Romeo Crennel expected to be new defensive coordinator for the Texans

He was out of football last season because he failed as a hc in and took the year off. He was promoted, again, for a reason.

 

One of my concerns with going with Romeo Crennel is the change from the one-gap Wade Phillips 3-4 to the two-gap traditional 3-4. You might end up limiting the effectiveness of JJ by making him change his gap responsibilities. I hope Romeo can adapt his scheme and system to take advantage and highlight JJ versus limiting him to holding up linemen for LBs to flow and make plays. The good thing is we'll be much more stout up front with a true NT.

 

Romeo tried to to utilize the less athletic Seymour as more of a rusher than a gap filler a lot in New England. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

Is that when you tell your players to keep battle fighting?

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Texans&amp;src=hash">#Texans</a> coach Bill O'Brien is ready to clean house on his coaching staff. Met with current assistants for 5 minutes today, and that was it</p>&mdash; Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapSheet/statuses/419495848301428736">January 4, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>O'Brien isn't expected to retain any current staff, tho meetings are still on-going as we speak. Romeo Crennel getting a strong look at DC</p>&mdash; Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapSheet/statuses/419496070939308033">January 4, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Former <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Chiefs&amp;src=hash">#Chiefs</a> HC Romeo Crennel has 1 year left on his his deal valued at $3.5 M in base salary, source confirmed.</p>&mdash; Adam Caplan (@caplannfl) <a href="https://twitter.com/caplannfl/statuses/419499353628082176">January 4, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Crennel and O'Brien have not worked together previously. Sort of an odd pairing. Completely different personalities.</p>&mdash; Adam Caplan (@caplannfl) <a href="https://twitter.com/caplannfl/statuses/419501111238602752">January 4, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Agree, but if what if opens up Reed and Mercilus to do more than just set the edge? Besides Watt already gets double and triple teamed. Will it really be much different?

 

<iframe width="480" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/CmALA8miQY8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

Anyone have any news on Chik Harris?

 

Anyone have any news on Chik Harris?

 

They should already be doing more than just setting the edge if Watt is getting double and triple teamed. The point is, unless Watt can be a difference maker, the rest of the defense isn't good enough to compensate. Thus, why scheme to have him take on blockers?

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Thanks to McNair family and great Texan fans and most all our players. It was wonderful being home. I wish the best to all</p>&mdash; Wade Phillips (@sonofbum) <a href="https://twitter.com/sonofbum/statuses/419524235539660800">January 4, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Special thanks to Bob &amp; Janis McNair who treated my Dad so well. I will always be grateful.</p>&mdash; Wade Phillips (@sonofbum) <a href="https://twitter.com/sonofbum/statuses/419525271939592192">January 4, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Different personalities a good thing. Successful people typically hire people unlike them to man other parts of a company, different view points and different ideas. Kubiak's stench was all over the damn team, just little mini-me's running around.

This guy has me excited, just want to see Teddy, Johnny and Blake at the combine now.

 

Or was Phillips not properly utilizing the talent of the rest of the defense? I doubt its O'Brien's or Crennel's goal to get Watt 20/20/20. The focus will be to get a consistent pass rush.

 

I've been critical, but I want to defend Wade Phillips for a moment and the mythical idea that teams adjust to his defense and that's why it gets worse.

Wade runs the same defense he always runs. It relies on a lot of man coverage and a twin free safety style look. He expects back end coverage to be tight while he blitzes up front.

The reason Wade's defense has gotten worse is that his players got worse. With the exception of JJ Watt and Kareem, every position on the defense either got worse due to being replaced by a worse player or worse simply by getting older. That first season he had prime everyone and was able to run the ideal defense he wanted thanks to Manning and Glover. Since then he has seen a noticeable talent drop due to players leaving, getting hurt or getting old.

The real issue was not teams adjusting to Wade's scheme, it was the Texans inability to replace players on the roster through the draft. It's been the same problem the entire time. They can hit on a pick every now and then, but they have never shown the ability to consistently draft replacement depth.

 

Some Romeo is a 2gap preacher. Complicated system, not used by many in the NFL right now. Ravens use it.

Wonder if he'll adjust it now?

 

Here's a good read on Romeo's 2 gap 3-4.

http://arrowheadaddict.com/2012/08/29/the-fatal-flaw-in-romeo-crennels-defense/

Basically, it calls for the defensive linemen to occupy 2 blockers so that the linebackers have favorable matchups against tight ends and running backs instead of offensive linemen. They're not trying to rush the QB, they're simply trying to tie up more than one blocker.

So yeah, if JJ buys into the system, he's not going to be going after the QB like he was before. On the plus side, he already commands double teams, so he'd actually be able to do what would be asked of him quite well. The problem is that the other 2 linemen need to do the same or it's all for naught.

It also makes it look like Clowney (if he's asked to be a DE instead of OLB) would be somewhat wasted in that system.

Looking at his defense in KC, linemen produced 5 sacks in 2012, 6.5 in 2011, and 13 in 2010. By comparison, Wade's D produced 17, 28.5, and 16.5 sacks from his linemen.

 

I appreciate the job Wade done here _ BUT, everywhere he goes after a couple of years his defenses turn to sheet... And at each place he's coached you can find some kind of excuse to make it look like it's not his fault.

 

Why so?
My amateur perspective would assume the opposite.
Watt & Clowney = 4 guys occupied by 2.

 

Crenel will adjust to Watt. He is by far,(along with that guy from Cinci)the best D-lineman in the league.