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Zone Blocking Scheme...

pittbull

Rookie
I know that Domanic Davis has had his share of injuries during this early season, but has it looked apparent to anyone that he is having the most trouble running with this scheme? I heard a statement from Terrell Davis about the way running backs have to use the scheme and it appears the Dominic is actually better running behind a regular scheme. The zone scheme is for backs the don't have the great cutback running style, letting the "regular" backs pick a hole, and go up into it!(I.E. Wells doing well with the scheme) But, with a good cutback runner such as DD, this may be taking away lanes that open up normally when the regular scheme takes place or defenders breakdown. DD has found himself too many times running up the gut, rather than in the open and making people miss! This style will continue to work for Wells, a power runner, but DD will continue to be hurt by this, unless the Texans passing game continues to exploit defenses, forcing a 3 or 4 man front. :headbang:
 

Hervoyel

BUENO!
I don't think that makes much sense pittbull. Starting in preseason and continuing through the San Diego game DD was THE cutback guy. Every time he came into the game the offense took on a completely different look and it was like "instant running game". The other backs never made the cutbacks but DD always found the seam and popped through for good yardage. Hollings was seemingly incapable of spotting the opening on the backside and Wells was simply too slow to the hole.

Starting in Detroit DD stopped running like that. I believe the answer is simply "four fumbles" and their effect on his game. He's not looking for the cracks like he was before. He's looking to make sure the ball doesn't pop out which in turn leads to him being about ten times less effective. In the meantime the other backs (or should I be saying "back" since Hollings has been out too) have started to get the hang of things.

DD will have a better second half of the season than he did first half and when our running game comes back around the Texans will find a whole other "gear" to shift into. They're good now but by the end of the season they'll be damned good.
 

aj.

All Pro
I don't think his ankle is totally healed either and that has a big effect on his cutback ability. Zone blocking schemes are kind to cut back runners and DD when healthy is a helluva cutback runner.
 

texasguy346

Mod Squad
aj. said:
I don't think his ankle is totally healed either and that has a big effect on his cutback ability. Zone blocking schemes are kind to cut back runners and DD when healthy is a helluva cutback runner.
I tend to agree with aj. He never seemed like he was fully healed after he injured his ankle in the Chiefs game. Hopefully the Bye week will allow him time to come back at 100%.
 

SBTexans08

Rookie
I agree...it's not the scheme...it's the ankle and I'm sure he's affected psychologically because of the 4 fumbles. He'll get it together by the second half of the season just watch. This zone blocking scheme as the guys above have mentioned is perfect for Davis....he'll come through...just let his ankle heal up properly.
 
yeah i tend to agree with all of you every since the chiefs game i dont think it ever fully healed and then he would try to play sundays and it would just aggrevate it more ,,,so this bye week will give his ankle a chance to heal so he can be as affective as possible against that hard nose jacksonville defense !!! He'll get back to his old style of running just give him a lil bit and atleast we know now we can have a back up come in a and be affective as well !
 

El Tejano

Hall of Fame
I am not saying that DD isn't good because I have been a big DD fan since his emergence but i am going to throw out a stat and see what yall think of it.

3 games where Wells played the majority of the game = 3 wins.

DD was a non factor in the Minn loss though but that really had more to do with having to pass to get back in the game.
 

Corrosion

Idealist
Staff member
Im not sure if its the fact he's not completely healed from the ankle injury , the zone blocking scheeme or the fact he's a bit tenative now because of the fumbles earlier in the season , whatever it is the Texans need him to get it going to put together a play-off run . J Wells has stepped in with a couple good games but he is no more than a back-up and Hollings wasnt even active against the Titanics. :twocents:
 

Double Barrel

Texans Talk Admin
Staff member
Contributor's Club
El Tejano said:
3 games where Wells played the majority of the game = 3 wins.
Exactly! :thumbup

I'm not getting down on DD, but I think J. Wells is finally coming into his own as RB.

IMO, I think we should start Wells and let DD heal.
 

TheOgre

All Pro
I really don't think DD is the issue. I think the problem is that the offense changes with DD in there. If they called the same plays with DD in there as they have with Wells, then I think it would work (and better than Wells). The problem is that the offense seems to change to revolve around DD when he is in there.
 
And plus when D.D is in there we dont use the running back as an extra blocker near as much as we do with wells. And i think thats why Carr has had such good protection lately. Instead of D.D ever blocking for carr he is just Always used as another reciever out of the back field, and then pressure gets to carr and he always dumps it off to Davis. And i think that is the only advantage of Wells in there !
 

ledzeppelin229

Hall of Fame
TheOgre said:
I really don't think DD is the issue. I think the problem is that the offense changes with DD in there. If they called the same plays with DD in there as they have with Wells, then I think it would work (and better than Wells). The problem is that the offense seems to change to revolve around DD when he is in there.

The question is, will the coaches realize this and adjust their game? And will Carr look more towards his receivers without dumping it down everytime? Davis in the lineup should help OPEN UP the passing game, not make it one-dimensional (everything to DD)
 

El Tejano

Hall of Fame
TexansTrueFan said:
And plus when D.D is in there we dont use the running back as an extra blocker near as much as we do with wells. And i think thats why Carr has had such good protection lately. Instead of D.D ever blocking for carr he is just Always used as another reciever out of the back field, and then pressure gets to carr and he always dumps it off to Davis. And i think that is the only advantage of Wells in there !
Hopefully, this is the adjustment the coaches make at this time with the bye. This could mean what Capers meant in his press conference about "evaluating" the team.
 

HJam72

Hall of Fame
Double Barrel said:
I'm not getting down on DD, but I think J. Wells is finally coming into his own as RB.

IMO, I think we should start Wells and let DD heal.
Yeah, I agree with this. Sure, DD will get better again, but I don't want to keep going back to him and regretting it. I say we start Wells and let him play the entire game against Jax, unless he loses his momentum, and then start him after that and let DD come in occasionally. He wasn't last year and he may not be in the future, but right now Wells is our best RB
 

STEEL BLUE TEXANS

Hall of Fame
DD should be at full strength going into our next game. Wells has done a DECENT job carrying the ball but in no way do i want to see him as our starting back for an extended period of time.
 

Grid

All Pro
I like the zone blocking scheme. it worked great at first.. not so great lately.. but give it time. Once our linemen are comfortable with it, it will improve our running game.

I dunno if they were being honest or not.. but our linemen said they prefer the zone blocking.. and DD says he loves it.
 

pittbull

Rookie
Guys, I think DD is a good back, but I'm just following what an "expert" zone runner said. When DD is running as good as he did last year, behind the shceme that we had the past two seasons, why change? With his size and quickness, defenders cannot shoot gaps, due to them not being able to see him. In the zone scheme, defenses can. :headbang:
 

HJam72

Hall of Fame
pittbull said:
Guys, I think DD is a good back, but I'm just following what an "expert" zone runner said. When DD is running as good as he did last year, behind the shceme that we had the past two seasons, why change? With his size and quickness, defenders cannot shoot gaps, due to them not being able to see him. In the zone scheme, defenses can. :headbang:
I'm starting to think you're right about that. I just don't know, though, if this new scheme might work out well in the future or not. I don't see why they changed a good thing, but that's no excuse for all those fumbles in the first game, either.
 

infantrycak

Hall of Fame
pittbull said:
Guys, I think DD is a good back, but I'm just following what an "expert" zone runner said. When DD is running as good as he did last year, behind the shceme that we had the past two seasons, why change? With his size and quickness, defenders cannot shoot gaps, due to them not being able to see him. In the zone scheme, defenses can. :headbang:
No offense to the expert, but every expert like the Denver coaches, the Texans line coach, etc. from the NFL that I have read has said that DD's cut-back ability is exactly what works best in the zone-blocking scheme. Remember--Shanahan was going to take DD within a few spots after us but we took him first.
 
I say if we dont start seeing major improvment in uor running game than next season we throw out the zone blocking !! Why did we change something when it was our strength last season ? D.D is a good back but i just dont see zone blocking working for him "so much for his 2,000 yards huh"
 
infantrycak said:
No offense to the expert, but every expert like the Denver coaches, the Texans line coach, etc. from the NFL that I have read has said that DD's cut-back ability is exactly what works best in the zone-blocking scheme. Remember--Shanahan was going to take DD within a few spots after us but we took him first.

but still he did great last year !!! So ya think we would of just stuck with the old way,,,i like facts and so far the facts are saying to me the scheme isnt working !!!!
 
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