Excellent post is excellent. I was cringing every time Matt took a 5+ step drop... I knew he was going to get creamed... fumbles... tipped balls. Eagles blitz was tailor made to eat Schaub's lunch.
He's done this since he's been here. Usually, AJ is so wide open, he can slow down and catch it and still be ahead of the defense. I think this happens more often than Schaub hitting him in stride on a deep pass (although he has done that at times too - the New Orleans game a couple of years ago springs to mind).
Donny and msn, thanks for the kind words, I appreciate the conversation with you both and a couple of the other guys during the year. Also, to your point on the Eagles blitz, it's uncanny that when the Eagles get ahead and force teams to throw, it plays to their strengths (disguising coverages and blitzing from various spots). When we get ahead, teams get to exploit our defensive weakness - defending the pass
This is absolutely the most on target, on the money, totally accurate assessment of the Texans to date. Sums it all up in a few words. I give it my "telling like it is" academy award.
A truly excellent post. I would like to add two observations about Schaub's effectiveness as QB: 1) When he's able to take a 5 or 7 step drop with protection and no pressure is coming up the middle, he will pick any opposing defense apart. That's what essentially happened last year even though they had no running game. Schaub got great protection that allowed him time to see and hit his receivers even without a workable running game to set up the play-action pass. What really impacts him is getting pressure up the middle that forces him to backpedal and try to throw while doing so because he will always under throw the ball or miss the receiver. It was Philly's pressure up on Schaub in the 2nd half that turned the game in their favor. 2) Schaub desperately needs another stud receiver. AJ has been playing hurt and OD is unavailable and it really shows. Last night, when Philly figured out how to take away AJ the passing game sputtered. Last year, Daniels was there to make opposing teams pay for this strategy but OD has been hurt all year and was greatly missed when they blanketed AJ. No one was able to step up, get open and make a play. Finally: Msn and others are right on about how this game was lost. The Eagles did a masterful job on mixing up their blitz packages. They were selling out against the zone play and cheating toward the playside. Had Kubiak mixed in some cutbacks, misdirection or counter plays for Foster, he could have run for 200 yards and this game would have gone the Texans' way.
meh...7 loses already. This sucks. I would have loved to have gone to last years finale.... this year, I'm headed to my first Texans game....vs the jags...meh...last game of the season. double meh. Oh well, tix were an xmas gift from my girl. Can't complain. I'm excited to finally go inside Reliant Stadium...and see the Texans in person. Depressed that it'll be a meaningless game for the Texans though.
Meaningless? It gonna have HUGE implications........ on the draft Enjoy ur first visit there...its quite a place
Quarterback isnt too much of a issue. I think Schuabs struggles are more due to the recievers. Owen has been out most of the year. Jacoby cant catch. Walter is a nice player but should not be a starter. I'd add more to the offense before I think of a replacement at QB. But again defense is the #1 problem. But I would not mind drafting a reciever early on in the draft..
I like Walter. He isn't the best #2 in the league, but he's pretty reliable. I wish Matt would try to get him involved more. Agree on the other points. From here the only bright spot I can see for the year is trying to get AJ to 1500 yds and Arian to finish the year at the top of the league in rushing.
I think the case of picking up another big target at #2 is just to compete with the other teams having a sort of 1A and 1B. Where last year Evans/TO was the most known duo, now you have Dallas, Baltimore, Cincy, Philly with star studded pairs. And other teams like Miami and Minny who have breakout stars in the slot position. Then you look at our team, and you have AJ. You look at the other side and you just have a solid hands guy (which is very good and I'm a big KW fan) and then you look at the slot and you have the black hole of talent in JJ. If not JJ, then it's DA who's another hands guy. Maybe it suits this team better because Matt needs that security blanket without OD, but it's not like KW or DA get that many targets. Jacoby definitely gets too many looks. But a lot of other teams have expanded the roles of the #2 and #3 receivers, and like in many areas, Kubiak has failed to adjust.
Walter, for whatever reason, is not getting open almost ever. I don't know if it is because he can no longer create separation or the new OC has him running too many speed oriented routes. Jacoby is hardly being used at all. Sure he doesnt have the greatest hands, but Shanahan utilizes him pretty well last year on deep routes. I have yet to see that this season
I was really high on Jacoby going into this year but at this point I seriously don't want to see him on the field for offense. He has dropped WAY too many balls this year, especially on big plays that needed to converted. I was absolutely shocked he caught that touchdown against the Eagles
I dont think he has dropped as many as people think. He isn't among the AFC leaders (I can't find the complete list, but the last player on the list is Antwan Randel El with 4), so that means he has dropped 3 this year at the most. Andre is actually 4th in the NFL with 7 drops
We can criticize the offense all we want, but they took the lead in at the end of the 3rd and scored 24 points. At some point the defense has to hold a team under 20 points.
He has one of the weakest arms for a nfl qb, that is why we should go after jemarcus russel he can throw 80 yards from his knees.
