Glenn Earl Probably Starts

[Vinny]

Based on Capers comments I'd say we can expect Earl to take the starting job for good starting Sunday. Earl would probably have been starting since the third game if not for his hip injury. Capers is giving Brown his respect, but I'd be shocked if he got the nod. He was horrible last Sunday.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/2891376

Texans coach Dom Capers doesn't announce lineup changes until after Friday practices, but he had high praise for Earl on Monday and seemed to be leaning toward giving a green light to the rookie, who replaced veteran starter Eric Brown in the second half of the Denver game.

"You're always looking to go with the guy who has the hot hand," Capers said. "That's what we'll evaluate on the practice field this week. Both guys will get work. We'll look at both of them and we'll make a decision.

"Every position, you're going to evaluate production and performance, and you're going to go with where the best production and performance is. That's the nature of this business, whether it's offense, defense or special teams."

The Texans selected Earl in the fourth round of this year's draft, but most observers thought he would have been taken in the second round if not for a knee injury that forced the former Notre Dame star to miss most of training camp.

Strong safety has been the most unsettled position on the team because of injuries. Brown, who started 31 of 32 games in 2002 and 2003, got the first two starts this season but missed the next three games because of a knee injury.

Earl, 23, started the Texans' third and fourth games, both wins, but a hip injury put him on the bench for the next three. Versatile defensive back Jason Simmons also made two starts at strong safety, but he has missed the Texans' last two games because of the lingering effects of a concussion suffered Oct. 17 at Tennessee. Veteran Marlon McCree also has seen time at strong safety.

 

[Reddevil63]

Cant say I didnt see that coming...

 

[edo783]

Looks to be the right move IMO.

 

[TexansTrueFan]

I hope Earl does start, Secondary has looked much better with Earl in ! Plus myswell get all our young blood some time, They are the future !

 

[|The.Brand0n|]

SS Thomas Davis - University of Georgia

BTW, Would Antrel Rolle not make a badass SS?
(Yes, I know we dont have shot at him)

 

[ledzeppelin229]

The weakest links will always be exploited. Brown would have been hit harder, earlier by opponents if not for Dunta still getting his feet wet. As we upgrade different positions, the weakest of the group will feel the negative effects as the attention is shifted to them.

I like what I saw of Earl in the game (and when he played some earlier on) He seems to react really well to the run, and while I haven't seen him in coverage much he will only improve.

 

[TexansTrueFan]

Browns just not fast enough if ya ask me, Earl looks very good !

 

[WWJD]

Good move. He deserves the job.

 

[Nawzer]

Never liked Brown to tell you the truth and Earl was very physical in the Denver game. I wonder though if Marlon McCree will play significantly this week because we need veterans who know the game, specially this week with the game in Indy.

 

[TEXANS84]

I personally like the hard hitting of Jason Simmons, but with the lackluster performance of Eric Brown last weekend....Earl deserves the starting nod.

 

[wags]

SS Thomas Davis - University of Georgia

 

[texasguy346]

I've been impressed with Earl, and I was one of the people that didn't think he'd have a significant impact this season. I'll eat crow on this one, because he seems to play the run very well and he's shown pretty good awareness. He's made his run/pass reads pretty quickly, and he's just as quick to react. All this from a recently injured rookie is a bit surprising, and I felt he would show his stuff next season. So much for that logic. He could be even better next season, and that's saying alot. I definately wouldn't mind him starting this week at Indy.

 

[Fiddy]

Earl is going to be a playmaker in our secondary for a long time, nice to see him catch on his rookie year. Him playing now will surely help us later.

However, I wouldnt be surprised to see Brown on the field in running situations....

 

[Grid]

off topic.. but id like to know why McRee isnt a starting FS. maybe they were just trying to keep all our playmakers on the field so they moved Coleman to FS so we could have Glenn and Robinson out there.. but really.. McRee from all reports before he joined us... is a great young FS. Still learning, but a good player. when we first got him he came right in and started basicly.. so you cant really judge him based on that, since he could not have known our system.

I just wonder if he has shown that he isnt ready for it in practice.. or if we just wanted Coleman on the field.. or what.. But id like to see Mcree out there.

 

[El Tejano]

off topic.. but id like to know why McRee isnt a starting FS. maybe they were just trying to keep all our playmakers on the field so they moved Coleman to FS so we could have Glenn and Robinson out there.. but really.. McRee from all reports before he joined us... is a great young FS. Still learning, but a good player. when we first got him he came right in and started basicly.. so you cant really judge him based on that, since he could not have known our system.

I just wonder if he has shown that he isnt ready for it in practice.. or if we just wanted Coleman on the field.. or what.. But id like to see Mcree out there.

Capers and Casserly have mentioned that alot of the guys we have been accustomed to starting in the previous years may be seen less and less as the talent level increases on the team. Earl just may be showing that much more promise.

 

[TheOgre]

Brown's coverage skills have always been suspect.

 

[Porky]

Brown's coverage skills have always been suspect.

For sure! He was toasted yesterday, but in his defense, he wasn't the only one. The rollouts really screwed with our secondary, and I'm sure we will see more of that from even semi-mobile QB's until we show we can defend it better. Earl looked better to me all the way around. I think he is the SS of the future for sure, and maybe the present. Let's see how he performs against a master of the play fake in Peyton Manning. He will need to be quick in his reads, or he will be toasted as bad or worse than Brown.

 

[beerlover]

Earl is going to be a playmaker in our secondary for a long time, nice to see him catch on his rookie year. Him playing now will surely help us later.

However, I wouldnt be surprised to see Brown on the field in running situations....

agree'd I wouldn't be surprised to see all the Texans cb's in & out, trying to confuse by showing multiple formations, staying fresh & containing a far more dangerous QB than Jake the snake Plummer. The AFC South seems pass friendly hopefully a SS like Earl will make the Colt WR's think twice, bring in Lord and get even more physical.

 

[ccdude730]

Let's see how he performs against a master of the play fake in Peyton Manning. He will need to be quick in his reads, or he will be toasted as bad or worse than Brown.

If Earl starts against the Colts, he likely will play only on first and second downs because he hasn't gotten much work in the Texans' substitution packages for pass defense.

-chron

i dont know if i would risk starting him in all situations since he hasnt gotten much work. i think we will see alot of mcree in 3rd downs though. but i would like to see him on the field all the time eventually. he looked great against the run though

 

[BuffSoldier]

SS Thomas Davis - University of Georgia

Either him or Donte Nicolson from OU, but Im happy Earl is starting. I have never liked the way Brown played the pass. Did you see the way Earl was hitting the RBs.

 

[TexansTrueFan]

Yeah Earl can sure play the run well,,,i cant remember ever seeing him cover anyone,,, maybe thats a good thing means he hasnt messed up yet

 

[ledzeppelin229]

off topic.. but id like to know why McRee isnt a starting FS. maybe they were just trying to keep all our playmakers on the field so they moved Coleman to FS so we could have Glenn and Robinson out there.. but really.. McRee from all reports before he joined us... is a great young FS. Still learning, but a good player. when we first got him he came right in and started basicly.. so you cant really judge him based on that, since he could not have known our system.

I just wonder if he has shown that he isnt ready for it in practice.. or if we just wanted Coleman on the field.. or what.. But id like to see Mcree out there.

Nothing against McCree, but when he came in and started he was replacing old #26.

While I'm on the topic of Stevens, I was playing Madden 2005 and needed a backup FS so I just let the CPU sign someone. Well, Stevens came in (I think it was preseason), gave up a couple deep touchdowns on consecutive drives. Atleast the game is accurate...

 

[nunusguy]

With Earl, along side Robinson and Babin, being the 3rd player from this years
college draft to start at the beginning of the second half of the season for the Texans, even Casserlys harsher critics would have to consede that he had a successful draft this year. Especially when his stated objective was to
improve the D.

 

[Grid]

well when i said the he came right in and started.. what i meant by that was that he didnt have any time to really learn our system.. so, even though he didnt perform BADLY last year, you cannot judge him based on that simply because he didnt have time to learn.

Id like to see how he plays now that he has had time to learn the system.. he was supposed to be a really good FS.