Section516
Warrior
QB - Saints
RB - Texans
WR - Texans
OL - Saints
DL - Texans
LB - Saints
DB - Saints
ST - Texans
Coach - Saints
After breaking down film of both teams, Scouts Inc. offers 10 things to watch in this week's Texans-Saints matchup.
1. Houston needs to get to Drew Brees: Few quarterbacks do a better job than Brees of recognizing blitzes and checking off to the most effective solution. Houston defensive coordinator Wade Phillips is a master at bringing heat from different directions, and Phillips has done an excellent job putting OLB Mario Williams in position to make plays, and Williams and his mates need to get Brees out of rhythm because the Saints can carve up a defense when given time.
2. Be physical on the perimeter: When defenses bring pressure they generally put their cornerbacks on an island and trust them to play tight man coverage with little help over the top. That means Houston's corners will be an a lot of press coverage where they will be asked to get their hands on receivers and jam them at the line of scrimmage, disrupting their ability to get into routes.
3. Get WR Andre Johnson involved early: Johnson is leading the Texans with 14 receptions, seven in each of the first two games, and can take over a game. Offensive coordinator Rick Dennison must get the ball in Johnson’s hands early and often. If Johnson gets off to a fast start he could help limit the ability of New Orleans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams to bring pressure, because there will be more room for the running game to milk the clock and negate pass rush pressure.
4. Look for the Texans to disguise coverages: Few quarterbacks in the NFL understand schemes and how to utilize personnel packages like Brees. He is a smart quarterback who is quick to recognize coverages and knows what his best options will be in the passing game. The Texans will want to utilize a lot of different personnel packages and coverage schemes, disguising the coverage before the snap to make Brees just a bit slower to make decisions.
5. Matchup to watch: Houston TE Owen Daniels vs. New Orleans SS Roman Harper: Johnson is Houston’s most explosive weapon and will likely draw a lot of double coverage. The should create room for an overlooked target in Daniels, who is due for a breakout game. Harper will spend a lot of his coverage time on Daniels and will be fighting a three-inch height disadvantage.
6. Spread the wealth: Few teams to a better job than the Saints of distributing the ball to multiple weapons. Part of the credit goes coach Sean Payton, who is a master at using multiple groupings that take advantage of personnel strengths, and part of the credit goes to a quarterback who understands how to read coverages and takes what the defense gives him. When defenses know that any of several different weapons could be the first option, it makes it hard to focus on shutting down one particular player.
7. Account for Mario Williams: Williams is looking more comfortable at outside linebacker after moving from defensive end after last season, and is already a very effective pass-rusher when blitzing. Don’t be surprised if defensive coordinator Wade Phillips moves Williams to make it more difficult for New Orleans to slide protection to his side. The Saints need to keep him out of the backfield and away from Brees on passing downs.
8. Give Matt Schaub a lot of different looks on defense: Gregg Williams uses a lot of different personnel packages and heavy blitz schemes to not only keep his personnel fresh, but also to slow down the decision making process of the opposing quarterback. Williams loves to pressure the pocket and is apt to be as blitz happy as Phillips will be on the other sideline.
9. Protect the football: These teams have a history under their current head coaches of winning the turnover battle. After two games the Texans are plus-1 and New Orleans is minus-1 overall, and the team that comes out on top in this game will have a distinct advantage.
10.Matchup to watch: New Orleans QB Drew Brees vs. Houston defensive coordinator Wade Phillips: This will be a classic chess match between the mad blitzer and the counter-puncher. Phillips loves to bring the heat and try to force an early throw or get a sack before the quarterback can get the ball off. Brees is one of the best at recognizing coverages and blitz packages and knows who to go to when he sees pressure coming from one side.
Final - Hou 24, Saints 27
http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/scouting?gameId=310925018
RB - Texans
WR - Texans
OL - Saints
DL - Texans
LB - Saints
DB - Saints
ST - Texans
Coach - Saints
After breaking down film of both teams, Scouts Inc. offers 10 things to watch in this week's Texans-Saints matchup.
1. Houston needs to get to Drew Brees: Few quarterbacks do a better job than Brees of recognizing blitzes and checking off to the most effective solution. Houston defensive coordinator Wade Phillips is a master at bringing heat from different directions, and Phillips has done an excellent job putting OLB Mario Williams in position to make plays, and Williams and his mates need to get Brees out of rhythm because the Saints can carve up a defense when given time.
2. Be physical on the perimeter: When defenses bring pressure they generally put their cornerbacks on an island and trust them to play tight man coverage with little help over the top. That means Houston's corners will be an a lot of press coverage where they will be asked to get their hands on receivers and jam them at the line of scrimmage, disrupting their ability to get into routes.
3. Get WR Andre Johnson involved early: Johnson is leading the Texans with 14 receptions, seven in each of the first two games, and can take over a game. Offensive coordinator Rick Dennison must get the ball in Johnson’s hands early and often. If Johnson gets off to a fast start he could help limit the ability of New Orleans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams to bring pressure, because there will be more room for the running game to milk the clock and negate pass rush pressure.
4. Look for the Texans to disguise coverages: Few quarterbacks in the NFL understand schemes and how to utilize personnel packages like Brees. He is a smart quarterback who is quick to recognize coverages and knows what his best options will be in the passing game. The Texans will want to utilize a lot of different personnel packages and coverage schemes, disguising the coverage before the snap to make Brees just a bit slower to make decisions.
5. Matchup to watch: Houston TE Owen Daniels vs. New Orleans SS Roman Harper: Johnson is Houston’s most explosive weapon and will likely draw a lot of double coverage. The should create room for an overlooked target in Daniels, who is due for a breakout game. Harper will spend a lot of his coverage time on Daniels and will be fighting a three-inch height disadvantage.
6. Spread the wealth: Few teams to a better job than the Saints of distributing the ball to multiple weapons. Part of the credit goes coach Sean Payton, who is a master at using multiple groupings that take advantage of personnel strengths, and part of the credit goes to a quarterback who understands how to read coverages and takes what the defense gives him. When defenses know that any of several different weapons could be the first option, it makes it hard to focus on shutting down one particular player.
7. Account for Mario Williams: Williams is looking more comfortable at outside linebacker after moving from defensive end after last season, and is already a very effective pass-rusher when blitzing. Don’t be surprised if defensive coordinator Wade Phillips moves Williams to make it more difficult for New Orleans to slide protection to his side. The Saints need to keep him out of the backfield and away from Brees on passing downs.
8. Give Matt Schaub a lot of different looks on defense: Gregg Williams uses a lot of different personnel packages and heavy blitz schemes to not only keep his personnel fresh, but also to slow down the decision making process of the opposing quarterback. Williams loves to pressure the pocket and is apt to be as blitz happy as Phillips will be on the other sideline.
9. Protect the football: These teams have a history under their current head coaches of winning the turnover battle. After two games the Texans are plus-1 and New Orleans is minus-1 overall, and the team that comes out on top in this game will have a distinct advantage.
10.Matchup to watch: New Orleans QB Drew Brees vs. Houston defensive coordinator Wade Phillips: This will be a classic chess match between the mad blitzer and the counter-puncher. Phillips loves to bring the heat and try to force an early throw or get a sack before the quarterback can get the ball off. Brees is one of the best at recognizing coverages and blitz packages and knows who to go to when he sees pressure coming from one side.
Final - Hou 24, Saints 27
http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/scouting?gameId=310925018
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