Most complex 4-3's these days don't run a balanced front. They have a 0 or 1 technique nose tackle and a 3 technique undertackle which shades the line to one side by default.
Ummm, we knew this was going to be the case a month ago. Blue actually averaged almost 5 ypc this preseason. Arian might be back by the end of the month. Supposedly easy schedule to start the season. I totally understand not wanting to go out and trade assets to get a RB that'll be put back in a reserve role after 3-4 games.
I think if Ball had anything to give, Kubiak would have kept him or at least traded him. Kubiak is a RB wizard, if you've got something to give, he'll get every ounce of it out of you. Gray I would definitely bring in for a workout. He'd probably be our best back behind Foster. His familiarity with the basic system the Texans runs is ideal as well. Good fit all around.
Like everything else, you have to be a specific type of RB to work with the Kubiak system, that means RB's who are not much in other systems will thrive, but it can also mean that otherwise good RB's fail if they aren't the specific type of back to do the things Kubiak's system asks of them.
Kubiak got a lot out of just about every back that came through the system. It's not like Foster or Dayne were anything similar or could perform similar schemes.
And yet Montee Ball's performance dropped like a rock across the board once Kubiak came to town. Clearly something that John Fox was doing helped him and something Kubiak was doing hurt him.
Actually Ball began his decline last year under Fox. He lost his starting job to C.J. Anderson. Fox couldn't help him then and neither could Kubiak. Maybe O'Brien can but it is unlikely. B.O.B. isn't known for his work with running backs.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Texans?src=hash">#Texans</a> are planning to sign QB Zac Dysert to the practice squad, who was waived by Chicago. That'll be their 3rd QB for practice.</p>— Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) <a href="https://twitter.com/taniaganguli/status/640635086321385477">September 6, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">WR Alan Bonner to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Texans?src=hash">#Texans</a> practice squad</p>— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkBermanFox26/status/640620275604701184">September 6, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Eric Tomlinson/TE signed to Houston Texans practice squad. One of the better blocking TE's in last April's draft.</p>— Tony Pauline (@TonyPauline) <a href="https://twitter.com/TonyPauline/status/640632624843780096">September 6, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Guard Karim Barton to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Texans?src=hash">#Texans</a> practice squad</p>— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkBermanFox26/status/640638715363090432">September 6, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
there should be no reason why Gray isnt a texan by now. Makes too much sense. He would be our best back right now with foster out
I'm always leery about players cut by the Patriots though, when's the last time they cut someone that was still good? Time will tell when it comes to how much Wilfork has left in the tank, but I can't think of anyone off the top of my head that got cut by the Pats and went on to be worth a damn.
You might very well be right, I don't know enough about him one way or the other to have an intelligent opinion about it.
What are you trying to say about your Houston Texans starting QB? The patriots released Gray last year and then signed him again; he played pretty well for them last year.
