Yes, I know that. But Slaton could not work out fully during OTA's so someone had to work with the 1's
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Foster starting RB
- Thread starter BIG TORO
- Start date
Yes, I know that. But Slaton could not work out fully during OTA's so someone had to work with the 1's
NitroGSXR
Super Sic #58
NitroGSXR
Super Sic #58
Not sure what you're disagreeing with? By default, I meant that he got many yards simply because we couldn't throw the ball. DDW was decent but not great.
Point of clarification... AJ wasn't feared back then. He was just another dude who plays WR in the NFL.
hadaad
Rookie
Nitro: He was the guy, but he was getting nearly 5 yards per carry, on a team that you agree didn't really have any other weapons. What were people going to do, but key on him? And he was still very successful. What I disagree with is that I think DDW was a lot better than you think he was.
El Tejano
Hall of Fame
I agree 100%. Even Steve Slaton has said in an interview before the season started last year that Arian Foster was the real deal. That tells me this guy has been doing this in practice for sometime, he just didn't get the blocking stuff down.
Can you imagine if we could have the ability to line up Slaton wide?
barrett
All Pro
yup.
no way to park the RV though because somebody screwed up their parking pass sale.
Mr teX
Hall of Fame
It's not unusual for Kubes to keep 3 rbs on the roster so in all likelihood nothing would have to change but if need be, David Anderson, Andre Davis and Dressen are expendable so as to make sure there's a roster spot for all 3 imo.
Furthermore, i'd take slaton in a match up against a nickel cb or outside lb everyday and twice on sunday ..especially if he gets the ball in space.
My point, is I'd rather see Jacoby Jones or David Anderson on that nickel... or better yet, they motion outside of AJ, and the nickel ends up on AJ.
It doesn't matter who they put out there.
As long as Schaub keeps doing what he was doing at year end, I'm totally confident that we will be nightmares for opposing coaches.
Our opponents really caught some breaks with a combination of things we started the year with:
- Pitts not quite 100%; Myers coming back early from a high-ankle sprain.
That did not help with the timing of the O-line as we begun the year.
- Rex Ryan throwing the sink at us, and our coaches and players weren't prepared.
- Injury to Pitts and Brisiel.
- Injury to O.D., injury to Slaton.
- A multitude of problems on the defensive end that did not help at all.
Again, the coaching problems to start the season would linger for at least 3 games.
Honestly, I think that the Texans want to keep Dreesen...Owen Daniels is not a lock to come back in and pick up where he left off, plus his future with the Texans is up in the air because of his contract issues...
I've said it before, but I would not be upset at all if they decided to trade Owen before the season started for a Good DT even though its unlikely...
CloakNNNdagger
Hall of Fame
ATXtexanfan
Hall of Fame
Yeah...I don't know how trading contracts work in the nfl but I would trade him for haynesworth. I know the skins have a good te but od knows the system and he'd be another weapon for them. Al would be pissed off (and hopefully motivated).
Hed also be glad to get back to a 43.
Carr Bombed
Hall of Fame
DD had the best vision and balance this team has ever seen at the RB position. (and still would be today if he was healthy) If he had above average speed he would've been a superstar. It's a shame his knee didn't hold up and I don't think you're giving him enough credit. When he was healthy he was a TD machine and was productive as hell. (He had 1,776 all purpose yards and 17 TDs before injuries started to take their toll...the guy was alot better than just "decent") AJ was feared, but not nearly like he is today. Even with AJ, people didn't fear our passing game....because we really didn't have one. David Carr sucked and the line was terrible (horrible mix) and teams knew all they had to do was take away Carr's first option and he wouldn't be able to progress through his reads) DD was the cog that made this offense go back then, not AJ.
DD was a beast in the passing game and on the ground....he was the player defenses were keying to stop and I'm really glad he got his big pay day even though he flamed out right after getting it. One of the reasons why I think he didn't hold up is because Houston flat out leaned on him too much and with the crappy offensive line, he took a beating.
NitroGSXR
Super Sic #58
Wrong. The RB with the best vision and balance to play for the Texans was Ahhh-man Green. His knee didn't hold up for us either but since you're playing the "what if" game then I gotta go with Green. At least Green had an extremely productive career to base assertations off on. DDW broke down immediately like most RBs. Beast in the passing game? Catching all those 2 yard passes? Right. I liken DDW to Slaton and Slaton's rookie season has got him beat and he had to share the rock with our vicious passing game. DDW knew he was getting the ball. He did not have to share it with anybody.
AJ has never been the sole cog that makes this offense go. Not even today. AJ and Schaub goes well together like peanut butter and jelly is the best way to describe it. AJ's the best of the best but TDs and first downs are what it's all about. DDW was that cog. We all knew it. DDW knew it and defenses knew it too.
Damn right, it's a shame that he broke down just like your average football player. Typical.
Carr Bombed
Hall of Fame
Green had his productive years with another team....He did absolutely NOTHING here. He wasn't close to being the player here that DD was when he was healthy, so no....Ahman Green is not even in the discussion.
Also AJ is the cog here now and also.......you can't look at Slaton's rookie season and assume that he had it tougher, because he had to complete with "sharing the load". That is something DD would've gladly liked to of enjoyed. One thing Slaton didn't have to deal with was the constant 3 & outs/ineptitude of this offense due to a inept QB/team (which took away offensive touches) or a team that rarely ranked near the top of red zone opportunities...
You put a healthy DD on this team the last two seasons and Houston is easily in the playoffs. He would've been GREAT in this one cut and go system, because this system fit he style perfectly.
DD was by far a better blocker than Slaton, had better vision than Slaton, was a better pass catcher than Slaton, and had some of the best balance that I've seen at this level (his real unique talent...the guy had awesome balance and rarely did he have a clean hole to run through, instead he would take big hits and bounce off tacklers and pick up extra yards regularly. I would LOVE to see the production he could put up in this offense we now have today.)...and finally one of the best things DD had over any other RB that has ever played on this team and the reason why I say he would've put Houston in the playoffs during the last two season was his nose for the endzone and his short yardage running skills. All those short yardage/redzone failures that have killed us over the last two seasons, wouldn't of happened with a healthy DD. That guy was awesome at finding a hole to squirt through.
The only thing Slaton has over a healthy DD is top end speed (which is something Slaton lost with his increased weight....a weight DD played at and was highly productive at due to his other advantages over Slaton)
You really aren't giving DD his due here.......I'd gladly trade everybody that we currently have at the RB position on this roster if you could give me one DD and guarantee that he would stay healthy. He was a all around RB who's strengths fit this system to a tee....(strengths that we're currently trying to suit up 3 RBs to fill) and at one time had the national media comparing Carr, Johnson, and Davis to Aikman, Irvin, and Smith.
P.S
Let me end this post with saying I'm a Slaton fan and a huge Foster fan.......I supported Foster before last season even started. As for Tate, I'll wait to see what he can do, but I don't like the early hamstring injuries. I hope one of those players can step up and give us half of what DD gave us in 2004.
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Agreed.
I hope our coaches don't try to rush him into playing, because he was a 2nd round pick. Foster & Slaton should be sufficient to start the season, put Tate on the PUP if you have to, IMHO, and go with Jeremiah Johnson or Chris Henry in the meantime.
I've got a feeling, we're going to need a healthy Ben Tate more in the second half of the season, than the first.
Mr teX
Hall of Fame
IMO JJ in the slot = Slaton in the slot; maybe JJ with a slight edge.
But SS in the slot > DA imo.
IMHO, you only want to do that, if that creates a mis-match.
SS on a nickel corner is not a mismatch in our favor. He doesn't have the size, or the speed to beat a nickel corner.
I can't think of one formation/package we could put on the field, that would dictate a nickel corner that would be matched up on SS.
badboy
Hall of Fame
Player News (last updated: June 22, 2010)
And you believe him? Why?
News: Slaton (neck) will be checked out by doctors in two weeks, the Texans' official site reports.
Spin: All the offseason reports on Slaton's neck have been positive and he's expected to be a full participant in training camp. He was a limited participant during organized team activities. "If they cut him loose, we'll go to work," Houston head coach Gary Kubiak said. "We need to get his confidence back about getting hit and stuff."
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=11323
badboy
Hall of Fame
Slaton has 4.45 speed. I'd put him up against a nickle CB.
http://www.nfldraftscout.com/rating...ear=2008&sortby=tsxpos&order=ASC&startspot=10
Mr teX
Hall of Fame
You're forgeting that he was originally drafted to be a 3rd down back which necessitates about 10-12 touches max.
SS is not only a threat to catch the ball but showed his rookie year he can run the ball pretty effectively too. Since he is a rb by position, he is also more likely to make the 1st guy coming to tackle him miss or even break the tackle. If he's out wide, this would likely be a cb & you could use him like he is here at 1.15 into the video and on numerous screens there after. http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/09000d5d8137f296/WK-6-Steve-Slaton-highlights.
keep in mind, that was a STARTING cb he did that to. DA is nice nitch guy, but he's not taking anything to the house & noone fears him......at all.
Another play would be the formation that we use with walter where he motions out of the slot into the backfield for the toss sweep. His speed would also be beneficial in reverses. Of course you sprinkle his touches with straight running plays out of the backfield but the overall objective is to get him 6-10 touches where he is primarily in space & let him do what he did best at WVU.
barrett
All Pro
CloakNNNdagger
Hall of Fame
Sort of a condensed variation of Florio's PFT info.
My mistake. I thought you meant to put him on the line of scrimmage, lined up against a cb...
Getting SS the ball in space, like your traditional 3rd round back... of course he's going to do what he's going to do.
TimeKiller
Guest
C'mon....Slaton's good on screens where he can catch and turn with a blocker or two, make something happen with his decent speed but not lining up as a receiver to run routes. I don't think he has the hands or willingness to get hit to do that.
Definitely pumped about the competition at RB though. Every guy has a case to make.
Definitely pumped about the competition at RB though. Every guy has a case to make.
b0ng
Bad Hombre
Slaton rules when we use him as a pass catcher on a few plays a game, but it's not something you want to relegate him to. If Slaton is up to snuff and can take punishment (Totally up for debate as of now) then he's the guy until proven otherwise. Foster is pretty good for what he was given at the end of the season, but there is a combination of playing teams that didn't care (Patriots) and he still really didn't do much with passes.
Slaton provides the necessary weapon we would want on all three downs, but his surgery and all the question marks surrounding make him unreliable to go into the season as a #1.
Tate better be the man, because if we are going with Foster, I don't know if we are going to have that awesome screen/pass catching ability that we saw with Slaton in 2008.
Slaton provides the necessary weapon we would want on all three downs, but his surgery and all the question marks surrounding make him unreliable to go into the season as a #1.
Tate better be the man, because if we are going with Foster, I don't know if we are going to have that awesome screen/pass catching ability that we saw with Slaton in 2008.
HOU-TEX
Ah, Football!
Fumble?
It's going to be nice using Slaton for what he was drafted for, rather than take the pounding of an every down back.
Mr teX
Hall of Fame
I don't think that kubes has ever thought that was the case with him imo. Sure his rookie year he carried the load but that was out of necessity not b/c kubes wanted to. Remember, he didn't start for the 1st few games. Then Green & Brown went down & he stepped up nicely. Then last year, he regressed running the ball but still showed promise in the pass game. He doesn't push piles which is what you need in this league from a rb to wear down your opponents during "winning time".
& i'm not saying he should be running fly routes nor am i saying he should be lined up out of the backfield more often than he is lining up behind the quarterback. I do however believe he needs to be split out for 50% of his touches on bubble screens, quick slants & curls & i think it's a fair trade off of having him & Foster/Tate on the field at the same time vs. having Davis/Anderson/Dressen and only 1 of our 3 backs on the field. Bottom line is our 3 rb's have more potential as playmakers on any given play than Anderson, Davis and Dressen.
beerlover
Hall of Fame
this caught my eye http://www.houstontexans.com/news/Story.asp?story_id=6219
kinda reminds me a little of Chris Brown when he was in Tennessee
kinda reminds me a little of Chris Brown when he was in Tennessee
TimeKiller
Guest
Funny, I used to do a good Velociraptor impression.
Right up until I tried to climb a brick wall with those tiny arms hahaha....it ended well. Bloody well.
Right up until I tried to climb a brick wall with those tiny arms hahaha....it ended well. Bloody well.
mexican_texan
Furry Tractors
I think he and I would get along well.
Wolf
100% Texan
Arian Foster may start for Houston in only his second NFL season
http://www.examiner.com/x-18381-Ten...eason?cid=exrss-Tennessee-Volunteers-Examiner
http://www.examiner.com/x-18381-Ten...eason?cid=exrss-Tennessee-Volunteers-Examiner
TheRealJoker
Hall of Fame
I am excited that Foster is providing legitimate competition rather than making it easy for the coaches to decide on the RB depth chart. If Foster is playing like a starter and Tate plays up to expectations, then we have some quality depth in the backfield which will allow Kubiak to run the ball 30-35 times against the Colts!!!
I want to see Slaton in the role he was in against the Bengals, all of next season. With our OL's athleticism and his ability in space, he'll be a very potent weapon for our offense if we can get him 10 touches a game in the open field.
I want to see Slaton in the role he was in against the Bengals, all of next season. With our OL's athleticism and his ability in space, he'll be a very potent weapon for our offense if we can get him 10 touches a game in the open field.