Taking a look at some first-year players from this past weekend's Cincy-Houston game. Greg Gabriel
In Saturday's Wild Card playoff game between Cincinnati and Houston we saw some excellent play from some very good rookies. Let’s take a look back at the performances.
T.J. Yates – Houston
Yates got the starting role in Houston after season-ending injuries to Matt Schaub and Matt Leinart. To use an old coaching cliché, Yates hasn’t been asked to win games but rather not lose them. To say that he has done what was asked is an understatement. Yates did an excellent job managing the game. He completed 11 of 20 passes for 159 yards and a touchdown. He did not turn the ball over. He came up with some big throws when they were needed, including a 40-yard touchdown pass to Andre Johnson late in the third quarter.
The thing that really stood out for me was his poise. He couldn’t afford to make mistakes and he didn’t. He didn’t allow himself to be forced into a bad play. Yates has shown steady improvement since he took over the quarterback position for the Texans and while there are rookie quarterbacks that have better physical traits than Yates, few have his intangibles. He gets an “A” for this game.
J.J. Watt – Houston
J.J. Watt has been one of the better defensive rookies in the entire NFL.
All season, Watt has been one of the better rookie defensive linemen in the league. His play Saturday was no different. Late in the first half Watt got his hands up on a bull rush to try and deflect a pass and ended up intercepting the ball and returning it for a touchdown. That one play turned that game around for Houston.
Watt plays the game with a lot of intensity. He goes all out every play. Saturday he finished the game with 2 tackles, a sack and a tackle for loss to go along with the interception. He consistently was able to get penetration and disrupt running plays. I feel it won’t be long before Watt is a Pro Bowl caliber player. Like Yates he earns an “A.”
Brooks Reed – Houston
Like Watt, Reed is a consistent all-out performer. Because of his relentless play and his pass rush skills, Reed is a perfect fit for Wade Phillips' pressure defense. Saturday Reed had 5 tackles and a sack. While the sack could be considered a “coverage” sack, Reed still never quit on the play and was able to get the sack when Dalton tried to step up in the pocket. He is a very steady run defender who plays with good instincts and seldom gets out of position.
Coming out of college a year ago, Reed’s forte was rushing the passer. He played down in college and has made the conversion to outside linebacker in a 3-4. He has shown steady improvement all year learning to play on his feet. While he isn’t a top coverage type he can and does do a great job rushing the passer. It’s not that he is that nifty and has a lot of moves, he just never quits! Reed is the type who will keep getting better as he gains experience and will be a very steady workmanlike player for Houston. He earns a B+ for the game.
Andy Dalton – Cincinnati
All year, I have been impressed with the play of Dalton. He has been a steady player and has shown a tremendous amount of poise throughout the year. He didn’t show those same qualities Saturday. While he showed his usual quick release and had some outstanding throws, he also forced some throws and couldn’t come up with the big play when needed. Houston was able to put consistent pressure on Dalton all game and he ended up completing 27 of 42 passes for 257 yards, no touchdowns and 3 interceptions. He also was sacked 4 times. In a very rare playoff game where both teams were quarterbacked by rookies, Dalton was outplayed by Houston’s Yates. Still I have no doubt that Dalton will be an excellent quarterback for the Bengals in the future, but in this game I have to give him a “C+.”
A.J. Green – Cincinnati
A.J. Green has shown consistency in his debut campaign.
Like some of the other players in this post, Green has been a consistent performer all year. Even though he is a rookie, defenses have to prepare for him. He is tall, plays fast, has excellent hands and gets yards after the catch. Things were no different in Saturday’s playoff game. He finished the game with 5 catches for 47 yards and no scores.
Houston did an excellent job taking Green out of the game in the second half. He was thrown to only twice and one of those passes was intercepted because Green was double covered. While Green has been consistently able to come up with big plays during the regular season he wasn’t in this game. That was a tribute to Houston’s defense. What stood out for me was that Green is becoming a more physical player when he has the ball in his hands. This bodes well for the future. Overall, Green is a great player who had an average game and gets a “B.”
Yates completed 11 of 20 is not very impressive but like you say he did not lose the game. I think their defense won the game in Houston. Nice article. Thanks!
Green is so smooth that he makes tough catches look easy, one reason he was overlooked by some, or he simply went so early nobody else could claim him and they stopped talking up his game. His height and reach make him so automatic. Minus a Steeler rolling his knees on a high pass in the end zone he would have had an even better rookie season.
Yates shows commitment to footwork and mechanics, it is obvious he practices it a lot and the more he does that install time, the more natural his game will be. Still very much a work in progress but he buys into the plan and that is a key leadership trait. The defense and run game help set that example for their team as well. Tackling and blocking are contagious.
I loved yated coming out of NC....not many did.. He's a very smart kid, sees things, reads defenses quickly. He will end up a starter. Whoever said he didnt do much doesnt know football I think..........this was a playoff game.....and he stepped up and WON it as starting QB. Yes the defense played great. But yates did too.
Yates was only 11 for 20 because he wasn't asked to throw 42 times. When Arian Foster runs for 150+ yards, you aren't going to have a QB throw 40 times. And he also only threw the ball well downfield a few times - again - because they didn't want him to do it.
Dalton is probably a better QB right now - hence why he was picked just outside the 1st round. He also had all year to get comfortable. Yates was a 5th round rookie, 3rd stringer who wasn't even invited to the combine as a throwing QB (was invited to throw to DBs).
All in all - Houston's D and rushing attack won this game. Yates is great when he doesn't have to throw a ton and see a lot of different looks. He may turn out to be a great pro, but he needs experience and time to do that. He is doing great in the system right now.
Go Texans!!
Jan 10, 2012
04:44 PM
Yates completed 11 of 20 is not very impressive but like you say he did not lose the game. I think their defense won the game in Houston. Nice article. Thanks!