Sherman as OC, and more

[Texans_Chick]

Here's the HT.com press conference link.

Read it.

So, what is the most interesting quote from it to you? For me it is this one from Andre Johnson:

“Everyone is excited about it. Coach (Mike) Sherman is the offensive coordinator now, and he’s put in some plays and everyone’s trying to get them down pat. We’re out here making plays and learning at the same time, so it’s all going to take time and hopefully we can get it all down in OTAs so that when we come in at training camp, we can have it down and we won’t miss a beat.”

Please someone tell me why I should be excited and happy and confident with Sherman as offensive coordinator. I don't know--I still kinda have the willies about the Denver/GB hybrid working. Like a Spidersense sort of thing.

He certainly has incentive to make things work big here to get a head coach job--his off-season interviews show that. I don't know enough about his background to feel great about him as OC. Can anyone make me feel better about him? I also don't mean to neg out on him--I just kinda wonder.

Kubiak is a bit of known quantity. And Sherman is a bit of a known quantity. Mixed together, I don't know.

[infantrycak]

Originally Posted by Texans_Chick

Please someone tell me why I should be excited and happy and confident with Sherman as offensive coordinator.

Well his O ranked on points in GB as follows--11th, 5th, 6th 4th, 5th and then on Favre's INT record setting year that got him fired 22nd. While I don't want to see Kubiak hand the reigns to Sherman unfettered, I am frankly glad to see him thinking about not slavishly following the Shanahan mold and thinking about trying to meld the best pieces of each.

[Texans_Chick]

Originally Posted by infantrycak

Well his O ranked on points in GB as follows--11th, 5th, 6th 4th, 5th and then on Favre's INT record setting year that got him fired 22nd. While I don't want to see Kubiak hand the reigns to Sherman unfettered, I am frankly glad to see him thinking about not slavishly following the Shanahan mold and thinking about trying to meld the best pieces of each.

Thanks for trying to talk me off the edge. I guess I'm a little gunshy about cobbled together different sorts of offenses. No track record. GB under Sherman and a Shanny/Kubiak Bronco team didn't resemble each other much. If one is more of a power game and the other is more misdirection and mischief on the offensive line, then how do you draft/ acquire players for that? I think a lot of the more successful coaching situations are when a HC takes his guys to a new staff and everyone is on the same page.

[powerfuldragon]

Originally Posted by Andre Johnson

(on WR coach Larry Kirksey) “You can tell he’s been around a great group of receivers. He’s watching you when you don’t think he’s watching. Today, he was telling me, ‘What do you see?’ and I was like, ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’ When I got in the stretching line, he was like, ‘I’m watching you at all times.’ So every little thing I do, my first day out here, he told me to put my shirt in my pants. He’s on my about every little thing, but it’s not a bad thing; it’s a good thing. He watches everything you do, so when you’re out there doing something wrong or something he thinks that can be done better, he’s going to talk to you and let you know.”

when did we get a new WR coach? i thought we had that shanahan coaching our recievers...

[Scooter]

shanahan moved to qb coach after last season.

[powerfuldragon]

oops/

[Specnatz]

Originally Posted by Texans_Chick

Thanks for trying to talk me off the edge. I guess I'm a little gunshy about cobbled together different sorts of offenses. No track record. GB under Sherman and a Shanny/Kubiak Bronco team didn't resemble each other much. If one is more of a power game and the other is more misdirection and mischief on the offensive line, then how do you draft/ acquire players for that? I think a lot of the more successful coaching situations are when a HC takes his guys to a new staff and everyone is on the same page.

OK don't jump just yet or shoot me for that matter. But the pats use a power running style mixed with passing when it has to be done. They would rather run the ball all day long and score that way and control the the clock. But if it comes down to it they will throw the ball. So having this mix that is not predicated on one style is not such a bad thing and should work out just fine.

I like it, not having just one guy who is so set in his ways he can not be flexible.

[PapaL]

I believe he was on staff with Mike Holmgren when GB was winning championships. I thought he was the OC then, but not finding anything that says that. He was the tight ends/assistant offensive line coach from 97-98. He then did follow Holmgren to SEA where he was the OC.

Kind of like Kubiak, we'll see if the HC they were under was the Genius or if they were.

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by Texans_Chick

Here's the HT.com press conference link.

Read it.

So, what is the most interesting quote from it to you? For me it is this one from Andre Johnson:



Please someone tell me why I should be excited and happy and confident with Sherman as offensive coordinator. I don't know--I still kinda have the willies about the Denver/GB hybrid working. Like a Spidersense sort of thing.

He certainly has incentive to make things work big here to get a head coach job--his off-season interviews show that. I don't know enough about his background to feel great about him as OC. Can anyone make me feel better about him? I also don't mean to neg out on him--I just kinda wonder.

Kubiak is a bit of known quantity. And Sherman is a bit of a known quantity. Mixed together, I don't know.

If you watch teams like the Colts, the Rams, the Titans, and many others, you'll see a lot of zone blocking plays. Although they are predominantly a different offense, they do incorporate ZBS in what they do. The Giants are another team.

We're running a WCO, not a ZBS. Zone blocking plays a bigger part in what we do, compared to those other teams, But throwing in a few power run options is only going to help us be more unpredictable.

Our inability to run the ball last year, had more to do with 5 guys(8 really over the course of the year) learning to play together, as they learned a new system, than it had to do with our OL philosophy.

But Sherman being an Offensive Coordinator is a good thing to me. We've got an experienced offensive coosrdinator now, and with Frank Bush, we've got an experienced DC as well(however they plan to title him). Now, our head coach can be our head coach, and we can move forward.

[nunusguy]

I don't mean to go too Machiavellian with this thing, but I'm just not comfortable with this Bush-Cheney, oh I mean Kubiak-Sherman arrangement.
The thing is Sherman was in the big-time (Packers HC), well before Kubiak stopped getting Shanahans coffee in the morning up on the front-range and came down to Texas to run the Bronocs farm team.
If we win only 3 or 4 games this year (it could happen - in reality that scenario is probably more likely than the playoffs this year, which a lot of people actually think we're headed for), Sherman might look like the best way out to big Bob.
I'd be looking over my shoulder for Sherman if I was Kubiak and the season goes south this Fall.

[Specnatz]

Originally Posted by nunusguy

I don't mean to go too Machiavellian with this thing, but I'm just not comfortable with this Bush-Cheney, oh I mean Kubiak-Sherman arrangement.
The thing is Sherman was in the big-time (Packers HC), well before Kubiak stopped getting Shanahans coffee in the morning up on the front-range and came down to Texas to run the Bronocs farm team.
If we win only 3 or 4 games this year (it could happen - in reality that scenario is probably more likely than the playoffs this year, which a lot of people actually think we're headed for), Sherman might look like the best way out to big Bob.
I'd be looking over my shoulder for Sherman if I was Kubiak and the season goes south this Fall.

[Porky]

We are just used to incompetence at the QB position. Now that we have a smart guy who can run the team and the offense, I think we will be fine. We will probably be an "average" offense this year. Compared to past years, that's like comparing a mutt to first in show. Let's just sit back and enjoy the show.

[The Pencil Neck]

Originally Posted by Texans_Chick

Kubiak is a bit of known quantity. And Sherman is a bit of a known quantity. Mixed together, I don't know.

You know, I've brought up this exact same point before ( a couple of times) so there's always a danger of the two of us creating a feedback loop on this topic where we feed each other's fears until it gets out of control and grows into a weird suicide pact.

But...

Let's at least give this a chance to fail. The West Coast system has proven to be very adaptive and able to evolve in all sorts of different ways. Let's see what these two can cook up after spending a year working with each other.

[HOU-TEX]

Wasn't the Broncos offense a mix breed between the WCO and Shanahans offense. IMO, adding some of the Shermanators plays to the scheme just adds another breed to the animal. I think it'll help us more than hurt us.

[Wolfiegrrl]

Think of it this way... the seven years Green was in Packer land he averaged 1166 yards a year. Houston's RBs over the last 5 years have only crossed the 1000 yard threshold twice with Dominick Williams.

That right there will open up any passing game Kubiak wants to play.

[MightyTExan]

I posted before on the old board about this. Spencer Tillman had his misgivings about it also. He said you can tell when we run, it's a power blocking(Sherman), and when we pass it's WCO(Koobs). He said it is very noticeable on the spacing between the lineman. Sherman might help with running screens with A. Green (looking forward to that), but I think there are too many cooks in the kitchen. I don't want to see a fight like we had with Gilbride\Ryans back in the day.

[U4ikrob]

Originally Posted by nunusguy

.... Sherman might look like the best way out to big Bob.
I'd be looking over my shoulder for Sherman if I was Kubiak and the season goes south this Fall.

My 2 bits is the team does average this year - Players and coaches will all still be getting used to each other - IMO alot of our record will depend on how well we can dodge the injury bug to our starters. We obviously didnt do to well in that regard last year. From where I sit our depth is still pretty thin at more than a few spots [WR, OT, DB, Safety] IF we manage to get to mid season unscathed I think we have a good shot at getting over .500 this year and maybe making some noise.

But

Not trying to bring doom and gloom - But I have some doubts too - IMO this is really a pivotal year for Kubes, Sherman & Co. If the team comes out flat and stinks it up - Alot of the blame will be on the staff as they got 'their' players and 'their' coaches so should be no excuses anymore. If the team bombs its on them. Sure they will get another year to fix it - they are afterall allready under contract, but i dont think you will see any extensions from the FO. IMO Bob will give em one more year for the staff to fix it or be gone. Honestly If we dont get in the playoffs some where over the next 2 years I cant see anyone making it past the cut - that includes Sherman and anyone else on staff. IMO the whole staff should be flushed again if the team cant compete for the playoffs within the next 2 years.

Sure it might be high expectations, but this is not a new team anymore - after next year the team will have had 7 seasons of drafting and scouting. I honestly cant name another coach on any team in the league who would get a free pass for another year after not making it to the playoffs 3 years in a row.

Honestly I couldnt blame Bob for what he does after Capers & Cass. IMO I dont think 'Big Shot' Bob is going to stand and wait 4 more years for us to get into the playoff mix - something has to give. I think its the staff eso after how Casserley handled things when he was going out the door last year.

[awtysst]

Originally Posted by U4ikrob

My 2 bits is the team does average this year - Players and coaches will all still be getting used to each other - IMO alot of our record will depend on how well we can dodge the injury bug to our starters. We obviously didnt do to well in that regard last year. From where I sit our depth is still pretty thin at more than a few spots [WR, OT, DB, Safety] IF we manage to get to mid season unscathed I think we have a good shot at getting over .500 this year and maybe making some noise.

But

Not trying to bring doom and gloom - But I have some doubts too - IMO this is really a pivotal year for Kubes, Sherman & Co. If the team comes out flat and stinks it up - Alot of the blame will be on the staff as they got 'their' players and 'their' coaches so should be no excuses anymore. If the team bombs its on them. Sure they will get another year to fix it - they are afterall allready under contract, but i dont think you will see any extensions from the FO. IMO Bob will give em one more year for the staff to fix it or be gone. Honestly If we dont get in the playoffs some where over the next 2 years I cant see anyone making it past the cut - that includes Sherman and anyone else on staff. IMO the whole staff should be flushed again if the team cant compete for the playoffs within the next 2 years.

Sure it might be high expectations, but this is not a new team anymore - after next year the team will have had 7 seasons of drafting and scouting. I honestly cant name another coach on any team in the league who would get a free pass for another year after not making it to the playoffs 3 years in a row.

Honestly I couldnt blame Bob for what he does after Capers & Cass. IMO I dont think 'Big Shot' Bob is going to stand and wait 4 more years for us to get into the playoff mix - something has to give. I think its the staff eso after how Casserley handled things when he was going out the door last year.

I got to disagree with you as I don't think this is a make it or break it year. Capers got more time and I think that Bob will give Kubes time to get his team together. I think we have improved drastically(player wise) from the end of the Caper regime, and the way to improve certain areas is to get better at others. For example, putting pressure on the opponents QB helps your DBs. Having a strong running game, helps the QB, Having a good blocking RB helps the Oline. I am not sure where we end up, but I think it will be a real fun season.

[Specnatz]

Must you forget Smith has only been on the Job for a little less than a year. So I think having your finger on the ejection seat, is very premature right now.

Why would he have his finger on the trigger after one year of improvement and a great draft ?


The only panic is in the minds of a select few. Kubiak and Smith really haven't done anything except improve our team.