Official Texans vs. Bills Game Thread, 9/28/2014

[barrett]

Originally Posted by chuck

Our quarterback will have to exceed expectations to be league average. That's fine, everyone knows that. In order for the team to be respectable and give the Colts any sort of competition in the division we need to have an ass kicking defense and a solid running game. Watt is a freak of nature, the secondary is a lot better than I thought it might be, the LBs have disappointed but not so much as to be tremendously alarming. If Clowney ever gets healthy that should change things significantly for the better because that guy also has the makings of a lunatic.

But they need to figure out how to run the ball. Foster being injured is an obvious root cause but his injury shouldn't be any surprise at this point. And the Texans have usually run the ball pretty well with their back up running backs whoever they might have been. That's not happening right now. There are very few teams you can beat in the NFL if you're at second and eleven all day long.

The good news is that the coaches don't seem insistent on doing the same stupid sht every game despite the fact that it doesn't work. For example they brought a jumbo package in and tried to sneak a pass out to Andre. It didn't work, of course, but I was elated at the effort.

So I'm looking forward to seeing how BOB tries to tinker with the running game to get it moving. I'm sure he'll do something reasonably intelligent. Until then I'll enjoy savoring the emptiness of my cup.

I love that even though we can't throw the ball, we are still taking shots downfield. If you have a terrible QB, the other team knows you have a QB, and they are selling out against the run because of it, why even bother trying to put together 10 play drives. Just pick good times to try 6-8 big plays per game. Hit 3 or 4 and you win. Or hit 1 and have your DE intercept a pass from 5 yards away and run it back 80 yards for a TD. Either way you win.

And I have not seen it mentioned anywhere, but Swearinger is playing his butt off. It's a bit hard to like the guy on occasion, but he has a manic energy out there that reminds me of pre-injury Cushing. He is flying around with total disregard for himself, his teammates, and his opponents. Everybody gets hit. I am seriously waiting for him to go helmet to helmet on a mascot. I don't even mind that much that he blew the coverage on the 80 yard TD. As time goes by hopefully we are smart enough to pair him with a great cover safety that can protect him (Like Earl Thomas with Chancelor). Until then, I just like watching him create havoc.