My thoughts, after attending the game: In general, it smacked of a mail it in effort by the Texans. They seemed to be in friendly scrimmage mode and got blasted by a team playing like it mattered. One example - Andre Johnson running a curl pattern where he turned and sat waiting for the ball to be delivered, allowing a Saints secondary player to get in front of the ball and nearly pick it off. Had he come back for the ball (like you're drilled to do even as a kid) it would have been a 3rd and short instead of 3rd and 10 (Daniels followed up with a 7 yd catch). I say it all the time - I can live with a team that gets beat, but not a team that doesn't bother to compete. The O line was alright in pass protection, but pretty weak in their run blocking. Slaton's not that good that he can overcome poor blocking and a mediocore fullback. The D line was just plain sad. It's one thing to not fill the gaps or create constant pressure. It's another when the left end is repeatedly being pancaked. The Saints were just creaming that side on runs, and even the tackles at times. Jammal Brown out? No problem, just run right instead. And the Texans failed to adjust or deal with it. The unit does look better in passing situations than last year, though. Cushing should help with this, but it's disturbing to see that we might still being so dependent on the LB corps to plug all the leaks. The secondary was nearly as abysmal as the D Line. Outmatched and clueless on how to tackle? I was disappointed with that unit last year and was pretty bummed to see the team ignore the need to address it in the offseason. The only improvement seems to be that the DEs can disrupt a few passes in the backfield. Thank God, cause the CBs and safeties sure aren't going to shut a passing game down. Dunta will help things, but how much? He can at least put a hit on guys, but he didn't look great when he returned last year, and skipping all of training camp will hardly improve his timing and reactions. Schaub looked good, Orlovsky looked uneven and he can't blame the rain this time. When the play works as designed and his primary option is there, he's fine. But if he has to make something happen? His decision making looks rough. A couple of decisions were atrocious. Good things: The receiving corps is the class of the league. I'd love to see the team put together a few 3rd and short (4 yds or so) plays with a Daniels/Casey double TE set. Big formation that could power run or send either/both TEs out along with Johnson and Walter. Evan
Run defense was abysmal, and Okam was a no-show. That's the worst fear with him, not showing up like this. I thought the Pass-rush was better than everyone is saying it was. They got pressure on Brees throughout most of the first quarter and a half. Bottom line is this is still preseason game 2. You can't expect a full gameplan or a fully executed one. I'm not too worried about the team as a whole, but individual players- Okam, Okoye, Orlovsky (he looked very nervous again), and Bennett.
At first I was pissed off that our defense was missing so many tackles. Then I realized that all the missed tackles were by our secondary. Then I got pissed off that somehow this team was running straight through our defensive line and linebackers without being touched. There wasn't anything else that really bothered me about this game other than our run defense...but that was some unbelievably ****ty run defense. I've heard nothing but glowing reports of Bill Kollar and what he can do with his defensive lines. I hope he figures this out because if our run defense is anywhere near as bad as it looked Saturday...we'll be lucky to have another 8-8 season.
Well, since it wasn't in HD, I didn't even watch. I DVR'ed the midnight showing in HD on NFL Network and watched the opening drive before work this morning. From reading this thread, I take it I should just delete it when I get home? Just the preseason, but our D is looking pretty weak again. Looks like we're going to be in a lot of shootouts this year..
John Mcclain brought up a good point just a while ago on 610 about the defense. Bush is undoubtedly holding back on the scheme and what they are planning on doing, not wanting to give away anything on film for the regular season. That certainly doesn't excuse the piss-poor effort, but it gives you hope. I really don't think it can get much worse than last year, given that in theory we did improve personnel.
Yeah, I heard that too. It strikes me as just another apologetic excuse which by now McClain should be an expert at giving. Now I can understand wanting to hide your blitz packages and schemes for the opener but it also says a lot when the Saints were able to simply line up and blow the defense off the line at the point of attack like that. That is something that should not be happening at this point in time. It's a matter of toughness - mental and physical and I didn't see any from the Texans on Saturday night. Not sure why. Something is still missing with the Texans - something that has been missing ever since Kubiak & Co. took over. I wish I could put my finger on it. He may be a good coach and all that but I still remain unconvinced in what he's trying to do.
Yep. You look at any defense that is good at stopping the run and it starts with the DE's. Unfortunately we have spent two first round picks on them that have yet to live up to that potential. But, the potential is still there with Okoye, Okam, and Robinson. Hopefully they'll be decent, at least. Why would Mcclain give excuses? He tells it like it is, and I think he usually is very balanced. Last year he basically started the whispers that Kubiak could be fired after the 0-4 start (if it had continued to go down like that). I think that defense from Saturday night will be by far the worst we'll see all year, especially considering the opponent.
lord, you and your kubiak witch hunt... they lack quality defensive tackles. especially with johnson and robinson out. that's it - that's the problem. not terribly difficult to put a finger on it. if they can't shore up the interior of that line, they're going to have a long season. i'm really, REALLY worried about okoye. he simply doesn't look strong enough to compete at this level. he's still only 22. barely. dude's actually younger than brian cushing - so it may be another year of physical maturity before he's ready but... (and i agree, btw, on mclain - he's likely right. but physicality has nothing to do with scheme.)
I hope Okoye isn't a bust for his and the organization's sake. he seems really likable. considering the size of some of the defensive tackles around the league, he does seem to be a little on the light side. maybe he will continue to fill out. through the old regime and the current they have too much invested in this defensive line.
Hell no. From what I remember of Brink it was pretty much all bad moments. At least Orlovsky had a couple really good passes (the TD to Andre was perfect). The INT was inexcusable, but that was the only real terrible decision I remember from him in this game. With the upside he showed, I would much rather keep Orlovsky as the backup than Brink (who I can't remember EVER impressing me in seasons past).
i think... ok, hope he will. again, he's younger than *this year's* first round pick - you can't dismiss that. he's basically "rookie" size and maturity right now. that's an important distinction. i liked the *idea* of picking okoye; it made sense to find someone to pair with mario williams. but they took too big a gamble on too big a project, imo. a 2-14 team trying to rebuild cannotNotNOT miss on first round picks. they should have drafted safer. when you get a kid a full 2-3 years younger than his peers, you can't predict how things are going to mature as he gets up to speed/size. i mean, drafting 22- and 23-year old seniors is a crapshoot...
did we "miss" on brown, too?? i realize it's way earlier to be asking for a definitive answer on that...but what's your gut?
oh, no - not at all; i think he'll be very good - i don't think you start as a rookie at LT and not have some chops. but, admittedly, i didn't pay much attention to him this weekend - did he get batted around? he's missing the two guys on his right so it'd be hard to evaluate him properly right now. but i liked what i saw last year.
With hindsight, I agree. We needed help in the middle of the line 2 years ago, not 2 years from now. But if I remember right, that pick was universally praised by pretty much everyone in the media – the same media that panned us the year before for picking Mario.
Let's see... the Steelers lost what almost every if not every pre-season game last year?...The Lions won every one...? That's right it matters. Add to what was said about Bush not showing everything....
