LZ: The offense is very much broken and Kubiak can’t rely on ‘the system’ he has to f

[Tango]

LZ's post on the Texans offense. I think it's pretty insightful. Looking forward to his upcoming breakdowns.

http://blog.chron.com/fantasyfootbal...has-to-fix-it/

The running game and the offensive line issues can’t be fixed right now. Kubiak and his crew can run more toss plays or they can run more of their gap plays, but the outside zone game, the Texans’ bread-and-butter, just isn’t going to get it done this year. This offensive line is nowhere near as effective as last year’s group was and a talent infusion is needed at two and maybe three spots. That can’t be fixed in-season, but it can be managed. Maximizing the team’s strengths and minimizing their weaknesses is on Gary Kubiak’s shoulders now and he has to rise to the occasion and find a way to win a hand with 9-10 suited.

[Pantherstang84]

Merge ahead

[Marcus]

That implies that the offensive line is reason why Schaub is playing as bad as he is, and is the reason why Foster is playing as bad as he is.

I'll buy that. It all starts up front. I know that's a boring cliche to the fans, but it is what it is.

[badboy]

Schaub just not looking like same QB as early season. He looked sharp and on target and I often exclaimed during a game "daang, Matt is zone in." Now he is over, under or just out of reach of his target. It happened in the N.E. game and he just has not been same player. I do not mind him throwing ball away but he just does not seem to be aware of his surroundings during a game; shell shocked or concussed if I did not know better.

[Dishman]

Originally Posted by Marcus

That implies that the offensive line is reason why Schaub is playing as bad as he is, and is the reason why Foster is playing as bad as he is.

I'll buy that. It all starts up front. I know that's a boring cliche to the fans, but it is what it is.

If you read the stuff prior to that part about the O-line Schaub doesn't come out unscathed.

Edit: but, yeah you're right about it starting up front for both our lines.

[Playoffs]

LZ is on track.

Schaub is playing it safe.

O-Line is lacking talent at two, probably three positions.

And Gary needs to look at different ways to playcall within those limits.

[Bulls on Parade]

But we have three pro bowlers on that offensive line. Duane Brown (LT), Wade Smith (LG) and Chris Myers (C). So basically LZ is saying we made a huge mistake letting Mike Brisiel and Eric Winston go last off-season. Well yeah, I sort of knew that. Everybody knew that. We've been working with a somewhat mediocre right side all season long.

It just bothers me it was all about the salary cap and they went to Oakland and Kansas City for more money - a place they will never win. Should have taken a pay cut or restructured to play for a winner and been a part of something special.

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by badboy

Schaub just not looking like same QB as early season. He looked sharp and on target and I often exclaimed during a game "daang, Matt is zone in." Now he is over, under or just out of reach of his target.

It doesn't make sense to me. We've got the same 5 guys in front him that we started the season with, save Ben Jones. Personally I think Ben Jones is playing better than Caldwell in both the run & passing game. Yes he had issues with Wilfork, but other than that, I think he's held his own.

I don't understand why Matt can play like that, or that Arian can play like that behind Gump, & not Jones. I think Jones is an upgrade.

[Bulls on Parade]

Originally Posted by Fiddler

It doesn't make sense to me. We've got the same 5 guys in front him that we started the season with, save Ben Jones. Personally I think Ben Jones is playing better than Caldwell in both the run & passing game. Yes he had issues with Wilfork, but other than that, I think he's held his own.

I don't understand why Matt can play like that, or that Arian can play like that behind Gump, & not Jones. I think Jones is an upgrade.

I've seen quarterbacks do more with less talent on the offensive line. Like I said, we've got three pro bowlers up front, two of which should be All Pros. It's not the offensive line's fault like people are making it out to be. They are talented. I don't even want to blame it all on that right side either. Schaub is just too damn slow in the pocket. He's got to move like he used to.

[Brisco_County]

In the comments section, Zierlein identifies Schaub as one of the root problems. The other problem is the line. Though both problems have separate origins, the line is complicating the problems with Schaub. Maybe rotating rookies into the right side has diminished pass protection and prevented synchronicity for zone blocking. Whatever's going on, Schaub is not the QB he was even a month ago. One TD in the past four "must win" games is a meltdown.

I don't know yet what Zierlein's logic is for diagnosing the problem at QB, but mine is based on annual trends. Every year, I go back and forth from believing that Schaub has successfully broken through his ceiling (he made an undeniable case early in the season), to concluding that he is on the downward slope of his peak.

I find myself experiencing the same emotions with Schaub every year, making the same observations, then coming to the same conclusions. This is what I posted last season, saying the exact same thing, and referencing the exact same thing from the previous year.

As late as last season, I was still defending Schaub as being on his way to elite status. And as recently as the New Orleans game two weeks ago, I suddenly saw evidence that aligned everything I know about him into a conclusion that is very uncomfortable and difficult to acknowledge.

Basically, Schaub is damaged goods and has reached his ceiling. His stats are better than ever, but he crumbles when the game is on the line. I saw a glimpse of this last season when we played the Ravens on MNF. The pick-six in OT is not a mistake that championship caliber quarterbacks make. He will lead the team to the border of the promised land, then seal their defeat.

The moment my mind changed was when Schaub took a dive in the 4th quarter against the Saints when he had plenty of space to escape. Normally, I think taking the dive is a smart play, but that instance was another sample of an increasing pattern of freaking out while under pressure.

When the pocket collapses, a championship quarterback scrambles, improvises, and plays the hand he's dealt-- think Brees, Rodgers, and Manning. Schaub? He won't scramble. He's been throwing at feet, taking unnecessary dives, and forcing it to covered players for an interception.

It's sad to say, but the frequency of this is increasing. Personally, I can't say I would be very cool-headed when a 270 lbs athlete is about to transfer a 2000 lbs shockwave of kinetic energy through my body, but we need Schaub to be that guy-- and he is not anymore.

Link.

In the first half of this season, Schaub played the best I've ever seen him play. But it's part of a trend now, and it's been happening every year.

[ArlingtonTexan]

Originally Posted by Bulls on Parade

But we have three pro bowlers on that offensive line. Duane Brown (LT), Wade Smith (LG) and Chris Myers (C). So basically LZ is saying we made a huge mistake letting Mike Brisiel and Eric Winston go last off-season. Well yeah, I sort of knew that. Everybody knew that. We've been working with a somewhat mediocre right side all season long.

It just bothers me it was all about the salary cap and they went to Oakland and Kansas City for more money - a place they will never win. Should have taken a pay cut or restructured to play for a winner and been a part of something special.

I am never going to tell or suggest that a grown man take less money to do anything much less a job that puts his body at risk like the NFL. It was the job of the texans to either have the funds to keep the players or a better plan of replacement than we saw this year.

[Mr teX]

Originally Posted by Bulls on Parade

I've seen quarterbacks do more with less talent on the offensive line. Like I said, we've got three pro bowlers up front, two of which should be All Pros. It's not the offensive line's fault like people are making it out to be. They are talented. I don't even want to blame it all on that right side either. Schaub is just too damn slow in the pocket. He's got to move like he used to.

LZ has lots of insight via his father about line play...so the fact that he's saying we need a "talent infusion" at 2 maybe 3 spots tells me all what i already know...

Schaub could certainly stand to play better, but the whole offense run game and pass game, has taken a nose dive and that has more to do with o-line play than schaub's play.

[Playoffs]

Originally Posted by Bulls on Parade

But we have three pro bowlers on that offensive line. Duane Brown (LT), Wade Smith (LG) and Chris Myers (C).

Wade Smith in the Pro Bowl is a bit of a head scratcher, personally. Brown let Freeney blow right by him. And Myers appeared to have an average game at best. Teams have been blowing up our run blocking of late in the middle.

[TheMatrix31]

Yeah. Wade Smith may technically be a pro bowler, but he's definitely NOT a pro bowler.

He's right. It's OL. And OL affects everything we do. And if the offense isn't doing well, the defense carries the burden, and the defense can't carry the burden because Cushing is out.

[GuerillaBlack]

The line isn't horrible though. I'd place more of the blame on Schaub than the OL. Schaub's throws are terrible and he can't do crap on the run. He must be set, feet planted and shoulders square, but even then he can't hit an open James Casey or Jean in stride because he doesn't have the arm. I've seen many QBs hit receivers with similar types of coverage (throwing them open) and them catching it in stride and taking it for a big gain. Only time Schaub did this was with an assist from the Denver thin air earlier this season.

[ATXtexanfan]

Can't rely on the system and a limited qb. Schaubs better days behind him. Need three new starters on oline with no cap space? Man did the Texans peak last year? Do we fight off indi next year? Just rambling sorry

[EllisUnit]

Nce read but predictable to me is a draw or screen on 3rd and long every time, It is predictable if we all as fans know its coming, so obviously that D.C making a few million coaching for the other team must know its coming to.

Other than that i agree with most of it.

[texanhead08]

Originally Posted by ATXtexanfan

Can't rely on the system and a limited qb. Schaubs better days behind him. Need three new starters on oline with no cap space? Man did the Texans peak last year? Do we fight off indi next year? Just rambling sorry

A lot of teams have a 4yr window to win a championship. Did we screw the pooch in 2009 and 2010 and now our best days are behind us ? I hope not but we need to do some serious retooling of this offensive line or its going to get a lot worse before it gets better.

[GuerillaBlack]

Originally Posted by texanhead08

A lot of teams have a 4yr window to win a championship. Did we screw the pooch in 2009 and 2010 and now our best days are behind us ? I hope not but we need to do some serious retooling of this offensive line or its going to get a lot worse before it gets better.

It appears that way, except on defense where they are a bit younger. The offense's best days are way behind, unless we get a new playmaker QB and some OL help. Our receiving core isn't that bad tbh. Manning would kill with it.

[EllisUnit]

All we need is a new QB another possible future #1 WR to play behind AJ, and this team can still over come dumb ass kubiak. We arent far away from being elite.