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Texans random thought of the day

The Pencil Neck

Hall of Fame
When thinking of the greatest weaknesses on this team where do you begin?
With this team, I really think you can just go pure BPA. We have so many holes and so many weaknesses, just concentrate on getting the best players.

Before the draft, hit FA to get some more of the same kind of JAGs we got last year except target a couple of the 2nd tier guys this time, let a bunch of guys who were on 1 year contracts go, retain a few that played well.

It's going to be interesting to see what Caserio can do with his first real draft.
 

Speedy

Former Yeller Dweller
So, you are saying that you have no clue. Gotcha.
Oh, I’ve got a much better clue than someone thinking a guy playing ONE game is the best run stuffer on the team. That was a ridiculous statement.
 
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steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
Contributor's Club
When thinking of the greatest weaknesses on this team where do you begin?

OL in general? Or more specifically run blocking.

Defense: Run stopping.

How do you propose to fix these items? Premium draft capital on OL to get some big nasty people movers? Premium draft choices DL to get run cloggers? Premium draft capital LB to get a stud sideline to sideline menace?

I keep mentioning draft capital because that’s where I think the bulk of our talent will come from this offseason. Though I would be happy if Caserio can hit on some FAs to fix these holes as well.

KGH has been a nice surpise and Wallow has looked decent for his draft position. But both have sub 31” arms which is bottom 5-10% in the league. The team needs more length at the position in general.

I think the top priority next offseason should be the run game. On both sides of the ball. It was nice seeing a productive running game last week. It does a lot for an offense and I think we can all agree we want to see more of that going forward!
My strategy would be to use the 4 top 100 picks (Depending on talent available) to fix the secondary and the OL. Then use later picks to find a RB. I would also look at adding a young RB in FA and bring back Vincent Taylor. Also fill in the LB spots by trying to find another KGH in FA.

My mock will be put out later, but it will look something like this

Rd. 1 Hamilton
Rd.2 Kinnard
Rd.3 Salyer
Rd.3 Goodrich
Rd.4 Safety Woods from Baylor

If I had to trade up using a future pick or even sacrifice Woods, I would do it to make sure I got my top 4 guys.

I would also spend decent money signing De Earnest Johnson to be my main RB in FA from the Browns and draft a RB late, (I like Kevin Harris from South Carolina) pairing those young RB's with Burkhead and bringing back Phillips would make for a solid RB room.

This is very possible to do.
 
I would also spend decent money signing De Earnest Johnson to be my main RB in FA from the Browns and draft a RB late, (I like Kevin Harris from South Carolina) pairing those young RB's with Burkhead and bringing back Phillips would make for a solid RB room.
This is very possible to do.
Johnson may be able to command decent money but there are plenty of RBs available in the same age/talent bracket. Johnson also runs behind 1 of the top 5 OLs in the NFL that the Texans don't have yet, may want wait until you know what you have at OL before spending $$$ at RB. My target at RB who should come cheaper would be Marlon Mack. The Texans need a RB and will be competing with the likes of Arizona and Tampa Bay (both have their top 2 RBs as FAs).
 

TheRealJoker

Hall of Fame
Johnson may be able to command decent money but there are plenty of RBs available in the same age/talent bracket. Johnson also runs behind 1 of the top 5 OLs in the NFL that the Texans don't have yet, may want wait until you know what you have at OL before spending $$$ at RB. My target at RB who should come cheaper would be Marlon Mack. The Texans need a RB and will be competing with the likes of Arizona and Tampa Bay (both have their top 2 RBs as FAs).
RBs aren’t expensive in the Mack/Johnson tier. Might as well get the one that didn’t have a torn achilles.
 

Texansphan

Football connoisseur
With this team, I really think you can just go pure BPA. We have so many holes and so many weaknesses, just concentrate on getting the best players.

Before the draft, hit FA to get some more of the same kind of JAGs we got last year except target a couple of the 2nd tier guys this time, let a bunch of guys who were on 1 year contracts go, retain a few that played well.

It's going to be interesting to see what Caserio can do with his first real draft.
Yeah, but which ones are they? Different boards and scouts have different values on each player.
This is why on a rebuilding team it is optimal to get as many high picks as possible. That way you increase your chances of finding those guys.
 

steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
Contributor's Club
Yeah, but which ones are they? Different boards and scouts have different values on each player.
This is why on a rebuilding team it is optimal to get as many high picks as possible. That way you increase your chances of finding those guys.
I'm all for getting as high of picks as possible because it helps you increase the chances of getting great players in not only rd.1. But in rds 2-4 also, the scouts if they're doing their jobs will be able to know what kind of vision Caserio has in regards to what type of players Caserio wants on his team.

This is where the disconnect has been in the past. RS/BOB relied on their scouts but didn't present a clear vision of what type of players they wanted the scouts to be scouting. What I hope happens with Caserio is that the scouts bring him 150 reports/tape of players and Caserio thoroughly looks at all of those players and decide which players fit his vision best. After that then you have security checkout the higher rd picks so that you try to not draft a Sexual Predator/Hernandez.
 

vtech9

All Pro
My random thought of the day is on the OLine, the coaches, and the blocking scheme....

Last week, a scrub OLine looked better than any version of the OLine with the starters in. Could this be because we went with more of a zone blocking scheme last week? Maybe the scrubs that were brought in last week didn't know enough of the system to run our regular scheme, so the coaches decided to make it easier for them. Less thinking...just put a hat on a hat of the first guy to your right or left depending on the play. This week, most of the starting OLine was back, so we went back to our standard blocking scheme. Was this the reason for the lack of success on the OLine, or was it solely because the SF DLine was that much better than San Diego's DLine? I tend to think it's a combination of the two, but I really think it has more to do with the scheme.

Is our current scheme based on the OC's playbook, or is it because that is what our OLine coach prefers? I half think the OLine coach would lean more to the ZB scheme if he was given the opportunity.
 

steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
Contributor's Club
My random thought of the day is on the OLine, the coaches, and the blocking scheme....

Last week, a scrub OLine looked better than any version of the OLine with the starters in. Could this be because we went with more of a zone blocking scheme last week? Maybe the scrubs that were brought in last week didn't know enough of the system to run our regular scheme, so the coaches decided to make it easier for them. Less thinking...just put a hat on a hat of the first guy to your right or left depending on the play. This week, most of the starting OLine was back, so we went back to our standard blocking scheme. Was this the reason for the lack of success on the OLine, or was it solely because the SF DLine was that much better than San Diego's DLine? I tend to think it's a combination of the two, but I really think it has more to do with the scheme.

Is our current scheme based on the OC's playbook, or is it because that is what our OLine coach prefers? I half think the OLine coach would lean more to the ZB scheme if he was given the opportunity.
Talent is the biggest issue.

I dont care what scheme you use, Christian/Howard/Scarping/Heck aren't going to look good against top tier defenses.
 

thunderkyss

Just win baby!!!
Staff member
Contributor's Club
I'll agree with that. However, did every other team we played this season have a better DLine and LBs than San Diego?
I'm afraid I don't know what you're asking. The Chargers' defense is about middle of the pack this season. Davis Mills has faced much stouter defenses than theirs & some that were much worse. San Francisco's is in the much stouter category.
 

vtech9

All Pro
I'm afraid I don't know what you're asking. The Chargers' defense is about middle of the pack this season. Davis Mills has faced much stouter defenses than theirs & some that were much worse. San Francisco's is in the much stouter category.
The OLine in the San Diego game looked better than we have used in any other game this season. I'm asking if it is because San Diego's DLine is worse than every other team we have played. If the answer is no, which it seems to be since you said the Chargers were middle of the pack, then why did our OLine in that game do so much better than in every other game this season? Is it that our backups, that played in that game, are actually better than our starters, or is it simply that the blocking scheme we used in that game a better option for this team?
 

thunderkyss

Just win baby!!!
Staff member
Contributor's Club
The OLine in the San Diego game looked better than we have used in any other game this season. I'm asking if it is because San Diego's DLine is worse than every other team we have played. If the answer is no, which it seems to be since you said the Chargers were middle of the pack, then why did our OLine in that game do so much better than in every other game this season? Is it that our backups, that played in that game, are actually better than our starters, or is it simply that the blocking scheme we used in that game a better option for this team?
JMO, I think it was the speed of the LBs not closing the hole as other defenses.

The Chargers were also missing safety Derwin James. Sounds like he is their primary run stopper after the DL.

I posted a series of photos on one particular play, 3 defenders has Burkhead dead to rights in the backfield. He jukes the guy to his right & breaks off a 37 yard run.

I really don't know if the OL played better against the Chargers, but I don't think so.
 

Number19

Hall of Fame
My random thought of the day is on the OLine, the coaches, and the blocking scheme....

Last week, a scrub OLine looked better than any version of the OLine with the starters in. Could this be because we went with more of a zone blocking scheme last week? Maybe the scrubs that were brought in last week didn't know enough of the system to run our regular scheme, so the coaches decided to make it easier for them. Less thinking...just put a hat on a hat of the first guy to your right or left depending on the play. This week, most of the starting OLine was back, so we went back to our standard blocking scheme. Was this the reason for the lack of success on the OLine, or was it solely because the SF DLine was that much better than San Diego's DLine? I tend to think it's a combination of the two, but I really think it has more to do with the scheme.

Is our current scheme based on the OC's playbook, or is it because that is what our OLine coach prefers? I half think the OLine coach would lean more to the ZB scheme if he was given the opportunity.
The Chargers have the 31st worst run defense. The 9'ers have the 10th best. I think this says it all.
 

vtech9

All Pro
JMO, I think it was the speed of the LBs not closing the hole as other defenses.

The Chargers were also missing safety Derwin James. Sounds like he is their primary run stopper after the DL.

I posted a series of photos on one particular play, 3 defenders has Burkhead dead to rights in the backfield. He jukes the guy to his right & breaks off a 37 yard run.

I really don't know if the OL played better against the Chargers, but I don't think so.
That was only one play. The Texans ran the ball better in that game than they have in any other game. Mills also consistently had more time to throw in that game than in any other.

To me, I think it was a combination of things. I think the guys that were starting in that game were taking advantage of their chance to start, and played more aggressively than our normal starters. I also think they were able to be more aggressive because of the scheme used in that game. They didn't have to think as much, so they were able to be more aggressive.
 

Earl34

Hall of Fame
That was only one play. The Texans ran the ball better in that game than they have in any other game. Mills also consistently had more time to throw in that game than in any other.

To me, I think it was a combination of things. I think the guys that were starting in that game were taking advantage of their chance to start, and played more aggressively than our normal starters. I also think they were able to be more aggressive because of the scheme used in that game. They didn't have to think as much, so they were able to be more aggressive.
Isn't this a feature of the BOB/TK ED offense? Whenever they have to simplify the offense for inexperience players or they have less time to prepare/screw up the players, the players overperform? The KISS principle.
 

Speedy

Former Yeller Dweller
That was only one play. The Texans ran the ball better in that game than they have in any other game. Mills also consistently had more time to throw in that game than in any other.

To me, I think it was a combination of things. I think the guys that were starting in that game were taking advantage of their chance to start, and played more aggressively than our normal starters. I also think they were able to be more aggressive because of the scheme used in that game. They didn't have to think as much, so they were able to be more aggressive.
As mentioned, the Bolts weren't all that against the run even with Bosa and James, which they were without both for that game. That defense was also on the field quite a bit too. Texans had the ball for nearly 10 minutes in every quarter but the 1st. I just think you're trying to hard to find something that isn't there.
 

vtech9

All Pro
As mentioned, the Bolts weren't all that against the run even with Bosa and James, which they were without both for that game. That defense was also on the field quite a bit too. Texans had the ball for nearly 10 minutes in every quarter but the 1st. I just think you're trying to hard to find something that isn't there.
You could be right. I could be reading this wrong.
 

Earl34

Hall of Fame
Random thought. I think I underestimated Brandin Cooks. I always thought he was a good, injury prone, "concussion waiting to happen", WR2 with great straight line speed, but was too small to run all the routes and not physical enough to fight for contested balls. However, with his performance last year and the way he has fought for 50/50 balls against bigger DBs this year, I'm glad to say I was wrong.

The guy is a good WR who runs great routes, has good hand eye coordination and is really underestimated.

 

AcresHomesTexan

No Longer Arlington: Escaped From Jerry's World
Staff member
Talent is the biggest issue.

I dont care what scheme you use, Christian/Howard/Scarping/Heck aren't going to look good against top tier defenses.
setting Christian aside ( EDIT: actually originally a 3rd rounder)

There is a 1st round, 2md rounder, and 4th rounder(with great OL bloodline). That's not draft bottom feeding. Serious talent identification or coaching issue (maybe both).
 

steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
Contributor's Club
setting Christian aside ( EDIT: actually originally a 3rd rounder)

There is a 1st round, 2md rounder, and 4th rounder(with great OL bloodline). That's not draft bottom feeding. Serious talent identification or coaching issue (maybe both).
Thanks Devlin

This is why I hope Neal is the pick at 1-3 and Kinnard falls to 2-35.

True talent that will make a huge difference.
 

Double Barrel

Texans Talk Admin
Staff member
Contributor's Club
There's none left that really matter
True, but I'm also talking about future draft picks. i.e. 2022 and beyond. They'll play out their contracts as required and then make waves or hold out to GTFO of this franchise.
 
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steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
Contributor's Club
True, but I'm also talking about future draft picks. i.e. 2022 and beyond. They'll play out their contracts as required and then make waves or hold out to GTFO of this franchise.
This has certainly been the Texans players MO.

This is what I'm talking about changing when it comes to culture. The culture of a band of brothers coming together to try to bring a championship to Kirby. Not a bunch of selfish players who only care about money/cars women/the partying etc...

It's been since Kubiak left town that this brotherhood existed on Kirby. A brotherhood that players cared more about each other and their craft vs all of the extraneous stuff. Cal letting Caserio fully run the franchise would be/is a great start in this regard. IMHO
 
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