Houston Texans 2010 Season Preview (New York TImes)

[CloakNNNdagger]

Interesting combination in "Play" presentation mixed with an in depth Texans preview from an "outsider."

Houston Texans 2010 Season Preview

[Texas T]

Great find-I really enjoyed it. Especially the play.
The writer also did a good job of summing up the Texans without all the hoopla.

[disaacks3]

This quote is to encourage all of you to read it, it's some good stuff!

Father (interrupting): And one way to help you is to be frank. And, frankly son, your passing game is not enough.

Houston: Not enough? I had the No. 1 ranked passing game in the league last year.

Father: Right. And you missed the playoffs.

Houston: Yeah, by one game. I was 9-7, first winning record in my history! My offense was prolific. We were fourth in total yar—

Father (Interrupting): You’ve always put up great yardage offensively. Football is about more than yardage, son. You ranked fourth in yards last year but only 10th in points. The year before, you were third in yards but 17th in points. You lack balance.

[JB]

Great find Doc! I thought the play a bit overdone, but the write up was fair and very realistic. Should be a must read for all Texan fans...and players too.

[drs23]

Sixth-round rookie Trindon Holliday, a 4.2-speedster from L.S.U., is the return specialist. However, he must learn the wide receiver position if he’s to stay on the roster. If Holliday doesn’t get out from behind that eight ball, Houston will go back to Andre’ Davis for kick returns and Jacoby Jones for punt returns. Both are big threats to score..

This caught my eye. GK made a point to mention it in OTAs. I sure hope he humps the playbook. There's no way he clears waivers and make the PS. Not gonna happen. I just have a feeling he'll be really fun to watch!

[JB]

Originally Posted by drs23

Sixth-round rookie Trindon Holliday, a 4.2-speedster from L.S.U., is the return specialist. However, he must learn the wide receiver position if he’s to stay on the roster. If Holliday doesn’t get out from behind that eight ball, Houston will go back to Andre’ Davis for kick returns and Jacoby Jones for punt returns. Both are big threats to score..

This caught my eye. GK made a point to mention it in OTAs. I sure hope he humps the playbook. There's no way he clears waivers and make the PS. Not gonna happen. I just have a feeling he'll be really fun to watch!

Not so sure why you think that. The dude did last until late in the 6th round. You really think that after TC he would be so readily snatched up?

[Norg]

sounds like all around good stuff to me The texans got talent from front to back but whats different this time is the texans also have Depth in alot of Positions

[SheTexan]

Good find CNNND!!! If I was the "Mother" I'd be kicking some butt!!! We've been passive long enough. Time to get out there and show the COLTS on day ONE that we're tired of being a bunch of wussies! Put some fear in our opponents, and let them watch the mighty TEXANS roll on into Dallas in Feb!!!

[steds]

Houston: Look, Robinson wanted too much money. I drafted his replacement, Kareem Jackson, in the first round, plus I have a slew of other quality young defensive backs on the rise (Brice McCain, Glover Quin, maybe even fifth-round pick Sherrick McManis).

Father: (Shaking his head.)

Mother: (Staring incredulously.)

(…silence…)

Hahaha.
Cracking little play. Very good.

[dalemurphy]

Originally Posted by CloakNNNdagger

Interesting combination in "Play" presentation mixed with an in depth Texans preview from an "outsider."

Houston Texans 2010 Season Preview

Wow! another example of how sports blog writers have surpassed mainstream journalists in quality of coverage. That article is better than anything we will get from mainstream national media or certainly from Justice, McClain, and company.

[buddyboy]

What I want to know is how many more seasons Schaub needs to stay healthy before people stop labeling him as fragile. To be honest, it seems like even if he stays healthy for 4 more seasons journalists and bloggers will still be listing "fragile" as one of his downsides.

[dalemurphy]

Originally Posted by buddyboy

What I want to know is how many more seasons Schaub needs to stay healthy before people stop labeling him as fragile. To be honest, it seems like even if he stays healthy for 4 more seasons journalists and bloggers will still be listing "fragile" as one of his downsides.

No. He's only had one healthy season. If he plays all season again, everyone will forget that label.

[steds]

Originally Posted by dalemurphy

No. He's only had one healthy season. If he plays all season again, everyone will forget that label.

...until the next time he takes a knock. The minute he looks a little groggy or stiff after a sack, they'll all start spouting it again.

[drs23]

Originally Posted by JB

Not so sure why you think that. The dude did last until late in the 6th round. You really think that after TC he would be so readily snatched up?

I guess I think this way because he's so explosive. Just because we don't have roster room for a return specialist doesn't mean another team doesn't. I think some team would snag him based purely on his speed. I've been wrong and could be now but my personal feeling is he don't clear waivers. Would rather see him make the 53 so it becomes a non-issue. That's why I said in another post that I hope he stays buried in the playbook and has a sharp camp.

[BIG TORO]

CND I really enjoyed that read! Must spread rep.

[Hooston Texan]

Very good read, but the writer falls into the "they all look alike to me" trap by saying that David Anderson has a "similar style" to Kevin Walter. Two very different players.

[dc_txtech]

Originally Posted by Hooston Texan

Very good read, but the writer falls into the "they all look alike to me" trap by saying that David Anderson has a "similar style" to Kevin Walter. Two very different players.

True, and I've read the same thing in another write up somewhere. Not sure where they are getting this, like you said two totally different receivers.

[barrett]

Thanks to Paul Kuharsky for pointing this article from the New York Times out and I agree with him when he says:

These are as thorough and on-target as anything I’ve seen as we near the start of camps.

Don't meathead past the skit at the beginning. It's pretty impressive. Andy Benoit has got his finger on the pulse of this team. Here's a snipit from the detailed article:

When strongside linebacker Brian Cushing returns from his four-game suspension, the Texans will quite possibly have the best linebacking threesome in football. Cushing, an everydown player, is outstanding in the open field and even better in a crowd. Middle linebacker DeMeco Ryans started making more plays near the line of scrimmage last season. Ryans gets off blocks extremely well and is an unwavering tackler. You could say the same about weakside linebacker Zac Diles, one of the more underrated players in the game. Diles’s thickness and pop would make him a perfect fill-in for Cushing on the strong side, but coaches don’t want the fourth-year pro to begin the season out of position. So, they’re having sleek, agile backup Xavier Adibi man Cushing’s spot. Even with Adibi leaving the bench to start in September, Houston will have adequate linebacking depth with veterans Danny Clark and Kevin Bentley.

With gifted linebackers, stopping the run won’t be a problem. The issue is pass defense. Simply put, the Texans need more big plays here. Defensive end Mario Williams can help. Blessed with every athletic tool in the shed, Williams needs to increase his sack total (9 last year) and command double-teams on every snap. He has played at an elite level for three seasons – it’s not unreasonable to ask him to be Superman.

Antonio Smith is a good supporting end who, like Williams, can play both the run and pass. Smith has excellent speed and energy. On third downs, he slides into undersized run-defending tackle Shaun Cody’s spot. This allows last year’s second-round pick, Connor Barwin, to get on the field. Barwin has the straight-line speed to be a dominant pass-rusher, but he needs to be coached. Right now he has iffy on-field awareness and no particular one-on-one moves.

If Amobi Okoye doesn’t become more dynamic, he could eventually lose snaps to third-round rookie Earl Mitchell. Okoye hasn’t been a bust, but he hasn’t maintained the passion he showed early in his rookie season. Frank Okam and DelJuan Robinson also rotate in at tackle. They’re energy guys.

By the way, I've been in a wilderness wonderland for a while so if somehow I missed this already posted and discussed forgive me.

[m5kwatts]

I was into it until he called Frank Okam an "energy guy." Also I don't think Adibi is in the lead to sub in for Cushing for the 4 games, I'd say its dead even and I'd bet my money on Clark.

[jaayteetx]

discussed here
http://www.texanstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=73376