Team Report: Houston Texans
Houston Texans
By Andy Benoit, www.NFLTouchdown.com
2007 Record: 8-8 (4th AFC South)
Predicted:3rd
Head Coach: Gary Kubiak (third season)
Offense
QB: Matt Schaub Deserving of his starting job but must prove he can stay healthy.
RB: Ahman Green Age is a darn-near insurmountable obstacle at this point, especially considering his susceptibility to injury.
FB: Vonta Leach A 250-pound space clearer. The coaches really like him.
WR: Andre Johnson At his best could be the most dangerous wideout in football. Last year, Houston was 6-3 with him and 2-5 without him.
WR: Kevin Walter Finally settled into his starting role catching 65 balls last season. Doesn’t have enough electricity to scare defenses.
TE: Owen Daniels Excellent receiving skills makes him a factor between the numbers. Has the athleticism, just needs to continue to channel it.
LT: Duane Brown* Fluid ex-tight end who is an ideal fit for a zone-blocking system. But with just 3 years of experience at OT, he’s greener than grass.
LG: Chester Pitts Has started all 96 games in franchise history. Upper-middle-tier lineman who can play with power and finesse.
C: Chris Myers** Familiar with Kubiak’s ‘scheme from his days in Denver. Great upgrade here for the Texans.
RG: Fred Weary Houston’s most gifted interior lineman, but coming off a fractured tibia and fibula from last year.
RT: Eric Winston Terrific fit in zone system; very lithe for a RT. This job is his for the next 10 years.
---------------
QB: Sage Rosenfels Wants to start but simply can’t match Schaub’s skill set. Might be the best backup QB in football.
RB: Chris Brown** Don’t be surprised if he flourishes as a starter at some point. Problem is, he’s more delicate than tissue paper.
WR: Andre’ Davis When he’s on, his speed makes him a dangerous downfield weapon. Ran three kickoffs back for touchdowns last year, too.
WR: Jacoby Jones Enticing talent but must avoid the type of midseason drop-off that dampened his rookie year.
TE: Mark Bruener Signed a one-year contract to come back for a 14th season of run-blocking work.
Defense
LDE: Anthony Weaver Used primarily as a run-defender, though hopes to regain an inside nickel role.
DT: Travis Johnson Has finally––finally!––started playing up to snuff. Not the most likeable guy (remember the Trent Green incident?) but at least he’s contributing.
DT: Amobi Okoye Has a long way to go in his development, though the early indications are he’s going to be a star.
RDE: Mario Williams Fans can no longer gripe about Houston passing on Reggie Bush and Vince Young after his second-half explosion last season.
SLB: Zach Diles Tossed into the starting lineup seemingly out of nowhere, but has been logging copious amounts of reps in practices.
MLB: DeMeco Ryans Starting Pro Bowler in ’07. Not without flaws, though considering his production, pointing out those flaws borders on nitpicking.
WLB: Morlon Greenwood Very solid starter who is coming off an impressive 119-tackle season.
CB: Fred Bennett An archetypal cornerback who, in his second season, could soon evolve into one of the game’s elite defenders.
SS: C.C Brown Has learned to play faster and now should have no trouble keeping Glenn Earl out of the starting lineup.
FS: Will Demps Has quickly revived his once-dying career. Provides the secondary very good veteran experience.
CB: Jacques Reeves** Won’t be starting once Dunta Robinson gets back. Better than critics admit. Still, offenses salivated at the site of him in Dallas last year.
---------------
DL: Anthony Maddox Has enough talent to push for a starting job, but has never been able to close the deal in his previous four years.
LB: Kevin Bentley Speed is a plus, particularly on special teams where he’s expected to be a big factor.
NB: DeMarcus Faggins Has starting experience though has proven to really be more of a dime-level cornerback.
Key Acquisitions
LB Kevin Bentley (Sea)
RB Chris Brown (Ten)
WR Tim Carter (Cle)
LB Rosevelt Colvin (NE)
S Nick Ferguson (Den)
QB Quinn Gray (Jax)
TE Ryan Krause (GB)
C Chris Myers (Den)
CB Jacques Reeves (Dal)
LB Chaun Thompson (Cle)
CB Jimmy Williams (FA)
Key Losses
LB Charlie Anderson (Mia)
LB Shawn Barber
DB Michael Boulware (Min)
LB Danny Clark (NYG)
C Mike Flanagan
CB Von Hutchins (Atl)
DT Cedric Killings
WR Jerome Mathis
C Steve McKinney
TE Jeb Putzier (Sea)
It’s a very positive sign that none of Houston’s free agent pickups, aside from Myers, were brought in to start. For one, none of these guys (again, aside from Myers) are good enough to start. For two, the Texans are finally building depth and filling in a lot of the blanks that have long riddled their roster. Thompson, Krause, Ferguson, Carter and Bentley can all make an impact on special teams. Brown will probably have to start a few games considering the fragility of Ahman Green. Of course, Brown himself is also quite prone to injury. Aside from maybe Hutchins, absolutely none of Houston’s veteran losses hurt. A lot of these guys would have struggled making the 53-man roster anyway.
2008 Draft
Rd Sel # Player Position School
1 26 Duane Brown T Virginia Tech
3 79 Antwaun Molden CB Eastern Kentucky
3 89 Steve Slaton RB West Virginia
4 118 Xavier Adibi OLB Virginia Tech
5 151 Frank Okam DT Texas
6 173 Dominique Barber FS Minnesota
7 223 Alex Brink QB Washington State
Ephraim Salaam always gives a noble effort at LT, but it was clear that an upgrade was needed at the position. Whether Brown can be that guy remains to be seen. He’s certainly athletic enough, but he has only three years of experience at OT (he was a TE before). Throwing him immediately in the fire is a big risk. Molden is well-built (6’2”, 195) but he has a steep learning curve after facing inferior competition in the Ohio Valley Conference. They hope to use Slaton’s open-field skills in third-down situations. Some say Adibi and Okam could become starters down the road.
2008 Houston Texans Preview
Okay, so they were late bloomers. No big deal. What’s important is that they’re here now. Robert Kraus didn’t include a chapter about dwelling on past failures in his epic children’s book Leo the Late Bloomer. The Houston Texans are here, and they’re doing things right. This is what people were clamoring for a few years ago, no? The story was always supposed to be how the fresh-start Texans win six games and establish an identity in the process. Then, how they grow from their mistakes, build on their successes, win eight games the following year and suddenly become the upstart Texans. This is precisely what people had in mind; this is what a so-called “expansion franchise” is supposed to do.
After dilly-dallying for their first four seasons, the Texans finally started doing it right. Much of the thanks goes to third-year head coach Gary Kubiak. The longtime Broncos offensive coordinator has effectively planted his football seeds in Houston’s soil. He’s invested in a quarterback (Matt Schaub, with the outside possibility of Sage Rosenfels). He has fine-tuned his coaching staff (zone-blocking genius Alex Gibbs was recently hired to coach the offensive line; 28-year-old Kyle Shanahan, son of…you guessed it, was promoted to offensive coordinator). And he has allowed the front office, headed by GM Charlie Casserly in 2006 and taken over by Rick Smith that same year, to build a defensive foundation primarily through the draft (first-round defensive end Mario Williams and second-round linebacker DeMeco Ryans in ’06, first-round defensive tackle Amobi Okoye in ’07).
And so you have the modern Houston Texans––still the latest team to join the league, and now, the latest team to establish a path toward prosperity. For the first time, the young franchise and Football America truly have an opportunity to meet. NFL pundits are starting to issue favorable projections for the Texans, and not simply as a means to go out on the obligatory limb. The Texans will make their Monday Night debut on December 1, when they host Jacksonville. They’ll take the field that night not as a primetime novelty act, but rather, as a likely playoff contender.
If the Texans are indeed football’s version of Leo the Lion, then, like the illustrated character, they’re lucky to have a patient mother in owner Bob McNair. The technology tycoon has awarded power to his front office and coaching staff and allowed them enough time to fully install their system of operations. It was McNair’s patience that perhaps enabled the Dom Capers era to traipse into stagnation. But now that same patience is facilitating his club’s early climb up football’s mountain under the Kubiak regime.
McNair has helped keep the fan base calm during Houston’s infancy. His franchise has survived five years of losing by playing in one of the most pristine venues in all of sports (Reliant Stadium), where every one of the team’s home games has sold out. He has shown a laudable willingness to invest in his team. Character has also been a priority to McNair and his staff, and the Texans have managed to steer away from any substantial public relations blips.
There is understandable optimism radiating along the Gulf of Mexico this season. Which is why it’s not fun to mention the huge asterisk cozying up next to this team: the AFC South. It could be the toughest division in football. For all the improvements that last season brought forth, Houston still finished in the division’s basement. The AFC South’s default champion Colts had a 13-3 record. The Jaguars went 11-5. And the Titans––the older brother that casual observers always seem to mistake the Texans for––surprised everyone by finishing 10-6.
It’s been proven many a time that teams’ fortunes are subject to change from year to year. However, the Jaguars appear to be as solid as granite. And the Titans are a team on the rise. The Colts, of course, might be the NFL’s only team omitted from the “subject to change” charge, as they’ve won five straight division titles.
Very rarely do schedules make a significant difference in pro football. Generally, if a team is good, its record will reflect accordingly. But there are exceptions to most things. That’s why someone invented the asterisk.
Offense
It’s almost like the Texans offense has been following steps in a “How To” manual. How To Construct Your Offense:
Step One––hire a shrewd head coach from the Mike Shanahan School of Offense. Allow him to overhaul your operation and implement his own modus operandi.
Step Two––give the new coach a year to break-in his system and evaluate his personnel.
Step Three––invest fully in the quarterback your coach wants. (Even if that means trading two second-round draft picks and guaranteeing $7 million to a guy with minimal experience.)
Step Four––After one year, wait 12-16 games. During this time, your offense will gradually start to flourish. You should start to notice measurable increases in productivity and consistency. (Like a jump from 28th in total yards to 14th, or a rise from 28th in scoring to 12th).
Step Five––Analyze your offense and make the appropriate upgrades.
Heading into Week 1, the Texans find themselves in the latter stage of Step Five. So far, the new coach, Gary Kubiak, has done a terrific job of implementing his variegated passing attack and zone-blocking run scheme. The quarterback he chose, Matt Schaub, has been solid when healthy. Granted, that has not been often enough. This is why there’s a slim chance that Schaub will not make it to Step Six.
Schaub is a better athlete than given credit for, and he certainly has an NFL-quality arm. He’s accurate and dependable, though he could stand to improve his poise under duress. His grasp of Kubiak’s offense is also up to snuff. That said, this past offseason the Texans refused to trade away perennial backup Sage Rosenfels, even rejecting Minnesota’s third-round pick for the former fourth-rounder. Their reason was simple: Schaub missed snaps in nine games in 2007, including five games altogether (thanks mainly to an injured non-throwing shoulder). As a starter, Rosenfels went 4-1 and posted an overall rating of 84.8 (Schaub’s was 87.2)
All things equal, Schaub is the superior player. He’ll be given every opportunity to steel his spot in the lineup this season, though another injury-plagued campaign could prompt his exit. He has a fairly large contract (six years, $48 million) that is very “voidable.” Few teams demand second-round value when considering trades for their No. 2 signal-caller. And few teams sign proven backups like Quinn Gray to be their emergency quarterback (even if it’s only to a one-year deal).
Contrasting Schaub’s ’07 campaign with Rosenfels’s requires a grain of salt. The former did most of his work without the services of All-World receiver Andre Johnson, who missed seven games with a knee injury. The latter was usually fortunate to have Johnson, he of the blazing speed, hardened strength and soft hands. The difference is night and day. With Johnson in the lineup, Houston’s good-but-far-from-great ancillary options like Kevin Walter, Andre’ Davis, Jacoby Jones and tight end Owen Daniels are respectable forces. Walter is tough to defend over the middle. Davis can really stretch the field. Jones shows flashes of being a playmaker. And Daniels catches just about every ball he sees.
But without Johnson, each man moves up a peg and suddenly looks like the retail version of his wholesale self. Walter becomes a receiver who struggles to get open. Davis becomes whatever it is that has caused him to be super fast yet never good enough to catch more than 40 passes in a season. Jones morphs into the greenhorn who vanished from the offense as a rookie. And Daniels turns into the guy who doesn’t make enough plays after the catch.
The numbers tell the story: Last season, Houston’s offense averaged 25.6 points per game when Johnson was in the lineup, and the team’s record was 6-3. But when he was out of the lineup, the Texans managed only 21.3 points per game and went just 2-5.
The Texans followed Step Five in the “How To” manual by upgrading their offensive line over the offseason. This has essentially become tradition during the franchise’s short existence. Run-blocking has always been poor here, and awful pass protection was largely to blame for the unremunerative tenure of David Carr.
However, Houston appeared to ameliorate their blocking issues last season, giving up only 22 sacks and ranking seventh in sacks allowed per play. The front five has really taken to the zone-blocking scheme that Kubiak brought over from the Broncos. That said, defensive ends have still been too common a presence in the backfield, which is why the team made the necessary move of replacing left tackle Ephraim Salaam. The 32-year-old does not have the lower-body strength to handle the bull rush, and his recovery abilities are questionable.
Taking over for Salaam will be first-round rookie Duane Brown, a Virginia Tech product who converted from tight end just three years ago. Brown will undoubtedly benefit from the tutelage of revered offensive line coach Alex Gibbs, the godfather of zone-blocking. But even Gibbs hasn’t had to work with many left tackles this raw. Playing next to tested veteran Chester Pitts should help Brown. So will the presence of storied run-blocking tight end Mark Bruener, who was given $870,000 to delay retirement for at least one more year.
Rounding out the offensive line is ascending right tackle Eric Winston, guard Fred Weary and center Chris Myers. Winston, in his third season out of Miami, is a near-perfect fit in this scheme. He has the strength to maul in the run game and the nimbleness to play in space. Weary is a naturally gifted player, but if he’s unable to bounce back from a devastating knee injury suffered last season, the Texans may have to consider finding his replacement. Mike Brisiel would be a candidate, though he doesn’t have enough sheer power, even for a zone system. Jordan Black is a tackle who could likely hold up inside. The Texans would love to see former third-round pick Charles Spencer fit this bill, but Spencer’s career never regained traction after a horrendous broken leg his rookie season.
Myers’s presence in the middle fills an enormous void. Experienced in a zone scheme from his days in Denver, and fresh off his best season as a pro, the fourth-year veteran should help elevate a Texan rushing attack that ranked 22nd in 2007.
Houston relied predominantly on bulky Ron Dayne last season, and saw him produce 773 yards on 194 carries. However, Dayne was yet to be resigned as of mid-June, and the Texan coaches have made it clear they prefer a leaner, more one-cut-oriented type of ballcarrier. Oft-injured Ahman Green will be given the first chance to start. Behind him will be oft-injured Chris Brown. Both men have thrived in a zone system before––Green in his glory days with the Packers and Brown in his college days with Colorado.
Third-round rookie Steve Slaton figures to be the playmaking resource for this team on third downs. Slaton has tremendous ability in the open field. Fullback Vonta Leach will be asked to clear the path for whoever lines up seven yards deep.
Defense
The Texans have taken the George Young approach by building their defense from the trenches out. This past draft was the first in which Houston did not expend a first-round draft choice on a defensive linemen. In 2005, they selected Florida State’s Travis Johnson. The following year, they used the No. 1 overall pick on North Carolina State’s Mario Williams. Last season, they made Louisville’s Amobi Okoye the youngest player in the NFL when they selected him 10th overall.
For the most part, Johnson has been a bust, thanks to attitude problems and a work ethic that would make even the French laugh. He has, however, started to recently come on, which is why Anthony Maddox, an able run-defender, has been unable to crack the lineup.
After an underwhelming 4.5-sack rookie year, Williams appeared to be another bust. However, a 10-sack outbreak during the second half of last season pushed Williams to second on the league’s final sack list, with 14 (a Texans record). The 291-pounder plays a brand of football similar to Michael Strahan’s. Williams has the strength to be a force against the run, and he’s a playmaking threat throughout an entire play (as opposed to only off his first step, like so many pass-rushers today). He is a monster in backside pursuit.
As good as Williams looks, Okoye may have the brighter future. Coruscating upper-body power that makes you rewind the tape and confirm what you just saw, the Nigeria native––who attended Louisville at age 16 and graduated at 19––has the potential to be special. Run-stuffing dominance is a given (though he must improve his leverage). And there’s a strong possibility that Okoye will someday emerge as a one-gap penetrater on the level of a Warren Sapp. His numbers declined as the season wore on last year, but fatigue wasn’t entirely to blame. Simply put, Okoye is still not ripe. He exerts more energy than he needs to because he’s yet to hone his technique. He has decent ball awareness though he’s not yet instinctive. These traits will come with time.
Run-stopper Anthony Weaver is the defensive end opposite Williams. He’s hoping to bounce back from an injury-induced down season. N.D. Kalu sees playing time as a pass-rushing specialist though you might not know it from his modest three sacks in ’07. Newly acquired linebacker Kevin Bentley may get an opportunity to take some of Kalu’s snaps this season.
Pardon the breach of etiquette in taking six paragraphs to mention the team’s reigning Most Valuable Player (as voted by his teammates). Middle linebacker DeMeco Ryans is a star. He has recorded 283 tackles in his first two seasons as a pro, racking up honors that include 2006 Defensive Rookie of the Year and 2007 starting Pro Bowler. Ryans gets off blocks with remarkable proficiency and has diagnostic abilities that are developed well beyond his years. Great as he is playing downhill, he’s not the same impact player going east and west.
This in part explains why weakside linebacker Morlon Greenwood, Ryan’s praiseworthy running mate, posted nearly the same number of tackles as the leader last season. Greenwood’s long-term job security was rattled just a bit with the drafting of Xavier Adibi in Round Four, but for now, he is undoubtedly The Man on the outside for Houston. Zac Diles was anointed the strongside linebacker after spending a year almost as a redshirt. Diles shadowed Ryans as a rookie last season. This past offseason, he took serious reps at all three linebacker positions. The Texans appear confident in his abilities––they like his strength in traffic––though they did feel the need to sign veteran Rosevelt Colvin.
Houston boasts a potentially excellent cornerbacking tandem in Dunta Robinson and Fred Bennett. Robinson, however, is expected to begin the season on the PUP list as he continues to recover from a gut-wrenching knee and hamstring injury suffered in Week 10 of last year. The hope is that he can regain his uncanny quickness and burst.
In the meantime, Bennett will hold down the fort as the No. 1 corner. Chances are, you aren’t too familiar with the second-year pro (in part because he was only a fourth-round pick, and in part because there’s something strangely familiar about the sound of his name, which makes him easy to confuse with someone else). Bennett has an excellent build (6’2”, 195). His fluid hips make him the NFL’s version of Shakira, and his awareness and presence in man coverage is well above average for a player of his youth. And perhaps best of all, Bennett can tackle.
Jacques Reeves was a whipping boy when playing across from blanket-cover-ace Terence Newman in Dallas last year. Reeves is a better defender than his high completion rates suggest, which is why the Texans gave him $20 million over four years to sign. That said, he shouldn’t be starting in any team’s secondary. He has trouble establishing position in one-one-one situations, and his ball instincts are nothing to marvel at. He’s starting, though, because the only other options are inconsistent DeMarcus Faggins and callow Antwaun Molden (their third-round rookie out of Eastern Kentucky).
Houston intercepted the lowest percentage of opponents’ passes in football last year. A playmaking safety would do wonders for this defense. C.C. Brown has improved and is now an adequate strong safety, and Will Demps has been a great leader from his free safety spot. But neither man strikes fear in a quarterback.
Special Teams
Kris Brown can make field goals in the clutch, and he was a hat-tipping 5/5 from 50 yards-out last season. Inconsistency has been a stigma throughout his career, though at 31, he’s likely overcome that. It seems like punter Matt Turk has been around since the helmets were leather, but this will only be his 13th season. He’s still solid––his ball placement is excellent.
Jacoby Jones can be an electrifying punt returner, while Andre’ Davis had a Hester-like three touchdown returns on kickoffs last season.
Bottom Line
The next stone in Houston’s path seems to be at least on the threshold of the postseason. However, playing in the über-competitive AFC South––where Indy, Jacksonville and Tennessee all posted double-digit win totals and made the playoffs in ’07––might stifle their final push.
Myth Buster
Mario Williams and DeMeco Ryans have first-rate speed
There is a tendency to assume that a productive young player must be fast. Williams and Ryans are both tremendous young athletes, but neither is a burner. Williams has a surprisingly normal first step that prevents him from being ultra explosive off the snap. This is partly why he struggled his rookie season. His effectiveness comes from his strength and acceleration late in the play (say, in his second, third and fourth steps). He has a great frame (6’7”, 291), highlighted by a seven-footer’s wingspan. The combination of all this makes Williams dominant.
Ryans can certainly get around the field, but his timed speed is only 4.65. He thrives mainly off his ability to shed and slip blocks. He is most effective playing north and south between the tackles. When forced to turn and chase, Ryans becomes a good but not great player. He makes up for any minor deficiencies with instincts and intelligence. As he continues to mature, he’ll give up less space in coverage and have fewer of his tackles come downfield. But it will be because he understands the game, not because he has fast wheels.
Open Thought
Everyone seems to love Houston’s Battle Red jerseys––mainly because, well, how many teams actually give their outfits a cool name like Battle Red? The club itself loves to promote it. Their media guide touts their 5-3 record on “Battle Red Days” and even points out Andre Johnson’s success in the uniform (Johnson averages 6.3 catches, 80.5 yards and has caught a touchdown in four of the last five Battle Red games. This, of course, is comparable to his usual production, but still…..Battle Red!)
After the Texans debuted their new red-jersey, red-pant look on a Thursday night game against the Broncos last year, there were calls for the team to adopt the Battle Red outfits fulltime. Don’t they pretty much have to? After all, when they come out in blue jerseys, isn’t the implication that today is not a day to battle?
How about this: blue helmets, red jerseys, blue pants at home. On the road, do a knock off of the Boise State Fiesta Bowl look: blue helmets, white jerseys, red pants. Wear blue jerseys with red pants on your allotted two alternate uniform games. Just don’t give an inspiring epithet to the uniform.
By Andy Benoit, www.NFLTouchdown.com
2007 Record: 8-8 (4th AFC South)
Predicted:3rd
Head Coach: Gary Kubiak (third season)
Offense
QB: Matt Schaub Deserving of his starting job but must prove he can stay healthy.
RB: Ahman Green Age is a darn-near insurmountable obstacle at this point, especially considering his susceptibility to injury.
FB: Vonta Leach A 250-pound space clearer. The coaches really like him.
WR: Andre Johnson At his best could be the most dangerous wideout in football. Last year, Houston was 6-3 with him and 2-5 without him.
WR: Kevin Walter Finally settled into his starting role catching 65 balls last season. Doesn’t have enough electricity to scare defenses.
TE: Owen Daniels Excellent receiving skills makes him a factor between the numbers. Has the athleticism, just needs to continue to channel it.
LT: Duane Brown* Fluid ex-tight end who is an ideal fit for a zone-blocking system. But with just 3 years of experience at OT, he’s greener than grass.
LG: Chester Pitts Has started all 96 games in franchise history. Upper-middle-tier lineman who can play with power and finesse.
C: Chris Myers** Familiar with Kubiak’s ‘scheme from his days in Denver. Great upgrade here for the Texans.
RG: Fred Weary Houston’s most gifted interior lineman, but coming off a fractured tibia and fibula from last year.
RT: Eric Winston Terrific fit in zone system; very lithe for a RT. This job is his for the next 10 years.
---------------
QB: Sage Rosenfels Wants to start but simply can’t match Schaub’s skill set. Might be the best backup QB in football.
RB: Chris Brown** Don’t be surprised if he flourishes as a starter at some point. Problem is, he’s more delicate than tissue paper.
WR: Andre’ Davis When he’s on, his speed makes him a dangerous downfield weapon. Ran three kickoffs back for touchdowns last year, too.
WR: Jacoby Jones Enticing talent but must avoid the type of midseason drop-off that dampened his rookie year.
TE: Mark Bruener Signed a one-year contract to come back for a 14th season of run-blocking work.
Defense
LDE: Anthony Weaver Used primarily as a run-defender, though hopes to regain an inside nickel role.
DT: Travis Johnson Has finally––finally!––started playing up to snuff. Not the most likeable guy (remember the Trent Green incident?) but at least he’s contributing.
DT: Amobi Okoye Has a long way to go in his development, though the early indications are he’s going to be a star.
RDE: Mario Williams Fans can no longer gripe about Houston passing on Reggie Bush and Vince Young after his second-half explosion last season.
SLB: Zach Diles Tossed into the starting lineup seemingly out of nowhere, but has been logging copious amounts of reps in practices.
MLB: DeMeco Ryans Starting Pro Bowler in ’07. Not without flaws, though considering his production, pointing out those flaws borders on nitpicking.
WLB: Morlon Greenwood Very solid starter who is coming off an impressive 119-tackle season.
CB: Fred Bennett An archetypal cornerback who, in his second season, could soon evolve into one of the game’s elite defenders.
SS: C.C Brown Has learned to play faster and now should have no trouble keeping Glenn Earl out of the starting lineup.
FS: Will Demps Has quickly revived his once-dying career. Provides the secondary very good veteran experience.
CB: Jacques Reeves** Won’t be starting once Dunta Robinson gets back. Better than critics admit. Still, offenses salivated at the site of him in Dallas last year.
---------------
DL: Anthony Maddox Has enough talent to push for a starting job, but has never been able to close the deal in his previous four years.
LB: Kevin Bentley Speed is a plus, particularly on special teams where he’s expected to be a big factor.
NB: DeMarcus Faggins Has starting experience though has proven to really be more of a dime-level cornerback.
Key Acquisitions
LB Kevin Bentley (Sea)
RB Chris Brown (Ten)
WR Tim Carter (Cle)
LB Rosevelt Colvin (NE)
S Nick Ferguson (Den)
QB Quinn Gray (Jax)
TE Ryan Krause (GB)
C Chris Myers (Den)
CB Jacques Reeves (Dal)
LB Chaun Thompson (Cle)
CB Jimmy Williams (FA)
Key Losses
LB Charlie Anderson (Mia)
LB Shawn Barber
DB Michael Boulware (Min)
LB Danny Clark (NYG)
C Mike Flanagan
CB Von Hutchins (Atl)
DT Cedric Killings
WR Jerome Mathis
C Steve McKinney
TE Jeb Putzier (Sea)
It’s a very positive sign that none of Houston’s free agent pickups, aside from Myers, were brought in to start. For one, none of these guys (again, aside from Myers) are good enough to start. For two, the Texans are finally building depth and filling in a lot of the blanks that have long riddled their roster. Thompson, Krause, Ferguson, Carter and Bentley can all make an impact on special teams. Brown will probably have to start a few games considering the fragility of Ahman Green. Of course, Brown himself is also quite prone to injury. Aside from maybe Hutchins, absolutely none of Houston’s veteran losses hurt. A lot of these guys would have struggled making the 53-man roster anyway.
2008 Draft
Rd Sel # Player Position School
1 26 Duane Brown T Virginia Tech
3 79 Antwaun Molden CB Eastern Kentucky
3 89 Steve Slaton RB West Virginia
4 118 Xavier Adibi OLB Virginia Tech
5 151 Frank Okam DT Texas
6 173 Dominique Barber FS Minnesota
7 223 Alex Brink QB Washington State
Ephraim Salaam always gives a noble effort at LT, but it was clear that an upgrade was needed at the position. Whether Brown can be that guy remains to be seen. He’s certainly athletic enough, but he has only three years of experience at OT (he was a TE before). Throwing him immediately in the fire is a big risk. Molden is well-built (6’2”, 195) but he has a steep learning curve after facing inferior competition in the Ohio Valley Conference. They hope to use Slaton’s open-field skills in third-down situations. Some say Adibi and Okam could become starters down the road.
2008 Houston Texans Preview
Okay, so they were late bloomers. No big deal. What’s important is that they’re here now. Robert Kraus didn’t include a chapter about dwelling on past failures in his epic children’s book Leo the Late Bloomer. The Houston Texans are here, and they’re doing things right. This is what people were clamoring for a few years ago, no? The story was always supposed to be how the fresh-start Texans win six games and establish an identity in the process. Then, how they grow from their mistakes, build on their successes, win eight games the following year and suddenly become the upstart Texans. This is precisely what people had in mind; this is what a so-called “expansion franchise” is supposed to do.
After dilly-dallying for their first four seasons, the Texans finally started doing it right. Much of the thanks goes to third-year head coach Gary Kubiak. The longtime Broncos offensive coordinator has effectively planted his football seeds in Houston’s soil. He’s invested in a quarterback (Matt Schaub, with the outside possibility of Sage Rosenfels). He has fine-tuned his coaching staff (zone-blocking genius Alex Gibbs was recently hired to coach the offensive line; 28-year-old Kyle Shanahan, son of…you guessed it, was promoted to offensive coordinator). And he has allowed the front office, headed by GM Charlie Casserly in 2006 and taken over by Rick Smith that same year, to build a defensive foundation primarily through the draft (first-round defensive end Mario Williams and second-round linebacker DeMeco Ryans in ’06, first-round defensive tackle Amobi Okoye in ’07).
And so you have the modern Houston Texans––still the latest team to join the league, and now, the latest team to establish a path toward prosperity. For the first time, the young franchise and Football America truly have an opportunity to meet. NFL pundits are starting to issue favorable projections for the Texans, and not simply as a means to go out on the obligatory limb. The Texans will make their Monday Night debut on December 1, when they host Jacksonville. They’ll take the field that night not as a primetime novelty act, but rather, as a likely playoff contender.
If the Texans are indeed football’s version of Leo the Lion, then, like the illustrated character, they’re lucky to have a patient mother in owner Bob McNair. The technology tycoon has awarded power to his front office and coaching staff and allowed them enough time to fully install their system of operations. It was McNair’s patience that perhaps enabled the Dom Capers era to traipse into stagnation. But now that same patience is facilitating his club’s early climb up football’s mountain under the Kubiak regime.
McNair has helped keep the fan base calm during Houston’s infancy. His franchise has survived five years of losing by playing in one of the most pristine venues in all of sports (Reliant Stadium), where every one of the team’s home games has sold out. He has shown a laudable willingness to invest in his team. Character has also been a priority to McNair and his staff, and the Texans have managed to steer away from any substantial public relations blips.
There is understandable optimism radiating along the Gulf of Mexico this season. Which is why it’s not fun to mention the huge asterisk cozying up next to this team: the AFC South. It could be the toughest division in football. For all the improvements that last season brought forth, Houston still finished in the division’s basement. The AFC South’s default champion Colts had a 13-3 record. The Jaguars went 11-5. And the Titans––the older brother that casual observers always seem to mistake the Texans for––surprised everyone by finishing 10-6.
It’s been proven many a time that teams’ fortunes are subject to change from year to year. However, the Jaguars appear to be as solid as granite. And the Titans are a team on the rise. The Colts, of course, might be the NFL’s only team omitted from the “subject to change” charge, as they’ve won five straight division titles.
Very rarely do schedules make a significant difference in pro football. Generally, if a team is good, its record will reflect accordingly. But there are exceptions to most things. That’s why someone invented the asterisk.
Offense
It’s almost like the Texans offense has been following steps in a “How To” manual. How To Construct Your Offense:
Step One––hire a shrewd head coach from the Mike Shanahan School of Offense. Allow him to overhaul your operation and implement his own modus operandi.
Step Two––give the new coach a year to break-in his system and evaluate his personnel.
Step Three––invest fully in the quarterback your coach wants. (Even if that means trading two second-round draft picks and guaranteeing $7 million to a guy with minimal experience.)
Step Four––After one year, wait 12-16 games. During this time, your offense will gradually start to flourish. You should start to notice measurable increases in productivity and consistency. (Like a jump from 28th in total yards to 14th, or a rise from 28th in scoring to 12th).
Step Five––Analyze your offense and make the appropriate upgrades.
Heading into Week 1, the Texans find themselves in the latter stage of Step Five. So far, the new coach, Gary Kubiak, has done a terrific job of implementing his variegated passing attack and zone-blocking run scheme. The quarterback he chose, Matt Schaub, has been solid when healthy. Granted, that has not been often enough. This is why there’s a slim chance that Schaub will not make it to Step Six.
Schaub is a better athlete than given credit for, and he certainly has an NFL-quality arm. He’s accurate and dependable, though he could stand to improve his poise under duress. His grasp of Kubiak’s offense is also up to snuff. That said, this past offseason the Texans refused to trade away perennial backup Sage Rosenfels, even rejecting Minnesota’s third-round pick for the former fourth-rounder. Their reason was simple: Schaub missed snaps in nine games in 2007, including five games altogether (thanks mainly to an injured non-throwing shoulder). As a starter, Rosenfels went 4-1 and posted an overall rating of 84.8 (Schaub’s was 87.2)
All things equal, Schaub is the superior player. He’ll be given every opportunity to steel his spot in the lineup this season, though another injury-plagued campaign could prompt his exit. He has a fairly large contract (six years, $48 million) that is very “voidable.” Few teams demand second-round value when considering trades for their No. 2 signal-caller. And few teams sign proven backups like Quinn Gray to be their emergency quarterback (even if it’s only to a one-year deal).
Contrasting Schaub’s ’07 campaign with Rosenfels’s requires a grain of salt. The former did most of his work without the services of All-World receiver Andre Johnson, who missed seven games with a knee injury. The latter was usually fortunate to have Johnson, he of the blazing speed, hardened strength and soft hands. The difference is night and day. With Johnson in the lineup, Houston’s good-but-far-from-great ancillary options like Kevin Walter, Andre’ Davis, Jacoby Jones and tight end Owen Daniels are respectable forces. Walter is tough to defend over the middle. Davis can really stretch the field. Jones shows flashes of being a playmaker. And Daniels catches just about every ball he sees.
But without Johnson, each man moves up a peg and suddenly looks like the retail version of his wholesale self. Walter becomes a receiver who struggles to get open. Davis becomes whatever it is that has caused him to be super fast yet never good enough to catch more than 40 passes in a season. Jones morphs into the greenhorn who vanished from the offense as a rookie. And Daniels turns into the guy who doesn’t make enough plays after the catch.
The numbers tell the story: Last season, Houston’s offense averaged 25.6 points per game when Johnson was in the lineup, and the team’s record was 6-3. But when he was out of the lineup, the Texans managed only 21.3 points per game and went just 2-5.
The Texans followed Step Five in the “How To” manual by upgrading their offensive line over the offseason. This has essentially become tradition during the franchise’s short existence. Run-blocking has always been poor here, and awful pass protection was largely to blame for the unremunerative tenure of David Carr.
However, Houston appeared to ameliorate their blocking issues last season, giving up only 22 sacks and ranking seventh in sacks allowed per play. The front five has really taken to the zone-blocking scheme that Kubiak brought over from the Broncos. That said, defensive ends have still been too common a presence in the backfield, which is why the team made the necessary move of replacing left tackle Ephraim Salaam. The 32-year-old does not have the lower-body strength to handle the bull rush, and his recovery abilities are questionable.
Taking over for Salaam will be first-round rookie Duane Brown, a Virginia Tech product who converted from tight end just three years ago. Brown will undoubtedly benefit from the tutelage of revered offensive line coach Alex Gibbs, the godfather of zone-blocking. But even Gibbs hasn’t had to work with many left tackles this raw. Playing next to tested veteran Chester Pitts should help Brown. So will the presence of storied run-blocking tight end Mark Bruener, who was given $870,000 to delay retirement for at least one more year.
Rounding out the offensive line is ascending right tackle Eric Winston, guard Fred Weary and center Chris Myers. Winston, in his third season out of Miami, is a near-perfect fit in this scheme. He has the strength to maul in the run game and the nimbleness to play in space. Weary is a naturally gifted player, but if he’s unable to bounce back from a devastating knee injury suffered last season, the Texans may have to consider finding his replacement. Mike Brisiel would be a candidate, though he doesn’t have enough sheer power, even for a zone system. Jordan Black is a tackle who could likely hold up inside. The Texans would love to see former third-round pick Charles Spencer fit this bill, but Spencer’s career never regained traction after a horrendous broken leg his rookie season.
Myers’s presence in the middle fills an enormous void. Experienced in a zone scheme from his days in Denver, and fresh off his best season as a pro, the fourth-year veteran should help elevate a Texan rushing attack that ranked 22nd in 2007.
Houston relied predominantly on bulky Ron Dayne last season, and saw him produce 773 yards on 194 carries. However, Dayne was yet to be resigned as of mid-June, and the Texan coaches have made it clear they prefer a leaner, more one-cut-oriented type of ballcarrier. Oft-injured Ahman Green will be given the first chance to start. Behind him will be oft-injured Chris Brown. Both men have thrived in a zone system before––Green in his glory days with the Packers and Brown in his college days with Colorado.
Third-round rookie Steve Slaton figures to be the playmaking resource for this team on third downs. Slaton has tremendous ability in the open field. Fullback Vonta Leach will be asked to clear the path for whoever lines up seven yards deep.
Defense
The Texans have taken the George Young approach by building their defense from the trenches out. This past draft was the first in which Houston did not expend a first-round draft choice on a defensive linemen. In 2005, they selected Florida State’s Travis Johnson. The following year, they used the No. 1 overall pick on North Carolina State’s Mario Williams. Last season, they made Louisville’s Amobi Okoye the youngest player in the NFL when they selected him 10th overall.
For the most part, Johnson has been a bust, thanks to attitude problems and a work ethic that would make even the French laugh. He has, however, started to recently come on, which is why Anthony Maddox, an able run-defender, has been unable to crack the lineup.
After an underwhelming 4.5-sack rookie year, Williams appeared to be another bust. However, a 10-sack outbreak during the second half of last season pushed Williams to second on the league’s final sack list, with 14 (a Texans record). The 291-pounder plays a brand of football similar to Michael Strahan’s. Williams has the strength to be a force against the run, and he’s a playmaking threat throughout an entire play (as opposed to only off his first step, like so many pass-rushers today). He is a monster in backside pursuit.
As good as Williams looks, Okoye may have the brighter future. Coruscating upper-body power that makes you rewind the tape and confirm what you just saw, the Nigeria native––who attended Louisville at age 16 and graduated at 19––has the potential to be special. Run-stuffing dominance is a given (though he must improve his leverage). And there’s a strong possibility that Okoye will someday emerge as a one-gap penetrater on the level of a Warren Sapp. His numbers declined as the season wore on last year, but fatigue wasn’t entirely to blame. Simply put, Okoye is still not ripe. He exerts more energy than he needs to because he’s yet to hone his technique. He has decent ball awareness though he’s not yet instinctive. These traits will come with time.
Run-stopper Anthony Weaver is the defensive end opposite Williams. He’s hoping to bounce back from an injury-induced down season. N.D. Kalu sees playing time as a pass-rushing specialist though you might not know it from his modest three sacks in ’07. Newly acquired linebacker Kevin Bentley may get an opportunity to take some of Kalu’s snaps this season.
Pardon the breach of etiquette in taking six paragraphs to mention the team’s reigning Most Valuable Player (as voted by his teammates). Middle linebacker DeMeco Ryans is a star. He has recorded 283 tackles in his first two seasons as a pro, racking up honors that include 2006 Defensive Rookie of the Year and 2007 starting Pro Bowler. Ryans gets off blocks with remarkable proficiency and has diagnostic abilities that are developed well beyond his years. Great as he is playing downhill, he’s not the same impact player going east and west.
This in part explains why weakside linebacker Morlon Greenwood, Ryan’s praiseworthy running mate, posted nearly the same number of tackles as the leader last season. Greenwood’s long-term job security was rattled just a bit with the drafting of Xavier Adibi in Round Four, but for now, he is undoubtedly The Man on the outside for Houston. Zac Diles was anointed the strongside linebacker after spending a year almost as a redshirt. Diles shadowed Ryans as a rookie last season. This past offseason, he took serious reps at all three linebacker positions. The Texans appear confident in his abilities––they like his strength in traffic––though they did feel the need to sign veteran Rosevelt Colvin.
Houston boasts a potentially excellent cornerbacking tandem in Dunta Robinson and Fred Bennett. Robinson, however, is expected to begin the season on the PUP list as he continues to recover from a gut-wrenching knee and hamstring injury suffered in Week 10 of last year. The hope is that he can regain his uncanny quickness and burst.
In the meantime, Bennett will hold down the fort as the No. 1 corner. Chances are, you aren’t too familiar with the second-year pro (in part because he was only a fourth-round pick, and in part because there’s something strangely familiar about the sound of his name, which makes him easy to confuse with someone else). Bennett has an excellent build (6’2”, 195). His fluid hips make him the NFL’s version of Shakira, and his awareness and presence in man coverage is well above average for a player of his youth. And perhaps best of all, Bennett can tackle.
Jacques Reeves was a whipping boy when playing across from blanket-cover-ace Terence Newman in Dallas last year. Reeves is a better defender than his high completion rates suggest, which is why the Texans gave him $20 million over four years to sign. That said, he shouldn’t be starting in any team’s secondary. He has trouble establishing position in one-one-one situations, and his ball instincts are nothing to marvel at. He’s starting, though, because the only other options are inconsistent DeMarcus Faggins and callow Antwaun Molden (their third-round rookie out of Eastern Kentucky).
Houston intercepted the lowest percentage of opponents’ passes in football last year. A playmaking safety would do wonders for this defense. C.C. Brown has improved and is now an adequate strong safety, and Will Demps has been a great leader from his free safety spot. But neither man strikes fear in a quarterback.
Special Teams
Kris Brown can make field goals in the clutch, and he was a hat-tipping 5/5 from 50 yards-out last season. Inconsistency has been a stigma throughout his career, though at 31, he’s likely overcome that. It seems like punter Matt Turk has been around since the helmets were leather, but this will only be his 13th season. He’s still solid––his ball placement is excellent.
Jacoby Jones can be an electrifying punt returner, while Andre’ Davis had a Hester-like three touchdown returns on kickoffs last season.
Bottom Line
The next stone in Houston’s path seems to be at least on the threshold of the postseason. However, playing in the über-competitive AFC South––where Indy, Jacksonville and Tennessee all posted double-digit win totals and made the playoffs in ’07––might stifle their final push.
Myth Buster
Mario Williams and DeMeco Ryans have first-rate speed
There is a tendency to assume that a productive young player must be fast. Williams and Ryans are both tremendous young athletes, but neither is a burner. Williams has a surprisingly normal first step that prevents him from being ultra explosive off the snap. This is partly why he struggled his rookie season. His effectiveness comes from his strength and acceleration late in the play (say, in his second, third and fourth steps). He has a great frame (6’7”, 291), highlighted by a seven-footer’s wingspan. The combination of all this makes Williams dominant.
Ryans can certainly get around the field, but his timed speed is only 4.65. He thrives mainly off his ability to shed and slip blocks. He is most effective playing north and south between the tackles. When forced to turn and chase, Ryans becomes a good but not great player. He makes up for any minor deficiencies with instincts and intelligence. As he continues to mature, he’ll give up less space in coverage and have fewer of his tackles come downfield. But it will be because he understands the game, not because he has fast wheels.
Open Thought
Everyone seems to love Houston’s Battle Red jerseys––mainly because, well, how many teams actually give their outfits a cool name like Battle Red? The club itself loves to promote it. Their media guide touts their 5-3 record on “Battle Red Days” and even points out Andre Johnson’s success in the uniform (Johnson averages 6.3 catches, 80.5 yards and has caught a touchdown in four of the last five Battle Red games. This, of course, is comparable to his usual production, but still…..Battle Red!)
After the Texans debuted their new red-jersey, red-pant look on a Thursday night game against the Broncos last year, there were calls for the team to adopt the Battle Red outfits fulltime. Don’t they pretty much have to? After all, when they come out in blue jerseys, isn’t the implication that today is not a day to battle?
How about this: blue helmets, red jerseys, blue pants at home. On the road, do a knock off of the Boise State Fiesta Bowl look: blue helmets, white jerseys, red pants. Wear blue jerseys with red pants on your allotted two alternate uniform games. Just don’t give an inspiring epithet to the uniform.
posted by The True GURU at
2:18 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home