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Texans hire James Campen, offensive line coach, to a three year deal.

Mangler

Toro de España
Campen has coached eight Pro Bowl linemen since entering the league as a coach in 2004 with Green Bay, where he spent the majority of his career before one-year stints with the Cleveland Browns, and Los Angeles Chargers.

Campen served as offensive line coach for 11 seasons, in which the Packers offense ranked in the top 10 in scoring offense nine times and total offense eight times."

 

Texansphan

Football connoisseur
Campen has coached eight Pro Bowl linemen since entering the league as a coach in 2004 with Green Bay, where he spent the majority of his career before one-year stints with the Cleveland Browns, and Los Angeles Chargers.

Campen served as offensive line coach for 11 seasons, in which the Packers offense ranked in the top 10 in scoring offense nine times and total offense eight times."

After hearing a snippet of a training session with Matt Devlin I'm thinking good heavens, I wouldn't let him coach my high school's olinemen, so it is improvement by omission immediately.
Campen otoh is said to have a reputation for turning average guys into probowlers.
I am thinking we are going to see a vast improvement in our line and that Watson would have to be encouraged at the prospect of better protection here in Houston.
 

steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
Contributor's Club
Bahktiari was a 5th rd pick that turned into a pro buwler und Campen. Same thing with Lindley their C who was a lower rd pick. It might just be a case of anybody but Devlin but I like this hire. He has shown the ability to take lower rd guys and turn them into above avg players. The polar opposite of Devlin.
 

kiwitexansfan

Hall of Fame
Bahktiari was a 5th rd pick that turned into a pro buwler und Campen. Same thing with Lindley their C who was a lower rd pick. It might just be a case of anybody but Devlin but I like this hire. He has shown the ability to take lower rd guys and turn them into above avg players. The polar opposite of Devlin.
How much did Rodgers make his OL look better than they were too?

Does Watson's pocket sense and play making make the OL look worse than they are?
 

maverick512000

Hall of Fame
How much did Rodgers make his OL look better than they were too?

Does Watson's pocket sense and play making make the OL look worse than they are?
Somewhat opposite actually, Rodgers is a great QB but he doesn’t have the quick read and lighting fast release that Brady has that makes his linemen look so good.

 

Texansphan

Football connoisseur
How much did Rodgers make his OL look better than they were too?

Does Watson's pocket sense and play making make the OL look worse than they are?
How many times have we seen Watson flushed out of the pocket while scanning the field for an open receiver? Too many.
If he can get even a half second more in the pocket, he will make a lot more throws and not have to scramble as often.
It will be interesting to see how well he can more often expose and pick apart a defense - that will give us a true indication of how good he is and make him improve even more.
 

maverick512000

Hall of Fame
Did anybody else see how long Patrick Mahomas was holding onto the ball in the super bowl? He didn’t have the luxury of good oline play, therefore, he tried to extend plays until his receivers got open. Did anybody see him running around in circles too?
I agree last SB showed that talent wise the gap between Watson and Mahomes isn't as large as most might have thought. Do I still think Mahomes could have done better on the Texans, yes because of his style of throwing but yeah no QB was going to do much with our line and our line was not going to improve with Devlin there who was not going anywhere while OB was there. Its why I don't think any of Watson's current issues has anything to do with the players or coaches because from his point of view things should be more hopeful than they have been in a long time.

So if its not the on field stuff it must be the front office stuff and as long as checks don't bounce thats not stuff he should care about. Best friend and favorite target gets traded, it sucks but thats pro sports. Don't like the hire they made at GM, not your money, not your team so not your call. Weird preacher guy in your ear, write me a check for a 160 million and I'll sit around a camp fire wearing a robe singing Kumbaya all day.
 

House of Pain

Wild Speculator
I agree last SB showed that talent wise the gap between Watson and Mahomes isn't as large as most might have thought. Do I still think Mahomes could have done better on the Texans, yes because of his style of throwing but yeah no QB was going to do much with our line and our line was not going to improve with Devlin there who was not going anywhere while OB was there. Its why I don't think any of Watson's current issues has anything to do with the players or coaches because from his point of view things should be more hopeful than they have been in a long time.

So if its not the on field stuff it must be the front office stuff and as long as checks don't bounce thats not stuff he should care about. Best friend and favorite target gets traded, it sucks but thats pro sports. Don't like the hire they made at GM, not your money, not your team so not your call. Weird preacher guy in your ear, write me a check for a 160 million and I'll sit around a camp fire wearing a robe singing Kumbaya all day.
Agreed. Watson knew the organization was a mess and a dumpster fire when he signed that contract. BoB was the HC and GM. Hopkins had already been traded. Easterby was here and was probably doing his weird standup act in the locker room and had Cal's ear. I think Watson is an excellent player and most likely will waste his career here like Watt, Johnson and Foster. BUT he signed that extension knowing that BoB sucks and our ownership may be the most inept in the league so I don't feel sorry for him and I think he should honor his contract. Kinda makes me question how smart he is.
 

santo

Hall of Fame
Contributor's Club
Did anybody else see how long Patrick Mahomas was holding onto the ball in the super bowl? He didn’t have the luxury of good oline play, therefore, he tried to extend plays until his receivers got open. Did anybody see him running around in circles too?
His receivers didn’t help him much either. A few times he hit them right in their hands.
 

76Texan

Hall of Fame

Texansphan

Football connoisseur
Did anybody else see how long Patrick Mahomas was holding onto the ball in the super bowl? He didn’t have the luxury of good oline play, therefore, he tried to extend plays until his receivers got open. Did anybody see him running around in circles too?
Yep. Bucs pass rush was able to consistently penetrate because Chiefs oline was disrupted and shifted around. They were missing their regular probowl LT and Bucs capitalized.
 

Corrosion

Idealist
Staff member
How much did Rodgers make his OL look better than they were too?

Does Watson's pocket sense and play making make the OL look worse than they are?
Definitely worse.
I disagree. Watson actually made his line look better. Especially this past season. That line was atrocious all on it’s own.

Honestly I think it was a little bit of both .... He makes them look good when he gets the ball out "on time" , the numbers are pretty staggering.
He also exposes them when he holds the ball longer than normal .... again , the numbers support this.

The eyeball test tells us that Watson extends a lot of plays and he does .... but you gotta take into account the situation - down / distance / defensive alignment / coverage ...
Stats tell us he uses the checkdown at a high rate .... but then you watch the game and those numbers don't translate - the eyeball test is that the majority of pass plays he's looking middle / deep middle (range not left to right).

Just ask yourself one question - When is the last time you saw Watson hit the top of his drop and let it fly ? That's the ideal - the way its drawn up - for the vast majority of NFL plays (from the pocket).
 

Number19

Hall of Fame
Campen has coached eight Pro Bowl linemen since entering the league as a coach in 2004 with Green Bay, where he spent the majority of his career before one-year stints with the Cleveland Browns, and Los Angeles Chargers.

Campen served as offensive line coach for 11 seasons, in which the Packers offense ranked in the top 10 in scoring offense nine times and total offense eight times."

Going back to this old thread, how do we now reconcile Campen's experience with coaching OL's with the performance of our current OL. He most certainly hasn't gotten much, if anything, out of this group.

One thing I'm optimistic about is that he should have a high degree of acuity in evaluating the offensive linemen for the draft. Since I'm wanting to draft two OG's with our first two selections, we can't miss on these picks.
 

Texansphan

Football connoisseur
Going back to this old thread, how do we now reconcile Campen's experience with coaching OL's with the performance of our current OL. He most certainly hasn't gotten much, if anything, out of this group.

One thing I'm optimistic about is that he should have a high degree of acuity in evaluating the offensive linemen for the draft. Since I'm wanting to draft two OG's with our first two selections, we can't miss on these picks.
Yeah disappointed at this stage.
I was expecting bigger and better things.
Don't know what to do about it now.
 

thunderkyss

Just win baby!!!
Staff member
Contributor's Club
Going back to this old thread, how do we now reconcile Campen's experience with coaching OL's with the performance of our current OL.
i’m not impressed. How long does it take to teach veteran OLmen & RBs to run screens?

did you see the TE screen they ran yesterday? smh
 

Speedy

Former Yeller Dweller
i’m not impressed. How long does it take to teach veteran OLmen & RBs to run screens?

did you see the TE screen they ran yesterday? smh
The strange thing is, they were actually running some good screens the first couple of games. I remember commenting about where that had been the last 5 years. And now it's like how to do that has been zapped from their brains or something.
 

steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
Contributor's Club
Yeah disappointed at this stage.
I was expecting bigger and better things.
Don't know what to do about it now.
Get better talent and hope Campen can coach them up like he did in Green Bay. The job he did in Green Bay makes me think it's a talent issue. Which is sad seeing those high picks spent on Howard/Scharping were supposed to fix those positions for the next 5 yrs. No more small school guys that have to switch positions. Give me SEC guys and depending on what rd and trading up or down 2 of these 4 would suffice and 3 of them would be even better. Green/Kinnard/Stromberg/Salyer

Fix the OL with battle tested SEC all conference type guys.
 

vtech9

All Pro
Get better talent and hope Campen can coach them up like he did in Green Bay. The job he did in Green Bay makes me think it's a talent issue. Which is sad seeing those high picks spent on Howard/Scharping were supposed to fix those positions for the next 5 yrs. No more small school guys that have to switch positions. Give me SEC guys and depending on what rd and trading up or down 2 of these 4 would suffice and 3 of them would be even better. Green/Kinnard/Stromberg/Salyer

Fix the OL with battle tested SEC all conference type guys.
How about Wisconsin OL? I haven't followed them, but they usually have some good guys.
 

banned1976

sleeper mode
Going back to this old thread, how do we now reconcile Campen's experience with coaching OL's with the performance of our current OL. He most certainly hasn't gotten much, if anything, out of this group.

One thing I'm optimistic about is that he should have a high degree of acuity in evaluating the offensive linemen for the draft. Since I'm wanting to draft two OG's with our first two selections, we can't miss on these picks.
No yes or yes no but not yes to both. I wish the only problem the Texans need to address with the first two picks are offensive guards but that's not reality. Of course, I still remember the last big "plug-and-play" offensive guard the Texans drafted early and that didn't go so well, so I may be a little jaded.

Not to mention, who are those guards blocking for? I don't think the sole reason the Texans are dead last in yards-per-play is due to guard play. The Texans are last in rushing yards per game. They are second to last (thank you Chicago) in passing yards per game. It takes a team effort to be that bad.
 

vtech9

All Pro
No yes or yes no but not yes to both. I wish the only problem the Texans need to address with the first two picks are offensive guards but that's not reality. Of course, I still remember the last big "plug-and-play" offensive guard the Texans drafted early and that didn't go so well, so I may be a little jaded.

Not to mention, who are those guards blocking for? I don't think the sole reason the Texans are dead last in yards-per-play is due to guard play. The Texans are last in rushing yards per game. They are second to last (thank you Chicago) in passing yards per game. It takes a team effort to be that bad.
I think the only way we draft two OGs with the first two picks is if we trade down twice in the 1st round. If that happens, I'm all for drafting 2 OG's, because it means we will have picked up a few other picks.
 

Number19

Hall of Fame
No yes or yes no but not yes to both. I wish the only problem the Texans need to address with the first two picks are offensive guards but that's not reality. Of course, I still remember the last big "plug-and-play" offensive guard the Texans drafted early and that didn't go so well, so I may be a little jaded.

Not to mention, who are those guards blocking for? I don't think the sole reason the Texans are dead last in yards-per-play is due to guard play. The Texans are last in rushing yards per game. They are second to last (thank you Chicago) in passing yards per game. It takes a team effort to be that bad.
I'm targeting two RB's for the 6th round. One a power runner "bell cow", Michigan's Hassan Haskins; and the other a smaller quicker back, Oklahoma's Kennedy Brooks.

Now, I'm addressing defense with a high 2nd rounder and our two 3rds.
 

steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
Contributor's Club
I'm targeting two RB's for the 6th round. One a power runner "bell cow", Michigan's Hassan Haskins; and the other a smaller quicker back, Oklahoma's Kennedy Brooks.

Now, I'm addressing defense with a high 2nd rounder and our two 3rds.
You better be willing to trade some of those 6th's/7th's because Brooks goes in the 4th/5th rd range and I would be willing to move up to get him. Brooks is hardly small. Haskins will probably go in the 5th but it's possible he goes at the beginning of the 6th.
 

Texansphan

Football connoisseur
I think the only way we draft two OGs with the first two picks is if we trade down twice in the 1st round. If that happens, I'm all for drafting 2 OG's, because it means we will have picked up a few other picks.
I have a feeling Broncos may come up with a trade and they are projected around 15.
Neal and Green with the first two picks wouldn't suck.
Their deal?
2022 first, second and third.
2023 first and second.
2024 first.
Three extra picks in a rebuild year will be a nice carrot to start the ball rolling.
 

Number19

Hall of Fame
You better be willing to trade some of those 6th's/7th's because Brooks goes in the 4th/5th rd range and I would be willing to move up to get him. Brooks is hardly small. Haskins will probably go in the 5th but it's possible he goes at the beginning of the 6th.
I have them placed in the 6th because there's quite a few nice prospects on the early boards ahead of them. If they move up, others will drop down. Brooks might fall because of his injury history. If we had a 5th round pick, I would've slotted Haskins there. I have my C slotted in the 4th. If I have to, one of my 3rds may be used on that position, in which case the 4th would be for defense.

Where do you rank USC's Keaontay Ingram. I'm back and forth between Brooks and Ingram.
 

steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
Contributor's Club
I have them placed in the 6th because there's quite a few nice prospects on the early boards ahead of them. If they move up, others will drop down. Brooks might fall because of his injury history. If we had a 5th round pick, I would've slotted Haskins there. I have my C slotted in the 4th. If I have to, one of my 3rds may be used on that position, in which case the 4th would be for defense.

Where do you rank USC's Keaontay Ingram. I'm back and forth between Brooks and Ingram.
I have Brooks in the 4th-5th and Haskins/Ingram in the late 5th early 6th. Alot of this depends on the medicals of Brooks/Haskins and Ingram. BTW, is ingram draft eligible this yr?
 
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