m5kwatts
06-17-2010, 02:24 PM
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/The-Shutdown-Corner-Interview-Eric-Winston-Par?urn=nfl,249191
Eric was his usual self candid, open, honest.
On the scheme:
SC: Are the Texans are still a zone-blocking team?
EW: Yeah, that's pretty much who we are - I don't see us going away from that. That's the way we've been since I've been here. I think we're a zone team that's (going to) change speeds with a man-blocking play - we're not a curveball pitcher. We like to bring the heat with the zone, and we'll mix it up with other stuff.
Gibbs:
SC: What was working with Alex Gibbs like? What did you learn from him that you didn't already know?
EW: And that's been the best thing about Alex - if you look at him, you know he's never played a down of offensive line in his life (laughs), and he'll be the first to admit it. He told us that he learned a lot of (what he knows) from the guys he coached. That's how things become a little different; it's not theory ... just one guy who played offensive line, and his coach told him how to do this, and another coach told him how to do that. And really, he was smart enough to take all that commentary, put it together, and come up with this (zone-blocking) scheme.
Red-zone troubles (very interesting):
SC: What has been the issue with Houston's red zone inefficiency in the last two seasons? And do you think Alex Gibbs teams get an unfair debit when it comes to red zone running?
EW: I've never been a big fan of the idea that when you get near the goal line, you have to put that big, 250-pound running back in. I've played with guys at 185 pounds who are some of the best goal-line backs I've ever seen, and I've played with guys who are 235 and great goal-line backs. Red zone running is just so different from open-field running; even down at the 25- or 20-yard line. When you're down at the one- or two-yard line, there's a certain way you run. Some guys just know what the hole is going to look like, and how to get in there. So, people who say, "Oh, the lighter guys, that's the problem," it's not really that.
I think our red zone problems are getting better. It was a huge problem in 2008. I think we were a better offense in 2008 than in 2009, even though the stats don't show it, because we were more balanced. (New offensive coordinator) Rick Dennison will be a big factor; I think that will be his stamp on the team. All the (offensive coordinators) who have come through here have done something special. If you look at the two years (2008-2009) that Kyle Shanahan was the offensive coordinator, we had some huge passing numbers, and Matt Schaub(notes) has developed in to an elite quarterback. But a few of the wrinkles that Dennison has put in could be a big difference in the red zone, and let's face it, that's the difference between winning and losing - are you going to kick field goals, or are you going to score touchdowns?
Eric was his usual self candid, open, honest.
On the scheme:
SC: Are the Texans are still a zone-blocking team?
EW: Yeah, that's pretty much who we are - I don't see us going away from that. That's the way we've been since I've been here. I think we're a zone team that's (going to) change speeds with a man-blocking play - we're not a curveball pitcher. We like to bring the heat with the zone, and we'll mix it up with other stuff.
Gibbs:
SC: What was working with Alex Gibbs like? What did you learn from him that you didn't already know?
EW: And that's been the best thing about Alex - if you look at him, you know he's never played a down of offensive line in his life (laughs), and he'll be the first to admit it. He told us that he learned a lot of (what he knows) from the guys he coached. That's how things become a little different; it's not theory ... just one guy who played offensive line, and his coach told him how to do this, and another coach told him how to do that. And really, he was smart enough to take all that commentary, put it together, and come up with this (zone-blocking) scheme.
Red-zone troubles (very interesting):
SC: What has been the issue with Houston's red zone inefficiency in the last two seasons? And do you think Alex Gibbs teams get an unfair debit when it comes to red zone running?
EW: I've never been a big fan of the idea that when you get near the goal line, you have to put that big, 250-pound running back in. I've played with guys at 185 pounds who are some of the best goal-line backs I've ever seen, and I've played with guys who are 235 and great goal-line backs. Red zone running is just so different from open-field running; even down at the 25- or 20-yard line. When you're down at the one- or two-yard line, there's a certain way you run. Some guys just know what the hole is going to look like, and how to get in there. So, people who say, "Oh, the lighter guys, that's the problem," it's not really that.
I think our red zone problems are getting better. It was a huge problem in 2008. I think we were a better offense in 2008 than in 2009, even though the stats don't show it, because we were more balanced. (New offensive coordinator) Rick Dennison will be a big factor; I think that will be his stamp on the team. All the (offensive coordinators) who have come through here have done something special. If you look at the two years (2008-2009) that Kyle Shanahan was the offensive coordinator, we had some huge passing numbers, and Matt Schaub(notes) has developed in to an elite quarterback. But a few of the wrinkles that Dennison has put in could be a big difference in the red zone, and let's face it, that's the difference between winning and losing - are you going to kick field goals, or are you going to score touchdowns?