What position of need is easiest to upgrade via Free Agency?

[Corrosion]

Originally Posted by Wolf

If we upgrade the kicking game I hope someone can get some air under the ball and kick the damn ball out of the endzone on kickoffs From time to time

Neither Bullock or Graham got any distance on their KO's .... I think it likely that one of them has the job next season.

[powda]

Originally Posted by infantrycak

Please, this is so overstated. Just because this comes up readily in memory, the first time he made the pro bowl the first play of the game was him blocking a pass and the second was him intercepting a pass. He was not near as bad in coverage as people make him out to be.

Pre injury demeco was good in coverage. Lets keep in mind all backers suck in coverage vs wr's and elite tightends (thanks frank bush.) He wasn't a liability until his injury. Urlacher moves side line to side line but is better in pursuit then coverage. If he were a cornerback he'd be considered exceptional in zone and average in man to man.

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by Corrosion

Neither Bullock or Graham got any distance on their KO's .... I think it likely that one of them has the job next season.

Speaking of which, I'm obviously looking at this whole kick-off thing wrong.

I personally don't want someone who'll kick the ball into the endzone all the time. Last year, yeah... because our ST was so bad that the opposing team avg a start better than the 20 yard line.

Just like a punt, I want the ball to drop inside the 1, or at the front of the endzone, because I want their kicker to bring it out. I then want my coverage team to get down there more than not & pin them inside the 15.

I know it's not a punt. But for a punt, I'd want to pin the other team inside the 5.

[powda]

Originally Posted by thunderkyss

I know it's not a punt. But for a punt, I'd want to pin the other team inside the 5.

I think a lot of punters would call you star struck. Not easy to do when most punters get into the nfl due to distance and hangtime vs. directional. Inside the 20 seems the base line and rightly so...

I agree with you fully on kick offs though, assuming you have an average product and not the trash marciano marched out this year.

[Corrosion]

Originally Posted by powda

I think a lot of punters would call you star struck. Not easy to do when most punters get into the nfl due to distance and hangtime vs. directional. Inside the 20 seems the base line and rightly so...

I agree with you fully on kick offs though, assuming you have an average product and not the trash marciano marched out this year.

I read a stat showing the Texans dead last in returning kicks as far as average starting field position for the year ..... They were bad going and coming.

Doesnt look like Joe will be fired prior to the season .... but the last original Texan better get his sh!t together cause I dont think I can stand another season of that garbage.

Can you imagine how bad they would have been minus Ball and Braman ?!!?

[Rey]

Originally Posted by thunderkyss

Speaking of which, I'm obviously looking at this whole kick-off thing wrong.

I personally don't want someone who'll kick the ball into the endzone all the time. Last year, yeah... because our ST was so bad that the opposing team avg a start better than the 20 yard line.

Just like a punt, I want the ball to drop inside the 1, or at the front of the endzone, because I want their kicker to bring it out. I then want my coverage team to get down there more than not & pin them inside the 15.

I know it's not a punt. But for a punt, I'd want to pin the other team inside the 5.

I think that sounds good, but not realistic. When I play madden, that's exactly how I play it. Get w kicker with a strong leg and put more height on the ball than distance and try to get the other team stopped before they can get pass the 17.

But it's much different than a punt because the distance to cover isn't the same. Normally when you pin teams on punts there is no return. Or the return man catches it with people right on top of him or they mistakenly fair catch it there.

That's not likely to happen on kickoffs. Even kicks into the endzone are brought out.

It's too much ground to cover.

[Wolf]

I wonder what the hangtime was on shayne's kickoffs

[IDEXAN]

Originally Posted by Corrosion

Neither Bullock or Graham got any distance on their KO's .... I think it likely that one of them has the job next season.

Bullock is the Aggie they just drafted who was IR for 2012, right ? I thought he had a big leg ?

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by Rey

I think that sounds good, but not realistic.

Uh... that's what every other team did to us all year long. There were a few bad decisions & a few penalties as well, but there were definitely times when they kicked the ball within 5 yards of the goal line & we weren't able to get it past the 20.

[Corrosion]

Originally Posted by IDEXAN

Bullock is the Aggie they just drafted who was IR for 2012, right ? I thought he had a big leg ?

I dont know if that groin injury was the cause or not but he wasnt getting any distance on KO's .... no better or worse than Graham.

[CloakNNNdagger]

Originally Posted by Corrosion

I dont know if that groin injury was the cause or not but he wasnt getting any distance on KO's .... no better or worse than Graham.

Actually coming into the Draft, Bullock was considered having only average leg strength and kickoff depth. He showed good FG accuracy.......but he was never proven in high pressure games. I think the "the big leg" was a manufactured description once he was chosen by the Texans. Certainly in camp, he did not distinguish himself from Graham.

[powda]

Originally Posted by CloakNNNdagger

Actually coming into the Draft, Bullock was considered having only average leg strength and kickoff depth. He showed good FG accuracy.......but he was never proven in high pressure games. I think the "the big leg" was a manufactured description once he was chosen by the Texans. Certainly in camp, he did not distinguish himself from Graham.

You'd think spending a 5th round pick on a kicker would mean he had a big leg. As you said eloquently however, his leg strength was "manufactured" by the fan base. I didn't see anything about him better then Graham in the small sample size we had.

[CloakNNNdagger]

Originally Posted by powda

You'd think spending a 5th round pick on a kicker would mean he had a big leg. As you said eloquently however, his leg strength was "manufactured" by the fan base. I didn't see anything about him better then Graham in the small sample size we had.

Actually, as an Aggie, his only exemplary year was his last. Many considered him a relatively unproven "one hit wonder." Not only that, but during his entire career, he was only 3 for 6 in 50+ FGs. If you've ever seen him in person, he looks more like a little flabby fat boy. More than one Draft analysis mentioned that it was unlikely that he would ever be able to run down a returner if he were the last man standing.

[powda]

Originally Posted by CloakNNNdagger

Actually, as an Aggie, his only exemplary year was his last. Many considered him a relatively unproven "one hit wonder." Not only that, but during his entire career, he was only 3 for 6 in 50+ FGs. If you've ever seen him in person, he looks more like a little flabby fat boy. More than one Draft analysis mentioned that it was unlikely that he would ever be able to run down a returner if he were the last man standing.

I didn't know who he was before we drafted him. After we selected him I checked every draft mag I had (6+) for summaries about him. No one made him sound anything more then mediocre. The 5th round looked like a reach.

[tru80texan]

Originally Posted by CloakNNNdagger

Actually, as an Aggie, his only exemplary year was his last. Many considered him a relatively unproven "one hit wonder." Not only that, but during his entire career, he was only 3 for 6 in 50+ FGs. If you've ever seen him in person, he looks more like a little flabby fat boy. More than one Draft analysis mentioned that it was unlikely that he would ever be able to run down a returner if he were the last man standing.

These are all facts that many choose to ignore. The hits on Bullock were he never really had any pressure situations nor did he have many attempts beyond the 50. I truly hope it was his injury holding him back in his competition w/ Graham & his kickoffs because it stands now I believe he was overdrafted. When consider Zuerlien, Walsh, & Tucker were all drafted or signed after Bullock, Tucker being an UDFA if I recall correctly, then it appears the K need could've been filled very adequately after the 5th round w/ kickers who can all kick it out of the endzone on kickoffs & were all solid from 50+ yrds. Time will tell, but I think it was an overdraft if Bullock can't get it to the endzone.

[dalemurphy]

Originally Posted by CloakNNNdagger

Actually coming into the Draft, Bullock was considered having only average leg strength and kickoff depth. He showed good FG accuracy.......but he was never proven in high pressure games. I think the "the big leg" was a manufactured description once he was chosen by the Texans. Certainly in camp, he did not distinguish himself from Graham.

Going back and reading some predraft info:

from CBSsports:
"He has a booming leg and showed much better accuracy as a senior."


Profootballweekly said he "boomed kickoffs" in 2011... But, goes on to say that his leg strength is average.

We'll see if the Texans reached or if it was the groin during training camp, I guess.

[dream_team]

Gunner

Was it just me, but it seemed like our gunners sucked last season. It seemed like whenever the punt returner caught the ball, there was no one within 15 yards of him.