Official Texans @ Redskins Game Thread, 9/19/2010

[HPF Bob]

It's tough for a rookie CB to open his career against Peyton Manning and Donovan McNabb. I thought Jackson played well over all but they were clearly picking on him and he's going to need to make a couple of really big plays or they'll keep picking on him all year.

Can you get used to this?

THE AFC SOUTH LEADING HOUSTON TEXANS!!! We have the division lead all to ourselves for possibly the first time in our history.

[today]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

THE AFC SOUTH LEADING HOUSTON TEXANS!!! We have the division lead all to ourselves for possibly the first time in our history.

I too was thinking it was the first time we ever had sole possession of 1st place in the division. <cheers> Here's to this being the case at the end of the regular season. </cheers>

Question:
I was suprised that Kubes didn't let Rackers attempt the 52 yarder, but then later thought about the wind being a possible issue. 2nd half kickoffs in that direction were a TON shorter than they were in the first half. Did anybody catch whether the goalpost flags were moving at the time of the potential 52 yard kick?

[Arky]

Originally Posted by today

Did anybody catch whether the goalpost flags were moving at the time of the potential 52 yard kick?

I did not notice. I believe it was the same direction as the game winner though.... And the Skins were kicking in the opposite direction which would have made it "with the wind" on the time-out kick and the follow-up miss.... Both of those looked plenty long...

[Blitzwood]

Pollard is the man!!

Great game, great, great game.

I wish our DB's could just play a little better defense, but I think it may have to do with all the zone we play. And like HPF Bob stated, this was Peyton and McNabb....

And nice call icing the rookie kicker, Kube's had some real head-scratchers in the first half, but that made up for it.

[HPF Bob]

I think Kubiak knew Rackers was not reliable from 50+ yards, having never kicked one in real NFL competition. He chose to punt whereas I would have tried to go for it on 4th and 4,

From the 35, if you fail on fourth down, the Redskins take it over from that spot on an incomplete. If you miss the FG, they take it over at the 42 where the theoretical kick would be tried.

The punt went into the end zone and the Redskins took over at the 20.

If Houston goes for it and succeeds on fourth down, maybe they wind up with something like a 45-yd FG for the win if they can make 7 yards.

Obviously, if he tried the long FG and succeeds, the game is over. So, it's a risk-reward equation. The punt is the safest play but you may not get the ball back. The FG was the riskiest play but you can end the game right there. Going for it would have been the middle ground but, if you succeed, you are almost sure of a better FG try.

Yes, the winning FG was kicked in the same direction and appeared to have plenty of distance.

We won so it's all smiles but if Washington won on their FG try, Kubiak would have had a lot of second-guessing.

[TheMatrix31]

Its scary though, I mean, we're going to need a 50+ yarder at SOME point. Should we carry two kickers or something? It would be ridiculous to blow a roster spot on one but what if we come down to a playoff game and we need a 50+ yarder?

[dadmg]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

I think Kubiak knew Rackers was not reliable from 50+ yards, having never kicked one in real NFL competition. He chose to punt whereas I would have tried to go for it on 4th and 4,

Huh???

Neil Rackers, for his career is 19-of-39 from 50+.

[Joe Joe]

Originally Posted by dadmg

Huh???

Neil Rackers, for his career is 19-of-39 from 50+.

The announcer in the game mistakenly said his long was 49...which was Gano's long after one game.

Still, most of Rackers makes from 50+ occurred 5 years ago. He is 5 of 18 in the last 5 years.

[HPF Bob]

Originally Posted by dadmg

Huh???

Neil Rackers, for his career is 19-of-39 from 50+.

My bad. However, it does show the following stats for 50+ for 2006-2009:

2006: one made out of seven attempts (14%)
2007: three made out of nine attempts (33%)
2008: one made out of two attempts (50%)
2009: no attempts.

Clearly, he's not a good bet outside 50 yards away.

[popanot]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

Yes, the winning FG was kicked in the same direction and appeared to have plenty of distance.

Kubiak said there was a lot of wind down at that end of the field so he didn't feel comfortable going for a 50+ yard FG. Obviously, attempting a 52-yard FG in the wind as opposed to a 35-yard FG in the wind are completely different decisions. I agree with you though on going for it instead. With Kubiak's past history, I was more shocked they didn't go for it than I was his decision to punt.