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Slowik and the offense

Porky said:
I don’t necessarily buy the dumb argument. Did they lose a bunch of brain cells in the off-season?

Mason is showin wear and tear. The rookie center was overwhelmed mentally. Howard has been injured to the point where it’s effectively killing his quickness. The LG flat out sucked. And Tunsil moves well…but isn’t physical at the point of attack.

And I’m not sure a single one is the ideal candidate for a ZBS is on Nick and to a lesser extent, DeMeco, Strausser and Bobby.
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The C/LG not being on the same page was a big issue. They couldn't even pickup simple stunts. Run a simple stunt and blitz a LB or CB off of the edge and odds are Stroud was at least going to take a hit if not sacked. I agree with the rest of your OL issues.
 
Earl34 said:
WR screen to Woods. Is it play call or execution?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1857862433911505002
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32 covered a lot of ground, he shouldn't have been a factor & those receivers out there, I've seen them run slants inside, that would have gotten the defenders chasing in the wrong direction making it easier for Woods to get to the outside & they could have blocked 32.

I don't know. If the play was drawn up the way they ran it I would say it was a bad call. If the outside receivers were supposed to step inside before they started blocking I'd say it was execution.
 
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Earl34 said:
WR screen to Woods. Is it the play call or execution?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1857862433911505002
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I'm thinking play call and execution. The play call issue for me is the personnel group. I need a more elusive or explosive player to be the recipient in which a lot of coaches expect the skill player to make the first defender miss. On the execution side, Schultz could have sold a route more by getting up into the defender without blocking, kinda like TK mentioned above.
 
https://twitter.com/x/status/1859678207672451385


Houston Texans
Offensive coordinator: Bobby Slowik

Playcaller: Slowik

What has gone right? The run game has been effective, as running back Joe Mixon ranks third in rushing yards per game (98.3). That has allowed quarterback C.J. Stroud to be effective in the play-action game, as he ranks ninth in passing yards off play-action (748).

What has gone wrong? The Texans' second-half offense is averaging 8.2 points. The most shocking stat is the Texans have scored only two second half touchdowns since Week 5.

Key to second half: The Texans' pass protection must improve. Stroud had been sacked the second most in the NFL (35). It's not all on the offensive line, as pass catchers have to do a better job getting open, but it does start up front. -- DJ Bien-Aime
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https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id...-coordinator-kellen-moore-kliff-kingsbury#HOU
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JB said:
Classic GM speak

I strongly disagree that Slowick has a good idea of what opposing defenses are trying to do
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I'm sure he's nuanced when he said that. Everybody in the organization new they would be grading Slowick on a curve.
 
Earl34 said:
WR screen to Woods. Is it the play call or execution?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1857862433911505002
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A little bit of both in my opinion - it's basically designed to get you three on three, you can only block two and then the receiver has to make one guy miss - the play call because Woods isn't going to make much of anyone miss (Nico is another story) and execution because the TE who is blocking needs to get outside his man and block him to the inside, instead he let's the defender get outside which removes the outside for Woods.

In short I wouldn't call that play for Woods, and the TE needs to get outside the defender which probably means he get's in the way of two defenders and lets Woods get positive yards.
 
FuzzyLogic said:
A little bit of both in my opinion - it's basically designed to get you three on three, you can only block two and then the receiver has to make one guy miss - the play call because Woods isn't going to make much of anyone miss (Nico is another story) and execution because the TE who is blocking needs to get outside his man and block him to the inside, instead he let's the defender get outside which removes the outside for Woods.

In short I wouldn't call that play for Woods, and the TE needs to get outside the defender which probably means he get's in the way of two defenders and lets Woods get positive yards.
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I think Slowik thought he was fooling the defense at that time. Catching them by surprised because no way should we be running that play for Woods.

Credit to the defense for not getting caught slipping.
 
OptimisticTexan said:
Also confirms, barring injury….Patterson will be the Texans starting Center. This means Scruggs will be an OG / C2. Hope both of these young linemen spend the off-season getting stronger.
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I guess this informally confirms that not only was Juice not good at calling protections at the NFL level, but that maybe CJ isn't doing a great job checking in and out of plays.
 
House of Pain said:
I guess this informally confirms that not only was Juice not good at calling protections at the NFL level, but that maybe CJ isn't doing a great job checking in and out of plays.
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This is a question I’d love to get an answer to…..is CJ permitted to call audibles?

When I see an overload in the box, and I know CJ is seeing the same thing, and the offense knows the run play is going right at the overload…..then why does CJ stay with the called play? Hail, even Mixon got tired of that in the Lions game.
 
Texansballer74 said:
I think Slowik thought he was fooling the defense at that time. Catching them by surprised because no way should we be running that play for Woods.

Credit to the defense for not getting caught slipping.
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He does fine on punt returns. Get the ball to him in space... it could work.
 
OptimisticTexan said:
This is a question I’d love to get an answer to…..is CJ permitted to call audibles?

When I see an overload in the box, and I know CJ is seeing the same thing, and the offense knows the run play is going right at the overload…..then why does CJ stay with the called play? Hail, even Mixon got tired of that in the Lions game.
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Someone needs to tell Slowik that S2 scores don’t matter.
 
OptimisticTexan said:
This is a question I’d love to get an answer to…..is CJ permitted to call audibles?

When I see an overload in the box, and I know CJ is seeing the same thing, and the offense knows the run play is going right at the overload…..then why does CJ stay with the called play? Hail, even Mixon got tired of that in the Lions game.
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Aikman said Stroud has gotten more freedom this year to call audibles at the LOS. We're going back to the same arguments we dabated when Kubiak/Schaub were here.
 
JB said:
Classic GM speak

I strongly disagree that Slowick has a good idea of what opposing defenses are trying to do
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I am 100% convinced that Slowick doesn't even watch the game. It's like he is in a dark room in the basement pacing and randomly calling plays that have nothing to do with what's worked or hasn't. Doesn't matter the personnel, down and distance, or field position.
 
Slowik is culpable for his flaws so far..

But the level of scapegoating in lieu of holding the players accountable for the outstanding number of blown assignments, braindead penalties, and overall dismal execution is really pretty wild.

Andy Reid couldn't even make a difference for what these guys are putting on tape right now.
 
Mr teX said:
he’s just not taking care of his qb with timely play calls is the biggest thing I’m critcal of him about.
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Yup, so much this. I don't think it 100% absolves the players, but the dude calls atrocious play calls at weird times and completely kills drives. He has no feel as a play caller, which makes sense as his only experience doing it was last season and it's more likely teams caught up to him and he has shown zero ability to adjust. He has to go.
 
Mollywhopper said:
Slowik is culpable for his flaws so far..

But the level of scapegoating in lieu of holding the players accountable for the outstanding number of blown assignments, braindead penalties, and overall dismal execution is really pretty wild.

Andy Reid couldn't even make a difference for what these guys are putting on tape right now.
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Agreed..mostly b/c this is the 2nd week in a row we’ve had points taken off the board b/c of player penalties…but damn, like you said, the execution & blown assignments…that has to be on the coaches on some level right?
 
Mollywhopper said:
Slowik is culpable for his flaws so far..

But the level of scapegoating in lieu of holding the players accountable for the outstanding number of blown assignments, braindead penalties, and overall dismal execution is really pretty wild.

Andy Reid couldn't even make a difference for what these guys are putting on tape right now.
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I am saying this as a true question:

If players are blowing assignments and being brain dead isn’t that a reflection of coaching?

Not executing is on the player.

I agree some of this is on the players but coaches need to get the most out of the players and I don’t see on the offense.

Stroud can play better. WRs can catch better. Oline can block better. But the coaching is worst than any of that and some of that is a reflection of coaching.

Not saying that you aren’t saying that.
 
Mr teX said:
Agreed..mostly b/c this is the 2nd week in a row we’ve had points taken off the board b/c of player penalties…but damn, like you said, the execution & blown assignments…that has to be on the coaches on some level right?
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Could it be on the coaches? It's absolutely on the table. But could it be on the players being told what the corrections are, working on those corrections in practice, and still blowing it when it really counts? I think that's absolutely on the table as well.

If I screw up at my job and my supervisor comes to me to tell what I did wrong and explains to me how to correct it and I go out and f*ck it up again I think the blame falls pretty squarely on my shoulders. And I have little doubt they're spending the whole week not addressing the last week's f*ckups.
 
Texans OC Bobby Slowik, 37: A former Michigan Tech wide receiver and the son of longtime NFL coach Bob Slowik, Bobby broke into the league as a video assistant with Washington in 2010 and is now in his 11th season as an NFL coach (having spent three years as a PFF analyst in between coaching gigs). The younger Slowik was a largely unknown name before DeMeco Ryans hired him as Houston's OC in the 2023 offseason, bringing him along from San Francisco, where Slowik was heavily involved in game-planning and with the 49ers' quarterbacks. The Texans' offense and rookie QB C.J. Stroud were so impressive last season that Slowik became a hot head-coaching candidate, interviewing for five jobs, including second interviews with the Falcons and Commanders. Working for the detail-oriented Kyle Shanahan prepares assistants for head-coaching jobs. And while it's been a bumpier ride for Stroud and Houston's offense in Year 2 amidst a rash of injuries at running back, receiver and along the offensive line, Slowik's background and high football IQ make him an intriguing candidate again.
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SMH.
 
Mollywhopper said:
Slowik is culpable for his flaws so far..

But the level of scapegoating in lieu of holding the players accountable for the outstanding number of blown assignments, braindead penalties, and overall dismal execution is really pretty wild.

Andy Reid couldn't even make a difference for what these guys are putting on tape right now.
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Like most crappy outcomes, there are a number of contributing factors.
It's a results orientated business, though. Coaches pay the iron price when teams with talent and pedigree underperform. It may not be fair, but that is what happens. Slowick has yet to show he can adjust his offense to suit the reality of his offensive line and TEs. Going *two games in a row* with Joe Mixon getting less than 2 yards a carry is inexplicable. He is too inexperienced. It is crazy that Slowick was given the keys to an offense when he has only been coaching on that side of the ball in any capacity since 2019. That is on Ryans and Caserio. The really shitty thing is that there is *nobody* with much experience in the offensive coaching room.
 
Mollywhopper said:
Slowik is culpable for his flaws so far..

But the level of scapegoating in lieu of holding the players accountable for the outstanding number of blown assignments, braindead penalties, and overall dismal execution is really pretty wild.

Andy Reid couldn't even make a difference for what these guys are putting on tape right now.
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Blown assignments - It’s hard not to think this comes down to a lack of talent or as I’d say in my SteelB voice, "dumb players". When players can’t execute basic plays, I have concerns about their ability.
Braindead penalties - Most definitely I'm pointing to the players. Too many avoidable mistakes suggest a disconnect in focus and discipline...just plain dumb decisions.
Dismal execution - Honestly I have no idea. The offense is the most inconsistent group I’ve seen in a long time. There’s no rhythm, and in-game adjustments seem non-existent. Our offensive coordinator even stated previously, he didn’t think adjustments were necessary. It makes me wonder: are some coaches and players really as skilled as we assumed, or is there a bigger issue at play here?
 
I'm quite sure Bobby Slowick is part of the problem. He's in his 2nd year as OC after a little experience coaching offense.

But we have a small lead there at the end if not for the illegal shift. An illegal shift happens when players in motion aren't set for a time before the ball is snapped. It's a procedural issue. Either the QB or Center is at fault, whoever is most responsible for when the ball is snapped.

At the very least we're tied if they hit the field goal... he made the right call there. Just didn't result in the points he thought it would.
 
A good play caller makes sure everyone of the skill players that are regularly on the field are threats. They spread the ball around. Slowik tends to gets complete tunnel vision on offense with his play calls at times. I think Schultz is soft ass ****, but he didn’t even get a target until late 3rd, early 4th.

Dell has disappointed this year with too many drops, but it seems they only call plays for him when he’s running deep, long developing routes on the outside or all the way across the damn field..which are extremely tough throws and take time.

Where’s the quick hitting stuff..where’s the intermediate stuff. Why the hell is every pass off play action unless we’re in a spread offensive look? WHERE ARE THE EASY THROWS FOR YOUR QB SLOWIK?
 
thunderkyss said:
I'm quite sure Bobby Slowick is part of the problem. He's in his 2nd year as OC after a little experience coaching offense.

But we have a small lead there at the end if not for the illegal shift. An illegal shift happens when players in motion aren't set for a time before the ball is snapped. It's a procedural issue. Either the QB or Center is at fault, whoever is most responsible for when the ball is snapped.

At the very least we're tied if they hit the field goal... he made the right call there. Just didn't result in the points he thought it would.
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I was just thinking about this. You're right, if the formation and play call have that type of motion in it then the QB has to wait for them to get set. What I didn't pay attention to was the play clock at the snap.
 
Slowik is dead man walking. Even if Meco doesn’t agree, Hannah has the pulse of the fans and right now a large majority of the fans want a change. Bobby is a nice guy. I like him personaly and wish him well…but his time is done here. Time for a change.
 
I firmly believe that unless they establish a significant lead by halftime, the Texans are likely to lose every remaining game on their schedule. If the game is close at halftime—or worse, if they’re trailing—it seems inevitable they’ll lose. At this point in the season, that doesn’t feel like an exaggerated statement. Last season, I felt confident that if the Texans were trailing in the fourth quarter, CJ and the team would rally for a comeback. Now, I find myself counting them out by halftime. It’s astounding how much can change in just a year. I’m back to not even wanting to watch them.
 
Porky said:
Slowik is dead man walking. Even if Meco doesn’t agree, Hannah has the pulse of the fans and right now a large majority of the fans want a change. Bobby is a nice guy. I like him personaly and wish him well…but his time is done here. Time for a change.
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With all due respect, Hannah needs to hush. She talked sh*t about the Titans pre game and her team got humiliated.
 
Bobby Slowik's offense is almost entirely reliant on Stroud to be magical, often while behind schedule. The cheat code for the Kyle Shanahan-tree offenses, for many years, has been to dominate on first downs. The goal is to avoid third downs altogether, but with quarterbacks Matt Schaub, Kirk Cousins and Jimmy Garoppolo leading the way, succeeding on first down also kept those offenses out of obvious dropback situations on third-and-long. Adding a potential superstar such as Stroud to that mix only raised the ceiling for what was possible.

The Shanahan-tree teams dominated on early downs last season. On first down, the Dolphins ranked second in the league in EPA per play (0.10).

The 49ers were third (0.09). Slowik's Texans were sixth (0.05). This season, the Texans have dropped to 18th in EPA per play on first down and 29th on second down. They're not doing enough on early downs to move the chains or stay ahead of schedule.

In part, that's because the run game has been inconsistent. Mixon has been excellent at picking up short-yardage runs with his vision and has had some big plays, but he turned 14 carries into 22 yards Sunday. (The backs who replaced him while he was injured, mainly Dare Ogunbowale and Cam Akers, were a disaster.) The Texans didn't run for a single first down all game, something they've done twice this season. The rest of the league has done it only once combined.

By EPA, just 33.7% of Houston's running plays are successful in terms of keeping them on schedule to move the chains. That's the league's second-worst mark, ahead of only the Raiders. This was a problem last season, when their 35.6% mark was the fourth-worst figure, but the passing offense made up for it with better efficiency on early downs.

Instead, Stroud is facing a run of third-and-forevers. The average Texans third down has come with 8.2 yards to go, the second longest for any team. Nearly 39% of their third downs have come with 10 or more yards to go, which is the highest rate. Stroud has actually converted those at a higher rate (25%) than league average (17.5%), but no coordinator has a playbook for third-and-a-mile. Houston needs one, because it spends more time there than any other team.

Stroud ranks 25th in QBR and 24th in EPA per dropback, behind Drake Maye and Trevor Lawrence. Trying to blame one element of the Texans offense for the problems isn't telling enough of the story. When a team can't pass block, can't run the ball consistently and doesn't do a great job of protecting the ball, it's not going to thrive, even if it has a difference-maker under center. This offense looks lost.
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