Adjustments

[RagingBull]

I have to give it to the new coaches...Bill Kollar, Little Gibbs, and Frank Bush have kept trying new things until it seems they have stumbled on a combination that works. This is only the second week that the current secondary has played together, and they totally switched up the D-line today and ran 3 ends and 1 tackle most of the game. When RS was at the helm, they just kept doing the same things that didn't work.

[barrett]

Kubiak keeps talking about going with this smaller DLine and complimenting Kollar. Talking about using athletic guys in the middle. Stuff we've heard for some time from this team but Kubiak seems to think that's one of the reasons for the improvement.

They are only suiting 3 DT's.

[RagingBull]

I imagine that they would rather use regular DT's, but all of our DT's suck. When Zgonina is the best DT we have, that says there is a problem. Nevertheless, I give them credit for finding a way to make what they have work.

[SAMURAITEXAN]

Last 2 games well, 1 1/2 games, seems to me like our D improved so much. Combine of better Dline against run with help from LB and nice coverage of DBs make us look very legit NFL D. Our D starting to jell IMO.

Don't you guys think after getting back Reeves and addition of Pollard making our D much better? edit Forgot about GQ!!! LoL edit

Can someone analyze why our D seems to be improved so much?

Go Texans!!!

[barrett]

Gaps.

Tackling.

[dalemurphy]

Originally Posted by barrett

Gaps.

Tackling.

elaboration:

experience in the system + Pollard, Reeves, Quin
.................................................. ...............................................
and most importantly.... NO FRED BENNETT!

[eriadoc]

Fire the coaches!!!



/sarcasm

[davemundy]

Originally Posted by RagingBull

I have to give it to the new coaches...Bill Kollar, Little Gibbs, and Frank Bush have kept trying new things until it seems they have stumbled on a combination that works. This is only the second week that the current secondary has played together, and they totally switched up the D-line today and ran 3 ends and 1 tackle most of the game. When RS was at the helm, they just kept doing the same things that didn't work.

It wouldnt surprise me to see them start sneaking in some 3-4 sets. We've got the depth and talent at LB to do that, and it would certainly confuse folks. The way Cushing and Ryans are playing right nowm inagine what that would do for the Texan blitz.

[DexmanC]

Originally Posted by davemundy

It wouldnt surprise me to see them start sneaking in some 3-4 sets. We've got the depth and talent at LB to do that, and it would certainly confuse folks. The way Cushing and Ryans are playing right now imagine what that would do for the Texan blitz.

In the preseason, Barwin got a sack off a 3-4 Texans blitz. He was lined up
at ROLB, and Cody stunted leaving Connor clean for that sack.

I remember like it was yesterday. I just have trouble remembering the team
he got it against. I talked about it when it happened, so it should be in the archives.

Oh, yeah. Speaking of adjustments. Did you hear Cushing talk about his
game-clinching INT? He got beat on that same route earlier in the game,
and assumed Carson would go back to it in his desperation. He jumped the
route by reading Palmer's eyes.

In all the pre-draft talk about this kid, all I heard was about how his hips
were to "stiff" to play in pass coverage. I also remember him saying, after
he was drafted, that he was looking for an opportunity to "loosen these
hips."

Amazing draft. Even more amazing that Frank Bush seems to be the creative,
motivating, instructor of defense these kids need. They truly are playing
more "upfield," "violent," and "fast."

[DocBar]

I think the biggest difference is in-game adjustments. We've given up large chunks of real estate to start games, but then seem to figure out how to stop it. Kind of a bad scouting, good halftime adjustment thing going on. Couple our in-game adjustments with improved personnel and personnel combinations and we have a much improved D. We've been just late on some sacks and INT's, but we're getting better in both areas. We still give up too much cushion and leave areas of the field too open. I don't know how much of that is missed assignments, the O figuring out our D, or just dumb luck.

[GP]

Originally Posted by SAMURAITEXAN

Last 2 games well, 1 1/2 games, seems to me like our D improved so much. Combine of better Dline against run with help from LB and nice coverage of DBs make us look very legit NFL D. Our D starting to jell IMO.

Don't you guys think after getting back Reeves and addition of Pollard making our D much better? edit Forgot about GQ!!! LoL edit

Can someone analyze why our D seems to be improved so much?

Go Texans!!!

We haven't faced a tough team who runs the ball well for the past three games. Cards, Raiders, and Cincy have mediocre running backs and equally mediocre run blocking offensive lines.

A big, physical o-line and a good running back can bring our defense back down to earth pretty fast, IMO.

We should be OK these next two games.

[DocBar]

Originally Posted by GP

We haven't faced a tough team who runs the ball well for the past three games. Cards, Raiders, and Cincy have mediocre running backs and equally mediocre run blocking offensive lines.

A big, physical o-line and a good running back can bring our defense back down to earth pretty fast, IMO.

We should be OK these next two games.

Benson WAS the NFL's leading rusher til he met the Texans. I would think that qualifies as both a good RB and OL. BTW, the Texans D leads the NFL in 3 & outs. IMHO, we may have seen the last of the missed assignments and poor tackling. The D has been much better at both. Bush seems to have figured out a pretty decent starting lineup and scheme that fits his players. The 49ers have a pretty good RB named Gore. He will be another tough matchup. If the D holds him, I think we may have turned the corner and can start thinking up catchy names for this defense.

[ChampionTexan]

Originally Posted by GP

We haven't faced a tough team who runs the ball well for the past three games. Cards, Raiders, and Cincy have mediocre running backs and equally mediocre run blocking offensive lines.

A big, physical o-line and a good running back can bring our defense back down to earth pretty fast, IMO.

We should be OK these next two games.

Well coming into the game, Cincy was averaging over 125 yards per game rushing the ball. They also had the top RB in the NFL in terms of yardage, and we did hold them to 46 yards as a team, and held Benson to considerably less than his average since he became the Bengals starter - even going back to last year. And I'll go ahead and add that three of their first five games were against teams that were in the top 10 against the rush after week 6 (Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and Denver), so that kind of flies in the face of what you're saying - at least in regard to one of the teams.

Granted, the Cards and Raiders running games are no great shakes, but we did hold Oakland to about 1/2 their average yards, and we held Arizona well below their average also.

It will be interesting to see what happens to the Bengals run game the last 10 games of the year. I think the loss of Antwan Odom may necessitate scoring more points, and running the ball a little less.

[DexmanC]

Even in the 1st 3 games, when the Texans' D was giving up 30+ points a
game, the fans who watch more than numbers could EASILY see this defense
was LIGHTYEARS ahead of the Richard Smith era.

With all those mistakes, the defense was still forcing 3RD AND LONGS,
and creating TURNOVERS. Both of those areas were ABYSMAL during
the Richard Smith era of defense..

The defense is much approved, because they have KEPT the new concepts
of forcing 3RD AND LONGS, causing TURNOVERS, AND they've cleaned up
the mistakes with coaching and personnel changes.

The way their playing, they'll finish in the top 15 in total defense. If the
offense can learn to score at the end of games, instead of punting and
turning the ball over, the defense could finish even higher.

Yesterday's game, the defense saved the offense's ass over and over again
with as many times Slaton put the ball on the ground, and Schaub's
interception and near pick-6.

That, by the way, is ANOTHER improvement of the Frank Bush era defense.
How many times could this team afford to put the game into the hands of
the DEFENSE in the past? All phases of the game seem to be moving upward.

Hopefully the team has learned that "One game does NOT a season make."

[Maddict5]

Originally Posted by GP

We haven't faced a tough team who runs the ball well for the past three games. Cards, Raiders, and Cincy have mediocre running backs and equally mediocre run blocking offensive lines.

A big, physical o-line and a good running back can bring our defense back down to earth pretty fast, IMO.

We should be OK these next two games.

like somebody else said, benson was the leading rusher heading into last week... fresh off being the first rb in 39 games to gain 100 yds v the ravens D.

[TheRealJoker]

Originally Posted by GP

We haven't faced a tough team who runs the ball well for the past three games. Cards, Raiders, and Cincy have mediocre running backs and equally mediocre run blocking offensive lines.

A big, physical o-line and a good running back can bring our defense back down to earth pretty fast, IMO.

We should be OK these next two games.

Yes, because the NFL's then leading rusher who broke the Ravens streak of consecutive games without allowing a 100+ yard rusher is a mediocre running back behind a mediocre offensive line...

Maybe you should give some credit to our D for a job well done.

[steelbtexan]

Bush feels more confident about people carrying out their assignments and the new secondary is tackling better.

So Bush is making more adjustments at halftime because there is a more secure feeling about the talent level in the secondary.

He didn't trust the secondary the first 3 games of the year and rightfully so.