No cause for concern ? .....yeah right !

[Vinny]

Originally Posted by Grid

and BTW.. some of the most knowledgable fans on this board have their "whines" too. If im not mistaken.. I think even Vinny is "anti-Carr" to a certain degree.

That's just ignorant. If I break down a players game and it's not favorable it doesn't mean I am anti-anything. I'm not going to call bad play good, and good play bad because I just feel like it. It's just honest observation. Some of you guys just don't seem able to grasp the concept of honest observation sometimes.

[tsip]

Originally Posted by Vinny

That's just ignorant. If I break down a players game and it's not favorable it doesn't mean I am anti-anything. I'm not going to call bad play good, and good play bad because I just feel like it. It's just honest observation. Some of you guys just don't seem able to grasp the concept of honest observation sometimes.

...very well said

[HoustonHarley]

Thank you Vinny, my sentiments exactly! As far as the things that are being said in this thread. For the most part, they are true. If you read any other football articles concerning the Texans problems and solutions, they mentioned the same things. We all look through rose colored glasses to an extent. If you think we have improved that much from what you have seen in preseason, I want to watch a game with you and you explain as we go because obviously I don't know anything about football. I did play for about 14 years and thought I had pretty good knowledge of the sport. I AM a Texan fan and I haven't seen the improvement that you speak of. My glasses are off and this is just my honest opinion.

[WWJD]

IF the Texans aren't improved record-wise I do feel the coach is on the hot seat. I'm not sure if that would be Palmer or Coach Capers or both but I think they are under the microscope if you will.

I do believe people expect more out of David this year.

[Corrosion]

Originally Posted by Grid

no i mean fans who are knowledgable enough to watch the preseason game and not be concerned with the fact that we blew a pass, or got intercepted.. because they can still see improvements in key areas. Its not rose colored glasses.. its seeing the whole picture.. not just the highlight reel..

I never mentioned a particular event in any game thus far ...Sure , its pre-season and the games dont count . Im just pointing out some fundamental personel decisions i think were poorly made .

As for seeing improvement in some area's .... there are a few . The running game looks very solid . DD amd Morency both over 4.5 ypc , is a vast improvement over last years dismal avg of 3.9 .

Special teams will again be a strong point of the team , even better than past years when the special teams alone kept the team in a couple games .

Their performance on thrid down .... cant say enough about the Cowpokes going 0-9 on third down ..... that is a huge improvement.

Just because someone has a differing opinion than yours doesnt make them any less knowledgable a fan ....

Originally Posted by Grid

I think youre looking for drama when there isnt any. ..

Not at all , Capers cut the drama before there was any .... For better or worse . Lets just hope that Morlon Greenwood can play better than what Foreman did at that position (I fully expect he will be an upgrade over Foreman ). I was one of the biggest Foreman critics on this board .... i have no problem with his release .

Originally Posted by Grid

Capers is a defensive genius. ..

Capers has had 4 seasons to assemble players who fit his system , He and Fangio better produce a top 10 D this year if you expect me to agree with that statement .... They did have a stellar D while in Caroline in 99 but that was a 4-3 system ....with arguably better personel . The jury is still out on whether Capers is as advertized .

Originally Posted by Grid

yah..we dont have the best pass defending Oline in the league.. course.. 30 other teams dont have the best pass defending Oline in the league either. The blame for Carr getting sacked so many times last year can be laid at the feet of our Oline, as well as the protection schemes we were using. So we changed our schemes, and we designed plays to get the ball out of Carrs hands faster. We are fixing the problem.. working with what we have. thats a good thing.

To be blunt , 31 teams allowed less sacks than the Texans last season (Thats ALL of'm) . Not to mention all the times Carr was hit as he released or threw the ball away to avoid a sack ..... those were probably more numerous .
As for the changes in their schemes . If they bring about more consistant production from the offensive unit , Ill be the first to give them due credit . I havent figured out if its the personel or the schemes or a combination of the two that are to blame for the fundamental breakdowns they cosisitantly show in pass protection .
A lot rides on the play of Victor Riley this season .... one injury and they can be back at square one .

Originally Posted by Grid

well we have "servicable" tight ends. They CAN catch the ball.. and they CAN block.. they just arent spectacular at either.

Sure , One CAN catch and the other CAN block , just seems to me that neither of them are very effective . Maybe Murphy will show he can do both .

Originally Posted by Grid

Bradford though, i agree. I wish we would just let him go and promote Armstrong or Swinton or Mathis or Thomas.. SOMEONE.. Bradford has never impressed me and id like to see one of our other guys get the chance to show his stuff.

At least we agree on this point .... and that Hollings needs to get a pink slip !
I think they re-signed Bradford for a lack of a better option within their price range .

Originally Posted by Vinny

That's just ignorant. If I break down a players game and it's not favorable it doesn't mean I am anti-anything. I'm not going to call bad play good, and good play bad because I just feel like it. It's just honest observation. Some of you guys just don't seem able to grasp the concept of honest observation sometimes.

We are all fans of the Texans ...just some of us are a little more critical of the team than others . I call'm like i see'm

[Grid]

Vinny i said "somewhat" . It was worded badly.. but i was responding to Corrosions statement that the so called "knowledgable fans" were homers who think we are mistake free.

I was trying to point out that you have ragged on Carr in the past... not that you were a raging anti-carr fanatic :P.

It was intended as a compliment (including you in the "knowledgable fan" group)

[LBC_Justin]

I agree we had a horrible off season...

Capers is a total *****. Here is what he should have done.

He should have gotten the following players in the offseason.

Offense:
QB - Peyton Manning, Carr is backup
RB - Shawn Alexander, DD is backup
Move Andre Johnson to #3 reciever with Randy Moss, and T.O. on the team
LT - Orlando Pace
RT - Walter Jones (Have him try a new position)
TE - T Gonzalez

Defense:
Ray Lewis and Lawerance Taylor at LB
Champ Bailey goes opposite Dunta Robinson move PB to nickel
Julius Peppers and Dwight Freeney rushing the passer

I'll be realistic and not replace everyone

Gosh how hard was that!!! It only took me 5 minutes to come up with a winning strategy.

[texan279]

Ummm..he didn't call anyone anything, he said the statement was ignorant...and it was, Vinny is the farthest from a homer that you can get on this message board...he just calls 'em likes he sees 'em...

[wags]

Originally Posted by texan279

Ummm..he didn't call anyone anything, he said the statement was ignorant...and it was, Vinny is the farthest from a homer that you can get on this message board...he just calls 'em likes he sees 'em...

Vinny? I thought IBAR was as far from a homer as you could get?

[texan279]

Vinny? I thought IBAR was as far from a homer as you could get?

Nah, IBAR is just a pessimistic closet Cowboy fan...J/K IBAR!

[mj.]

btw... i was watching the Seahawks/Chiefs game on NFL Network and the Seattle announcers said:

"Jamie Sharper has been a disappointment. He hasn't brought the impact and leadership they expected when they signed him."

also, Jay Foreman is second-string for the Raiders behind starters Danny Clark and Tim Johnson.

[profan]

Cause for concern? Yes
Do we need to take drastic measures? No
Do we have serious evaluation of the coaches and players at end of year? Yes

Originally Posted by mj.

btw... i was watching the Seahawks/Chiefs game on NFL Network and the Seattle announcers said:

"Jamie Sharper has been a disappointment. He hasn't brought the impact and leadership they expected when they signed him."

also, Jay Foreman is second-string for the Raiders behind starters Danny Clark and Tim Johnson.

That was early on, Then after that game they said that Sharper stepped it up a lot this game and where happy to see the defense playing as a unit now.

[BornOrange]

1. Jamie Sharper may have had a lot of tackles, but a lot of that is due to the defensive scheme. The problem is that he wasn't making enough of those tackles at the line of scrimmage and head-on with ball carriers but was making too many tackles after runners had made positive yardage. If you taped the games, go back and watch them. Capers has been coaching the 3-4 for a long time at New Orleans, Pittsburgh, and Carolina and knows that the ILB's need to be making tackles for losses or right at the line of scrimmage. They also need to be quick enough to cover RB's and TE's (and sometimes even WR's) while being able to blitz effectively. Sharper was definitely declining last year and would have been worse this year. Also, he had never been a leader on this team. He was a little upset that he had been taken in the expansion draft and had to play a losing team instead of being able to stay in Baltimore. He was happy to keep his big contract, but when he was about to enter the last year of his contract he showed what he really thought of being a Texan by not wanting to negotiate an extension. The Texans couldn't trade him because no team wanted to pay that much money for him. So the Texans had to cut him.

2. Aaron Glenn on the other hand was a very good leader. He especially did a lot helping to groom Robinson and Faggins. However, it was obvious last year that Glenn was also losing a step. Early in the season teams were picking on Robinson, but as he began to show that he was up to the task they started throwing more to Glenn's side. Everyone talks about how good the Texan's secondary was, but the fact remains that only Green Bay gave up more TD passes. Part of it was due to a poor pass rush, part of it was due to Robinson and Earl playing as rookies, but part of it was also due to Glenn slowing down. Again, watch tapes of last year's games. So the Texans went out and got Buchanon. Glenn himself said that the Texans wanted him back, but Glenn thought that between Robinson, Buchanon, Faggins, and himself that someone wasn't going to be getting enough playing time and that the young guys needed the playing time. Reading between the lines you could tell how much he likes Faggins and that he didn't want to compete for playing time against Petey. So he asked to be released.

Both of those moves were made with the intention of getting faster on defense. Everyone in the NFL recognizes that Capers is one of the best experts on defense. Have a little faith that he knows what this defense needs.

[Kaiser Toro]

My concerns heading into this preseason for the first teams - not the draft or regular season were the following:

Offensive line - they have exceeded expectations with their run blocking and protection of Carr.

Defensive line - below par as I have not seen the penetration. Robaire Smith who I was proponent of when we signed him has been a huge dissapointment, but has the talent to turn it around.

LB's - I have liked what I have seen, the speed is evident just needs to be harnessed.

Secondary - Other than Faggins ill fated 1st quarter I have not been overly concerned. Would have liked to see Buchanon tested, but it is pre season. CC Brown will prove to be a very good value pick, not saying an all pro, but a serviceable player.

RB - Take away the goal line stuff and you have to be happy. Davis has shown a nose for the goal line in the past. Not concerned here.

WR - AJ dropping balls is a concern, but like the cadre.

QB - Never been a Carr fan, but have been willing to drink the kool aid. However, this guy needs to make better decisions and look confident in and outside of the pocket. If Davis becomes his first or second look again this year it is time to cut our losses with Carr. I just do not feel he makes us better tangibly or intangibly.

Cheerleaders - maybe the only consistent uniformed personnel on the field.

I recognize these opinions are not measurable, but just my take.

Once again I do expect 8-8 which is continued improvement, but most importantly as a fourth year ticket holder I expect better value from the product on the field.

[dalemurphy]

Originally Posted by Kaiser Toro

QB - Never been a Carr fan, but have been willing to drink the kool aid. However, this guy needs to make better decisions and look confident in and outside of the pocket. If Davis becomes his first or second look again this year it is time to cut our losses with Carr. I just do not feel he makes us better tangibly or intangibly.

According to KC Joyner's book which breaks down the passing game with more detail than anything to date, the three best decision-making QBs in the NFL last year were: Peyton Manning, Byron Leftwich, and David Carr. He graded every play of every NFL game. It's called Scientific Football and it's very interesting. The statistics are unparalleled and tell a much more accurate story than the typical football stats do.

His formula takes into account, whether he throws into tight coverage. If he doesn't throw to an open receiver, throwing a ball into the middle of the field as you're getting sacked, etc....

[Ibar_Harry]

Originally Posted by dalemurphy

According to KC Joyner's book which breaks down the passing game with more detail than anything to date, the three best decision-making QBs in the NFL last year were: Peyton Manning, Byron Leftwich, and David Carr. He graded every play of every NFL game. It's called Scientific Football and it's very interesting. The statistics are unparalleled and tell a much more accurate story than the typical football stats do.

His formula takes into account, whether he throws into tight coverage. If he doesn't throw to an open receiver, throwing a ball into the middle of the field as you're getting sacked, etc....

That's with a poor OC to boot. I know Tedford is saying he will never leave CAL, but I know all of you would be very impressed if you watched what he can do with a team's offense and the QB. He really is an offensive genius, and yes, I would take him hands down over Norm Chow. By the way when Tedford left FSU(Fresno State) Carr almost went with him. They were very close. Had Carr gone with Tedford - Harrington might not be where he is today......................

[dalemurphy]

Originally Posted by Ibar_Harry

That's with a poor OC to boot. I know Tedford is saying he will never leave CAL, but I know all of you would be very impressed if you watched what he can do with a team's offense and the QB. He really is an offensive genius, and yes, I would take him hands down over Norm Chow. By the way when Tedford left FSU(Fresno State) Carr almost went with him. They were very close. Had Carr gone with Tedford - Harrington might not be where he is today......................

If the team struggles much the next season or two, I would expect Palmer to be replaced. I think there are philosophical differences. Palmer is Martz-like without the creativity IMO... I think Capers would prefer an offense built around a power running game- something like a Dan Henning style offense or even something like what Denver runs under Shannihan.

[Corrosion]

Originally Posted by dalemurphy

... I think Capers would prefer an offense built around a power running game- something like a Dan Henning style offense or even something like what Denver runs under Shannihan.

I think we both know you are absolutely correct in that assumption .
He much prefers a run dominated offense .... Smash mouth football.