Wade's vision for our defense, as per our current personnel

[nero THE zero]

Essentially, he feels this way about our current players:

Antonio Smith -- DE (DT in nickel packages)
Mario Williams -- DE
Shaun Cody -- NT
Earl Mitchell -- NT

Connor Barwin -- OLB (DE in nickel packages)
DeMeco Ryans -- ILB
Brian Cushing -- ILB/OLB
Mark Anderson -- OLB
Tim Jamison -- OLB

Amobi Okoye -- DT in nickel packages

This was probably the most interesting quote from the article, for me:

“Anybody who says the Texans don’t have the players to play on the nose is wrong,” Phillips said. “I’ve only seen them on film, but I think Cody and Mitchell can play on the nose. From what I saw, both of them had good years.

“It helps to have a good player on the nose. Everywhere I’ve gone except Buffalo — where I took Ted Washington with me — they’ve had a player on the roster we turned into a pretty good nose.”

Also, of note, is that we've probably seen the last starting line-up featuring Amobi Okoye. From the sounds of it, if he makes the roster it will be in a situational role.

[TheCD]

Does this mean we'll go after Jason Babin in the offseason? Even trade with Amobi for Babin?

[DerekLee1]

Tim Jamison and Mark Anderson over Sharpton, Diles, and Adibi? Interesting...

[Texan4Ever]

Originally Posted by nero THE zero

Essentially, he feels this way about our current players:

Antonio Smith -- DE (DT in nickel packages)
Mario Williams -- DE
Shaun Cody -- NT
Earl Mitchell -- NT *Could play DE in a 3-4 IMO*

Connor Barwin -- OLB (DE in nickel packages)
DeMeco Ryans -- ILB
Brian Cushing -- ILB/OLB
Mark Anderson -- OLB
Tim Jamison -- OLB

Amobi Okoye -- DT in nickel packages

I have no problem with Cody and or Mitchell playing nose tackle, only if they gain some weight (315-lbs should be good enough). Tim Jamison may have to loose some weight and learn some pass-rushing moves, but he should be a solid OLB as he has a non-stop motor.

I would really like to get rid of Amobi Okoye and trade him to a team looking for a young DT to develop in exchange for draft picks or an unknown player we could develop as an OLB.

[HuttoKarl]

Originally Posted by nero THE zero

Essentially, he feels this way about our current players:

Antonio Smith -- DE (DT in nickel packages)
Mario Williams -- DE
Shaun Cody -- NT
Earl Mitchell -- NT

Connor Barwin -- OLB (DE in nickel packages)
DeMeco Ryans -- ILB
Brian Cushing -- ILB/OLB
Mark Anderson -- OLB
Tim Jamison -- OLB

Amobi Okoye -- DT in nickel packages

This was probably the most interesting quote from the article, for me:


Also, of note, is that we've probably seen the last starting line-up featuring Amobi Okoye. From the sounds of it, if he makes the roster it will be in a situational role.

That looks like a most disappointing defensive front.

[DerekLee1]

Originally Posted by HuttoKarl

That looks like a most disappointing defensive front.

If you read deeper into the article, we're not STARTING Jamison or Anderson at OLB. Wade says he wants to try them out at OLB. More likely you'll see:

Antonio Smith -- DE (DT in nickel packages)
Mario Williams -- DE
Shaun Cody/Earl Mitchell -- NT
Amobi Okoye -- DT in nickel packages

Connor Barwin -- OLB (DE in nickel packages)
DeMeco Ryans -- ILB
Sharpton/Diles/Adibi -- ILB
Brian Cushing -- OLB

That, to me, looks like a pretty formidable front 7.

[Norg]

He says that but im sure he will try and wheel and deal maybe even get some of his players from Dallas and other places plus the Draft

[Ole Miss Texan]

Very interesting. I'm excited about all of this, I really am.

Amobi Okoye - I understand he has underwhelmed us from him being the #10 overall pick but he's not a bad player. Having Okoye as a backup (assuming he fits well in the scheme) would be awesome. Despite what many people think, his contract right now is fairly friendly. And I doubt he'll be getting a huge starter caliber contract when he becomes a FA in 2013. So why not have an above average backup???

[Malloy]

I love the fact that he has an ACTUAL view on our players already, sounds to me like he has a clear plan and knows exactly what's needed to make it work.

Then again I could be horribly wrong, but until we lose another game I'm high on positivity!

[michaelm]

That's a hell of a list in that article of players Wade has coached.

Is it the chicken or the egg?

Did those good players make his system successful,
or did was it his system that was good, and allowed the players to succeed?

[powda]

Why am i suddenly reminded of Gary Kubiak assuring Bob McNair he can turn David Carr into a good quarterback so he can get the job?

The vision i really wanna know about from Wade is how he plans to make our secondary respectible.

[DX-TEX]

Originally Posted by michaelm

That's a hell of a list in that article of players Wade has coached.

Is it the chicken or the egg?

Did those good players make his system successful,
or did was it his system that was good, and allowed the players to succeed?

Considering everywhere he went to be the DC had one of the worst defenses in the league and in one year turned them all around in a year says its the system

[DerekLee1]

Originally Posted by michaelm

That's a hell of a list in that article of players Wade has coached.

Is it the chicken or the egg?

Did those good players make his system successful,
or did was it his system that was good, and allowed the players to succeed?

Originally Posted by powda

Why am i suddenly reminded of Gary Kubiak assuring Bob McNair he can turn David Carr into a good quarterback so he can get the job?

The vision i really wanna know about from Wade is how he plans to make our secondary respectible.

Carr was NEVER good. We have players on defense that we already KNOW are good (Ryans, Cushing, Williams, Smith, Barwin)

It doesn't matter if it's the chicken or the egg. We have both.

[powda]

Originally Posted by DerekLee1

Carr was NEVER good. We have players on defense that we already KNOW are good (Ryans, Cushing, Williams, Smith, Barwin)

Thats not the point of the analogy. If Kubiak said he couldnt turn Carr into a solid quarterback lots of people feel he wouldnt have gotten the job.

If Wade Phillips said he couldnt make our players work in a 3-4 defense do you think he would've gotten the job?

[maddogmrb]

I believe the Texans have good 3-4 personnel at DE, OLB & ILB but, we are woefully inept at NT. Anybody remember how the Oilers defense really solidified once they got Curly Culp at NT? To have a good 3-4 defense you need an above average guy at NT. To have an excellent 3-4 defense you need a great guy at NT. We don't have anyone close to that at this point. I would like to think the team would go out and address the situation either thru free agency or draft or both however, nothing about the teams past FA activity suggests they would be a player for an impact NT or an impact FA at any position. Remember, we still have the same guys running our draft & FA. Here is how we might expect this year's draft to look:

1- Best available TE.
2- Best available TE.
3- Best available TE.
4- OG.
5- Kick Returner.
6- DB.
7- QB.

And I'm only using mild

[Vinnie]

Originally Posted by powda

The vision i really wanna know about from Wade is how he plans to make our secondary respectible.

Pass rush

[DerekLee1]

Originally Posted by powda

Thats not the point of the analogy. If Kubiak said he couldnt turn Carr into a solid quarterback lots of people feel he wouldnt have gotten the job.

If Wade Phillips said he couldnt make our players work in a 3-4 defense do you think he would've gotten the job?

We don't know what was said in the interviews; we can only assume. BUT Wade has experience in the 4-3, 3-4 and 46 defenses. I think if he truly felt we didn't have the personnel for a pure 3-4, he'd be running a 4-3 or hybrid system.

[powda]

Our front 7 played solid for most of the year. At times the defensive line and linebackers were almost dominant (See - Baltimore blitzs, and mike vick getting his a** kicked by our front 7.)

i understand a pass rush helps the pass defense greatly----------but...

At some point we need corners who can cover. Dont try and talk me into another season of Wilson, Pollard, Quin, Allen, and Jackson. I'm not buying...

[TheCD]

Originally Posted by maddogmrb

I would like to think the team would go out and address the situation either thru free agency or draft or both however, nothing about the teams past FA activity suggests they would be a player for an impact NT or an impact FA at any position. Remember, we still have the same guys running our draft & FA. Here is how we might expect this year's draft to look:

McNair did state that he went with the decision of the defensive coaches in stating that our young secondary could get the job done. Whether he was simply throwing the guys under the bus I don't know.

Originally Posted by Vinnie

Pass rush

Uh oh...them's fightin' words around here, man!

[TimeKiller]

With Ryans' health in question and Cushing's GAME in question...they really need to find an answer or two in the draft at LB, specifically ILB. Perhaps Anderson or Jamison can fit the bill to bookend Barwin, I mean there's no sense in not trying but really...Cushing is the guy on the other side of Barwin for me, with Ryans (if healthy) and a pickup in the middle. I'd rather find a big, probably slower, powerful LB to take up some of the space Cody/Mitchell won't than another guy like Barwin or Cushing. Regardless of Cushing's positioning or Ryans' health, another LB MUST be acquired. The point of having 4 LBers on the field is that you have 4 good LBers.

Uh.....
Ryans-We'll see I suppose. Achilles injuries don't sound like skipping through a breezy pasture.
Cushing-We need 400 mg's of juice, STAT!
Barwin-Probably fits the OLB passrusher bill. PROBABLY. Probably? Probably.
Diles? Fart. Adibi? Shart. Sharpton?

If 2/3 of your DL is MW and Antonio, probably doin just fine there. Even if Cody is the NT. Yeah, a big fatass would be nice but LBer is hurting for another guy to show up and be an answer, not a question or a liability to cover.

Speaking of liabilities and cover(age)....what about the secondary? You know....the black, vaccumous, swirling hole we get to watch! Do you resign Pollard's all attitude/no skillz? It's nice when it works and it's ****ing horrendous when it doesn't. How about Wilson? If you bring him back please, PLEASE, somebody get the old man a cane. How about these corners? Are any of them worth anything? Quin is but where does he fit in? McCain I could take or leave Faggins v.2....Molden? Seriously, if you pay this guy, pay ME because at the very least I would get hurt trying knock somebody's head off. Or hell, pay me to knock MOLDEN'S head off, then you'll have a reason to cut him that won't make you feel so bad about drafting him.

JASON ALLEN?!?!?! BWAAAhahahahahaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah...nice of Wade to line up the front 7 for us, whenever you figure out the rubix cube of a secondary we got goin' here put out another article.