ESPN - Scouts Inc- Rankings (QB, RB, WR, etc.)

[JWarren14]

Here were the top TEs last year in terms of production:



Pretty good standings last year, I only expect improvement this year with a good running game our passing game should open up a little more and OD can use his speed to get open downfield.

[Lucky]

Originally Posted by HOU-TEX

So, long story short, if we need a 3rd and long...........OD's THE MAN!

Daniels is a very reliable target, as the target completion % suggests. In '07, he ranked only below Dallas' Jason Witten in target completion % among TEs with 5+ targets/game.

1. Jason Witten 8.8 targets/game 68.1%
2. Owen Daniels 5.9 targets/game 67.0%
3. Tony Gonzalez 9.6 targets/game 64.3%
4. Jeremy Shockey 5.8 targets/game 61.3%
5. Vernon Davis 5.3 argets/game 61.2%

Daniels has the highest yards/reception among the top 5 at 12.2, as well. Many fans question who the Texans #2 WR will be. Well, Daniels is actually the #2 receiver.

[JWarren14]

OL Today Texans @ #19:

"This notoriously awful offensive line is showing signs of moving toward respectability. The hiring of line guru Alex Gibbs should get more out of this line than anyone dreamt in recent seasons -- particularly its run blocking. The Texans might have reached a bit in using a first-round selection on Duane Brown. Brown might take time to reach his potential, but his athletic ability can't be questioned. His acclimation to the NFL will have a lot to do with how effective this line is in 2008. Ephraim Salaam is the incumbent at left tackle, but his protection skills are suspect. Eric Winston doesn't get a lot of publicity, but he is a good right tackle and should only get better with time and Gibbs' tutelage. Houston traded for Chris Myers from Denver -- a logical trading partner, considering the similarities in schemes -- and he will start at center. LG Chester Pitts is adequate and moves well with a solid combination of size and agility. Charles Spencer is a wild card in this mix. Once looked upon as the left tackle of the future, Spencer now could add a real presence to the group of guards if he finally recovers from a career-threatening knee injury. Depth here is better than in recent memory, which doesn't say much, but there are some young, unheralded interior linemen who are pushing for playing time. This group did a fine job in pass protection last season but really struggled to open holes in the running game. Expect the run blocking to catch up in 2008 with Gibbs in charge. Whoever is toting the rock for Houston will reap the benefits."

Others in order: Clev, Dal, Minn, NE, Indy, SD, NYG, GB, NO, Phil, Jax, Tampa, NYJ, Cincy, Ari, Den, Tenn, Mia, Hou, Car, Buff, StL, Wash, Pitt, Ravens, Sea, Chi, SF, Oak, Det, Atl, KC

Top 10 after this season, at least. Our first home game should be fun getting after whoever the ravens qb turns out to be. Is anyone else tired of Favre, I am getting tired of him...go back to Mississippi and "live in a van down by the RIVER!"

[GuerillaBlack]

Sucks that they didn't even acknowledge that we cut our sacks in half last season.

[b0ng]

Originally Posted by GuerillaBlack

Sucks that they didn't even acknowledge that we cut our sacks in half last season.

Originally Posted by ESPN

This group did a fine job in pass protection last season but really struggled to open holes in the running game.

Really says it all I think.

[edo783]

Originally Posted by GuerillaBlack

Sucks that they didn't even acknowledge that we cut our sacks in half last season.

Now THAT sounds painful. Kidding aside, I doubt we do as well this year. IIRC, most ZBS teams give up more sacks than the power teams. I think that is supposed to be due to the lighter lineman. They get pushed around easier. Hopefully we can keep it in the mid 20s or at least under 30. I think that is about league average.

[GuerillaBlack]

Under 30 is fine. Preferably 0.

[GuerillaBlack]

Originally Posted by b0ng

Really says it all I think.

Thanks. Somehow, I missed that.

[ChampionTexan]

Originally Posted by edo783

Now THAT sounds painful. Kidding aside, I doubt we do as well this year. IIRC, most ZBS teams give up more sacks than the power teams. I think that is supposed to be due to the lighter lineman. They get pushed around easier. Hopefully we can keep it in the mid 20s or at least under 30. I think that is about league average.

Your comment got me thinking about how the ZBS performs from a "Sacks Allowed" standpoint, so I went back and looked at the Bronco's during Gibbs second tenure there (1995 - 2003). Granted, this may not be representative of the ZBS system league-wide, but it's clearly where the bulk of Gibbs time has been spent. I was pretty interested in the numbers.

During his first six years, they ranged anywhere from 4th to 11th in the league, allowing anywhere from 25 to 35 sacks (30.2/yr. avg. for the period). During years 7 & 8, they dropped to 20th and 27th in the league, and gave up 42 and 46 sacks respectively. The interesting thing about this is that after year 6, Gibbs essentially became a part-time coach due to some health and/or burnout issues. He coached on Game day, reviewed film on Monday, and helped develop the game plan on Tuesdays. Wed - Saturday he went to a place in Phoenix that he bought to avoid the temptation of "Just dropping by" practice. I guess he was pretty serious about cutting back his schedule. The ninth and final season Gibbs was in Denver (2003) they were back down to 6th in the league giving up 25 sacks.

Just found it interesting, and thought I'd pass it on.

[eriadoc]

Originally Posted by Lucky

Daniels is a very reliable target, as the target completion % suggests. In '07, he ranked only below Dallas' Jason Witten in target completion % among TEs with 5+ targets/game.



Daniels has the highest yards/reception among the top 5 at 12.2, as well. Many fans question who the Texans #2 WR will be. Well, Daniels is actually the #2 receiver.

Funny you should mention that .....

Originally Posted by eriadoc on 4-25-07

OK, so we don't have a guy at the #2 spot that most would feel comfortable going into the season with. KW, Davis, and Mathis all = a big ?, to be sure. Consider this, though:

KC for more than a few years had Tony Gonzales as their #1 receiver, with Kennison putting up 2nd-best numbers (well, or Priest), who is nowhere near as talented as AJ.

Antonio Gates has been the Chargers' leading receiver for a couple years now. They have McCardell, who is good, but a little long in the tooth and certainly not as talented as AJ.

Until Mason arrived, Todd Heap was the Ravens' go-to guy, with an assortment of journeymen receivers.

The Patriots have gotten major production from their TE position, with Branch and a host of other WRs, albeit the TE position was by committee.

The Falcons have Crumpler and no one.

Anyway, you get the idea. Those teams all have TEs that they rely on to be their #1 receiver. We don't really have that need, since we have AJ, but how about letting OD be the one that takes the pressure off AJ? How about letting him run patterns up the seams, in the middle, and in the flats? I think an AJ-OD combo would be effective and allow KW and Mathis time to adjust and see what they can bring to the team. Thoughts?

Link, in case anyone wants to reminisce.

OD led the team in receptions, right? He only has one number to improve on, and that's fumbles (or timeliness thereof), although some have just been bad calls and bad luck.

[JWarren14]

DL today Texans @ #15:

"The Texans have had one of the worst defensive lines in the league for years but finally are making huge strides along the defensive front. Third-year DE Mario Williams is turning into the player Houston envisioned when making him the No. 1 overall pick in 2006, showing the athleticism and speed to pressure the pocket as well as the size and strength to run effectively. Defensive tackle Amobi Okoye was a first-round pick last year, and at just 21 years old, he will be younger in his second year in the league than most incoming rookies. Okoye is improving rapidly for such a young player, and 2005 first-rounder Travis Johnson had his best year to date in 2007. Fellow DE Anthony Weaver rounds out the group and is more of a run-stopper than a pass-rusher."

In order: Min, NYG, NE, Balt, Tenn, Dal, Pitt, SD, GB, Jax, Phil, Wash, Clev, Indy, HOU, Ari, Sea, Chi, Tam, Car, NO, Buff, Mia, Cincy, KC, StL, Oak, Det, NYJ, Atl, SF, Den

I was expecting us to be in the top 10, but heh what do I know or maybe a better question...what does ESPN & Scouts Inc know? I think the addition to Colvin will help the pass rush as blockers will have to account for him. On the DL, Mario is, well, good and Amobi should be improved TJ had a good season and if Okam can come in and keep him fresh TJ should improve even more. Weaver wasnt healthy at the beginning of last season and never seemed to be able to catch up, but I expect err..hope for him to earn his paycheck this year. I think this has the makings of a really really solid DL.

Also, not sure if this is posted, but I found this tidbit on Slaton (move it to another thread if you want) it talks about his decline at WVU, I hope it doesn't translate to an unflattering rookie season (http://www.sundaymorningqb.com/story.../28/8344/06032)

Is it time for TC yet....

[barrett]

15. another middle of the pack ranking.

QB - 13
RB - 28
WR - 13
TE - 11
OL - 19
DL - 15


Let's pretend that ESPN is god and these ranking are accurate and this is how we end up. Let's pretend that the teams with the best rankings win the most football games and therefore get into the playoffs... with that said, do we make the playoffs in the AFC South?

I'm going with the assumption that the AFC South is once again sending 3 teams to the playoffs. If somebody wants to add it up for the rest of the AFC teams be my guest but I'm assuming we send 3.


IND
QB - 02
RB - 08
WR - 05
TE - 06
OL - 05
DL - 14

40

JAX
QB - 08
RB - 03
WR - 20
TE - 12
OL - 11
DL - 10

64

TAX
QB - 17
RB - 15
WR - 28
TE - 07
OL - 17
DL - 05

89

HOU
QB - 13
RB - 28
WR - 13
TE - 11
OL - 19
DL - 15

99

If ESPN is god then we miss the playoffs again this year.

If ESPN is wrong by 10 places overall then we make the playoffs this year.

... is it training camp yet?

[Ole Miss Texan]

I can see how espn can rank positions basing it on the players on each team. What it doesn't do (which i don't think they are even trying to do) is rank how each will perform. Both are quite subjective but take into account different things. I think it's important for us to realize this isn't predicting we'll have the xth best position... but that is what it is going into the season.

For example, I think talent-wise our RB's are somewhere in the 20's but I think STATS-wise we will be top half of the league.

I think our DL may jump from 15 this year to top 5 next year from pure talent standpoint.

[The Pencil Neck]

Originally Posted by barrett

If ESPN is god then we miss the playoffs again this year.

If ESPN is wrong by 10 places overall then we make the playoffs this year.

... is it training camp yet?

If ESPN and its experts were Gods, they'd be able to predict winners & losers a helluva lot better than they do during the year. Lots of fans consistently pick winners better than their experts.

So... these rankings aren't worth the bytes they're written in.

[gtexan02]

The funny thing about the offseason is that for no good reason, a top 5 team on paper will become a bottom dweller.

And some no name team everyone counted out will emerge as a force.

Players everyone expects probowl years from will embarass themselves, while no names will put up HOF numbers.

Yet year after year we all make the predictionos because theres nothing else to do in the summer And if it was really easy and predictable, it certainly wouldn't be nearly as much fun

I love reading the ratings but realize they are pretty much worthless. Its all we've got to go on, but I bet we'll outperform.

[JWarren14]

Originally Posted by gtexan02

Yet year after year we all make the predictionos because theres nothing else to do in the summer And if it was really easy and predictable, it certainly wouldn't be nearly as much fun

I love reading the ratings but realize they are pretty much worthless. Its all we've got to go on, but I bet we'll outperform.

Agreed, just posting these to spark discussion, LBs today probably middle of the pack again

[JWarren14]

LBs Texans @ 26:

DeMeco Ryans is a cornerstone player for the Texans' defense and quickly has proved to be one of the most productive linebackers in the league. He is always around the football and diagnoses plays like a veteran. He is an exceptional wrap-up tackler who consistently takes the shortest path to the ball carrier. He obviously is a student of the game and should only improve with the years. He also showed great toughness by finishing the last few games of the 2007 season with a torn PCL in his knee. On the outside, Morlon Greenwood has four consecutive seasons with 100 or more tackles. He isn't a game changer, but his consistency is valued on this defense. Kevin Bentley was brought in to compete for an outside spot and presently is the front-runner to start, but is better suited for a backup role. The Texans also signed Chaun Thompson to compete on the outside. He never has lived up to his early second-round draft status, but he runs well, can play a physical game and can provide a blitz threat off the edge. Although he remains inconsistent, he could provide a spark in sub packages or off the bench in a rotation. Thompson's skills complement Bentley's range and coverage abilities. Rookie Xavier Adibi eventually could push for time as well while making his bones early as a special teams player.

In order: Dal, SD, NE, Chi, Sea, Car, Jax, TB, Balt, GB, Atl, Pitt, Philly, Indy, Buff, NYJ, Ari, Clev, Oak, Tenn, Minn, KC, NYG, Cincy, Wash, HOU, NO, Den, SF, Det, Mia, StL

I think this is the worst one yet, no mention of Colvin or Diles and Cincy above us is baffling to say the least. Oh well, I like being underestimated.

[GuerillaBlack]

The LB ranking is total crap. We should be at least #20. We are better than Buff, Ari, Clev, and Cincy, just to name a few.

[JWarren14]

DB today they put us at #31

"The Texans hope to be healthy this year after a multitude of injuries in 2007. The biggest injury occurred when CB Dunta Robinson, their best overall defensive back, tore his ACL and hamstring. If they can get Robinson back he will give the entire group a boost with his playmaking skills and ability to match up with the opponent's best receivers. The addition of Jacque Reeves in free agency should solidify the right corner spot as Reeves has good upside with his speed and should only get better with improved technique. Will Demps joined the team last season after being released by the Giants and still ended up starting the final seven games at free safety. Demps and SS C.C. Brown have good instincts but lack ideal top-end speed in deep-zone coverage."

In order: Dal, Oak, Phily, Indy, SD, Sea, balt, Car, Den, GB, Tampa, Wash, Jax, Pitt, Chi, NYG, Minn, Tenn, NE, Det, Ariz, SF, Mia, StL, KC, NYJ, Buff, Cincy, NO, Clev, HOU, Atl

No mention of Fred Bennett or Molden...FAIL

[The Pencil Neck]

I think our DB's are going to play better this year. Even with Dunta missing at least the first part of the season. So, I think we're going to end up much better than 31st.

But... until we see it on the field, there's really no evidence of that so I'm not going to get really ticked about that rating. I mean, we didn't have a good year last year.