FROM MICHAEL LOMBARDI:
08 MAY 2009
QUOTE: “But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.” -- Abraham Lincoln, The Gettysburg Address, Nov. 19, 1863
Did I read this right from our own Matt Bowen on Thursday? “This season, Tennessee won’t get past the Houston Texans (I’m already on that bandwagon), who I’m going to pick to win the division in August.” Is he really going to pick the Texans to win the AFC South, with the Colts’ Peyton Manning healthy this year? What’s in the water in Chicago? My man from Iowa has fallen for the same trick I fell for last year -- but the Texans won’t fool me this time, and I hope to convince Mr. Bowen to jump off the bandwagon for his own good.
The Texans are a very sexy pick as they have one of the most prolific offenses in all of football. (Why would a former hard-hitting defensive back fall in love with a “sexy and stylish” offense? Is he trying to get in touch with his artistic side?) They can move the ball at will up and down the field (mostly at home). They have tremendous skill players who make big plays and rarely drop any balls (the Texans had the fewest number of dropped passes in the league). They have big wideouts who can make yards after the catch. They make big plays in the run and passing game (No. 2 in the NFL in plays over 20 yards), they handle the blitz extremely well and make teams pay a price when they try and attack the quarterback. The fact they won five of their last six games after starting 0-4 makes a strong case that they can build off last season’s momentum. There’s much to like about the Texans in 2009, just as there was much to like about them in 2008 -- but underneath all this offense are a few major flaws.
The first place to try to get Mr. Bowen back to reality is with Matt Schaub, the Texans’ quarterback. Is Matt going to place all his faith in Schaub, who has trouble staying healthy all season and, more importantly, isn’t always mentally tough when it comes to leading his team? In two seasons as the starter in Houston, Schaub has missed five games each year. So it would be a fair assumption to say he’s probably going to miss games this year, and I’m sure Mr. Bowen considered this before he dropped the bomb that the Texans are his AFC South favorites. Since he lives in Chicago, he’s been able to see the wizardry and talent of their back-up quarterback, Dan Orlovsky, while he performed with the Detroit Lions last year. He must have seen something I never saw.
From the Texans’ perspective, I must ask one fundamental question: Are you kidding me? You cannot be serious placing this team in the hands of Dan “Wrong Way” Orlovsky. You know that Schaub is going to miss games and you’re going to count on Orlovsky to be the man and lead your team? That seems like hoping to me, and you all know how I feel about hope. I might understand signing Orlovsky as a No. 3, but signing him as a back-up to a quarterback who has a history of injuries will cost this team critical games in a tight division. One game may decide who goes to the playoffs and who stays home.
When healthy and in the right offense (which is clearly the case in Houston), Schaub is a very fine football player. However, he lacks command and a presence that’s essential in the starting quarterback. He doesn’t have an ability to make the team believe he’s “the man” and will hold the other players accountable. When a team doesn’t get its leadership and, to a large degree, its personality from the starting quarterback, it must have great leaders in other areas of the team to compensate. Unfortunately for the Texans, I don’t see leadership or inspiration coming from anyone on the offensive or defensive side of the ball, and this is why they haven’t been a good road team the past two years.
Despite my concerns about the mental toughness on offense, the real reason the Texans won’t make the playoffs is their defense. Being kind, they were horrible on every level last season -- players, coaching and scheme – but to their credit, they have tried to fix these problems in all areas. They hired linebackers coach Frank Bush to handle the defensive coordinator job in the hope he can cut down on all the scheming that seems to be the signature of the defense and get back to core fundamentals and sound principles. They added Antonio Smith from the Cards to play the other side away from Mario Williams, hoping he can bolster their pass rush and provide athletic talent in the front seven. They drafted Brian Cushing from USC in the first round to give them more speed and athleticism in their linebackers. But where does this team get any pass rush? Williams had 12 of the team’s 25 sacks. Their second-leading pass rusher was a free agent, Tim Bulman.
Adding Cushing and Smith to go along with Cato June does help the defense improve its speed, but the lack of a pass rush will expose the already thin secondary. Dunta Robinson, their best corner, is unhappy over having the franchise tag placed on him, and the rest of the players might be good enough to start for the Texans, but there’s doubt in my mind whether they’re quality starters. A great pass rush can overcome a poor secondary, but with Houston, there are flaws in both areas -- and ultimately that will kill them when they have to play Indy for the AFC South crown.
The Texans really need a complementary defense to go along with their prolific offense -- a style of defense that features great team speed creating havoc and pressure and one that can get to the passer from all levels, forcing the ball to come out quickly and creating turnovers. Currently, I don’t see that this defense can withstand a physical fight on the road, nor does it have the ability to create turnovers with team speed. The Texans will always be able to get a lead in games, but they will struggle to maintain the lead with their defense.
The soft schedule does favor the Texans, which I’m sure Mr. Bowen was thinking as he sipped on his Bud Heavy, believing the schedule and the great offense are a recipe for winning the South. However, as Lee Corso of ESPN’s “GameDay” always says, “Not so fast, my friend.” The Texans are as soft as their schedule and don’t have the ability to keep Mr. Manning from winning the division.
Now we can get Mr. Bowen back to his beloved WWE.
Have a great weekend, and be sure to check back Sunday Morning for the next edition of Sunday at the Post. ...Antonio Smith and Brian Cushing will bring some grit to the Texans' D. In passing situations, Connor Barwin will bring speed off the edge opposite Mario; Smith then dropping inside. IMO, Barwin is odds-on to lead all rooks in sacks. We'll see.
However, points related to Schaub are well taken.
Indy's loses are pension related, Coaches Moore and Mudd, and those are very serious.
Therefore: TENN will win the division. While they lost Haynesworth, KVB is coming back and, speaking as a Steelers' fan, Jason Jones certainly looks ready. More to it: TENN lost nothing from their OL, and that is a very fine, dominating unit.
I want to poopoo the Texans band wagon as well. They seem to be very similar to the 2008 Cards in some respects; (1)Powerful offense, (2)Not so good defense, (3)the popular bandwagon team, however the Cards played in a crappy division while these Texans do not.
Interesting opinion piece.
I'm a little unsure of why I'm defending the Texans here, but you asked, "where's the pass rush?" In fact, that's all anyone asked as the season ended and every "pundit" said they had to fix things. So they get the best free agent DE available, draft an elite college linebacker in the first, and a DE/OLB pass rushing hybrid in the second. I'm not saying they're going to turn into the Giants or anything, but before we shoot them down, let's at least see how their plan to improve that pass rush works out for them.
As for the Schaub opinions, obviously you're more informed than me, but there needs to be some sort of "I've been told from people close with the Texans..." in there. How am I supposed to just assume Matt Schaub isn't a good leader? How do I know that Andre Johnson doesn't think he's "the man"?
Just too much fluff backing the opinions. Not my favorite Lombardi post.
Yes, I would agree that I am a huge fan of WWE wrestling, Bud Heavies, and now--the Houston Texans....
Saints-Texans in the Super Bowl Michael....
I was a bit surprised at the money Antonio Smith commanded. He's a good football player and a great locker room guy but he's not really an elite pass rusher. Like Calvin Pace he benefited from Clancy's schemes and the other talent around him. I think he's a great addition and wish the Cards could have kept him...but not at the price the market settled at. He's certainly an upgrade but I don't think he'll provide a lot of sack production (5-7 maybe?)
Look. Everybody said the Titans were going to be last in the division last year (before the season even started).... and they went on a 10-0 winning streak. The Texans were supposed to be great LAST year. Granted, the hurricane at the beginning of the season surely affected their groove.... but they are NOT going to be better than the Titans or the Colts this year.
The Colts shored up at RB and DT. The Titans... well.... not a lot changed. We lost Haynesworth. Big deal. We stacked our D-Line in the Draft, and we improved our receiving corps in free agency and the Draft.
Yeah - the Texans beat the Titans once last year - but watch the game again. The refs weren't blowing the whistle when they should have. Slaton got some first downs he shouldn't have gotten.
Now. You're looking at an improved/healthier Colts team and an improved Titans team. The Titans will be so deep at DT/DE that Slaton will be facing fresh faces every two downs. They don't have the secondary to defend tall receivers like Britt, either. And Kerry Collins is starting the seaon as the STARTER and will have put in much more work prior to season start which translates into better performance.
Manning will not be coming off of knee surgery, Jeff Saturday is healthy, they re-signed Ed Johnson who hopefully will have learned his lesson but who can also thicken up their D-Line. And don't forget Antonio Johnson. He's no Albert Haynesworth, but he's big and he's tough. The Titans hated to lose him.
Aside from that - losing Marvin Harrison is not that big of a deal. Have you paid attention to Anthony Gonzalez? That kid is like lightning. He is going to bring big things to the Colts offense this year. Oh - and Dallas Clark will not be entering this season coming off an injury.
So... the AFC South is going to come down to head-to-head battles between the Colts and Titans. The Jaguars are too dysfunctional to even register this year, and the Texans are still the red-headed stepchild of the AFC South.
I'm sorry, but predicting the Texans will overpower the Titans and Colts this year is fantasy. Pure fantasy.
If the Texans win the division, I vow to board the Starship Enterprise, put Spock in a pod and shoot him into Deep Space and beam Captain Kirk to Klingon Hell. Because I can DO that. Because I wrote it. It will become truth.
The Texans would have to improve by leaps and bounds to even win one game against each this year.
Texans Defense:
Their secondary is thin, but Dunta Robinson, their best CB, did not play last season so his presence on the field will serve as a huge upgrade in their secondary over last season. Now with that said they are still not stout in the secondary and desperately covet an effective pass rush. You address this by saying this a weakness because Mario Williams is their only premiere pass rusher. However, a 2nd round draft pick by the name of Connor Barwin has the potential to be a very effective pass rusher on the opposite side of Mario. His presence coupled with Cushing and June using their speed and agility to make plays in the middle of the field will monumentally enhance the success of that defense. With that said, Indy is still the unquestioned favorite to win this division, but it is a lot closer than you think. If the injuries swing from the Texans to an aging Colt team, this could be their year to flourish.
Saints-Texans in the SB ?
N.O. can I can buy. I too expect a
big bounce-back season from those guys.
But vs the Texans ? Methinks that the
Budweiser distributors in Shytown must
really be scrambling to restock their
clients supplies of Bud Heavies. Bowen
obviously consumed WAY too many of
them prior to making that prediction !
Saints-Texans??
Good heavens!
Lombardi, maybe Bowen actually knows more than you. Because I'm not sure where you got your "leadership" information. Most teammates have talked about Schaubs since he arrived, mostly without provocation. You need to research before doing your schtick.
Totally agree on the Texans, they just aren't quite ready to make the next step, and a little bit over-hyped right now.
I think the "surprise" team to come out of the AFC South is actually the Jags this year. That, of course, is contingent on the players respecting Del Rio.
Tell me, which teams made the playoffs last year when their starting QBs missed significant time? The answer: none. It doesn't matter who your back-up is; they're just that: back-ups. Orlovsky is a middle-of-the-pack 2nd-string QB at worst. Get over the safety incident already and accept that the guy played fairly mediocre for one of the least-talented teams in the history of football.
As for Schaub being "guaranteed" to miss a few games--that's just ridiculous. You're basing that on two seasons of cheap-shots that have lead to him missing time. There's not a damn thing you can do when a 300-pound DE plows into your knee. Ask Brady, ask Carson Palmer. The list goes on.
As for the pass-rush, it's a problem. We're obviously hoping that having a non-retarded defensive coordinator fixes some of that. But even if Frank Bush isn't an improvement, if nothing else, the Texans beefed up their front seven enough to improve that aspect. Cushing might have been drafted to stuff the run, but he's a much better option to blitz from SAM than we've ever had. And while Barwin might not be polished yet, physically speaking, he aught to be a force off the edge on 3rd-downs. Okoye will have another year under his belt as well.
As for the secondary, having Dunta back for the full year and not coming right off of a nasty leg-injury will help. You also say that the Texans have no answer for tall receivers like Kenny Britt. I'll ignore the fact that rookie receivers rarely contribute, as well as the fact that Tennessee's passing game is an after-thought, and simply tell you that you're wrong. The Texans are building their secondary with big, physical, versatile players. Fred Bennett, Antoine Molden, and recently drafted Glover Quin are all in the 6'1", 200-lb. range.
I'm not saying the Texans are going to win the division, but any way you look at it they've made the most progress this off-season. Indy is dealing with a coaching change. Tennessee just lost their best player to free agency (what's their record without Haynesworth? Thanks), and Jacksonville just didn't do enough to bridge the gap. Factor in that the Texans are one of the youngest teams in the league, and they're bound to improve more than anybody else in the division. Is it enough to leap-frog Indy? That all depends on how Okoye and Duane Brown develop. But I think this is the year. I can't wait to see how things unfold.
Folks take it with a grain of salt it was written by Michael Lombardi, who has never ever written anything positive about the Texans. You would think the owner Bob McNair kicked his pet gerbil.
He takes one play made by Dan Orlovsky and focuses on it, he does no real analysis of how Dan actually improved as the lions season went on or how he never gave up.
Last year Matt Schuab was injured after that cheap shot punk Jared Allen dove into the back of his knee; not once but twice. He was fined $50k for those hits. I do not know many QBs who could with stand being hit like that. Only in the WWE does a guy get up after hits like that only to come flying off the ropes for a big drop kick.
Lombardi is the only writer in America who has ever questioned Matts leadership skills. Michael since you have only seen one Texans game (their first against Dallas in 2002) where do you get this analysis of Matt's leadership skills? It damn sure is not from any player on the team.
I will admit the defense needs to improve and improve big time for the Texans to have any chance of winning the AFC South, which I do not have them winning but to write something and use personal feelings and base them as fact is flat out bad journalism. In fact this is not journalism but something any Titans fan could write. Uninformed and uneducated.
Mike.....
I love when you make great points and the fans come to the players rescue. To say Schaub is a leader, is like saying Bill Plummer (Johnny Bench's Back up) is a great leader as well. Wake up Houston you will have a new head coach within a year. There scheme makes the entire team soft.
Yes, Bowen was obviously touting the wrong team from Texas...a lasting effect from sipping those Potomac waters.
Wow, I am staying off Lombardi's bad side. But a strong piece which will, and already has, produced strong reaction from Texan fans. But Michael's right about Schaub- a QB I also like and recruited as an agent but you have to question based on durability. You can't win if he can't play and Orlovsky is no Earl Morrall, Don Strock, Vinnie Testaverde, George Blanda or anybody who has proven to be able to win when forced to start. Even for Texan fans waiting to be pleasantly surprised seems the better expectation for 2009
Would Saints-Texans not be one of the most exciting Super Bowls of all time? While Matt Bowen's take is appealing, I also think it's improbable. We'll see just how well the Texans' defense gels. I know we have similar concerns with the defense in Denver, so the jury is out on both the Broncos and Texans. Although I think Houston is really fun to watch, Schaub is anything but bullet proof, so I think I've got to go with Lombardi over Bowen, here.
Just a few thoughts, if I remember correctly, Shaub was taken out last season by two illegal shots to the knee in the Vikings game. As for leadership, watch the clips from the same game when he came back out limping and had to be forced off the field. I see him going the long haul this year. Secondly, you failed to mention the addition of Conner Barwin, who could do big things on that line this year. I should also mention that the team was not only busted up from Ike, but played the Superbowl champions on the road, then two more road games (3 out of 4 went to the playoffs) and no bye week. I'm not singing Super Bowl or anything, but the Texans are definitely addressing their problems.
early SB predictions? cool.
as for the teams mentioned by the writers.
I like the NO pick but I think they need to win homefield advantage to get through the weather in the POs. plus it seems like they have injury problems every year somewhere and cant compensate
HOU...well they are everybodys darkhorse for two years now, like the Cards, but the Cards were at least four years in the running, they had a nice rebuilding process of the roster for all to see and they hit it with Whiz and the other vets that came in and took them over the top. almost. in one year. thats how talented that team is.
which brings me to my first pick as the representants for the NFC in the SB, for what its worth. the Arizona Cardinals. first, they instantly got better when they picked Rashad Johnson to replace Francisco at Safety. defense lost their coordinator I think but I absolutly love the young players they have there. had a good draft on that side with guys that can help now. they really showed up at the end of the year. second, come on, who is gonna stop C Wells on that offense? who? put him in as the Offensive Rookie of the Year while we're at it. all they have to do is sign their cornerstone veterans with the caproom they have and keep taking shots at the title on Kurt Warners back. that is key. dont know what they are waiting for on that front...helloo, the Arizona Cardinals were in the SB!!!(and should have won it too. his toe wasnt down!). give it to the guys who earned it, for a change.
my Darkhorse for the NFC is WAS. a QB (who has A LOTT of weapons) with a major chip on his shoulder and the defense with the majormajor upgrade in Big Albert. the key here is the offensive line play.
in the AFC is where I will make it short and say the Squeelers(YUK!!!) squeeze through, again, and make it the first SB featuring the same teams from a year ago in history(not sure about that though lol), just to get blown out this time.
...only to get quicker to my Darkhorse in the AFC is *taking a sip from the CoolAid*...da Raiders(without even talking about them too much). with the selfdestruction in DEN and very early stages of rebuilding in KC (couple that with the very ill-advised scheme-change on both defenses), only San Dieggo stands in the way. barely, that is. with duct-tape on BOTH Jamaal Williams(one of the true dominant 3-4 NTs in the league, a year ago...) knees, the Left Tackles neck, Gates' toes and all over Tomlinson. and I didnt even mention the possible suspensions or the surely increased drug tests that will put the real Lights Out on display (hhmmm, I like this CoolAid). the keys here are the Oakland OTs(mainly passprotection) and DTs(consistency through better technique) ie, the coaches.
that said, I cant wait for the season to start.
"I want to poopoo the Texans band wagon as well. They seem to be very similar to the 2008 Cards in some respects; (1)Powerful offense, (2)Not so good defense, (3)the popular bandwagon team, however the Cards played in a crappy division while these Texans do not."
Hmm, probably not the greatest example, considering the fact that the Cardinals happened to go on to the Super Bowl.
The Titans were probably the best team in football last year (their playoff loss to Baltimore was one of the weirdest, flukiest games I've ever seen). People want to write them off for '09 simply because they lost Haynesworth? Seems a bit of an overreaction to me. I see them as the favorites in that division, with Colts a very close second. Jags may have addressed their offensive-line issues, so they will probably be improved. Which leaves the Texans...in last pace.
Sage Rosencopter averages a combined 2 InTs and fumbles per game. How can Orlovsky not be an improvement over that?
In response to Sage's comment:
"Tell me, which teams made the playoffs last year when their starting QBs missed significant time? The answer: none."
The Titans made the playoffs with Kerry Collins as the starter after Young's combo injury/benching. The Vikings made the playoffs with Gus Frerotte starting 11 games in which the team went 8-3. So 2 teams did make the playoffs with their beginning of season backups as the primary starters during the season.
I didnt pick the Texans to wint he division, I picked the Jags to win the AFC South. But I did pick the Texans for 1 or the 2 wild card teams in the AFC along with Baltimore. Have Houston finishing 9-7, tied with the Colts...beating the Colts in the tiebreaker, record vs. AFC opponents.
I'm a big Schaub fan. When he is healthy, he puts up some of the best QB numbers.
Defense is a huge weakness. Everyone knows this. Eventually they will hit on enough players in the draft/free agency and pull it together.
I am more concerned about the lack of depth in the RB core. Slaton proved to be incredibly durable last year. Heres hoping he keeps it up because the pickings are mighty slim if he goes down.
Winning the division is a bit too optimistic. I would settle for splitting the series with the Colts, Titans and Jags. Given the Texans out of division schedule this season, that should be enough for a wild card berth.
If we can keep the big-time players up for new contracts (Robinson, Ryans, Daniels) and have another solid off-season next year, then we could be contenders for the AFC South crown in 2010.
I'm a big Schaub fan. When he is healthy, he puts up some of the best QB numbers.
Defense is a huge weakness. Everyone knows this. Eventually they will hit on enough players in the draft/free agency and pull it together.
I am more concerned about the lack of depth in the RB core. Slaton proved to be incredibly durable last year. Heres hoping he keeps it up because the pickings are mighty slim if he goes down.
Winning the division is a bit too optimistic. I would settle for splitting the series with the Colts, Titans and Jags. Given the Texans out of division schedule this season, that should be enough for a wild card berth.
If we can keep the big-time players up for new contracts (Robinson, Ryans, Daniels) and have another solid off-season next year, then we could be contenders for the AFC South crown in 2010.
I do not understand how you can say the texans do not have a leader on either side of the ball. Andre Johnson is the most productive receiver in the game. And without having to showboat like a TO, Moss, OchoCino. He gets the job done by action week in and week out. You do not have to be a vocal idiot to be a leader.
Schaub has caught some bad breaks but has done well. Last year was his second year as a starter in this offense. And from the Green Bay game on, he was just as good as any QB in the league. The Texans biggest weakness is turnovers. If they win the turnover battle then they are in the playoffs. That is how simple this year will be.
Mike, Why does a qb who suffers injuries early in his career as a starting NFL qb deserve the rap of guaranteed-to-miss- games in any subsequent season? I recall Phil Simms getting the same bad rap his first few years in the NFL (i.e. separated shoulder; broken thumb,etc.)Not fair at all. Your tone almost sounds like Tom Coughlin's opening comments to the NY press when he got th eGiants gig: injuries are a mental thing, he said, or something like that. Schaub deserves better, whether his team wins the AFC South or not.
Michael Lombardi's assumption about Schaub not staying healthy is why I believe journalists are getting lazier and lazier through the internet.
Does he not watch games? Schaub missed games the past two seasons not due to "inablity to stay healthy", but b/c BOTH seasons he was knocked out due to cheap shots by two of the biggest cheap shot artists in the NFL, Haynesworth and Jared Allen. Both of which were subsequently fined heavily!!!
Maybe your friend from Chicago does a little more research than you Michael. There is nothing at all to make an educated person think that Schaub will have problems staying healthy. Especially with the constant improvement of their O-line.
Lombardi, you realize the Texans were 8-8 not 4-12 last year right?
They probably aren't going to win the division but there's little basis for an argument that they're going to be worse this year.
Lombardi, you realize the Texans were 8-8 not 4-12 last year right?
They probably aren't going to win the division but there's little basis for an argument that they're going to be worse this year.
It seems like the trendy picks that flame out - the Texans as a trendy pick last year, it seemed like the Cardinals were a trendy pick for about 5 years before they finally made the playoffs last year - share the common thread of good (or at least big name) offensive skill position players, a bad defense, and a bad offensive line, which isn't surprising given that offensive skill position guys get the most publicity. Anyone have a view on how good the Texans' O-line is? I didn't see Mike address it, and I rarely watched the Texans last year.
At the end of last season the Texans were a lock to become this years "not really a sleeper team because everyone is picking them to make the playoffs" team.
With all the debate I am surprised no one has taken issue with the most obvious error of Matt's prediction; he made it in May. It's OK to have a feeling about teams through out the offseason, but until they get through camp, what do you really know? There is still lots to find out about the Texans and the other teams in their division.
It sounds like Matt is dieing to take the Texans based on some good things he saw last season. Some might say Matt is confusing hope for a plan.
your gonna eat you know what for being so ignorant.
Mudd and Moore are not serious losses for the Colts. The Colts have always won bc of Manning and their receivers, not bc of their O-line or playcalling. Manning has always made the OL look better than they really are, just like Marino used to. And the Colts' playcalling has never been especially imaginative or cutting edge. Moore was far from a top coordinator at this point in his career, and it's not like Manning and this offense need a great coordinator anyway.
The Colts' biggest loss is Dungy, and maybe even Harrison. Dungy for his leadership and knowledge of defense. Hopefully Caldwell and Manning learned from Dungy over the last seven years, and can bring similar leadership ability. And with adding a new DC in Larry Coyer, Caldwell was clearly more comfortable with him leading the defense rather than relying on Meeks without Dungy's influence. So I think the Colts should be able to replace Dungy, bc they clearly had a succession plan in place.
As for Marvin, he clearly was no longer great, but it's just that there is no #3 WR right now that has proven anything. But if Garcon or Collie can be merely solid, then they should be fine there.
All and all, the Colts have dealt with change before. Supposedly they wouldn't be able to replace Edgerrin James. Supposedly they'd struggle with a rookie at left tackle when Glenn retired. And last year they had more issues than any other year due to Peyton's injury, the problems at DT, and the injuries on the OL. What they face going into this year pales in comparison to how bleak things looked in September of last season, so there's no reason that the Colts can't be as good or better than they were last year.
"The Titans made the playoffs with Kerry Collins as the starter after Young’s combo injury/benching. The Vikings made the playoffs with Gus Frerotte starting 11 games in which the team went 8-3. So 2 teams did make the playoffs with their beginning of season backups as the primary starters during the season."
Two points on this: one, neither Vince Young nor Tarvaris Jackson is a quality starting QB. Jackson was benched because he was ineffective. Vince Young was benched because he was ineffective and had a bad attitude. And secondly, neither team features a passing-oriented offense. Those back-up quarterbacks (who might as well have been 1 and 1A on the depth chart) won games because of their respective teams had prolific rushing offenses and strong defenses.
By trading Rosenfels, the Texans were able to pick up a solid blocking TE to help them run the ball against big SLBs. The goal shouldn't be to have the best back-up QB in the league, because that means you're investing money and potentially draft picks in a player you hope will never see the field. Rather, you should do everything you can to surround your quarterback (be it the starter or back-up) with the best players possible. Anthony Hill helps Schaub *and* Orlovsky. The Texans need to run the ball more regardless of who is behind center.
As for Dave's question about the Texans offensive line: last year the Texans had the youngest offensive line in football, and they were dealing with their first year under Alex Gibbs' zone-blocking scheme. All five starters (including an unpolished rookie left tackle and a center and right guard who had less than a season of combined starts between them) started all 16 games last year. Despite being young and inexperienced, the Texans ranked 10th in the league in yards per carry, and 2nd in the league in yards per passing attempt. They were 16th in the league in sacks allowed.
Any way you look at that, they're well above average in nearly every aspect offensively. And Duane Brown was basically a human turnstile last year; he was considered a project at left tackle, and he has nowhere to go but up. And considering the continuity we'll have going into this season, this offensive line as a whole aught to improve even more.
Sage, until Schaub proves that he can stay healthy, that will remain the biggest question mark on your team. You can't compare him to Brady or even Palmer considering Schaub has been a starter for only two seasons, and missed a significant number of games in both of them. Not to mention, coming down sick or whatever happened before the first game against the Colts last year. Flukes or not, it is certainly a large concern.
And while Rosenfels flamed out at the end of both Colts' games last year, I still think he's a better option than Orlovsky. Kubiak is a great offensive coach and can maybe mold Orlovsky into an effective QB, but he isn't there yet based on what I saw with DET. Rosenfels to me looks like a more accurate and natural passer than Orlovsky, and wasn't bad as long as he wasn't pressured.
Also, the other question mark that hasn't been mentioned anywhere on here is that Travis Johnson is still your starting nose tackle. I know you signed Cody, but he's not a pure nose man either. So I don't think your run defense is going to be better than average either.
Yes, I am a Colts' fan. But I think I'm pretty unbiased with my comments. If Schaub proves he can stay healthy, then you guys can win the division. Not saying you will, but it's a possibility with the offense you have. But that has to be considered a big "if" after the last two years.
I don't really feel like getting into the Schaub argument again. I've watched the games; I see a player who has had terrible luck and been a constant victim to cheap-shots. To me, that doesn't suggest injury prone, and I feel like the Texans are better-off at the QB position than all but roughly 20 teams in the NFL. Nose tackle, however, is a problem. Travis Johnson is definitely the weak link on this team now that Faggins is gone. But I think that if you play a 4-3 and have a solid SLB (hopefully Cushing fits the bill), that problem is mitigated slightly. Not to mention, Bill Kollar has never really used genuine nose-tackles, yet his results have been mediocre at worst.
If we're lucky, maybe (340-lb.) Frank Okam will decide he wants to play football. If not, I suppose we'll see a 1st and 2nd-down rotation of TJ, DelJuan Robinson, and Shaun Cody. None of those players really inspire confidence, but at the very least they'll be surrounded by some pretty talented players. With Mario on one end and Antonio Smith on the other, we have two DEs who play the run very well. And with DeMeco in the middle and Cushing at SAM, we have two LBs who aught to be great in that department.
So while I acknowledge it was a problem, in all honesty the Texans haven't had a real chance to improve in that department lately. The FA department has been slim pickings for that (forget Haynesworth--only Dan Snyder is going to pay that much for one player), and they just haven't been fortunate enough to have a big DT fall into their laps in the draft. Raji would have been nice, but he didn't make it far enough.
That said, the Texans will have to take a different approach this year. They're still weak against the run between the tackles, so teams will have plenty of easy 3rd-and-short opportunities. Thhat means they'll have to take advantage of any 3rd-and-long opportunity they get on defense and create some havoc with sacks and turnovers. The team is faster and more athletic now. A 3rd-down defense of Mario, Okoye, Smith, and Barwin is pretty dangerous.
you stated schaub as a shaky leader. Have u watched all 16 texans games last season? I saw a quarterback that led his team downfield in the clutch. You do know schaub isnt spelled R o m o right?
Here is an article from a reporter that didn't think Michael Lombardi and Matt Bowen did their homework on the Texans.
http://www.examiner.com/x-778-Houston-Texans-Examiner~y2009m5d8-Michael-Lombardi-says-Texans-are-soft-Schaub-isnt-a-good-leader
/Hope the link works.
colts and titans definitely need to watch their backs this year. me being a hardcore texans fan myself im not 100% sold on them winning the division this year, but we all know you dont have to win the division to make the playoffs and i do see them slipping in. texans can move ball down the field at will and being that the texans were the only team to rush for 100 yds against the titans. aaaannnnd rushed for 100 yds against the titans twice.aaannnnd rushed for 100 yrds against the titans twice with haynesworthless.... aaaannnd rushed for 100 yds against the titans twice with haynesworhtless and the guy that picked them apart is only 5'9'' with cleats on and a rookie . its hard for me to see them not taking the jacksonville series , taking the monday night game against the titans, and i predicate they sweep the colts series in a surprise fashion this year putting them sitting pretty with the love they got shown on the their schedule this year. we dont not have a very good pass rush i will admit and the additions we made in the offseason and draft were instant upgrades in all positions. reeves played way better then what ppl are giving him credit for in the secondary ( numbers dont lie) staked at linebacker now and dunta just being on the field raises the confidence level. but i think the real key to the season this year is making sure that matt shuab plays all 16 games, and in his defense, there has been many ppl that are calling him soft, but last year the 2 hits that sat him out for 5 games were both penalized
With Cecil as the new DC, expect to see many WRs--foremost among them being Andre Johnson--subject to the old Eagles tactic. That being, "If you can't stop 'em from catching the ball, absolutely destroy them with the tackle." (See, "Givens, Earnest, 1991)
Just have a funny feeling that the Titans secondary is going to be a nasty(ier) bunch this season.
Looking forward to those 2 games against the Texans.
Yeah yeah yeah.... I bet Lombardi studies Orlovskys tape all the time. People act like this is the first time the Texans have signed an unknown QB to where they feel they have a chance to mold into a pretty good QB. Ahem... Sage Rosenfels anyone?
Everyone forgets this is the make or break year for Amobi Okoye. He was drafted for his HUGE potential. His sophmore slump/injured year is behind him now. If that guy catches on, then the D changes entirely.
Sage, all of that makes sense. Barwin is a definite key. A lot of people like Profootballweekly think he is pretty raw and will take some time.
I thought Antonio Smith was as consistent as any player Arizona had on defense, but that was in a 3-4. As you said, his biggest pass rush impact with the Texans will be as a DT in passing situations.
As for Schaub, what happened to him before the first Colts' game last year? Was it an illness or something? It just seems like a lot of bad luck on his part.
As you said, Frank Okam has always been a tease. He was never a player at Texas either from what I saw.
Texan fans, I'm not sure how you can call a sweep over the Colts when I can't recall your defense ever being even competitive in the games in the past in Indy.
And one thing Mike did mention that noone has addressed is the ability to win games on the road. While Schaub did have some great moments last year, GB was the only one of those games that was on the road.
Stomach virus, from what I hear. It was pretty bizarre, and that bugged me more than any other game he has missed. I'm not saying it wasn't legit--he lost 8 pounds apparently and had to get an IV. But why is that the first time I've heard of a QB missing time for an illness like that? Do others play through it? I really don't know.
Other than that, he was side-lined with a dislocated shoulder his first year with the Texans after getting flattened by Haynesworth. That was an injury that, if the Texans had been in playoff contention, I'm pretty sure he would have toughed out. But since we weren't, they decided to shut him down and do surgery on it instead. In 2008, it was a torn ACL resulting from a cheap-shot; not much you can do about that.
People always gave David Carr credit for being "tough" because he rebounded from so many sacks. But in all honesty, there's nothing tough about going into the fetal position the moment you sense pressure. The Texans sack numbers are down now mostly because Schaub makes quick reads and gets rid of the ball. But that doesn't mean he's not getting hit. And stepping into a throw when you know you're going to get flattened the moment you release it is gutsy. Here's t hoping another year of experience for Duane Brown lowers the number of blind-side hits Schaub takes.
To Schaub's defense, look at the plays he got hurt on: He got flattened by Fat Albert, which would hurt most people, and a cheap shot by Jared Allen, which would have hurt ANYONE. I don't know about his leadership, but he definitely showed some flash of it at the end of the year. But I think people should give Schaub this year to prove how injury prone he is or isn't. I am not naive enough to think the Texans will win the division, but I don't think there is much separation between any of the three teams. I don't think any team can replace Tony Dungy's leadership; Fat Albert's loss will affect every position on that defense. The Texans ran a horrible scheme last year. Changing that plus our other additions I believe will improve the defense dramatically, but not to elite level. Check the scores again Indy again btw. Should have beat them once at home, and came very very close on the road against a very hot team. I fully believe the Texans will be in the playoffs, just not the division winner or super bowl
Peyton Manning and Caldwell have had 7 years or so to learn from Dungy's leadership, you would think that would be enough.
My comment was not directed at Peyton; his play speaks for itself. But, one year aside, his team still struggles in the playoffs. I admit probably mostly due to defense, but still. Caldwell has not been mentoring for seven years. He's been with the team, but not as an understudy. Regardless, what I'm getting at is will the team respond the same to Caldwell as it did to Dungy when things are at their bleakest? My guess would be no. I don't think anyone can put Caldwell on Dungy's level, at least not yet, b/c Dungy is an amazing coach and person overall. Losing him would be a major blow to any team. They still have Peyton though, so they will do just fine, but I would say they are a slight bit weaker.
I'm saying that they've both been there, so they have heard the message that Dungy has given his players during tough times for 7 years or so. If Caldwell is smart, he will continue to give that same message.
And considering that every single core player on this team like Peyton, Wayne, Clark, Gonzo, Freeney, Mathis, Brackett, Sanders, Hayden, etc is all about football and never has an off the field distraction, it shouldn't be as hard to keep this team playing at peak performance as it would just about any other team in the league. It's pretty obvious to me as someone who follows the Colts closely, that Polian probably puts as much emphasis on character as anyone does in the draft, bc he has passed on many more talented prospects in the past seemingly bc of it IMO.
What you say on Dungy is true and I can understand the doubts about losing him. I'm just saying that there are plenty of reasons that make me think that they should be fine without him as well. IMO Caldwell would have to be pretty mediocre not to be able to coach a team like this.
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May 08, 2009
10:22 AM
As much as people like to bash Sage, i still do not understand the trade to the VIkings for a Four. They did nothing to adequately replace him. I know that might bring the laughs, but when you have a fragile starter--the backup may be one of the best investments you can make.
It boggles my mind that someone in the Texans front office--who undoubtedly has playoff aspirations for 09-- can say they are better off with Anthony Hill (the 4thround TE) over Sage.