How are we going to stop Chris Johnson?

[TheRealJoker]

He's gained 100 yards rushing for his fourth consecutive game and went over 100 yards both rushing and receiving against the Bills. He shredded our defense last time out but our D looks much improved now. Its time we find out just how much improved.

If we shut down CJ, we shut down the Titans. They've won 3 in a row but they still have the same strengths and weaknesses as a team. With Vince in at QB they are playing more to their strengths which is the running game and getting CJ the ball more overall which imo is key to their 3 game winning streak. But they're still suspect in pass defense and I see no reason why Schaub wouldn't shred their secondary like he did last time.

If our run D shows up and puts on yet another stellar performance and our CBs and OLBs stay home in the flats to take out CJ on the screens then I think we'll have a momentum building victory on MNF!!!

Then hopefully we'll carry that momentum all the way to the playoffs!!!

We've got the bye week to fix our weaknesses as a team and heal up some nagging injuries for some of our players (Mario, Cushing). Plus we've had an extra week of prep to figure out how to slow down that little speedster in Tennessee!!!

[TheRealJoker]

I forgot a question mark on my thread title

[hot pickle]

we wont be able to stop chris johnson.. we just gotta hope that schaub and co. can match then score for score and then hope VY makes some mistakes in the game

[STEEL BLUE TEXANS]

"The power of Christ compels you! The power of Christ compels you!"

[hradhak]

I don't think it'll be a matter of outscoring them. We have a good enough defense to shut them down. This one will be a field position battle. That means winning the turnover game and forcing them to work for their points. I don't think we'll have trouble moving the ball, we just can't give up easy points like we did in the last one.

[Marcus]

WE stopped him the last time we played them, except for some long gashes. But we were getting gashed anyway the first 3 games, until Frank Bush modified the scheme, and now were shutting down the run well.

But yes, Chris Johnson is key. The VY nutsack lickers can hum all they want, but I want to see what he can do if the running game is shutdown.

[TheRealJoker]

I have a feeling Pollard will notice if he is lined up at WR

King Cush should be able to provide more Cushing for the pushing if CJ decides to take a screen pass.

[Wolf]

better tackling
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZsMhi0B3As


not saying Pollard is the savior of this defense but he hasn't hurt us and helped the safety position

[Air Canada]

We can stop CJ and by stop I mean he won't have half the game he had the first time around. For those huge games he's had against bad teams mostly...he's had some mediocre games to go along with it. We all are aware of the difference in our defense compared to week 2 and CJ hasn't seen it for himself yet, but he should be prepared to be reaquainted.

[Ryan]

It will be hard to shut him down completely, but our defense is much improved and we can hold the huge plays at the least, which will mean good things for us.

[gtexan02]

Whats the record for average yards per carry for a RB for a season? This kid is averaging close to 7 yards every time he touches the ball. Thats amazing, and better than most college athletes.

I can't believe everyone made fun of the Titans for drafting him in hte 1st. Can you imagine if a team had picked him up in the 2nd or 3rd

[brakos82]

Can we just shoot him?

[GP]

I watched the whole Titans/Bills game.

Here's the three main ways they used Chris Johnson:

1. Screen passes. With VY back there, you have to choose whether you send the house to get to VY...or, do you maintain discipline and watch the edges for the screen pass to Chris Johnson? But even maintaining edge discipline is scary because VY could just run to the opposite side of the field and burn you.

That's why I hate this MNF game: VY sat and sat and sat, and the team wilted so badly under Kerry Collins that it gave VY the confidence boost to get out there and start playing the way he had been. Plus, they now have Chris Johnson who completely throws a monkey wrench into the game-planning against VY.

2. The freaking OPTION play. They line VY over center, mis-direction at the snap with VY reversing his direction and running an option with Chris Johnson waiting for the pitch. The Bills ran up and tackled VY but not before he pitches VERY wide to Chris Johnson who is already running at about 75% throttle at that point. Turns on the jets, and he's busting off a big play.

Good luck to our defense trying to figure this one out. Because VY could easily call (in the huddle) a fake option where the TE and WRs fake a run block...VY pulls up and stops running the option...and then takes two steps back and throws the ball since our LBs and DBs are moving up in anticipation of stopping the option run. Just like in college.

3. Chris Johnson lines up as the lone RB, deep behind VY. At the snap, Chris Johnson runs a huge "circle" pass route where he goes around the end of the tackle and then circles his way in-between the LBs and the DBs as the WRs and TEs then begin blocking the LBs and DBs.

They are calling some pretty nice plays for VY and CJ, which exploit the over-pursuit of the defense while minimizing the need for VY to recognize coverages.

When VY threw the ball vs. Bills, he did well IF it was a very short throw to a very open WR--Something like a check-down that Carr was in the habit of doing. VY missed a very easy TD throw to Crumpler. He also overthrew his WR and got it picked by Baird who read VY the whole way, with VY failing to remember that you can't lock your eyes onto one guy from start-to-finish.

So what we have, IMO, is an offense built around putting the ball into Chris Johnson's hands any way they can. And using VY not in the traditional role of a pure pocket passer, but rather in the role of the college QB who dares teams to come up and get him while then dumping off to screens or option runs to exploit the over-pursuit.

I hope Cushing is on his game. We need him to shadow VY and basically make VY always be thinking "Where is Cushing?" at all times during each play.

This game, IMO, just got a whole lot more interesting than it looked during week 4.

[gg no re]

Hire male cheerleaders

[Hervoyel]

Originally Posted by TheRealJoker

I forgot a question mark on my thread title

No problem.

[brakos82]

Originally Posted by gg no re

Hire male cheerleaders

But they already did... I heard they gave him a 10...

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by GP

That's why I hate this MNF game: VY sat and sat and sat, and the team wilted so badly under Kerry Collins that it gave VY the confidence boost to get out there and start playing the way he had been. Plus, they now have Chris Johnson who completely throws a monkey wrench into the game-planning against VY.

Trying to decide when a QB is ready to start, is not a decision I would want to make. How long do you think the Patriots would have stuck with the Pro-Bowler who got them to the SuperBowl (did they win??) had Brees & their other back up (Rob Johnson??) didn't get hurt?

Brady would have been a "career" back-up who may not even be in the league now.

While I think it made sense to start Vince when they did orginally.... Collins wasn't getting the job done.... I don't think he was ready for all that hype, and the pressure of trying to live up to "the game" performance at the pro-level.

Sitting a year watching Collins play well probably helped him more than anything.

He still sucks right now.... but after Collins took the team to a 13-3 record by playing smart, and not making ungawdly high-light reel plays.... he won't feel that pressure, and just play the game.

A game where only the W matters...... don't worry about what the commentators, the hangers-ons, & the jerks on Texanstalk.com say.

He's got plenty of time to become VY...

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by gtexan02

I can't believe everyone made fun of the Titans for drafting him in hte 1st. Can you imagine if a team had picked him up in the 2nd or 3rd

My memory isn't worth crap... but I thought the humor was about picking up CJ even though they just grabbed Lendale White the year before. I think it was more about White, than Johnson.

[GP]

Originally Posted by gg no re

Hire male cheerleaders

LOL!

[TheRealJoker]

Originally Posted by thunderkyss

My memory isn't worth crap... but I thought the humor was about picking up CJ even though they just grabbed Lendale White the year before. I think it was more about White, than Johnson.

They got Lendale, Chris Henry, and CJ in 3 consecutive years. They used 2nd round picks on the first 2 and then a 1st on CJ. I think people were making fun of how much they were investing in the RB position. The only bust of the group was Henry though so its hard to argue IF you have the OL already figured out to get plenty of capable RBs.

The lack of a running game is going to make it hard for us to finish close games this year. Hopefully next year we invest heavily in a true feature back and some interior OL help. I hope Caldwell develops and one of the other guards sticks around, but I would really like to find someone better than Chris Meyers at center. When we take care of that we'll be able to get a yard when we need to and win the close games and/or run out the clock to prevent another Colts comeback victory

PS: Did anyone else move interior OL/RB to the top of their Texans needs board after we went 3 and out after Pollard's 2nd INT in the 4th quarter with a 4 point lead. We then gave the ball right back to Peyton and the Colts got the game deciding td. Imagine if we had the ability to run out the clock...

If you didn't. I expect its because you already had it up there after the Jags/Cards 1 yard and a cloud of fail fiascos.