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Is the offensive line fixed?
- Thread starter Seegara
- Start date
HaveMercy
Passing Through
Barring injury, I anticipate that the line will be on a generally upward curve throughout the season. Year two should see continuing improvement, plus they will continue to churn the roster. Overall, I think there's a lot of potential with this group of players. With good coaching, they can be a top 10 or better line. They will need to upgrade at center, though. With a really good center, they'd be gangbusters.
maverick512000
Hall of Fame
Is there even such a thing as a "fixed" Oline? seems to me its one of the parts of the team that you are constantly working on because it has so many moving parts and is so vital...…….well...…….unless you're the Texans.
Fixed means not giving up62 sacks or having the worst running game in the league.
Fixed means setting your sights low as in middle of the pack OL.
HaveMercy
Passing Through
Even if it's only a middle of the pack OL this year, that would be a significant improvement and should contribute to a few more plus plays per game. I'd take that in a heartbeat.
Then, in year two, they just might be a top 10 line, especially if they can get improvement out of the Center.
Then, in year two, they just might be a top 10 line, especially if they can get improvement out of the Center.
HaveMercy
Passing Through
To go back to Seegara's opening question and to borrow from Maverick51200, no OLine is ever as good as it can be. All of them could be improved in one way or another, season over season. No OLine is fully fixed, obviously. But if we could put Watson behind a Top 10 or even Top 5 line, along with good RB's, scary good WR's and TE's, plus creative and timely play calling, this offense could be REALLY good.
Joe Montana, anyone?
Joe Montana, anyone?
infantrycak
Hall of Fame
So build one of the best teams ever and the QB will look good.
Did you consider rocket scientist before homer?
maverick512000
Hall of Fame
You do all that and forget Watson my grandmother would look like a good QB. Oh course you would have also built one of the best offensives seen in the last 10-20 years. In the real world I just want an Oline that can give Watson at least 3 seconds to throw the ball and WRs not named Hopkins that can make it through a season and catch a football within 2 feet around them. I gave up on the creative play calling when it was decided the OC position would be used pad the resume of a kid BoB was mentoring. Now I just hope the talent is so good that they can still score points even if the defense knows what play is coming.
welsh texan
You may say I’m a dreamer but I’m not the only one
If they dont feel forced to start their high draft picks their baseline should be much improved as Davenport is improving gradually and Henderson beat Lamm for ability last year before getting injured. Each of the interior positions they have the same players available who should be better with time in the system.
Itll be hugely important that they trust that process and allow these new picks to beat out last years starters rather than penciling them in ahead for no reason.
If you see Rankin winning an OG position or either Scharping or Howard winning a starting OT spot early that should be a big upgrade as long as the depth chart is set according to ability right now.
Itll be hugely important that they trust that process and allow these new picks to beat out last years starters rather than penciling them in ahead for no reason.
If you see Rankin winning an OG position or either Scharping or Howard winning a starting OT spot early that should be a big upgrade as long as the depth chart is set according to ability right now.
HaveMercy
Passing Through
Yes, yes, and yes. Being a Homer comes naturally. Rocket scientist, not so much.
Mr teX
Hall of Fame
Ben Rothlisberger & Russell Wilson.
1 guy who, when he was in his prime was taking no less than 46 sacks a season every year. The other, has taken no less than 40 sacks every year since he entered the league.. In both instances these guys were top 5 in qbs sacked. In Wilson's case, that means he's been top 5 every single year he's been in the league.
I say that to say we have a guy whose game is very similar to those guys & I think too many are pinning the success or failure of this team next year on the play of this o-line based on the qb sacked stat alone. DW4 could take 6-7 less sacks that he unnecessarily took last year (in my estimation of course) & more talent on the o-line could possibly help shave off another 7. Which would be improvement. But just based on the way DW4 plays the game & how mobile qbs tend to be at the top of that list anyway, he'd still be top 5 in that category for 2019. Would that mean that we couldn't make deep playoff run? Not necessarily.
Being able to sustain drives & run the ball consistently is going to be the tell-tell & as you know there's no statistic that bares that out...directly anyway.
HaveMercy
Passing Through
I don't know this statistic either, but there's bound to be one somewhere: How many + plays does a team have in a game?
The offensive line last year was responsible for a bunch that weren't + plays. If that number, whatever it is, can be cut in half, Whoa, Nelly! We've got us a horse race.
The offensive line last year was responsible for a bunch that weren't + plays. If that number, whatever it is, can be cut in half, Whoa, Nelly! We've got us a horse race.
Mr teX
Hall of Fame
Winning?
HaveMercy
Passing Through
It's hard to argue with that set attitude, but here goes: If all we did this coming year is run the same plays we did last year...but with the OL doing a good job at a better % this time with their assignments, effectively blocking rushers, opening running lanes, getting blocks out to the second level, avoiding penalties... I'll take it. That will be a result of guys completing their assignments. That's on them, not OB.
Thorn
Dirty Old Man
My distrust is not in the players but the HC. You could give OB the AFC all-star team and he'd still find a way to make it look unorganized with the ability to collapse at a moments notice. Until OB proves otherwise, I shall remain unimpressed.
signed,
Mr. Negative Nancy
throwANDREtheBALL
Waterboy
We have a lot of problems. This poll isn't about whether the coach is below average or not. Although I think he is.
But as far as the O-line goes, it could go either way at this point. Its pretty frustrating that they didn't draft a single lineman that's projected to come in day 1 and be a starter. They drafted a couple of guys earlier than projected who are said to need time to become starter ready. There were starter ready players in the draft available. We didn't get any of them. IF 1 of Rankin, Davenport, Howard, Scharping can rapidly improve a ton this off-season then we will be better than last year. Since we haven't really coached up any o-lineman after they arrive, I don't see that happening. So I'd say this O-line is going to be the exact same as last year. Which was worst in the league. Which is why free agency and the draft were so frustrating. Worst unit in the league and we add injury prone cast offs in free agency and projects that aren't ready to start in the draft. Offseason grade on Texans O-line = F
But as far as the O-line goes, it could go either way at this point. Its pretty frustrating that they didn't draft a single lineman that's projected to come in day 1 and be a starter. They drafted a couple of guys earlier than projected who are said to need time to become starter ready. There were starter ready players in the draft available. We didn't get any of them. IF 1 of Rankin, Davenport, Howard, Scharping can rapidly improve a ton this off-season then we will be better than last year. Since we haven't really coached up any o-lineman after they arrive, I don't see that happening. So I'd say this O-line is going to be the exact same as last year. Which was worst in the league. Which is why free agency and the draft were so frustrating. Worst unit in the league and we add injury prone cast offs in free agency and projects that aren't ready to start in the draft. Offseason grade on Texans O-line = F
Watson needs to model his game after Wilson. When the pocket gets dirty, get out and buy time, find the open guy (not throwing back across the field too often) or throw the ball away.
Big Ben is a totally different animal. He's a white Cam Newton. All of the ability but somehow less athleticism. It seems like it usually takes 2+ guys to sack Ben. He's 6'5" and 240lbs. Matt Schaub was 6'5" and 235lbs. and he would assume the fetal position if a toddler chasing a balloon rushed him. I've never been able to reconcile that difference in my head. Either Big Ben just wants it more or Schaub was coached to take the sack instead of the turnover. One of those guys is a Super Bowl champion.
No, Watson needs to be Watson
HaveMercy
Passing Through
Having Carl Smith (most recently Seattle's QB coach) as the new QB coach working with Watson could easily be as big as anything else the Texans have done this off season.
With Smith, DWatson is in position to make the OLine look maybe a lot better than it would otherwise.
Smith's coaching may be behind the scenes, but he played a big role in Russell Wilson's success behind the Seattle OLine. He will indirectly have a positive impact on the Texans OLine success rate.
It's even possible that Smith's indirect impact on the OLine could make Mike Devlin look better. Stranger things have happened.
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CloakNNNdagger
Hall of Fame
Big Ben has been listed at 240 since his Combine. I've stood beside Big Ben and I've stood beside Schaub. Virtually every couple of years you hear about Big Ben losing weight on a "healthier diet," yet he never seem to look any different.. When I encountered him inseason, Big Ben would have been lucky to be as svelte as 275.
beerlover
Hall of Fame
No, but its a start, and about time.
This may seem like a head scratcher, but just don't over think things. These two Brian Gaine drafts are different than previous GM's in sense they realize biggest holes and try to address them with best fit over the long term. You don't make these kind of picks unless there is a real comfort level and common belief with ownership that these are the kind of people you want to build the future of your team around and you only get one shot each year to do it. I've been saying its going to take 2-3 years to grade this crop but it maybe more like 4-5 because that's when we'll know for sure, when they get that second contract.
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HaveMercy
Passing Through
By next Spring, I'm guessing the most pressing needs will be on the defense. Linemen, Linebackers, and DB's...take your pick.
The OLine won't be perfect, but it will be on a big upswing and projected to get better, maybe a lot better, with another season under their belts. Add a player or two, sure, but that won't be a focus.
I will expect BGaine to trend towards the BPA at our biggest positions of need. I'm quite okay with that.
So what positions are you going to ignore in 2020, so that in 2021 you so smartly post the Texans suck at this position because they keep ignoring in the draft...
The Texans currently have 1st, 2 2nds, a 3rd, 4th, and 4 free agents signings along with a UDFA re-sign..7 of these have been acquired since the aligned
GM/HC...the investment portion of the equation is largely in place...now the coaching, development and production need to follow.
Agreed about Watson causing some of the sacks and running the ball. The OL was terrible last yr, to the tune of being the worst pass blocking and worse run blocking unit in the NFL when you take out Watsons rushing yds. Really the OL has been this bad for 2 yrs.
Did this cost the OL coach his job? Nope, in fact he had a voice in drafting the small school projects that Gaine drafted. You comfortable with this? I'm not.
throwANDREtheBALL
Waterboy
X-ACT-LEEEEEE
Did this cost the head coach his job? Nope, in fact he had a voice in drafting the small school projects that Gaine drafted. You comfortable with this? I'm not.
Mr teX
Hall of Fame
The o-line wasn't good last year & they need to get much better, no denying that. But worst in the league? PFF disagrees with you.
https://www.profootballfocus.com/ne...ine-rankings-all-32-teams-units-after-week-17
While the tackle position was still very much an issue for Houston, Zach Fulton and a healthy Nick Martin brought some competency to their pass blocking. Fulton earned a 79.1 pass-blocking grade on the season while Martin was at 80.9.
Having said all this, the addition of more talent to work with, they can't go anywhere but up.
The o-line wasn't good last year & they need to get much better, no denying that. But worst in the league? PFF disagrees with you.
https://www.profootballfocus.com/ne...ine-rankings-all-32-teams-units-after-week-17
Having said all this, the addition of more talent to work with, they can't go anywhere but up.
Don't let facts get in the way of subjective opinions
House of Pain
Wild Speculator
I'm not going to disagree with you, as I have my serious doubts about O'Brien's coaching aptitude, but which year would you say he had a team roster which is the equivalent to an AFC all-star team?
If you are just expressing your opinion, never mind. I get it and you may be right.
The o-line wasn't good last year & they need to get much better, no denying that. But worst in the league? PFF disagrees with you.
https://www.profootballfocus.com/ne...ine-rankings-all-32-teams-units-after-week-17
Having said all this, the addition of more talent to work with, they can't go anywhere but up.
Like I said if you take out Watson rush yds.
Mr teX
Hall of Fame
..except......the excerpt said Fulton and Martin graded well as pass blockers bro..
Dejaview
All Pro
This is the underlying issue that nobody seems to remember. I support OB until this roster gets stacked and he fails for whatever reason. Between the sorry depth, no QB, neglected S position, pathetic OL with a healthy dose of injuries to key players he’s still managed a winning record. I’m still also giving Devlin the benefit of the doubt. Not sure what anybody could’ve done with that OL and injuries last year. OB went 11-5 last year to his credit. To my discredit I quit watching them early last year because I was so fed up with the injuries and depth.
The o-line wasn't good last year & they need to get much better, no denying that. But worst in the league? PFF disagrees with you.
https://www.profootballfocus.com/ne...ine-rankings-all-32-teams-units-after-week-17
Having said all this, the addition of more talent to work with, they can't go anywhere but up.
Like I said if you take out Watson rush yd
He shouldn't have been kept on when the former GM left to begin with.
beerlover
Hall of Fame
The o-line wasn't good last year & they need to get much better, no denying that. But worst in the league? PFF disagrees with you.
https://www.profootballfocus.com/ne...ine-rankings-all-32-teams-units-after-week-17
Having said all this, the addition of more talent to work with, they can't go anywhere but up.
All those teams above and below the Texans have pocket QB’s. Lol
Mr teX
Hall of Fame
Meaning what exactly?
That the Texans drafted them in the first & 2nd round is evidence they believe these guys can start day 1.
Agreed. I'll think the OL is fixed when we don't come out in the gun with no backs on 3rd & 3 or less.
Some people kick sand in your face & takes your girl. Others wake up alone with a mouth full of dirt.
ATXtexanfan
Hall of Fame
The o line will be fixed when guys settle in one spot. What the hell is up with this multiple position crap on the oline. If OB is so hell bent on what if a guy gets hurt then Watson should he getting like 50% of the work at qb1 because their is a chance he might get hurt. OB is the stupid. I mean seriously. OB line theory is as legit the endgame time travel theory. If OB oline system so cutting edge why no one else doing it. There would never be an all pro lineman if OB had his way. Because he cant play evey position
OB has a theory, it's how to make a black whole a white hole
Cal McNair thinks OB is a genius.
OB has a theory, it's how to make a black whole a white hole
Cal McNair thinks OB is a genius.
banned1976
sleeper mode
I’m just hoping that by the end of training camp the Texans have a couple or three foundational pieces on the offensive line and the others are guys with potential to add to that foundation. I don’t think that’s too steep a hill to climb.
Brian Gaine & his scouts are always looking for talent. College & pros. They're always watching who's doing what, making a list of guys they'd like to add to the team if the opportunity ever presented itself.
I hope Cal is doing the same at the coaching & personnel level.
What makes you think I was talking about anyone here?