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Post by hydroshock on Sept 21, 2009 20:24:27 GMT -6
I think we need a thread to post about stuff we still see as a problem week to week. That way we can keep track of progess or setbacks as we go along.
It'll also be a nice thread to come to and vent when the team does stupid shit....and you know we will.
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Post by hydroshock on Sept 21, 2009 20:33:00 GMT -6
My biggest gripe right now has to be Steve Slaton. He doesn't look near as shifty as he did last year. He needs to be moving quicker because the run blocking isn't good right now. The run lanes are closing pretty fast and he's not able to burst through.
I have to think he'll improve as the season goes on when he sheds some pounds, but right now he just doesn't look right. I hate to say it but it almost looks like he either planned his offseason poorly, or didn't work hard enough to improve.
Whatever the reason, he's not producing and he's hurting the team by coughing up the ball....that's one thing Kubiak can't stand. He usually comes down hard on anyone that can't protect the ball, including Schaub, so I expect him to comment on that this week. He'll probably say something like "our backs need to protect the ball better, and they know that.", but everyone will know who he's talking about.
** cough ** Slaton ** cough **
He may let him rebound next week in front of the home crowd, but don't be surprised if we see a big dose of Brown by the 2nd half if Slaton struggles.....Kubiak simply can't afford to have him cost us the Jags game because it's one we should win. If we choke at home again the cries for his head will be loud and many.
You can bet McClain will continue badgering him about the run game, and I don't blame him. Anyone that knows football is asking him why he doesn't go with Brown and he can only deflect the questions for so long. At some point the staff has to seriously consider going back to the original idea of featuring Brown and using Slaton to spread the field.
We need run production damnit!
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Post by hydroshock on Sept 21, 2009 21:01:54 GMT -6
yep, just watched Kubiak's presser and he was on the hot seat about the run game. He didn't even have a problem calling Slaton out about the fumbles, and he said they need to find a way to get Moats more involved. I think that's a great idea personally....hell, I'm kicking myself for not thinking of him first. We wont have to use Brown up if we can get some of Slaton's production out of Moats.
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Post by thegoat on Sept 22, 2009 3:44:08 GMT -6
the fumbles is a concern, but the running game I dont blame on Slaton. He cant run if the line doesnt open any lanes for him. He pretty much gets hit as soon as he gets the ball. They did play two top 5 rush defenses, it should be better against Jacksonville.
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Post by texansaint on Sept 22, 2009 9:26:08 GMT -6
I am still going to lean toward the fact that we played two of the best run D teams for our first two games. If we play the Jags and he is still not going... THEN I will be freaking out.
Slaton shoudl have some production in the next few games and he needs to hit some big yardage soon to get some confidence. If he doesn't we will have teams keying in on pass defense like they did in 2007 with No Gain Dayne running the ball.
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HWood82
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Tatted on my Heart !!!!
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Post by HWood82 on Sept 23, 2009 5:34:10 GMT -6
I agree that we played to great run defenses (the Titans SUCK!) but Steve looks - I hate to say it - scared to hit the hole. This is not the "Stevie Wonder" from last season who hit the holes fast and was a decisive runner, he looks very timid. Maybe it was the fact that the lanes are closing so fast, maybe he's overthinking things, I don't know but it's a noticable change in running style...and for Pete Sake, stop coughing up the ball!
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Post by SMC-22 on Sept 23, 2009 13:02:54 GMT -6
I think our running problems are due from lack of continuity from the O-line.Now we all know the line stayed together all last year blaze' blaze' but this off season not so much.Last year when Old man Green was hitting the hole it wasn't there at the beginning of the year.Since we are trying out Studdard again,we need to not expect the world probably this week neither.I will say that if we don't have a run game in 2+weeks then we really have a problem.I also don't think the additional 7-10 pounds have any effect on Steve's big-play ability.I really don't think we can underestimate the two previous defenses as being top notch run-defenses.Somebody needs to check the stats for Slaton's rookie season,how did he do against the Vikings and other top notch run-defenses that weren't with Titans.
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Post by number34 on Sept 23, 2009 15:56:30 GMT -6
I agree with everyone. How about some karma? JK
Slaton seems to be going through a bit of a slump. He is not as crisp as he was and 3 fumbles in 2 games is totally unsat.
His production could be blamed on a combo of the Oline and the fact that we played against two really good run defenses. I say it was the defenses more so than our Oline.
The solution is to give Brown the nod. let him have the opening series and have Slaton spell him until he gets back to his true form.
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Post by texansaint on Sept 23, 2009 16:16:32 GMT -6
The solution is to give Brown the nod. let him have the opening series and have Slaton spell him until he gets back to his true form. I second that. If Slaton losses his "starting" job he will get the message in my opinion. Of course that is just a mind game to play with him, but something needs to light a fire under his butt right now and I hope playing a softer run D will allow us to get into a running game groove. Right now the team has not been able to run the ball at game speed and I think a few games of actually being able to run the ball will help sync the team up a bit.
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Post by SMC-22 on Sept 23, 2009 16:23:35 GMT -6
I have to disagree with the you guys...if we bench him and start Brown he can't make a TD as a receiver on top of being a RB.He won't run for over a 1000 if steve can't .I do agree that he needs to cut out the fumbles though
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Post by hydroshock on Sept 23, 2009 20:07:47 GMT -6
Well I don't want to see him benched either,but if we don't get better production and he keeps giving the ball away we'll have to do something. We desparately need to improve or Schaub isn't going to make it a whole season. We'll see how he does against the Jags.
I do think Studdard will help the line blocking. Nothing against Pitts, and I'm sorry to hear he's out for the season, but it was obvious he still lacked the strength to get a good push off the line. Studdard looked real good in the preseason and he brings a nasty edge to our run game that could be just what the doctor ordered.
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Post by joe19731 on Sept 26, 2009 17:23:36 GMT -6
whats up with blown coverage??? every game it seems some 1 either gets burned or worse didnt even cover their man.... man... that really gets me!!! i think we were very lucky to beat the titans and in the nfl u cant relay on luck!!!! im glad robinsons back but he should have practiced and it shows. Theres reasons to worry about our cbs as usuall... i love my team though i really think they need to work on mistakes like that and turnovers to compete in this season!! go texans!!!!!!!!!!!
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Post by thegoat on Sept 26, 2009 20:06:33 GMT -6
I actually dont think the coverage from the cornerbacks has been that bad. I dont think theyve been beaten on a deep ball yet. Im more worried about the mental errors that give up the big play. They seem to play strong for 2 downs, then give up a big play on 3rd and long.
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Post by number34 on Sept 27, 2009 14:21:28 GMT -6
I actually dont think the coverage from the cornerbacks has been that bad. I dont think theyve been beaten on a deep ball yet. Im more worried about the mental errors that give up the big play. They seem to play strong for 2 downs, then give up a big play on 3rd and long. Heh they did that again today. Stop the run 2 downs then let the RB bust a long one for a TD. When I have a FF RB playing against Houston, I'm putting him in regardless because you know he will get at least 100 yards and a 2 TDs.
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Post by thegoat on Sept 27, 2009 14:25:19 GMT -6
our defense completely sucks. No sacks, some penetration but not when it counted, and the secondary might as well be from a pee wee league. Im tired of seeing Fred Bennett, he fucking sucks and I hate his face.
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Post by hydroshock on Sept 27, 2009 20:57:32 GMT -6
Dude I completely agree about Bennett. How many times did he give up a soft catch underneath because he was playing too far off? And how many times did he miss a tackle or only get a shoulder on someone? Forget all the pevious hype, Bennett is the new Petey Faggins of our secondary. It's time for Reeves to be back. He may not be all-world but at least he can stick to a man, and he can't possibly be a worse tackler.
As for the big run play, that was all on Busing. He came too far up and got out of his gap containment. MJD cut it back on us just like every RB we've faced this season. That's what happens sometimes when you stack 8 in the box and the safety makes a mistake, there's noone behind him to save his ass. When you play an 8 man front the safety has to stay disciplined and not overpursue.
This loss doesn't lay at the feet of the coaching staff, it's all on the players. Blown assignments, missed tackles, game killing personal fouls, etc.......pitiful. If they don't like the booing they better figure out a way to solve it quick because the fans are tired of underachievement.
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Post by hydroshock on Oct 1, 2009 10:58:18 GMT -6
The run game improved a little against the Jags but is still inconsistent so I want to see more this week. Slaton had a couple of big runs but he has yet to bust a game open like he did almost every week last year. We need him to keep raising his level of play, and Brown has to protect the ball if he's going to be our goal line back.
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Post by thegoat on Oct 1, 2009 11:08:15 GMT -6
well they only gave him the ball 12 times as well. The play of the defense is actually hurting Slaton, because we have to go to the air to keep up with a shootout because the defense hasnt been stopping anyone. I believe if the defense would step up, Kubiak would run the ball more.
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Post by number34 on Oct 1, 2009 13:21:39 GMT -6
Yea I want to see Slaton/Brown bust some runs like AP, MJD, and Jones did to us. Eye for an Eye.
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Post by texansaint on Oct 4, 2009 15:43:23 GMT -6
If you go to HT.com you will see that some guys is very concerned that we did not attempt to run up the score against the raiders. There is a great thingt o be concerned about when the Raiders did not score a single touchdown and we had over 20 points.
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