Early thoughts on the Tampy Bay game?

[Texn4life]

I know most people have thought that this game would be one of the toughest in the 2nd half of our schedule, but I honestly think this game sets up perfect for us to control the ball and come out with a comfortable win. They're banged up, and almost gave up 200 yards rushing to the Saints so we can definitely run the ball on them. We'll also be playing against our old buddy Frank Okam who will most likely be starting in Gerald McCoy's place. OD and Dreesen can also have big days this week for us. If we take care of the ball we will win the game. Any thoughts?

[Vinny]

Tampa is tougher at home but I don't think they match up well vs us. They don't have a great edge rush, their push up the middle isn't impressive. That isn't even the bad news....their rush defense is awful. Frank Okam won't know what hit him (he was out last week vs Saints).

Josh Freeman has been very very unimpressive this year too. So has their wide outs and Winslow is having a snoozer of a year as well. I don't like the creativity of their offensive scheme....I think they will buckle under pressure this weekend. I don't see the Texans losing this one.

[Texn4life]

Originally Posted by Vinny

Tampa is tougher at home but I don't think they match up well vs us. They don't have a great edge rush, their push up the middle isn't impressive. That isn't even the bad news....their rush defense is awful. Frank Okam won't know what hit him (he was out last week vs Saints).

Josh Freeman has been very very unimpressive this year too. So has their wide outs and Winslow is having a snoozer of a year as well. I don't like the creativity of their offensive scheme....I think they will buckle under pressure this weekend. I don't see the Texans losing this one.

It looks like we see this game pretty similarly. We're dealing with a young team that's starting to lose confidence in itself so we need to jump on them early. If we get up by a score or 2 then I can see them throwing up all over themselves.


They do have 2 good young wideouts so we need to make sure we keep them in check.
I'm shocked that Mike Williams has performed as poorly as he has this year. I'm sure it'll be easy to make excuses for them, but the lockout may have really hurt these guys. I know Freeman organized some team workouts, but I can see how young guys could not take the offseason seriously and not stay on top of their game.

[drs23]

Originally Posted by Texn4life

It looks like we see this game pretty similarly. We're dealing with a young team that's starting to lose confidence in itself so we need to jump on them early. If we get up by a score or 2 then I can see them throwing up all over themselves.


They do have 2 good young wideouts so we need to make sure we keep them in check.
I'm shocked that Mike Williams has performed as poorly as he has this year. I'm sure it'll be easy to make excuses for them, but the lockout may have really hurt these guys. I know Freeman organized some team workouts, but I can see how young guys could not take the offseason seriously and not stay on top of their game.

If our D can put #5 on his backside early and often like they're capable of this will be another fun game to watch.

If it's in your area, of coarse.

[TheRealJoker]

This team is similar to the one we fielded during our 8-8 seasons under Kubiak. Not a whole lot of veteran leadership and a young coaching staff as well. They are talented, but we are the more mature team, which should make the difference in the 4th quarter.

[Texn4life]

Originally Posted by drs23

If our D can put #5 on his backside early and often like they're capable of this will be another fun game to watch.

If it's in your area, of coarse.

I hope we get Marv Albert calling the game again. It sounds weird having him do play-by-play for football but its still pretty cool in my opinion.

[ThaShark316]

Ahh. My team in the non-Houston football years.

The Bucs are really good at coming back in games. Even if you jump on them, they'll keep playing. Rahiem Morris keeps them going for 60 minutes. Spotty run D, for sure. However, they are very good at getting that key stop that might just keep them around in games where they may trail.

This game is EXTREMELY huge for them. After GB in week 11, they get JAX, TEN, and CAR. 3 winnable games. They get to 5-5, they could very well be 8-5 with 3 games left.

Looking at their defense, they are having MAJOR issues with not only the run, but shockingly, the pass as well. They are at the bottom of the league in both. That said, they seem to play better D at home. The road defense is atrocious. At home, they seem to play better. (NO put up 190+ on the ground at the dome, under 80 in Tampa)

Freeman's putting up more yards, but making more mistakes than he's accustomed to. Bottle up Blount, and like it was said in this thread, jump on them early. However, bury them. They've had games where they trailed big and came back to either win, or lose close but scare you.

[ThaShark316]

Originally Posted by Texn4life

I hope we get Marv Albert calling the game again. It sounds weird having him do play-by-play for football but its still pretty cool in my opinion.

Actually, funny enough, we WILL have Marv Albert doing the game this week.

[Vinny]

Originally Posted by Texn4life

It looks like we see this game pretty similarly. We're dealing with a young team that's starting to lose confidence in itself so we need to jump on them early. If we get up by a score or 2 then I can see them throwing up all over themselves.


They do have 2 good young wideouts so we need to make sure we keep them in check.
I'm shocked that Mike Williams has performed as poorly as he has this year. I'm sure it'll be easy to make excuses for them, but the lockout may have really hurt these guys. I know Freeman organized some team workouts, but I can see how young guys could not take the offseason seriously and not stay on top of their game.

Williams looks very slow this season compared to last year. No long speed, no real quickness either...perhaps he coasted all offseason and lost a little of his edge like Chris Johnson obviously did.

[Hervoyel]

Originally Posted by Vinny

Tampa is tougher at home but I don't think they match up well vs us. They don't have a great edge rush, their push up the middle isn't impressive. That isn't even the bad news....their rush defense is awful. Frank Okam won't know what hit him (he was out last week vs Saints).

Josh Freeman has been very very unimpressive this year too. So has their wide outs and Winslow is having a snoozer of a year as well. I don't like the creativity of their offensive scheme....I think they will buckle under pressure this weekend. I don't see the Texans losing this one.

This. Jacksonville after the bye will be a much tougher test IMO. Tampa Bay is a must win but it's not the kind of must win that a team gets all twisted up inside over. I think the Texans just go there, play their game on offense and defense, and come out with a win.

[Wolf]

Houston Texans expected to attack Tampa Bay Buccaneers' porous run defense

TAMPA — As huge a hole as DT Gerald McCoy's season-ending biceps injury creates, the Bucs already had problems stopping the run for most of this season.

Tampa Bay allowed 195 rushing yards in Sunday's loss, when coach Raheem Morris said his defensive front was "flat-out out-physicalled" by the Saints. The Bucs, who rank 26th in run defense (132.4 yards), won't have it any easier Sunday, when the Texans' second-ranked rushing attack comes to town.

Houston RBs Arian Foster and Ben Tate each ran for more than 100 yards in Sunday's rout of the Browns and are among the NFL's top 10 rushers. The AFC South-leading Texans, who average 155.1 yards rushing, have won three straight.

"I think they're coming in hot," DT Frank Okam said. "Arian and Ben Tate have been a dynamic duo back there. They're playing (with) one of the top offensive lines in the league as a unit right now. It's definitely going to be a challenge."

S Tanard Jackson

http://www.tampabay.com/sports/footb...efense/1200474

[TheRealJoker]

Originally Posted by Hervoyel

This. Jacksonville after the bye will be a much tougher test IMO. Tampa Bay is a must win but it's not the kind of must win that a team gets all twisted up inside over. I think the Texans just go there, play their game on offense and defense, and come out with a win.

Sounds like this isn't really a "must win game"... but rather a "must play well game"!!!

[TexansFanatic]

Originally Posted by Vinny

Tampa is tougher at home but I don't think they match up well vs us. They don't have a great edge rush, their push up the middle isn't impressive. That isn't even the bad news....their rush defense is awful. Frank Okam won't know what hit him (he was out last week vs Saints).

Josh Freeman has been very very unimpressive this year too. So has their wide outs and Winslow is having a snoozer of a year as well. I don't like the creativity of their offensive scheme....I think they will buckle under pressure this weekend. I don't see the Texans losing this one.

Houston's favored by 3 in this one.

I can still hardly believe the good guys are sitting at 6-3. I can't imagine how 7-3 might feel.

[FirstTexansFan]

Originally Posted by TheRealJoker

Sounds like this isn't really a "must win game"... but rather a "must play well game"!!!

Quit yer bishin.. you're getting laid this year

[badboy]

We need to pound them with our RBs, Walter and the TEs. Once each half, Matt should play action and catch them asleep. 23-10.

[Texan_Bill]

I said this last night.... This Tampa game is the type of game that this team has laid an egg in, in the past. We'll see what they are "really" made of. It won't have to be a lopsided win, but a win. I don't care if it's ugly or not.

To me, it's a big difference to be 7-3 v. 6-4 going into the bye week...

[ThaShark316]

Originally Posted by Texan_Bill

I said this last night.... This Tampa game is the type of game that this team has laid an egg in, in the past. We'll see what they are "really" made of. It won't have to be a lopsided win, but a win. I don't care if it's ugly or not.

To me, it's a big difference to be 7-3 v. 6-4 going into the bye week...

Agreed. Difference between 8 or 9-3, as well.

[The Pencil Neck]

Well, like all Texans games, this one worries me.

I'm not so much worried about the Buccs as I am worried about us. The only way we lose is if we beat ourselves. We're moving into territory new for this club.

We need to come out and pound the ball on offense. And on defense, we're going to get a bigger test than we've gotten in the past 3 weeks.

Let's see how far this defense has progressed.

30-20, Texans.

[TexansFanatic]

Originally Posted by Texan_Bill

I said this last night.... This Tampa game is the type of game that this team has laid an egg in, in the past. We'll see what they are "really" made of. It won't have to be a lopsided win, but a win. I don't care if it's ugly or not.

To me, it's a big difference to be 7-3 v. 6-4 going into the bye week...

Absolutely right.

[CloakNNNdagger]

Originally Posted by Vinny

Tampa is tougher at home but I don't think they match up well vs us. They don't have a great edge rush, their push up the middle isn't impressive. That isn't even the bad news....their rush defense is awful. Frank Okam won't know what hit him (he was out last week vs Saints).

Josh Freeman has been very very unimpressive this year too. So has their wide outs and Winslow is having a snoozer of a year as well. I don't like the creativity of their offensive scheme....I think they will buckle under pressure this weekend. I don't see the Texans losing this one.

He is probably returning out of necessity. He has had a significant calf injury. Bringing some back too early after a calf injury increases the possibility of an Achilles rupture, especially in a huge lineman who requires powerful pushoff. I'm certainly not wishing this on him. But I tend to doubt that he returns this week at full strength.