The Little Things

[robertcraft]

There are a few thing stopping the Texans from being Super Bowl contenders, and I wanted to identify a them. For instance Matt Schab needs to avoid fumbling when he is sacked. What other small things need to be addressed before the begging of next season?

[Towlie]

Turnovers...

[Line_Producer]

<madden> I think to win more games, they're going to have to score points. </madden>

[Line_Producer]

I don't think it's little things that stop them from being contenders, I think it' slightly larger issues, like red zone scoring. ;)

[RichieVar]

If I had to pick one it would be red zone scoring like Line said. I believe our defense will only get better since they are still young. Our offense needed one more playmaker and I think we might have found it in Slaton. If everyone can stay healthy, I can see a wildcard spot being held by us.

[SMC-22]

If I had to pick one it would be red zone scoring like Line said. I believe our defense will only get better since they are still young. Our offense needed one more playmaker and I think we might have found it in Slaton. If everyone can stay healthy, I can see a wildcard spot being held by us.

I think we need to see Slaton play a down first

[greedimidi]

third down conversion...specifically third and short conversions. i cant count how many third down and ones we failed to convert last year. if we can convert on those, that sustains drives and allows our defense to stay fresh and hence play better.

another thing is we also need to start the season fast. if you notice, for the last two years, we finished the season strong with impressive wins. if we start fast and finish strong, playoffs!

[TexansMVP]

#1 Turn overs, turn overs, and turn overs.

#2 Just something I remember, but our offense never seems ready to score in the 3rd quarter coming out of half time, which is surprising to me. I know Kubiak scripts the first 10-15 plays of the game, and those usually work wonderfully for us...but the 3rd quarter play execution needs some work.

[TeddyRafter]

I think we have to make sure that we do whatever we need to do to stay healthy.. we could easily been a 10-6 or 11-5 team had alotta key people not been injuried..

Schaub, Johnson, Green, Spencer, D-Rob, Glenn Earl

[headsplint]

I think we have to make sure that we do whatever we need to do to stay healthy.. we could easily been a 10-6 or 11-5 team had alotta key people not been injuried..

Schaub, Johnson, Green, Spencer, D-Rob, Glenn Earl

+ 1

[Matt_in_KW]

I think we have to make sure that we do whatever we need to do to stay healthy.. we could easily been a 10-6 or 11-5 team had alotta key people not been injuried..

Schaub, Johnson, Green, Spencer, D-Rob, Glenn Earl

I'd say 9-7 or 10-6 at best. I don't think we would of got 11, only because of the young players.

[Hound]

If I had to pick one it would be red zone scoring like Line said. I believe our defense will only get better since they are still young. Our offense needed one more playmaker and I think we might have found it in Slaton. If everyone can stay healthy, I can see a wildcard spot being held by us.

I think red zone scoring problems are coaching problems not player problems. How many times do you see a team move down the field and when they get to the red zone they change what they were doing... I think one or two coaches are the ones that are choking... not 11 different guys on the field. Since it is only one or two coaches... and maybe only one... the one calling the plays... it is easier to fix than if you have 11 players on the field that fall apart just because they get within the 20 yard line.

[NormZinNJ]

I think red zone scoring problems are coaching problems not player problems. How many times do you see a team move down the field and when they get to the red zone they change what they were doing... I think one or two coaches are the ones that are choking... not 11 different guys on the field. Since it is only one or two coaches... and maybe only one... the one calling the plays... it is easier to fix than if you have 11 players on the field that fall apart just because they get within the 20 yard line.
Red zone offense is completely different from your regular offensive package, because the defense has a much smaller field to defend (therefore the windows to throw the ball are smaller, and the gaps to run through are smaller)... I do have faith that our new OC, Kyle Shanahan, has some suprises for the league this year, and fresh minds are usually the ones that succeed in suprising the established systems in place....

NZ

[kcwilson]

Red zone offense is completely different from your regular offensive package, because the defense has a much smaller field to defend (therefore the windows to throw the ball are smaller, and the gaps to run through are smaller)... I do have faith that our new OC, Kyle Shanahan, has some suprises for the league this year, and fresh minds are usually the ones that succeed in suprising the established systems in place....

NZ

Agree completely, and when AJ was healthy, we did a nice job putting the ball in the end zone since he drew attention.. note that OD got his when AJ came back.

Also, for this team to compete... the defense needs to force teams to a 3 and out every once in a while. For as much as we focus on the offense to sustain drives, we need to push the defense to change the momentum of the game and tire their defense down a little.

I am not worried about the offense as much as the defense,,,

[taylor90]

turnovers, we need a REAL running game, unlucky injuries, unstable O line, the fact that Mario williams had like 50% of our sacks last season was just pathetic imo..I mean it was amazing seeing what mario did but he had like 50% of our teams sacks..our d line is full of first rounders but only Mario has produced. Amobi was a rookie and he had more sacks that weaver and johnson..

[Hound]

Red zone offense is completely different from your regular offensive package, because the defense has a much smaller field to defend (therefore the windows to throw the ball are smaller, and the gaps to run through are smaller)... I do have faith that our new OC, Kyle Shanahan, has some suprises for the league this year, and fresh minds are usually the ones that succeed in suprising the established systems in place....

NZ

Sometimes though what the team was doing was running the ball down their throats... then they get on the seventeen and first play they try to surprise the other team with a pass on first... and it is incomplete or even worse the QB is sacked... and then they are back on the 23rd and have to throw... and two more pass attempts when the defense knows they have to pass... and they don't get the first down... and have to kick the field goal. I see that a lot. An awful lot. So I am not talking about the obvious where they were throwing long passes and now they are on the 17 and don't have the room for long passes or the wideouts were pulling the DB's long so the RB's could run. Sometimes a team moves down the field with short passes and again when they get close they get greedy and go with a longer pass... There is something to be said about surprising the other team with a change in what you are doing... and then there is the old Lombardi plan... have a couple plays that you execute with such perfection and power that even though the other team knows it is coming... the defense just can't stop it.

But when it comes down to it it is always a coaching problem if your team isn't scoring... that's where the buck stops.

[blactexan]

injuries, converting on 3rd and short,and red zone offense those are not little things. :eek:

[TeddyRafter]

I'd say 9-7 or 10-6 at best. I don't think we would of got 11, only because of the young players.

I disagree, it wasnt the young players..

when you have Johnson, Schaub and D-Rob all missing more than 5 games.. you have to believe that there are some games that they could have single handely changed..

there is no way you could get me to believe that if ALL 3 of them would have stayed healthy that we couldnt have won at least 3 more games..

[Matt_in_KW]

I disagree, it wasnt the young players..

when you have Johnson, Schaub and D-Rob all missing more than 5 games.. you have to believe that there are some games that they could have single handely changed..

there is no way you could get me to believe that if ALL 3 of them would have stayed healthy that we couldnt have won at least 3 more games..

3 no, 1-2 yes. Thats LAST season however.

[ObsiWan]

I don't think it's little things that stop them from being contenders, I think it' slightly larger issues, like red zone scoring. ;)

Actually, we weren't that bad in the red zone. We were fourth best in the entire NFL. Only N.O., N.E. and Ariz. were better at putting TDs up in the redzone.

http://www.profootballweekly.com/PFW/NFL+Statistics/Inside+the+Red+Zone/2007/finalredzn.htm

Here's our data
46 total R/Z possessions
28 TDs (0.609%)
13 FGs
41 total scores (.891 %)

This means we were only shut out 5 times out of the 46 times we got in the red zone. The key is, we only got in the redzone 46 times. That's about middle of the pack. N.E. had 72 redzone visits. The Colts had 68. The Jags were third with 58. Most teams were somewhere in the 40s and 50s.

I think turnovers are our worst enemy. And that's not a little thing. We gave the ball away 38 times - TWICE a GAME! How many more R/Z possessions would we have had if we cut that number in half?

I think we're pretty decent in the redzone effectiveness area. We just gotta stop turning the ball over so we get there more often.


p.s. how does one import a table into a post???

[NBT]

The little things..................Keep Away, Take Away! Short and sweet.

[Yosarian]

I think one "little thing" that could be addressed is on defense....when our guys are trying to stop a team on 3rd and let's say 8.....that out guys covering the wide recievers need to play a little closer than 10 yards back.

We have to stop teams on third and long!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Every time!

[Whiskeyrbl]

I think one "little thing" that could be addressed is on defense....when our guys are trying to stop a team on 3rd and let's say 8.....that out guys covering the wide recievers need to play a little closer than 10 yards back.

We have to stop teams on third and long!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Every time!

I agree, I got sick of seeing on what seemed to be every passing down our DB's playing off their man. We definitely need tighter coverage and knock the crap out of the reciever coming off the line every once in a while.

[Yosarian]

I agree, I got sick of seeing on what seemed to be every passing down our DB's playing off their man. We definitely need tighter coverage and knock the crap out of the reciever coming off the line every once in a while. I know. Me too. I mean, we struggle on Defense and when we succeed on 1st and 2nd and get them where we want them..it seems our coaches call some lame back off defense. Third and long we need to keep the pressure on them.

[greedimidi]

I think one "little thing" that could be addressed is on defense....when our guys are trying to stop a team on 3rd and let's say 8.....that out guys covering the wide recievers need to play a little closer than 10 yards back.

We have to stop teams on third and long!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Every time!

i have two things to say to that;

1. after d-rob and half of our secondary got hurt, we had to play with replacements. giving that, the secondary coach hoke had to simplify our defense to accomodate tha injuries. in doing that, and because we didnt have enough guys to play tight man to man coverage left, we had to play more zone coverage and fewer man press coverage. in other words, we didnt have enough guys fast enough to keep up in man coverage so they had to play zone and play off receivers. thats why you noticed the 10 yard cushion by our db's.

2. the guy you probably noticed the mostgiving up 10 yrds or more b4 the snap is demarcus faggins. he did it on every down he played. the guy is not a fast guy so to make up for that and to avoid getting burnt, he tends to give up alotta yards before the snap which results in easy completions on quick slants and short passes. but look at it this way, its either that of 40+ yards touchdown bombs. i'll take that. you decide.

[infantrycak]

2. the guy you probably noticed the mostgiving up 10 yrds or more b4 the snap is demarcus faggins. he did it on every down he played. the guy is not a fast guy so to make up for that and to avoid getting burnt, he tends to give up alotta yards before the snap which results in easy completions on quick slants and short passes. but look at it this way, its either that of 40+ yards touchdown bombs. i'll take that. you decide.

That is a coaching call, not a DB decision. They don't send Faggins or any other DB out there and say line up where you want. They certainly don't let him get bit on 3rd and 7 with an 8 yard cushion and let him do it again. If they wanted him or any DB pressing they would call it. Watch the sidelines more and see if Faggins or any other DB is getting beotched at after giving a 10 yard cushion on 3rd and 8. So far haven't seen it happen so in my book they are doing what the coaches want at least so far as the cushion goes.

[Yosarian]

i have two things to say to that;

1. after d-rob and half of our secondary got hurt, we had to play with replacements. giving that, the secondary coach hoke had to simplify our defense to accomodate tha injuries. in doing that, and because we didnt have enough guys to play tight man to man coverage left, we had to play more zone coverage and fewer man press coverage. in other words, we didnt have enough guys fast enough to keep up in man coverage so they had to play zone and play off receivers. thats why you noticed the 10 yard cushion by our db's.

2. the guy you probably noticed the mostgiving up 10 yrds or more b4 the snap is demarcus faggins. he did it on every down he played. the guy is not a fast guy so to make up for that and to avoid getting burnt, he tends to give up alotta yards before the snap which results in easy completions on quick slants and short passes. but look at it this way, its either that of 40+ yards touchdown bombs. i'll take that. you decide.


If you can't get the opposing team off the field it's a touchdown either way.

I wasn't going to mention any names but yes him especially. It's like handing them the first down. We have cover over the top so let the guys up at the line at least play withing the first down yardage and give them help deep.

I just don't agree with letting teams get first downs because we are scared of getting burned.

[Jwwillis1]

Injuries - We were doin great in scoring AND red zone O till Johnson went down.

Turnovers - We sucked last year in turnovers. nuf said

HB catches in the flat - We didn't see any of that last year. With Slayton in the mix this could get fun.

D Ability to stay with the faster tight ends - It seems we got burned bad by the quicker TE's in the league last year. I'm hoping our new LBer corps are faster.

DB's catching balls that hit them in the chest - How's the elbow Will?

[HydrOshocK]

That is a coaching call, not a DB decision. They don't send Faggins or any other DB out there and say line up where you want. They certainly don't let him get bit on 3rd and 7 with an 8 yard cushion and let him do it again. If they wanted him or any DB pressing they would call it. Watch the sidelines more and see if Faggins or any other DB is getting beotched at after giving a 10 yard cushion on 3rd and 8. So far haven't seen it happen so in my book they are doing what the coaches want at least so far as the cushion goes.

I agree it's a coaching call out of necessity. Trying to play close man coverage with Petey Faggins and crew, along with a young unproven rookie would've been a recipe for disaster. Instead I'm sure the coaches were stressing to keep the play in front of them and not get burned on the big play.

Unfortunately it meant that teams were able to take what was given and turn it into sustained drives. I think they were hoping to find the right formula up front to generate more pressure and take the heat off of our secondary but the only one producing was Mario and he could be doubled.

The reason we signed Reeves is because he excels at tight man press coverage. Add Ray Rhodes to the fold and it's apparent we plan on significantly tightening up our secondary. If Reeves plays well and Bennett continues to improve it will make things easier for D-Rob to transition back in at nickel....If that happens we're looking great.

[D Frank]

I think it would be goo to start D ROB out at nickel when he first comes back, but when e gets back in te groove put him at 1. or 2. He is a figter he is coming back for sure

[headsplint]

I think it would be goo to start D ROB out at nickel when he first comes back, but when e gets back in te groove put him at 1. or 2. He is a figter he is coming back for sure

Well the bottom line is if he can't handle the corner duties he can't handle it and you don't just stick him out there because he is a fighter. You stick him where he can be a threat. I love D-Rob but it is what it is, if he can return to form then hell yeah he is our guy at the corner position, but if he can't then you use him in a position where he will be most effective. But all this goes without saying for most.

[NBT]

.......Which translates to better quality, greater depth, so we can rotate in and out to keep people fresh.

[TheReaver]

Third and short. I can't watch most of the Texans games where I'm from but I get to "watch" them on stat tracker on Yahoo! I can't count the number of times I was watching and it was 3rd and 1 and what do I see...Dayne rushes up the middle for no gain. Was unbelievable.

[theCATALYST]

another thing is we also need to start the season fast. if you notice, for the last two years, we finished the season strong with impressive wins. if we start fast and finish strong, playoffs!


I agree with starting fast, but I think they need to start fast early in each game. This last season was full of 4th quarter come-backs. If the Texans are good enough to close the gap between points in the 4th quarter, they should be just as capable of creating their own point gap in the 1st and 2nd quarter.

Just my 2 cents.