Why are you talking about RB needs?

[Bellthebest]

Why?? Some people are saying that DD is gunna be the next Priest Holmes!!!

[Texans Pride]

Originally Posted by Bellthebest

Why?? Some people are saying that DD is gunna be the next Priest Holmes!!!

Who is saying that? I've never said that. . . Anyone else ever said that here

Texans Pride very confused here. . .

[texan279]

He may not be the next Priest Holmes, but he just may be the next RB who produces Priest like numbers behind the zone blocking scheme...

[F-minus67]

He might not be the next Holmes, but he could have a career like Emmit Smith.

[Reddevil63]

Originally Posted by texan279

He may not be the next Priest Holmes, but he just may be the next RB who produces Priest like numbers behind the zone blocking scheme...

Ok number 1, did he not put up great numbers his rookie year behind a line that had yet to start the zone blocking scheme? During that season every Texan fan was singing his praises thinking he was the next coming of Emmitt Smith.

2. Since we now run a zone blocking scheme, why would a running back that puts up good numbers behind that scheme be a bad thing?

[outofhnd]

And he could also be the next KiJana Carter, Blair Thomas or Reggie Cobb.

We just do not know at this point, but next year DD will have no excuses. If he gets injured then he will be deemed injury prone and delegated to a situational role or not resigned when his contract expires.

If he does not gain the respect of defenses to the point where they have to alter their game plan to stop him, He will be deemed as serviceable starter not a franchise back.

If he can stay healthy and put up substantial numbers then he will be the franchise back we all hope he can be, but year 3 is a make or break year for DD the blocking scheme isnt changing, He should be at 100% He is under the microscope this year.

Don't let the 1000 yards a year mislead you into thinking we have our starting TB. Ricky Williams was the Saints starting RB when they drafted Deuce. and Ricky was coming off his best year as a Saint.

There may be things goin on we don't know about. Don't get mad at me for just giving you the possible realities of our RB situation. If he is another Priest Holmes, How many years are we going to hold onto him and wait for the Priest like numbers? It took Priest about 4 years before he became the force he is with KC.

[texan279]

Ok number 1, did he not put up great numbers his rookie year behind a line that had yet to start the zone blocking scheme? During that season every Texan fan was singing his praises thinking he was the next coming of Emmitt Smith.

His numbers were good, and I for one never thought he was the next coming of Emmitt Smith.

2. Since we now run a zone blocking scheme, why would a running back that puts up good numbers behind that scheme be a bad thing?

Did I ever say it was a bad thing?

[Reddevil63]

Originally Posted by texan279

Did I ever say it was a bad thing?

Nope, that was my assumption, sorry. One knock I hear on alot of backs is that they are a product of the system. If that system is ours than thats fine with me

[OzzO]

If he does not gain the respect of defenses to the point where they have to alter their game plan to stop him, He will be deemed as serviceable starter not a franchise back.

I think that says it all. If the run does not get as much respect as the pass (AJ) then bad juju happens when the team becomes one dimensional. Not saying DD needs to gain all the "respect" himself, but the entire running game and all involved.

[wags]

Originally Posted by outofhnd

And he could also be the next KiJana Carter,

No he couldn't. Ki-Jana Carter was taken #1 overall. DD was taken in the fourth round as a third-down back. Ki-Jana was a flat out bust. DD has probably surpassed all expectations for a third down back that was drafted in the fourth round. Even if DD doesn't turn out to be the franchise back, he has still been a great draft pick.

[outofhnd]

ok maybe a little mismatched, lets say how about

Reggie Cobb, Edgar Bennet, Errict Rhett players that were on the verge of becoming that back but never made it to the next level that is the franchise back. I wont use flat out busts, ill use the slow leaks.

[Reddevil63]

lol 2 of those 3 were Tampa Bay Buccaneers when the entire franchise was a "slow leak" or as Id say, never inflated :woot

[outofhnd]

ok fine ill go with this group since that was to Buccaneer for you

Cleveland Gary early 90's
Olandis Gary 2000
Reggie Brooks 1994
Troy Hambrick 2003
Barry Foster 1993
Barry Word 1993

[TexansTrueFan]

Originally Posted by Bellthebest

Why?? Some people are saying that DD is gunna be the next Priest Holmes!!!

well they have alot of the same features size, good vision, ability to break tackles, both good recievers, and have both had injury problems in their careers. D.D should have a fairly healthy season i assume he will miss 1 maybe 2 games, but he needs to be around the 1500yrd mark and 14tds (CAUSE 1,000 yrds isnt really all that great anymore since they put 16 games in the season plus some fans will accept nothing less of HIM). If he gets those numbers i expect he will be offered a nice contract after ,

[infantrycak]

Originally Posted by outofhnd

ok fine ill go with this group since that was to Buccaneer for you

Cleveland Gary early 90's
Olandis Gary 2000
Reggie Brooks 1994
Troy Hambrick 2003
Barry Foster 1993
Barry Word 1993

What are you trying to prove here--that 1000 yd seasons mean nothing?

Cleveland Gary--one season over 1000 yds and not until his 4th year in the league
Olandis Gary--one season, not two
Reggie Brooks--one season
Troy Hambrick--zero seasons over 1000 yds
Barry Foster--one season over, 3rd year
Barry Word--one season, 3rd year

If this is your attempt to show DD's performance doesn't mean anything, IMO you have proved the opposite--one hit wonders have one hit, not two.

Here are the current RB's (within the top 100 last year) that started their careers with back to back 1000 yd seasons:

Corey Dillon
Curtis Martin
Edgerrin James
LaDainian Tomlinson
Clinton Portis
Jerome Bettis
Marshall Faulk
Eddie George
Domanick Davis

That is it out of the top 100 RB's from last year. While getting a single 1000 yd season somewhere in your career may not amount to anything anymore, seems starting your career with two back to back seasons that way is pretty rare.

Anybody have any examples of RB's that during the time period of the 16 game schedule started their careers with back to back 1000 yd seasons and then never were successful RB's?

[Vinny]

That's some good stuff. The art of war is right.

[TheOgre]

Originally Posted by F-minus67

He might not be the next Holmes, but he could have a career like Emmit Smith.

But he could have a career like Lamar Smith.

[infantrycak]

As a follow up on backs who start with two 1000 yd seasons, here is the list of all of them out of the 1545 RB's that have played in the NFL:

Otis Anderson over 1000 yds 5 of 1st 6 seasons, 2 time pro-bowler
William Andrews 1st 5 seasons, 4 time PB
Jerome Bettis 8 of 1st 9 seasons, 5 time PB
John Brockington 1st 3 seasons, 2 time PB
Earl Campbell 5 of 1st 6 seasons, 5 time PB
Joe Cribbs 3 of 1st 4 seasons, 3 time PB
Terrell Davis 1st 4 seasons, 3 time PB
Eric Dickerson 7 of 1st 8 seasons, 6 time PB
Corey Dillon 7 of 1st 8 seasons, 3 time PB
Tony Dorsett 8 of 9 1st seasons, 4 time PB
Marshall Faulk 7 of 1st 8 seasons, 7 time PB
Eddie George 7 of 1st 8 seasons, 4 time PB
Bobby Humphrey 1st 2 seasons, 1 time PB
Edgerrin James 4 of 1st 6 seasons, 2 time PB
Curtis Martin 1st 10 seasons, 4 time PB
Clinton Portis 1st 3 seasons, 1 time PB
Barry Sanders 1st 10 seasons, 10 time PB
Billy Sims 3 of 1st 4 seasons, 3 time PB
LaDainian Tomlinson 1st 4 seasons, 1 time PB

So 19 (20 with DD) RB's ever out of 1545 RB's in the NFL have started their careers with two 1000 yd seasons and everyone of them has gone to at least 1 pro-bowl. Only John Brockington did it prior to the 16 game season--Tony Dorsett split one 14 game season and one 16 game season. Doesn't mean Domanick Davis will be a hall of famer or even the Texans' RB for long but it does mean he has already done something pretty rare and not near as easy as some of y'all would make out.

Humphrey is in italics because he is the only one that approaches one hit wonder status. Maybe someone with a better recollection can fill in, but I think he had a fumbling problem.

[TheOgre]

If memory servers me correctly, Humphrey had an attitude problem. It seems like the Dolphins and Broncos traded RB's straight up at one point and Humphrey was part of that trade. He never lived up to his early production.

*edit* It does seem like he had a fumble problem as well.

[z0rpAn]

overall the RB position is the last spot we need to concentrate on in the draft, if we find our OL needs met this season and DD still doesnt get the RB position impact, then shame on him. It all starts with a solid line. Look at Denver, PItts, SD, KC, Indy. They dont have the sack troubles that we have had and that says a lot when you compare the rushing stats.