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Best 11 Guys - Defense

Discussion in 'Houston Texans' started by Dankstronaut, Sep 13, 2017.

  1. Dankstronaut

    Dankstronaut Way, way out here.
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    The Texans have gotten WAY too cute with lining up defenders. I realize the carry over from college to pro isn't exact but there are enough similarities to think, for instance, if being a 43 DE got JD Clowney drafted #1 overall maybe play him at 43 DE and not try to force a 6'6" 290 pound straight line athlete with zero experience in coverage to play 34 OLB.

    And you go over the whole defense, put guys in the positions that suit their talents and things shake out pretty cleanly in my view. And they shake out as a 43 defense.

    Here's my base defense, my best 11 guys in the best positions for them to succeed.

    ------------------------------------------------------x--------------------------------------------------------------
    --------------------------Watt-----Reader--------------Beef-------Clowney--------------------------------
    -----------------Mercilus--------------------McKinney-----------------------------Cunningham-----------
    ---Johnson-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Joseph---
    ---------------------------------Jackson------------------------Hal---------------------------------------------

    Watt and Clowney are the prototypes for 43 DEs. Being that they are your best player and the most highly invested player, it makes ZERO sense to play them elsewhere. ZERO. Mercilus is a good back up to Clowney in spots and Kamalu after JJ.

    Reader and Beef, whoever it is. Heath, Covington, Dunn. Beef it up in the middle there and watch how much harder it is to run on this team.

    You'll notice Cushing isn't listed in the LBers section. That's because he isn't one of the best 3 LBers on this team anymore. Mercilus at SAM leaves a little to be desired as a coverage guy but I think you can hide that with schemes and it's not as if Cushing is the athletic marvel he once was. Mercilus has really come a long way as an edge setter in the run game and coming off the edge with JJ makes for a pretty dynamic blitz package. McKinney right where he should be at MIKE and Cunningham, a rangy, athletic, fluid athlete makes for a pretty obvious WILL. And you have a veteran guy like Cushing to come off the bench for either Mercilus or McKinney in spells. Bonus.

    DBs are a little in flux but with the front 7 right, I think first and foremost it's time to dedicate Jackson as the SS. He tackles well and as long as the play is in front of him he's a good player. He's never been fast enough to be a corner. Never. Personally, I'd be looking to move Johnson back to FS, I don't think he's physical enough at corner but he does have the speed and ball skills I'd prefer in my centerfielder. I just don't know who you replace him with. Joseph should be spelled B-O-U-Y-E but I digress.

    Missing on DJ Swearinger really hurt that backfield.
     
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  2. Mr. Clutch

    Mr. Clutch Contributing Member

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    Can Crennel and Vrabel run a 4-3?
     
  3. sugrlndkid

    sugrlndkid Member

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    Clowney needs to be lined up as a DE permanently, Watt needs to be a situational pass rusher...till he gets back to game shape and explosiveness.
     
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  4. Bobbythegreat

    Bobbythegreat Member
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    Does it really matter if he's called a DE or an OLB if he's essentially doing the same thing?
     
  5. sugrlndkid

    sugrlndkid Member

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    Just think he has more success at being a disruptor attacking the guard/center matchups
     
  6. snowconeman22

    snowconeman22 Member

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    Watt-reader-Covington-clowney
    Merci-Mckinney-Covington

    Is by far and away our best front 7 .
     
  7. Nimo

    Nimo Member

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    Not getting an OLB and a S really hurt the team this year. I'm fine with Bouye leaving but they are going to really miss Demps and Scarlett should not be a starter. My guess is that's why Clowney is out there.
     
  8. Dankstronaut

    Dankstronaut Way, way out here.
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    I don't care if they call him ray or jay or ray jay....

    But yeah, I need to see him cut the baloney, put his hand in the dirt and do what made him #1 overall.

    Well, I'd rather have Bouye than Joseph. And to say they didn't get an OLB when Cunningham could easily fill that role, especially as 43 will.....but Clowney can? Clowney doesn't play with the same intent or production at OLB, never has.

    Asking Cunningham to flow to ball carriers and stick with a TE is asking him to do what he's good at. They didn't ask him to play DE lol...
     
  9. rezdawg

    rezdawg Contributing Member

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    Problem is that we didn't miss...he was rock solid with the Cardinals and was named team captain this year with the Redskins. The main issue is that our coaches blow.
     
  10. Nimo

    Nimo Member

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    I would rather have Bouye too but not for that cap hit. I'm okay with a young and healthy Kevin Johnson and a veteran in Jospeh (for one more year only).

    I don't want Clowney on the outside and I definitely don't want Cunningham there either. At least not permanently. If John Simon (or someone like him) were still here then everyone would play where they are supposed to.
     
  11. Dankstronaut

    Dankstronaut Way, way out here.
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    Well....WE missed, even worse. But cutting him was the right move. He was terrible and acted a damned fool.
     
  12. Dankstronaut

    Dankstronaut Way, way out here.
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    Good players cost money. Bouye' contract isn't much more than Joseph's, certainly not at the production rate.

    Johnson was not good last week.

    Kinda like brooks' contract wasn't much more than Allens. Simon, pretty sure he didn't break the bank if he's the lynchpin to everyone playing the right position.

    Duane Brown isn't getting paid though, with all that extra money and an above average WR is getting paid like he's the best.

    Who the **** is making these decisions? ****!
     
  13. Nimo

    Nimo Member

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    Bouye wasn't good last week either. I think the CBs will end up okay without him. I am concerned about the safeties though.

    I don't get why they didn't just fix the Duane Brown situation. I have a feeling McNair might be involved with that. It makes no sense to me.
     
  14. Dankstronaut

    Dankstronaut Way, way out here.
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    Pfff ok, Bouye was on Hopkins like white on rice.
     
  15. K-Lo_The_Future

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    3 pass interfernce penalties and 2 drops by hopkins whete bouye was burned...white on rice.
     
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  16. Nimo

    Nimo Member

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    The Texans should have attacked him more.
     
  17. Dankstronaut

    Dankstronaut Way, way out here.
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    lol...Hopkins had 7 catches on 16 targets for 56 yards and the only 7 points they put up all day. I'm sure Bouye will take that, the PIs that didn't amount to **** and his new stack of money to the bank. Idk about you but I wouldn't call that Hopkins' first step towards earning that contract.
     
  18. rezdawg

    rezdawg Contributing Member

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    Ramsey was effective on Hopkins...Bouye did a terrible job on Hopkins. We should have kept going to whatever WR Bouye was covering...we would have marched down the field via penalties.

    PFF gave Bouye a 54.1 grade, which basically means he got slapped around (which he clearly did if you paid attention). Ramsey, on the other hand, got an 82.7 and got the better of Hopkins.

    For reference, Texans CB grades:
    Jonathan Joseph 75.9
    Kareem Jackson 64.6
    Kevin Johnson 36.9
     
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  19. Dankstronaut

    Dankstronaut Way, way out here.
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    Bouye got slapped around huh? Fantastic. If the difference is that stark and BOB's "matchup" offense can't dictate the action to any sort of noticeable gains I'd consider it yet another punch on BoB's train ticket the F outta here.
     
  20. rezdawg

    rezdawg Contributing Member

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    Yes, definitely agree with that. The one thing BoB has failed to do is live up to his nonsense about how they create different adjustments and matchups based on what's happening. The Texans have repeatedly failed on this front time and time again. I dont see how the offense will turn around this season, but unless they can creep their way up to top 20 offense status, Obrien should most definitely be on his way out. Even then, the Texans should be keeping their eyes open for a replacement.
     

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