I see major improvement in Carr this year

I agree. This is the first time Carr has a chance to be good. First 4 years had horrible players, coaches, and lineman.

 

I actually think he does this on purpose. Look who he's throwing it to. AJ is one of the strongest most athletic receivers in the game right now. If you have man-to-man coverage down the field, why not underthrow it and let him go up and get it. You're going to get a catch or a pass interference penalty. It's worked pretty well all year and a lot of other QB's do it too.

BTW, props to you for starting this thread. I was just messing with you in the game thread.

 

the addition of moulds has helped carr as much as anything. giving him an extra option gives makes the defense play more conservative, opens up the field for johnson.

 

IMO, 95% of his improvment has to be attributed to better pass protection.

I think Salaam has really stabalized the offensive line... Spencer may have been a little inexperienced the first game, and he definitely has more upsside, but Salaam is a veteran who has actually PLAYED THE POSITION BEFORE, in the same system.

When Salaam went out with the slight injury in the middle of this game, the line started looking horrible again... Taylor got the blind-sided sack which caused the fumble, and Carr was skiddish the rest of the time... until Salaam came back in.

If only they had addressed the o-line THREE years ago, to the extent that they did this past off-season... I'm sure the better coaching is a big part of it as well.

 

Of course he looks good! For the first time ever, Carr actually has more than 1 receiver to throw to. I mean, his supporting staff (2nd and 3rd receivers) couldn't even make the rosters of other teams! Having Moulds (and even Putzier) is a godsend for him. And it shows.

 

we'll just have to agree to disagree. its not just moulds, its also having a legitimate tight end.

I've never seen a qb blitzed as much as carr. teams can't blitz all the time now or they will be burned. when carr started off well in the 04 season, he was spreading the ball all around. that's when derrick armstrong was having a good year. more options less blitzing.

 

Even with all the improvement, the offense is still forgetting the most important thing - scoring! It's happening, but not nearly as much as it should be with the stats Carr/AJ are putting up. Lack of a running game has to be a big part.

Crossing my fingers that this is the next evolution of the offense.

 

He handled the sacks and hits better today then in the past also. No Carr hissyfits or nothing..... maybe he's starting to become the leader we need on offense. Props to DaDakota.

 

Dada, Carr has made you look like a fool this season.

But at least you admit it!

 

I'm not neccesarily disagreeing with you... but I will point out that Carr has been sacked MANY times on plays where teams are simply bringing their base defense. Also, before this year, it was rare that the line could form a pocket, let alone sustain it.

The fact that the line was unable to protect against NON-blitzes, which still allowed the defense to drop men back in coverage, contributed to plenty of collapsing of the pocket, as well as the eventual sack of Carr.

Even today, the sack+fumble was because of Taylor just beating up on our backup-backup LT... not due to a blitz.

But, I will agree that Moulds+TE's+better offensive sets/strategy are contributing to allowing the improved line to hold its own.

 

Our running game is ATROCIOUS. That needs to be fixed ASAP, but I don't know if that'll happen this year or not.

But...that makes the year Carr is having even more impressive IMO. Can you imagine how much better the bootleg/play action plays that Kubiak loves so much would work if our running game was actually any kind of threat?

 

My brother and I were at the game today and we came up with a new nickname for Ron Dayne.. "the matrix"... why? because it always looks like he's in slow-mo.. while everybody else is running full speed.

Samkon Gado needs more carries.

 

I fully agree, he's made major strides now that he has actual coaching.

He seems to play within his game more, doesn't go for major gambles, and employs the whole field rather than making up his mind on a reciever before the snap.

Along with the deep ball, I've noticed he is pretty poor at selling the play action.

 

Did you see him run in the TD? Did you see how well he sold that one? Everyone on the defense bit...and he was completely free to walk it in.

On another note, Carr remains the NFL leader in QB rating at 108.9.

 

This whole season has kind of gone opposite of what I was expecting. Run game is crap (and Gado hasn't impressed me any more than Dayne has), but pass game is stellar, with Carr looking like a Pro-Bowl type QB. Even though he is still getting sacked a lot this season, David is making the throws, and not really holding on to the ball too long. I think the improved receivers help, as well as the scheme.

One thing that I found intriguing in yesterday's game. Late, when the offense finally sort of abandoned the run game and just let Carr sling it, we started moving the chains. Then later on, after the passing game was established, we broke off a couple good, long runs (one of which was called back...stupid Walter). I'm thinking Kubiak needs to change his tune of being dedicated to the run and using the run to set up the pass. We need to do the opposite. Let Carr make plays for us, and when they start dropping more guys back in coverage, then pound them with Dayne.

 

I don't think so
You put it out there. . . . AJ has a TD
Underthrowing it . . . . is underthrowing it

Rocket River

 

That's what I thought in the Philly game, both sides tried to establish the run and got no where. But Philly started to throw more then got our defense loosened up and the rest is history. Some coaches, sometimes to a fault, try and try to stay with the game plan instead of making adjustments.

 

What impresses me more is that Carr is virtually a rookie this season.

The organization has done nothing in his first 4 years to put him in a good situation. No QB coach, no good system (hell, switching systems every season), no players around him, no pass protection. Hell, not even a good, veteran QB to mentor him as a young QB in the league.

This is the first year the organization has done any of this.

Plus, the fact he is trying to learn ANOTHER offensive scheme, his play has been VERY impressive.


So, here is the question. By what everyone has seen so far from Carr, if the Texans get the 1st overall pick, do they draft Brady Quinn?

 

I did see it. I disagreed with the announcers that he sold it especially well. Everyone bit, obviously, but I didn't think that Carr was the reason.

When he sells the PA, Carr usually just flips out his empty left hand briefly in the direction of the RB. On the play in question, and in most in general, Dayne was still several feet away, never getting close enough were it an actual hand off. Carr did hide the ball well, and hesitated before heading for the end zone. But I think the play was sold more by not sending any recievers out and Dayne covering up so well.

I'm of the opinion that QB's good at the play action show the ball in the "handoff" before tucking. I don't feel Carr does that at all.

Evan