Beating the Colts

[blockhead83]

If the Texans want a real chance at being competitive in the AFC South this season, they have to find a way to steal a game from the Colts this year. Looking at the off-season acquisitions, I don't think the Colts have gotten significantly stronger in any area, which is by no means a fault, they were already strong enough. They're going into battle with a similar cast on offense, but have upgraded their secondary with the drafting of Marlin Jackson. I think the biggest weakness on defense they have has to be in their linebackers, who if I remember correctly are quick, but are pretty much no names on a national level.

When we first got PBuch I thought maybe we could finally match up with their receivers, but with the loss of Glenn they still have a big advantage on us when Manning has time. Peek tore it up against the Colts last season, and now that he'll be a full time starter maybe we can expect to see some more pressure generated on Manning. The story on Manning is that he doesn't respond well to pressure up the middle, flushing him out of the pocket. I think Greenwood and Wong can give us a better pass rush up the middle this year, which gives us a better chance to disrupt their offense.

On offense I think we need to run the ball alot on the Colts. They seem light to me with Monte Reagor, Freeney, and smaller, quicker linebackers. Their pass rush was too quick for us last season, but I think if we just tried to pound it on them it would open up the passing game for us. On paper AJ should have a sizeable advantage on any of their DB's, if Carr can have time to throw AJ could put up big numbers.

Anywho, the Colts absolutely destroyed us last year. If any of you remember, we actually did very well against the Colts in the last game of the '03-'04 season, leading into halftime, and I think we have our best chance this year to finally beat them. Hopefully we can continue our trend of beating the Titans and Jags, get some success against Indi, and make a serious run at the division title. Thoughts?

[Tailgate]

My thoughts have always been we are not a playoff team until we finally figure out a way to take one from the Colts.

That will be a major leap for this franchise.

[MightyTExan]

Just imagine us playing Pittsburgh or The Pats for an AFC championship......better bring our "A" game.............

[infantrycak]

Originally Posted by blockhead83

Anywho, the Colts absolutely destroyed us last year.

They destroyed us in game one, but in game 2 with Manning's chase for the record at its peak the Texans held the league's best scoring offense (32.6 ppg) to 24 points and no TD's after the 1st quarter. The Texans followed your game plan running DD for 5.6 ypc to 128 yds and 12.2 yards per reception for 73 yards (of course we know the Colts "gave" DD those 1st down receptions) and Carr was 76 % passing on the day. The game plan wasn't the problem in that game--an INT on the 1st drive and Carr fumble later along with three 3rd down sacks plus one 3rd down scramble out of bounds short of the 1st were the downfall of that game--in other words, horrible pass protection.

[El Tejano]

I've always said that if there is a stud LB and/or stud Dfensive lineman the best thing you can ever do is run towards them. You have a 50/50 chance of good things happening and you work that person off the field eventually because you make them have to stay in their lanes and sometimes you can catch them guessing.

But to stay on topic. We have played the Colts very well at home in our short existence and DD has had some good games against them. I think this year we get the first one at home. It is the first time we play the Colts at home in our first meeting.

[dalemurphy]

Originally Posted by El Tejano

I've always said that if there is a stud LB and/or stud Dfensive lineman the best thing you can ever do is run towards them. You have a 50/50 chance of good things happening and you work that person off the field eventually because you make them have to stay in their lanes and sometimes you can catch them guessing.

But to stay on topic. We have played the Colts very well at home in our short existence and DD has had some good games against them. I think this year we get the first one at home. It is the first time we play the Colts at home in our first meeting.

I'm looking forward to an improved pass rush beating the stuffing out of Peyton. We actually knocked him around pretty good at Houston last year and really took him out of his comfort zone.

[GoPats]

If you want to beat the Colts, just figure out some way to make it 20 degrees and snowy at Reliant.

I'm sure your coaching staff will look over the throttling that New England handed to Manning and the Colts back in January and try to pick up on some things that were done in that game to throw him off. I think the Patriots have success against them because our defensive line can produce a pass rush with only three or four guys, leaving a bunch of 'em back in coverage. IMHO, the defensive line is the most important group on any football team.

[blockhead83]

I think Travis Johnson should give us some extra oomph on the DL as well. If I remember correctly blitzing Dunta worked out pretty well for us against the Colts last season. We have the versatile linebackers needed to throw some crafty blitz packages at Manning, I think that would help us alot too. The patriots always switch things up alot when they face Manning, I know we've tried some different things against him but there's still room for more.

[El Tejano]

What also helped us lose to the Colts was the no fumble rulings on the field. Two of those would've swung momentum around big time and given us a TD on one of them.

[TEXANS84]

Originally Posted by GoPats

I'm sure your coaching staff will look over the throttling that New England handed to Manning and the Colts back in January and try to pick up on some things that were done in that game to throw him off.

You hit the nail on the head:

Each season, Wong reviews the Texans’ game tapes to correct his mistakes and pick up any bad habits he has developed. This off-season, he has plugged in tape of another team as well.

“Once I found out what I was going to be playing, I went through some of the Patriots’ games,” said Wong, who is entering his eighth NFL season. “In the past, I would’ve been watching the outside guys, but this year I was watching Tedy Bruschi, in particular.”

LINK

[YodAa]

For us to beat the Colts we have to beat them with our Oline. Like Infantrycak said, if our pass protection was better on the last game then we could've beaten them so this year if our Line can at least keep Freeney from getting by and if one of our other receivers starts tearing it up to get some defenders away from AJ then Carr will be able to throw a couple of TDs to win the game.

[infantrycak]

As a follow up on the 2nd game last season. Some of the things that are part of the recipe for winning against the Colts we did well: held the Colts to 36% on 3rd down (same conversion rate we had), held 3.4 ypc vs. our 5.3 ypc, outpunted them by 6 yards per punt, had less penalties, had a 100% red-zone effectiveness vs. 66% for the Colts. BUT, we were +2 on turnovers (which only wins about 5% of the time) both of which were caused by pressure on the QB--of course that could have been +0 if the refs had been correct. Both the 2003 Texans and 2004 Texans gave the Colts everything they could take in the home games. There is no reason in the world to write off the Texans chances of beating them this coming season.

[texan279]

The main key to beating the clots is to get pressure on Manning, our defense needs to come out with guns blazing this season! I wanna see some blitzes!

[gwallaia]

Everyone stop worrying, the Texans will be wearing the red jerseys for the Colts game this year. The Texans do not lose with the red jerseys.

[Vambo, the Marble Eye]

Toward the end of the game with the colts at Reliant last... Wand just quit! He has getting beat on the first step and our tight end play ... just stunk.

THAT sort of performance has got to go... and then the refs seemed to be Manning "star struck". I seem to remember a BS "roughing the passer" call against us too, right?

Ok, lets review...
-mix up the play calling,
-get a tight end that can drag the middle to give DD the flat.
-Wand just has to get better ... and;
-if you hit Manning put him out (A.K.A. Longest Yard Style) cause your going to get a RTP call anyway.

[JDizzle]

Toward the end of the game with the colts at Reliant last... Wand just quit! He has getting beat on the first step and our tight end play ... just stunk.

Wand was going up against arguably the best defensive end in the NFL. Besides, Freeney only registered 3 sacks against us all year long. Granted, Wand probably had assistance, but he wouldn't be the only one who needed help against Freeney. Freeney also had 2 sacks against Baltimore late in the season. Give Wand a break, he's not terrible like you insist, Freeney will eat anyone's lunch.

[TexansTrueFan]

Originally Posted by infantrycak

They destroyed us in game one, but in game 2 with Manning's chase for the record at its peak the Texans held the league's best scoring offense (32.6 ppg) to 24 points and no TD's after the 1st quarter. The Texans followed your game plan running DD for 5.6 ypc to 128 yds and 12.2 yards per reception for 73 yards (of course we know the Colts "gave" DD those 1st down receptions) and Carr was 76 % passing on the day. The game plan wasn't the problem in that game--an INT on the 1st drive and Carr fumble later along with three 3rd down sacks plus one 3rd down scramble out of bounds short of the 1st were the downfall of that game--in other words, horrible pass protection.

D-Rob played well in that game, sacking manning 2 times and causing a fumble. With our improved D and a consistent dose of AJ, Carr, and Davis we should beat the colts. If not we wont have a chance at the play-offs, or we might but not the division.

This is absolutely correct, the rise of the Texans to the playoff level is a win in one of the 2 games we play during the season with them. With Wand at LT this isn't going to happen until he can find a way to handle Freeney and our offensive can find a better way to beat the cover 2.

[Texansbacker]

Ya, I am liking our d-line with Seth Payne, Gary Walker, Robaire Smith and rookie Travis Johnson and just hope they can all stay healthy. If they can, I think our fast and athletic linebackers will eat quarterbacks alive from the edges with an occasional corner blitz or safety blitz thrown in for good measure. That is the defense I hope to see unleashed by Capers; and based on Dom teams of the past, that is what to expect!

[dalemurphy]

Originally Posted by SESupergenius

This is absolutely correct, the rise of the Texans to the playoff level is a win in one of the 2 games we play during the season with them. With Wand at LT this isn't going to happen until he can find a way to handle Freeney and our offensive can find a better way to beat the cover 2.

I agree that we need to be more effective against cover 2 defenses.

However, Wand doesn't need to find a way to handle Freeney (Ogden couldn't)... The coaches need to prepare a gameplan that focuses on neutralizing Freeney. Leaving Wand, or any LT on an island with Freeney on passing downs is just not smart football.

How many teams will play us and not even consider where DRob is on the field? Or defensively, maybe they'll just play it straight and not give any special attention to AJ. That's basically what Palmer and company did last year when they left Wand alone against the only legitimate playmaker on the Colts defense. That is what should be corrected. If it doesn't happen, I will be the first to start a "Fire Palmer thread" this year.