Poll: TJ Yates or Delhomme?

[Double Barrel]

There is a reason why Jake Delholme was not even a backup on an NFL team and was available for us late in a season.

Our head coach says TJ Yates is the man, so I'm good with it. He's got his reasons, and he's not going to make a decision based on emotions or other intangibles. He's going to make the decision for what is best for the team. I know many folks think otherwise at times, but Kubiak > fans.

 

[Mr teX]

TJ only b/c at this point, you've gotta ride with him...can't take the reins from the kid now that he's gotten us here. We also need to find out what we have in him; a guy that can possibly give Schaub some comp in a year, or just a quality back-up. If he fails miserably in the playoffs, it was expected if he flourishes, we will almost assuredly have our qb of the near future.

 

[dream_team]

Is it because of his TD drive at the end of the game we're making Delhomme's performance seem better than it actually was? I think he was solid, and he performed better than I expected, but he didn't have such a good game to make me start to think we should start him over Yates.

Take a look again at the offense's performance while he was in. 45% of the time we went 3 & out. In actuality, he only drove the offense down the field in one series (Series 7). The big play in series 4 was a penalty, and series 5 was due to the long run by Tate. I give him alot of credit for the last drive, but it did start on the TEN 36.

Series 1
3 & out

Series 2
3 & out

Series 3
Delhomme fumble

Series 4
52 yard FG
3-4 for 31 yards, big play was an unneccessary roughness penalty

Series 5
37 yard FG
Mostly due to the Tate 56 yard run. Delhomme completed one screen pass for 9 yards.

Series 6
3 & out

Series 7
Rackers 22 yard FG
3-4 for 60 yards

Series 8
3 & out

Series 9
3 & out

Series 10
Nice 40 yard completion to Johnson, but went 3 & out right after that.

Series 11
Nice drive to get game winning TD, but he actually only had to go 36 yards

Now I'm not trying to take anything away from Delhomme's performance, I think he played solid. But he didn't have such a great performance that we should start him over our starter of the past 5 weeks and been with us the whole season.

 

[The Pencil Neck]

I can see the arguments from both sides but... I'm just glad I don't have to make the decision. I'm fine with it either way.

My heart says TJ. It would be an epic story if this 5th round draft choice could come in and win some playoff games. AND, I think it's the first time two rookies have ever faced each other as starters in an NFL Playoff game. TJ knows the entire offense and he's shown the guts to win games at the end.

My head says Delhomme. He may not know the entire playbook, but he looked pretty good playing with a bunch of backups against the Titan's 1st string. His past couple of years in Carolina and Cleveland were terrible and he showed hints of that with his ball security. But he's been to the Super Bowl and he's shown at times in his career that he could make things happen.

I couldn't vote either way.

 

[drunkcookie]

There is a reason why Jake Delholme was not even a backup on an NFL team and was available for us late in a season.
.

I can agree that Yates should start, and agree Kubiak probably knows what's best here (he's the QB guru), but i don't think your take quoted above really says anything...

Like i said earlier, we're talking 3 vs. 4 here, not 1 or even 2 vs. 4... Just as there's a reason Delhomme was on the street, there's also a reason Yates was a 3rd string QB... Neither of their situations would suggest greatness...

 

[ObsiWan]

I have a related question - and maybe it needs it's own thread - but who would you keep as the third guy next season?

Leinart or Delhomme?

 

[Double Barrel]

I can agree that Yates should start, and agree Kubiak probably knows what's best here (he's the QB guru), but i don't think your take quoted above really says anything...

Like i said earlier, we're talking 3 vs. 4 here, not 1 or even 2 vs. 4... Just as there's a reason Delhomme was on the street, there's also a reason Yates was a 3rd string QB... Neither of their situations would suggest greatness...

Yates was third string QB on the roster because he's a late round rookie. This team did not need a starting QB, so they picked him up for development. Somebody would have drafted TJ in the next couple of rounds. We have already read the news stories.

Delhomme was not employed because he is not that good now. Otherwise, he'd be on someone's roster as a backup. It's not rocket science here. The Texans were desperate and took whatever they could get.

 

[drunkcookie]

Yates was third string QB on the roster because he's a late round rookie. This team did not need a starting QB, so they picked him up for development. Somebody would have drafted TJ in the next couple of rounds. We have already read the news stories.

Delhomme was not employed because he is not that good now. Otherwise, he'd be on someone's roster as a backup. It's not rocket science here. The Texans were desperate and took whatever they could get.

I get that, but he's still a 5th round draft pick and a rookie who needs development, which is why he was a 3rd string QB, behind Matt Leinhart who hadn't done much better than Delhomme his previous go...

Not arguing for Delhomme over Yates, I've just heard and seen your point about Delhomme a few times and i just don't feel it means much when comparing him to a 3rd string, practice squad quarterback, which is one step away from the curb...

 

[Mr teX]

I have a related question - and maybe it needs it's own thread - but who would you keep as the third guy next season?

Leinart or Delhomme?

Delhomme easy only b/c the little i saw of lienart in the jags game i didn't like. Specifically, i didn't think he looked like a guy who'd been in this system for a year plus; he looked uncomfortable...that's troubling in & of itself. Contrast that with how TJ played when he 1st got in & now Delhomme, its' almost night & day imo. Of course too, his arm was still on little league pop-gun status & that this is the 2nd time he's broken his collarbone since he's been in the league...not good.

People talk about schaub... But just based on what has happened to Lienart thus far in his career here & in AZ, this dude is mentally soft, physically soft & even throws soft... the poster child for someone who can't survive in the NFL at qb.

 

[Double Barrel]

I get that, but he's still a 5th round draft pick and a rookie who needs development, which is why he was a 3rd string QB, behind Matt Leinhart who hadn't done much better than Delhomme his previous go...

Not arguing for Delhomme over Yates, I've just heard and seen your point about Delhomme a few times and i just don't feel it means much when comparing him to a 3rd string, practice squad quarterback, which is one step away from the curb...

I think it's just a matter of each QB being on opposite ends of their careers. Jake was pretty much retired when he got the call. Dude wasn't even working out to compete for a job at the time. I think I heard that he had just returned from a trip to Disney with his family when he got called.

TJ is obviously a rookie, but his upside is greater simply because we don't know what he's got for a ceiling and he's much more mobile. Plus, he's more familiar with this offense, both in terms of his college career and his time with the team.

 

[disaacks3]

delhomme by a mile. in a year or two i take yates, but on THIS team in THIS season, we need a game manager ... not a rookie that we have to alter the offense and routes for. anyone saying the offense doesnt change for yates is absolutely full of it.

take away potential, next season, madden, and possibilities. strip it down to the Texans' best chance of winning playoff games this season. delhomme is more capable of delivering.

Not for me.

Unfortunately, it's simple for me.

T.J. = Knows the entire playbook

Delhomme = Does not

Jake all but admitted he was learning a lot of plays on the fly in Sundays game. I'll take the QB who understands the system as a whole over a guy that was limited to "emergency" type plays before Sunday.

In the end, there's a chance we might win the Bengals game, but I'm not expecting to go much further.

...and this is why! and I give us better than a "chance" to win against the Bengals.

 

[drunkcookie]

I think it's just a matter of each QB being on opposite ends of their careers. Jake was pretty much retired when he got the call. Dude wasn't even working out to compete for a job at the time. I think I heard that he had just returned from a trip to Disney with his family when he got called.

TJ is obviously a rookie, but his upside is greater simply because we don't know what he's got for a ceiling and he's much more mobile. Plus, he's more familiar with this offense, both in terms of his college career and his time with the team.

I agree with pretty much everything you said there, including TJ's celing... I also agree about the mobility, except that from what i saw Sunday I'd prefer Delhomme's pocket presence over TJ's mobility... It's something TJ will probably improve at over time...

But we're talking about four days from now, not four or even two seasons from now... I'd probably go with TJ over Jake this Saturday, for one of the same reasons you gave:,7 experience in this system...also his experience with the parts within the system... But i can't say it's because i value a rookie third string practice squad QB more than a street vet... I just don't think that because he was on a team and Delhomme wasn't means he's the better option "right now"... Both were at the bottom...

Appreciate the back-and-forth...rep to you...

 

[Nitrofish]

Is it because of his TD drive at the end of the game we're making Delhomme's performance seem better than it actually was? I think he was solid, and he performed better than I expected, but he didn't have such a good game to make me start to think we should start him over Yates.

Take a look again at the offense's performance while he was in. 45% of the time we went 3 & out. In actuality, he only drove the offense down the field in one series (Series 7). The big play in series 4 was a penalty, and series 5 was due to the long run by Tate. I give him alot of credit for the last drive, but it did start on the TEN 36.

Series 1
3 & out

Series 2
3 & out

Series 3
Delhomme fumble

Series 4
52 yard FG
3-4 for 31 yards, big play was an unneccessary roughness penalty

Series 5
37 yard FG
Mostly due to the Tate 56 yard run. Delhomme completed one screen pass for 9 yards.

Series 6
3 & out

Series 7
Rackers 22 yard FG
3-4 for 60 yards

Series 8
3 & out

Series 9
3 & out

Series 10
Nice 40 yard completion to Johnson, but went 3 & out right after that.

Series 11
Nice drive to get game winning TD, but he actually only had to go 36 yards

Now I'm not trying to take anything away from Delhomme's performance, I think he played solid. But he didn't have such a great performance that we should start him over our starter of the past 5 weeks and been with us the whole season.

I think you're forgetting one important thing here. Delhomme was playing with the 2's and 3's, not the starters all though some were in there. His passes looked good especially for someone sittin' on his ranch all year.

I agree Kubiak knows what he is doing and I am behind him and whomever is playing QB. I too would hate to have to make this decision. We all know Kubiak is a loyal guy and while I admire that in him, sometimes he takes it too far.

In any case I do not think it will matter. Yates is injured and one good sack from being lost for the game so Delhomme may see action anyway. I sure hope I am wrong, but those D Linemen are going to be after Yates and that shoulder every snap.

 

[Nitrofish]

 

[BetaV1]

I voted Yates. Although I don't get this notion of "Yates later, Delhomme now." Either Yates is good to start or he isn't. He's had a few career starts by now without the benefit of Andre. If he's not ready now, he won't be ready later.

Also, Yates is not the future. Another topic for another time, but I just wanted to share my opinion.

 

[burro]

Yates, without question. He's played well enough and knows the playbook better than Delhomme. Delhomme also has a reputation for being a turnover machine. That didn't come out in the last game, but it would only be a matter of time.

 

[Double Barrel]

I just heard Charlie Palilo mention on his radio show that Delhomme's last playoff game saw him turn the ball over 6 times! Yikes! Not the guy I want to see tossing the ball in our first playoff game. I'll take my chances with the rookie, who at least proved something or another a few weeks ago when they clinched the AFCS.

 

[GP]

I have a related question - and maybe it needs it's own thread - but who would you keep as the third guy next season?

Leinart or Delhomme?

Daylight come and me want Delhomme.

Not even close. I wasn't rooting for a Matt Leinart injury, but let's just say that but by the time he had played awhile in that Jags game and got drilled into the field...it was time to say goodbye to the Leinart era here. Seriously.

The guy was soooooo slow with everything. Supposedly, he had been working A LOT on his footwork. I didn't see it; he was laboriously slogging back on his drop backs. His throwing motion looked half-speed. I mean, Yates came in and the ball is out of his hand and on its way...he can scramble and get yards.

Delhomme might not want to come back. I don't have proof, but it just doesn't seem he wants to be 3rd QB. Neither will Garcia. Just have a hunch that they both won't want to come back as 3rd QB, maybe not even as 2nd QB.

 

[michaelm]

The original question was Yates or Delhomme in the playoffs, but I think there are two separate questions worth asking.

1) Yates or Delhomme against Cincy?
2) Yates or Delhomme in the playoffs?

I say that because I think both QBs are capable of beating Cincy.
QB play will obviously be important in this game, but it becomes way more critical on the road against Baltimore, and hopefully later against NE or Pittsburgh (not so much at home against Denver *cough *cough).

As to question #1 above, I'm going with Yates, because I think both QBs bring different things to the table that can help beat the Bengals. If I think both QBs can get the job done in round one, I have to go with the guy with upside. I need to see how he performs in the spotlight when the pressure is on.

Question #2 depends on how Yates plays on Saturday.

I don't think there is any conceivable way Delhomme can beat the Ravens, but with TJ's upside, we might have a chance if we catch lightning in a bottle.
Basically, versus the Ravens, you have to go with the guy with potential, when you know the known commodity (Delhomme) isn't going to get it done, IMO.
Of course, playing TJ against the Ravens would be predicated on him playing well against the Bengals. But the assumption is that TJ would have to have played well against the Bengals in order to advance, anyway...

 

[Marcus]

I voted Yates. Although I don't get this notion of "Yates later, Delhomme now." Either Yates is good to start or he isn't. He's had a few career starts by now without the benefit of Andre. If he's not ready now, he won't be ready later.

Also, Yates is not the future. Another topic for another time, but I just wanted to share my opinion.

Haha! Cute! Reminds me of my sister always saying "Hey! I know a secret, but I'm not telling what it is."

Gimme a heads up when you do start that topic. Should be a good one.

 

[GP]

I just heard Charlie Palilo mention on his radio show that Delhomme's last playoff game saw him turn the ball over 6 times! Yikes! Not the guy I want to see tossing the ball in our first playoff game. I'll take my chances with the rookie, who at least proved something or another a few weeks ago when they clinched the AFCS.

Yeah, but I also think that being away from the game for a year MIGHT have slowed his brain down a bit.

He always came across to me, toward the end of his time as a starter, as being a guy who was forcing stuff out of sheer impatience and wanting to make things happen NOW! He looked more calm, more patient, to me this past Sunday.

That one play where he hung in the pocket, hung in the pocket, hung in the pocket and then delivered a strike downfield? THAT was the early Delhomme years to me. For the most part, he was putting the ball almost right into the hands of his targets. He got drilled one time and still completed it to Casey, IIRC. Another time, he was targeting a WR and the defender wildly stabbed at the ball and barely deflected it enough before it reached the WR's hands--It was just great defense by the CB on that play.

On a high throw to Jacoby, man oh man I was impressed that Jacoby actually was in position to make the jump AND the catch but didn't come down with it. There was nobody behind JJ on that play, so there's no chance at interception...and the only one who would have caught that ball was Jacoby.

 

[dream_team]

Delhomme easy only b/c the little i saw of lienart in the jags game i didn't like. Specifically, i didn't think he looked like a guy who'd been in this system for a year plus; he looked uncomfortable...that's troubling in & of itself. Contrast that with how TJ played when he 1st got in & now Delhomme, its' almost night & day imo. Of course too, his arm was still on little league pop-gun status & that this is the 2nd time he's broken his collarbone since he's been in the league...not good.

People talk about schaub... But just based on what has happened to Lienart thus far in his career here & in AZ, this dude is mentally soft, physically soft & even throws soft... the poster child for someone who can't survive in the NFL at qb.

I'm not a Leinart fan by any means... but lets be fair. He didn't do so poorly when he was in. He played 7 drives before he got hurt. If Delhomme was to be judged by his first 7 drives only, we'd be looking at three 3 & outs, a fumble for a turnover, and three field goals. Not exactly screaming for Delhomme to get the nod over Leinart.

 

[dream_team]

I think you're forgetting one important thing here. Delhomme was playing with the 2's and 3's, not the starters all though some were in there. His passes looked good especially for someone sittin' on his ranch all year.

Good point. But my point was he didn't have an extremely good game to warrant a drastic move such as benching your starter. If he came in, threw for 300 yards and 3TDs, with no turnovers, then I'd understand the discussion. But in actuality, he just had a decent game.

 

[ObsiWan]

I agree with pretty much everything you said there, including TJ's celing... I also agree about the mobility, except that from what i saw Sunday I'd prefer Delhomme's pocket presence over TJ's mobility... It's something TJ will probably improve at over time...

But we're talking about four days from now, not four or even two seasons from now... I'd probably go with TJ over Jake this Saturday, for one of the same reasons you gave:,7 experience in this system...also his experience with the parts within the system... But i can't say it's because i value a rookie third string practice squad QB more than a street vet... I just don't think that because he was on a team and Delhomme wasn't means he's the better option "right now"... Both were at the bottom...

Appreciate the back-and-forth...rep to you...

I noticed that too. T.J. has not learned the art of moving around in the pocket while still looking downfield. He seems to sprint away from trouble, then try and relocate his receivers. Delhomme kept his eyes downfield while keeping his eyes downfield. Hopefully, that will be part of the upside we're hoping to see T.J. develop.

 

[HTown2ATX]

I voted Yates....

Sorry, I saw Delhomme in Cleveland.

Yeah he as playoff and SB experience.......from a while back.

Yates in the system longer and I have seen him win.

Yates please. Simple, not complicated.

 

[Texecutioner]

Daylight come and me want Delhomme.

Not even close. I wasn't rooting for a Matt Leinart injury, but let's just say that but by the time he had played awhile in that Jags game and got drilled into the field...it was time to say goodbye to the Leinart era here. Seriously.

The guy was soooooo slow with everything. Supposedly, he had been working A LOT on his footwork. I didn't see it; he was laboriously slogging back on his drop backs. His throwing motion looked half-speed. I mean, Yates came in and the ball is out of his hand and on its way...he can scramble and get yards.

Delhomme might not want to come back. I don't have proof, but it just doesn't seem he wants to be 3rd QB. Neither will Garcia. Just have a hunch that they both won't want to come back as 3rd QB, maybe not even as 2nd QB.

I don't think you can judge Leinart off of one half of football where he made a ton of completions and threw a nice TD pass. He played just fine in the sample that we saw of him. Is he slow?? Sure he is, but not any slower than Matt Schaub who we have done just fine with. Matt Schaub is slow running the ball, has a slow release, and throws balls that float with hardly any zip. Pretty similar to Leinart. Neither of these guys should be the starter for the Texans, but I don't see how Leinart getting hurt means his era should end or that Yates should be higher than him on the depth chart. Yates hasn't proven anything other than the fact that he couldn't put up jack as far as points go in the 3 to 4 games he got the chance to play. Sure, Kubiak held him back some and he did get the last minute drive which was impressive, but he didn't do anything to substantially say that he should be higher on the depth chart than Leinart next season without having to out play him first. For all we know, Leinart could have done a lot better than Yates these last few games. The fact is we just don't know because he got hurt, but he didn't give any reason to suggest that he would have been worse in the one half that he played.

 

[Mr teX]

I'm not a Leinart fan by any means... but lets be fair. He didn't do so poorly when he was in. He played 7 drives before he got hurt. If Delhomme was to be judged by his first 7 drives only, we'd be looking at three 3 & outs, a fumble for a turnover, and three field goals. Not exactly screaming for Delhomme to get the nod over Leinart.

i disagree. He basically was checkdown charlie the whole time he was in (remind you of anyone??). On the TD pass,He didn't even look like he wanted to throw it b/c, if i remember it correctly, he kind of half pump-faked it before lobing it up there...In all seriousness it probably should've been picked if not for Dreesen.

He just looked tentative. And as i said in my previous post, for a guy to look like that having been in the offense now for a year...that doesn't bode well for him. That excuse can be used for TJ b/c he's a rook seeing his 1st NFL action ever...but it doesn't work for a guy 4-5 years in who was once a starter in this league.

If you can, go back & watch ML & TJ's performance in the jags game. Pay close attention to when TJ 1st gets in the game right before the half & before Kubes shut it down. There's a stark difference in how each of those guys looked. TJ came in & looked way more comfy & in general threw the ball with conviction & when he was asked to throw it. Delhomme looked the same way when he came in behind TJ in the titans game. ML just doesn't have it imo.