Did you know.....

[Señor Stan]

Originally Posted by deucetx

Few factors probably. For one, Wade's system is overly dependant on the pass rush. If you aren't getting there then there are going to be some issues. Our pass rush has lacked consistency more than anything. We may get some hurries but since the pressure is mainly coming from direction it isn't difficult for the QB to avoid it. After all, if Watt is coming at you but no one else is you could slide in the pocket, step up or roll to the other side. Need more from others and that is mainly speaking of edge rushers who have the speed to make a difference.

Currently Texans are:

27th in sacks, 25th in QB Hits and 11th in Hurries.

Where are you getting your stats?

The Texans are tied for 4th most sacks in the NFL...

[Goatcheese]

Originally Posted by Fiddler

I hear this a lot. I remember a time when we were so upset that we were never in man coverage, that we used too much zone. Now, being in man coverage is a bad thing... I guess because the announcer say so much on TV, people just start repeating it.

In no way did I state or imply that man coverage is bad. It insures that every receiver on the field is accounted for, frees up people to blitz and limits the number of defenders standing by themselves in a giant patch of open field.

The down side is that man eventually breaks down somewhere if you don't get to the QB and there's not another guy waiting in the next zone to pick him up.

To be effective, man coverage needs to get after the QB consistently or it's only a matter of time before it gets picked apart.

[Vinny]

Originally Posted by EllisUnit

That our secondary has given up 24 passing TD's, and only 6 teams have given up more ???? I didnt realize it was THAT bad, problably Rogers and Brady's doing making it seem that bad minus Rogers 6 and bradys 4 it is only 14. SO all in all our secondary is good against mediocra QBs and one of the worst in the league against Elite guys. ***I also blame some of this on our lack of pass ru*****************

Just thought it was interesting.

http://blog.chron.com/ultimatetexans...arrive/#8862-3

its a lack of an edge rush (Both Tackes get after the QB) plus crappy man coverage guys in a scheme that plays mostly man cover.

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by Goatcheese

In no way did I state or imply that man coverage is bad.

Point taken. However, I never said you, I said I remember when... & if you look around this board, you can see people (again not necessarily you) parroting the "too much man" talking point.

Originally Posted by Goatcheese

It insures that every receiver on the field is accounted for, frees up people to blitz and limits the number of defenders standing by themselves in a giant patch of open field.

The down side is that man eventually breaks down somewhere if you don't get to the QB and there's not another guy waiting in the next zone to pick him up.

Exactly, eventually being the key word. However, our problem over the last few weeks is that eventually has been practically as soon as the ball is snapped. That shouldn't happen.

Originally Posted by Goatcheese

To be effective, man coverage needs to get after the QB consistently or it's only a matter of time before it gets picked apart.

Very good point. Again, the words "it's only a matter of time" & our defense over the last few weeks has been "all the time"

It's not that we are playing man that is the problem, or even that we're playing elite QBs. Our problem is that we're playing poor man coverage against elite QBs.

Even Henne was able to have a career day against us because their receivers were wide open from the snap. If not his first read then without exception his second read.

We've been blaming our pass rush (myself included) but the real problem is that we're playing like it's 2010 all over again. Not only are they wide open, but their getting yac like it's going out of style.

Now I still have faith that Jjo will get back to pro-bowl form, he'll let the QB & receiver think they're open then make up the space & take one to the house.

I've got faith that KJax can blanket a man for 3 seconds... he had some bone headed plays recently, but we've seen him play well at a high level for 60 minutes.

I've seen enough from Harris to make me believe he can also cover for 3 seconds.

Another problem is that our excellent safeties aren't playing excellent. Even in passing situations, Glover is cheating up to the line, Demps is standing flat footed 8 yards from the LOS, & I can't even see Manning in any of our plays. They need to use their heads & get deep. Keep the play in front of them, especially against the elite QBs that can drop the ball in a bucket from 50 yards out.

Again, I think it's fixable. So I'm looking forward to our secondary getting better over the next 5 weeks.

[deucetx]

Originally Posted by Señor Stan

Where are you getting your stats?

The Texans are tied for 4th most sacks in the NFL...

Nope you're right. I have them all on a spreadsheet and it was sorted backwards (least to greatest). So they are higher in sacks and hits but lower in hurries. Edited post. And for the heck of it took Watt's numbers. All are rounded up instead of the .5 stuff.

Watt is responsible for

43% of the sacks
42% of the QB hits
20% of the hurries

To say he has been the workhorse would be the understatement

[DX-TEX]

Originally Posted by deucetx

Nope you're right. I have them all on a spreadsheet and it was sorted backwards (least to greatest). So they are higher in sacks and hits but lower in hurries. Edited post. And for the heck of it took Watt's numbers. All are rounded up instead of the .5 stuff.

Watt is responsible for

43% of the sacks
42% of the QB hits
20% of the hurries

To say he has been the workhorse would be the understatement

Print this off and post it in Barwins locker. the hipster act has to go.

[badboy]

McCain takes a step back productivily. Cushing out. Bradie James takes more time than we hoped to acclimate then goes out with injury. Joseph's continuing groin injury, Quin being moved to a sort of LB some plays, Barwin playing for a lesser contract (only thing that explains it). Cody in and out with rib and ongoing back injuries and Mitchell not being much of a back up. B.Harris looking in his second year like KJ in his second. Other nagging injuries.

We are not as deep as some teams, but let's be honest how many of you actually thought we'd beat GB and PATS before game one. I had them as probable Ls. What frustrates me is how we lost to them. I had them beating Colts twice and maybe a win at Minnesota. If in TC, we were guaranteed we be 11-2, few would have grumbled. We know where we need to get better. Some of those will. Some we will draft. Some of our current roster will not be here. Not much different that 2011.

[amazing80]

This IMO is proof that our entire system relies too much on the pass rush, last season our secondary was masked by a GREAT front 7, one that consistently pressured the QB and got sacks, this secondary is being left open to dry and they are flailing in the wind. Barwin is playing himself off this team and Reed was not doing much better. With out Watt I would hate to think how terrible we would be on defense and I bet we would have a much worse record. Wade is NOTORIOUS for this, have a great season followed by trash, it has always been his rep, hopefully he breaks the mold and figures out how to fix this defense or we could lose quickly in the playoffs.

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by amazing80

This IMO is proof that our entire system relies too much on the pass rush, last season our secondary was masked by a GREAT front 7, one that consistently pressured the QB and got sacks, this secondary is being left open to dry and they are flailing in the wind. Barwin is playing himself off this team and Reed was not doing much better. With out Watt I would hate to think how terrible we would be on defense and I bet we would have a much worse record. Wade is NOTORIOUS for this, have a great season followed by trash, it has always been his rep, hopefully he breaks the mold and figures out how to fix this defense or we could lose quickly in the playoffs.

Maybe. I'd have to go back to last year (I'm not able to) & see how those sacks came about. I do know I was giddy for finally seeing Texans getting coverage sacks, meaning the back end held up their end (4-5 seconds) providing extra time for our guys finish.

But there was a long time between the time Mario got hurt & someone else took the lead in sacks for the team. If I remember right, Mario had 5 sacks & Antonio had 4.... But it was 6 or 8 weeks before someone else had 6.

Did Watt, Brooks, & Connor get that much better over that 7 week period, or did our back end get better to allow that extra time.... or was it a mixture of both?

Connor's disappearance & what 76Texan opened my eyes to makes me believe our pass rush was more dependent on our secondary than the other way around.

I think our back end is going to get better. I've mentioned why in another thread. I've got absolutely no reason to believe our pass rush is going to get better. Where's it going to come from? Brooks wasn't sh!t before he got hurt. We'll start seeing more sacks & unless Mercilus is racking them up I think that would be strong evidence that our pass rush is dependent on our secondary.