T. Johnson and J. Babin Rant...

[mexican_texan]

What does it take to consider a player a bust? What, or more importantly, who is the standard for a bust? IMO, Tim Couch was the result of bad coaching and starting for a bad expansion team(ring a bell?) and Akili Smith was a victim of injuries that would take anyone down. Ryan Leaf, on the other hand, just plain stunk. What shows success? Pro Bowls are rewarded not to the best players, but the best big name player(Keith Bulluck should have gone to the Pro Bowl.) The Hall of Fame? Drew Bledsoe may not go into the Hall, but I doubt the Patriots consider him a bust. I'll go out on a limb and call Jeff George, Rashaad Salaam(sic), and the infamous Boz as the standards.

Lately, SOME people have been calling former first rounders Jason Babin and Travis Johnson busts. I want to put a stop to that. People have no problem blaming the coaches for David Carr's struggles, but didn't all the players on the team play under Dom Capers?

I have been saying that it takes three years for transitional players like Babin, who went from DE to OLB in the 3-4 D, to prove their worth. Was I listened to? Or was his spin move getting the attention. I'll put my money on the latter. If you have not seen flashes in him, I recommend you pay more attention. He led the team in hurries his rookie year and the complaint was that he didn't get enough sacks. Yet, when our defense failed to pressure the QB this past season, we sure missed those hurries, didn't we? I blame Babin's failure so far on the coaches, for I noticed a change in his play in his sophmore year from his rookie year. I can't explain it, but if you watch the tape, you should see the difference.

Travis Johnson, on the other hand, played a mediocre season IN HIS ROOKIE YEAR. Soon after the draft, we agreed that he wouldn't do much this season, but we were quick to point out his failures after the season. I see more irony than that Alanis Morisette song. Wait...were either ironic? Anyway...I believe Johnson played fairly well this season. Look at the stats, but I should point out that the D-line plays as a group, needing harmony for a sack. If you saw any harmony in last year's group, I suggest you take off the pink-tinted, oversized sunglasses. If Courtney Brown and Travis Johnson played DE with Jacksonville's DT's, I bet at least one of the two goes to the Pro-Bowl. My only complaint on Travis Johnson is that he made Andre Johnson put the A. in front of his Johnson. Wait...that didn't come out right...Travis Johnson made Andre Johnson's name on his jersey go from just Johnson to A. Johnson.

Rant off...Go Texans!

 

[AFD1717]

The previous regime was a mess full of conflicting philosiphies and misplaced loyalties, therefore I'm willing to give any of our underperforming players all the slack in the world. The one thing I will not tolerate is a lack of effort. Despite all the negativity surrounding Carr and Babin, I've never heard anyone question their work ethic. Johnson has already been called out by the new staff.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/fb/texansfront/3898818.html

He had better cowboy up.

 

[Runner]

Most players on the team have people on this board who don't like them for whatever reason. They promote the bust talk and many repeat it often enough that it starts to take on the feeling of reality - on this board.

I'm giving everyone a clean slate and I pretty much ignore 2005. This doesn't change the fact that some players we have on this team will fail. However, they all won't, which is the feeling you can get if you believe each player's negative posters. Some of the most vociferous critics are the most clueless, IMO.

Let's watch the season unfold.

 

[Number19]

...I blame Babin's failure so far on the coaches, for I noticed a change in his play in his sophmore year from his rookie year. I can't explain it, but if you watch the tape, you should see the difference...

Babin came out of training camp with a shoulder injury. Nothing serious or something that would place him on the injured list, but something that did effect his play and prevented full and effective use of the arm. Somewhere about the last quarter of the season he began to regain 100% effectiveness with his arm and shoulder, and this is when he turned his season around and began getting his sacks, four in his last three games, although admittedly against San Fran and Arizonia.

 

[PapaL]

They are still to "new" to be considered a bust. Even though TJ was drafted higher, Babin has the added pressure of all the draft picks that were traded for him. TJ - not starting and playing part time collected 23 tkls, lets compare that to Richard Seymour, starting part way through his rookie season and whole lot more playing time, collected 44 tkls in his rookie year. Lets just him some more time and everything will be alright.

 

[AFD1717]

How many players on this team don't have questions that need to be answered? Even our studs like D-Rob and AJ underperformed last year and need to prove that it really was a product of the system/environment or a lack of help that lead to the down years. We can't draw any firm conclusions about anyone (other than Capers and Casserly) based on 2005. This year is the No Excuses Tour. There will be some mistakes made because of the change in systems, but we need to see dramatic improvement or it will be time to cut bait on a few of these guys who haven't put it together yet.

 

[Wolf]

I won't make excuses for them but both sides of the ball, I think we could tell that the players weren't buying into the system that Fangio and Pendry brought to the table. I am not saying the players quit on Sundays, but the confidence level wasn't there to make the plays when we needed. 2002 the defense (no matter what the ranking said) was better but was on the field too much.

Coaches job is to put players in a position to win..

Scouts Inc. rated Johnson the best defensive tackle in this year's draft class. Houston is in need of a plugger in the middle of its 3-4 defensive line, and that's what Johnson provides. He's a one-gap penetrating DT with enough bulk and strength to hold the point of attack

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft05/tracker/team?team=hou

with Walker,Smith, Payne and rotating TJ... were we penetrating? I am asking due to the fact I didn't pay attention.. or was TJ just getting pushed back?

Babin, I am not sure of either..

People are hating on Babin because we gave up multiple picks.. and I can't rememeber who they all were, and I haven't looked up how they are doing with the tacks

 

[keyfro]

first off it takes 3 years to come into your own in the nfl as a lineman...for babin this will be year 3 and for TJ it's only the beginning of year 2...so neither are busts yet...johnson should be part of a solid DT rotation for us and babin looks like he will be beating out peek for the starting DE spot opposite mario...so just chill...calm your rant down...give each player a full three years before you start killing them otherwise your just jumping the gun

 

[mexican_texan]

Babin came out of training camp with a shoulder injury. Nothing serious or something that would place him on the injured list, but something that did effect his play and prevented full and effective use of the arm. Somewhere about the last quarter of the season he began to regain 100% effectiveness with his arm and shoulder, and this is when he turned his season around and began getting his sacks, four in his last three games, although admittedly against San Fran and Arizonia.

Thanks, I meant to add that. CBS or Fox reported that he could have been out for the season, but Babin ended up...dare I say...blowing out in the second half. I believe he had a two or three sack day? All that with a bad shoulder.

 

[BigDTexansFan]

I LOVE GARY KUBIAK


Went to link to look at article and saw this

"I told David and the whole team everybody is welcome this time of year." Kubiak said. "Family, friends, whatever. Let them come out and see what you do. Then when we get started, our practices will be closed. That's just the way we'll do things."

He also decided against scrimmaging another team and would rather have players concentrate on getting things right, then a meaningless practice against another team

WE HAVE A "REAL" COACH!!!!!!

 

[NoBullTexan]

TJ underperformed at the OTAs. Babin, we flat gave up too much in draft choices, for what he has shown on the field. TJ is still young. Wait till training camp opens this week to really start judging him. I think he will be up for it. Babin has done a decent job, and the people who got him are gone, so I will give the kid all the slack he needs. He has so far impressed the new coaches with his drive and determination. I think he will be an asset for us on the defense this year.

 

[Coach C.]

NOBULLTEXAN, TJ is unimpressive and out of shape. The guy is just plain Victor Riley out of shape right now. Babin looked good in the OTAs and will likely be in on many nickel packages that feature him and Peek at the ends with Mario and Weaver in the middle. That is a speed rush right there. Byron L. just had an accident in his pants thinking about that.