Man I am just HOPING we have an awesome off season. We defn need some veteran leadership... esp in our secondary... *ahem Bailey =). Then again, Santa exist right?!! :grin: :grin: ... sigh.
My apologies beforehand for going offtopic but I have an excellent Texan facepalm that I took with my phone. Can anyone of you guys tell me how to upload it?
The defense doesn't need WIDESPREAD changes but a few key changes. I would considering moving Mario for picks but it certainly doesn't look that will even be considered. We need a NT, Safeties and DBs all that can be addressed with 1 or 2 FAgent signings and smart drafting with fairly high picks each round.
Read that this morning; Things I liked: -Did not suggest using Okoye as NT, inferred a lesser role -Suggested Cody or Mitchell as NT, I'd be interested to see what we have in Mitchell. Not as high on Cody - has the brawn but doesn't make plays. Things I didn't like: -Didn't mention the secondary AT ALL. If Phillips is unaware that the back of the defense is 17 times the problem that the front is, we have a problem. The front 7 could stand improvement, and this could possibly be a better scheme for them. But if it puts more pressure on our failed DBs to lock down coverage....this will be a trainwreck. I'm hoping and praying that they really put effort into bringing in more than one top flight DB (one CB, one S) position coach. Someone has to teach the little kids how to play with the adults.
They need to try to sign two defensive backs, let alone two defensive coaches. The best cornerback on their team is a good nickle corner. They have no quality at safety. They should approach the offseason thinking they need either two above average corners in FA, or one corner and one safety. You can't go into the draft thinking you need to hit on a safety, a corner, potentially one defensive linemen, one linebacker... And those are the things they need to win next year. Now, if they are being given a two year building time, then they don't need to worry about FA. This year's FA period, barring lockout complications, will tell us all we need to know about Gary's job security.
If Phillips can turn either of these jokers into above average NTs, he is a miracle worker. One of my hopes is that he will be able to develop players (or create a scheme that hides their weakness and plays to their strengths).
How did drafting a corner last year work out? Corners that can cover are a premium in FA. Heck corners who are average in coverage (Dunta Robinson on a good day) get paid well in FA. Wade might feel that he can coach up our current corners or at least pressure the opposing QB enough to take some pressure off the corners. I have no hope for strong safety Bernard Pollard. He makes big mistakes in coverage. Wade might move Pollard to LB in nickel packages. Outside of that, I suspect he is gone. I would not be surprised at all if the Texans take a play making SS in the first or second round in the draft, or better yet sign Champ Bailey to replace Pollard.
That's why I said they needed to do it in FA... It just so happens there are a few this year. Barber, Bailey, Joseph, Taylor. Heck, even Marshall from Carolina would be an upgrade for this team. If they operate under that assumption I will be a sad, sad panda. Like I said, they are devoid of talent at safety. They need to get a safety somewhere this offseason.
You mean his only playoff win ever? If that floats your boat then what's coming should easily please people like yourself. BTW, his defense this year fell apart and your boy was completely unable to fix it. Durrrrrrrrrrrrrr
My bad. I was typing faster than I was thinkin' I agree that the Texans will not be drafting a CB in the top rounds of the draft (not unless the best CB in the draft falls in their lap and I would still be slightly surprised). CBs take two or three years to season in the NFL, so it will be interesting to see what Wade does with Quin and KJax. Even though Wade is saying that the Texans have the players he needs to run his 3-4 D, I would not be surprise to see him trade defensive assets away to get what he really wants. Amobi for instance might get traded for picks for picks or a better fitting front seven player.
He is undersized for DT in either the 3-4 or the 4-3. Wade has played undersized NTs effectively before, but might prefer more size there. We will see.
Yeah, for the first time in his career his defense fell apart. That should erase a lifetime of good defenses. Tell me your favorite defensive coordinator and let go and crush your dreams when I show they had a bad year. And yes, it was his first playoff win ever as a head coach. He won 4 playoff games as the DL coach for the Oilers from 1978-1979 He won 3 playoff games as the Defensive Coordinator (DC) for the Broncos He won 1 playoff game as the DC as the Bills He won 1 playoff game as the DC of the Falcons As for floating my boat, I didn't want this deal to be made, but not because of Wade the DC. I don't think Kubiak is a good head coach. Anyway, keep making statements that are factually incorrect or irrelevant so I can continue to make you look silly.
Hillboy, no offense, but you keep beating a broken drum. To continually just ignore that the Cowboys were a top 9 defense for three consecutive years under Phillips - an improvement over the three prior years under Parcells (who won one fewer playoff game in Dallas than Phillips did, btw) is disingenuous and pegs you as someone with an agenda. No one here is expecting a top 5 defense. In fact, I bet most of us would *happily* settle for top 20. A top 20 defense this past year adds minimum two wins to this team; I would go so far as to guess 4. The bar is pretty low. Love or hate Phillips, I think he'll have no trouble meeting expectations here.
