Different Team Same Strategy

[Rightnow]

From the Texans Friday Update:

But Carr and the rest of the Texans know that the key to containing the Titans is keeping McNair and his supporting cast off of the field. Tennessee currently holds the top spot in the NFL for time of possession at a commanding 34:22 per game. Houston hopes to turn the tables on that statistic.

Translation

Ultra conservative play calling with check-downs to Davis in an effort to eat clock. *run-run-pass-punt-strategy* Andre Johnson will have almost no catches in the first half allowing the Titans to score first and score often.

It didn't work last week in the first half against the Vikings who have the second worse defense in the league. Why the Texans think it will work this week is beyond me.

Well at least the second half will be exciting as Carr passes for 300 yards in an effort to win.

[JustBonee]

Originally Posted by Rightnow

Translation

Ultra conservative play calling with check-downs to Davis in an effort to eat clock. *run-run-pass-punt-strategy* Andre Johnson will have almost no catches in the first half allowing the Titans to score first and score often.

It didn't work last week in the first half against the Vikings who have the second worse defense in the league. Why the Texans think it will work this week is beyond me.

Well at least the second half will be exciting as Carr passes for 300 yards in an effort to win.

Wonder if the coaching staff reads this stuff.. ..lol

[Double Barrel]

Well, I'm hoping they read it, SassyTexan! I mean, it's obvious that we have enough experienced coaches right here in our forums once they let our current ones go!

Seriously, though, as long as they win the game, I could care less how they do it. At the end of the day, it is all about scoreboard.

[rhc564]

...but there is the teeny weeny problems of - not only putting points
on that scoreboard- but putting on more points than the other team...
wonder what the Texans game plan is for that!!!!!!!!!

[rittenhouserobz]

Why is Capers so concerned with running the ball? As far as I could tell, if the Texans had a pass first mentality the whole game, then maybe they score 14-21 points in the first half. Running the ball on 1st down every time is makes real easy on opposing defenses. Good coaches find ways to keep the opposing defense on there heels. The defensive players should be wondering before each snap is this going to be a run or a pass? Right now I think that the opposing defense has a 75% chance of guessing the type of play the Texans will run.

Our defense is getting better, but the Vikes still scored alot on us; however, Robinson did push off on Glenn on that one TD. Thank goodness that the defense only has to face Moss once this year. The Titans have a different offense. I hope we shut down Brown.

[brickmantexanfan]

Originally Posted by rhc564

...but there is the teeny weeny problems of - not only putting points
on that scoreboard- but putting on more points than the other team...
wonder what the Texans game plan is for that!!!!!!!!!

To oppose others on this board I believe we will use johnson early or maybe even use him to get the ball to our TE's or even use davis as a diversion to get the ball in the air.We will try to make the second half plays in the first half then eat the clock in the home stretch.There is a method to our madness and the tacks are wondering what it will take to beat us.we have improved every week on offense I see no need to be conservitive in the first half,come out and show them what we got take the lead then sit on the ball.never sit on the ball and hope for a lead in the second half.We will win "I GUARANTEE IT".But I am not famous so what I say doesn't count.

[HJam72]

Originally Posted by Rightnow

Tennessee currently holds the top spot in the NFL for time of possession at a commanding 34:22 per game.

Interesting. They hold the top spot in that category and yet they are 2-3. We try the same philosophy and we are also 2-3. I think that philosophy should have gone out when manhandling the receivers gave way to interference calls. You have to concentrate on not being predictable and moving the chains, not what the clock is doing. Also, the Texans always start out trying to burn the clock, and then they lose games (sometimes, anyway) because they simply run out of time and can't catch back up. We need to pass more. Not all the time, but definitely more.

[aj.]

When is perception not reality? On threads like this, most of the time.

The Texans only had 6 first down plays in the 1st half against the Vikes, excluding the last ditch series that started at 0:36 near the end of the half.

Of those 6 first down attempts, the Texans ran the ball twice and passed (or attempted to pass) four times.

The Texans only had the ball for three drives in the 1st half. The playcalling sequence:

Drive 1: pass-pass-run-run-run; PUNT
Drive 2: run-pass-pass; PUNT
Drive 3: pass-pass-pass-pass-pass; PUNT

Notice on Texans drive #3 -- which started at the 6:06 mark of the second quarter -- with the Texans down only 7-0 at the time -- they attempted 5 straight passes. The drive stalled and Stanley had to punt. For some reason that drive is forgotten but the last three plays of Drive 1 are used as exhibit A by the play calling posse. To me, there's no difference in a pass oriented drive that fails and a run oriented drive that fails. The end result is they both fail.

The Vikes on the other hand, hogged the ball in the first half with a nice mix of run-pass (about 50-50 but it was run dominated until the Vikes last drive of the half). They ran Mewelde Moore a lot on first down. They had more than a 2:1 time of possession advantage and were up, not surprisingly, by 14 points at half. But their advantage at the half had nothing to do with the Texans first down play selection. It had everything to do with the Texans playing horrible defense and not moving the chains on offense by whatever means.

Read this and weep

[wags]

Sound reasoning and statistics can be a threadkiller sometimes.

[cuppacoffee]

Originally Posted by wags

Sound reasoning and statistics can be a threadkiller sometimes.

Yeah!
Takes all the fun out it.

[HJam72]

Yeah, but we didn't pass the ball on 4th down enough. :hehe:

[travfrancis]

AJ what about the first 6 plays of the game all going to dominack davis?

[rhc564]

Several folks have mentioned before that what is important here is getting
results, something- run or pass - that did not happen in the first half
against the Vikes. Adjustments. Adapting. Somehow or some way, the
Texans need to come up with plays that might work on 'this' drive when
what we are doing is not working. As many have said, be creative and
look at each drive as we do the ones late in the game. Run or pass is not
that big of an issue when the chains are moved and points are put on the
board and....WE WIN!

[infantrycak]

Originally Posted by travfrancis

AJ what about the first 6 plays of the game all going to dominack davis?

Who cares where they went? The plays went for 7, 19, 4, 4 for the first four plays. All very successful, leading to a 1st down and a 3rd and 2. Now the 5th play I consider a little sketchy not because it was to DD but because it was a sweep and I have a thing against making a RB run 15 yards to get 2 for the 1st down. The fundamental point though is that one of the best blocking TE's in the league got beat like a red-headed step child on that play resulting in DD not getting the 1st down. In the second series the 6th DD play got 2 yards. Not great, but hardly a game killer particularly considering on 2nd they threw for 6 leaving 3rd and 2 once again. 3rd down the pass got batted down--call it a good D play or Carr should have thrown elsewhere--it certainly wasn't DD's fault or conservative playcalling. As aj has said they then came out firing all passes when down just 7 points.

Frankly I watched the game again last night and was going to post some thoughts like aj's--I have some others I will start a thread with, but the real point is IMO the Texans' failures were once again execution at critical junctures more than DD or playcalling being the problem.

[TexansTrueFan]

I have an idea why dont the coaches just bring a PS2 on the field, choose their formations and click on ASK MADDEN !!! It always works for me when what i'm doing isnt working !!!! Come ok i know it seems sometimes Capers dont know what he's doing ,,,but if it WAS working yall wouldnt be saying this stuff !!! He became an NFL head coach because he was good ! "SORRY" not just anyone can become a head coach in the NFL my friends ! But needless to say i still say we Fire him,,,Well since all these old coaches are coming back ,,,,ya think Jerry Jones will come back for us ?!?!?!?! Hmmm "No drugs Guys" :woot

[Mistril48]

Originally Posted by infantrycak

In the second series ... 3rd down the pass got batted down--call it a good D play or Carr should have thrown elsewhere--it certainly wasn't DD's fault or conservative playcalling.

I agree with your post.

By way of clarification, I believe the third down on the second series was a pass to WELLS. Hard to blame Domanick Davis.

3-2-HST 31 (12:46) 8-D.Carr pass incomplete to 32-J.Wells (93-K.Williams).

http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/gamebo...041010_MIN@HOU

[Titan1216]

with me being a Titans fan,,I think the conserative plan would be bad,,,,,the texans and carr should come out throwing....the pass coverage of the Titans has been bad except for rolle,,,,stay away from him and score 21 in the first quarter then get in that conservative mode, My titans can run the ball but don't fear the pass....to many wrs banged up.