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State of the O-line

OptimisticTexan said:
Got to watch the game and the T's looked good. Like everything else, it's a puzzle and if the pieces make the puzzle whole, good things could happen.

Last season, Su'a-Filo was such a hinderance at LG, that it took the LT and C to ensure his job got done, if the TE has to slip in and help the T's who are trying to help the G"s.....damn it becomes a mess.

Last night, for the first time in a long time, the Texans OL looked as though the pieces could handle their jobs independently and as a team.....sure was nice to see the TE (JA) catch 2 TD's last night instead of being straddled as the 6th OL.

I believe the addition of Kelemete and Fulton will pay dividends this season.
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I'm encouraged by this new line's first outing. It takes time for a line to gel so by mid season we should be seeing some good stuff from them - barring further disruption.
On the D, the line is showing real potential already. They should make a fearsome unit.
Just need some improved DB and RB play and this side should be a problem for any team.
 
Texansphan said:
I'm encouraged by this new line's first outing. It takes time for a line to gel so by mid season we should be seeing some good stuff from them - barring further disruption.
On the D, the line is showing real potential already. They should make a fearsome unit.
Just need some improved DB and RB play and this side should be a problem for any team.
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I think the DB's will be fine. My biggest concern going forward will be the play of the Texans RB's. I still saw, on multiple occasions, O'Brien trying to run a featherweight up the gut on short yardage situations. This truly has to stop unless 212 RB's make up the team's entire stable of runners.
 
OptimisticTexan said:
I think the DB's will be fine. My biggest concern going forward will be the play of the Texans RB's. I still saw, on multiple occasions, O'Brien trying to run a featherweight up the gut on short yardage situations. This truly has to stop unless 212 RB's make up the team's entire stable of runners.
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Agree. If OB wants to persist with trying to use them as battering rams, he might as well try to get a real one.
This is where tricky Rick was okay - digging up serviceable RBs.
 
Texansphan said:
He didn't need to find too many after he found 23.
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He didn't find Arian Foster, Arian Foster pulled up the crappiest RB depth charts in the NFL, deemed ours the worst (which Rick Smith assembled) and Arian Foster found and recruited us. Actaully his girlfriend was able to piece all that together from her computer which makes that RB hole even more glaring.

I in no way shape or form give Rick Smith credit for Arian Foster..that was just a extremely rare case where a nut finds a blind squirrel.
 
JB said:
You forgot Steve Slaton for 1
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He had 1 good season and then was out of the league 3 years later. Ben Tate had more production here and that's with splitting carries with Foster.

The Texans had a extremely RB friendly system when Kubiak was here (frankly I miss it). The only running back that we've ever had that I feel could perform at a high level in any blocking scheme is Arian Foster and that's it. They have "5 tool" players in baseball...that guy was a 5 tool running back, he could do it all and beat you so many different ways.
 
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TheRealJoker said:
Outside of Foster who’s a RB Rick Smith could hang his hat on? Chris Brown? Ahman Green? Ron Dayne? Ben Tate for 1 season?
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This question had me going to Texans' history to see just who all we've had at RB. What I found was that our luck with RBs has been sad since the beginning.
Dominick Williams and Jonathan Wells were good RBs but seemed to always be playing thru injury. Ron Dayne seemed to play hurt a lot of the time. Steve Slaton looked promising for a minute, then he got hurt and sick (acute fumblitis). Ben Tate looked good, again, when healthy. Even Foster was hurt off and on. Now Foreman; looked great in stretches then injury bug.

Our luck at RB sucks no matter who the GM was.
 
ObsiWan said:
This question had me going to Texans' history to see just who all we've had at RB. What I found was that our luck with RBs has been sad since the beginning.
Dominick Williams and Jonathan Wells were good RBs but seemed to always be playing thru injury. Ron Dayne seemed to play hurt a lot of the time. Steve Slaton looked promising for a minute, then he got hurt and sick (acute fumblitis). Ben Tate looked good, again, when healthy. Even Foster was hurt off and on. Now Foreman; looked great in stretches then injury bug.

Our luck at RB sucks no matter who the GM was.
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You left out unforgettable blasts from the past such as Wali Lundy, Samkon Gado, Chris Taylor, Darius Walker, Ahman Green, Chris Brown and Ryan Moats (who replaced DD......and also play his way out of a job with fumbilitis).
 
Honoring Earl 34 said:
Tony Hollings best RB in Texans history .
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Oh my, I almost totally forgot about Hollings. I know you left out the sarcasm emoticon......I hope. He had to be the Texans worst draft pick of all time.

In the 2003 Supplemental Draft, the Texans forfeited a second-round pick in the 2004 Draft in order to get Hollings. Burning such a high selection on Hollings was a curious decision at best. Hollings was a defensive back in his first two seasons in college at Georgia Tech, and then moved to running back but played in just four games before a suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament and torn lateral meniscus in his right knee (the medical staff was on the ball from the very beginning.....a history of major injuries a must have requirement to qualify). Due to academic issues, Hollings entered the 2003 supplemental draft. In three seasons with the Texans' Hollings started only one game, gained 149 yards and did not score a touchdown.
 
CloakNNNdagger said:
Oh my, I almost totally forgot about Hollings. I know you left out the sarcasm emoticon......I hope. He had to be the Texans worst draft pick of all time.

In the 2003 Supplemental Draft, the Texans forfeited a second-round pick in the 2004 Draft in order to get Hollings. Burning such a high selection on Hollings was a curious decision at best. Hollings was a defensive back in his first two seasons in college at Georgia Tech, and then moved to running back but played in just four games before a suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament and torn lateral meniscus in his right knee (the medical staff was on the ball from the very beginning.....a history of major injuries a must have requirement to qualify). Due to academic issues, Hollings entered the 2003 supplemental draft. In three seasons with the Texans' Hollings started only one game, gained 149 yards and did not score a touchdown.
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Boselli says hi.

Expansion draft and supplemental draft in the early yrs were not kind to the Texans.
 
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I think the Texans absolutely misused the potential of Ron Dayne. The Texans treated Dayne as if he'd been directed to the doghouse from the moment he was signed.
 
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OptimisticTexan said:
I think the Texans absolutely misused the potential of Ron Dayne. The Texans treated Dayne as if he'd been directed to the doghouse from the moment he was signed.
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At Wisconsin, he weighed 274 pounds. He shed some weight in advance of the 2000 NFL combine, where he weighed in at 253. Coughlin in 2004 gave him an ultimatum to lose 40 pounds, which he did, but his performance still was poor enough that he wasn't used much. By the time he got to the Texans, he had a reputation of being lazy, being soft, and having no heart for the game. He had a couple of good games here and there. But was always out for injuries the staff felt he could play through (ankle mostly). He food fetish and inattention to weight (reaching again over 260 pounds) was an ongoing and maddening fierce battle with the coaching/training staff.

And don't forget Charles Spencer a 2006 3rd rnd pick that was felt to be the most promising of all Texans LT prospects............
 
Carr Bombed said:
I'll always remember the game Ron Dayne had against the Colts in 2006. (I was at that game). Ron Dayne looked like Ron Dayne from Wisconsin..he went beast mode and ran over every defender in that front seven and safety positions and led us to our first franchise win against the Colts. It was awesome to watch.
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Yeah, I recall Peyton being so pissed he stormed off the field and didn't to the traditional handshake.
 
Carr Bombed said:
He had 1 good season and then was out of the league 3 years later. Ben Tate had more production here and that's with splitting carries with Foster.

The Texans had a extremely RB friendly system when Kubiak was here (frankly I miss it). The only running back that we've ever had that I feel could perform at a high level in any blocking scheme is Arian Foster and that's it. They have "5 tool" players in baseball...that guy was a 5 tool running back, he could do it all and beat you so many different ways.
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That's what I said... for 1
 
https://www.profootballfocus.com/ne...ine-rankings-all-32-teams-units-entering-2018

32. Houston Texans
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP:
Left Tackle: Julie’n Davenport, 47.6 overall grade
Left Guard: Zach Fulton, 68.8
Center: Nick Martin, 44.9
Right Guard: Senio Kelemete, 48.3
Right Tackle: Martinas Rankin, 71.1* (2017 college grade)

2017 season-end rank: 32nd (no change)

After fielding one of the worst offensive lines we’ve seen in the PFF era, there’s little reason to think they’ll rank anything other than 32nd again this upcoming season. While injuries certainly played a role – and it’s likely center Nick Martin could bounce back from an ugly 44.9 overall grade last season – they’ve pinned their hopes to other team’s castoffs and a fourth-rounder from 2017 to protect Deshaun Watson.
 
Is Waltson practicing at full speed or nah yet? I seen him play like one snap is all so far but hope he aight and gets better protection because that sploding knee could be a srs issue getting blindsided n h can't b runnin 4 his live every time he drops bacc
 
MeatBear77 said:
Is Waltson practicing at full speed or nah yet? I seen him play like one snap is all so far but hope he aight and gets better protection because that sploding knee could be a srs issue getting blindsided n h can't b runnin 4 his live every time he drops bacc
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A really great question. I would like to know so I can draft him on my fantasy team.
 
skipper72 said:
A really great question. I would like to know so I can draft him on my fantasy team.
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Plenty of reports have already said he's practicing with full mobility and looks great. This was answered about a month ago.

Now wether or not he's actually going to have full freedom to play like he did last year (they said he would) is yet to be seen and you won't see it in training camp and highly doubt you'll see it in preseason either. You're going to have to wait until the regular season when they take the gloves off for that.
 
Carr Bombed said:
Plenty of reports have already said he's practicing with full mobility and looks great. This was answered about a month ago.

Now wether or not he's actually going to have full freedom to play like he did last year (they said he would) is yet to be seen and you won't see it in training camp and highly doubt you'll see it in preseason either. You're going to have to wait until the regular season when they take the gloves off for that.
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sry buddy i usually only follow bears but now that u guys got the qb i wanted bears 2 get I kinda became a texas fan now but need 2 add the texas beat writers to my twitter acct

You have any good ones 4 me 2 add? Thx IA
 
Carr Bombed said:
Plenty of reports have already said he's practicing with full mobility and looks great. This was answered about a month ago.

Now wether or not he's actually going to have full freedom to play like he did last year (they said he would) is yet to be seen and you won't see it in training camp and highly doubt you'll see it in preseason either. You're going to have to wait until the regular season when they take the gloves off for that.
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Oh okay, great Carr Bombed. Thx for the heads up.
 
Carr Bombed said:
Plenty of reports have already said he's practicing with full mobility and looks great. This was answered about a month ago.

Now wether or not he's actually going to have full freedom to play like he did last year (they said he would) is yet to be seen and you won't see it in training camp and highly doubt you'll see it in preseason either. You're going to have to wait until the regular season when they take the gloves off for that.
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Just for the record "practicing with full mobility" means very little following an ACL. It's nothing to get excited about. If indeed at this point in regular "untouchable" practices he were limping along, there would be lots to worry about. However, you will know nothing about his true "mobility" until the rush is bearing down in a real game, and he has to effectively stop , cut, and change direction on a dime. If he is able to regain last year's complete form at all, as in most cases of ACL ruptures, it's not likely to happen until deep into the season.

Meanwhile, everything I'm hearing is that the Texans will be trying to tether his running and concentrate on his accuracy from the pocket as much as possible.
 
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NOSMIRG said:
https://www.profootballfocus.com/ne...ine-rankings-all-32-teams-units-entering-2018

32. Houston Texans
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP:
Left Tackle: Julie’n Davenport, 47.6 overall grade
Left Guard: Zach Fulton, 68.8
Center: Nick Martin, 44.9
Right Guard: Senio Kelemete, 48.3
Right Tackle: Martinas Rankin, 71.1* (2017 college grade)

2017 season-end rank: 32nd (no change)

After fielding one of the worst offensive lines we’ve seen in the PFF era, there’s little reason to think they’ll rank anything other than 32nd again this upcoming season. While injuries certainly played a role – and it’s likely center Nick Martin could bounce back from an ugly 44.9 overall grade last season – they’ve pinned their hopes to other team’s castoffs and a fourth-rounder from 2017 to protect Deshaun Watson.
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based on the expert analysis by pff how can anyone honestly be optimistic of watsons health out look

?

watson is a generational talent but its like he literally has no protecting him
 
CloakNNNdagger said:
Meanwhile, everything I'm hearing is that the Texans will be trying to tether his running and concentrate on his accuracy from the pocket as much as possible.
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I hope this isn't as bad as it sounds to me. Instead of letting Watson be the Watson that went to two national championship games and set the NFL afire when he got to play, "they" are trying to fix him by making into a "pocket passer".

Savage and Osweiler were "pocket passers" and we know those worked soooo well for O'Brien and the Texans.
:fingergun:
 
I wish BOB would test the line and call long developing plays next game.

We really need to see if this line can hold up. Last game was solid though got to admit.
 
ObsiWan said:
I hope this isn't as bad as it sounds to me. Instead of letting Watson be the Watson that went to two national championship games and set the NFL afire when he got to play, "they" are trying to fix him by making into a "pocket passer".

Savage and Osweiler were "pocket passers" and we know those worked soooo well for O'Brien and the Texans.
:fingergun:
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I did not say that. Tether would be to limit...........and that would be the only smart approach for his knee following this amount of time post ACL surgery.
 
Did we not have this big discussion last year about letting “Watson be Watson”? About how not worrying about him running all over the field with reckless abandon, and dismissing the increased likelyhood of being injured, and all that?

I noticed that all these voices of letting “Watson be Watson” fell a little silent after tearing his ACL in the Seattle game. I don’t want to hear about this BS about getting hurt in practice.

But now we’re hearing voices again. Let “Watson be Watson”.

How many of this same voices would like to see Watson finish the season standing up? Fat chance.
 
Marcus said:
He should be limited regardless of the concern to his knee. And yes, he certainly can be limited without “converting” to a pocket passer.
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If longevity is in the cards, the coaching staff will need to teach him to become smarter as to when to run and when to stay put. This is not supposed to be like a short-term 3-year college stint in which he suffered more than his share of injuries.

From April 2017:

CloakNNNdagger said:
So Savage is "injury prone" is he?

It's only fair then to take a good look at Watson. Watson pulled a Romo when in April prior to the 2014 season, when he broke his collarbone. Luckily, he didn't miss any official games due to when it happened. But he did go on to miss 3 games in the 2014 season after fracturing his right hand which required 4 screws to reconstruct. Shortly after his return from this injury, he sustained a sprained LCL and bone bruise of his left knee............and then about another week later he sustained a sprained MCL. The latter 2 left knee injuries cost Watson the majority of another 2 games. Just 1 week later when he returned to play, Watson suffered a partial tear of his right ACL during a late November 2014 practice. He played through the injury the next game and aggravated the injury. Watson was then shut down and had surgery to repair the ACL injury to his plant knee in December (as a partial ACL tear in an elite athlete requires the same surgical attention as a complete rupture). Again, he was "fortunate" that the injury occurred at the very end of the season when it did not reflect a loss of a large part or an entire season which would have been the case had it occurred earlier.

Last year in November, he was driven to the ground and landed on his right shoulder. It occurred in the 2nd quarter of the game and he didn't return. It was reported as a "bruised" shoulder," but he actually sustained a grade I A-C shoulder separation. The next game, you could tell that his shoulder was bothering him as he played extremely erratically in that loss.

So there you have it.........after only a shortened 3 year college career........and that's even before he steps onto any NFL field. Some fans have been quick to label Savage as "injury prone." Then, how would you refer to Watson.................a QB waiting for a stretcher?
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One can point to how well he bounced back from all of these injuries. But in the NFL, especially where players as a whole are so much larger and faster, his risks are greater..........and bottom line, it only takes one hit, one injury that he can't come back from. Bubble wrap is not a solution, but letting him "run loose" is even less likely a solution.
 
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Marcus said:
Did we not have this big discussion last year about letting “Watson be Watson”? About how not worrying about him running all over the field with reckless abandon, and dismissing the increased likelyhood of being injured, and all that?

I noticed that all these voices of letting “Watson be Watson” fell a little silent after tearing his ACL in the Seattle game. I don’t want to hear about this BS about getting hurt in practice.

But now we’re hearing voices again. Let “Watson be Watson”.

How many of this same voices would like to see Watson finish the season standing up? Fat chance.
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We got Weeden as backup and he’s looking good. There’s no need to worry about Watson getting hurt. Let Watson be Watson. :kubepalm:
 
I want to see Watson finish the season standing up on the podium holding the Lombardi Trophy. The odds are better if he can be himself (not with "reckless abandon" but more like Russell Wilson) and play his game. O'Brien adopted his play-calling to it. That's what I'm asking for. Don't try and make him a Brady-like pocket passer but let him be more like Aaron Rodgers.
 
ObsiWan said:
I want to see Watson finish the season standing up on the podium holding the Lombardi Trophy. The odds are better if he can be himself (not with "reckless abandon" but more like Russell Wilson) and play his game. O'Brien adopted his play-calling to it. That's what I'm asking for. Don't try and make him a Brady-like pocket passer but let him be more like Aaron Rodgers.
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So, to clarify, who is it that’s asking him to be a Brady-like pocket passer?
 
ObsiWan said:
I hope this isn't as bad as it sounds to me. Instead of letting Watson be the Watson that went to two national championship games and set the NFL afire when he got to play, "they" are trying to fix him by making into a "pocket passer".

Savage and Osweiler were "pocket passers" and we know those worked soooo well for O'Brien and the Texans.
:fingergun:
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I understand but he did get severely injured two of three seasons playing like "Watson". I doubt he is being remade into a pocket passer rather to be more cautious and don't turn ball over. Two days ago some radio mouths were talking about Oline and how well they are doing. The guy said "well they did enough when Watson is back there" and that's what we are all hoping.
 
badboy said:
I understand but he did get severely injured two of three seasons playing like "Watson". I doubt he is being remade into a pocket passer rather to be more cautious and don't turn ball over. Two days ago some radio mouths were talking about Oline and how well they are doing. The guy said "well they did enough when Watson is back there" and that's what we are all hoping.
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I have absolutely no issue if that's what is meant by "tether".
 
I watched the first half of the 99er game. Paid fairly close attention to both the left and right tackles based on the direction they were going. I have to say they both did pretty well in pass pro and mostly on in the run game. This was against the 99ers number one defence, so given that it seems to bode well for the upcoming season. Didn't watch the interior guys, but there didn't seem to be much pressure up the middle. However, on run plays up the middle there didn't seem to be much of a lame for the RB. But then we have marginal RBs Soooooo.
 
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