2006 Texans Defense Revisit

[76Texan]

Kubiak presser September 11, 2006
after Eagles game

(on Mario):
He’s very disruptive and pushes people back.
The thing we don’t want to lose sight of is that he’s very athletic too
and when he has a chance to take a gap and create some havoc in there and get to the quarterback
sometimes I think he gets a little apprehensive assignment-wise instead of cutting it lose.
We got to get him to cut it lose in some of those situations.
Sometimes you are, in a lot of ways, guessing paths
and if you get beat on the run, you get beat on the run.
That’s part of getting after the quarterback.”

(on whether he thinks it is asking for trouble blitzing Peyton Manning next game)
“Asking for trouble, well, if you blitz you’d better get there, I know that.
When you go in their place, in their dome, it makes it more difficult.

 

[76Texan]

Kubiak presser September 18, 2006
after Colts game

(on the defensive line’s performance)
“Well, there are times that they did make him get rid of the ball rather quickly.
You’re not going to get to number 18 (QB Peyton Manning).
He doesn’t hold the ball. He’s not going to go down with the football.
It’s just the way he plays the game, but you’ve got to do something to try
and make him throw the ball quicker than he wants to throw it.
And there were times we did that.
The majority of the time, you’re right, we still have to get better at out pressure.
That’s us (the coaches) coming up with ways, scheme-wise, to do that,
and getting better at winning one-on-ones.
And it’s just kind of part of everything else, getting better as a group.
And they have got to do that. But at times there were some good individual efforts in there
that need to be consistent throughout the game.”

(on blitzing problems) “Well, if you blitz you’ve got to get there in this league.
If you blitz, and you can’t get there, you’re exposing your back end.
So you’ve got to have confidence.
(defensive coordinator) Richard (Smith) has got to have confidence that if he brings five or six,
that we’re not going to have to hold on back there long.
Unfortunately that hasn’t been the case, you know,
he brought a couple of zone dogs last week and brought a five-man pressure
and played man and (Manning) he’s back there holding the ball too long.
That’s just something we’ve got to do a better job in.”

(on whether the blitzes are not working) “We’re not getting there on a consistent basis.
We’ve got to get there. We’ve got five one-on-ones in pass pro,
somebody’s got to come free and make you get the ball going. We’ve got to do a better job there.”

(on a specific blitzing percentage he wants) “I mean, that all depends on the flow of the game, too,
and how a game is going.
I would like us to be a pressure football team and I feel like we can do that.
We’ve had a couple of issues in our secondary, which have scared us going into some games.
Last week we had two active players on our squad that aren’t suited up.
That’s a scary situation in the NFL and it’s really scary when you’re playing Peyton Manning.
Hopefully we can get these guys back on the field.
Phillip (Buchanon) is fine this week and Petey (Faggins) is back in a few weeks
and I’d probably feel a whole lot better about going and getting it.
We’ve got to get these guys out there.”

 

[76Texan]

Kubiak presser October 2, 2006
after Dolphins game

(on Mario Williams dropping into coverage)
“Yeah. We ran some zone dogs where he was dropping his face, those type of things.
I think he recognized what was going on when he started chasing the ball
and just reacted and put his hand out there.
But it’s just, his effort down the field as well as everybody’s was much better in the game.”

(on his position not usually dropping into coverage in the zone )
“No, he’s part of some of our zone schemes. You try to do that defensively.
People, a lot of teams will turn their protection to a certain player, you know,
to try to get help and I think some people will have to take special attention to him
in some of the things he can do when he’s zone-dogging and drop him off
now you’ve got teams turning toward him and you’re bringing pressure to the other way.
So that was something (defensive coordinator) Richard (Smith) did in the game that was effective.
It had a lot to do with our sacks.”

(on the defense’s performance) “We played well in the preseason and thought
we were going to carry that into the regular season, but that didn’t happen.
We knew that wasn’t us. Today we played the type of defense we expect to play.
We’re an attacking style of defense that shuts people down.”

(on the defense’s last drives) “We were doing the same things, we were aggressive.
I think we dialed up 36 or 38 blitzes in the game.
That’s an enormous amount of pressure, that’s putting a lot of pressure on your secondary.
But we wanted to send that message to our players,
we told them that going into the game that we were going to be very aggressive
and we didn’t stop doing it on those two drives, it’s not like we did something different.
We had them fourth and four and we were in pressure man-coverage
and the kid ran a great route and they made a big play.
But we kept coming and that’s what held him to the field goal the previous drive,
what kept them out of the end zone was pressure so we didn’t do anything different.”

 

[76Texan]

October 30, 2006
After Titans game

Defense strong again: Yesterday’s loss in Nashville can’t be pinned on the defense.
The 197 total yards of offense from the Titans represented the second-lowest total
for a Texans opponent in franchise history.
That followed a performance at home
in which the defense allowed only seven points to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

“They’ve been playing very well, quietly been playing very, very well,” Kubiak said of his defense.
“I think what’s happened is that they’ve grown with Richard’s (Smith) defense.
They know the scheme, they know what’s expected from them.
Getting some guys back has helped…We’re playing better up front.
Our effort up front yesterday was exceptional, chasing the ball.
It was Mario’s (Williams) best effort in a football game, I know we talk about him a lot,
N.D. Kalu was exceptional in the game, DeMeco Ryans just continues to play, I think he had 11 tackles,
and Morlon Greenwood played well.”

 

[76Texan]

November 6, 2006
after loss to Giants

Nick Schenck , HoustonTexans.com:
... In fact, there were dozens of plays and stats that demonstrated what’s become increasingly obvious
as the season progresses: The Texans’ defense gets nastier by the game,
and is fast becoming the strength of the team.

...
Halfway home: The game with the Giants Sunday marked the halfway point of the season for Houston.
At 2-6, Kubiak said he would prefer having a few more wins, but regardless,
he knows the team his headed in the right direction.

He was particularly pleased with the defense, which he said has a bright future.

“I’m not going to say I’m surprised at this,
but I think we’re headed in the right direction of having an excellent football team
on the defensive side of the ball from the standpoint of our youth,” Kubiak said.
“I think we’re only going to get better.

 

[76Texan]

November 13, 2006
after win over Jags

Kubiak (on what has caused the defensive improvement):
“I just think its just getting more and more familiar with what (defensive coordinator) Richard (Smith)’s doing.
They’re getting familiar with how Richard calls the game.
He’ll take some chances with them, but they have learned that he trusts them.
Our backend has played much better since (CB Demarcus) Petey (Faggins)’s come back.
We got stronger back there. The defense has begun to make 59 (LB DeMeco Ryans) their leader inside.
He’s a young kid. Early to ask that much of him was probably lot, but they have grown to respect him.
And he’s making all the calls; he’s getting them all in the right spot.
And I think him becoming a young, young leader on our defensive football team has had a lot to do with it.”

 

[76Texan]

December 4, 2006
after win over Raiders

Kubiak (on why the run defense has looked better even with the loss of some starters):
“I just think they're adapting to our defensive scheme and what Richard (Smith) wants.
I think those guys have a lot of confidence right now, our defensive players.
They’re young, and I think they sit there and they say,
‘You know what, we have a chance to be together for a few years.
I see them growing and their attitude and their confidence on the field is getting better and better each week.

 

[76Texan]

December 11, 2006
after loss to Titans

(on whether he thinks the last play was the right situation for a blitz)
“Well, where was the ball? The ball was on, I think,
it was the 40 yard line, the 39 yard line.
This kid (Titans K Rob Bironas) made a 60-yarder last week.
If you sit there and you play zone and you let (Titans QB) Vince (Young)
dump the ball for a six yard gain, and then they kick a 49-yarder,
then you don’t feel like you’re giving yourself, your team, an aggressive chance to win.
I like the call. We had a guy free. (LB) DeMeco (Ryans) was free.
They did a good job of cutting (LB) Morlon (Greenwood), to back-cut Morlon.
DeMeco was free on Vince, hugging up,
and he found a crack between Morlon laying on the ground and DeMeco hugging up, and made a great play.
But right there the call that we made was fixing to make it a negative play for them,
and then I think they do have to punt.
So I like the aggressiveness of what we did; we just didn’t get it done.”

 

[76Texan]

December 18, 2006
after loss to Pats
By Carmine Pirone , HoustonTexans.com

No split in the locker room:
Much was made of cornerback Dunta Robinson’s remarks following Sunday’s loss.
In the locker room, Robinson said there was a problem with the Texans and that it needed to be fixed.

Robinson wouldn’t say what the problem was, but since Houston’s defense has been improving throughout the season,
while the offense has stagnated, many believed he was referring to Houston ’s offense.

Kubiak addressed Robinson’s remarks on Monday.

“It’s frustrating, you know,” Kubiak said.
“He’s frustrated and when there’s something good going on your side of the ball
and there’s a struggle somewhere else, that’s the nature of the business.
I have a lot of respect for (Dunta) because he’s playing good football and he’s frustrated,
but we’re all frustrated and we’re a team.
My message to him and to our team is just do more, do your job better.”

Robinson isn’t the only Texans player fuming.
Kubiak said Monday that he’s been frustrated at times with his team’s play as well.

Kubiak (on the Texans’ defense)
“I thought they played their hearts out.
We put them in a horrible position in the first half.
I thought they were doing everything they could to keep it from getting away.
They didn’t give up a lot of yards, I don’t think.
I don’t have (the stat sheet) in front of me.
But I thought they played their hearts out and showed a lot of pride.
I’d like to see us get off the field on the last drive,
but I thought they fought through it.”

 

[76Texan]

December 27, 2006
after win over Colts

Kubiak (on whether the defense’s progress has impressed him)
“Yeah, if you throw out the first three weeks of the season
and you look at our defense from there on,
I think they would be somewhere in the top 12, 13 defenses in football.
So that would be tremendous. As we speak I think they are like 23 rd or 24 th.
That’s coming from the bottom last year, and changing schemes and playing young players.
So I think there’s been some good progress.
I’d like to see them finish real well this week.
I know who the two kids (LB DeMeco Ryans and DE Mario Williams) are we are building our defense around
so we know where we’re heading with that situation.”

 

[76Texan]

December 31, 2006
after win over Browns

Dunta (on the defensive improvements)
“We just preserved for the entire season.
Guys never quit, everybody kept battling on the defensive side of the ball.
With all the injuries we just kept plugging guys in and guys just kept making plays.”

(on the pieces that the defense already has in place)
“A lot of teams love (DE) Antwan Peek. I’d rather play with than against him.
(DT Anthony) Maddox has been a pleasant surprise for us.
You saw the big play he made, sack, forced fumble, fumble recovery and touchdown.
These are guys that are helping build this defense and are going to help make this defense an outstand defense.
We need those guys back.”

LB DeMeco Ryans
(on the defense’s performance against the Browns)
“We knew that the game was going to be in our hands.
It was up to us to get the turnovers and get our offense the ball with a short field,
and we did a great job of that.”

(on the defense giving up lots of yards but few points)
“There’s just not any quit in us.
No matter how far they drove on us, we just reminded each other in the huddle
that someone had to step up and make a play, and we did that.”

(on the defense’s improvement over the season)
“It’s night and day how we just developed as a unit, and that’s how it should be.
The chemistry is there now, and it’s a matter of us just continuing to play together and get better.”

 

[76Texan]

Kubiak wrapping up the season.

Kubiak said that finding defensive line help this offseason is a must,
citing a need to produce a pass rush without blitzing.

(on fulfilling the need for pass rushers)
“There’s no doubt, we’ve got to find a way to put some pressure on some people.
We played a group yesterday that was missing a couple of guards
and (defensive coordinator) Richard (Smith) dialed up plenty of zone dogs
trying to create pressure and that is one glaring thing that I’ve been looking at this morning,
comparing progress, where there was progress and some things we didn’t do well.
One of the first things that I looked at
was the fact that we didn’t pressure the quarterback really well.
we’ve got to figure out a way to do that
and if we’ve got to be able to do that with four guys in this league.
If you’re having to dial-up zone dogs and blitz in this league week–in and week-out,
specially in our division in my opinion, you’re going to get burned.
So we’ve got to find a way to pressure the quarterback with four guys and that will be a big point of emphasis.”

 

[Lucky]

Twelve consecutive posts to begin a thread has to be a forum record. Congratulations.

Clearly, Kubiak put too much faith in guys like Richard Smith and Jon Hoke. Hopefully, his faith in the current defensive staff won't be as misguided.

 

[76Texan]

Twelve consecutive posts to begin a thread has to be a forum record. Congratulations.

Clearly, Kubiak put too much faith in guys like Richard Smith and Jon Hoke. Hopefully, his faith in the current defensive staff won't be as misguided.

What I'm thinking is that it was Kubiak's defense all along.
RS was only took the master plan and implement stuffs, after visiting with Kube.

 

[Texans_Chick]

What I'm thinking is that it was Kubiak's defense all along.
RS was only took the master plan and implement stuffs, after visiting with Kube.

I don't think so.

He basically was very hands off for the first three games. After teams were averaging about 500 yards against the defense for those first three games, Kubiak went to Smith to see how he could help in any way.

According to Pro Football Prospectus, 2006 had a ton of blitzes, 2007 had little.

When Jim Schwartz (former Dline coach for Titans--not known for blitzes-- current coach for Detroit) was recently asked about blitz philosophy relative to Gunter Cunningham (blitz happy) who is on his staff, he said that most 4-3 teams want to rush just 4 to get pressure without blitzing, but few teams have the talent up front to do that. That his philosophy was consistent with Cunningham's. He could do rush only four with the Titans, but each team is different.

It is not revolutionary for a coach to say that he wants to be able to get pressure with the front four. It would be nice if they actually could.

 

[76Texan]

I don't think so.

He basically was very hands off for the first three games. After teams were averaging about 500 yards against the defense for those first three games, Kubiak went to Smith to see how he could help in any way.

According to Pro Football Prospectus, 2006 had a ton of blitzes, 2007 had little.

When Jim Schwartz (former Dline coach for Titans--not known for blitzes-- current coach for Detroit) was recently asked about blitz philosophy relative to Gunter Cunningham (blitz happy) who is on his staff, he said that most 4-3 teams want to rush just 4 to get pressure without blitzing, but few teams have the talent up front to do that. That his philosophy was consistent with Cunningham's. He could do rush only four with the Titans, but each team is different.

It is not revolutionary for a coach to say that he wants to be able to get pressure with the front four. It would be nice if they actually could.

Until we can hear from the horse mouth, we'll just have to agree to disagree on this.

All I can infer from everything that was spoken in Kubiak's words from the beginning in 06 up until the end of last year is that he had agree upon a master plan with his DC, and that is "rush four", he'd leave SM to implement the scheme. From time to time, they would reevaluate where the team was, and made any change Kubiak thought they needed to. I don't know that for a fact (the re-evaluation meeting), but it only seems logical.

 

[DBCooper]

What I'm thinking is that it was Kubiak's defense all along.
RS was only took the master plan and implement stuffs, after visiting with Kube.

No way.

Kubiak is an offense guy.

He hired Dick Smith to run a defense. Of course he had input, he is the Head Coach.

Kubiak fell short after leaving Smith in as DC after the first season.

This thread just shows Kubiak in spin control.

 

[76Texan]

No way.

Kubiak is an offense guy.

He hired Dick Smith to run a defense. Of course he had input, he is the Head Coach.

Kubiak fell short after leaving Smith in as DC after the first season.

This thread just shows Kubiak in spin control.

Your argument would have been great if Kubiak was in his early 30s