Foreman vs Polk

[LB Love]

Hey all, I saw that Dashon Polk got the nod to fill in for Foreman in the Tennessee game. So my questions are, how do you guys feel he did in the game and how does he measure up to Foreman as the starter next to Sharper?

According to the Injury Report, Foreman is questionable again so we might get a look at Polk again this Sunday. What ever happened to the Wong at ILB experiment?

[TEXANS84]

I personally would like to see the lineup as:

Wong--Babin--Sharper--Peek

I've TIVO'd the last few games...and I've seen a lot of #56 tyring to catch up to a reciever.

[BigWig]

aj can answer that question better than anyone. My feelings were he was great, he was all over the place and in on all plays. I watched the game over again and he was in on all the plays and really working that position, hes just a little younger and maybe not as fast .

[wags]

Originally Posted by TEXANS84

I've TIVO'd the last few games...and I've seen a lot of #56 tyring to catch up to a reciever.

The best was in the GB game when Theisman used the pass trak and it showed the ball go right over Foreman's head as he was falling backwards. Theisman said something like "you can see the vapor trail knock Jay Foreman over."

[georgewashington]

Polk did play pretty well, but i want to see the wong in teh middle experiment be utilized at least one series. And to be honest if im a coach and wong said he didnt want to play in the middle, then he isnt a team player. i want to see peek on the field more, and between him rushing from the right and babn closing the pocket from the left there wouldnt be much room for the QB to move

[texasguy346]

Polk seemed to do okay out there, but he did appear to be lost at times. I recall one play in the first half where it looked as if Polk was confused about his responsibility before the Titans snapped the ball. He walked over to Sharper and it looked as if he was asking who his man was, and he wasn't quite set when the ball was snapped. Fortunately it was a running play that the Texans stopped for a 2 or 3 yard gain. I think it's entirely acceptable that he be a little confused out there while starting for the first time this year. They tried the Wong experiment in Denver I believe, and it didn't work out to well, but then again the entire team looked horrible. I wouldn't mind seeing them try it again, but Polk did a pretty good job out there last week. I'd like to see how he does in his second start this year.

[infantrycak]

Originally Posted by georgewashington

And to be honest if im a coach and wong said he didnt want to play in the middle, then he isnt a team player.

Generally I agree with you, but, in this case Wong had other offers for ILB positions that wouldn't have been as tough as coming to an expansion team and chose the Texans because he was told he would be ROLB. He was actually a team player for two years by playing LOLB. IMO he has been very solid this year--there are certainly players that would be higher on the need list for replacement.

[bruenice]

I think that having 13 tackles and a fumble recovery show that he did pretty well for a first-time starter.

[aj.]

If you're talking about Polk, he had 5 tackles and 3 assists against TN. He also had a fumble recovery.

I went back and watched the LB play in the TN game. Polk made some good plays and some bad plays. He wasn't great - he wasn't bad.

Some of Antowain Smith's long runs in the first half were due to Polk overrunning the play or getting caught up inside. At least one of McNair's completions to Kinney (5:53 mark of the 2nd) was due to poor coverage by Polk. But, he (like the rest of the defense) kicked it up a notch in the second half and they all played good. Polk made a couple of good plays, getting tackles on Smith on the Titans second and third drives..

He seemed tentative on a lot of plays but that's to be expected seeing his first real action in this system. He seems to have a little more foot quickness and carry a little more pop than Foreman and he looks heavier than Jay even though they are both listed at 240.

[bruenice]

From the Texans website:
Started at inside linebacker for Jay Foreman and recorded 13 tackles and a fumble recovery (11/28). But not sure how many of those tackles may have come on special teams as well.

And I agree, there were things that he could have done better, as there were for a number of people on defense, as well as offense. There will always be room for improvement no matter what team you are talking about. I would say that he did an adequate job.

[aj.]

Started at inside linebacker for Jay Foreman and recorded 13 tackles and a fumble recovery (11/28). But not sure how many of those tackles may have come on special teams as well.

Yeah, that's incorrect. Tell me where exactly you are reading that and I'll have them fix it. Polk didn't have any special teams tackles against TN.

[bruenice]

The notes under each player from the link on the roster site where they give a breakdown of what the player does weekly.

[aj.]

OK, thanks. We'll see if they change it ...

I usually refer to the gamebooks for things like this.

Edit: Well -- so much for them changing it.

The person who maintains those bios told me that the defensive tackles they use for those notes are counted by the coaches after they watch the film and it’s rather liberal. That’s why the league won’t recognize tackles as an official stat.

In other words, those 13 tackles are what the Texans defensive coaches credited him with. That's probably a combination of tackles and assists. I have no idea where the tackles stat on the gamebooks come from - if it's Elias or the NFL's statisticians or someone else. I'll try to find out.

[bruenice]

Thanks for all the work looking that up. It does seem at times that the stats, especially those for tackles, seem to be a little confusing as to what actually took place during the game.

[aj.]

I asked someone else who has pretty good insight on what goes on in the booth on Sunday the same question and he said this:

During games, tackles, like other stats, are kept by the statistics crew hired by each team. Coaches look at film and keep their own set of tackles and some teams, like the Texans, use tackles compiled by their coaches. None are regarded as official. In truth, the coaches are too liberal and the stats crews are too conservative.

In other words, take the Tackles stat with a grain of salt.