OptimisticTexan
2024 / Rebuilding Block 4 After Playoffs / Texans
Texans can out defense most teams in the NFL….but the offense is a different beast.
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Texans 2024 division champs!
- Thread starter badboy
- Start date
Before the season I wasn't worried about our offense at all... we got more experience out of the young guys and added Diggs and Mixon. You could have argued that no team has more weapons than the Texans... at the start of the season it didn't look bad, but it got worse and worse. The O-Line was attrocious - Slowik was still calling plays that need time to develop with an o-line that didn't give any time. Then Mixon got hurt - and Stroud got spooked by all the hits he took. Then Diggs got hurt...
Still, there is no reason why this offense should be bad. The O-line is improving - slowly. They need to get it together for anything to work. Stroud needs to get back to being comfortable. And Slowik needs to adjust to what he has got and what the opponent gives us.
What we need now is a strong finish to go to the playoffs with momentum. Beating at least one of the Chiefs or the Ravens would be a great confident booster. Not the best team wins the super bowl, the team with the best run wins it... just ask the "undefeated" Patriots. Our defense is special and our offense can be as well.
Still, there is no reason why this offense should be bad. The O-line is improving - slowly. They need to get it together for anything to work. Stroud needs to get back to being comfortable. And Slowik needs to adjust to what he has got and what the opponent gives us.
What we need now is a strong finish to go to the playoffs with momentum. Beating at least one of the Chiefs or the Ravens would be a great confident booster. Not the best team wins the super bowl, the team with the best run wins it... just ask the "undefeated" Patriots. Our defense is special and our offense can be as well.
TexansBull
Hall of Fame
I think the most important thing to do these next few games is solidifying the offensive line. It’s week 15 and we are still trying to figure this out. Second is find some rhythm in the offense. Whatever they need to try just go ahead and try it. Third, Slowik needs to try adapting his game plan to what the defense is doing. The NFL knows what to do to stop our offense. We know what they know to do, so we should know how to work around it. Fourth - come up with 2nd half game plans to SCORE. No turtle ball.
The only offensive player that needs rest is Nico, but he can’t get rest because the offense needs work. CJ needs to play to learn to stop holding the ball too long and find his own rhythm.
The defense has earned rest. I would only rest a player a quarter at the most. I think resting too much starts building rust on the player.
amazing80
Hall of Fame
Agreed, we have too many weeks left to let players sit. The offense needs to find a groove and the defense needs to keep playing hard. I wouldn't consider genuine rest until the last week of the year.
Speedy
Former Yeller Dweller
I don’t think that really matters much. It’s still going to be one of the same teams (Bal, Pit, Den, LA) in the 1st round, and either KC or Buffalo on the road in the 2nd round unless a couple of the higher seeds win in round 1. A 3 seed could give us a little better odds of hosting the 2nd game, but the Bills, or whoever the 2 seed is, would still have to lose.
All of that said, there’s scenarios where the Texans could get the 2 seed but they’d have to likely win out while the Bills collapse.
amazing80
Hall of Fame
I would do everything possible to avoid the 4th seed. It's likely to be Baltimore and I just do not want that in round 1. I would much rather play the Chargers or Broncos.
In that scenario the Ravens in the 5 seed would have a real good shot at beating the Steelers and that would pit them against KC.
We have shown we can hang in there with Buffalo, even if it would be hard.
If the stars aligned just right, Ravens take down KC and we beat the Bills, meaning we would host the AFC Championship game in Houston.
Porky
Hall of Fame
I'd play mostly starters until/unless we are locked into the four seed.
At that point, I suggest resting the walking wounded and a couple of key cogs. Other starters could get heavier rotation with backups but still play some meaningful snaps.
For me, there's a fine line between rest and rust. I've seen teams rest guys, and the rust is apparent. I get why it's done, but resting guys, just like playing guys, carries its own (albeit different) set of risks.
To do is a risk. To do nothing is a risk. Choose wisely - Porky imitating his inner Yoda
At that point, I suggest resting the walking wounded and a couple of key cogs. Other starters could get heavier rotation with backups but still play some meaningful snaps.
For me, there's a fine line between rest and rust. I've seen teams rest guys, and the rust is apparent. I get why it's done, but resting guys, just like playing guys, carries its own (albeit different) set of risks.
To do is a risk. To do nothing is a risk. Choose wisely - Porky imitating his inner Yoda
TexansBull
Hall of Fame
Obligatory.
That's not going to happen as long as Stroud doesn't turn the ball over I expect the Texans to be in every game they play. Just like they've been all yr minus the Vikings game.
You just had to be the one
Quoted for truth.
Avg would be an improvement.
BTW, I thought Stroud was pretty well protected yesterday. Stroud ran into a couple of sacks yesterday.
I thought Slowik called a good game yesterday. Stroud missed a couple of open TD passes.
How does Slowik gameplan around Stroud holding the ball to long and inaccuracy?
badboy
Hall of Fame
I would love to see somebody take the Ravens out before getting to us.
badboy
Hall of Fame
Dolphins WR Grant DuBose has movement in all extremities, remains in hospital after scary head injury vs. Texans
Texans safety Calen Bullock injured DuBose with a helmet-to-helmet hit that drew a penalty for unnecessary roughness.
sports.yahoo.com
Texans safety Calen Bullock injured DuBose with a helmet-to-helmet hit that drew a penalty for unnecessary roughness.
Where would you rank Stroud's QB play this yr?
I've got him as around the 20th or so best QB. I had him top 5-7 last yr.
badboy
Hall of Fame
As Stroud said in a post game interview with Texanswire, "I feel we took another step today (forward)". Yes, it wasn't pretty on O as it was on D but.. I feel optimistic. As do others, I shake my head and groan when a defender [or 2] break thru the middle seemingly unaccounted for; yet I saw reason for hope in the new O'line arrangement. I frequently disagree with analysts such as PFF but whom else do we get at least some break down of input? Andre Ware said that this was Texans' most complete game. From Patrick H through Battlered blog:
"Run blocking? The Texans coming in had blown 77 blocks. "
PFF name ranking and then mine:
QB Stroud 80 Mine 70 WR Hutchinson 72.8 mine 85 caught his only target @13yards. Not his fault only trgt.
WR Tank Dell 68.5 Mine 70 RB Mixon 64.8 Mine 55 TE Schultz 47 Mine 50 OL Thomas 53.5 Mine who?
Offensive line evaluation: My focus was on "my guys" Fisher and Patterson primarily then Mason; Howard and Tunsil.
Fisher: I was proud of his first start which just happened against 1st rounder Chop Robinson. From Click2Houston:
"Stunts gave the Texans trouble, as did the power and quickness of defensive lineman Zach Seiler, who had 1 1/2 sacks and two quarterback hits, and Calais Campbell, four tackles, one for a loss, and Robinson, who had four pressures, 1 1/2 sacks, four quarterback hits and one tackle for a loss. " Doesn't identify who those Dolphins had stats against but I assume Chop vs Fisher. Something called 'substack' whom I've not heard of said Fisher held his own most of game but offense has lots to clean up.
Patterson: snap that QB didn't expect but that might be on CJ. He had another bad look with defender to his left but as happened another game appeared to be LG guy. What went wrong my POV, Patterson going to his right hesitated seeing D to his left unblocked and didn't block either. As a buddy said, "at least Patterson and Fisher act motivated in game."
Howard: better than Green but then so would you have been lol.
Tunsil: Heard his name by announcer once with zero flags IIRC. That's what I want.
Mason: most difficult for me to evaluate focusing on others but I hope we replace him with Trey Smith FA.
If allowed to maintain this alignment I expect improvement going forward.
TexansBull
Hall of Fame
Same way other OCs work with their QBs.
By coaching better.
Stroud’s inaccuracy is overblown. He has shown us how accurate of a passer he can be this year and last year. The times he has been inaccurate is when the line protecting him is getting him routinely pressured, hit or sacked.
The only times Stroud has been sacked over 3 times and the Texans won was the first game of the season vs the colts and the Miami game.
I counted 10 that I would say are better this year.
OptimisticTexan
2024 / Rebuilding Block 4 After Playoffs / Texans
I’d be interested in which UFA might be the better move:
IND- Ryan Kelly- #1 UFA Pass Blocking Center / 32 yrs old
ATL- Drew Dalman- #1 UFA Run Blocking Center / 26 yrs old
I looked at Kelly earlier as an UFA signing and still think he’d give CJ a lot of confidence as a Pro Bowl Center and solid pass blocker. His experience could be extremely valuable since the Texans lean on their center to call out protections. Kelly’s run blocking is acceptable.
Signing Kelly could also free up Patterson to move over to RG, where I feel pairing him up Fisher could pay good dividends…especially with a veteran like Kelly playing on his left.
Kelly may not be a ridiculously high UFA signing. That could leave the coffers open for a LG signing.
IND- Ryan Kelly- #1 UFA Pass Blocking Center / 32 yrs old
ATL- Drew Dalman- #1 UFA Run Blocking Center / 26 yrs old
I looked at Kelly earlier as an UFA signing and still think he’d give CJ a lot of confidence as a Pro Bowl Center and solid pass blocker. His experience could be extremely valuable since the Texans lean on their center to call out protections. Kelly’s run blocking is acceptable.
Signing Kelly could also free up Patterson to move over to RG, where I feel pairing him up Fisher could pay good dividends…especially with a veteran like Kelly playing on his left.
Kelly may not be a ridiculously high UFA signing. That could leave the coffers open for a LG signing.
I get it, but there's a law of averages for a reason. I'm very interested in the outcome of the Chiefs game. They play about the same game the Texans do, except they do it 4 games better.
Way more than that..
1. Mahomes
2. Allen
3. Burrow
4. LJ
5. Hurts
6. Herbert
7. Daniels
8. Love
9. Wilson
10. Stafford
11. Purdy
12. Mayfield
Now we get to the subjective part
13. Darnold
14.. Geno
15.. Tua
16.. Kyler
17. Dak
18. Rodgers
19. Nix
20. Stroud
JB?
How would you rank their play this year and not on what you think their potential is? Example: Darnold has been better than Stroud this year but Stroud has more potential to be better in the future.
I'm thinking what they would be behind the Texans OL with Slowick calling the plays... Stroud is top 10 easily with an average OL and a competent playcaller.
Rich Schmidt
Myopicone
I only invest assets in the OL if the coach is swapped out for someone experienced and proven in the ZBS
OptimisticTexan
2024 / Rebuilding Block 4 After Playoffs / Texans
Mike Munchak has been rehabbing a knee replacement since 2021….it wouldn’t be the worst call if Ryans wanted a respected HoF player and OL Coach to whip his underperforming crew into shape.
Of course a new OL coach needs to happen.
Munchak/Dennison/benton would be my choices in that order.
So your in the it's everybody but Stroud's fault camp.
The play caller called up 2 more TD passes that fell incomplete and should've been TD throws. One down the sideline and the one right before the half that Stroud threw to the wrong shoulder to Metchie. That's not on the playcaller and it's happened several times this yr. Put those 2 TD's on the board and I'll bet you posters would be talking about how the reconfigured OL was looking much better and should be ready for the playoffs. Instead we get more of the it's Stroud/Slowik/Ol every week discussion.
Fact is Stroud was a top 5 QB last yr and he might be a top 15 QB this yr. Can he right the ship? Sure he can, he's shown he's got the ability and if he can then this team can win a SB THIS YEAR.
BTW, the OL was piss poor at the beginning of the yr, it's like Juice/Green had never played OL before, they couldn't even pickup an A gap blitz with the DT looping in behind. I actually had sympathy for the beating Stroud took and although he wasn't playing particularly well then, he made big plays in the 4th qtr that helped win games.
paycheck71
Hall of Fame
There's really no chance. The Bills remaining schedule is super weak.
I thought you were talking about the season not just the game yesterday. Or do you really think that Slowick has put Stroud in the best possible position to succeed? Do you really think that all those QB's you listed would be doing as well if they were on the Texans?
It's not all on somebody else, but a good portion of it is. Stroud is much more talented than he's shown this year, but he's not getting a lot of help. Watch the games sometimes instead of just relying on stat sheets and talking heads picking apart his game.
Btw, the OL was piss poor yesterday... 19 rushes for 42 yards kinda sucks! And that includes Dell's 1 rush for 15
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I’ll give you the first 12 except Wilson, I’d put Darnold at 12.
The rest haven’t played any better.
I believe he's missed several big plays that could've been made in several games this yr not just yesterday's game. I've watched every minute but the 1st qtr and a half of the last game. I'll get around to watching it, I've got family in town from Massachusetts and will watch it probably tomorrow or Wednesday when I get time. But observations from what I saw were 1. Stroud missed 2 very makeable TD throws and ran into a couple of sacks. 2. The defense played a great game, they shutdown the run almost as much as the Dolphins defense shutdown the Texans run game. The 7 biggest plays in the game were,
1. The fake punt
2. The TD pass that followed
3. The bullock int
4. Stingley int
5. Stroud 2 yd run that ran the clock down a bunch
6. The sack of Tua on the GL that made the Tua start to force the ball.
7. The last Stingley Int.
Add to this if you want too, I'm interested seeing what your thoughts on the game changing plays.
The rest are in debatable pack.
But Stroud's gone from a top 5 QB to a middling of the pack QB. He needs to improve if this team is going to get to where wants to go Stroud doesn't have to be great or even as good as he was last yr. He's just gotta make the 2-3 plays that are there to be made each game and this team has as good of a chance to win a SB as anybody. Can he start to make these plays? After seeing the OL play Sunday I think he will become more comfortable with better protection.
X2. CJ concerns me. Don’t see that fire that he had last year. He always looks frustrated and dejected. Guess I would be too if I got smacked around like he has been this season. I see us being 1 and done in the playoffs unfortunately..
NitroGSXR
Super Sic #58
Really? I ran the machine and couldn’t figure it out. What would have to happen to make that happen?
amazing80
Hall of Fame
There has to be a 3 way tie with the Bills, Texans and Steelers
Texansballer74
The Marine
To me, the thing that made S2roud dangerous last season was the anticipation he played with, trusting his receivers to be where he was going to put the ball.
He doesn't seem to trust them anymore. The ball is coming out late if he even decides to let it fly.
That's what made him look like a 12 year vet last season & that's why the makeshift OL wasn't allowing near the pressure they've allowed this season. The ball was gone. He was playing much faster.
There's a lot of bad on the football team. A lot of bad that was there last season & should have been fixed. All that still needs to be fixed.
And, I'm grading Slowick on that same learning curve. He's not a seasoned offensive mind much less an OC. The Texans knew that going in & based on DeMeco's word they gave him a shot to grow into the position. & that's harder to do this year than it was last year if Cj is not playing like he did last year, which he isn't. That's not to blame Cj. It is what it is & it's something Slowick has to deal with.
QBs got to have a short memory.
Early in the season he was getting pummeled & yeah, it's going to affect you no matter who you are.
But I'd say two or three games before the bye the sacks weren't the same. Many, if not most were him holding the ball too long, trying to escape out of the pocket, or something silly. Not the same aswhupin he took early in the season. But he's acting like it is. He gets knocked down, he pouts, his play suffers leading to more knock downs.
He needs to get mad at the other team, not ours, & fight back. He can't adopt that victim mentallity & always looking for someone else to save him. He's the freak'n super hero in this situation & needs to act like it.
The 2nd year QB, being coached by a 2nd year OC, being led by 2nd year head coach that looked like they all had together in their initial seasons was a setup for some level of disappointment. A more veteran OC/HC combo might have had real answers for Stroud when things were tougher than expected.
TheRealJoker V2
Veteran
Like Super Bowl winning HC Doug Pederson had for Jacksonville and Trevor Lawrence since second half of last season? There are examples of established coaches failing and young coaches failing. The cream rises to the top regardless.
austins23
Hall of Fame
Back to Back Brian!!AFC South champs twice in a row, Brian!
austins23
Hall of Fame
I agree with a lot of your takes on this team, but I can’t get with this.
Hurts is not what the media make him out to be. Watch his games. His Oline is ELITE and so is his running game! Of course he’s gonna look good.
Herbert hasn’t done anything. Almost the same amount of TDs as CJ. And his running game is much better.
Purdy? Come on @steelbtexan thats laughable he’s garbage without his playmakers .
Wilson or Stroud? You’re gonna take Wilson over Stroud? Nobody would
Love is overrated.
Get with me next year on Daniels. See CJs second year.
And you are seriously putting 13 through 19 above CJ?? Kyler is garbage. If he sucks in the first quarter he sucks the whole game! Geno? Really? Tua? Look what he did Sunday… 3 picks! All he is good at is throwing bubble screens and behind the LOS. Rodgers is garbage.
You’re my guy but this is a bit far fetched
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Pederson was one of the few HC who was fired a couple of years after winning the SuperBowl (2nd year ironically) so the evidence was there that he might not be a good coach, so yeah experience alone is not the answer. That said, the offense looks sophomoric with constant little mistakes and an inability to adjust to what is going on smacks of inexperience over just sucking especially when we saw flashes of goodness in 2023.
I'd say ideally you want an established system that you could plug a S2roud or Lawrence into, like what Mahomes & Purdy walked into. Trying to build with a young QB you're going to hit speed bumps.