We haven't been running the ball well

[thunderkyss]

This is our first possesion of the second Qtr. We haven't got a run game to speak of. Mainly because the Titans are overcompensating for the run. Just like the Jets did all game last week.

On the very first play from scrimmage, we run a play action play. No bootleg, nothing fancy, just a simple fake hand off to Slaton.

Andre is wide open, catches the ball for a touchdown.

I give the coaches props for recognizing this, and calling the play. This will open up our run game.

I also give them & Schaub props for getting AJ involved early. He ain't ever covered. He's always open. We just have to get better at putting the ball where only he can get it.

AJ dropped some balls, I'm not saying he didn't. But we shouldn't stop trying to get him the ball. He is our offense. Period.

[GP]

LOL at the title you put on this thread.

TK, you crazy.

[Carr Bombed]

There's about 15 reasons why.....and most of them start with extra "lbs"

The other is our offensive line and our coach not letting the best back (so far on this season) run the ball.

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by Carr Bombed

There's about 15 reasons why.....and most of them start with extra "lbs"

The other is our offensive line and our coach not letting the best back (so far on this season) run the ball.

I know what the title says, but the thread really isn't about running the ball. It's about the success we had on that TD play to Andre off the play action, even though we aren't running the ball well.

That was the excuse Kubiak used for not using the play action last week against the Jets.

I'm just pointing out how Kubiak needs to think about what's happening in a game, to make decisions about what we will be doing.

The Jets loaded up against the run, leaving the middle of the field open.

As a matter of fact, the Jets did to us, what I'm saying we should have done to them. They took advantage of us playing run first & playing the run aggressively, and we didn't.

[Mr teX]

Originally Posted by thunderkyss

I know what the title says, but the thread really isn't about running the ball. It's about the success we had on that TD play to Andre off the play action, even though we aren't running the ball well.

That was the excuse Kubiak used for not using the play action last week against the Jets.

I'm just pointing out how Kubiak needs to think about what's happening in a game, to make decisions about what we will be doing.

The Jets loaded up against the run, leaving the middle of the field open.

As a matter of fact, the Jets did to us, what I'm saying we should have done to them. They took advantage of us playing run first & playing the run aggressively, and we didn't.

The jets shut down the Pats today...something tells me us getting our asses handed to us by them wasn't a fluke. Ryan's got them playing outstanding defense.

[hradhak]

Originally Posted by Mr teX

The jets shut down the Pats today...something tells me us getting our asses handed to us by them wasn't a fluke. Ryan's got them playing outstanding defense.

Agree. But 60 yards rushing wasn't so great either. Not to mention that Slaton seems to be fumbling a lot (although we recovered them all). But I guess in the end it doesn't matter if we can get 400+ yards through the air.

[Ryan]

Slaton is worrying me. He looks sluggish and completely unexplosive. The running game will naturally get better as the year progresses, but we have played two incredible run defenses so I will hold my judgement for a little bit longer. I never thought that Slaton's weight gain would benefit him.

[Mr teX]

yeah, but you've got to take into account how many are in the box & the fact that we've played 2 of the top run defenses in the league so far this year. The titans were very cognizant of how well slaton had been running the ball on them, so they set out to stop it...luckily, we've got a great passing game to compliment him & we made them pay. I suspect next week they'll be more room to run for him after Schaub & AJ's performance today.

[Lucky]

The Jets and the Titans will likely finish the year as two of the premier run stuffing defenses in the NFL. They stop the run, first and foremost. So, you just have to beat them through the air. That's what the Texans did, this week.

I don't believe we have seen the demise of the Texans running game. But, this is a better passing team. That should have been clear. Now it's obvious. Props to Matt Schaub for the greatest quarterbacking performance in team history.

[kiwitexansfan]

Originally Posted by Lucky

Props to Matt Schaub for the greatest quarterbacking performance in team history.

Somewhere David Carr's ears a burning....

[gafftop]

This happened to Slaton in college also. Great as a freshman then faded away. Played great last year but was HIGHLY motivated. Hope he hasn't lost his desire or a miscalculations by coaches if they told him to gain weight.
Plus these 1st two games have been against good D. Fumbling is NOT GOOD.

[TimeKiller]

To the thread title, no we sure haven't.

With how Matt Schaub was flinging the ball around I think it's clear that running the ball was NOT the focus of this game. Even as a secondary option though it seems like the lineman who famously spent all 16 games together* aren't on the same page. I don't see holes for Slaton to burst through but what I do see is Chris Brown taking 6'3'' and 240 and jamming it down a few throats anyway. Slaton may be seeing a little of the doghouse if he keeps up the fumbling problem though, if you put on 10 muscle pounds you should have a better grip right? The only time I've seen Slaton with room to be Slaton is on screen passes. Right now I'd like to see Brown playing more and letting Slaton be a complimentary back while the OL takes it sweet time getting their blocking together.

I don't even know who we play next week, how sad is that? I'm sure though at some point the D is going to be a little less fearsome than the astonishing Jet D and the well, "Dirty D of Tennessee"....as I term it...

*Jinx. I hope Chester is alright but that didn't look pretty.

[Dan B.]

I think we basically need to reverse the strategy we have been following. Rather than starting off by running and then spreading out with PA passes or screens, start out spreading the ball around and then tear them up inside the box.

[JCTexan]

Originally Posted by TimeKiller

To the thread title, no we sure haven't.

With how Matt Schaub was flinging the ball around I think it's clear that running the ball was NOT the focus of this game. Even as a secondary option though it seems like the lineman who famously spent all 16 games together* aren't on the same page. I don't see holes for Slaton to burst through but what I do see is Chris Brown taking 6'3'' and 240 and jamming it down a few throats anyway. Slaton may be seeing a little of the doghouse if he keeps up the fumbling problem though, if you put on 10 muscle pounds you should have a better grip right? The only time I've seen Slaton with room to be Slaton is on screen passes. Right now I'd like to see Brown playing more and letting Slaton be a complimentary back while the OL takes it sweet time getting their blocking together.

I don't even know who we play next week, how sad is that? I'm sure though at some point the D is going to be a little less fearsome than the astonishing Jet D and the well, "Dirty D of Tennessee"....as I term it...

*Jinx. I hope Chester is alright but that didn't look pretty.

Jacksonville

[C Madd]

Originally Posted by TimeKiller

To the thread title, no we sure haven't.

With how Matt Schaub was flinging the ball around I think it's clear that running the ball was NOT the focus of this game. Even as a secondary option though it seems like the lineman who famously spent all 16 games together* aren't on the same page. I don't see holes for Slaton to burst through but what I do see is Chris Brown taking 6'3'' and 240 and jamming it down a few throats anyway. Slaton may be seeing a little of the doghouse if he keeps up the fumbling problem though, if you put on 10 muscle pounds you should have a better grip right? The only time I've seen Slaton with room to be Slaton is on screen passes. Right now I'd like to see Brown playing more and letting Slaton be a complimentary back while the OL takes it sweet time getting their blocking together.

I don't even know who we play next week, how sad is that? I'm sure though at some point the D is going to be a little less fearsome than the astonishing Jet D and the well, "Dirty D of Tennessee"....as I term it...

*Jinx. I hope Chester is alright but that didn't look pretty.

I was about to make a similar post about Slaton and Chris Brown. Slaton's had 3 fumbles (only 1 lost, but still) in 2 games. Granted, it doesn't seem like he has any place to run when he does get the ball, he's not looking very explosive. Meanwhile, Chris Brown seems to be hitting the hole hard and working hard for his yards. I'd like to see Brown used more, especially if Slaton keeps having trouble gaining yards and holding on to the ball.

[Spled]

The Titans stack so much against the run that they are a sucker for the play action.

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by Spled

The Titans stack so much against the run that they are a sucker for the play action.

And that's my point. The Jets were very aggressive, with a stop the run first defense, yet we took the PA out of the game plan, because we couldn't run the ball.

At least that's what Kubiak said, and it worked perfect today, even though we "couldn't run the ball"

I think he was covering up for being overly cautious about Cotton's ankle.

The Jets & the Titans came out thinking we were a run team. We need to use that to our advantage.

[Mr teX]

Originally Posted by thunderkyss

And that's my point. The Jets were very aggressive, with a stop the run first defense, yet we took the PA out of the game plan, because we couldn't run the ball.

At least that's what Kubiak said, and it worked perfect today, even though we "couldn't run the ball"

I think he was covering up for being overly cautious about Cotton's ankle.

The Jets & the Titans came out thinking we were a run team. We need to use that to our advantage.

what good is the play-action if you can't run the ball or protect the Qb? Sure there might've been an attempt to cover up about schaub's ankle, but one stark contrast from the 1st game to this one was that Schaub actually had time to set up and look down field. In the Jets game, they were in his face from the snap of the ball.

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by Mr teX

what good is the play-action if you can't run the ball or protect the Qb? Sure there might've been an attempt to cover up about schaub's ankle, but one stark contrast from the 1st game to this one was that Schaub actually had time to set up and look down field. In the Jets game, they were in his face from the snap of the ball.

You ever hear when a guy fakes a cough, and says Bull$hit under it?

Imagine I'm doing that right now.

Cotton got smacked around as much this game, than he did against the Jets. AAMOF, I would bet he got knocked down more today, than he did last Sunday.

Try to understand what I'm saying. We did not establish a run game today. But the play action was there all day long, because Tennessee was keyed on stopping us from running the ball. They did not want Slaton to get started.

Same thing against the Jets. The play action would have worked, because their gameplan was to stop the run. Play action brings the safeties & LBs in, Puts our WRs one-on-one. & in this league, with these rules. that's an advantage for us. Then when you consider AJ is on our team, that's two for us.

We shut the Jets run game down for 3 qtrs. They were able to play action us for the same reason. We were keyed on the run.

I guarantee Jacksonville will be expecting us to pass the ball more. They're going to dare us to run, and Steve Slaton will be everybodies favorite Texan again.

[DocBar]

I think the biggest difference today was Fat Albert playing for Washington. We don't do well at all against big, mean DT's. Jenkins was the biggest reason for us not being able to take advantage of the Jets loading up against the run. He was a monster and we had Little Red Riding Hood at Center and some other fairy tale sissy at LG.