It's Football 101 to run the ball once you get a lead, especially if you're up by 2 or more scores. I'm not going to pile on Kubiak for the one great game of the season last year, but I do remember the guys on the radio saying that during halftime, the O-line had to BEG Kubiak to run the ball down their throats in the 2nd half - hence the 13 running plays on that 1st drive. It was almost like Kubiak saying "you want to run the ball? fine....we'll run the ball."
It was 13-10 at the half. Kubiak seems to have a blind spot when it comes to Foster. I certainly don't blame him for not yet having confidence in him at the point in the season; but as the year wore on, his substitution patterns and seemingly favorable opinion of Schaub and the passing game would often perplex me. I'd like to believe a small % of it was tied to the defense and him knowing he was going to be in a shoot-out every week. But... I don't know. Coaches are notorious for "under"reacting. Maybe he'll ride Foster this year until his knees blow off. Who knows? One truly great thing I can say about Kubiak: Offensively, if they've had a consistent problem, good lord has he properly addressed it in the offseason. That's why the offense doesn't worry me at all. And handing the defense over to a "head coach" is comforting. Focus on the offense, let Phillips run the defense. Sounds good. I'm optimistic this will work.
I think I would prefer they take Kerrigan at 11 than Smith. I think the "next Ware" angle makes Smith a nice "story" pick for writers, but reality isn't scripted like a Hollywood movie. If Wade Phillips wasn't the DC, Ware's name wouldn't be associated with Smith. If reality worked that way, Mark Herzlich would be a first round pick. And by the.time John McClain is talking about him, it has to be a smokescreen.
It's very literally how it happened, don't do another dance - you flat out stated that Kubiak "scripted" the perfect game plan to kick the Colts into the dirt. Kubiak "scripted" a gameplan that had them passing at a 3:1 ratio. Schaub got hot on the third possession, getting the TD on three straight 20-yd tosses (the first actually being a short toss with a nice YAC). As far as the other two scores, they were FGs that both happened on the heels of Schaub stall outs: On Indy's 31, , Schaub 2-5 for 13 yards, Foster 3 carries for 11. 2nd and goal on Indy's 7, Schaub throws two INCs (neither looking good). For the drive, (PI for 53 yds), Schaub 1-2 for 7 yards, sacked for 7, Foster 1 carry for 7. Then there's Schaub's INT after Foster had 17 yds in two carries (4th possession)
steal of the draft.......Dalton going to Indy......I hope we keep our picks and take all the UNC players (Quinn, DT Austin, and FS Carter?)...They're all well rested and hungry players who know the value of having their careers almost snatched away from them...
Yes, but we had the ball up 13-0 with 9 minutes left in the half. 1st down, we run for 7 yards. 2nd down, we run for 10 yards. Going great, right? So then on 1st down, we line up in the shotgun and Schaub throws an INT that leads to the Colts 1st TD. I've always thought the best way to neutralize a great offense (which because of our defense was every offense we played last year...) was to run the ball, eat up clock, and leave the opposing QB on the sideline. Remember, that's how teams used to neutralize the Run and Shoot Oilers. I hope you're right. It's just that I've been optimistic before - for different reasons - and, as Calvin Murphy used to say, "if the right one don't get 'cha, the left one will." I can see a scenario this year where we drastically improve the passing D, then all the sudden forget how to stop the run. Seems like it's always something different every year with this team.
What was the name of the site that had compiled the mock drafts from various sites and processed them to see which were most accurate? I had it bookmarked on my old computer but not on my new one, apparently. Deunta Williams is the S; I think you maybe thinking about Bruce Carter, OLB.
Austin is basically Albert Haynesworth in the head with less talent. He's going to be a hedache for whoever drafts him. I've also read that because of his height he is a better fit in a four man front.
I can't google up a rating of mock drafts?? I sort of remember that Rick Gosselin of the Dallas Morning news being crowned at least once in recent years. He has a new mock out today but it subscriber protected for one day. Here's an interesting site: http://www.theobr.com/public/mdm/default.asp It's a synthesis of 26 different mocks.
As I understand it, you're looking at the situation by the broad, topical definition of a 3-4, not the way the Wade Phillips version actually runs. Everyone connected to the Texans says the "OLB" of their choosing - whether it be Aldon or whoever - will essentially play as a DE in a hybrid front for the vast, vast majority of their snaps. I'm not a scout, so I can't argue with any substantial depth here. But I've asked that question numerous times, and folks in a position to know (scouts) swear that Smith would effectively be used like a 4-3 DE. I'm a Mizzou guy, and I agree with you - there is a question whether Aldon could be effective in coverage early on, and he does (at this point) play a little high. But he has truly elite pass-rushing speed and ability, and if the Wade front works the way Lance Z and others have described it, I think he's a fit. Also, when Warren Sapp coined the "Demarcus Ware" comparison, he wasn't talking to a Houston writer or in the context of Smith going to the Texans/Wade Phillips. He was merely speaking on his perception of Smith's ability, period. Now, after the fact, a few Houston writers have spread that quote around... but that's not where the comparison originated. You can disagree with the comparison, of course... but the Wade Phillips angle isn't why Aldon was associated with Ware.
And leading 13-0! Look, I have no interest in getting hung up on semantics. If the word "scripting" is bothering you, forget I ever posted it. Let's pretend I said, "called" and move on. Point being, you're not going to have your cake and eat it, too. He can't be (rightly) blamed for not adjusting to what wasn't working in game 2 while not getting credit for adjusting and riding what was working in game 1. I've readily admitted he pulled a Princess Bride and wildly over thought the game 2 game plan. I have no idea why he didn't run Foster down their throats. It's inconceivable! But what they did to Indy in week 1 (which reportedly included him spending the summer stressing hyper-focus and getting out of the gates quickly and making a statement) deserves as much praise as game 2 deserves derision.
But that's exactly how this offense is structured: they run to set-up the pass. I don't specifically remember the play but it sounds like textbook Kubiak and *exactly* what they had done on the previous drive (which resulted in a TD). Plus, from an "on paper" perspective, there's absolutely nothing wrong with a deep pass on the heels on back-to-back long runs when leading 13-0. If they hit that - and I have no details other than it was a long pass attempt to AJ - that's the kind of nail-in-the-coffin play too many Kubiak critics claim he never calls. So let's not confuse playcalling with execution.
So has Ric gone from being the fence rider who wanted to pretend he wasn't defending the Texans back to his roots as a water carrier?
Wait just a second… I've readily agreed that Kubiak made an inexplicable, indefensible mistake. Meanwhile, emjohn won’t even begrudgingly give him credit where I think credit is pretty obviously due… and somehow, I'm the impartial one? So he was just plain lucky when they beat the Colts initially and back to plain stupid when they lost to them the second time? That’s a fair, unbiased perspective?
I am sure you have seen Aldon much more than I have since as you say you are a Mizzou guy. As far as the text book definition of a 3-4 defense or Wade Phillips' variant I don't know though according to many stories written when he was hired there does seem to be a difference rather than say what New England runs. My concern on Smith is more about all of his highlights seem to be of him beating a guard on the inside, basically being faster than him, not of him going around tackles on the outside which is what he would be asked to do, I imagine, the differences in Wade's scheme not withstanding. I just have a concern but it's not like I have looked into the future and know what will occur, if they saw enough to take him then I might not be totally enthused but I would certainly root for him and the Texans to succeed.
Except he didn't coin it. It's been bouncing around the internet in relation to Houston/Phillips since at least February. From what can tell, the Sapp quote comes from the beginning of the month? I'm sure Sapp probably read it on one of the websites, liked it, and ran with it. I don't know about local writers, since I don't read any of them.
Google "Aldon Smith Demarcus Ware" and look at the first few pages of results. I didn't see a single one specifically related to the Texans, yet the comparison has been discussed a lot of places. Honestly, I've followed Aldon's draft stock pretty closely, and I didn't see him linked as a legit interest of the Texans until mid-March. Again, you can disagree with the comparison all you want, but all available evidence suggests that it didn't originate with the likelihood he may play with Wade Phillips.
Draft! Seems more and more like Von Miller will be unattainable (Arizona at #4 likes him and are in better position to trade with the Bills for him). I'm not enthused by the thought of Aldon Smith, partially because I think it'd be a lot cheaper to sign a decent rush-only WOLB than it would be a competent CB or S (of which we ideally need two). Quinn I do like plenty. I constantly give him credit for being the architect of this offense. I was one of the very few with you that felt "fire Kubiak no matter who the replacement might be" wasn't a good idea. When you shift the argument's sands, it gets silly. Ric: Improving the defense will take care of any issues we saw on offense (Kubiak "out-thinking himself", field position, playing from behind) Me: The issues on offense had nothing to do with the defense (poor gameplanning and scripting, etc: ex. Indy MNF) Ric: Can't hate on that without praising him for "scripting the perfect game plan to kick the Colts into the dirt week 1" Me: He didn't gameplan that You yourself admit they were 13-10 at the half. They weren't kicking the Colts into the dirt. When they threw the gameplan in the trash and Kubiak listened to the players, they ran off 21-7 behind Foster/Slaton. And then Kubiak went into MNF deadset on throwing again, despite seeing for himself the better way of playing the Colts (which was hardly a secret for the last 4 years). Overall, we're still looking at a top 10 offense. But most of us realize that this should be a top 3 offense. Kubiak's like George Lucas - put a fantastic franchise together....but keeps screwing it up at the same time. Just because I'm generally happy with the caliber of our offense doesn't mean I have to put on blinders.
