Run Defense

[thunderkyss]

So teams don't need to run the ball. It has been opined that is the reason we are currently ranked the #2 running defense (behind the Chicago bears).

If we were looking at total yardage (which is what NFL.com uses) there is a strong case that ranking may be "skewed"

However if we look at YPC of the running backs we've faced, it might shed a little more light on how we are doing against the run. Especially as compared to other teams.

Marion Barber is the last featured back we faced. With 17 carries compared to Felix Jones' 7 or Tashard Choices 2, that clearly makes Barber the Cowboys #1 back.

Barber avg'd 3.2 yards per carry against us. While not spectacular, that means if you give handed the ball off to MBIII 3 straight times, he still wouldn't pick up a first down (9.6 yards)

MBIII avg'd 2.8 against the Bears, & 4.9 yards against Washington. Of course stats don't tell the whole story, but we can at least argue our run defense is in fact comparable to the Bears, and better than Washington's.

As a counter argument, we have Felix Jones. 8 carries against Washinton (4.8 ypc) 7 carries against Chicago (1.0 ypc), 7 carries against the Texans (6.1 ypc).... We're even worse than Washington.

Then when you bring Tashard Choice into the conversation, 5 carries against Washington (3.6 ypc), 1 carry against the Bears (-1 yard) & 2 carries against Houston (2 ypc)... we're more comparable to the Bears.

Week 2, we faced the Washington Redskins' Clinton Portis, Larry Johnson & Mike Sellers

Portis
--3.5 ypc vs Dallas(18 carries)--2.5 ypc vs Houston (13 carries)--6.3 ypc vs St.Louis (7 carries)
Johnson
--3ypc vs Dallas (3 carries)-- (-3.5) ypc vs Houston (2 carries)-- cut after the Houston game.
Sellers
-- no carries vs Dallas-- 0 yards vs Houston (1 carry) -- 1 yard vs St. Louis (1 carry)

We can argue we are better than the Cowboys Run D, but there really isn't a lot of data to support it.

Week 1 we faced Joseph Addai

4.4 ypc vs Houston (10 carries)-- 4.6 ypc vs NYGiants (20 carries)-- 2.2 ypc vs Denver (13 carries)

Our Run D is comparable to the Giants, not as good as Denver.

Offensively we should have a good game against the Giants. Denver will be a real test.

So, what do you say?

[The Pencil Neck]

I think our run D is OK. Not great, but OK.

Statistically, it will probably drop as the year goes on.

But the reason our run D hasn't really been "exposed" is because why try to run against us when our pass D is so phenomenally bad? Until we can stop someone from throwing the ball, there's no need to test our run defense very much.

Now, what's interesting is that every year under Kubiak that I can think of, our defense starts off the first 3 games playing phenomenally bad defense and then they turn it around. That happened under Dick Smith and it happened last year under Bush. Hopefully we can turn our defense around starting with this game.

[thunderkyss]

Again, this year, they were playing 3-4 for several snaps against the Cowboys. We didn't look like the team that finished the last 13 games of '09 playing behind the LOS.

This is also Frank Bush's second season as D'cordinator. I think we're just going through some growing pains as a young team.

If Bush & our boys are working on some "wrinkles" for opposing offenses, I'm all for it. Especially since we're 2-1 over the last three games, including a decisive win over the Colts.

If we can still play that behind the LOS defense, & begin to dominate the passing game (defensively) I'm okay with a few ducks in the early weeks.

I know September sets us up for the post season, but November & December is where it's at.

[Rey]

Bush is missing a couple of his weapons up front, all the while having to keep in mind that his corners are young and dumb.

No Cushing, No Barwin playing the role he plays...FS has been non-exsistent...

I am not one to get too hung up on numbers....A prime example of that is the Saints defense last year...Or even the Colts offense last year...

The key thing is finding a way to get it done.

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by Rey

The key thing is finding a way to get it done.

Exactly, if those two redzone possessions had turned into touchdowns, that would have gone a long way to changing the outcome of the game, and keeping the heart of the Texans' fans.

[Corrosion]

Originally Posted by Rey

Bush is missing a couple of his weapons up front, all the while having to keep in mind that his corners are young and dumb.

No Cushing, No Barwin playing the role he plays...FS has been non-exsistent...

I am not one to get too hung up on numbers....A prime example of that is the Saints defense last year...Or even the Colts offense last year...

The key thing is finding a way to get it done.

I think Barwin being out is a lot bigger deal than many realize , the pass rush hasnt been the same since he went out. Its almost a head scratcher as to why they didnt sign Schobel ....


I do think the run defense is that good and it could improve even more when Cushing returns.

Other than the initial drive against Dallas , no one has been able to run the ball against the Texans and the plays the Cowpies has success on were draws and misdirection plays.
The number of pass plays by each of those teams - especially the Skins should give us an idea of how good this defense is against the run.
Up by three scores with a quarter to go you dont throw the ball unless you have to.

[Rey]

Originally Posted by Corrosion

no one has been able to run the ball against the Texans and the plays the Cowpies has success on were draws and misdirection plays.

Pretty much.

I think Cushing will help make us better in defending those types of plays as well..

[Brandon420tx]

Whats this defense you speak of?

[Corrosion]

Originally Posted by Brandon420tx

Whats this defense you speak of?

The Houston Texans Run Defense that allows 54.3 yards per game , second only to the Bears who allow 39.7 per game.

The league average is 108.5

[The Pencil Neck]

Originally Posted by Corrosion

I think Barwin being out is a lot bigger deal than many realize , the pass rush hasnt been the same since he went out. Its almost a head scratcher as to why they didnt sign Schobel ....


I do think the run defense is that good and it could improve even more when Cushing returns.

Other than the initial drive against Dallas , no one has been able to run the ball against the Texans and the plays the Cowpies has success on were draws and misdirection plays.
The number of pass plays by each of those teams - especially the Skins should give us an idea of how good this defense is against the run.
Up by three scores with a quarter to go you dont throw the ball unless you have to.

Not really. Even Schobel admitted he was out of shape and that the Texans needed to see what he could be and not what he is currently. That didn't sound very good to me. Also, I don't think that Schobel wants to play the role we'd want for him to play.

The fact that we signed Ogunleye even though he wasn't in good shape shows how desperate we are. If Schobel had shown much of anything in that workout, I can't imagine him not being signed. So that means he didn't show much in that workout.

[Brandon420tx]

Originally Posted by Corrosion

The Houston Texans Run Defense that allows 54.3 yards per game , second only to the Bears who allow 39.7 per game.

The league average is 108.5

That doesn't make sense, I thought football was about throwing passes better than the other team.

Running with the ball before throwing it ... its just ... not ... but ...
its gotta be unamerican or something

[TimeKiller]

2009 Raiders at Texans

Fargas 10 att. 24 yards
Heyward-Bey 1 att. 20 yards
Bush 3 att. 10 yards
Total 14 att. 54 yards

This was Fat Russell at QB though, he didn't have much of a day and the D clearly wasn't worried about him throwing over them.

2008 Texans at Raiders

Fargas 22 att. 93 yards
McFadden 12 att. 46 yards
Total 34 att. 139 yards

This was merely Big Russell who had a bit of a day throwing. I believe this was the game that changed the course of D Rob's career, so maybe there is a bit of a reason. Also McFadden played and played well. He's set to play today as well, I wonder if the D has developed enough to keep him down. I mean A Smith is a beast compared to Weaver.

2007 Texans at Raiders

Fargas 23 att. 104 yards

I mean, we aren't playing Travis Johnson anymore...right? We're better than that now right? My concern is how the Run D will contain McFadden without Cushing, especially with an apparently competent QB. But hey, maybe the pass D gets tired of being picked on and show up ready to make a middle caliber guy like Gradkowski pay for the beating they took from higher caliber QBs 3 weeks in a row. I think we need to see them get a pick here pretty soon. 4 games in a row without a pick? No thanks.

[BigBull17]

Originally Posted by Corrosion

I think Barwin being out is a lot bigger deal than many realize , the pass rush hasnt been the same since he went out. Its almost a head scratcher as to why they didnt sign Schobel ....


I do think the run defense is that good and it could improve even more when Cushing returns.

Other than the initial drive against Dallas , no one has been able to run the ball against the Texans and the plays the Cowpies has success on were draws and misdirection plays.
The number of pass plays by each of those teams - especially the Skins should give us an idea of how good this defense is against the run.
Up by three scores with a quarter to go you dont throw the ball unless you have to.

No Schobel because he didn't really want to play this year.

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by BigBull17

No Schobel because he didn't really want to play this year.

He came out for a workout.. if he didn't want to play, he wouldn't have worked out for us.