Thoughts on our future direction after tonight

[Bigbots_02]

My thoughts on tonights performance need not be said, Im pretty sure everyone feels about the same: embarrassed, angry and disappointed. I cant say I suprised that we lost. We choke or are extremely shaky on almost ALL main events. Sunday night, Thursday night and Monday nights.

Hopefully this is a wake up call. Personally out of what games we had left, I only wanted to lose the 2nd to last game of the season but it is what it is. We need to get back to the basics. Arian runs the ball... or maybe Tate at this point. Its time to use him to his fullest. run, run and run somemore. and we play action pass off our run game.

To me, Foster is definitely worn down. You could tell off how when tate came in he looked like what Foster use to look like but without fosters vision yet, still sucessful in his own way. What are you guys thoughts?

 

[Mr. Texan]

i really don't put much in what tate did.

when foster is in the game, teams know that we're going to run and they key on that. tate is a good back but i think he slightly benefits from opposing defenses not knowing if the texans are noing to run or pass.

 

[thunderkyss]

i really don't put much in what tate did.

when foster is in the game, teams know that we're going to run and they key on that. tate is a good back but i think he slightly benefits from opposing defenses not knowing if the texans are noing to run or pass.

Well I'd like to see a heavy dose of Tate all the same.

 

[hradhak]

Well I'd like to see a heavy dose of Tate all the same.

Foster has gotten a lot of yards on a few plays. He gets hit and falls down far too often. I would really like to see a true 3-headed monster instead of Kubes keeping Foster in to "get him going".

 

[Bigbots_02]

i really don't put much in what tate did.

when foster is in the game, teams know that we're going to run and they key on that. tate is a good back but i think he slightly benefits from opposing defenses not knowing if the texans are noing to run or pass.

Yea but last year when are success began, it was Foster carring the load with splashes of tate. The were success full at the same time. Foster with is vision and being elusive and unpredictable, tate with his strength and violent running style... almost like he was looking for defenders so he could hit them.

Now I understand why he wasnt been in the picture as of late but tonight we DEFINITELY should have seen him earlier and more often... I feel like Foster ALONG with Tate need to be the focus. Hell, because Fosters workload and how worn down he looks, I think Tate need to get the bulk of the carries. Foster at 1st contact goes down now. Not always, but more so then Iv ever seen him.

 

[beerlover]

Foster has gotten a lot of yards on a few plays. He gets hit and falls down far too often. I would really like to see a true 3-headed monster instead of Kubes keeping Foster in to "get him going".

Foster was explosive early on then Patriots made adjustment & slid Wilfork over Jones which completely shut down cut-back & Mayo slammed seams filling gaps to extinguish anything left side where Texans did have some success. In the end New England showed some advances in quick snaps & seemingly caught Texans completely off guard. Serious out coaching job by the Jedi master

 

[Bigbots_02]

Foster has gotten a lot of yards on a few plays. He gets hit and falls down far too often. I would really like to see a true 3-headed monster instead of Kubes keeping Foster in to "get him going".

And you remember last year it was like Kubs pitted Foster and Tate against each other in the sense that one would have 3 or 4 plays then he would put the other in to see what he could do.

 

[leebigeztx]

Either the texans need to add more playmakers offensively or they need more of a playmaker at qb or both.

 

[fiasco west]

Either the texans need to add more playmakers offensively or they need more of a playmaker at qb or both.

Well....

did lose the right side of the line and did Lose Demeco.

I've always had this nagging concern about Rick Smith...I'm just wondering how teams like the Eagles can seemingly fit all these guys under their cap and we can't. I know stopping the run has not been that big of a issue...but Demeco has always been the sort of heart/mind/soul of the defense.

 

[Norg]

i think foster needs to lose his starting job to Ben tate just to see if that lights a fire under him

 

[eriadoc]

Future direction - the team will win 1-3 more games this season, maybe lock up home field advantage, and go to the playoffs. They might win a playoff game, but they'll lose to the Pats or Broncos. If they lose that game in the AFC Championship game, everyone will forget about the signs along the way that pointed to that loss coming down the road.

Maybe we'll get lucky and someone else will knock out those teams before we have to face them.

 

[thunderkyss]

Future direction - the team will win 1-3 more games this season, maybe lock up home field advantage, and go to the playoffs. They might win a playoff game, but they'll lose to the Pats or Broncos. If they lose that game in the AFC Championship game, everyone will forget about the signs along the way that pointed to that loss coming down the road.

Maybe we'll get lucky and someone else will knock out those teams before we have to face them.

If the team we played with last night is the team we take to the AFC Championship game then yeah.

Jjo needs to get healthy, he wasn't. Brandon Harris will get better. We need to figure the LB thing out & go with it. It's either Sharpton & James or Sharpton & Dobbins, let them play, let them get better.

Whitney will be better. Antonio needs to turn it on & leave it on.

We need to get Newton back. We let Winston go thinking either Butler or Newton would win that job...... not Harris or Gardner.

If it were me, I'd stop calling Casey a full back. He's our third TE period. Clutts should be the FB & Casey will get his snaps as the third TE.

Matt needs to fix whatever personal demons he took into that game last night.

Other than that, everything is fine.

 

[eriadoc]

I really feel like I'm beating a dead horse here, and I am tired of it already, so this will be my last post on the subject.

If the team we played with last night is the team we take to the AFC Championship game then yeah.

This is the team we have. It is what it is.

Jjo needs to get healthy, he wasn't.

If you say so. If he wasn't, then I don't know how weekly play from now through the playoffs is going to help that situation.

Brandon Harris will get better.

Color me skeptical. If Brandon Harris were any good, he would have been at least dressing for game s long before this. He's not a rookie, and he just got his first start (did he start?). He's not going to get appreciably better between now and the playoffs, and given his rate of improvement since he was drafted in the 2nd round before last season, I don't have faith that he'll get much better ever.

..linebackers...

They got who they got because they made the decision to go with those guys. If they haven't figured it out this far into the season, I'm not terribly optimistic that they will. This far into the season, things are figured out across the team, for the most part. You might have an injury situation force a young guy in and you hope he responds, but with vets, you generally know what you have.

Whitney will be better.

This I have hope for.

Antonio needs to turn it on & leave it on.

Well sure, but what indicators do you see that give you optimism this will happen? He hasn't played this year with the same effectiveness as seasons past, so I don't see how he's going to suddenly turn it on. AND he's had the most dominant defensive player int he league taking the double teams away from him all season. So I just don't see it.

We need to get Newton back. We let Winston go thinking either Butler or Newton would win that job...... not Harris or Gardner.

This entire situation was just a gross miscalculation on Kubiak's part. While I think Newton has a future, and he's better than Harris or Gardner, I don't think he's good enough this year, nor do I think he'll ever develop into a Duane Brown caliber player. Even if he does, it's not happening in the next few weeks.

If it were me, I'd stop calling Casey a full back. He's our third TE period. Clutts should be the FB & Casey will get his snaps as the third TE.

I agree. I would have done this a long time ago. But Kubiak has been confronted with that question ever since he drafted Casey and has been resistant to it from the start. So ... in Kubiak y'all trust, right? He's not going to change.

 

[conundrum]

Like some others have said, I really liked what I saw out of Tate. The lanes that Foster was getting last year just are not their that often and he cant seem to break tackles like Tate.

It looks like Tate may finally be healthy and a good dose of that 2 headed monster we had last year could go a long ways come playoff time.

All this man coverage is killing us without a consistent pass rush. I hope we can mix in some zone or do something if not, I fear we shredded in the playoffs, maybe even against Luck and the Colts.

 

[TexanBacker93]

Well....

did lose the right side of the line and did Lose Demeco.

I've always had this nagging concern about Rick Smith...I'm just wondering how teams like the Eagles can seemingly fit all these guys under their cap and we can't. I know stopping the run has not been that big of a issue...but Demeco has always been the sort of heart/mind/soul of the defense.

The sign every guy you can sure has worked well for them.

It helped the Redskins as well.

 

[Speedy]

Foster has gotten a lot of yards on a few plays. He gets hit and falls down far too often. I would really like to see a true 3-headed monster instead of Kubes keeping Foster in to "get him going".

9 of Foster's 15 carries were for 2 yards or less, totaling 0 yards.
Last week, 10 of his 14 carries were for 2 yards or less totaling 16 yards.

19 of his last 29 carries (65%) have been for 2 yards or less and have totaled 16 yards (0.8 yards per carry)

Since the bye week, 66 of Foster's 130 carries (50.7%) have been for 2 yards or less, totaling 13 yards (0.2 yards per carry).

Of course that means his other 64 carries were for 476 yards (7.4 per), and I don't know how other RBs compare, but over 50% of your carries going for 2 yards or less doesn't seem like it's very good. That, to me, translates into a lot of unfavorable down and distance situations.

And yeah, he does seem to go down a whole lot easier than before. I don't know what the deal is with Foster, diet, big payday, or what. I hate to make assumptions like that, but he's not the same force he was before this season started.

 

[76Texan]

9 of Foster's 15 carries were for 2 yards or less, totaling 0 yards.
Last week, 10 of his 14 carries were for 2 yards or less totaling 16 yards.

19 of his last 29 carries (65%) have been for 2 yards or less and have totaled 16 yards (0.8 yards per carry)

Since the bye week, 66 of Foster's 130 carries (50.7%) have been for 2 yards or less, totaling 13 yards (0.2 yards per carry).

Of course that means his other 64 carries were for 476 yards (7.4 per), and I don't know how other RBs compare, but over 50% of your carries going for 2 yards or less doesn't seem like it's very good. That, to me, translates into a lot of unfavorable down and distance situations.

And yeah, he does seem to go down a whole lot easier than before. I don't know what the deal is with Foster, diet, big payday, or what. I hate to make assumptions like that, but he's not the same force he was before this season started.

When you have a bunch of carries that don't go too far or for no gain, or for a loss, what does it tell you?

No hole, or not enough push, or somebody didn't play their assignment well.

Also, remember that Foster also had two carries near the Pats goal line.
A one-yd TD run cannot be turn into a 100-yd run even of Foster runs through the tunnel and come all the way around.

If somebody notice, they showed a stat during the game of Foster being used the most on third down; many of those are in short yardage.

He's also used near our own goal line when we just want to make any positive yard just to get out of a sticky situation.

And like I said, he had a 13-yd run called back due to that stupid illegal formation rule.

 

[thunderkyss]

When you have a bunch of carries that don't go too far or for no gain, or for a loss, what does it tell you?

No hole, or not enough push, or somebody didn't play their assignment well.

I hear you. One of those runs, Wilfork bowled over Ben Jones & one handed Foster. Granted, Wilfork is probably a pretty strong man. But the pre-Vegan Arian would have shrugged that off as well as some of the thigh grabs & ankle holds.

He had a couple of good looking runs to start the game. Breaking that first contact, I thought he was back....

 

[76Texan]

I hear you. One of those runs, Wilfork bowled over Ben Jones & one handed Foster. Granted, Wilfork is probably a pretty strong man. But the pre-Vegan Arian would have shrugged that off as well as some of the thigh grabs & ankle holds.

He had a couple of good looking runs to start the game. Breaking that first contact, I thought he was back....

But but he's not a Vegan!

 

[Brisco_County]

Posey made an incredibly athletic play. It's a good indicator of what he can offer. I think we'll be pleased with him next season.

Of the six sacks by Mercilus this season, the one last night was the second where he individually beat protection and busted the play. Good sign.

Belichick gave a demonstration to the rest of the league on how to shut down the Texans' running game. Not a good sign.

Now that the pass rush is becoming less effective, and Wade Phillips' first draft pick for this team has separated himself as the only real difference maker on the line, Wade will get another 1st round pick in the 2013 draft. It'll probably be nose tackle.

Kubiak will continue to post a winning record, he will continue to get beat by better coaches, and he will be head coach here until he's ready to retire.

 

[Norg]

i think we made a mastike we should of kept Winston even if he did suck and dropped Ben tate

 

[thunderkyss]

Belichick gave a demonstration to the rest of the league on how to shut down the Texans' running game. Not a good sign.

I heard on the radio last night that Newton should be practicing again today, so that should help some.

I'm not saying injury is an excuse, we've been winning regardless. But we're on our third RT this year. The first & second guy are both hurt (Butler & Newton).

I know they hadn't been playing great, but there was signs of improving before Newton went down.

 

[76Texan]

I heard on the radio last night that Newton should be practicing again today, so that should help some.

I'm not saying injury is an excuse, we've been winning regardless. But we're on our third RT this year. The first & second guy are both hurt (Butler & Newton).

I know they hadn't been playing great, but there was signs of improving before Newton went down.

Yeah. Gardner looks murderous out there as the extra OT.

And I wished Kubiak wouldn't put Jones on Vince Fork on an island that often.
I wonder why Brandon Brook didn't take some of those snaps.

And we missed Graham's blocking on the edges, too.

Oh well.

 

[thunderkyss]

Yeah. Gardner looks murderous out there as the extra OT.

And I wished Kubiak wouldn't put Jones on Vince Fork on an island that often.
I wonder why Brandon Brook didn't take some of those snaps.

And we missed Graham's blocking on the edges, too.

Oh well.

Who'd have thunk a TE who is only average (maybe slightly better) would be a better pass blocker than a tackle? Gardner was pathetic out there last night.

In another thread, I said I was upset that we didn't just make Casey a TE & use Clutt's at FB. After watching the game again, I see we pretty much used Casey the way we normally did & used Gardner as a blocking TE.

You would think that would "work" in pass protection situations, but it was ridiculously bad.

 

[Texan_Bill]

i think we made a mastike we should of kept Winston even if he did suck and dropped Ben tate

In what universe does any of this ^^^^^ make sense?

 

[76Texan]

Who'd have thunk a TE who is only average (maybe slightly better) would be a better pass blocker than a tackle? Gardner was pathetic out there last night.

In another thread, I said I was upset that we didn't just make Casey a TE & use Clutt's at FB. After watching the game again, I see we pretty much used Casey the way we normally did & used Gardner as a blocking TE.

You would think that would "work" in pass protection situations, but it was ridiculously bad.

I read your post.
I still feel like Casey is not very strong when he's at FB.
There's one play where the LB came into the backfield some four yards.
Casey got down in his stance and still got blown up right into Foster.

That deep in the backfield, the FB needs to at least stay even in his battle.

Without Graham, whether we use Gardner, OD, or Casey as the 2nd TE, we still don't have the same blocking we do as consistently as with Graham.

And we certainly use Newton better than Gardner in the jumbo set.

 

[76Texan]

i think we made a mastike we should of kept Winston even if he did suck and dropped Ben tate

In what universe does any of this ^^^^^ make sense?

Norg is from the friendly planet of Norgaramus, in case you don't know,

 

[Dread-Head]

Regroup...study the film and when they show up for the playoffs in January...see how many of them you can send out on stretchers.
Exact a PAINFUL and bloody revenge.

 

[badboy]

If the team we played with last night is the team we take to the AFC Championship game then yeah.

Jjo needs to get healthy, he wasn't. Brandon Harris will get better. We need to figure the LB thing out & go with it. It's either Sharpton & James or Sharpton & Dobbins, let them play, let them get better.

Whitney will be better. Antonio needs to turn it on & leave it on.

We need to get Newton back. We let Winston go thinking either Butler or Newton would win that job...... not Harris or Gardner.

If it were me, I'd stop calling Casey a full back. He's our third TE period. Clutts should be the FB & Casey will get his snaps as the third TE.

Matt needs to fix whatever personal demons he took into that game last night.

Other than that, everything is fine.

MSR, this is a very accurate post.

 

[badboy]

Yeah. Gardner looks murderous out there as the extra OT.

And I wished Kubiak wouldn't put Jones on Vince Fork on an island that often.
I wonder why Brandon Brook didn't take some of those snaps.

And we missed Graham's blocking on the edges, too.

Oh well.

The fact that Brooks got no chances to stop Wilfork bother me also.

 

[76Texan]

The fact that Brooks got no chances to stop Wilfork bother me also.

I thought he could at least spell Jones on at least 15 snaps like he did the previous game, especially against a big guy like Willfork.

And he had earned some playing time based on his play in the last game.

We didn't make a lot of strategic moves that I had hoped for.
Obviously, I'm not the coaches. But all the things I pointed out pre-game became reality.

 

[wolf123]

I'm pretty sure Brooks went into the game for Jones for a few plays.. But no way I'm going back to watch the replay...

 

[deucetx]

I'm pretty sure Brooks went into the game for Jones for a few plays.. But no way I'm going back to watch the replay...

Brandon Brooks registered 26 snaps on offense. Now whether it was more toward the end or not I have no clue as I have no interest in seeing that train wreck again like you stated lol.

 

[76Texan]

I'm pretty sure Brooks went into the game for Jones for a few plays.. But no way I'm going back to watch the replay...

Brandon Brooks registered 26 snaps on offense. Now whether it was more toward the end or not I have no clue as I have no interest in seeing that train wreck again like you stated lol.

Well, you should. 'cause Brooks was a better matchup against Big Vince.