Please Explain

[rhc564]

There has been a lot of discussion on this board about who is to blame
for the Texans 0-2 start-- the players or the coaches.

Did anyone else notice how Davis was holding the ball as he ran for
yardage? Well, he held the ball loosely in one hand as he ran and did
not secure the ball with both hands as he was being tackled. He says
now that this is why he was fumbling. I'm having a difficult time under-
standing why he was carrying the ball this way in the first place because-
as most of you know- anyone running with the football is coached to keep
the ball against your body and cover it with both hands when being
tackled.

Question? Please explain why the Coaches did not see this very basic
flaw and correct it immediately!!!!!!!!!

[JustBonee]

Originally Posted by rhc564

.... I'm having a difficult time under-standing why he was carrying the ball this way in the first place because-
as most of you know- anyone running with the football is coached to keep
the ball against your body and cover it with both hands when being
tackled...

Per my EX-College FB playing husband, if you hold the ball that way - both hands wrapped around the ball/close to the body - no one can get it away, but you will sacrifice both speed and yardage.
And like some have said, Domanick may just be trying too hard.

[CaptainPatriot]

Originally Posted by rhc564

There has been a lot of discussion on this board about who is to blame
for the Texans 0-2 start-- the players or the coaches.

Did anyone else notice how Davis was holding the ball as he ran for
yardage? Well, he held the ball loosely in one hand as he ran and did
not secure the ball with both hands as he was being tackled. He says
now that this is why he was fumbling. I'm having a difficult time under-
standing why he was carrying the ball this way in the first place because-
as most of you know- anyone running with the football is coached to keep
the ball against your body and cover it with both hands when being
tackled.

Question? Please explain why the Coaches did not see this very basic
flaw and correct it immediately!!!!!!!!!

Don`t laugh but maybe DD should carry the football with him where ever he goes and sleep with it. Get the feel of keeping the ball tucked under his arm till it becomes second nature. Old football coaching technique

[Bill's/TexanFan]

I don't want to sound naive but I'm not sure what is meant by "trying too hard". It's my understanding that in the NFL you need to try as hard as you can or you will get your block knocked off!

[rhc564]

Sassy

2 hands/arms folded around the ball is when the runner is being
tackled, not when he is running

[HJam72]

Originally Posted by Bill's/TexanFan

I don't want to sound naive but I'm not sure what is meant by "trying too hard". It's my understanding that in the NFL you need to try as hard as you can or you will get your block knocked off!

Dominick is carrying the ball loosely and trying too hard to gain more and more yardage. When there is a defender near him, he is carrying it loosely until that last second when he must wrap it up with both hands. He is trying to make moves and get past defenders, or at last outspeed them. Sometimes, this causes him to accidentally wait too long before wrapping it up and he never does get both arms around it, which, in turn, causes some fumbles. I backed off of saying that he was doing this recently, because someone disagreed, but now HE'S admitting it. You can't run as fast and you definately can't juke and fake as well (so to speak) with both arms around the ball, but you won't fumble anywhere near as much. He just needs to "wrap it up", as I say, sooner and more of the time--but not 100% of the time that he's carrying it. Obviously, if he finds himself wide open (this is an extreme example), he should carry it with one arm and sprint like crazy.

I've also said that it was a mistake for Davis to even say that 2000 yds. was his goal for this year. He has been trying too hard to attain a possible (but unlikely) goal and it is causing fumbles.

[JustBonee]

Yeah what HJam72 said.

Originally Posted by rhc564

Sassy

2 hands/arms folded around the ball is when the runner is being
tackled, not when he is running

How do you write the script for that exactly? .. separating the action ..the running vs be tackled? I'm only asking, because they get hit from all directions and can't make plans for the action of the play.
As for "trying too hard" ... I feel it means forcing a play beyond a safe point. It seems DD is always trying to force more yardage out of his plays.. and thus coughing up the ball.

[jacquescas]

Trying to hard is basically playing out of control, high risk high reward style play. After 2 weeks who has more total rushing receiving yards than Davis? none that i can think of, but he gives the ball up, i'd trade 100 total yards for no fumbles he needs to control the ball at the end.

He also had more chances than any one else. We need to give the ball to other people. We are too one dimensional. These WR will be need gloves soon because they are so cold. If they do get a play come their way they may not know how to react and will probably **** their pants....or drop the ball.

[rhc564]

...a runner knows when he's about to be tackled--watch closely
Sunday and you'll see whats called 'protecting the ball'-- if runners
did not, you would see more fumbles as the defense tries to 'slap' the
ball out as they are tackling the runner

[texan279]

You are exactly right RHC. Domanick said in an article in the Chronicle he realized why he was fumbling, he wasn't putting two hands on the ball. I am tired of hearing "we are overusing Davis", "Davis is tired from all of the touches"...if he is so tired and wore out that he can't put his other hand on the ball, we need a new starting RB. The only reason he has four fumbles is from not putting 2 hands/arms on the ball. It's not rocket science...

[RTP2110]

The thing that worries me, is that he said the same thing in the chronicle after week 1. Apparently, he knew what he was doing wrong back then. I can't put much faith in him saying he's is going to fix it.