EyesWideOpen
10-14-2007, 11:09 PM
The post mortem on this last game is a good chance to look at where we are this year as a team.
Pros -
Matt Schaub. He has been everything we have been waiting for in a quarterback. Poised, confident, and able to deliver most passes when and where they need to be. Still needs to be able to finish drives - he needs to lobby Kubiak to open the playbook when we get close to the goal line.
Andre Johnson (when he plays)
Steve McKinney (RIP the running game after his loss)
Ahman Green (when he plays)
Owen Daniels (everything we need in a tight end)
The O-Line with Steve McKinney as center (excellent pass blocking, decent run blocking)
Andre Davis - Playmaker (but hold onto the ball, man...)
Jacoby Jones (when he plays)
Jerome Mathis (when he plays)
Demeco Ryans
Amobi Akoye (just needs to improve his run stopping to be a complete player)
Dunta Robinson
as you can see, the (when he plays) comments lead naturally into the
Cons -
the running game after McKinney is replaced by Flanagan
Flanagan
the O-Line with Flanagan (can pass block, can't run block)
mental mistakes that kill big plays (holding penalties, for the most part)
lack of consistent defensive pressure
not finishing drives
lack of creativity on defense, lack of touchdowns on offense
Kubiak's clock management - Kubiak frequently seems to play call from
anxiety . He is more worried about our failing to get first downs and giving the ball to the opponents than EXPECTING US to get the first downs and get points. You must believe in your team and your players as you often say you do, sir.
red zone play calling - this is my pet peeve. I watched Denver have this problem too, after Terrell Davis was lost years ago. Let me make a statement here : KUBIAK, you DO NOT have the personnel to run into a run defense inside the opponents 5 yard line. STOP DOING IT! Use some misdirection, play action, outside runs, something else. Roll Schaub to the right and let him choose a receiver or run it. Try a wide receiver screen, do something different.
Bottom line as to where we are now. We can pass and are very good at it. It is time to get creative, use some 3 and 4 wide receiver sets and use THAT to set up the run. Green is excellent at catching passes out of the backfield, use him. To run without McKinney, we need to open the defense up and back them off the line. Most important, get the ball in to the hands of our two playmakers - Jacoby Jones and Andre Davis (and of course Andre Johnson, if he ever gets healthy).
The defense needs to play much more aggressively. We play to keep things underneath and not give up plays, hoping that we will force the opponent into a mistake and stall their drives. We need, rather, to disrupt the offense of other teams. Find what they like to do and take that away. We need more disguised blitzes, more intense pressure and to disrupt the running game in the backfield. I would MUCH rather lose by giving up some big plays than to be ground down like we were today by Jacksonville. Our defense has now not stopped the mighty Dolphins, made Joey Harrington (since benched) look like a pro bowler, and let the Jags pulverize us into dust. Time for a re-evaluation, fellas.
Pros -
Matt Schaub. He has been everything we have been waiting for in a quarterback. Poised, confident, and able to deliver most passes when and where they need to be. Still needs to be able to finish drives - he needs to lobby Kubiak to open the playbook when we get close to the goal line.
Andre Johnson (when he plays)
Steve McKinney (RIP the running game after his loss)
Ahman Green (when he plays)
Owen Daniels (everything we need in a tight end)
The O-Line with Steve McKinney as center (excellent pass blocking, decent run blocking)
Andre Davis - Playmaker (but hold onto the ball, man...)
Jacoby Jones (when he plays)
Jerome Mathis (when he plays)
Demeco Ryans
Amobi Akoye (just needs to improve his run stopping to be a complete player)
Dunta Robinson
as you can see, the (when he plays) comments lead naturally into the
Cons -
the running game after McKinney is replaced by Flanagan
Flanagan
the O-Line with Flanagan (can pass block, can't run block)
mental mistakes that kill big plays (holding penalties, for the most part)
lack of consistent defensive pressure
not finishing drives
lack of creativity on defense, lack of touchdowns on offense
Kubiak's clock management - Kubiak frequently seems to play call from
anxiety . He is more worried about our failing to get first downs and giving the ball to the opponents than EXPECTING US to get the first downs and get points. You must believe in your team and your players as you often say you do, sir.
red zone play calling - this is my pet peeve. I watched Denver have this problem too, after Terrell Davis was lost years ago. Let me make a statement here : KUBIAK, you DO NOT have the personnel to run into a run defense inside the opponents 5 yard line. STOP DOING IT! Use some misdirection, play action, outside runs, something else. Roll Schaub to the right and let him choose a receiver or run it. Try a wide receiver screen, do something different.
Bottom line as to where we are now. We can pass and are very good at it. It is time to get creative, use some 3 and 4 wide receiver sets and use THAT to set up the run. Green is excellent at catching passes out of the backfield, use him. To run without McKinney, we need to open the defense up and back them off the line. Most important, get the ball in to the hands of our two playmakers - Jacoby Jones and Andre Davis (and of course Andre Johnson, if he ever gets healthy).
The defense needs to play much more aggressively. We play to keep things underneath and not give up plays, hoping that we will force the opponent into a mistake and stall their drives. We need, rather, to disrupt the offense of other teams. Find what they like to do and take that away. We need more disguised blitzes, more intense pressure and to disrupt the running game in the backfield. I would MUCH rather lose by giving up some big plays than to be ground down like we were today by Jacksonville. Our defense has now not stopped the mighty Dolphins, made Joey Harrington (since benched) look like a pro bowler, and let the Jags pulverize us into dust. Time for a re-evaluation, fellas.