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State of the O-line

My little sister would be an upgrade …. and she doesn't know the first thing about football.

Your little sister can win 11 games in the NFL? I'm on board for signing her up.

If Watson makes it through 16 games healthy he better play the lotto and hit the casino that minute because he will officially be the luckiest person in the world.

Been saying this since they didn't want to pay up for Trent Brown.
 
The issue I see with dhopkins is the route is running him right towards the LBs.

But I agree with you the protection is here. Should have check down maybe though it's congested and hopefully WRs can find a way to get open

Agree - the ball would have come out exactly on time or his route takes him out of the play - but I feel like this is a play I see every week someplace in the NFL, with receivers not in the same league as Hopkins.

Another thing I would like to know on the play is what is Hopkins responsibility, would have been nice to see him break off his route and 'sit' in the open space.

But all in all, protection held up for a good 2.5 to 3 seconds the ball needs to come out.
 
O'Brien blames Watson for the OL.

Tweet from @PatDStat: Bill O’Brien was asked about the offensive line vs the Cowboys and what went wrong. His answer. #Texans https://t.co/MplVRH1aqg

I don't think he's blaming Watson. He keeps saying, "We have to design a better play." Which puts the blame on his staff.

But yeah, he keeps saying the ball has to come out, doesn't say why it didn't.

Which I'd love to know. We saw in pictures Watson had options & opportunities, just didn't take them. We don't know why. We speculate he's looking for the big play, but it may very well he didn't see them or didn't trust them.

I think he's been looking for the big play. He needs to take up boxing. Learn what the jab is, how to use it to see how his opponent is going to fight & then use it to set up the crosses & upper cuts.
 
Agree - the ball would have come out exactly on time or his route takes him out of the play - but I feel like this is a play I see every week someplace in the NFL, with receivers not in the same league as Hopkins.

Another thing I would like to know on the play is what is Hopkins responsibility, would have been nice to see him break off his route and 'sit' in the open space.

But all in all, protection held up for a good 2.5 to 3 seconds the ball needs to come out.

Yeah he did have that protection there. I personally like that he doesn't check down much. He has the ability to extend and get better plays. Rodgers and majomes also held the ball on average 3 seconds.But it won't work with this ol.


I don't think he's blaming Watson. He keeps saying, "We have to design a better play." Which puts the blame on his staff.

But yeah, he keeps saying the ball has to come out, doesn't say why it didn't.

Which I'd love to know. We saw in pictures Watson had options & opportunities, just didn't take them. We don't know why. We speculate he's looking for the big play, but it may very well he didn't see them or didn't trust them.

I think he's been looking for the big play. He needs to take up boxing. Learn what the jab is, how to use it to see how his opponent is going to fight & then use it to set up the crosses & upper cuts.

I guess my issue is even if Watson held the ball too long or the play design sucked, it doesn't mean the OL was fine. The OL is the worst part of the team and he keeps dodging it
 
I guess my issue is even if Watson held the ball too long or the play design sucked, it doesn't mean the OL was fine. The OL is the worst part of the team and he keeps dodging it

I'm not a coach. I've never played organized football like this. I don't know how to teach pass protection.

But I find it curious both Henderson and Davenport held their blocks for so long, then at seemingly the same time they let the defender go. As if they have a clock in their head that says, "Either the ball is out, or DW4 is no longer in the pocket."
 
I'm not a coach. I've never played organized football like this. I don't know how to teach pass protection.

But I find it curious both Henderson and Davenport held their blocks for so long, then at seemingly the same time they let the defender go. As if they have a clock in their head that says, "Either the ball is out, or DW4 is no longer in the pocket."

I wonder how Watson would do in the WCO ?
 
I'm not a coach. I've never played organized football like this. I don't know how to teach pass protection.

But I find it curious both Henderson and Davenport held their blocks for so long, then at seemingly the same time they let the defender go. As if they have a clock in their head that says, "Either the ball is out, or DW4 is no longer in the pocket."

Bingo.

Not only the timing thing, but they dont have eyes in the back of their head and with Deshaun moving around (sometimes unecessarily) the angle keeps changing.
 
I wonder how Watson would do in the WCO ?

I don't see why it would be different. It's hard to tell what Watson is looking at as he has the ball in the backs basket.

I would think he should be reading the LBs under Hopkins route if Hopkins is his primary target. But it looks as if he's looking at the rush end, as if he might pull it back in & run.

Is this a play where he has the option to pull it in & run? Maybe, but I dont think so.

When he pulls the ball in, he looks like he stands up & look at the middle of the field, the check down... that's an odd first read. Maybe he's trying to get the LBs to bite on the checkdown... still not seeing him give serious consideration to Hopkins route.

He then looks to his right. Nothing open over there, so he starts bouncing & looking for a better option.

So my question is, what is he looking at as he is faking the run? Was it a poor play design to have Hopkins on that same side?
 
Sticks with the primary read (Nuk) too long. He has to learn to move on a little quicker from him. Also takes a bit of practice to learn how to move your head & eyes and locate exactly where your other reads are. You have an idea of where guys are supposed to be, but until you develop that comfort zone with your WR's to know & expect where they are, its tough to master. The only guy on the field for that play he was really comfy with was Nuk. Vycint Smith & Fells not so much.
 
Sticks with the primary read (Nuk) too long. He has to learn to move on a little quicker from him.

Only problem is Hopkins is open from the snap. The LBs are frozen with the fake. If he sees Hopkins at all there is no reason not to throw the ball.

& I say if he sees Hopkins because Watson is faking the run. He's squatted down a bit so may not be able to see over the line & defenders.

That's why I'm asking if the fault was with the play design asking Watson to read a route he can't see while faking the run.
 
Only problem is Hopkins is open from the snap. The LBs are frozen with the fake. If he sees Hopkins at all there is no reason not to throw the ball.

& I say if he sees Hopkins because Watson is faking the run. He's squatted down a bit so may not be able to see over the line & defenders.

That's why I'm asking if the fault was with the play design asking Watson to read a route he can't see while faking the run.

U kinda answered your own question about the design of the play; I.e. is Nuk open off the snap without the play fake freezing the LBs? Likely not.
 
O’Brien was hoping the left tackle problem was solved when they used a first-round draft choice on Tytus Howard. When he arrived for the rookie minicamp and the offseason program, they tried him at left guard, too. They believe he’s a natural for his new position even though his progress has been slowed because of a fractured finger.

They took a chance on veteran left tackle Matt Kalil. They hoped Kalil could get healthy, stay healthy and give them stability at his position. Now he’s missed a lot of time with a foot injury, and once he’s playing in a game for the first time since 2017, there’s no guarantee he’s going to give O’Brien what he wants.


The decision to try to trade Clowney for an established left tackle who is under contract and not demanding a new deal was made by O’Brien and signed off on by chairman Cal McNair. Then it became an issue of finding a team with a quality left tackle to spare.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sp...y-Texans-decided-to-put-Jadeveon-14382411.php
 
O’Brien was hoping the left tackle problem was solved when they used a first-round draft choice on Tytus Howard. When he arrived for the rookie minicamp and the offseason program, they tried him at left guard, too. They believe he’s a natural for his new position even though his progress has been slowed because of a fractured finger.

They took a chance on veteran left tackle Matt Kalil. They hoped Kalil could get healthy, stay healthy and give them stability at his position. Now he’s missed a lot of time with a foot injury, and once he’s playing in a game for the first time since 2017, there’s no guarantee he’s going to give O’Brien what he wants.


The decision to try to trade Clowney for an established left tackle who is under contract and not demanding a new deal was made by O’Brien and signed off on by chairman Cal McNair. Then it became an issue of finding a team with a quality left tackle to spare.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sp...y-Texans-decided-to-put-Jadeveon-14382411.php
So from this article it appears that the desire to trade Clowney was a more recent development. And if that 100 mil figure is accurate an extension seemed dead in the water. The only issue I see prolonging this issue is that the NFL seems to have the same concerns about his value that the Texans have. Who’s going to drop 100 mil on this guy with that knee? That operation is going to cost him a lot more than his doctors bill.
 
So from this article it appears that the desire to trade Clowney was a more recent development. And if that 100 mil figure is accurate an extension seemed dead in the water. The only issue I see prolonging this issue is that the NFL seems to have the same concerns about his value that the Texans have. Who’s going to drop 100 mil on this guy with that knee? That operation is going to cost him a lot more than his doctors bill.

Sounds like the decision was made early in training camp
 
So, from reading the Clowney trade stuff, McClain says Cal signed off on BO'bs plan to trade Clowney for a LT, after the draft, after TC, after he saw Kalil play.

There's enough evidence, I believe, that BO'b wanted to trade Clowney as early as the draft. But not enough evidence that everyone was on board. Like the rumor we had a deal with Detroit to trade Clowney for their first round pick which we could have used to acquire the best LT in this draft, Jonah Williams.

We didn't pull the trigger. Perhaps BO'b wanted it done, but Gaine wanted more.

Now BO'b doesn't believe Howard can play LT & he's still looking for someone who can.

I won't know if Howard can play the position or not until he plays the position, but is he being set up to fail?

He'll probably be thrown out there 12 minutes into week 1 & it's not going to look good, ala Rankins... & will never recover. As opposed to he should have been practicing at LT exclusively for the last 5 weeks. Then he would be more prepared for what we know is coming.
 
Last edited:
Which decision was that? Because if it was the decision to trade him that is not at all how I read that. In fact if that were true the article contradicts itself in just a few sentences.
That’s because he didn’t write it as a timeline of how it was going down. If they were trying early on to trade him and everyone here says they screwed up because they didn’t trade him before the tag deadline why wasn’t a deal done?
 
snip

There's enough evidence, I believe, that BO'b wanted to trade Clowney as early as the draft. But not enough evidence that everyone was on board. Like the rumor we had a deal with Detroit to trade Clowney for their first round pick which we could have used to acquire the best LT in this draft, Jonah Williams.

We didn't pull the trigger. Perhaps BO'b wanted it done, but Gaine wanted more.


If this really transpired then it probably is what cost Gaine his job.

:coffee:
 
Yep. He couldn't find a good LT under a long term contract that someone wanted to trade.

Lol. Even Mack didn't get that.


Don't understand this response to my post.

How did you get that idea?

The rumor was a trade for a draft pick, not a LT under contract. :smiliepalm:


:coffee:
 
So, from reading the Clowney trade stuff, McClain says Cal signed off on BO'bs plan to trade Clowney for a LT, after the draft, after TC, after he saw Kalil play.

There's enough evidence, I believe, that BO'b wanted to trade Clowney as early as the draft. But not enough evidence that everyone was on board. Like the rumor we had a deal with Detroit to trade Clowney for their first round pick which we could have used to acquire the best LT in this draft, Jonah Williams.

We didn't pull the trigger. Perhaps BO'b wanted it done, but Gaine wanted more.

Now BO'b doesn't believe Howard can play LT & he's still looking for someone who can.

I won't know if Howard can play the position or not until he plays the position, but is he being set up to fail?

He'll probably be thrown out there 12 minutes into week 1 & it's not going to look good, ala Rankins... & will never recover. As opposed to he should have been practicing at LT exclusively for the last 5 weeks. Then he would be more prepared for what we know is coming.

If Howard can't play LT then why did they take him in the 1st round? Why are they giving up on him being a tackle before he's even completed a single training camp? That's poor management, poor scouting and poor development. I really, really hope that isn't true but if it is, what a disaster of a draft class.
 
If Howard can't play LT then why did they take him in the 1st round? Why are they giving up on him being a tackle before he's even completed a single training camp? That's poor management, poor scouting and poor development. I really, really hope that isn't true but if it is, what a disaster of a draft class.

Are LTs the only position on the OL worthy of being drafted in the first round? What if Howard becomes another Marshal Yanda, ie a perennial pro bowler at G, would that be a waste of a pick? I highly doubt they’re giving up on him at T. I think they are trying to put the best five guys on the field for this season, and G is an easier position to play for a rookie than T. Miami did the same thing with Tunsil and he’s playing pretty well at LT now. Even if they trade for an established LT, I’d try Howard at RT next season (which he played in college due to his team having a left handed QB. Henderson hasn’t shown he can stay healthy at all.
 
If Howard can't play LT then why did they take him in the 1st round? Why are they giving up on him being a tackle before he's even completed a single training camp? That's poor management, poor scouting and poor development. I really, really hope that isn't true but if it is, what a disaster of a draft class.

Who said they were giving up? You guys have such tunnel vision its ridiculous.
 
If Howard can't play LT then why did they take him in the 1st round? Why are they giving up on him being a tackle before he's even completed a single training camp? That's poor management, poor scouting and poor development. I really, really hope that isn't true but if it is, what a disaster of a draft class.

Three tackles were taken in the first round in the last draft, Williams, Dillard and Howard. Williams is out for the season with shoulder surgery, Dillard is being planned to sit behind a future HoF tackle so Howard is the only one that is expected to plan at all this season baring Peters being injured. On top of that he was taken the latest of all three at 23 which is much closer to round two than it is top 5. Yet somehow this equals him being a wasted pick, being given up on, not being developed correctly, etc? I didn't want Howard in round one either but how is it the Texans are considered to have screwed up with Howard when the Bengals pick can't even practice this year and the Eagles paid extra draft capital to move up and get a depth guy?
 
@bTyson7

Replying to
@riversmccown
What happened to all the people saying Howard was the OT we wanted all along? And by the OT we mean maybe starting Guard. Every fan in Houston was screaming as Dillard was falling in the draft. I’d like to hear an explanation now about how this was the plan all along.
 
@bTyson7

Replying to
@riversmccown
What happened to all the people saying Howard was the OT we wanted all along? And by the OT we mean maybe starting Guard. Every fan in Houston was screaming as Dillard was falling in the draft. I’d like to hear an explanation now about how this was the plan all along.
So, just because Howard isn’t quite ready to play LT from the jump it means that the Texans lied about Howard being their 1st round target all along? Lol!
 
Great detective work! But, what about the other 8-9 teams that didn’t trade up for Dillard, are they also liar liars pants on fire? I don’t remember anyone at the Wing joint I was at, which was a full house, screaming “Dillard is falling” as the rounds came and went. Most of the people there were expecting us to take a CB, or a DE. Hell, some were sure we’d get a WR. Others joked we’d probably get a punter.
 
Great detective work! But, what about the other 8-9 teams that didn’t trade up for Dillard, are they also liar liars pants on fire? I don’t remember anyone at the Wing joint I was at, which was a full house, screaming “Dillard is falling” as the rounds came and went. Most of the people there were expecting us to take a CB, or a DE. Hell, some were sure we’d get a WR. Others joked we’d probably get a punter.

What about them? We're obviously far more desperate for an LT and about to trade Clowney, a first and a second for a decent but not elite LT.
 
I think Scharping at RG and Howard at LG are locks. C and LT are up in the air.

Hmm so Fulton might not start? I think it will be Martin at C and Fulton at RG. Scharpring has looked good for a rookie but he got exposed pretty bad at times.

Howard at LG but unclear if he's ready for game 1
 
Do we have any idea who is starting other than Seantrel Henderson at RT?

Kalil ... Howard ... Martin ... Fulton ... Henderson

Johnson ... Kelemente ... Mancz ... Scharping ... Leonard

Johnson and Leonard are athletic and competitive .... a little weight, strength, and experience is all they need !
 
Kalil ... Howard ... Martin ... Fulton ... Henderson

Johnson ... Kelemente ... Mancz ... Scharping ... Leonard

Johnson and Leonard are athletic and competitive .... a little weight, strength, and experience is all they need !

Is kalil ready? Isn't he gonna get cut as soon as we get Tunsil? Lol.

Is Martin ready? I wonder if they go with Fulton at c if not. Then that determines if Scharpring starts

Howard might still be hurt in which case Kelemente gets his starting job back.

No matter the combination I expect it to suck
 
Is kalil ready? Isn't he gonna get cut as soon as we get Tunsil? Lol.

Is Martin ready? I wonder if they go with Fulton at c if not. Then that determines if Scharpring starts

Howard might still be hurt in which case Kelemente gets his starting job back.

No matter the combination I expect it to suck


I had the same thoughts .... hence, the second row. Ten Offensive Lineman .... not one without a question mark !
 
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