Antonio Smith's already played 3-4, so I'm not concerned there. Watt is a 3-4 end, so no concern there. I've mentioned Mitchell and Williams as concerns. The responsibility changes for Cushing and Ryans won't be drastic, and it'll be similar to the last two years: be all everything and cover half the field. Difference being that the OLBs will be firing forward each down instead of just flat out sucking. Secondary roles aren't drastically altered, except Quin is moving to safety - something that should be easier for him than trying to stay with #1 receivers. Obviously there's going to be an adjustment period, and there are going to be at least 4-5 new starters on the field which will be a system shock. I'm not saying that it won't be an issue, I just don't see it as a major issue. Major issues, IMO: Can Mario fit in this this scheme - I'm pessimistic. Can Mitchell hold his own, even as a "one gap NT" Is Ryans going to recover and be himself Is Barwin going to recover and transition well as a WOLB Will the Texans pay for two very good starters for the secondary, or are we going to see Taylor and Sensabaugh. I consider all these things to be much more important than the learning curve.
he was referring to brooks? I was wondering who he meant since Brooks was a pretty accomplished high school player who had scholarships to AZ and ASU in addition to Purdue. He came out of highschool at around 220 or so. It's not that hard to imagine that he put on 40lbs (the clean way) over the next 4 years
They hired, by any measure, the best defensive coordinator available. Let's not rush past that fact in our efforts to pile on. And *any* coach, which they absolutely had to have, would bring a new approach and thus the promise of a transitional adjustment.
emjohn, I think you're vastly underrating... well, virtually everything. New scheme, new starters, new positions... and a truncated offseason that could potentially impact training camp. But, yeah - other than that, it should be seamless.
Give me the "measures" so I can evaluate this statement. Good to hear that this team has no better an excuse than any other team that changed defensive coordinators this year. Can we say that if any team that made a change at defensive coordinator this offseason is better than us on defense next year the Texans failed and we can get rid of the whole bunch? Or is there another post you'd like to make pointing out why that's unfair and giving the Texans excuses that no other city affords? Edit: Heck, I'm willing to say this Ric. If any team who was worse than us OR had the same record as us last year is better than us next year, the Texans failed and Kubiak needs to be gone with Rick Smith right behind him. Are you on board with that?
Not rushing past that fact. I just won't tolerate it as an excuse. We're barely past the draft, and the Texans having hired "by any measure the best defensive coordinator available" is already being anointed as one of the excuses as to why they'll end up mediocre. Again. It's just. Another. Excuse. And I know you're just as ready as I am to stop talking about what-if and could'ves and if-onlys and to start talking about how well they executed and how good they looked while winning 11 or 12. But I'm fairly certain how this will play out. A losing streak somewhere midseason, 5-7 at week twelve, and somewhere between 6 and 9 wins. And McNair telling us we're "on the right track".
Somebody on internet posted he was a walk-on, it appears he was a 3 star prospect, accordingly i stand corrected. And lol about suspecting guys who go from too small/slow in college (a la Clay Matthews) to workout monsters at the Combine. Of course you should suspect them. Because these are the guys who get caught (ironically Cushing is an exception to this - only because peopel started the roids rumors in high school....)
fast forward with me to October. It's week 6. The Texans are 2-4 after a very short training camp and one preseason game. Can't you hear it? "Well, they're having to learn a new scheme and adjust to give new defensive starters." "Look at those busted plays in weeks 1, 2, and 4. If we have even two of those back, the Texans are 4-2 instead of 2-4." Now, fast forward to January. The Texans are 8-8 and second in the AFC South. "We could have been 4-2 after week 6, and that would have us in the playoffs right now!! We're knocking on the door. You'll see--we'll SHOW 'em next year!" *yawn* *click*
OK so here are the teams who had a worse or equal record to the Texans last year: Dallas Cowboys (6-10) Detroit Lions Minnesota Vikings San Fransisco 49ers Tennessee Titans Washington Redskins Arizona Cardinals (5-11) Cleveland Browns Buffalo (4-12) Cincinnati Bengals Denver Broncos Carolina Panthers (2-14) Every year teams in the NFL make the jump from loser to winner, even playoffs. Barring making the playoffs next year, Kubiak and Smith should be fired if any one of those teams has a better record than the Texans next year. Is anyone against that idea?
i don't even know why a reference of PED users was made. Clay & Cush, sure, they were long rumored to have (not to mention the program as a whole) and obviously since Cush overtrained. But, to mention 2 guys who seemingly have no significant allegations on them is completely pointless and irrelevant.
Nowhere, in any post, did I say it was going to be seamless. But Wade's D isn't like teaching the O-line the ZBS. It isn't, by any accounts, a complicated scheme that takes guys several seasons to learn. There's going to be a learning curve, but there are other factors that are going to be much more pressing than that.
Did you see the games last year???.....We werent that good in pass defense prior to last year...We just bottomed out...thats not an abberation, thats a testament!
