Run defense improved?

[nero THE zero]

Originally Posted by barrett

I remain unconvinced we have the pieces to make this work. A blitzing Brian Dawkins at safety is one of the keys to that blitz heavy defense. This is the case with most great blitzing teams. They can bring it from their DBs. We have nobody like that. This means all of our blitzing will come from the LBs which means it is far easier to recognize.

Not to dispute your point in its entirety, but Dunta's greatest asset is his blitzing ability. Also, though it's a tiny sample size, the chances Barber has gotten to blitz he has been extremely effective. And, Eugene Wilson is an average blitzer. I really couldn't comment on the rest of the guys, though we seem to place a premium on size and speed, so you'd think there'd be another guy there who would be at least average at getting to the QB.

I think it's moot though. I don't think we'll see anymore blitzing than we saw toward the end of the season last year, and I certainly don't think we'll see a Jim Johnson-esque defense. I think we'll generally try and get pressure with the front four and send a fifth man on passing down. Ho-hum.

[HPF Bob]

All the talk about being more aggressive is nice but let's see how it translates on the field. I happy that the D got help in the draft and I trust Smith/Kubiak to have an idea what they are doing but the proof, as they say, is in the pudding. This is the year for the Texans to step up but, until it happens, there is part of me that will be a bit skeptical.

We also need to get Dunta and Demeco settled contractually.

[Mike]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

This is the year for the Texans to step up but, until it happens, there is part of me that will be a bit skeptical.

We also need to get Dunta and Demeco settled contractually.

Eventually the team will actually do what they say. I think they have to change the style of defense, the old style did not work. I think if Frank Bush has the front 7 attacking and getting upfield I will be overjoyed. I think Kubiak/Bush know they have to change the style.

I agree they need to get 59 and 23 settled.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by nero THE zero

Not to dispute your point in its entirety, but Dunta's greatest asset is his blitzing ability. Also, though it's a tiny sample size, the chances Barber has gotten to blitz he has been extremely effective. And, Eugene Wilson is an average blitzer. I really couldn't comment on the rest of the guys, though we seem to place a premium on size and speed, so you'd think there'd be another guy there who would be at least average at getting to the QB.

Dunta has blitzed well on the rare occasion that we sent him, but I don't think he's rushed the passer more than a dozen times total in his NFL career. Barber looked ok when he got on the field the last two weeks, but is still an unknown at this point. And Eugene Wilson is not a blitzer. He is a centerfield safety with coverage skills and poor tackling.

Either way my point is that when your biggest hitting DB is your 5'8" 175 lb CB, you are not going to be able to model yourself after a Jim Johnson-esque defense.

Originally Posted by nero THE zero

I think it's moot though. I don't think we'll see anymore blitzing than we saw toward the end of the season last year, and I certainly don't think we'll see a Jim Johnson-esque defense. I think we'll generally try and get pressure with the front four and send a fifth man on passing down. Ho-hum.

I think you are spot on here. I think you'll see us bringing a 5th man from one of the 3 LB positions. I doubt we get all creative just because Frank Bush said we'd be more aggressive. We just don't have the personell for it. Wit the talent we have our pressure has to come from the front 4 rather than from scheme and blitzing.

[Roy P]

Originally Posted by barrett

Either way my point is that when your biggest hitting DB is your 5'8" 175 lb CB, you are not going to be able to model yourself after a Jim Johnson-esque defense.



I think you are spot on here. I think you'll see us bringing a 5th man from one of the 3 LB positions. I doubt we get all creative just because Frank Bush said we'd be more aggressive.

The Giants and Coach Spagnuolo modeled themselves after Johnson. I don't recall seeing a bunch of DBs blitzing the QB from them last year either. Corey Webster (1) and Aaron Ross (0) along with Michael Johnson (1) and Kenny Phillips (0) combined for a total of 2 sacks. Hell Dominique Barber had a sack for us last year. So, I think we can be aggressive with our LBs and be just fine.

I would not rule out blitzing Cushing and DeMeco in the A-Gap a lot more this season either.

All that being said, what will be the most important philosophical change will be unleashing the DL to get to the backfield. Okoye should post at least 6 sacks. Travis Johnson should get 3 more at a minimum (1 more than his career total). Shaun Cody could contribute 2. Antonio Smith 5 or more. Connor Barwin should get at least 4 as a rookie playing opposite of Mario. I'd project Mario with 15 this season. That's putting a lot of faith in Bill Kollar. Last year the Texans posted 25 sacks and the Bills only had a total of 24. However, I am projecting a total of 35 for our DL simply because of the unrealized talent we have. The NY Giants tallied 42 paced by Justin Tuck's 12 for the season. Jim Johnson's Eagles tallied a total of 48 sacks and was led by Darren Howard's 10 followed by Trent Cole's 9.

I will concede that Sacks are probably the most overrated stat that kept for a defense. However, if a team is generating pressure, getting TFLs, and doing the things I expect an "aggressive" defense to do, then they generally accrue more than 32 sacks in a 16 game season (i.e. 2 per game).

[barrett]

Originally Posted by Roy P

The Giants and Coach Spagnuolo modeled themselves after Johnson. I don't recall seeing a bunch of DBs blitzing the QB from them last year either. Corey Webster (1) and Aaron Ross (0) along with Michael Johnson (1) and Kenny Phillips (0) combined for a total of 2 sacks. Hell Dominique Barber had a sack for us last year. So, I think we can be aggressive with our LBs and be just fine.

I would not rule out blitzing Cushing and DeMeco in the A-Gap a lot more this season either.

All that being said, what will be the most important philosophical change will be unleashing the DL to get to the backfield. Okoye should post at least 6 sacks. Travis Johnson should get 3 more at a minimum (1 more than his career total). Shaun Cody could contribute 2. Antonio Smith 5 or more. Connor Barwin should get at least 4 as a rookie playing opposite of Mario. I'd project Mario with 15 this season. That's putting a lot of faith in Bill Kollar. Last year the Texans posted 25 sacks and the Bills only had a total of 24. However, I am projecting a total of 35 for our DL simply because of the unrealized talent we have. The NY Giants tallied 42 paced by Justin Tuck's 12 for the season. Jim Johnson's Eagles tallied a total of 48 sacks and was led by Darren Howard's 10 followed by Trent Cole's 9.

I will concede that Sacks are probably the most overrated stat that kept for a defense. However, if a team is generating pressure, getting TFLs, and doing the things I expect an "aggressive" defense to do, then they generally accrue more than 32 sacks in a 16 game season (i.e. 2 per game).

The giants may have a former Eagle for a coach, and there may be similarities, but the Giants don't blitz nearly as much as the Eagles. The Giants rely on the front 4. Probably because their personell matches that much better than what the Eagles tried to do with constant blitzing. This is why I said we can't blitz like the Eagles. Our personnell doesn't support that kind of philosophy. We have too much put into the DL and not enough athleticism at DB to make it work. Hopefully we can look like the Giants on defense though.

[NBT]

Originally Posted by Roy P

The Giants and Coach Spagnuolo modeled themselves after Johnson. I don't recall seeing a bunch of DBs blitzing the QB from them last year either. Corey Webster (1) and Aaron Ross (0) along with Michael Johnson (1) and Kenny Phillips (0) combined for a total of 2 sacks. Hell Dominique Barber had a sack for us last year. So, I think we can be aggressive with our LBs and be just fine.

I would not rule out blitzing Cushing and DeMeco in the A-Gap a lot more this season either.

All that being said, what will be the most important philosophical change will be unleashing the DL to get to the backfield. Okoye should post at least 6 sacks. Travis Johnson should get 3 more at a minimum (1 more than his career total). Shaun Cody could contribute 2. Antonio Smith 5 or more. Connor Barwin should get at least 4 as a rookie playing opposite of Mario. I'd project Mario with 15 this season. That's putting a lot of faith in Bill Kollar. Last year the Texans posted 25 sacks and the Bills only had a total of 24. However, I am projecting a total of 35 for our DL simply because of the unrealized talent we have. The NY Giants tallied 42 paced by Justin Tuck's 12 for the season. Jim Johnson's Eagles tallied a total of 48 sacks and was led by Darren Howard's 10 followed by Trent Cole's 9.

I will concede that Sacks are probably the most overrated stat that kept for a defense. However, if a team is generating pressure, getting TFLs, and doing the things I expect an "aggressive" defense to do, then they generally accrue more than 32 sacks in a 16 game season (i.e. 2 per game).

How about Bullard? Didn't he have 4 sacks in relief of Weaver last year? You can possibly factor him into the equation.

I don't see zero's version happening. Oh the defense will be somewhat conservative in the beginning. As I said, they will all have to get on the same page with each other, but by the first game of the season, I see a much more aggressive group getting after the QB, and stopping the run.

[Roy P]

Good info here...

http://www.houstontexans.com/news/St...?story_id=5276

Bentley: ...maybe we can even see Connor Barwin get in a zone-dog blitz scheme. Is that something you are considering?

Frank Bush: Absolutely. Because he is such a good athlete, there are things we can do with him, as far as dropping him out. You know, he did play tight end, so he’s got good hands and we can drop him into coverage or create packages where we send him from different angles and different situations. Even Antonio knows how to drop. We can create scenarios that people aren’t expecting.


Brooke Bentley: Keeping in line with that, another fan wants to know: “What are your plans for Zac Diles next season? Would he move to the weakside?”

Frank Bush: Zac is an integral part of what we want to do. We loved the way he played football last year. Unfortunately, he got injured, but we were really excited about the progress he was making and we are excited about where he is right now. Of course, he is going to have to compete with Brian Cushing and Xavier Adibi. But we do see him in the plans and we do see him moving around and doing some different things with him. We are excited about where he is, and hopefully, he can come back and contribute big time.

Brooke Bentley: Another fan writes: “Tim Bulman looked like a budding star last year in stretches. Does drafting Connor Barwin change things for Tim Bulman?”

Frank Bush: Tim is a budding star, and I don’t think it changes anything. I think it enhances what we do. Tim is a kid that plays with such a tremendous motor, and you always need those types on your football team. Hopefully, Connor can buy into some of the stuff Tim is selling and he can play with that same tempo. We like Timmy; we like the things he brings to the football team as well as the defense. With his attitude and the way he goes about it, we are excited about where he is right now.

Brooke Bentley: This fan wants to know: "Can you teach our defensive tackles this year to stop the run better technique-wise? Or is going to be a scheme change?"

Frank Bush: A little bit of both. We changed the scheme a little bit in the sense that those guys are going to attack more. By doing so, those guys will be able to attack the line of scrimmage and hopefully knock guards and centers back a little bit and we do get more penetration and knock guys back. Maybe we reset the line of scrimmage and knock the line of scrimmage back and therefore stop the running game a little bit better. Scheme-wise, we will do some things where we have more guys in the box and bring them from different angles and keep people guessing more. Therefore, they can’t just get a read on us and target us and block us a certain way. Up front, we are going to attack more so those kids can get off the ball and reset the line of scrimmage, and that will help the running game.

[nero THE zero]

Scheme-wise, we will do some things where we have more guys in the box and bring them from different angles and keep people guessing more.

Interesting.

[NBT]

So here is the way I see the LB's looking in 2009:
1st team:
SAM: Cushing
MIKE: DeMeco
Will: June

2nd team:
WILL: Adibi - (maybe play some SS?)
MIKE: Buster What's-his-Name
Backup all three: Diles

So there are the 6 LB's that Frank Bush mentioned keeping.

Comments?

[RunninRaven]

Word on the street is that Frank Bush likes where I'm at.