We're all talking about the offensive problems we have seen after 2 games (which everyone expected).......The ALARMING thing I see after 2 games is the "average at best" defense I see getting pushed up & down the field 2 games in a row....What happened to that great top 3 defense we we're so confident we had....I sure haven't seen it so far....We we're all assuming the defense had no issues & they would be the backbone of this team...Looks to me like we have more problems than than just the offense
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"Grade Texans Defense After 2 Games"
- Thread starter Phoenix
- Start date
True... but you infer that we're going 3 & out not providing time for our defense to rest. But we're losing the T.O.P. because our defense can't get off the field on third down. Very similar to our 2-14 season. When we do manage to stop them on 3rd down, we commit some stupid penalty which extends the drive.
The defense haven't kept up their part of the deal.
PapaL
Loose Screw
What I'm inferring is if the numbers were swapped, we wouldn't saying the defense sucks. This last week yeah they blew it coming out at half time. We score and we gave up a score. Had the defense stopped them, it's a different game. Offense hasn't been able to sustain a rhythm in the 2 games we've played this year. I'm not saying the D and RAC and faultless; I'm saying they have more leeway in my eyes...for now.
CloakNNNdagger
Hall of Fame
I have to agree with that somewhat. I found it very disappointing that thy were able to neutralize the pressure simply by double-teaming Watt. (witch upcoming opponents' defensive coordinators will see on film)
If the only way to get pressure, is by manufacturing it with the blitz, then we're back to the old 'our secondary sucks' BS.
This, with no running game, behind a decimated OL, which allows the opposing D to stack the box and pin their ears back......??
Oh yeah. Just doesn't get any better than this.
I give the defense a C and the offense an F+.
The main reason for the C is their propensity to get teams in 3rd and long then find a way not to get off the field. The offense sure hasn't helped them .... but they have shot themselves in the foot enough for an entire season.
The main reason for the C is their propensity to get teams in 3rd and long then find a way not to get off the field. The offense sure hasn't helped them .... but they have shot themselves in the foot enough for an entire season.
Hervoyel
BUENO!
We're seeing really average to lousy play on the DL by people not named Watt and that's bad. With the LB's we have Cushing not making much of a difference and the guys who have the most promise (are young and one is coming off a major injury. Everyone else is pretty damn average but they're role players and they have to be used in a way that exploits their strengths. If they were good at more than one thing they'd be starters for us or someone else. We need better play out of the LB's.
Secondary is just a mess and that's talent and scheme. We have supposedly good corners but they play 8-10 yards off of the guy they're covering half the time. It's scary watching how easily people get open on us.
Secondary is just a mess and that's talent and scheme. We have supposedly good corners but they play 8-10 yards off of the guy they're covering half the time. It's scary watching how easily people get open on us.
beerlover
Hall of Fame
Crick has been solid.
Hervoyel
BUENO!
Granted. The offenses have been doubling the hell out of Watt though and sometimes even Clowney. I hoped Crick could turn that into more than just solid but he is what he is.
Why would the defense have more leeway?
I think it's no surprise the offense hasn't been able to sustain a rhythm in two games. We changed QBs in the first game & played musical offensive linemen in the second.
If Brown isn't going to play next week, then we need to practice all week with the OL that finished the game yesterday & that line should start the game next Sunday.
If Brown is expected to play then they need to figure out who is going to play & get that figured out early.
I'm ok with keeping Newton at LG. But for this last game, they should have left him at RT. Maybe we could have got some runs going on the right side.
PapaL
Loose Screw
Why do they get more leeway? They've been the better unit on this team for the last couple of years. They ranked pretty well last year as a unit. Most of all, they don't look like a complete abomination when they're on the field; unlike offense and ST. Again, not saying they don't need to get their 'ish together. There are gaping wounds on this team that need to be addressed first IMO.
There lies the complication .... the ST has been just as bad as the offense. Hard to win when you are bad at two phases of the game.
Carolina never should have scored 24 points on us. They started the game fine, but once Carolina got rolling, it was all down hill.
14 play 80 yard drive for a TD.... shouldn't happen.
36 yard TD pass.... shouldn't happen.
Defense should have less leeway than the offense. We know the offense has issues. The defense have none. This is the defense we planned to take the field since early April. This offense... we're still making changes on the fly.
WolverineFan
Hall of Fame
The defense is actually holding opposing teams to 27% conversion rate on 3rd down so far. That's pretty good. For comparison, our offense is converting 29% and we all know how bad our offense is.
However, one of the biggest issues to me is the offense bogs down all game and the defense keeps us in it and then the offense will have a great drive and score a TD and the defense will immediately come out and fold and allow an opposing TD.
However, one of the biggest issues to me is the offense bogs down all game and the defense keeps us in it and then the offense will have a great drive and score a TD and the defense will immediately come out and fold and allow an opposing TD.
The thread says grade "Defense" not offense
dream_team
Hall of Fame
This is a defensive team. We all knew going into this season that if we were to be successful this season, the defense has to be elite! We had a very good defense last season, and what do we do in the offseason? Our two top FA acquisitions was on defense. Our first two draft picks were on defense. Not to mention getting back Clowney and a "healthier" Cushing. We are obviously trying to build this team as a dominant defense and a game managing offense.
What does that mean? This defense has to be better and we need to stop blaming the offense for their woes. They need to help themselves by getting off the field on 3rd down, stop the stupid penalties, and create more turnovers.
I give this defense a C-!
I think our horrible offense had something to do with that by going 3 and out so often keeping the defense on the field more than they should and wearing them out.
Seriously, a B+....wow I didn't see that game....did u see the horrible tackling last 2 games? Replay the game & count missed tackes don't take my word for it. Or I should say lack of tackling...And these great bookend defensive ends everyone's been bragging about the entire off season? JJ 1 sac 4 tackles yesterday...Clowney?? This was suppose to be best defense in league or at least top 3 defense...That's what I was counting on but c'mon it's just not there. Someone said they're on field to much because of offense..... Man their on field to much because they can't stop 3rd dwn conversions. Sorry but I'm just the messenger I was expecting much more. This entire team is in big trouble & it's just sickening. I'm afraid JJ Watt is going to waste his greatness w/this organization & that's a real shame
chicagotexan2
Easterby = Little Finger/Cal = Fredo Corleone
I don't what kind of grade they deserve but they are headed down the road toward a high school equivalency.
PapaL
Loose Screw
You don't think the two go hand in hand? An offense that can't sustain drives means the defense is on the field longer. The longer the defense is on the field, the more they tire. The more they tire, the more their deficiencies show.
What's really disappointing is that the blitz wasn't getting to the QB often enough. I put a lot of that on the coaches not scheming up free guys to the QB.
OK. But you replace him with whom? Not Bouye, as he has looked awful and is overrated by this organization. Put the rookie in as the starter and move Morris to the nickel? That would be a gutsy move by Romeo.
But we knew that going in. We knew we didn't have much of an offense. & it got worse when we heard they were shuffling the OL. Our expectations for the offense should have been real, real low.
speedfreek
All Pro
Just like the radios guys said when we hired RAC.
Good D-line, basic secondary that gets burned..
Good D-line, basic secondary that gets burned..
I'll say, on my part expectations weren't that high.
Texan "pass" defense is currently ranked #25 (out of 32 teams)
Run defense is ranked #12
I'm guessing our opponents have looked at this stat.
And I'm guessing they're going to be throwing an awful lot of passes against us.
We have very little pressure from D-line & DB's
eriadoc
Texan-American
I'm not buying it, and here's why: Hoyer threw the IT and then fumbled, leaving the Chiefs close to the end zone. Both times, the Texans defense gave up the TD with no fight whatsoever. Didn't hold them to a FG, didn't make them even run a few plays. Just gave it up. In the first half,well before they should have been tired.
No. The defense sucks. Y'all don't want to believe it and the offense is even worse so you have an easy scapegoat, but the defense sucks. When you consider where all the premium talent on the team is supposed to be, they suck even worse than I am saying.
The Pencil Neck
Hall of Fame
Right now, our defense is playing average. They're showing flashes of what they could be, but they are inconsistent and where they used to force turnovers, they now just allow people to waltz into the endzone.
And I am totally not happy with John Simon. I expected a lot from him, but so far, I don't think I've seen him wrap up a tackle. He's had several opportunities to make plays for TFLs but has whiffed and given up big plays, instead.
I am not happy and my expectations for this season are rapidly decreasing.
And I am totally not happy with John Simon. I expected a lot from him, but so far, I don't think I've seen him wrap up a tackle. He's had several opportunities to make plays for TFLs but has whiffed and given up big plays, instead.
I am not happy and my expectations for this season are rapidly decreasing.
Lol
Mr "Assignment"
Are you a high school teacher or something?
Bet you're fun at parties!
Nobody respects the Texans secondary and the LBs are slow to react. They can double/triple team Watt and the rest of the defensive line seem to be magnetized to their blocker.
At this point, I'd have to grade them a D- for the first two games. Barely a passing grade, which is more than I can say for that failing offensive and special teams.
At this point, I'd have to grade them a D- for the first two games. Barely a passing grade, which is more than I can say for that failing offensive and special teams.
I agree completely. The guy is half a second late to every single play. Always seemingly there, and always seemingly that close.
I want to see B McKinney get some reps at the SOLB.
They are definitely not imposing their will on the opposing offense, we are being dominated.
I see flashes of what we could do and somehow they are keeping the scores lower than it could be.
Keep waiting for someone to step up and free Watt.
"Im not buying it" is unfortunately right...right on the money....he boiled it all done to a few facts that we can't ignore....And I'm not sure if the coaching is to blame or the players (maybe 50/50 ?)...Either way I just don't get it...this defense should be mauling opposing offenses...they have the talent to hold most teams to 14 points....(although the DB's don't look very talented at this point)...Wish I had the answer...They have about 4 games to fix all this and if it's not fixed by game 6....We're in deep doo doo.
Yeah he was bad on at least two occasions yesterday where he could have stop a play for a loss or no gain.
TEXANRED
Texan-American
get off the field on 3rd down and they would be on the field for only 20 minutes.
I give this Defense a C-.
RAC is not a good DC. He might have been 10 years ago but not now. We have 6 1st round picks on defense and we look like Richard Smith is calling the defensive assignments.
How is it 3rd and 2 and our corners are playing 10 yards off the ball?
CloakNNNdagger
Hall of Fame
Who says the Panthers weren't holding JJ...........evidently, the astute refs don't believe this is holding........when it's not against the Texans...........
TEXANRED
Texan-American
Watt is getting the Yao Ming treatment. In front of the ref, right there in front of the ref, Watt is giving a piggy back ride to a Panther OLineman and he doesn't get a call.Who says the Panthers weren't holding JJ...........evidently, the astute refs don't believe this is holding........when it's not against the Texans...........
CloakNNNdagger
Hall of Fame
These excellent observations are not limited to the D, but I didn't want to start a separate thread........
29 observations from Texans at Panthers
Posted 3 hours ago
John Harris Texans Analyst
It was a rough day in Carolina, actually an exhausting day in Charlotte, as the Texans went down to defeat at the hands of a physical Carolina Panthers squad 24-17. The Texans, shorthanded throughout the game, moved the ball inside the Panthers 20 yard line at the end, but alas, it wasn’t meant to be on this day. Here are my observations from this one.
1. The heat was a significant factor on both sides yesterday. Sure, both teams practice in that Southern-style microwave, but playing in it at 100% full game speed and practicing in it are two entirely different things. Both sides really felt the effects of it as the game wore on.
2. I’ll sure be glad to see a more conventional offense on Sunday and I’m not the only one. The read option/QB run packages haven’t been the nail in the Texans defensive coffin, but it hasn’t helped them either the past two weeks.
3. Not sure what happened on the first offensive play from scrimmage but two weeks in a row there’s been a communication issue of some sort that just can’t happen.
4. The drops. Ugh. I counted four or five of them in the first half. That’s got to change.
5. I’ll give props where they’re deserved and you’d be hard pressed to tell me that Carolina CB Josh Norman isn’t or shouldn’t be a Pro Bowler at the end of this season. For some reason, my eyes went to him on the first third down of the game and it was clear he knew the tunnel screen was coming. He signaled his safety to get behind him just in case and to let him know that he was taking the shot. Real good player who followed
DeAndre Hopkins for much of the day.
6. Oh man, Kareem Jackson was oh so close on the Panthers second drive of the game of a pick six. J.J. Watt tipped a Cam Newton pass that was intended for TE Greg Olsen and Kareem came within inches of catching it and taking a short jog to the house for six. That could’ve been a game changer right out of the chute.
7. The Texans had penalties on the first three or four punt/kickoff returns in the game, but finally provided some value with returns later in the game that helped the field position battle. Hopefully, that remains more of a constant going forward.
8. QB Ryan Mallett didn’t have a day that’ll be remembered in Texans lore, but he showed some guts and heart in this one. He took a pounding and made some key throws throughout the day. Some of his best throws, though, were unfortunately dropped. The throw he made in the first quarter when he got some heat, rolled right and threw on the run was one of his best throws of the day but it wasn’t caught.
9. That said, I don’t know that any QB in this league that throws the out route with as much sauce as Mallett. Wow.
10. Short yardage situations have been a bugaboo for the Texans since the first and goal to go against the 49ers in the pre-season, but they picked up one third and one with Jay Prosch’s first ever carry in the first half and then a Chris Polk fourth and one late in the game. If anything else, that was a good sign.
11. We talked about this on the broadcast but on 2nd and six on the Texans field goal drive in the first half, the Texans missed a golden opportunity. The Texans ran zone boot out of the gun with Nate Washington the lone receiver to the right side. Carolina’s Wes Horton stayed home and forced Mallett to have to bubble but Washington beat the DB by yards. Yards, plural. The problem was that he bent the route to the sideline, instead of heading for the back corner of the end zone. In doing so, he made it a really tough throw for Mallett to make, on the run with Horton in his face. With no safety help behind Washington, Mallett could have lobbed one to the corner of the end zone much easier than the throw he eventually had to make.
12. On the Texans third drive, the Panthers gave one to the Texans with a 15-yard penalty on Thomas Davis Sr. to keep a dead drive alive. The very next play Mallett eyed DeAndre Hopkins deep downfield and launched. Hop was held, pushed and shoved well beyond five yards of the line of scrimmage. No call. The Texans got one, legitimately, then lost a huge opportunity on the next one, questionably.
13. On the 4th and five to end the Texans last drive of the first quarter, Mallett threw to Grimes who was short of the first down. He missed Cecil Shorts III down the seam, coming out of the bunch alignment. Easy for me to say but he did have him open with a defender behind him.
14. The Texans defense had a few wrinkles that I can see on tape but when the wrinkle worked, so to speak, the second/third level defenders missed tackles.
15. Benardrick McKinney got some playing time in the first half and made a whale of a play on the Panthers’ slip screen. He made a brilliant play that nearly turned into an interception.
16. Oh, by the way, Panthers P Brad Nortman...stud punter. He hit bombs as did Texans P Shane Lechler. Both of them all day long.
17. I’ve always been a fan of Cam Newton and I hated seeing him make plays. The throw he made to Ted Ginn Jr. was a gem. He threw it before Ginn Jr. had even make his spin on the double move. His stats didn’t tell the whole story.
18. Tackling. It’s got to improve. That’s all I’ve got to say about that.
19. When Kevin Johnson is on the field, he makes plays, of course, when he’s not going “flying Wallenda” to make tackles. His cover skills are solid and transitional quickness is top notch. I, and others, would like to see him get continued playing time. His break on the ball on the slant route to Panthers WR Devin Funchess was awesome and if he were there just a millisecond earlier, it’s a pick six.
20. Rahim Moore played the best he’s played since being in Houston. One interception counted, one that saved points. His second interception, an amazing play, was taken away after a holding penalty. That was a brilliant play, one that you’d expect a player of his caliber to make.
21. Man, if J.J. Watt could have just snatched that quick screen from Cam Newton near the end of the first half...oh gosh. It would’ve been a remarkable catch but MAN, the momentum that would’ve given them.
22. The fastball from Mallett to Cecil Shorts III on the Texans first drive of the third quarter was just...wow, that had some sauce. Shorts III took a big-time shot, but he held on for a key first down on that scoring drive.
23. Garrett Graham let the doves fly. Somewhere Prince tipped his cap.
24. You can’t freelance against a quarterback that can scramble and not expect to get burned a bit. You just can’t. That happened a few times. Jameis isn’t Cam but he’ll improvise. Andrew Luck isn’t Cam but he’ll improvise. Blake Bortles isn’t Cam but he’ll improvise. You get the point?
25. I’m not sure why there was celebration battle yesterday between Cam, J.J. and Mallett but I did chuckle at it a bit. Unfortunately, Cam came away the winner and his flip for a TD put it over the top. Literally and figuratively.
26. The non-J.J Watt sack by Eddie Pleasant and Quintin Demps was the direct result of containing Cam in the pocket and enveloping him in it. That’s the way it supposed to be done against a mobile QB like him.
27. No one was open on Mallett’s interception down the seam. That was a definitive throw away situation. At that point, throw it away, live to see third down, punt and play defense. I hate that way of thinking, but at that point in the game, it was what was needed. Tough one there.
28. When Nate Washington caught the deep pass, there was 8:33 left on the clock. He stumbled and that happens, but how costly was it? Mallett finished that drive with 6:31 on his scramble for a TD. That’s two minutes. Now, perhaps Carolina doesn’t try a field goal and just punts at the end of the game, but that’s two full minutes to play with at the end of the game that were desperately needed.
29. Jared Crick has played really well this season and that field goal block was just the cherry on the sundae.
Well, that’s all. Enough of Carolina, it’s on to Tampa Bay, a must win situation if there ever was one in game three. See ya’ then everyone.