The Texans moves didn't raise many eyebrows, but they do provide promise

[Zac]

The Texans have just taken a big turn to getting younger. They have released key veterans who were leaders!

Now, leadership was replaced by youthful talent.

The upside of Peek and Babin is outstanding (Greenwood, I know very little about)

A backfield of Buchanon and Robinson sounds like a shut down pair of guys for the next 10 years. (Glenn and Coleman were solid last year)

And the Defensive line is getting a spark with the first round pick Johnson (I think that's his name) plus hopefully Payne and Walker can come around again to old form.


The offense gets speed injected into the Wide outs. Domink Davis has a legitamite back up. Wells appears ready to take a starters role as a full back. Ragone just won MVP in Europe.

The offenive line is the biggest question mark. Last year they were horrible. Can they get better with one year together. I would like McKinney to be moved to Left Guard.

Well, I hope that these big time changes provide the positive boost the team needs.

[Big B Texan Fan]

Sometimes change is good and sometimes not.

Defense has been changed, hopefully for the good.

Offense hasn't really changed, especially the O-Line, hopefully for the better.
The thinking must be that continuity is the key for the O-Line.

[TommyS]

Originally Posted by Zac

Wells appears ready to take a starters role as a full back. .

people need to get this out of their heads. jonathon wells was not, is not, and will never be, a starting full back. yes, we may see wells and davis in the backfield at the same time, but neither of them will be playing full back! we may see hollings and davis in the backfield, we may see wells and morency in the back field, but that gives us two tailbacks, not an RB and a FB. people are making WAY too much out of the "triple threat" article.

thats the way i read it anyway.

[Big B Texan Fan]

Originally Posted by Bottle-O-Bud

IMHO our D has improve because with TJ and Peek + Babin we are going to get upfield. Now how D-Rob, Earl, Coleman and P Buch perform.... I dunno. Wong/ Greenwood is definetly faster than Sharper/Foreman combo.

Yer right. yet TJ is gonna be an alternate @ 1st and if the 3 main guys in our D-Line stay healthy. He could not even ever have a start.

[cred]

Originally Posted by Bottle-O-Bud

TJ will beat out Gary Walker... heard Gary has a little aches and pains again.

Would not suprise me one bit!

[brickmantexanfan]

Originally Posted by Bottle-O-Bud

TJ will beat out Gary Walker... heard Gary has a little aches and pains again.

I agree with that observation,don't get me wrong walker is big and tough but we didn't draft tj in the first round to put him on the bench. :brickwall

[Big B Texan Fan]

Originally Posted by Bottle-O-Bud

TJ will beat out Gary Walker... heard Gary has a little aches and pains again.

I tcould happen one day but not the begimming of the season, especially if he's healthy.
I'm one of the ones who is Not a G-Funk fan but Dom treats his Pro-Bowlers different.
This is the year that we need the vets to stand up and rock.

[Vinny]

If everyone is healthy, Robaire Smith is our least impressive stating lineman, not Gary Walker.

[TEXANS84]

Originally Posted by Bottle-O-Bud

TJ will beat out Gary Walker... heard Gary has a little aches and pains again.

Thats funny, who did you "hear" this from?

[TEXANS84]

Originally Posted by Bottle-O-Bud

Wong/ Greenwood is definetly faster than Sharper/Foreman combo.

Here's a good explanationn of Greenwood's skills from a Dolphin fan:

Greenwood has very good speed but they way Jim Bates ran the D Greenwood was used in coverage more than up near the line making tackles. The way he ran the D Zach Thomas was supposed to make all the tackles if the RB got by the D-line. There were a few games last year where Greenwood had to play MLB when Zach was hurt and he had double digit tackle numbers in those games. As far as sacks go I think Bates called blitzes maybe 10% of all the plays we had last year. There were games where we didn't blitz at all. Bates doesn't believe in blitzing. He believes we should be able to get pressure from the edges without blitzing so most of the sacks came from Taylor and the rest of the D-line. Greenwood blitzing will be new to him. With his speed he should be able to cause pressure and get a few sacks.

[throwANDREtheBALL]

That's good news.

Double digit tackles in the games he played middle linebacker.

Maybe he will make more of an impact in the middle, then most critics think.

[El Tejano]

I think the big thing that turned Capers head was the intellegence that Greenwood plays with. That is two smart MLB that can both cover. Nice.

[Chance_C]

I agree with that observation,don't get me wrong walker is big and tough but we didn't draft tj in the first round to put him on the bench.

I don't agree at all. We drafted TJ in the first round for rotational purposes and a POSSIBLE future replacement for Gary Walker. I think the only way that TJ takes Gary's job is because of injury. I have high hopes for TJ, but I also remember how effective an injury free Gary Walker can be. Therefore my fingers are crossed for a healthy Gary Walker.

[TheOgre]

I liked the moves we made in the offseason. With the exception of our D-line, we have a team that can stay together for a few years. If things fall the way I think they will, I think we trade up next year to draft an OLT then take a TE with another first day pick.

[cred]

I know we are a 3-4 D, but sometimes I wish we would mix it up a little and use a 4-3 D to throw off the opposing offense with a little confusion every once in a while, maybe when in the nickle and dime packages. Like maybe 10% of the time and with the rotation at the D-line that we have now I think we could do this and maybe throw in some different blitzes as well.

What do any of you other fans think about this?
Just a curiosity.

[Hervoyel]

Originally Posted by Vinny

If everyone is healthy, Robaire Smith is our least impressive stating lineman, not Gary Walker.

Hey Vinny, question. Do you think that's going to change this season or that it's something that can change? Last year was Robaire's first with us and I'm curious to know what you think about improvement from him. Will a year in our defense and say, a healthy Seth Payne and Gary Walker (fingers crossed) translate into more performance from Smith?

[AndreJ]

Originally Posted by cred

I know we are a 3-4 D, but sometimes I wish we would mix it up a little and use a 4-3 D to throw off the opposing offense with a little confusion every once in a while, maybe when in the nickle and dime packages. Like maybe 10% of the time and with the rotation at the D-line that we have now I think we could do this and maybe throw in some different blitzes as well.

What do any of you other fans think about this?
Just a curiosity.

I'm not sure if we could pull it off with the 4-3, DE's who would we put there Smith and Payne in the middle, but Peek and Babin as ends (i think not) we would still need two OLB's and.....i dunno, im not against mixing up the D i think its a good idea and it would keep the offense guessing, but im not sure we have the personel for it...if its not too much trouble would you mind posting what your front 7 would be for a Texans 4-3 D?

[infantrycak]

Originally Posted by cred

I know we are a 3-4 D, but sometimes I wish we would mix it up a little and use a 4-3 D to throw off the opposing offense with a little confusion every once in a while, maybe when in the nickle and dime packages. Like maybe 10% of the time and with the rotation at the D-line that we have now I think we could do this and maybe throw in some different blitzes as well.

What do any of you other fans think about this?
Just a curiosity.

That is effectively what the Texans did in a lot of passing situations last year. 2 DLmen acted as the DT's and Babin and Peek acted as the DE's, just without their hands on the ground.

[Vinny]

Originally Posted by Hervoyel

Hey Vinny, question. Do you think that's going to change this season or that it's something that can change? Last year was Robaire's first with us and I'm curious to know what you think about improvement from him. Will a year in our defense and say, a healthy Seth Payne and Gary Walker (fingers crossed) translate into more performance from Smith?

His play improved as the season wore on but he never really needed a double team on a consistent basis. I don't expect him to be much of a pass rusher but his play against the run was disappointing for a guy who came in here as a top lineman. I think he can play better. If everyone is healthy I like our line rotation guys better than last year. Walker, Payne, Smith, Deloach and TJ will play the most, with Sears and Ioane fighting over the 6th spot. Walker will have to prove he is over his turf toe and other nagging injuries, but hopefully we see him play with his old speed and intensity in the pre-season games.

[stephen1]

i think robaire smith is better than gary walker, but gary is better than tj so he will be a backup