I was very impressed with the intentional extra blocking sets they put in with this decimated O-line. They went right at Watt to start… then they had all the extra WR’s and RB’s helping to block… and once they fully imposed that, the line was actually able to block the Steelers base-set with regularity. I really think the average (or even advanced) football fan doesn’t understand how important line schemes/play/blocking can literally make/break any offensive scheme. It’s literally everything. It’s the foundation for a building. It’s starting pitching for a baseball team. It will always be the difference maker between good teams and poverty franchises.
Looking at my original post you can say I'm obsessed with pre-snap movement. When Hoodie Wannabes and their "game plan offense" used it almost never, it made you miss it.
Slowik is better at this, and setting up defenses for later shot plays, than any coordinator we've had in a long time (at least Kubiak, ironically) or maybe ever.
It's obviously something they've been emphasizing and coaching up, but the WR downfield blocking has been outstanding so far
I found Kubiak overrated. Outside of a few play action passes and open Owen Daniels, he never figured out how to really take advantage of Andre Johnson in the red zone. Running game was elite I'll give him that.
To echo my above post... the biggest thing Kubiak brought to the table is implementing the ZBS and acquiring the personnel to fit that (along with the assistant coaches/gurus who really did the heavy lifting in getting it installed). As a play-caller, he was always on the conservative side... but when you have the ZBS working at its full capabilities, you have to take advantage of your ability to run the ball consistently and have that set up almost everything else (especially the patented play-action roll-out that everybody fell for). Baby Shan has still adopted those fundamentals... but he's expanded the options on the play-calling side once he found a QB he could trust and an all-world RB that is basically unguardable.
I would like to see a little more PA, but otherwise very, VERY happy with the creativity and malleability of Slowik and the offense coaches to find things that work vs banging home a "system" regardless of talent level. Quick passing and power running will help a rag tag group of offensive linemen.
The Texans are playing well. I blame the coaches. Slowik is certainly game planning to give his rookie QB a great chance at being successful.
Just in case he isn't. Offensive Coach Schaubie? Klay Kubiak? Krystal Shanahan? Yeah I hope he stays at least 3 seasons and that Chicago doesn't him as their HC.
Personally I put alot of the red zone woes and Lack of TDs for AJ, on Schaub's limitations as a passer. In a shortened and congested field when receivers weren't running wide open on crossing routes off play action these limitations became more apparent. Watching Stroud these past few games I've seen more High level NFL type throws in 4 games than I did in 7 years of Schaub, that might be exaggeration but I don't think im too far off. All those deep in-routes on a frozen rope or when Stroud was in a collapsing pocket and just flicked the ball 30+ yds to Nico on a corner route perfectly in stride. None of that was in Schaubs scope as a passer imo.
