[profootball talk] Texans red zone woes not a new problem

I see the issue as largely being a product of two overwhelming factors:

1) The ZBS is a "finesse" blocking scheme, not a smashmouth one. When defenses stack the line, it greatly loses its effectiveness. It's simply not designed to punch through a goalline dive.

2) Our passing attack is built to spread the field (and by doing so, the defense). A lot of playaction and boot to suck defenders in, and receivers out at different levels to maximize space. When the field is shortened, that's taken away, and Schaub's accuracy comes and goes. He's never shared Brady's incredible precision in tight quarters.

We've been most successful over the years converting red zone opportunities when we run a naked boot that sends the defense crashing one way after the back while Schaub hooks up with a lone TE going the other way.

Foster will help in the red zone...but we're going to have to see - Vonta leaving will hurt most in those short yardage runs against an 8 man front.

 

I think a big reason - if not the biggest reason - for the glaring discrepency between our yardage and points scored is our lack of a gamebreaking player on offense beyond Foster (who's only been around for one of those 3 years). He's the only guy capable of turning in a 40+ yard TD with any degree of consistency.

When you don't score often from outside the red zone, it becomes harder to score once you're in the red zone, for a lot of the reasons emjohn listed.

They really, really miss Foster (who is indeed a much better option in the red zone than Ben Tate).

 

Uhm... never mind. I posted *then* looked up stats and... I'm wrong. I have nothing to add. Carry on!

 

What has two thumbs and can lead block like hell?

 

Emjohn, I disagree with your point number one. Last year Arian Foster was highly successful in scoring on goal line situations.

Why was this?
The zone blocking scheme is made for running backs with great vision. Arian's best attribute is his vision. Against the ZBS , many of times lineman are almost causing a wall pushing one or two defenders per lineman with them. The forward momentum flows the defense a certain way and many of times the ZBS uses the defense against themselves. Arian could find holes without problem in the redzone and for that reason, we were one of the better teams in the redzone last year.

We are severely missing Arian. Tate is a good backup, but not on the level of Foster. I feel as the season goes on, our redzone problems will not be an issue. That's depending on Arians hamstring though.

 

Having Arian Foster automatically makes it unnecessary to be "that good" in the Red Zone, in my opinion. We wouldn't have that problem had we had Ward and Foster suited up this past loss. The MIAMI game wasn't too tough to even warrant that.

 

Last year we were 5th in redzone offense.

2009 we were 13th. 2008 we were 26th. 2007 we were 4th.

So, um, yes, this is a "new" problem.

 

I miss Arian. . .

 

We could use a FB and some blocking TEs....

DD

 

Teamrankings.com has the Texans at 62% last year. 11th overall in RZ opportunities per game and tied for 4th in RZ scores per game. Ignoring first half inconsistencies, that's an offense that can move the ball at a very impressive rate when you also remember that they were probably near the league bottom in starting field position.

Arian Foster was 4th overall last year in both 20+ and 40+ gains so he probably does skew the numbers for higher red zone chances. But as Schaub puts it, he has a nose for the end zone that seemed to overcome whatever deficiencies zbs has when defenses tighten up inside the 20.

 

This is the Texans we're talking about here. One of the few teams in the NFL carrying 2 FBs and coached by a guy who has drafted more TEs in a 5 year span than anyone in NFL history.

We have plenty of both. What we really need is a healthy Arian Foster and for Steve Slaton to start his new career bagging groceries.

 

Slaton has a great future as a wedge buster.....

 

Foster will be the difference.

Foster is Australian for converting red zone opportunities.

 

Some backs just have a nose for the endzone and can make the right cuts to get there. Foster is one of those backs. He is a big reason we jumped from 13th to 5th in the red zone.

This year's problems remind me of '08 all over again. Fluid getting down the field and then we just stop. I'd like to see Vickers and Casey on the field at the same time inside the 10.

 

Yeah, that naked bootleg is MONEY on the goal-line. Seems like it's an easy TD inside the 5 every time we run it. Especially if our RB has been tearing it up all game like Foster did last year.

Also, I like that play when we fake the handoff to the RB, then pass it to the FB streaking out of the backfield. With a pass-catching FB like Casey, seems like this would be a goal-line staple.

 

But are any of the FBs and TEs proficient at blocking? You know what I mean, guys that do the dirty work and rarely get the ball, so you can max protect and give Schaub time to find AJ etc....

It seems most of our FBs and TE are more skill oriented and less about being extra lineman/protectors.

DD

 

There is the answer. Leech was a huge loss. I warned about it; they should have paid him.

 

"EXACTLY!!! So they will be expecting it . .so we should just run it through the line!!" - Gary Kubiak.

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