that we would be discussing the jeopardy of Kubiak's future in Houston. Even yesterday's offensive outpouring included only 85 yards on the ground. In my opinion, Bob McNair should worry more about the replacement of a few offensive linemen and running backs, rather than a head coach.

Gary Kubiak: What To Do?

Jake — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 03:03:13 -0000

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The 2009 NFL season was supposed to be the breakout year for the Houston Texans. After two 8-8 seasons, they seemed primed for the franchise's first playoff season. Now, sitting at 5-7, the playoffs are not a possibility and the focus has shifted to embattled head coach Gary Kubiak.

Gary Kubiak is the second head coach of the Houston Texans. He was hired in 2006 to replace Dom Capers, who lead the expansion franchise to an 18-46 record over the first four years, including a 2-14 record in 2005. The move to Kubiak made sense. Kubiak is a Houston native who played college ball in the state of Texas before a 19 year playing and coaching career with the Denver Broncos, one of the best offensive teams of the last quarter century.

Something has gone awry. The hometown man has not been bad, but he certainly hasn't been good either. He currently has 27-33 record as a head coach and is on pace for a third consecutive .500 season (or maybe even worse). Anyone who has watched this team knows that it is capable of much more; six of the seven losses were winnable in the closing quarter of the game, yet the Texans came up short. Many speculate that this lack of "closing games" may cost Kubiak his job.

Many Texans fans feel this Kubiak's ouster is the right course of action. The NFL is an instant gratification league, and fans demand results. When the average Houston fan looks around at the turnaround success that Atlanta, Baltimore and Miami all experienced on the shoulders of first year head coaches last year, it's hard to feel loyalty to a coach that hasn't managed a playoff season in four years when those three coaches managed to do it in one.

What has killed Kubiak are the other AFC South teams. While the Kubiak-led Texans are a decent 20-16 against the rest of the league, they are an abysmal 7-17 against the Colts, Jaguars and Titans. For a team to be successful, they must at least break even in their division, something that the Texans have done only once since Kubiak's hire. Ironically, that .500 year was in 2006, which was the only season Kubiak managed less than 8-8 for the season.

As I implied earlier, Kubiak was hired for his offensive expertise. As a former quarterback, coach of that same position, and offensive coordinator, he certainly had the right pedigree. In 2006 he attempted to make that offense work with former first round pick David Carr. After finishing 28th in total offense with Carr, Kubiak and his general manager Rick Smith, who Kubiak brought with him from Denver, traded two second round picks in consecutive years for Atlanta backup quarterback Matt Schaub. Since that trade, the Texans finished 14th in 2007, 3rd in 2008 and are currently ranked 8th in total offense.

So on the offensive front the Texans have improved drastically under Kubiak. Unfortunately, the defense has not fared as well. Former defensive coordinator Richard Smith led an anemic defense that could not keep up with the offensive improvement. Many Texans fans were encouraged by the firing of Richard Smith, and the subsequent hiring of Frank Bush, another Kubiak colleague from his days in Denver. Bush, along with first-round pick and defensive rookie of the year candidate Brian Cushing, have given new life into the defense, which now ranks 16th.

Rankings are all well and good, but the one statistic that matters in the NFL is wins. You would assume a team that ranks 8th in total offense and 16th in total defense is a playoff caliber team; the Texans, however, find themselves effectively eliminated from that race. This leads us back to not closing games when they matter, something usually attributed to coaching. As stated, this attribute may cost him his job at the end of the season.

I personally think that firing Kubiak after the 2009 campaign would be a huge mistake. He is definitely not perfect, and this season has been the football equivalent of a root canal for me and all Texans fans. Consider, though, what replacing Kubiak would entail. It has been rumored that owner Bob McNair would be interested in a defensive-minded head coach. So what would that mean?

Kubiak runs a unique offense that relies on a smaller, zone blocking offensive line. Bill Cowher has been named as a potential suitor. Cowher was known as a power running coach, something that would require new offensive lineman and new running backs. The only other "established" head coach is Mike Shanahan, but you might as well forget about that possibility because even though his son is currently offensive coordinator, it is unlikely that he would step in to replace his friend and former protégé. The other option is a first-time head coach who is currently a defensive coordinator. While that move may or may not work to improve the defense, it is still unknown what would happen to the offense because without Kubiak, Kyle Shanahan would likely leave to coach with his father, who will undoubtedly be given a job somewhere.

There's more though. What happens to GM Rick Smith if Kubiak is canned? While Kubiak's performance can be questioned, it is obvious that Smith has done a phenomenal job to undo the damage done by former GM Charlie Casserly. There are only a handful of players left from the Casserly regime, which is not a coincidence. This roster was so devoid of talent when Smith took over that a complete re-tooling was necessary. Smith has traded for a QB who is arguably one of the top ten in the league, drafted key players including three Pro Bowlers, and brought in some (yes, just some) good free agent acquisitions, such as Antonio Smith.

I feel that it is a fact that Kubiak and Smith have improved this team significantly. It is possible that Kubiak is incapable of being a great coach because of his handling of game situations necessary for winning games late. We don't know that though; at this point it is just speculation. I think it's worth the risk of another gut-wrenching, underperforming season to validate that suspicion. Keep in mind that Kubiak still has a chance to lead the Texans to their first winning season ever this season, albeit a slim one. Even if that doesn't happen, and he produces yet another mediocre season, I say give him one more chance. We haven't seen enough failure yet to justify another complete do-over.

Oh, by the way, the resurgent Falcons, Dolphins and Ravens that had sharp turnarounds last year are all currently 6-6 and out of the playoffs as of right now. I would forgo instant gratification in exchange for sustained success. What about you?

Texans Five On Five: Week Thirteen

Jake — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 01:31:05 -0000

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The Houston Texans go to Jacksonville on Sunday to face the Jaguars. In Week 3, Chris Brown fumbled away a win on the goal line in Houston. Now the Texans will look for revenge. Here are the five matchups I feel are most important in order for that to happen.

1. Tyron Brackenridge vs. Andre Johnson - It's hard enough to contain Johnson with everyone healthy, much less when you're missing your best cover corner, Rashean Mathis. The Jags sport the 26th ranked pass defense this season, of which Mathis was one of the few highlights. Now Brackenridge, how has given up a total of 251 yards and a touchdown in the last two games since taking over the starting role, will try and stop Andre, who will likely play inspired because of the last couple of games.

2. John Busing vs. Maurice Jones-Drew - The Texans run defense has turned a corner since the last time they played the Jaguars, mostly due to improved play from the safety position. Busing hasn't contributed to that improvement though, and had not started since Week 3 until he was forced back into the lineup last week because of a season-ending injury to Eugene Wilson. The reason he lost his job? Poor support to the run. Busing will be dropped in coverage more than Bernard Pollard, but he will still be required to come up to help bring Jones-Drew down.

3. Dunta Robinson vs. Mike Sims-Walker - Anyone who has regularly watched the Texans this year knows that Robinson has been abused regularly. Opposing #1 wide receivers have tallied 50 receptions for 639 yards and 5 TDs, which is slightly deceiving considering it doesn't take into account the many pass interference infractions Dunta's committed. Sims-Walker can claim 6 receptions for 81 yards of that total. I honestly don't understand why teams don't throw Robinson's way more often.

4. Mario Williams vs. Eugene Monroe - This one is a little obvious but pivotal nonetheless. The Jaguars have given up the 6th most sacks and the 88 times that David Garrard has been hit is the most in the NFL. It's been established that Williams is hurting, but he simply needs to be able to beat a rookie in a must win situation, period.

5. Gary Kubiak vs. Wasted Season - To say the season has been disappointing is an understatement, but it's not over yet. The playoffs is almost certainly out of the picture, but the first winning season in franchise history is not. The Texans under Gary Kubiak are ~~11-4~~ 10-5 in the last 5 games of the season over ~~the last 5 years~~ the Kubiak Era. Gary might be coaching for his job though. It will be interesting to see how his coaching demeanor changes, if any, now that his back is against the wall.

Bob McNair, "Right Now I Have A Coach"

Jake — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:58:13 -0000

Bob McNair, "Right Now I Have A Coach"

Interesting language from McNair. Kubiak is obviously coaching for his job, although it is up for debate how many games he has to win to save his job.

Texans State of the Union: Defense

Jake — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 23:51:48 -0000

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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.

Andre Johnson Claims Desire To Retire A Texan

Jake — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 14:51:46 -0000

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Andre Johnson's uncle, who handles the star wide receiver's business affairs, was cited in the latest issue of ESPN The Magazine, claiming that if the Texans didn't turn the corner soon that Johnson would try to force his way out of Houston. To quote his uncle Andre Melton, "If he never gets a chance at a ring and I let him stay, I'd be doing him an injustice."

The Andre that matters feels differently, however. Johnson told Fox 26 in Houston that he doesn't want to go anywhere, and that he was displeased with not only his uncle making that assertion but also with the poor timing of it. Johnson doesn't want to be a distraction for the team as they get ready to face off with the rival Tennessee Titans on Monday Night.

Johnson closed his interview with reporters as succinctly as possible by stating, "I plan on being a Texan until the day I retire."