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Our first round pick Whitney Mercilus
- Thread starter El Tejano
- Start date
False Start
On # 69
Crazy, I was thinking the same thing last night. From what I've heard here and there on the radio its been pretty much good news. Thing is, I would expect to hear a lot more about a first round pick.
Texan_Touchdown
Noob
yeah I've heard more about the offense this summer on the radio and ESPN ( the 30 second segment about Andre Johnson pulling a groin) and that's about it. And quite frankly I love it. I think the defense is quietly getting a lot better and Mercilus will have more energy throughout the game.
nero THE zero
All Pro
This training camp has been different all around, it seems to me. I don't know if I am following it less fervently, or if it's taken a different disposition. But, I'm viewing it as 'no news is good news,' and that the players are performing--as much as they can in such as situation--as well as they are expected to perform.
beerlover
Hall of Fame
ditto for me as well, kinda nice to know good things are just around the corner after all the hard work this off season. I study the draft for months before April, posting such in draft forum but there is no way Whitney Mercilus should have still been on the board #26. He was top 20 easy prospect with potential to vault into the top 15. Chicago & Seattle are the teams who passed on Merciuls, drafting 15th & 19th respectively, thankfully for Texans their respective war rooms took less polished prospects in Bruce Irvin & Shea McClellin. Texans won't miss a beat after standing down & watching 100 million dollar DE extraordinaire Mario Williams jet to Buffalo.
The Pencil Neck
Hall of Fame
Really?
I expect Matt to take a series or two. Then TJ to finish out the first half. I expect Beck to get the 3rd quarter and Case the 4th.
ditto for me as well, kinda nice to know good things are just around the corner after all the hard work this off season. I study the draft for months before April, posting such in draft forum but there is no way Whitney Mercilus should have still been on the board #26. He was top 20 easy prospect with potential to vault into the top 15. Chicago & Seattle are the teams who passed on Merciuls, drafting 15th & 19th respectively, thankfully for Texans their respective war rooms took less polished prospects in Bruce Irvin & Shea McClellin. Texans won't miss a beat after standing down & watching 100 million dollar DE extraordinaire Mario Williams jet to Buffalo.
No news is good news.
Merciluus and McClellin will be the best pass rushers in this draft. IMHO (Provided McClellin doesn't have concussions) It's goingto be interesting to see how their careers progress.
100 mil for MW = LOL
Keenum will probably play the last 2 series of the game. Think Alex Brink and Gary was only carrying 3 QB's.
The Pencil Neck
Hall of Fame
OTOH, Kubiak's quotes after today's practice:
The Pencil Neck
Hall of Fame
I can't wait to see what Wade does with him.
Considering the source, I would expect him to get significant playing time this week
GP
Go Texans!
Case will have to be electric this preseason to get the #3 spot ahead of Beck, and Beck is going to have to tank it as well.
Keenum is getting some nice praise from Kubiak, but I always read Kubiak's quotes about players with a focus in trying to read between the lines. In the most recent praise Kubiak has for Case, it's not the same "gush level" as we see Kubiak/Keyshawn Martin praise comments.
Kubiak is being nice, is obviously genuine, but there's nothing in the Kubiak praise-for-Keenum quotes that makes me think Case is really standing out from the pack thus far.
So Case Keenum is going to need to maximize his chances and basically make the decision an easy one for Kubiak. I don't think Gary Kubiak is going to just hand the #3 job to Keenum. In fact, I don't think Gary is going to just hand the Kicker job to Bullock either. Gary is growing up. He's realizing he cannot be everybody's pal and play the favoritism games like he did with the David Andersons, the Amobi Okoyes, and the Jacoby Joneses of the NFL. With success, Gary is seemingly unlearning some bad habits from his first several years here.
Case, you better make some noise and be smart with the ball. Period.
Keenum is getting some nice praise from Kubiak, but I always read Kubiak's quotes about players with a focus in trying to read between the lines. In the most recent praise Kubiak has for Case, it's not the same "gush level" as we see Kubiak/Keyshawn Martin praise comments.
Kubiak is being nice, is obviously genuine, but there's nothing in the Kubiak praise-for-Keenum quotes that makes me think Case is really standing out from the pack thus far.
So Case Keenum is going to need to maximize his chances and basically make the decision an easy one for Kubiak. I don't think Gary Kubiak is going to just hand the #3 job to Keenum. In fact, I don't think Gary is going to just hand the Kicker job to Bullock either. Gary is growing up. He's realizing he cannot be everybody's pal and play the favoritism games like he did with the David Andersons, the Amobi Okoyes, and the Jacoby Joneses of the NFL. With success, Gary is seemingly unlearning some bad habits from his first several years here.
Case, you better make some noise and be smart with the ball. Period.
GP
Go Texans!
Exactly.
If John McClain said "Don't buy stock in Company X...that stock will never do anything but sink," I would buy as much stock in Company X as I could.
He has terrible forecasting abilities. He should be a weatherman on a TV station instead of prognosticating for an NFL team every week. He could say "It's gonna' be a hot one today, folks..." and pretty much nail the prediction for most of the year.
False Start
On # 69
dream_team
Hall of Fame
Bumping this to hear what you guys are thinking about Mercilus. It just feels very odd to not be hearing more about this guy, being that he's a first round pick and all.
Also, how do you think he'll get on the field this season (barring any injuries). Will he be in on certain packages? Will he simply spell breathers for Brooks & Connor? Will there actually be packages where we see Barwin, Reed, and Mercilus on the field at the same time?
Maybe we'll have our own "Nascar" package with Watt, Smith, Barwin, Reed, Mercilus, and Cushing in on obvious passing downs?
Also, how do you think he'll get on the field this season (barring any injuries). Will he be in on certain packages? Will he simply spell breathers for Brooks & Connor? Will there actually be packages where we see Barwin, Reed, and Mercilus on the field at the same time?
Maybe we'll have our own "Nascar" package with Watt, Smith, Barwin, Reed, Mercilus, and Cushing in on obvious passing downs?
b0ng
Bad Hombre
Mercilus started off great getting rave reviews in camp, like most first round rookies. He got 1.5 sacks on Carolina and registered an assist playing with the 2s against SF. As far as getting in the game he certainly looks like the first pass rushed off the bench but they have not shown any quirky packages with him, Reed and Barwin on the field at the same time.
A team never tips their hand by showing special defensive packages in preseason, most preseason defenses are pretty vanilla. I like what I've seen from Mercilus so far and think that he'll mainly be used to sub for Barwin or Reed to keep all 3 rested. A "Nascar" package on passing downs would be fun to see.
The Pencil Neck
Hall of Fame
He looked pretty good in the first game in pass rush situations. Against the run game, he didn't look as good although he held up better than I expected him to.
In the second game, he really didn't flash much at all. I didn't see any good pressure by him.
I think they've got the luxury, at this point at least, to not worry about having to speed up his development. I expect to see him giving Reed and Barwin breathers and being part of the rotation and I expect Wade to unveil some packages with all our best pass rushers on the field when the real games start... if not in the Saints game.
In the second game, he really didn't flash much at all. I didn't see any good pressure by him.
I think they've got the luxury, at this point at least, to not worry about having to speed up his development. I expect to see him giving Reed and Barwin breathers and being part of the rotation and I expect Wade to unveil some packages with all our best pass rushers on the field when the real games start... if not in the Saints game.
nero THE zero
All Pro
I've been surprised by the amount of time I've seen him in coverage. Given his size I thought he'd play more of a pure rusher role, but they drop him in zone quite a bit.
Showtime100
Got JJ?
I can't speak for much but he seems to be having a really good camp.
On another note I'm disappointed with this thread, there's not one Wynton Marsalis reference to be seen.
On another note I'm disappointed with this thread, there's not one Wynton Marsalis reference to be seen.
Mercilus played WOLB
I counted 9 pass plays that he was in.
He dropped back into coverage twice.
He beat his man to the inside twice, but both times they were quick passes.
On the long pass play to Jenkins for 32 yards (Ball sucks), both he and the WDE rushed the outside gap so he was neutralized by his own man.
On the next pass (incompletion, but Jenkins beat Ball again), Mercilus beat his man late and would have gotten to the QB in just a tad less than 4 secs.
There was no push or penetration in the middle.
If there was, the QB has to pull back, and Mercilus would have a chance to get to him around the 3 sec mark.
He was neutralized by the OT once and there were 2 other quick passes in which there was nothing he can do.
The pass rush can be most effective if 2 or 3 players (including the back end) combine to make it happen.
Of all the run plays he was in, none was directly toward him.
He was in on the same stop with the NT Harris to limit the RB to a one-yd gain (due to the effort of several other guys on play side - I mentioned this play in the thread about NT Harris).
He got off the block of his man very nicely, I must say.
All and all, I think he had a solid game.
1. I said "late"; otherwise, I wouldn't have bothered noted the time now, would I?
2. I also said, often there needs to be other players involved to make a play happen.
A huge number of sacks happen around the 4 sec mark.
With a push or penetration up the middle, this play could have happened around the 3 sec mark.
3. BTW, as a new poster, I don't think it's a good idea to jump the gun and simply throw "wise" comment around just for the sake of it. But if you would rather "anything goes", you're welcome to go for it.
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I was in the middle of documenting the plays when another thread distracted me.
Let me just post what I have for now.
....
2nd quarter
1-10-HST 28 (8:17) C.Kaepernick pass incomplete short right to T.Ginn (Q.Demps).
Mercilus at WOLB
Dropped into coverage as the right flat defender.
2-10-HST 28 (8:13) C.Kaepernick pass incomplete deep left to R.Moss (A.Ball).
Moss should have caught that back shoulder fade.
Ball out in slightly less than 2 secs.
Worked the LT to the inside, gaining a bit of leverage.
3-10-HST 28 (8:06) (Shotgun) C.Kaepernick pass short right to T.Ginn to HST 22 for 6 yards (S.McManis).
PENALTY on SF-A.Davis, Illegal Formation, 5 yards, enforced at HST 28 - No Play.
43 WDE - Quick pass, ball out in just over one sec.
3-15-HST 33 (7:37) (Shotgun) K.Hunter up the middle to HST 19 for 14 yards (J.Crick).
SOLB - run away
Harris was pushed back 6 yards and pancaked.
,,,,
San Francisco 49ers at 0:54, (1st play from scrimmage 0:48)
1-10-SF 21 (:48) (Shotgun) C.Kaepernick pass short left to K.Williams to SF 27 for 6 yards (A.Ball).
43 WDE
Quick pass.
2-4-SF 27 (:27) (Shotgun) C.Kaepernick pass short left to K.Reuland to SF 35 for 8 yards (T.Nolan).
PENALTY on SF-K.Reuland, Offensive Pass Interference, 10 yards, enforced at SF 27 - No Play.
43 SDE
TE ran accross his face trying to slow Mercilus down a tad.
Still, he took the LT close to the QB, disengaged and was ready to launch at around the 2 sec mark.
The LG came back to help just in time; otherwise, Mercilus would have been on top of the QB.
In one-on-one, this would have been a sack right here (at the least, a BIG QB hit).
2-14-SF 17 (:19) (Shotgun) L.James right guard to SF 23 for 6 yards (T.Dobbins, T.Nolan).
PENALTY on HST-T.Dobbins, Face Mask (15 Yards), 15 yards, enforced at SF 23.
43 WDE
Run away
....
3rd quarter
San Francisco 49ers at 15:00, (1st play from scrimmage 14:53)
1-10-SF 25 (14:53) C.Kaepernick pass short right to K.Williams to SF 32 for 7 yards (B.McCain).
WOLB
Quick pass
Demps nearly jumped the route.
2-3-SF 32 (14:19) R.Cartwright up the middle to SF 33 for 1 yard (R.Harris, W.Mercilus).
WOLB
Brahman SOLB and Crick (especially Crick) shut down play side.
Runner cut back.
Harris stood his ground and was the first man there (low)
Mercilus was attacking outside the RT, disengaged and came around back to join in just a hair afterward (high).
Not sure if Harris could have brought the runner down by himself.
At least, he would have gained some more yards without Mercilus
3-2-SF 33 (13:41) C.Kaepernick pass short right to A.Dixon pushed ob at SF 33 for no gain (T.Dobbins).
221 personnel.
After motion, Mercilus became SOLB (2 TE set with lone receiver on his side).
Quick pass (less than 2 secs.)
With the TE crossing Mercilus's face to slow him down a tad, the LT was able to hold Mercilus off.
There was nothing he can really do here.
Let me just post what I have for now.
....
2nd quarter
1-10-HST 28 (8:17) C.Kaepernick pass incomplete short right to T.Ginn (Q.Demps).
Mercilus at WOLB
Dropped into coverage as the right flat defender.
2-10-HST 28 (8:13) C.Kaepernick pass incomplete deep left to R.Moss (A.Ball).
Moss should have caught that back shoulder fade.
Ball out in slightly less than 2 secs.
Worked the LT to the inside, gaining a bit of leverage.
3-10-HST 28 (8:06) (Shotgun) C.Kaepernick pass short right to T.Ginn to HST 22 for 6 yards (S.McManis).
PENALTY on SF-A.Davis, Illegal Formation, 5 yards, enforced at HST 28 - No Play.
43 WDE - Quick pass, ball out in just over one sec.
3-15-HST 33 (7:37) (Shotgun) K.Hunter up the middle to HST 19 for 14 yards (J.Crick).
SOLB - run away
Harris was pushed back 6 yards and pancaked.
,,,,
San Francisco 49ers at 0:54, (1st play from scrimmage 0:48)
1-10-SF 21 (:48) (Shotgun) C.Kaepernick pass short left to K.Williams to SF 27 for 6 yards (A.Ball).
43 WDE
Quick pass.
2-4-SF 27 (:27) (Shotgun) C.Kaepernick pass short left to K.Reuland to SF 35 for 8 yards (T.Nolan).
PENALTY on SF-K.Reuland, Offensive Pass Interference, 10 yards, enforced at SF 27 - No Play.
43 SDE
TE ran accross his face trying to slow Mercilus down a tad.
Still, he took the LT close to the QB, disengaged and was ready to launch at around the 2 sec mark.
The LG came back to help just in time; otherwise, Mercilus would have been on top of the QB.
In one-on-one, this would have been a sack right here (at the least, a BIG QB hit).
2-14-SF 17 (:19) (Shotgun) L.James right guard to SF 23 for 6 yards (T.Dobbins, T.Nolan).
PENALTY on HST-T.Dobbins, Face Mask (15 Yards), 15 yards, enforced at SF 23.
43 WDE
Run away
....
3rd quarter
San Francisco 49ers at 15:00, (1st play from scrimmage 14:53)
1-10-SF 25 (14:53) C.Kaepernick pass short right to K.Williams to SF 32 for 7 yards (B.McCain).
WOLB
Quick pass
Demps nearly jumped the route.
2-3-SF 32 (14:19) R.Cartwright up the middle to SF 33 for 1 yard (R.Harris, W.Mercilus).
WOLB
Brahman SOLB and Crick (especially Crick) shut down play side.
Runner cut back.
Harris stood his ground and was the first man there (low)
Mercilus was attacking outside the RT, disengaged and came around back to join in just a hair afterward (high).
Not sure if Harris could have brought the runner down by himself.
At least, he would have gained some more yards without Mercilus
3-2-SF 33 (13:41) C.Kaepernick pass short right to A.Dixon pushed ob at SF 33 for no gain (T.Dobbins).
221 personnel.
After motion, Mercilus became SOLB (2 TE set with lone receiver on his side).
Quick pass (less than 2 secs.)
With the TE crossing Mercilus's face to slow him down a tad, the LT was able to hold Mercilus off.
There was nothing he can really do here.
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TimeKiller
Guest
76 I know this a WM thread but anything you can throw out about Crick would be nice too. I saw him in the game a few times but didn't really see him able to make a play.
Phillips was saying good things about him after yesterday's practice.
False Start
On # 69
On another note I'm disappointed with this thread, there's not one Wynton Marsalis reference to be seen.
Here you go Show.
Maybe they are limiting Mercilus' play style/moves, so other teams can't see what he's capable of when sh!t gets real. Hell, I don't know,
He's our secret weapon. 
GP
Go Texans!
All those who think Crick goes quietly into the night, with "night" being "the practice squad," raise your hand...or some part of your body that signifies you agree. Well, not ANY part of your body (I'm looking at you, Texan Bill).
Dudes who are gimpy, and are rookies, they go to Gary Kubiak's misfit toy island for a year. I want to see Crick next year when he's healed up and ready to do war. Or get called up later this season if needed.
I see no way he makes the 53. IMO.
Dudes who are gimpy, and are rookies, they go to Gary Kubiak's misfit toy island for a year. I want to see Crick next year when he's healed up and ready to do war. Or get called up later this season if needed.
I see no way he makes the 53. IMO.
The Pencil Neck
Hall of Fame
K
kingh99
Guest
In Wade We Trust.
It doesn't matter where he was drafted.
If Crick has been showing up in practice the way he played against the Niners, he makes the team.
The guy plays smart, with good pad level, maintaining his gap responsibility well.
I expect him to be part of the rotation.
I will have the game breakdown soon.
If Crick has been showing up in practice the way he played against the Niners, he makes the team.
The guy plays smart, with good pad level, maintaining his gap responsibility well.
I expect him to be part of the rotation.
I will have the game breakdown soon.
Cjeremy635
Overtraining
Mercilus has been a non factor all half. I could be wrong, but has he even been in on a single tackle? He appears lost and isn't making moves with a purpose. He just appears unsure to me.
Nevermind, he just got a sack. I'd still like to see more.
Nevermind, he just got a sack. I'd still like to see more.
Who else do you see as DE? Smith, Watt, Jamison, Crick. .... who am I missing?
beerlover
Hall of Fame
Mercilus is a bright star. Best closing speed of any pass rusher in Texan history. Early on they are asking him to become a sack specialist, doesn't mean he is a one trick pony but what a good skill set to have.
To me he looks the same like he did in college. Doesn't wow you with anything in particular, but he has moments where he just gets it done. Honestly, id like more out of him, but If the highest he ever achieved is being "a good player", I can live with that.
EVOLVIST
Kid A
Some of those sacks against scrubs, and the one against NO with nobody blocking him.
I predict 5 sacks for the season for Mercilus...and you know what? I fine with that number (for now, anyway).
That's fine and all, but I'm not a huge Brooks Reed or Mercilus guy. To me they are about the same type of player. They have good motors they are good enough athletes, they are scrappy and because of that some good things will happen for them.
But I don't see either as they type of player that is going to dominate the guy in front of them on a consistent basis.
I hope I'm wrong about that by the way...
badboy
Hall of Fame
Isn't the defense of Phillips designed to have someone unblocked & get to QB?