A breakdown of the Houston Texans
Let's take a closer look and see if we can figure out what's wrong here...
UNIT-BY-UNIT ANALYSIS
QUARTERBACKS: Starter - David Carr Backups - Tony Banks, Dave Ragone.
Despite being sacked 68 times this season, Carr showed again why he is one of the most resilient quarterbacks in the league. He has been sacked more than any other quarterback in three of the past four seasons. He took every snap in 2005 until the last game of the season when he missed the second half with a bruised elbow.
Overall, Carr played well this season, throwing more touchdown passes (14) than interceptions (11) for the second consecutive year. He also completed more than 60 percent of his passes for the second consecutive year and rushed for a career-high 308 yards.
In February, the Texans will exercise their $8 million option to lock Carr up through 2008, but his future remains in doubt. There are still rumblings around the Texans offices about whether to select Texas QB Vince Young with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.
Either way, Carr likely will remain with the Texans at least one more season. With coach Gary Kubiak's reputation for bringing along quarterbacks, Carr should have a breakout season. He should be standing behind an improved offensive line.
You see, the Texans' offensive line is the joke of the NFL. I believe that Tom Nalen, the Center, is a decent enough player, he's really not bad at all. But the tackles, the guards, and even the tightends suck ass. Carr doesn't get sacked because he's standing there with his thumb up his butt, he gets sacked because these players allow the other team's defensive players to RUN through their line. Carr has the option of trying to get the ball to someone, anyone, or get sacked.
It's truly amazing that he gets off as many accurate passes as he does. I don't think any other quarterback in the NFL could handle that kind of pressure. We all saw what happened to Peyton Manning, arguably one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history, when the Steelers laid on similar pressure.
Look at Jake Plummer. He was a horrible quarterback when he played for the Cardinals. He made the switch to the Broncos and now he's being touted as a nearly flawless quarterback who will lead the Broncos to the Superbowl within the next year or so. He almost did it this year, but the Steeler's laid on the pressure and he folded along with the rest of Denver's finest.
Imagine what a quarterback like David Carr could do if he had an offensive line that he could count on. Imagine the Texans in the playoffs. That's how important the offensive line is. It's also the weakest part of the Texans offense. I think Carr will be with the Texans for a good while yet.
RUNNING BACKS: Starter - Domanick Davis. Backups - Jonathan Wells, Vernand Morency, Tony Hollings.
Davis' biggest problem again was fighting off injuries. He picked up the "injury-prone" label after his second season when he had missed just three starts in two years. He wasn't able to shake it in 2005 when he missed five starts.
He still showed his potential, putting together consecutive games of 155 and 139 rushing yards. He remained a dual threat by being a strong receiving option out of the slot. His speed still kept him from breaking away for big runs. When he got into the open field, he was often caught from behind, which was one reason he had a career-low two rushing touchdowns. He still showed quickness, and his initial burst helped him break through the offensive line's holes.
With Davis often sidelined, Wells capitalized. He showed how much he has improved since his first year, using his size and strength to muscle himself through the gaps and break tackles. In his limited action at running back, Wells showed that he would likely fit better on a team that could utilize him more than the Texans did. He was sometimes used in short-yardage situations but only saw extensive action when Davis was out.
He had a career-high four touchdowns and rushed for 325 yards, despite just 90 carries, which makes him more attractive as he enters the free agent market this off-season. The Texans would like to sign him, but he likely will command too much money for them if they end up drafting USC RB Reggie Bush.
Morency finished with 184 yards on 46 carries. He is very similar to Davis in his style, but he has plenty of room for improvement. He often took too many steps instead of just going straight for the hole. He also needs to improve his blocking skills, though he did make strides throughout the season in that area.
I would draft Bush, resign Wells, trade Davis, and cut Morency completely. Bush and Wells would work extremely well in a two RB system like the Broncos are utilizing. We'll see what happens though.
TIGHT ENDS: Starter - Mark Bruener. Backups - Marcellus Rivers, Matt Murphy. Returning from injuries - Bennie Joppru.
Few teams utilized their tight ends as receivers as little as the Texans. The tight end's main goal was always to protect the quarterback. That has been Bruener's strength throughout his entire career. Despite completing his 11th season, Bruener remains a quality blocking tight end.
While Murphy spent most of the season inactive, Rivers emerged as somewhat of a dual threat. He was a solid blocker and had a career-high 24 receptions for 168 yards. He still struggled to hold onto the ball at times, though, dropping a number of opportunities. That will leave the Texans searching in the free agent market - and possibly the draft - for a receiving tight end that can break up defenses and help take away attention from WR Andre Johnson.
Just get rid of these fools if you can. I'd keep Bruener, but the rest are near useless. get some TEs that can block and catch, otherwise Carr will get sacked and the game will be two dimensional. The more levels that you can play on offense, the more options that you have and the harder it is to defend against you. Use your tight ends!
WIDE RECEIVERS: Starters - Andre Johnson, Jabar Gaffney. Backups - Corey Bradford, Derick Armstrong, Jerome Mathis, Donovan Morgan.
Johnson had a rough year as he battled a calf injury and simply the inability to get the ball thrown his way. He dropped a couple of passes, but Johnson's main problem was simply being seen. He had career lows in receptions (63), yards (688) and touchdowns (two).
The changes offensively to the quick drops and shorter routes didn't suit Johnson or QB David Carr well. Johnson will benefit from the Texans' new system next year, which figures to be will be geared to maximizing his potential and getting him the ball regardless of the defense's alignment.
Bradford probably will not be picked up in free agency, but Gaffney should be.
The Texans would like to include Mathis more offensively next season. He showed great potential and great hands, but he missed so much practice time because of a hamstring injury that he was kept out of the game in most offensive situations. The Texans need him or another newcomer to emerge as an equal big-play threat to help take attention away from Johnson.
We need a decent, not outstanding, receiver or two to back up Johnson. Just somebody who can catch the ball and take some attention away from Johnson. Is that too much to ask?
OFFENSIVE LINE: Starters - LT Chester Pitts, LG Milford Brown, C Steve McKinney, RG Fred Weary, RT Zach Wiegert. Backups - C/G Todd Washington, T Seth Wand, G Tyson Walter. Returning from injuries - C Drew Hodgdon, T Todd Wade.
The Texans' offensive line was shuffled and reshuffled so many times in 2005 that it was difficult to keep up. Injuries and poor play plagued them all season and contributed to Carr's 68 sacks. The shining spot in all of it was the play of Pitts, who was moved back to tackle partway through the season.
Pitts played tackle in college and during his first two seasons with the Texans. In 2004, he moved to guard. But was switched back to tackle out of necessity this season. He played extremely well, giving up few sacks and never missing a snap for the fourth consecutive season. His strong play should keep him there in the upcoming year.
Wiegert, who missed part of the season with an ankle sprain, was also a solid contributor when healthy and should be back at either right tackle or right guard next season. The Texans will analyze all of the positions as they decide how best to upgrade this off-season. For the first time, the Texans plan to make the line a priority as they scour the free agent market and the draft. That attention is long overdue.
This is the area that we will see the most change.
The Texans defense is pretty sorry as well. Texans' opponents are averaging over twenty points per game. Even for a team with a good offense, that's pretty tough to beat on a regular basis. I don't think that Houston has any outstanding defensive players. I guess that you could say the Texans defense is a little less than average, at best. It'll take a while to revamp this defense into a good one, but it'll take less than a season to bring it up to average.
DEFENSIVE LINE: Starters - DLE Gary Walker, NT Seth Payne DRE Robaire Smith. Backups - DE Travis Johnson, NT Jerry Deloach, DE Junior Ioane.
Walker struggled once again to stay on the field. He missed five games and was forced to have surgery on his triceps toward the end of the season. Despite wanting to retire in Houston, Walker may be headed elsewhere next season as a salary-cap casualty. He's due to make a base salary of $4 million in 2006.
The line likely will see a number of changes as the team adjusts to a 4-3 defense. If that move happens, the Texans will need pass-rushing ends because their current linemen are all tackles. Rookie Travis Johnson played well in his first year and could earn a starting job next year. He likely would feel more comfortable in a 4-3 and be able to excel.
LINEBACKERS: Starters - LOLB Shantee Orr, ILB DaShon Polk, MLB Morlon Greenwood , ROLB Antwan Peek. Backups - OLB Jason Babin, OLB Charlie Anderson, OLB Kenneth Pettway, ILB Troy Evans, ILB Frank Chamberlin. Returning from injuries - ILB Kailee Wong.
The Texans struggled early in the season as they dealt with injuries to Wong and Babin. Orr, Polk, Greenwood and Peek became the regular starters, and all were in their first year with the club. The group came together toward the end, setting a franchise record (37) for sacks in a season.
The defense was led by Orr (7 sacks), Peek (6), Babin (4) and Polk (3 1/2), who were all out to prove they were worthy of more playing time. Babin lost his job early in the season to Orr, but returned later from a shoulder injury to play well in passing situations.
Part of the delay for all of them was the 3-4 scheme, which was difficult for them to learn. The entire group said it took until the final weeks of the season for them to really feel comfortable in the system. The Texans will have a lot of evaluating to do at this position going into next year. If they switch to a 4-3 defense, they have an abundance of linebackers. Some can switch to pass-rushing ends, like Peek and Babin. Needless to say, a slew of adjustments will need to be made.
DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters - RCB Dunta Robinson, LCB Demarcus Faggins, SS Glenn Earl, FS C.C. Brown. Backups - CB Lewis Sanders, CB Chris McKenzie, FS Marcus Coleman, FS Jason Simmons, CB Jason Bell. Returning from injuries - CB Philip Buchanon.
Toward the end of the season, the Texans decided to go with the youth in their secondary. Coleman was benched in favor of a rookie, Brown. The Texans stuck with Earl and Brown in the final weeks and were pleased with how well they worked together and how well they covered the field. Earl is especially good in running situations. Brown was solid in all facets, learning quickly the free safety and strong safety positions.
Faggins emerged as a quality starter, and Robinson put together a solid year, though not as strong as his rookie campaign in 2004.
Buchanon will return next season and possibly be utilized in a way that better plays to his strengths. Buchanon showed his ability at times when he was healthy, but he was inconsistent and eventually lost his starting job.
Overall, the young secondary has shown a lot of promise.
SPECIAL TEAMS: K Kris Brown, P Chad Stanley, LS Bryan Pittman, KOR Jerome Mathis, PR Philip Buchanon.
Mathis was the highlight of the entire team this year. Despite missing four games, he finished second in the league in kickoff return yards and was the only player to return two kickoffs for touchdowns. The rookie out of Hampton used his speed and vision to put together a string of highlights.
A negative for Mathis next season could be the loss of Jonathan Wells, his lead blocker. Wells might leave via free agency if the Texans draft Reggie Bush. Wells prided himself on opening up gaps for Mathis, who was always right on Wells' heels.
The Texans had a number of punt returners, including Buchanon, who would likely have been more impressive had he been able to stay healthy. Those who tried to replace him, like Mathis and Domanick Davis, struggled to field the punt and gained few yards on returns.
Stanley put together a solid year, and Pittman was flawless again. Brown struggled mightily, especially over the final weeks. He missed eight of 34 kicks this season, including five over the last four games. His salary is slated to rise from $550,000 in 2005 to $1.2 million in 2006.
It's obvious that the changes needed to make this team good are vast and will take more than a single season to fix. However, the Texans have already made the biggest and most important change. They fired Head Coach Dom Capers after four years of mediocracy and ineptitude and hired Denver's Offensive Coordinator Gary Kubiak in his stead.
Kubiak has studied directly under Denver Head Coach Mike Shanahan for the last eleven years and he was Elway's back up quarterback before that. I have faith that he will completely revamp the Texans' sagging offense. Hopefully he will have the ability to hire on a good defensive coach.
Change is coming. I can feel the build up and drop in pressure just before the storm hits. I say storm because this isn't the winds of change that I'm talking about here, it's a typhoon. A Katrina class monster whose passing will completely change the Texans for the better.
That's my prediction and I'm sticking by it.
UNIT-BY-UNIT ANALYSIS
QUARTERBACKS: Starter - David Carr Backups - Tony Banks, Dave Ragone.
Despite being sacked 68 times this season, Carr showed again why he is one of the most resilient quarterbacks in the league. He has been sacked more than any other quarterback in three of the past four seasons. He took every snap in 2005 until the last game of the season when he missed the second half with a bruised elbow.
Overall, Carr played well this season, throwing more touchdown passes (14) than interceptions (11) for the second consecutive year. He also completed more than 60 percent of his passes for the second consecutive year and rushed for a career-high 308 yards.
In February, the Texans will exercise their $8 million option to lock Carr up through 2008, but his future remains in doubt. There are still rumblings around the Texans offices about whether to select Texas QB Vince Young with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.
Either way, Carr likely will remain with the Texans at least one more season. With coach Gary Kubiak's reputation for bringing along quarterbacks, Carr should have a breakout season. He should be standing behind an improved offensive line.
You see, the Texans' offensive line is the joke of the NFL. I believe that Tom Nalen, the Center, is a decent enough player, he's really not bad at all. But the tackles, the guards, and even the tightends suck ass. Carr doesn't get sacked because he's standing there with his thumb up his butt, he gets sacked because these players allow the other team's defensive players to RUN through their line. Carr has the option of trying to get the ball to someone, anyone, or get sacked.
It's truly amazing that he gets off as many accurate passes as he does. I don't think any other quarterback in the NFL could handle that kind of pressure. We all saw what happened to Peyton Manning, arguably one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history, when the Steelers laid on similar pressure.
Look at Jake Plummer. He was a horrible quarterback when he played for the Cardinals. He made the switch to the Broncos and now he's being touted as a nearly flawless quarterback who will lead the Broncos to the Superbowl within the next year or so. He almost did it this year, but the Steeler's laid on the pressure and he folded along with the rest of Denver's finest.
Imagine what a quarterback like David Carr could do if he had an offensive line that he could count on. Imagine the Texans in the playoffs. That's how important the offensive line is. It's also the weakest part of the Texans offense. I think Carr will be with the Texans for a good while yet.
RUNNING BACKS: Starter - Domanick Davis. Backups - Jonathan Wells, Vernand Morency, Tony Hollings.
Davis' biggest problem again was fighting off injuries. He picked up the "injury-prone" label after his second season when he had missed just three starts in two years. He wasn't able to shake it in 2005 when he missed five starts.
He still showed his potential, putting together consecutive games of 155 and 139 rushing yards. He remained a dual threat by being a strong receiving option out of the slot. His speed still kept him from breaking away for big runs. When he got into the open field, he was often caught from behind, which was one reason he had a career-low two rushing touchdowns. He still showed quickness, and his initial burst helped him break through the offensive line's holes.
With Davis often sidelined, Wells capitalized. He showed how much he has improved since his first year, using his size and strength to muscle himself through the gaps and break tackles. In his limited action at running back, Wells showed that he would likely fit better on a team that could utilize him more than the Texans did. He was sometimes used in short-yardage situations but only saw extensive action when Davis was out.
He had a career-high four touchdowns and rushed for 325 yards, despite just 90 carries, which makes him more attractive as he enters the free agent market this off-season. The Texans would like to sign him, but he likely will command too much money for them if they end up drafting USC RB Reggie Bush.
Morency finished with 184 yards on 46 carries. He is very similar to Davis in his style, but he has plenty of room for improvement. He often took too many steps instead of just going straight for the hole. He also needs to improve his blocking skills, though he did make strides throughout the season in that area.
I would draft Bush, resign Wells, trade Davis, and cut Morency completely. Bush and Wells would work extremely well in a two RB system like the Broncos are utilizing. We'll see what happens though.
TIGHT ENDS: Starter - Mark Bruener. Backups - Marcellus Rivers, Matt Murphy. Returning from injuries - Bennie Joppru.
Few teams utilized their tight ends as receivers as little as the Texans. The tight end's main goal was always to protect the quarterback. That has been Bruener's strength throughout his entire career. Despite completing his 11th season, Bruener remains a quality blocking tight end.
While Murphy spent most of the season inactive, Rivers emerged as somewhat of a dual threat. He was a solid blocker and had a career-high 24 receptions for 168 yards. He still struggled to hold onto the ball at times, though, dropping a number of opportunities. That will leave the Texans searching in the free agent market - and possibly the draft - for a receiving tight end that can break up defenses and help take away attention from WR Andre Johnson.
Just get rid of these fools if you can. I'd keep Bruener, but the rest are near useless. get some TEs that can block and catch, otherwise Carr will get sacked and the game will be two dimensional. The more levels that you can play on offense, the more options that you have and the harder it is to defend against you. Use your tight ends!
WIDE RECEIVERS: Starters - Andre Johnson, Jabar Gaffney. Backups - Corey Bradford, Derick Armstrong, Jerome Mathis, Donovan Morgan.
Johnson had a rough year as he battled a calf injury and simply the inability to get the ball thrown his way. He dropped a couple of passes, but Johnson's main problem was simply being seen. He had career lows in receptions (63), yards (688) and touchdowns (two).
The changes offensively to the quick drops and shorter routes didn't suit Johnson or QB David Carr well. Johnson will benefit from the Texans' new system next year, which figures to be will be geared to maximizing his potential and getting him the ball regardless of the defense's alignment.
Bradford probably will not be picked up in free agency, but Gaffney should be.
The Texans would like to include Mathis more offensively next season. He showed great potential and great hands, but he missed so much practice time because of a hamstring injury that he was kept out of the game in most offensive situations. The Texans need him or another newcomer to emerge as an equal big-play threat to help take attention away from Johnson.
We need a decent, not outstanding, receiver or two to back up Johnson. Just somebody who can catch the ball and take some attention away from Johnson. Is that too much to ask?
OFFENSIVE LINE: Starters - LT Chester Pitts, LG Milford Brown, C Steve McKinney, RG Fred Weary, RT Zach Wiegert. Backups - C/G Todd Washington, T Seth Wand, G Tyson Walter. Returning from injuries - C Drew Hodgdon, T Todd Wade.
The Texans' offensive line was shuffled and reshuffled so many times in 2005 that it was difficult to keep up. Injuries and poor play plagued them all season and contributed to Carr's 68 sacks. The shining spot in all of it was the play of Pitts, who was moved back to tackle partway through the season.
Pitts played tackle in college and during his first two seasons with the Texans. In 2004, he moved to guard. But was switched back to tackle out of necessity this season. He played extremely well, giving up few sacks and never missing a snap for the fourth consecutive season. His strong play should keep him there in the upcoming year.
Wiegert, who missed part of the season with an ankle sprain, was also a solid contributor when healthy and should be back at either right tackle or right guard next season. The Texans will analyze all of the positions as they decide how best to upgrade this off-season. For the first time, the Texans plan to make the line a priority as they scour the free agent market and the draft. That attention is long overdue.
This is the area that we will see the most change.
The Texans defense is pretty sorry as well. Texans' opponents are averaging over twenty points per game. Even for a team with a good offense, that's pretty tough to beat on a regular basis. I don't think that Houston has any outstanding defensive players. I guess that you could say the Texans defense is a little less than average, at best. It'll take a while to revamp this defense into a good one, but it'll take less than a season to bring it up to average.
DEFENSIVE LINE: Starters - DLE Gary Walker, NT Seth Payne DRE Robaire Smith. Backups - DE Travis Johnson, NT Jerry Deloach, DE Junior Ioane.
Walker struggled once again to stay on the field. He missed five games and was forced to have surgery on his triceps toward the end of the season. Despite wanting to retire in Houston, Walker may be headed elsewhere next season as a salary-cap casualty. He's due to make a base salary of $4 million in 2006.
The line likely will see a number of changes as the team adjusts to a 4-3 defense. If that move happens, the Texans will need pass-rushing ends because their current linemen are all tackles. Rookie Travis Johnson played well in his first year and could earn a starting job next year. He likely would feel more comfortable in a 4-3 and be able to excel.
LINEBACKERS: Starters - LOLB Shantee Orr, ILB DaShon Polk, MLB Morlon Greenwood , ROLB Antwan Peek. Backups - OLB Jason Babin, OLB Charlie Anderson, OLB Kenneth Pettway, ILB Troy Evans, ILB Frank Chamberlin. Returning from injuries - ILB Kailee Wong.
The Texans struggled early in the season as they dealt with injuries to Wong and Babin. Orr, Polk, Greenwood and Peek became the regular starters, and all were in their first year with the club. The group came together toward the end, setting a franchise record (37) for sacks in a season.
The defense was led by Orr (7 sacks), Peek (6), Babin (4) and Polk (3 1/2), who were all out to prove they were worthy of more playing time. Babin lost his job early in the season to Orr, but returned later from a shoulder injury to play well in passing situations.
Part of the delay for all of them was the 3-4 scheme, which was difficult for them to learn. The entire group said it took until the final weeks of the season for them to really feel comfortable in the system. The Texans will have a lot of evaluating to do at this position going into next year. If they switch to a 4-3 defense, they have an abundance of linebackers. Some can switch to pass-rushing ends, like Peek and Babin. Needless to say, a slew of adjustments will need to be made.
DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters - RCB Dunta Robinson, LCB Demarcus Faggins, SS Glenn Earl, FS C.C. Brown. Backups - CB Lewis Sanders, CB Chris McKenzie, FS Marcus Coleman, FS Jason Simmons, CB Jason Bell. Returning from injuries - CB Philip Buchanon.
Toward the end of the season, the Texans decided to go with the youth in their secondary. Coleman was benched in favor of a rookie, Brown. The Texans stuck with Earl and Brown in the final weeks and were pleased with how well they worked together and how well they covered the field. Earl is especially good in running situations. Brown was solid in all facets, learning quickly the free safety and strong safety positions.
Faggins emerged as a quality starter, and Robinson put together a solid year, though not as strong as his rookie campaign in 2004.
Buchanon will return next season and possibly be utilized in a way that better plays to his strengths. Buchanon showed his ability at times when he was healthy, but he was inconsistent and eventually lost his starting job.
Overall, the young secondary has shown a lot of promise.
SPECIAL TEAMS: K Kris Brown, P Chad Stanley, LS Bryan Pittman, KOR Jerome Mathis, PR Philip Buchanon.
Mathis was the highlight of the entire team this year. Despite missing four games, he finished second in the league in kickoff return yards and was the only player to return two kickoffs for touchdowns. The rookie out of Hampton used his speed and vision to put together a string of highlights.
A negative for Mathis next season could be the loss of Jonathan Wells, his lead blocker. Wells might leave via free agency if the Texans draft Reggie Bush. Wells prided himself on opening up gaps for Mathis, who was always right on Wells' heels.
The Texans had a number of punt returners, including Buchanon, who would likely have been more impressive had he been able to stay healthy. Those who tried to replace him, like Mathis and Domanick Davis, struggled to field the punt and gained few yards on returns.
Stanley put together a solid year, and Pittman was flawless again. Brown struggled mightily, especially over the final weeks. He missed eight of 34 kicks this season, including five over the last four games. His salary is slated to rise from $550,000 in 2005 to $1.2 million in 2006.
It's obvious that the changes needed to make this team good are vast and will take more than a single season to fix. However, the Texans have already made the biggest and most important change. They fired Head Coach Dom Capers after four years of mediocracy and ineptitude and hired Denver's Offensive Coordinator Gary Kubiak in his stead.
Kubiak has studied directly under Denver Head Coach Mike Shanahan for the last eleven years and he was Elway's back up quarterback before that. I have faith that he will completely revamp the Texans' sagging offense. Hopefully he will have the ability to hire on a good defensive coach.
Change is coming. I can feel the build up and drop in pressure just before the storm hits. I say storm because this isn't the winds of change that I'm talking about here, it's a typhoon. A Katrina class monster whose passing will completely change the Texans for the better.
That's my prediction and I'm sticking by it.
posted by Keko at 10:16
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