oh, no doubt. if i implied they WOULD get better, it was by accident. i was working from one of those "on paper" perspectives. both sides of the ball lack depth and need help. i just don't agree that the defense is fine as is, or that we should expect it to be as good as it was last year. and that if, the team added robertson or newman and not johnson, i would not be upset; nor would i be upset with johnson. it's win-win. gross, btw, would upset me.
Yeah is somehow we traded down and got Gross I would be quite..no make that VERY, upset. A friend of mine is an aquaintance of Chris Palmer and Capersand I almost had him beg them not to trade down for Gross. I don't know why but for some reason I just don't think he's going to be a pro on par with where he will be drafted.
Defensive Line needs a third starter to free up the LBs. I hope for Robertson or Kennedy (the Texans trade down a 2-4 spots for him, but would also need to get a big DE later in draft for third down). Would be happy with A Johnson or Newman at the third. I also wouldn't be disappointed if the Texans traded down for some OL help since Carr is an important long term investment.
After some very critical thinking, I have concluded that I would much rather have a DL or OL than a skill position player. I feel as though big bodies with skills are harder to find than the athletic/speedster types. Andre Johnson was the third option on the Miami team last year, behind McGahee and Winslow. I feel as though a DL will have a greater impact on a game than will a WR. WR's only participate meaningfully on passing plays. They block on running plays, but rarely do teams run outside the tackles in the NFL. A defensive lineman will contribute on both running and passing plays. My choice is to trade down and select either Robertson or Kennedy.
i don't really disagree with your premise (though i'm not sure where you want the texans to go in a trade down for robertson -- chicago WILL pick him 4th if he's still on the board), but i do disagree that a WR only impacts the team on passing plays. to wit, take terrell owens. defenses have to game plan owens -- have to. he'll break a game open single-handedly if you don't neutralize him. so you spend a portion of your week on him, taking time away from working on other facets of the plan. so right there, a WR has impacted the game before anyone's ever taken the field. owens also requires at least one man, at all times, to be on his jock, and realitically, he really requires 2, because there aren't many who can shut him down, 1-on-1. sending him deep pulls a safety over, flooding a zone occupies a LB. owens gives the offense a 10-9 man advantage just by his mere presence. he's good enough to cloud thought and reason, not unlike a tenacious shot blocker or a lights out closer. you don't have to swat 7 or save all 90 wins to impact a game; all you need is a presence. guys like owens are a presence. he makes everything you do on offense a little easier. owens opens up the draw play; owens insists everyone stays home on playaction, putting the defense on, well, the defensive; owens converts critical third downs; owens stretches the routine into the extraoridinary; owens turns a close game into a route. to say the running game boil downs to a back and the lineman is really oversimplifying the equation. every player plays a significant role and owens ups the ante. he's a gamebreaker. andre johnson could be our terrell owens.
Lets look at the 22 NFL WR's that had 1000 yard seasons last year. Marvin Harrison Randy Moss Amani Toomer Hines Ward Plaxico Burress Joe Horn Torry Holt Terrell Owens Eric Moulds Lavernues Coles Peerless Price Koren Robinson Jerry Rice Marty Booker Chad Johnson Keyshawn Johnson Isaac Bruce Donald Driver Jimmy Smith Rod Smith Derrick Mason Rod Gardner How many of these 22 were top 10 picks? ...4 How many of these 22 were 1st round picks? ...9 Wide Receiver is the hardest position to predict in the history of the NFL, look at guys like Joe Horn, Jimmy and Rod Smith, Keenan McCardell, they were all practice squad fodder for many seasons. Draft Defense, worry about offense later.
Andre Johnson could very well be the next TO, however defense is a safer way to go. Its common sense, you cannot have a productive offense if your defense is on the field more than 50% of the time.
The verdict is in - you heard it here first; The Texans are trading down (deal with the Vikings) and they will select Jordan Gross from Utah with 7th pick. Rumour has it that Charlie Casserly saw the ESPN commercial (for the first time on Wednesday) and the light in his head came on.
Why would they trade down with Minnesota when they could just as easily trade down with Arizona, who has an earlier pick?
I would want the Texans to trade the 2nd round pick or 3rd pick to the Redskins for Fred Smoot. He is young and can be a shutdown cornerback in the future. Plus we can move Coleman to Free safety. So we get a 2 starters for 1 draft pick. IMO. Andre Johnson all the way for the No.3 Pick for the Texans
common sense, you say? moe, the offense dictates how long it stays on the field, not its defense. if your defense is holding the opponent to 3 and outs each and every time but your offense is stuck in the starting gates, how is the defense going to keep itself off the field? look at the texan/steeler game for a perfect illustration of this. your offense has to be able to move the football and control the clock. and please, man, i'm beggin' ya, repsect to the work put into it, but history has no bearing on andre johnson. none. nada. zip. zippo. you're wasting your time. he'll either be good, or he won't, and that'll be determined by a billion different factors and not one of them -- not a one -- will have anything to do with where's he drafted. and whether he's good or not will have no bearing any WRs taken top 5 next year, either.
I agree with you, statistics are always off, But statistics are what the GM's and coaches have to look at. Its true that offense dictates the TOP, but a good defense will be able to force 4th downs/turnovers quicker to give the offense another shot correct? All I'm trying to say is that defense would be a better option here than a WR who may or may not be good.
The Texans should really pursue a trade down, or go after Newman/Robertson/Suggs/Kennedy, Andre Johnson has bust written all over him. If you want a big fast WR with average at best receiving skills, my Lions will send you Schroeder for one of your 3rd round picks
very few defenses dictates games in the manner you're suggesting; it's simply unrealistic to expect the defense to consistently hold the other team down each and every series for 16 weeks. but even if they did, the offense still has to generate yardage or the defense is right back on the field.
