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Texans LBs

thunderkyss

thunderkyss

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KGH & Kirksey are the core of our LBing crew. Some of us don't care for them because they are "old" & have proven they can play at an NFL level.

Garrett Wallow, Christian Harris, & Jake Hanson are the future.

How do you feel about that?

New NFL & all & smaller LBs are the trend. But I'd still like to see at least one Bernardrick McKinney style downhill thumper.

But evidently, that's just me.
 
I expect KGH, Kirksey and Reeves-Maybin to be week 1 starters. Harris should work his way into lineup as soon as he proves healthy and in game shape after his four game stint on IR is complete.

I expect Hewitt to be cut when Harris gets off IR. Assuming no other injuries.

Wallow and Hansen are ST aces/depth pieces. I do expect another LB added early in draft next offseason.
 
I think this will be a totally different defense. What I saw out of the reserves and players fighting for a spot on the 53 man roster, was gang tackling. We have defenders swarming to the ball. The big boys up front were putting in work, which was allowing the LB crew and DBs to come up and handle their business. We should see pretty much the same with the actual starters. Lovie and crew now have the luxury of rotating those big boys up front to keep them fresh throughout the entire game.
 
Texansballer74 said:
I think this will be a totally different defense. What I saw out of the reserves and players fighting for a spot on the 53 man roster, was gang tackling. We have defenders swarming to the ball. The big boys up front were putting in work, which was allowing the LB crew and DBs to come up and handle their business. We should see pretty much the same with the actual starters. Lovie and crew now have the luxury of rotating those big boys up front to keep them fresh throughout the entire game.
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This is a game of chess. We’ve been playing checkers.

Talent is one thing. Hustle helps. But they need to get smarter. LBs especially (since this thread is about LBs). They’re the ones (primarily) who have to diagnose the play pre-snap.

Those gapping holes Jonathan Taylor runs through is because our LBs are playing the pass. The wide open middle because they are playing the run, the screens that go for 20 yards are because they were fooled.

Our LBs need to get better at diagnosing & communicating.
 
thunderkyss said:
This is a game of chess. We’ve been playing checkers.

Talent is one thing. Hustle helps. But they need to get smarter. LBs especially (since this thread is about LBs). They’re the ones (primarily) who have to diagnose the play pre-snap.

Those gapping holes Jonathan Taylor runs through is because our LBs are playing the pass. The wide open middle because they are playing the run, the screens that go for 20 yards are because they were fooled.

Our LBs need to get better at diagnosing & communicating.
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That’s one reason I expect LB to be addressed early next draft. Harris is a possible future building block. But they will need to add a stud to run this defense.
 
thunderkyss said:
This is a game of chess. We’ve been playing checkers.

Talent is one thing. Hustle helps. But they need to get smarter. LBs especially (since this thread is about LBs). They’re the ones (primarily) who have to diagnose the play pre-snap.

Those gapping holes Jonathan Taylor runs through is because our LBs are playing the pass. The wide open middle because they are playing the run, the screens that go for 20 yards are because they were fooled.

Our LBs need to get better at diagnosing & communicating.
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The boys up front and the lb crew goes hand and hand. If the big boys up front are not winning their share of battles in the trenches. The offensive linemen will work to the next stage and put bodies on the linebacker crew. That’s why Taylor had a field day last season in both games. The Colts offensive line won the majority of the battles in the trenches.
 
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TheRealJoker said:
That’s one reason I expect LB to be addressed early next draft. Harris is a possible future building block. But they will need to add a stud to run this defense.
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I like Noah Sewell of Oregon. He’s a 6-3 at 253lb LB who can cover, goes sideline to sideline, and hits with authority when stopping the run.
 
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OptimisticTexan said:
I like Noah Sewell of Oregon. He’s a 6-3 at 253lb LB who covers, sideline to sideline, and hits with authority when stopping the run.
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Lovie wants to cover the pass more than stopping the run. Urlacher was better going backwards than forwards in terms of stopping the run/ Between he and Briggs, they covered up passing lanes inside the middle of the field. Lovie likes guys who can run.
 
leebigeztx said:
Lovie wants to cover the pass more than stopping the run. Urlacher was better going backwards than forwards in terms of stopping the run/ Between he and Briggs, they covered up passing lanes inside the middle of the field. Lovie likes guys who can run.
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Sewell defended 5 passes successfully last season.
 
TheRealJoker said:
That’s one reason I expect LB to be addressed early next draft. Harris is a possible future building block. But they will need to add a stud to run this defense.
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Anderson, Sewell and Siaki Ika can be had. Garrett Williams round two. This is a good draft for what we need. I think we will see car stereo more active with trade Downs in round one to lower cost and get more foundational pieces.

I think a significant amount of players from this roster will not be back for 2023. I do not think fans should get to attached to any player.
 
leebigeztx said:
Lovie wants to cover the pass more than stopping the run. Urlacher was better going backwards than forwards in terms of stopping the run/ Between he and Briggs, they covered up passing lanes inside the middle of the field. Lovie likes guys who can run.
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Sewell is also excellent in coverage……sorry I didn’t make that point as good as I should have.
 
McKinney type becomes a huge problem in coverage and all the best teams have TEs that will beat him all day long.

I get the impression with Kirksey that Lovie has signed someone who’s good enough to play during the transition but he’ll look to upgrade before long, but that hasn’t been a priority yet.
 
welsh texan said:
McKinney type becomes a huge problem in coverage and all the best teams have TEs that will beat him all day long.

I get the impression with Kirksey that Lovie has signed someone who’s good enough to play during the transition but he’ll look to upgrade before long, but that hasn’t been a priority yet.
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I agree and think that car stereo and love you Smith are just holding on to what they have until something better comes along at most positions if not all.
 
leebigeztx said:
That's like the whole team except for a couple of guys right?
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True.
I was thinking more in terms of position group though. Most of the other position groups I think had at least one guy that had some oh wow moments. Just from the bit I watched I don’t recall any of the LB’s doing that.

Again, not saying they aren’t good or didn’t do their job. Just my observation.
 
welsh texan said:
McKinney type becomes a huge problem in coverage and all the best teams have TEs that will beat him all day long.
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There are 3 LBs. McKinney would not be the one assigned to cover TEs. His primary role is run support.
 
I really want to see Harris when healthy, would be nice to have a plus LB, so here is hoping his game xfers to the NFL in Lovie's D. KGH flashes some plays, but can also get road graded
 
thunderkyss said:
Gotcha. So if McKinney is the MIKE...
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McKinney is an old school mike backer. He's better coming forward than playing in space. In todays nfl, you're backers have to be able to play in space. Alot of posters used to complain about how bad the secondary was, but it was more of the lbs lack of coverage ability. The 2nd level play is just as important as secondary play in the nfl. When you're lbs can take away inside route and squeeze windows, it forces vey ,very difficult throws. Recently, when those 2 lb's from Carolina was on their game, they helped the dline get alot of sacks because the qb had to hold the ball on their 1st or 2nd read. When you're lbs aren't good in their lanes of drops, its like 7 on 7 drill.
 
leebigeztx said:
McKinney is an old school mike backer. He's better coming forward than playing in space. In todays nfl, you're backers have to be able to play in space. Alot of posters used to complain about how bad the secondary was, but it was more of the lbs lack of coverage ability. The 2nd level play is just as important as secondary play in the nfl. When you're lbs can take away inside route and squeeze windows, it forces vey ,very difficult throws. Recently, when those 2 lb's from Carolina was on their game, they helped the dline get alot of sacks because the qb had to hold the ball on their 1st or 2nd read. When you're lbs aren't good in their lanes of drops, its like 7 on 7 drill.
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I understand that. I don’t want McKinney in particular. He’s a type. A downhill thumper.

He was bad in coverage. Doesn’t mean they are all bad in coverage. I liked Demeco. Cush, Urlacher. Etc…

it may be a passing league, but none of us like our team ranking 30-32 in run defense.

Yes, none of today’s top LBs are in that mold. & Lovie appears to be set on little LBs. These guys are going to have to get better at diagnosing plays before the snap. No way around it.
 
thunderkyss said:
I understand that. I don’t want McKinney in particular. He’s a type. A downhill thumper.

He was bad in coverage. Doesn’t mean they are all bad in coverage. I liked Demeco. Cush, Urlacher. Etc…

it may be a passing league, but none of us like our team ranking 30-32 in run defense.

Yes, none of today’s top LBs are in that mold. & Lovie appears to be set on little LBs. These guys are going to have to get better at diagnosing plays before the snap. No way around it.
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We were ranking terribly in run D towards the end of McKinney’s tenure also.

I do think the Cunningham-McKinney pairing was a perfect storm though as their weaknesses exacerbated each other.
 
Surprised Hewitt is listed as a starter. If anything just due to contract.

Hewitt signed a 1 year 1.9 million deal

Reeves-Maybin 2 year 7.5 million.
 
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leebigeztx said:
McKinney is an old school mike backer. He's better coming forward than playing in space. In todays nfl, you're backers have to be able to play in space. Alot of posters used to complain about how bad the secondary was, but it was more of the lbs lack of coverage ability. The 2nd level play is just as important as secondary play in the nfl. When you're lbs can take away inside route and squeeze windows, it forces vey ,very difficult throws. Recently, when those 2 lb's from Carolina was on their game, they helped the dline get alot of sacks because the qb had to hold the ball on their 1st or 2nd read. When you're lbs aren't good in their lanes of drops, its like 7 on 7 drill.
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100% agree. To play this defense well you have to have speed and coverage ability from your LBs. Hopefully Wallow and Harris will develop leaving us needing just one more
 
Three games in and this is the worst unit on the team imo. I would like to see them rotate Wallow, Cashman and Reeves-Maybin in more next week. KGH and Kirksey have not earned the monopoly on snaps they have been receiving. The team may also want to consider activating UDFA Jake Hansen. When Harris is healthy it goes without saying they need to get him in the lineup.

Basically I want to ride the hot hand at LB until they find people who can wrap up and tackle consistently. Maybe even occasionally cover someone.
 
thunderkyss said:
They’re all too small. Not strong enough to take on linemen, not quick enough to get around them & they’re not smart enough to cover in zone.
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I agree - they are all listed between 6'0" and 6'2" and 226 to 237 lbs. That just doesn't seem that big in today's game where big and fast athletes are no longer the exception.
 
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