Jim Johnson

[Marcus]

Interesting comment about Jim Johnson during the Vikings - Eagles game.

Asked what it was that allowed him to do the things that he does with his defense.

"It's my safeties."

I guess that means that whoever you hire as a DC, you'd better get him the players to carry out the scheme. With players like Brian Dawkins, I can see why he can be that aggressive.

[DiehardChris]

After seeing what Ed Reed did to the Dolphins today... man.

[Silver Oak]

Taylor Mays anyone?

[GP]

I've never bought the idea that a defensive backfield can't to do anything if the front four doesn't put pressure on the QB.

While it's true that an average secondary can be masked by a great pass rush, the defensive backs are still on an island a lot, with no real help if the WR gets some space.

It takes exceptional talent and skill from your DBs to pull it all together. The Eagles and the Ravens are in the playoffs a lot. I wonder why. Maybe it's defense. And that's why the Richard Smith experiment is so curious to me. That the HC and the FO thought they could make it work with Richard Smith is so far beyond my limited knowledge of football.

Sometimes we can get too cute. Give me a NY strip over a puny gourmet meal any deal. Give me a lifted 1984 GMC Sierra Classic over the stuff being cranked out today.

Jim Johnson just goes out there and bulldozes his way through offenses. There's a time for faking blitz and dropping back in shallow zone. And there's a time to bring the house. Jim Johnson knows how to make that distinction. RS not so much.

[J-Russ]

Originally Posted by Silver Oak

Taylor Mays anyone?

I think that bandwagon is starting to gain some steam, 'specially after what we've seen from TayMays from the Rose Bowl and what we seen the top 2 safety in the NFL did to the opposing teams today.

I'm all for drafting Mays in the 1st, but we can probably also grab Willie Moore in the 2nd, with his draft stock falling because of his recent plays and being overweight(both dude to injuries). Either way, I won't be complaining from getting a safety earlier in the top 2 rounds.

[Wolf]

I am still in the boat of another pass rusher, because of what the giants did to the patriots last year

[Marcus]

Originally Posted by Silver Oak

Taylor Mays anyone?

The only way we get Taylor Mays is if we trade up. He'll go as high as Sean Taylor did. Definately won't be there at 15.

[Nawzer]

I mentioned in another thread that the Texans should pursue Quintin Mikell of the Eagles. He's a great safety that's relatively unknown but I remember Jim Johnson saying that he is probably the most important player on their defense.

[awtysst]

Originally Posted by Nawzer

I mentioned in another thread that the Texans should pursue Quintin Mikell of the Eagles. He's a great safety that's relatively unknown but I remember Jim Johnson saying that he is probably the most important player on their defense.

lets get Mikell and McDermott!

[TexansSeminole]

I still don't understand the Mays comparisons with either Ed Reed or Sean Taylor. Both Ed Reed and Sean Taylor are/were great coverage and hitters in college and the pros. I haven't seen a whole lot of great coverage from Mays in his career at USC. Sure the guy can hit but what makes those two great safeties are their ability to hit and cover. Has alot to do with anticipating throws.

I actually don't think Mays will be a top 10 pick at all.

[RipTraxx]

Originally Posted by TexansSeminole

I still don't understand the Mays comparisons with either Ed Reed or Sean Taylor. Both Ed Reed and Sean Taylor are/were great coverage and hitters in college and the pros. I haven't seen a whole lot of great coverage from Mays in his career at USC. Sure the guy can hit but what makes those two great safeties are their ability to hit and cover. Has alot to do with anticipating throws.

I actually don't think Mays will be a top 10 pick at all.

My bet he crushes it in the combine, putting him back in the top 10.

Otherwise i say if he's at 15 grab him.

[Big Lou]

Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding!!!!!!!!!!


Survey Says: SAFETY!!!!!!!!


We need a big time ball hawking safety!!!!!!


Please. please, please, pretty please!!!!!!!

[TexansFanatic]

Originally Posted by Marcus

The only way we get Taylor Mays is if we trade up. He'll go as high as Shaun Taylor did. Definately won't be there at 15.

Exactly right. I don't see Smith trading up. We're still more than one player away from having a great team so we don't have the luxury of trading up.

[jgl35]

Originally Posted by Nawzer

I mentioned in another thread that the Texans should pursue Quintin Mikell of the Eagles. He's a great safety that's relatively unknown but I remember Jim Johnson saying that he is probably the most important player on their defense.

Mikell signed a three year deal with the Eagles at the start of this season. He was an UFR but didn't look to go anywhere else. He was signed as an undrafted rookie fron Boise State in 03 by the Eagles.

This is some backround on McDermott. He played safety a William and Mary 1994-97. Coached in 98 at William and Mary and was hired by Ray Rhoads in 98. Reid kept him on when he became head coach the following year.

As DB coach McDermott is highly skilled at developing undrafted players into starters. Milkell, Rod Hood with the Cards, and Clinton Hart with San Diego were all undrafted when they came to Philly. Al Harris of Green Bay was cut by Tampa before coming to Philly.

[Goldensilence]

Originally Posted by TexansSeminole

I still don't understand the Mays comparisons with either Ed Reed or Sean Taylor. Both Ed Reed and Sean Taylor are/were great coverage and hitters in college and the pros. I haven't seen a whole lot of great coverage from Mays in his career at USC. Sure the guy can hit but what makes those two great safeties are their ability to hit and cover. Has alot to do with anticipating throws.

I actually don't think Mays will be a top 10 pick at all.

Well said. I don't think Mays will be a top 10 pick and he'll be there if we chose to go that route. He did make some highlight reel hits but, like you, I'm more concerned about the ability to cover. If we are pursuing McDermott then Moore or Mays could be legit targets with our first. Otherwise I'm not so sure.

[hot pickle]

william moore is big and is a ball hawk... get him the right coaching and get him to lose-10-15 pounds and he could be a ed reed type player

[Malloy]

Originally Posted by Marcus

I guess that means that whoever you hire as a DC, you'd better get him the players to carry out the scheme. With players like Brian Dawkins, I can see why he can be that aggressive.

Dawkins remind me so much of Dunta... perhaps we should get him back at safety

[Nawzer]

Originally Posted by jgl35

Mikell signed a three year deal with the Eagles at the start of this season. He was an UFR but didn't look to go anywhere else. He was signed as an undrafted rookie fron Boise State in 03 by the Eagles.

This is some backround on McDermott. He played safety a William and Mary 1994-97. Coached in 98 at William and Mary and was hired by Ray Rhoads in 98. Reid kept him on when he became head coach the following year.

As DB coach McDermott is highly skilled at developing undrafted players into starters. Milkell, Rod Hood with the Cards, and Clinton Hart with San Diego were all undrafted when they came to Philly. Al Harris of Green Bay was cut by Tampa before coming to Philly.

I see. Thanks for the info. I guess Mikell won't be a Texan anytime soon. It would've been nice though. Taylor Mays is a vicious hitter but I don't really know much else about him. Can he cover the likes of Reggie Wayne, Anthony Gonzales, Wes Welker, Ocho Cinco Johnson, and others, when our corners get beat? I would like to see him in a texans uniform but I also know that if we improve our pass rush significantly, our secondary will automatically look better.

[Texan in Japan]

From what I've read Mays was used as the deep prevent coverage by USC...they intentionally kept him deep to keep from being burnt on long plays. Carroll had said this in an article a while back...scouts should be able to discern is coverage skills in drills and looking at film where he had coverage responsibility.

[The1ApplePie]

It would take just as much work to make our defense "Jim Johnson Style" as it would to turn it into a 3-4

You need:

Two great safeties
A deep stable of athletic pass rushers
Dominant and big DTs
CBs that can play on a island