My Letter To The FO Short And Sweet Fix That Thing You Call An O Line

[gary]

Dear Houston Texans FO,
Wake up and fix the O line. I am sure you're sitting there wondering why the running game isn't doing as well as last season when you have the same backs. Now I know two starters from the O line from last season aren't playing but in case you haven't noticed your center keeps getting blown off the LOS by players who are much larger and quite a bit stronger than he is. News flash that thing you throw out there every single game flat out sucks so badly that AP or MJD wouldn't even do them justice. They aren't providing nearly as many running lanes for Stevie as a matter of fact they aren't really providing any at all. What is the theme of this letter? You're probably asking. It's really simple draft some O line men in the NFL draft and then work them into the lineup this offseason so you may come back next season and truley judge what type of running game you have.

Signed,
The entire Houston Texans fan base

[Porky]

Gary, how do you explain that we had the same center last year, and had a much better running attack?

[DexmanC]

Originally Posted by Porky

Gary, how do you explain that we had the same center last year, and had a much better running attack?

Chester Pitts.
He'd routinely help both Brown AND Myers do their jobs. Now that
he's gone, the son of Kubiak's teammate, Studdard, is an absolute
sieve.

[Malloy]

Originally Posted by gary

Signed,
The entire Houston Texans fan base

uhm... no?

[m5kwatts]

The guards are the problem. Studdard and White are back ups. We could get along with Myers if our guards were playing well, which Brisiel and Pitts did last year.

[gary]

Originally Posted by Porky

Gary, how do you explain that we had the same center last year, and had a much better running attack?

That's all fine and good but Myers still sucked last season and the thinner the depth on the O line gets the more it shows an upgraded line is a must even more so at RG, and LG IMO.

[steelbtexan]

There used to be a thread last offseason Fix The Damn OL.

Kubes has chosen not to make the OL a priority.

Until this becomes a priority the best Texan fans can hope for is 6-10, 10-6.

They will not be a serious contender until they fix the OL.

Either by FA, the draft or both.

[steelbtexan]

Originally Posted by gary

That's all fine and good but Myers still sucked last season and the thinner the depth on the O line gets the more it shows an upgraded line is a must IMO.

Agreed

How anybody can say fixing the OL isn't job no.1 is beyond me.

[m5kwatts]

Originally Posted by steelbtexan

There used to be a thread last offseason Fix The Damn OL.

Kubes has chosen not to make the OL a priority.

Until this becomes a priority the best Texan fans can hope for is 6-10, 10-6.

They will not be a serious contender until they fix the OL.

Either by FA, the draft or both.

They spent a first round pick on a left tackle in 08. The thinking going into this season was we're set at o-line other than finding depth because all 5 guys suited up every game last year and the offense produced.

The personnel is in place other than the guys on IR (Daniels, Pitts, Brisiel) for this team to be a serious contender.

They won't be a serious contender until they execute in crucial situations. Getting stuffed in Arizona, fumbling at home vs. Jacksonville, missing game-tying field goals in Indy and on MNF, those are the things that need fixing. And thats all about execution, not personnel.

[gary]

Originally Posted by Malloy

uhm... no?

You don't agree?

[Malloy]

Originally Posted by gary

You don't agree?

Not completely, and it REALLY get on my nerves when someone speaks on my behalf

[gary]

Originally Posted by m5kwatts

They spent a first round pick on a left tackle in 08. The thinking going into this season was we're set at o-line other than finding depth because all 5 guys suited up every game last year and the offense produced.

The personnel is in place other than the guys on IR (Daniels, Pitts, Brisiel) for this team to be a serious contender.

They won't be a serious contender until they execute in crucial situations. Getting stuffed in Arizona, fumbling at home vs. Jacksonville, missing game-tying field goals in Indy and on MNF, those are the things that need fixing. And thats all about execution, not personnel.

Some probably aren't going to like this but even if Chester comes back fully healthy he'll have to replace him soon anyway IMO.

[Texan4Ever]

I wouldn't worry too much. I think Kubiak & Co. WILL find somebody, either in the draft or FA in order to address the issues on hand. The 2010 NFL Draft will be important for us and I think like in 2006, 2010 will be in our favor as there is a large quantity of solid interior linemen or both sides (offense and defense).

Just to throw this out there, Uath's Zane Beadles and anyone from the Longhorns offensive line would be a MAJOR upgrade compared to what we have.

[gary]

Originally Posted by Malloy

Not completely, and it REALLY get on my nerves when someone speaks on my behalf

Well, I'm very sorry. I won't do that again. Do you foregive me? I hope so.

[TheRealJoker]

I think Eric Winston would be a really good RG. He's just too much of a liability against speed rushers at RT. I would actually have preferred them to move him inside after Brisiel went down and brought Butler in at RT. I think that OL would've been better than the one we have now.

I would like to see them add another interior OL in the draft and sign a quality FA OL. We need to find someone to start over Chris Myers. I am disappointed with Caldwell thus far because he hasn't been able to get into the lineup despite both starting guards going to IR and Chris Myers still in the lineup. Talent-wise I would venture to guess we have the worst interior OL in the league. Caldwell was a 4 year starter for Alabama...he should have beaten out the guys starting ahead of him by now.

[gary]

Move Eric to RG and get another RT, C, and LG. then go from there.

[m5kwatts]

Duane Brown and Winston should and will stay put in their respective positions for the next 5, 7 to 10 years as long as they're healthy. The tackles are fine we're set there. We have starters money invested in both of them as well. Those guys are only going to get better, their mistakes are mental, not because of physical limitations.

On the other hand our guards and center are physically limited. They understand the scheme and attempt to execute but get outmuscled or out-techniqued (is that even a word?) too often to be starters in this league. The interior line needs serious upgrading and the staff knows this. Studdard and White are playing right now because they're the best we have in our current situation. It would not surprise me if we drafted 2 interior lineman high in this next draft.

[nunusguy]

Originally Posted by gary

Move Eric to RG and get another RT, C, and LG. then go from there.

Gary, you know you're a real hard-azz today about our OLine ? But since you've initiated this thread, it's only appropriate for real Texan fans to respond.
I'm a firm beliver in drafting D-Line and O-Line ahead of anything else (except for QB of course). Like this year I wanted them to take Michael Oher when we found him on the Board when our #15 rolled around even though I also liked the Mizzou WR McClin. But to my dismay they took a LB which I felt was a real mistake when you have a guy who is a real OLine talent, including a capability to play LT. That's just kinda my basic philosophy. But I like the sound of an OLine with Duane Brown, Winston, &
Oher, whichever positions you play them at ?

[steelbtexan]

Originally Posted by m5kwatts

They spent a first round pick on a left tackle in 08. The thinking going into this season was we're set at o-line other than finding depth because all 5 guys suited up every game last year and the offense produced.

The personnel is in place other than the guys on IR (Daniels, Pitts, Brisiel) for this team to be a serious contender.

They won't be a serious contender until they execute in crucial situations. Getting stuffed in Arizona, fumbling at home vs. Jacksonville, missing game-tying field goals in Indy and on MNF, those are the things that need fixing. And thats all about execution, not personnel.

Although I'm thrilled with Cushing Oher would have been a good pick also. If they were truly committed to building th OL they could have traded their 2nd RD pick and a2010 1st RD pick to draft Oher in addition to Cushing in the 1st rd. Our OL would have been set for years. This takes forward thinking. Obviously Smithiak had Barwin (Pass Rusher) rated as more of a need and Barwin > than Oher on the talent scale.

I could see a trade like this in the 2010 draft because it improves the odds of getting 2 impact players at positions of need. (OL-DB) And the fact if Smithiak doesn't win in 2010 McNair will clean house. If he doesn't clean house after this year.

They tried to get by with the same OL for 2 yrs in a row and got burned.

[TheRealJoker]

Oher would've been a nice addition to the OL. We would be able to get plenty of push in short yardage running on the right side with Winston at RG and Oher at RT. Plus we would have Brisiel coming off the bench to take over for Pitts after his unfortunate injury instead of Studdard.... but where would our defense be without Cushing? I'd say they'd be around the same amount of production as the Richard Smith defenses, especially with Mario's lack of production this year due in large part to an unforeseeable nagging injury.

Hindsight is 20/20: Knowing what we know now I wouldn't mind giving up a future high draft pick (maybe next year's 2nd rather than first though) and move up to get Oher in addition to Cushing. But given what we knew at the time the decision was made you never want to give up future draft picks or even extra draft picks in general on a rookie OL. I'd say Cushing was the BPA thus far in hindsight at # 15.