Brian Cushing to replace Barwin?

[joedinkle]

Cush played some DE in spots last year. In 3rd and longs, we'll probably be in nickel anyway, and I think 59 and 54 showed they are oure nickel lb's. On another note, I was just thinking we are lucky with our schedule and the suspension. Cush only misses 1 afc south game(we won) and one other afc game, the raiders.

[Rey]

Originally Posted by joedinkle

Cush played some DE in spots last year. In 3rd and longs, we'll probably be in nickel anyway, and I think 59 and 54 showed they are oure nickel lb's. On another note, I was just thinking we are lucky with our schedule and the suspension. Cush only misses 1 afc south game(we won) and one other afc game, the raiders.

I do not think that it's likely that Diles remains the nickel LB when Cush returns...

I wouldn't completely rule out some packages where lined up to rush the passer and they put Diles out there, but I don't think that'd be a full time situation...

And the Texans are working out a couple of DE's right now...

[Big Lou]

IIRC back at USC Cush rushed the passer in some kind of "Elephant" package, so he's acustomed to it.

[JB]

Sorry, but you do not move a pro-bowl player to another position. That just weakens two positions...imo.

edit: Especially when that player is the two-time DROY!

[The1ApplePie]

Originally Posted by Big Lou

IIRC back at USC Cush rushed the passer in some kind of "Elephant" package, so he's acustomed to it.

Cush started at DE his freshman year, so he could do it in spots at the Pro level

Matthews was generally the Elephant since Cush was far better in coverage.

[HTown2ATX]

Originally Posted by JB

Sorry, but you do not move a pro-bowl player to another position. That just weakens two positions...imo.

edit: Especially when that player is the two-time DROY!

LOL...YES!!!! The CUSH!

[TimeKiller]

I see how you intend this, Cushing's size/athleticism being the only real option to replicate Barwin's physical ability but I don't think you can just move him and expect as good or better results out of Cush or who has to replace Cush.

[Goatcheese]

I think the Texans would do really well in a 3-3-5 alignment, using Cushing as the 4th rusher. Linebacker is clearly the strength of this defense, so finding ways to keep your best players on the field is only going to make you better.

You can't tell me that:

DE: Williams
DT: Okoye
DE Smith
WLB: Diles
MLB: Ryans
SLB: Cushing

..is worse than...

DE: Williams
DT: Okoye
DT: Smith:
DE: Nading?
MLB: Ryans
SLB: Cushing

Well... you could tell me that, but I would look at you cross-eyed.

[JB]

Originally Posted by Goatcheese

I think the Texans would do really well in a 3-3-5 alignment, using Cushing as the 4th rusher. Linebacker is clearly the strength of this defense, so finding ways to keep your best players on the field is only going to make you better.

You can't tell me that:

DE: Williams
DT: Okoye
DE Smith
WLB: Diles
MLB: Ryans
SLB: Cushing

..is worse than...

DE: Williams
DT: Okoye
DT: Smith:
DE: Nading?
MLB: Ryans
SLB: Cushing

Well... you could tell me that, but I would look at you cross-eyed.

How about...

DE: Williams
DT: Okoye
DT: Smith:
DE: Ogunleye
MLB: Ryans
SLB: Cushing

???

[Goatcheese]

Originally Posted by JB

How about...

DE: Williams
DT: Okoye
DT: Smith:
DE: Ogunleye
MLB: Ryans
SLB: Cushing

???

You would rather have a street FA coming off of a major injury than Diles?

[Corrosion]

Originally Posted by Goatcheese

You would rather have a street FA coming off of a major injury than Diles?

nope.

[GuerillaBlack]

Originally Posted by Goatcheese

You would rather have a street FA coming off of a major injury than Diles?

Ogunleye has at least had five sacks every year he has been in the league. And according to our resident doctor here at TexansTalk, his injury wasn't all that serious and doesn't take long to recover. I think the Texans got a "steal" in the FA department.

[Rey]

Originally Posted by Goatcheese

I think the Texans would do really well in a 3-3-5 alignment, using Cushing as the 4th rusher. Linebacker is clearly the strength of this defense, so finding ways to keep your best players on the field is only going to make you better.

You can't tell me that:

DE: Williams
DT: Okoye
DE Smith
WLB: Diles
MLB: Ryans
SLB: Cushing

..is worse than...

DE: Williams
DT: Okoye
DT: Smith:
DE: Nading?
MLB: Ryans
SLB: Cushing

Well... you could tell me that, but I would look at you cross-eyed.

I don't get what you're saying here...

Are you saying we should use a 3-3-5 in passing situations or are you saying that we should make it more of a fixture on defense...Either way, I think I disagree with you...

Here's why:

Cushing will be on the field regardless...I think that for the most part I'd rather have Cushing back in covg than Diles...

If you are constantly using Cushing as a pass rusher then you lose what he brings on the back end of the defense...Which is pretty good pass coverage, and the ability to close on ball carriers and make a tackle if a catch is made...

I think that if anything, we can mix in some true 3-4 sometimes and bring in Bentley, or Sharpton to get them involved....

I am not against using the 3-3-5 alignment you listed as a wrinkle, but I don't think that it would be good to use as any kind of base defense...

Hell I think we could mix in all kind of wrinkles if the defense shows they are mature enough to handle it...

[badboy]

Originally Posted by Goatcheese

I think the Texans would do really well in a 3-3-5 alignment, using Cushing as the 4th rusher. Linebacker is clearly the strength of this defense, so finding ways to keep your best players on the field is only going to make you better.

You can't tell me that:

DE: Williams
DT: Okoye
DE Smith
WLB: Diles
MLB: Ryans
SLB: Cushing

..is worse than...

DE: Williams
DT: Okoye
DT: Smith:
DE: Nading?
MLB: Ryans
SLB: Cushing

Well... you could tell me that, but I would look at you cross-eyed.

I think you should look at having Okoye at the nose in 3 man Dline would not be effective. The LB corps should be Ryans & Cushing with which ever is better DIles or Adibi. Our line last season became very effective against the run about game 4 and I don't see Kubes changing.

[Goatcheese]

Originally Posted by Rey

I don't get what you're saying here...

Are you saying we should use a 3-3-5 in passing situations or are you saying that we should make it more of a fixture on defense...Either way, I think I disagree with you...

Here's why:

Cushing will be on the field regardless...I think that for the most part I'd rather have Cushing back in covg than Diles...

If you are constantly using Cushing as a pass rusher then you lose what he brings on the back end of the defense...Which is pretty good pass coverage, and the ability to close on ball carriers and make a tackle if a catch is made...

I think that if anything, we can mix in some true 3-4 sometimes and bring in Bentley, or Sharpton to get them involved....

I am not against using the 3-3-5 alignment you listed as a wrinkle, but I don't think that it would be good to use as any kind of base defense...

Hell I think we could mix in all kind of wrinkles if the defense shows they are mature enough to handle it...

Originally Posted by badboy

I think you should look at having Okoye at the nose in 3 man Dline would not be effective. The LB corps should be Ryans & Cushing with which ever is better DIles or Adibi. Our line last season became very effective against the run about game 4 and I don't see Kubes changing.

I'm talking about using a 3-3-5 alignment in nickel situations where we are already kicking A.Smith inside to DT. Okoye isn't going to be a liability in that situation.

Diles has been one of the best cover linebackers over the last 2 seasons. He may not be a highlight reel playmaker, but he sticks to his man and on the off chance that they actually make a reception they go down immediately in most cases. I didn't check in the second half of the season, but in the first half of 2009 he gave up just 5 receptions for 16 yards.

I wouldn't go with a 3-3-5 base, because obviously not all nickle packages are obvious passing situations, but for those obvious 3rd and longs I think this is a good front for our personnel that allows the Texans to show a lot of different looks that 4 down linemen wouldn't.

[The Pencil Neck]

Originally Posted by Goatcheese

I'm talking about using a 3-3-5 alignment in nickel situations where we are already kicking A.Smith inside to DT. Okoye isn't going to be a liability in that situation.

Diles has been one of the best cover linebackers over the last 2 seasons. He may not be a highlight reel playmaker, but he sticks to his man and on the off chance that they actually make a reception they go down immediately in most cases. I didn't check in the second half of the season, but in the first half of 2009 he gave up just 5 receptions for 16 yards.

I wouldn't go with a 3-3-5 base, because obviously not all nickle packages are obvious passing situations, but for those obvious 3rd and longs I think this is a good front for our personnel that allows the Texans to show a lot of different looks that 4 down linemen wouldn't.

Well.... we kinda WERE using a 3-3-5 nickel. We were going with 3 down linemen, then pulling one of our normal down lineman and having them stand up like a LB, and we were doing that in nickel. So effectively, we were playing 3-3-5 a lot of the time when we were in nickel. We were even throwing in some 2-4-5 from time to time.

On top of that, we were zone blitzing and at times, we were lining up with 4 down linemen and then pulling one of those down linemen back into a zone and only rushing 3 (zone blitzing without the blitz.)

What I like about Frank Bush is that he's not afraid to throw in the kitchen sink.

[Rey]

Originally Posted by Goatcheese

I wouldn't go with a 3-3-5 base, because obviously not all nickle packages are obvious passing situations, but for those obvious 3rd and longs I think this is a good front for our personnel that allows the Texans to show a lot of different looks that 4 down linemen wouldn't.

They actually showed a lot of different looks against the colts this past weekend...There was a play were Amobi played DE (and abused Charlie Johnson) and Smith was at the nose with Mario playing the other DE...

That said, I would not mind what you're saying at all as a wrinkle to our defense...Sounds good to me....

[Element1337]

Cushing got torched by Clark and that TE from J-Ville last year. I actually prefer Diles' coverage ability.