redzone stats 2008: 61 possessions, 28 TD, 20 FG, 78.7% score, 45.9% TD (26th in NFL) 2007: 46 possessions, 28 TD, 13 FG, 89.1% score, 60.9% TD (4th in NFL) sorry, combining both posts here.. yardage per game 2008: 382.1 total, 115.4 rush, 266.7 pass 2007: 333.6 total, 99.1 rush, 234.4 pass
This actually makes me feel a lot more optimistic heading into 2009. I know fans hate attributing things to random luck and like having someone to blame, but red-zone production has a lot to do with luck. It's not as if the Texans had this mythical bruising back (all it takes is one look at Ron Dayne's career to conclude he's not that) or better linemen in 2007. (And if it was Ron Dayne, you can sign him or a guy just like him in about two seconds.) For the most part, red-zone success is random, and total yardage is a much more reliable indicator of where an offense is really at and what it can be expected to produce in the future. imo, it's an indicator the Texans were fairly unlucky this year, and the point total will likely increase next year.
Taking it further back to see if it is a 'luck' thing.. or to see if there is fluctuation from year to year in terms of redzone vs. yardage yardage per game 2008: 382.1 total, 115.4 rush, 266.7 pass 2007: 333.6 total, 99.1 rush, 234.4 pass 2006: 279.1 total, 105.4 rush, 173.6 pass 2005: 253.3 total, 113.5 rush, 139.8 pass redzone stats 2008: 61 possessions, 28 TD, 20 FG, 78.7% score, 45.9% TD (26th in NFL) 2007: 46 possessions, 28 TD, 13 FG, 89.1% score, 60.9% TD (4th in NFL) 2006: 42 possessions, 24 TD, 8 FG, 76.2% score, 57.1% TD (9th in NFL) 2005: 37 possessions, 16 TD, 17 FG, 89.2% score, 43.2% TD (25th in NFL) points scored 2008: 366 2007: 379 2006: 267 2005: 260 Increase in yardage every season, huge strides in the passing game. We've come a long way from the crappy '05 and '06 seasons. And in terms of red-zone, 2008 seems like an anomaly at least in that it's the only year < 80% scoring AND < 50% TD. At a minmum, I think THAT can be attributed to randomness--even the crappy '05 team managed field goals out of a much larger %age of trips to the red zone.
A defensive mind that can take the opposing field general out of his comfort zone, that's what i want. When we're up by 12 points.... blitz, when we're down by 12 points... blitz, when there is doubt.... blitz. Use the element of surprise to our advantage. In the last interview of the season with dunta, he said that he missed being sent out on a cornerback blitzes. I also want kubiak to trust shanahan Jr. Jr. with the offensive play calling. I also think we should part ways with Davis and promote jacoby to Full time receiver. Maybe the signing of a pass rushing DE and a back up left tackle. In the draf i want, 1st round: Safety or OLB 2nd round: OLB or safety 3rd round. Speedy end. 4th round. A running back, 6'7 270 lbs would be nice
also, 2008 and 21 more points in total in the red zone than 2007.. and yet 13 less points overall. Which means there's a 34 point advantage to 2007 in a combination of "long TD plays" and D/ST TD's. Looking back, D/ST in 2008 scored 3 TDs.. in 2007, a whopping 7.. 2006, 3 again. So if you take away that 28 point difference attributed to the D/ST, then the OFFENSE (since that's what you're measuring by saying we scored less this year) actually did score more points this year compared to last.
a) blitzing all the time seems to contradict "the element of surprise" b) Completely disagree. Keep Davis as the #4 behind David Anderson--Davis has shown he can step up when there are injuries, part ways with fumble-prone Jacoby who hasn't shown a damn thing as a WR c) Are you kidding? Jacobs is a beast a 6'4" 264 lbs.. who are you talking about at 6'7"?
I'm also of the opinion that the Texans played a lot better defenses this year than last. We play Tennessee twice every year, but I think they were better this year than last. In addition we played Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Minnesota and Chicago. In 2007 the best defenses we played (as I recall) were Tennessee twice and San Diego. Everyone else I look at on last years schedule I don't remember having above average defenses. I am quite optimistic for next season.
There's no reason not to be optimistic for 2009. The schedule gets easier playing the NFC West. I have to assume that the turnover problem will only improve...especially if Rosenfails stays on the sideline where he belongs. Schaub will be in his 3rd year in the system. Slaton will be another year better and I assume they'll sign or draft a capable bruiser to spell Slaton more. AJ and Walter are one of the top WR combos in the league. Hopefully a more competent DC and the addition of a DE and safety will improve the defense enough.
I think everybody has a fullback role in mind for Lane. Nobody thinks he will be a featured back. Lane can provide the Texans something they have been missing. The ability to pick up 3rd and short on the ground. As a bonus, he has good pass catching skills. This is all assuming that he shows up to the combine in shape and performs well there.
I wish there was a way we could get our hands on Orakpo. A Mario/Orakpo D-Line would be amazing. /dreaming.
this right here is the big one for me; that averages out to nearly one more red zone possession a game. all things being equal, that puts you in position to score at least 3 more points every game. that's pretty significant. and as cat and kaleidosky have stated, luck can play a big role in red zone success. (how many of those possessions were with rosenfels at QB? how many were before slaton had established himself as a legitimate weapon?) but you still have to GET to the red zone before luck can have its way with you, so that's a great foundation. it's amazing how far they've come in 3 years, considering how anemic they were. 37 red zone possessions in '05??? that's barely 2 a game! 2! even if they scored a TD on every one of those 37 red zone possessions, that would only amount to roughly 16 points a game - they still would have lost 11 games that year (generally-speaking doing nothing other than looking at final scores).
Ric, I must say that your staunch, unswerving, unrattled (nearly militant) optimism and enthusiasm early this season (and all season long) were completely justified and have been vindicated. Here's to 9+ wins in 2009.
I'm gonna say 10+ I won my money (just mailed in the ticket to Vegas) on the OVER last year.. we'll see what the Texans line is in March. Man I hope it's 8.5, cause I'll be OVER on that one with a big bet!
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/6196561.html Texans don't renew contracts of strength coach, trainer The Texans continued to make changes in their staff today when strength and rehabilitation coach Dan Riley and head trainer Kevin Bastin were told their contracts were not being renewed. Riley and Bastin had been with the Texans since their first season of 2002. A search is on the way for their replacements.
thanks!... i think....... you know... growing up, my dad used to tell me about watching the oilers in old jeppesen stadium and, well, i guess i've always approached the texans from a pretty unique place: i wanted to be able to one day regale my future son with stories of the texans' early years... i guess i've felt more "reporter" than "fan" - my duties on the old site underscored that quite a bit, as did my living in dallas from their inception through 2005. so i've watched them from a great (metaphorical and literal) distance, interested in the process as much as the results. i've never gotten overly upset after losses; i don't get overly giddy when they win (exception: 19-10, but i lived in dallas at the time)... because of that, i think i have a pretty decent perspective about the team; where they've been, where they are... i look at other really, really bad franchises (which the texans were between 2002-2005), and i don't see overnight fixes and magical cures with any of them. i see teams like the raiders and lions and bengals and chiefs taking YEARS to dig themselves out of their holes, and remain impressed kubiak has been able to put a competitive football team in place in less than 3 years. it's remarkable. and exciting. it's great that the draft is no longer our season's lone highlight. it'll be fun watching them take that next step, which i expect to be in 2009... and having sat through 2002-2008, i can tell you, it's going to be all the sweeter.
Probably their best year as far as injuries (very few) go, I guess probably just cleaning house to clean house...
