Graded the O-line from my game tape

[PapaL]

Its preseason. I would imagine its kind of hard to get up for a game that doesnt mean anything. Especially when you already have a roster slot. Obviously if we had better options, they would be in camp right now.

[Runner]

Originally Posted by beerlover

thats fine, then why not try Riley at RG since he has 7 years of NFL experience at RT & move Wand back to LT?

I'd have thought that would be a better overall line.

[nunusguy]

Originally Posted by Runner

Do you really think his performance has regressed, or is everyone focusing on the negative because it makes the news?

I think that's a fair point and some of us, including this poster, may be contributing to negatism by unduly emphasizeing that aspect of his performance. As many have said, he for a fact played really miserably Saturday night, but perhaps most of that should be discounted because he
was playing at a position that was very foreign to him.
But I to want to get the 5 best OL out there on 9/11, and I especially want
to get the #1 LT out there - afterall, that's still covering DC's backside more
than any other position.
Let me refrase my language and say I wonder what may have caused the perceived setback in Wands progress towards being our starting LT ? And
maybe its nothing more than a perception ?

[Runner]

Originally Posted by dalemurphy

As I stated before, up until Saturday night I was one of his biggest supporters. Just watch him in the first half. It was such a pathetic display. No intensity. No agressiveness. He was getting tossed around by men 80lbs lighter. He didn't make one effective block the entire first half. As a matter of a fact, the man he attempted to block essentially made almost every play through the first two series. I suggested that if he doesn't respond then he should be cut as an example to the team that this organization doesn't coddle babies and quitters- effort always should be there.

Babies and quitters - I don't think so. Wand's work ethic and willingness to learn are two of the reasons the coaches like him and why they tried him at guard. Maybe he was "thinking" about guard play and not just reacting? Or isn't that negative enough?

I know you were one of his supporters. Don't give up on him because of a pre-season game at a new position with very limited practice.

[aj.]

Wand's work ethic and willingness to learn are two of the reasons the coaches like him and why they tried him at guard

Did the coaches tell you that, or did you read that somewhere, or is that just your perception?

[nunusguy]

Originally Posted by aj.

Did the coaches tell you that, or did you read that somewhere, or is that just your perception?

C'mon AJ don't be reticent, what's Wand's status with the Texans' coaching staff, inquiring minds want to know ?

[aj.]

"Willingness to learn" and "work ethic" sounds like Caperisms...

I haven't kept up with the behind the scenes stuff on Seth (or even what came out in media reports for that matter) and I was just curious where that came from. All I know is that he was our starting left tackle last season and now he's not, having been replaced by a guy who is obviously a massive drive blocker but who appears to have limited footspeed and backpedal capability.

And before I forget, let me amend my prior misspeak by saying on the record: "Based on a few direct observations, it's my perception that Wand has lost confidence in himself." (but of course I could be wrong).

I feel like I've been to a peer mediation session. Now Suzy, tell Arnold how you really felt when he called you a *****.

I have to go now...gotta go find somebody to hug.

[Runner]

Originally Posted by aj.

Did the coaches tell you that, or did you read that somewhere, or is that just your perception?

Perception of course. Based on things coaches and (ugh) reporters have said in published articles about Wand in the years he's been here. I can't find the article now, but there were some Caperisms last week about how fast, strong, and intellignet Wand is.

I offer further evidence of my perception by the way the coach held his head when talking to Wand on the sideline of the last game. I also took his general body posture into account. Also, I couldn't see the coaches face, but judging by the angle of his jaw and the set of his cheek muscle I thought he was smiling.

[dalemurphy]

Originally Posted by Runner

Babies and quitters - I don't think so. Wand's work ethic and willingness to learn are two of the reasons the coaches like him and why they tried him at guard. Maybe he was "thinking" about guard play and not just reacting? Or isn't that negative enough?

I know you were one of his supporters. Don't give up on him because of a pre-season game at a new position with very limited practice.

I'm not giving up on him, I'm saying that if he repeats that performance then he should be made an example of. I'm not using overstatement or being reactionary when I say that his performance on Saturday was the worst performance I've ever seen by an NFL lineman. We're not talking about missed assignments, we're talking about getting his *** kicked by different and unspectacular players every single play- on running plays and on passing plays. View the video and see for yourself.

[Runner]

Originally Posted by dalemurphy

I'm not giving up on him, I'm saying that if he repeats that performance then he should be made an example of. I'm not using overstatement or being reactionary when I say that his performance on Saturday was the worst performance I've ever seen by an NFL lineman. We're not talking about missed assignments, we're talking about getting his *** kicked by different and unspectacular players every single play- on running plays and on passing plays. View the video and see for yourself.

I guess we'll disagree with the quitter label. I was at a few of the open practices, including the one where Wand moved to guard and he wasn't dogging it and wasn't hanging his head.

I also watched the first pre-season game closely, where he played LT, the position he can play freely without trying to actively remember a lot of new detail. On his very first play (against the 1st team defense) he drove Denver's best lineman 15 yards backwards. He pancaked lineman on another play. He also drove his man into the end zone and toward the sideline on the 2 ill-fated "and goal" plays that were run to his side.

We can all attribute motives to his play last Saturday, but looking at other evidence leads me to something other than quitting.

[El Tejano]

I think when it comes to Peek and Babin and the non checking off issue, we have to remind ourselves that Capers seems to like to go very vanilla with his base formations. The good news is our offense has been able to move the ball quite a bit in that base formation.

[Davis37]

OK, I'll say i went overboard on my post about cutting Wand. I do realize that we need as much depth as we can get on the OL. What i dont understand is how some of you can sit here and tell me the reason Wand was getting pushed around by linebackers that weight at least 50 pounds less than him was because he was playing a new position. Yeah, im sure that he had to "think about his assigment" as the linebacker pushed him right into Carr...

[aj.]

Milford Brown will probably be starting at RG against Dallas with Riley at left tackle. Until Weigert gets back, that's probably the best five. With Riley at left tackle we will continue to see a lot of two TE's. Whatever Wand's problem is, whether it's physical or mental, he obviously hasn't been performing well enough to run with the first team. I don't subscribe to the theory that the coaches are doing this to motivate him. It is what it is.

[Runner]

Originally Posted by aj.

I don't subscribe to the theory that the coaches are doing this to motivate him. It is what it is.

I don't subscribe to that theory any more either. Now it seems to me like another Marcus Spears experiment.

[mancunian]

I'm still playing Madden05 as Madden 06 aint out yet. Put it on Pro mode and had 70 points against the steelers by the end of 3rd quarter...Dave Ragone was throwing 65 yards passes to AJ....450 yards through the air.....and no sacks.......well it kept my happy whilst the better half was at her mums

[nunusguy]

Taped last nights Cowboys game and got a chance to replay it this afternoon,
atleast the first half when the starters were in the game. The O-line didn't
do too badly and Riley played descent against DeMarcus Ware, the rookie
pass rushing phenom over across from him on the weak side. Ware is supposed to be the real deal, but he is a rookie and is no Freeny at this point in his career, but its encouraging to see Riley hold his own. I'm hopeful he can give DCs tail some pass protection, we know he's a strong runblocker. He got some help, they had a TE over with him from time to time, but I'm encouraged.

[edo783]

That is good news and that the "D" was working fairly well. Those coupled with some offense execution improvement and that could bode well for us.

[El Tejano]

Okay I will duck as soon as I say this but I thought Wand did a decent job filling in for Weigert at the RG position. Our running game looked nice because of it and David stayed clean. If Carr doesn't make that bad INT and slide for more yardage we get a TD out of that drive. I just hope they redeem themselves this week.

[ATX]

Originally Posted by El Tejano

Okay I will duck as soon as I say this but I thought Wand did a decent job filling in for Weigert at the RG position. Our running game looked nice because of it and David stayed clean. If Carr doesn't make that bad INT and slide for more yardage we get a TD out of that drive. I just hope they redeem themselves this week.

Milford Brown started for Weigert against the cowboys.