Cushing to play some OLB?

[El Tejano]

Houston Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips said the team will use LB Brian Cushing at outside linebacker at time so he can be a pass rusher.

2011-05-11 11:22:17 | Source: HoustonTexans.com - Nick Scurfield



Read more: http://www.kffl.com/gnews.php?id=712...#ixzz1M5DZeUwc

Discuss....

[Rey]

I saw that while back.

I didn't think anything of it...

I think it's pretty obvious at this point that guys will be moving around a bit...

[Thorn]

Change will be welcome. If the defense gets better, we could very well make the playoffs. If the defense gets worse, it'll get an Emmy for best comedy special of the year.

[DBCooper]

I need to pull up some of Wade's San Diego footage.

Guys line up in all sorts of positions, the blitz (consider that word a minute) comes from any angle imaginable.

The defense will line up in several different fronts to confuse the offense.

[Brandon420tx]

He'll probably be an OLB out of nickle pacages

[beerlover]

It's not a stretch for me to believe Cushing can play OLB in Wade Phillips system as it is for Mario to play ROLB or Amobi RDE. I can even buy Glover moving to FS more with heavy CB investment in draft. Maybe Wade is actually using a 4-3 but disguising it as a 3-4?

[texfansince02]

Wade calls it a 5-2 front.

[IDEXAN]

A 5-2 front ? OK so how many down linemen in that 5-2 front ?

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by IDEXAN

A 5-2 front ? OK so how many down linemen in that 5-2 front ?

3 guys with their hands down most of the time. The OLBs will be standing up, closer to the line of scrimmage .

[IDEXAN]

Originally Posted by painekiller

3 guys with their hands down most of the time. The OLBs will be standing up, closer to the line of scrimmage .

So basically the OLBs are playing closer or perhaps even right on the los, right ? OK so no mystery here, nothing new, just a 3-4 with a slightly different twrinkle it sounds like to me ?

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by IDEXAN

So basically the OLBs are playing closer or perhaps even right on the los, right ? OK so no mystery here, nothing new, just a 3-4 with a slightly different twrinkle it sounds like to me ?

It's the way Bum Phillips and now Wade have run them since the 70's.

Wade has always run the defense different from the others who ran a 3-4. No other defensive coach could have made Bruce Smith a 3-4 DE and succeeded.

I'm curious to see this defense on the field.

[beerlover]

Originally Posted by painekiller

It's the way Bum Phillips and now Wade have run them since the 70's.

Wade has always run the defense different from the others who ran a 3-4. No other defensive coach could have made Bruce Smith a 3-4 DE and succeeded.

I'm curious to see this defense on the field.

I would sure appreciate someone breaking down Bruce Smith then comparing him to Mario Williams.

[infantrycak]

Originally Posted by beerlover

I would sure appreciate someone breaking down Bruce Smith then comparing him to Mario Williams.

OK, I am not the biggest fan of the idea of moving Mario to OLB. Having said that Mario compares well to Smith. Smith had a bit easier time getting under people. Mario plays too high at times. Both have a great initial burst that confuses O guys. Both primarily rely on a bull rush. Both pursue across a formation well. Smith was excellent at getting one hand on someone and bringing them down. That's something Mario needs to improve upon to be impact instead of almost there. Mario also needs to improve at a second shove move. He comes off the line and smacks an OT and then thinks he is going to run around him but ends up getting run out of the play. He needs to (and Smith used to) put his head down and run through that guy with a second effort.

[beerlover]

Originally Posted by infantrycak

OK, I am not the biggest fan of the idea of moving Mario to OLB. Having said that Mario compares well to Smith. Smith had a bit easier time getting under people. Mario plays too high at times. Both have a great initial burst that confuses O guys. Both primarily rely on a bull rush. Both pursue across a formation well. Smith was excellent at getting one hand on someone and bringing them down. That's something Mario needs to improve upon to be impact instead of almost there. Mario also needs to improve at a second shove move. He comes off the line and smacks an OT and then thinks he is going to run around him but ends up getting run out of the play. He needs to (and Smith used to) put his head down and run through that guy with a second effort.

Would this be fair, Mario needs another pass rush move, or two now more than ever as he transitions to OLB. Like you mentioned motor needs to burn hot, & use those long arms with better placement to stack & shed or finish would be blockers off quicker.

I would like him to prove he is a better linebacker than Brian before handing him the reigns. In short I feel Cushing could be one heck of a OLB in Wade's
5-2 & Mario a premium DE in mold of a Bruce Smith type.

[badboy]

Originally Posted by infantrycak

OK, I am not the biggest fan of the idea of moving Mario to OLB. Having said that Mario compares well to Smith. Smith had a bit easier time getting under people. Mario plays too high at times. Both have a great initial burst that confuses O guys. Both primarily rely on a bull rush. Both pursue across a formation well. Smith was excellent at getting one hand on someone and bringing them down. That's something Mario needs to improve upon to be impact instead of almost there. Mario also needs to improve at a second shove move. He comes off the line and smacks an OT and then thinks he is going to run around him but ends up getting run out of the play. He needs to (and Smith used to) put his head down and run through that guy with a second effort.

Icak, these are some of the best things you have said. Mario is known for being fast and big but needs to bull doze the blocker and pull the QB down even if he doesn't get a clear solid shot. I am hoping he will force opponent to bring over another blocker and open up our other guys.

[infantrycak]

Originally Posted by beerlover

Would this be fair, Mario needs another pass rush move, or two now more than ever as he transitions to OLB. Like you mentioned motor needs to burn hot, & use those long arms with better placement to stack & shed or finish would be blockers off quicker.

I think Mario needs to go to eriadoc for some marital arts lessons. I don't think he is built for spin moves, etc. but he could most certainly learn to use his strength and arm length better. I don't agree with the lack of effort stuff. I think he has effort, it just isn't always smart effort. Learn your strengths and take advantage of them. His long arms should be stiff arming folks like crazy.

I would like him to prove he is a better linebacker than Brian before handing him the reigns. In short I feel Cushing could be one heck of a OLB in Wade's
5-2 & Mario a premium DE in mold of a Bruce Smith type.

I thought he would look like a superstar 3-4 DE. We will see how this works out and I will defer to Wade. I will say of all the 290 lb men I have ever seen Mario has the best chance to make it work. One play stands out to me (except can't remember which opponent but it was a home game) from Mario's rookie season. He came off the left side on a rushing play, ran behind the line of scrimmage, saw he couldn't make it before the RB cut the opposite corner and with one arm threw the LT in the path of the RB knocking him down for a minimal gain. I think Mario sometimes doesn't realize his own strength rather than doesn't give full effort.

Originally Posted by badboy

Icak, these are some of the best things you have said. Mario is known for being fast and big but needs to bull doze the blocker and pull the QB down even if he doesn't get a clear solid shot. I am hoping he will force opponent to bring over another blocker and open up our other guys.

I don't think there is any doubt lining Mario up wide will stretch the offensive line/pass protection. Kind of like learning to use his arm length advantage he needs to learn to lower center of gravity. On the second effort thing I think it ties in with the learning to use his arm length - bump once then instead of taking the path of least resistance around the outside, shove the tackle outside and cut back inside. He has both the strength and quickness to do it. Again this is where coaching has the potential for tremendous improvement on an already excellent player.

[Rey]

I don't think Mario really lacks effort, but he is not a high motor guy.

He just isn't.


Normally though, the less natural talent you have the higher your motor has to be in order to acheive success. Guys with supreme talent like Mario tend to play a bit more methodically because they can afford to really take things in because once they see how something is developing they can pretty much do whatever they want to the opposing player in front of them.

If Mario went 110 mph every snap he probably a) wouldn't last as long b) run his self out of too many plays and too often be caught out of position

I think if we can ipmrove our underneath pass coverage and make opposing QB's hold the ball a bit longer Mario will be a top 3 sack guy.

I was still don't know how this mario at OLB is going to work...Not because I am worried about his role, but I am worried about the OLB's on the other side (Barwin and Reed). With Mario being asked to pin his ears back 95% of the time, I think they are going to have to be more versatile and I don't know how they will respond to that. But...We shall see...

[CloakNNNdagger]

I'm getting the feeling that every Texans player can be made to fit Wade's definition of OLB..............waiting for Orlovsky to put a couple extra supports on his facemask............

[beerlover]

Originally Posted by CloakNNNdagger

I'm getting the feeling that every Texans player can be made to fit Wade's definition of OLB..............waiting for Orlovsky to put a couple extra supports on his facemask............

I get a feeling Wade is going to hit more than miss, regardless what we, as fans think. Just idle talk during lock-out.

[wolf123]

Originally Posted by infantrycak

I think Mario needs to go to eriadoc for some marital arts lessons. I don't think he is built for spin moves, etc. but he could most certainly learn to use his strength and arm length better. I don't agree with the lack of effort stuff. I think he has effort, it just isn't always smart effort. Learn your strengths and take advantage of them. His long arms should be stiff arming folks like crazy.



I thought he would look like a superstar 3-4 DE. We will see how this works out and I will defer to Wade. I will say of all the 290 lb men I have ever seen Mario has the best chance to make it work. One play stands out to me (except can't remember which opponent but it was a home game) from Mario's rookie season. He came off the left side on a rushing play, ran behind the line of scrimmage, saw he couldn't make it before the RB cut the opposite corner and with one arm threw the LT in the path of the RB knocking him down for a minimal gain. I think Mario sometimes doesn't realize his own strength rather than doesn't give full effort.



I don't think there is any doubt lining Mario up wide will stretch the offensive line/pass protection. Kind of like learning to use his arm length advantage he needs to learn to lower center of gravity. On the second effort thing I think it ties in with the learning to use his arm length - bump once then instead of taking the path of least resistance around the outside, shove the tackle outside and cut back inside. He has both the strength and quickness to do it. Again this is where coaching has the potential for tremendous improvement on an already excellent player.

Your talking about his play against the Jets.