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This Draft calling out the D as half-assers?

Our defense sucked last year. Fact.

Our secondary lacked talent and was poorly coached. Almost certainly fact.

Our front 7 had some talent last year but didn't produce. Mario's known for not having a good motor even in a 4-3. There are serious questions about Mario's and Smith's wilingness to do the dirty work as 3-4 ends. We gave an all out effort vs Indy in week 1, and I'm not sure we saw that the rest of the year.

I think this draft is a recognition that for the conversion to 3-4 to have any chance, we need to change the culture and get everyone -- especially Mario and Antonio -- to buy in. If they sulk, we're finished.

JJ Watt. Brooks Reed. Keo. Go all out every play, however many plays you play. Period.

More than any X's and O's, the number one thing the defense needs is energy and commitment. There's some talent on board, and if Wade can get effort, we could land in the middle of the pack, maybe better. But you need the culture to change.

Ravens. Steelers. Giants. Eagles. Those guys bring it on D every play. Every week. Every year. The slackers get weeded out and replaced.

Big Caveat though -- Watt and Reed better produce. Or else, they're just goofy white guys that run around really hard tackling people 10 yards after the line of scrimmage. Nobody's following that crap.
 

b0ng

Bad Hombre
The high motor/good work-ethic trait has been in a lot of the players we drafted in the top of the draft. I'm assuming Watt was our 4th or 5th highest ranked defensive player (Probably after Miller, Peterson, Smith, Dareus) which would probably represent good value at the 11th pick.

After that I think they were probably really happy to select Reed where they got him in the 2nd. I hope he keeps up the relentlessness through the NFL and I'm sure he'll get a lot of snaps.

I don't think Ryans or Cushing would qualify as half-assers.
 

Honoring Earl 34

Something Witty !
All out guys
Demeco
Cushing
Smith
Barwin
Quinn

Talented enough to keep
Mario
Mitchell
KJ ?
Anderson

Could care less
Omobi
Cody
Nading
McCain
Barber
Jamesin
McManus
Molden
Adibi
 

TEXANRED

Texan-American
Mario goes all out every play. He plays hurt, he plays through double teams, he plays hard even after the game has long been lost he keeps playing.

It's very frustrating to know that people are still hanging on to something that someone said in 2006.

Watch the tape, Mario is a top 5 DE.
 

Hardcore Texan

Magnet Man
Our defense sucked last year. Fact.

Our secondary lacked talent and was poorly coached. Almost certainly fact.

Our front 7 had some talent last year but didn't produce. Mario's known for not having a good motor even in a 4-3. There are serious questions about Mario's and Smith's wilingness to do the dirty work as 3-4 ends. We gave an all out effort vs Indy in week 1, and I'm not sure we saw that the rest of the year.

I think this draft is a recognition that for the conversion to 3-4 to have any chance, we need to change the culture and get everyone -- especially Mario and Antonio -- to buy in. If they sulk, we're finished.

JJ Watt. Brooks Reed. Keo. Go all out every play, however many plays you play. Period.

More than any X's and O's, the number one thing the defense needs is energy and commitment. There's some talent on board, and if Wade can get effort, we could land in the middle of the pack, maybe better. But you need the culture to change.

Ravens. Steelers. Giants. Eagles. Those guys bring it on D every play. Every week. Every year. The slackers get weeded out and replaced.

Big Caveat though -- Watt and Reed better produce. Or else, they're just goofy white guys that run around really hard tackling people 10 yards after the line of scrimmage. Nobody's following that crap.
Mario was injured last year and played through it until we were out of the playoff picture. I think he is more motivated at times than others, but he doesn't take plays off, inconsistent high motor, maybe so. Where have you heard Mario and Smith are not willing to do the "dirty work"?

All out guys
Demeco
Cushing
Smith
Barwin
Quinn

Talented enough to keep
Mario
Mitchell
KJ ?
Anderson

Could care less
Omobi
Cody
Nading
McCain
Barber
Jamesin
McManus
Molden
Adibi
McManus stays, Bullman is not on the list, Cody probably stays to be the nose, Nading and Jamesin put in high effort.
 

infantrycak

Hall of Fame
Mario goes all out every play. He plays hurt, he plays through double teams, he plays hard even after the game has long been lost he keeps playing.

It's very frustrating to know that people are still hanging on to something that someone said in 2006.

Watch the tape, Mario is a top 5 DE.
I agree the taking plays off thing is vastly overstated.
 

LikeMike

Veteran
I think that some of our players aren`t motivated all the time - the new guys could get them off their asses.

But really, the D already looks much improved:

Secondary: Allen - Quinn - Keo - KJax (desperately need a veteran CB - second safety is still up for grabs)

LBs: Reed - Cushing - Ryans - Barwin (starters seem to be set. still need backups)

DLine: Mario Mitchell Watt (I don`t know if we are comfortable with Mitchell and Cody at DT... our DE rotation is really solid).


When everyone stays healthy our starting defense is really good - especially if you add a veteran corner. Without a veteran, you better hope our corners improve under new coaches, and that the front 7 can pressure the QB. Still, this team looks leaps and bounds better than last years.
 

rmartin65

Phil Kessel: Nice Guy. Tries Hard.
I think that some of our players aren`t motivated all the time - the new guys could get them off their asses.

But really, the D already looks much improved:

Secondary: Allen - Quinn - Keo - KJax (desperately need a veteran CB - second safety is still up for grabs)

LBs: Reed - Cushing - Ryans - Barwin (starters seem to be set. still need backups)

DLine: Mario Mitchell Watt (I don`t know if we are comfortable with Mitchell and Cody at DT... our DE rotation is really solid).


When everyone stays healthy our starting defense is really good - especially if you add a veteran corner. Without a veteran, you better hope our corners improve under new coaches, and that the front 7 can pressure the QB. Still, this team looks leaps and bounds better than last years.

We are in trouble if Keo is starting. I love the effort he gives, and he is a good short yard athlete, but he just does not have that long speed that is necessary to play DB in the pros. I think he will be a great back/short yardage guy, and a fantastic special teamer, I just dont think he is a starter.
 

DBCooper

Outlaw
Contributor's Club
I think Mario, Smith, Ryans, and Cush could start on just about any team.

That leaves 7 half assers.

That's alot.
 

LikeMike

Veteran
We are in trouble if Keo is starting. I love the effort he gives, and he is a good short yard athlete, but he just does not have that long speed that is necessary to play DB in the pros. I think he will be a great back/short yardage guy, and a fantastic special teamer, I just dont think he is a starter.
I´m not saying he should be starting - I just saw him as our most promising player at that position right now. I´m looking for FA to get a real player here - by the way, any chance that Pollard is coming back? With some guys that can cover around him, he could be really valuable here.
 

EllisUnit

Vote RED!!!
Mario goes all out every play. He plays hurt, he plays through double teams, he plays hard even after the game has long been lost he keeps playing.

It's very frustrating to know that people are still hanging on to something that someone said in 2006.

Watch the tape, Mario is a top 5 DE.
+ 1 :texflag:
 

Norg

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
We draft good ol boys and high motor guys all the time WTF are u talking about

The problem is we just suck. U can have a 8 desil engine and be a community giver and all that but the problem is we vet our ass kicked on Sunday we do everything right the hole week prepping for Sunday and whe Sunday comes around teh texans choke it
 

awtysst

Draft Guru
I think that some of our players aren`t motivated all the time - the new guys could get them off their asses.

But really, the D already looks much improved:

Secondary: Allen - Quinn - Keo - KJax (desperately need a veteran CB - second safety is still up for grabs)

LBs: Reed - Cushing - Ryans - Barwin (starters seem to be set. still need backups)

DLine: Mario Mitchell Watt (I don`t know if we are comfortable with Mitchell and Cody at DT... our DE rotation is really solid).


When everyone stays healthy our starting defense is really good - especially if you add a veteran corner. Without a veteran, you better hope our corners improve under new coaches, and that the front 7 can pressure the QB. Still, this team looks leaps and bounds better than last years.
Keo is not a starter. He is a special teamer/Saftey depth. Nolan would be beside Quinn.
 

Allstar

Bona fide
Keo is not a starter. He is a special teamer/Saftey depth. Nolan would be beside Quinn.
I really hope we get a vet in the back end at both CB and S. If Nolan beats him out, so be it but it would still feel better to have someone with experience as a safety net. I think we've seen the extent of Barber's ability.
 
I don't know how Nolan is getting overlooked by so many. He made plays last year and I think he'd be better than Pollard at least, I think towards the end of the season that he got a lot of playing time over Pollard IIRC. No reason to think that this dude we took in the 5th is gonna be above him at least.
 

EllisUnit

Vote RED!!!
I don't know how Nolan is getting overlooked by so many. He made plays last year and I think he'd be better than Pollard at least, I think towards the end of the season that he got a lot of playing time over Pollard IIRC. No reason to think that this dude we took in the 5th is gonna be above him at least.
I agree if a guy shows that he can get the job done, give him a shot until he proves otherwise. His coverage is 100% was than wilson and Pollard last season.
 
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