Which should be countered by the presence of much better competition that Mercilus faced in the Big 10, don't you think ?
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Report: Texans G.M. prefers Khalil Mack to Jadeveon Clowney
- Thread starter CloakNNNdagger
- Start date
Which is another example of why you shouldn't put too much emphasis on stats. There are just to many variables that can skew stats.
I never suggested anything about Karrigan. The point is that stats don't tell the whole story.
Mercilus is more a pin your ears back and go to the QB. That's pretty much it. Mack changes directions better, has better awareness and is really good in in the open field.
WolverineFan
Hall of Fame
Should or could? It could be countered. I wouldn't necessarily say that it should be. A team playing an opponent with one good defensive player can gameplan for that one guy without the risk of a teammate picking up the slack. A team playing an opponent with many good defensive players can't gameplan for all of them and faces a much higher risk of a teammate picking up the slack if they do gameplan against 1-2 guys.
Every situation is unique, but a guy having one great year against good competition strikes me as a bit fluky compared to a guy who had 4 great years against lesser competition.
In his one good year at Illinois, Mercilus had 2 teammates finish with 6+ sacks. In his four years at Buffalo, Mack had 2 teammates finish with 6+ sacks. Competition does matter, but so does supporting cast. Mack was a one-man show at Buffalo. Mercilus was just the next in line of a pretty solid group of pass rushers to go through Illinois.
Well, if you're going to start a betting pool, I'd like to plunk down $20 on McNair being the driver on the Ed Reed pick.I heard that interview, as well.
Except Wade chuckled during it, so that negates the entire thing.
Although...Wade seems to chuckle every time he speaks....
While none of us really know the power structure on Kirby, we are good at speculating. I tend to think like you, that the coaching staff has traditionally had a lot of power in the draft. It's the Bill Parcells mentality: "If I'm going to be asked to cook the meal, I'd like to be able to pick the groceries."
And if this is the case with the Texans, then it is fairly obvious why Rick Smith is still around.
The Ed Reed thing was weird, though, because we can be fairly certain that Wade had very little to do with that signing based on his comments when they let Reed go. I'm still curious who was the driving force behind that one.
...well, not pick but F/A move.
...you know whut I meant.
Texecutioner
Hall of Fame
I have to agree with this about Smith as far as the first round goes. He has been pretty money in the first.
If you like drafts that equal this, and I will give Smith full credit for all of the 1st rd picks, even though we know Bown was a HOF Alex Gibbs pick.
Brown = Great pick
Cushing = Great pick if you like an ILB that plays 6-10 games a yr. Give me Matthews.
KJ= Avg to slightly above avg CB if used properly.
Watt= Great Pick
Mercilus = Borderline bust
Hopkins= Played last yr more like a 3rd rd pick than a 1st rd pick, but due to Schaub's injury I still have hopes for Hopkins.
Money, I think not,
Lets talk about Smith's 3rd/4th rd picks. Which is where competent GM's make their $$$$.
Texian
Hall of Fame
Here you go, Frank Bush discussing why HE wanted Cushing (all along) and had Cush targeted in the Fall prior to the drafted if Cush was still available. Bush says, Cush was MY GUY all along. (This goes along and supports information that Kubiak was very liberal in allowing his coaches make their draft pick).
http://prod.www.texans.clubs.nfl.co...ntensity/3B496EE7-3485-4F76-A827-C1A63E15B544
http://prod.www.texans.clubs.nfl.co...ntensity/3B496EE7-3485-4F76-A827-C1A63E15B544
BullNation4Life
All Pro
quite simple, you don't need a LT when you A: have arguably the best LT in the NFL, B: have nothing at QB C: have far more pressing issues at other need spots.
RT is an issue, but not even top 3 on the list. If they traded back and took Robinson, so be it but not at the #1 spot just to stick him at RT...
:mariopalm:
bhsman
Rookie
This is kinda silly; Cushing's injuries have almost all been season-ending ones directed at his knees (ie, ones that would put anyone out). Matthews by comparison has been more prone to being nicked up and out for entire stretches.
PapaL
Loose Screw
Concur
Texian
Hall of Fame
On top of that, Matthews has never had over 60 tackles in a season. When Cush hasn't been low cut and has played the whole year he's always had over 100 tackles.
As a DC, Bush made a great GM.
REP!!! Matthews dreams of playing like Cush. His long hair, pedigree and being on a consistently good team gets him a lot of attention. He's a good player, but I can think of several other LB's I'd rather have on my team. Cush being one of them.
A: Did you watch Brown last year?
B: Has nothing to do with it.
C: There is nothing wrong with making the OL a team strength especially when you know you are going to be bringing in a young QB at some point.
Brown played injured for most of the year. Turf toe is hedoublehockeysticks on anyone. And he lost weight to become quicker, that backfired and he's gained it back.
Brown will be fine this year. I think he'll be better than ever.
Brown played injured for most of the year. Turf toe is hedoublehockeysticks on anyone. And he lost weight to become quicker, that backfired and he's gained it back.
Brown will be fine this year. I think he'll be better than ever.
I still think Brown is good and can bounce back from last year. He is still young and has the talent. I just don't agree that he is "arguably the best LT in the NFL" at this point.
does it matter?
Aren't we all (whether we admit it or not) at least a little bit worried about how Arian will produce when we're not as "Zone" focused as we used to be?
Aren't we all (though a little more willing to admit) worried that Chris Myers may not be sufficient in a non-Zone system?
Are we kidding ourselves to believe the zone system did not help Duane? Or that Matt's ability to get the ball out quickly didn't help Brown?
I think we will still run quite a bit of zone, and a bit of diversity may actually help our line and backs. I have faith that OB and his coaching staff will call a game plan to best utilize the talents that the team does have.
Don't most teams run a good bit of zone?
Not sure where you are going with this. I have said I would try and get something for Arian right now if I were GM. I don't see him being a Texan after this year anyway. He's getting up in age and his contract is to big. Get something for him now if we can. We are at minimum two years away from being relevant. No need to hang on to him and his fat contract while rebuilding.
Wonder if NE would consider him as part of a package for Mallet?
I meant diversity thank you tho
di·ver·si·ty noun \də-ˈvər-sə-tē, dī-\
: the quality or state of having many different forms, types, ideas, etc.
Duane Brown was hand-picked by the ZBS guru. We're moving away from pure ZBS... as far away as we've ever been. While Duane Brown has been identified as one of the best LT's in the game, that designation has been made because of his play in the ZBS.
Even in the ZBS, we've never had the ability for our QB to sit in the pocket & pick a defense apart. There isn't a franchise QB in the league that hasn't had that luxury with more consistency than we've been able to provide in Houston. ("We" meaning the Houston Texans).
That's what I want for our QB. That, plus a running game that can pick up 3rd & short with regularity. That, plus the ability to run the ball in the red zone. That, plus the ability to score in the red zone.
Can we do that with a third round pick? Maybe.
Maybe as likely as solving our pass rush issues with a 3rd round pick. Or solving our QB issue with a 3rd round pick.
I understand what you are saying, I just don't think it's gloom and doom just because we may not be a predominant zone team anymore. But we may be. We don't know yet what we will run or if it will be the same week to week. Or who is going to be the qb, rt or lg. Way too many questions to worry about right now
Obviously this is just a guess but I think we'll run some form of the NE spread; two TEs/two WRs/one RB or One TE/3 WRs/one RB. The opportunities to run the ball will come from mismatches because the defense has their nickel or dime package on the field and - and this is crucial - our QB sees that mismatch and adjusts the play call. If NE's offense gives us any clues, we're more likely to see passing sets on 3rd and 3 or 4 instead of I formations like under Kubiak. In this new offense, Foster may make his money by catching the ball out of the backfield and making the LB miss who's trying to cover him.
Like I said, just my guess.
drs23
Veteran
dalemurphy
Hall of Fame
There is nothing about Duane Brown's talent or play at LT that limits time in the pocket more than any of the top LTs in the game. There are reasons for your perception, though:
1. ZBS- offensive line has wider splits which benefit the run game but it does add to pass blocking issues.
2. Usually, plays where a QB has 4+ seconds in the pocket occur for one of two reasons: maximum protection (6-7) on the play vs. 3-4 man rush, or QB mobility inside the pocket allows for OL recovery. The Texans almost never protected with more than 5 unless it was a play action pass. Also, Schaub did not have the feet and awareness to create the extended opportunities within the pocket.
3. Kubiak's protection scheme was very predictable, which allowed good defensive coordinators to be very efficient in how they schemed the pass rush.
4. Kubiak's offense was a rhythm/timing offense and almost all drop back passes were designed for the ball to leave the QB hand within 1 second after the QB took his drop.
I don't remember the Bronco's offense with Elway being a rhythm offense. maybe there was some element of it there, but I recall Elway having "all day" on several occasions.
Elway made it by using his legs to buy some time... Schaub was no Elway
Trading Arian Foster for Mallett would be one of the dumbest moves in the history of this franchise and that says an awful lot.
The Pencil Neck
Hall of Fame
Schaub is a cousin of Peyton Manning in the legs department.
Yeh trading a soon to be if not already worn out RB with serious off field issues and a huge contract who's coming off of back surgery for a young QB with all the tools the new head coach is looking for on a team who's rebuilding without a QB is just plain dumb!!! NOT!!!
Yeh trading a soon to be if not already worn out RB with serious off field issues and a huge contract who's coming off of back surgery for a young QB with all the tools the new head coach is looking for on a team who's rebuilding without a QB is just plain dumb!!! NOT!!!
Well, you won't be able to pay that QB, or your new draft picks if you did it, but other than that it's a brilliant idea.
CloakNNNdagger
Hall of Fame
Everyone's an expert........and no one knows squat.........so now the name of the game is to cover ALL possibilities......then you can look like your'e half way smart anyway no matter what.........
See Roger, this is the kind of crap we'll have to read for the next two weeks thanks to you moving the damned draft. Put it back at the end of April where it belongs.Everyone's an expert........and no one knows squat.........so now the name of the game is to cover ALL possibilities......then you can look like your'e half way smart anyway no matter what.........
Your link doesn't tell me anything. Please explain.
What it tells me is that, based on current contracts the Texans arte going to have a ton of cap space in 5 years. Of course, that's meaningless because there will be players added every year, contracts extended, etc.
It says we can't afford to eat another $7M in dead money. If we're to cut or trade Arian, we're in a better position to do it next year. That's the way I read it anyway.
Yeh trading a soon to be if not already worn out RB with serious off field issues and a huge contract who's coming off of back surgery for a young QB with all the tools the new head coach is looking for on a team who's rebuilding without a QB is just plain dumb!!! NOT!!!
Yeah, because we just know Mallett is going to pan out? If we really want him bad enough, we can get him without a trade next offseason. The Pats won't be able to retain him. Mallett had a ton of questions coming out, and people now according to reports have said his arm has gotten weaker.
At least Mallet would have a chance to be a part of this teams future. Foster on the other hand won't likely even be on the team in 2 years. Which is more than likely how long it will take for this team to really be in contention again.
dalemurphy
Hall of Fame
Elway extended with his athleticism.
The West Coast offense has many variations. The Shanny/Kubiak ZBS run-oriented model is distinct in some ways from other variations. The play-action and bootlegging is quite distinct from the drop back passing portion of the offense. The drop back passing game is designed to by extremely rhythmic and designed to get the ball efficiently out of the hand of the QB. Pull up some old video on youtube of Bill Walsh talking about his offense.
& still there were plenty of times when he had all day to throw the football. From the pocket.