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2015 Houston Texans Thread (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter GregR
- Start date
dhockster
Footballguy
I listen to talk radio in Houston, and while I think fans like Bill O'Brien, I don't get the sense that they think he is one of the top coaches in the league. I think he did a great job last year, with the QB play that they had, and learning a new offense and defense to finish 9-7. I think if the Texans draft well, their defense will be very good and with a good coach like O'Brien, I think they could finish 11-5. I think the Colts still should win the division, but I think it will be a good two team race.
cstu
Footballguy
Despite the QB's he had, only 1 loss was by more than a score.
O'Brien seems to love Petty - don't be surprised when he picks him in the 1st.
dhockster
Footballguy
I think you are right, they may draft Petty. But I don't think it will be in the first. I think they may trade up to the top of the second to make sure they get him. I think they go defense (probably LB) with the first pick
cstu
Footballguy
That's possible. Only concern there would be if the Titans (or another QB-needy team ahead of them) trade up before them. The Titans could trade up two spots to the #32 much cheaper than it would cost the Texans to go to #33 to jump ahead of the Titans.
dhockster
Footballguy
I agree that they could trade up to the late first to get him. My point was I don't think they use their own pick in the first at 16 on Petty. I think they would be losing value there.
cstu
Footballguy
Only losing value if he's not a starting NFL QB. There have been a lot of 1st round QB busts, but I remember thinking Flacco and Tannehill were reaches.
I agree with trading down if they want him in the 1st.
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GregR
Footballguy
HOUSTON TEXANS 2015 SCHEDULE
PRESEASON
Day Date Opponent Network Kickoff Time
Saturday Aug. 15 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS KTRK 7:00 p.m.
Saturday Aug. 22 DENVER BRONCOS KTRK 7:00 p.m.
Sunday Aug. 30 at New Orleans Saints FOX 3:00 p.m.
Thursday ept. 3 at Dallas Cowboys KTRK 7:00 p.m.
REGULAR SEASON
Day Date Opponent Network Kickoff Time
Sunday Sept. 13 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS CBS Noon
Sunday Sept. 20 at Carolina Panthers CBS Noon
Sunday Sept. 27 TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS FOX Noon
Sunday Oct. 4 at Atlanta Falcons CBS Noon
Thursday Oct. 8 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS CBS/NFLN 7:25 p.m.
Sunday Oct. 18 at Jacksonville Jaguars CBS Noon
Sunday Oct. 25 at Miami Dolphins CBS Noon
Sunday Nov. 1 TENNESSEE TITANS CBS Noon
Sunday Nov. 8 BYE
Monday Nov. 16 at Cincinnati Bengals ESPN 7:30 p.m.
Sunday Nov. 22 NEW YORK JETS CBS Noon
Sunday Nov. 29 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS FOX Noon
Sunday Dec. 6 at Buffalo Bills CBS Noon
Sunday Dec. 13 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS CBS Noon
Sunday Dec. 20 at Indianapolis Colts CBS Noon
Sunday Dec. 27 at Tennessee Titans CBS Noon
Sunday Jan. 3 JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS CBS Noon
PRESEASON
Day Date Opponent Network Kickoff Time
Saturday Aug. 15 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS KTRK 7:00 p.m.
Saturday Aug. 22 DENVER BRONCOS KTRK 7:00 p.m.
Sunday Aug. 30 at New Orleans Saints FOX 3:00 p.m.
Thursday ept. 3 at Dallas Cowboys KTRK 7:00 p.m.
REGULAR SEASON
Day Date Opponent Network Kickoff Time
Sunday Sept. 13 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS CBS Noon
Sunday Sept. 20 at Carolina Panthers CBS Noon
Sunday Sept. 27 TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS FOX Noon
Sunday Oct. 4 at Atlanta Falcons CBS Noon
Thursday Oct. 8 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS CBS/NFLN 7:25 p.m.
Sunday Oct. 18 at Jacksonville Jaguars CBS Noon
Sunday Oct. 25 at Miami Dolphins CBS Noon
Sunday Nov. 1 TENNESSEE TITANS CBS Noon
Sunday Nov. 8 BYE
Monday Nov. 16 at Cincinnati Bengals ESPN 7:30 p.m.
Sunday Nov. 22 NEW YORK JETS CBS Noon
Sunday Nov. 29 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS FOX Noon
Sunday Dec. 6 at Buffalo Bills CBS Noon
Sunday Dec. 13 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS CBS Noon
Sunday Dec. 20 at Indianapolis Colts CBS Noon
Sunday Dec. 27 at Tennessee Titans CBS Noon
Sunday Jan. 3 JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS CBS Noon
GregR
Footballguy
Watt writes a fan a get-out-of-work letter at her request.
http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/page/instantawesome-jjwattletter-150427/jj-watt-writes-fan-get-work-letter-attend-charity-softball-game
http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/page/instantawesome-jjwattletter-150427/jj-watt-writes-fan-get-work-letter-attend-charity-softball-game
cstu
Footballguy
GregR
Footballguy
GregR
Footballguy
That ESPN blurb I posted on Chris Polk mentions him as a special teams player. Not just a coverage guy, but he's a kick returner. Had 11 returns including a touchdown last year, over a 30 yard average though that's not a big sample size so the TD is going to inflate it a bit. We can definitely use more options there.
Houston turmOiler
Footballguy
looks like Stevie Brown signed...Rotoworld has mentioned several times in the last day that we're trying to unload Swearinger. Makes sense with Brown and Rahim Moore signed.
Won't miss him, but it seems dumb to give up on him after only two seasons though. Kareem was ####### terrible his first few seasons, DB & CB's take time to develop just like WR's. Especially now with the rule changes making it much harder to play defense.
It's probably more scheme fit and/or tired of his attitude both on the field and off. Its a terrible year to need a safety though, this draft class is very poor at the position.
It's probably more scheme fit and/or tired of his attitude both on the field and off. Its a terrible year to need a safety though, this draft class is very poor at the position.
GregR
Footballguy
ESPN evaluations:
Kevin Johnson
CB
Senior
6-0¼, 188 lbs
Wake Forest
Scouts Grade90
Position Rank3
Overall Rank15
40-YD Dash4.52
ConferenceACC
Draft Analysis
What he brings: He has the best movement skills of any cornerback in this class, holding up well in press-man, off-man and zone coverages. He can get out-muscled by bigger receivers at times and have trouble getting off blocks in run defense due to his lean frame, so he could afford to get stronger. How he fits: Johnson will add depth behind Kareem Jackson and Jonathan Joseph on the outside. He is a strong fit here with the versatility to line up in defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel's scheme, which requires cornerbacks to line up in multiple roles, including both zone and man technique.
Overall Football Traits
Production 2 2010 (11/5): 31-2-0 2011 Acadmeically Ineligible2012 (12/12): 58-15-3 2013 (12/12): 58-12-3 2014 (12/12): 44-6-1 Career: 8 TFL-1 Sack-3 FF-1 FR
Height-Weight-Speed 3 Tall with slightly below-average arm length. Has added nearly 15 pounds to frame since the spring of 2014, but frame is still on the leaner side. Smaller hands. Top-end speed is above-average. Excellent jump and agility test results at the combine.
Durability 2 Frame is a concern, but durable college player who has started all 36 games over his final three seasons without sustaining any serious injuries to best of our knowledge.
Intangibles 2 Son of Kevin and Judy Johnson, who have been a strong support system. Respectful and well-liked by everyone in the athletic department. Accountable on and off the field. Work habits have improved since beginning of career. Puts in the time in the film room. Learns well and is able to take it from the classroom to the field. Leads by example but has become more vocal as career has progressed. Plays with swagger and energy. Graduated with a degree in communications in December 2014. Academically ineligible and practiced with scout team in 2011. Effective covering punts and potential to develop into core special teams' player.
Cornerback Specific Traits
Instincts/Recognition 2 Above-average awareness. Shows active eyes and very cognizant of route concepts. Flashes the ability to come off of primary assignment to make a play on the ball. Does a nice job of weaving within back-pedal to maintain quality initial leverage on receivers. Good anticipation to jump routes. Will gamble on occasion and is susceptible to effective double-moves. Quick recognition and reaction skills defending the run.
Cover Skills 1 Fluid athlete with natural movement skills. Loose in hips and turns easily. Flexible lower half. Natural backpedal and maintains quality leverage. Smooth transition out of breaks. Above-average man coverage skills both in press- and off-man technique. Quick short-area closing burst. Adequate recovery speed and overall range.
Ball Skills 2 Adequate to slightly above-average production (33 pass breakups, 6 interceptions). Above-average playmaking instincts. Takes quality angles tracking the ball once locating it. Good hand-eye coordination and shows the ability to high point the ball. Adequate leaping ability. While he has above-average height he has shorter arms and needs to continue to add bulk to hold up with bigger and more physical NFL-caliber receivers in contested situations.
Run Support 3 Aggressive and willing in this area. Physical taking on blocks but will occasionally be late getting off blocks against bigger receivers. Takes quality angles in pursuit. Effective at cutting out legs of ball-carriers. Will enter contact with high pad level at times when tackling ball-carrier up high. Needs to continue to improve strength in this area in order to be more effective getting off of blocks and finishing as a tackler.
Benardrick McKinney
ILB
Junior
6-4⅛, 246 lbs
Miss. St
Scouts Grade80
Position Rank4
Overall Rank62
40-YD Dash4.66
ConferenceSEC
What he brings: He has an excellent combination of size and athleticism. His movement skills are a little stiff, but he has very good straight-line speed and closing burst against the run, and he's fearless in taking on blocks. He has good upside as a pass-rusher but needs to get better in coverage.
Overall Football Traits
Production 1 2011: Redshirted2012 (13/10): 102-4.5-1 2013 (13/13): 71-7.0-3.5 2014 (13/13): 71-8-3
Height-Weight-Speed 1 Excellent combination of height and weight. Well-proportioned frame. Built like a 3-4 OLB. Long arms but has smaller hands. Very good top-end speed and leaping ability for size.
Durability 1 Played in all 39 career games (36 starts) during his three seasons at Mississippi State (2012-2014).
Intangibles 2 Coaches rave about his football character. Brings a lot of energy to the defense. Takes well to coaching and has no off-field issues to our knowledge.
Inside Linebacker Specific Traits
Instincts/Recognition 2 Pronounced: Benard-rick. Has adequate key-and-diagnose skills but needs to be more consistent in order to take his game to next level. Has a good natural feel for the game and appears to have fast eyes. Has improved discipline against the run. Improved run fits and maintained better gap integrity within scheme in 2014. Still frequently takes the bait and will get caught in no-man's land versus play-action and misdirection.
Take-on Skills 2 Shows no fear of stepping up and taking on the lead blocker. Has shock in hands to jar blockers with initial contact. Also has long arms to help keep blockers off his pads. Needs to improve consistency of pad level and will be slow to disengage at times as a result. Does not protect his feet well, particularly when pursuing laterally.
Range vs. Run 3 Runs well on a straight line for his size. Is tall and has some tightness. Lacks ideal redirect quickness but is at least adequate. Could be more consistent with pursuit angles but does show good quickness shuffling laterally and above-average closing burst.
Tackling 3 Not a vicious hitter but has good size and enough strength to occasionally deliver a blow. Is an adequate open-field tackler. Has long arms to lasso ball carriers when he's not in an ideal position to break down and wrap up. Keeping pads low will always be a challenge for him. Falls off some tackles because he comes in too high.
3rd Down Capabilities 3 Shows adequate feel in zone coverage. Anticipates crossers and shows good field awareness. Closes quickly when coming forward and does a good job of limiting the run-after-catch. Has some tightness in his hips and will struggle to match up one-on-one with quicker NFL RBs. Flashes upside as a pass-rusher, especially off the edge. Has length and athleticism to improve with more coaching and reps.
1 = Exceptional 2 = Above average 3 = Average 4 = Below average 5 = Marginal
Kevin Johnson
CB
Senior
6-0¼, 188 lbs
Wake Forest
Scouts Grade90
Position Rank3
Overall Rank15
40-YD Dash4.52
ConferenceACC
Draft Analysis
What he brings: He has the best movement skills of any cornerback in this class, holding up well in press-man, off-man and zone coverages. He can get out-muscled by bigger receivers at times and have trouble getting off blocks in run defense due to his lean frame, so he could afford to get stronger. How he fits: Johnson will add depth behind Kareem Jackson and Jonathan Joseph on the outside. He is a strong fit here with the versatility to line up in defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel's scheme, which requires cornerbacks to line up in multiple roles, including both zone and man technique.
Overall Football Traits
Production 2 2010 (11/5): 31-2-0 2011 Acadmeically Ineligible2012 (12/12): 58-15-3 2013 (12/12): 58-12-3 2014 (12/12): 44-6-1 Career: 8 TFL-1 Sack-3 FF-1 FR
Height-Weight-Speed 3 Tall with slightly below-average arm length. Has added nearly 15 pounds to frame since the spring of 2014, but frame is still on the leaner side. Smaller hands. Top-end speed is above-average. Excellent jump and agility test results at the combine.
Durability 2 Frame is a concern, but durable college player who has started all 36 games over his final three seasons without sustaining any serious injuries to best of our knowledge.
Intangibles 2 Son of Kevin and Judy Johnson, who have been a strong support system. Respectful and well-liked by everyone in the athletic department. Accountable on and off the field. Work habits have improved since beginning of career. Puts in the time in the film room. Learns well and is able to take it from the classroom to the field. Leads by example but has become more vocal as career has progressed. Plays with swagger and energy. Graduated with a degree in communications in December 2014. Academically ineligible and practiced with scout team in 2011. Effective covering punts and potential to develop into core special teams' player.
Cornerback Specific Traits
Instincts/Recognition 2 Above-average awareness. Shows active eyes and very cognizant of route concepts. Flashes the ability to come off of primary assignment to make a play on the ball. Does a nice job of weaving within back-pedal to maintain quality initial leverage on receivers. Good anticipation to jump routes. Will gamble on occasion and is susceptible to effective double-moves. Quick recognition and reaction skills defending the run.
Cover Skills 1 Fluid athlete with natural movement skills. Loose in hips and turns easily. Flexible lower half. Natural backpedal and maintains quality leverage. Smooth transition out of breaks. Above-average man coverage skills both in press- and off-man technique. Quick short-area closing burst. Adequate recovery speed and overall range.
Ball Skills 2 Adequate to slightly above-average production (33 pass breakups, 6 interceptions). Above-average playmaking instincts. Takes quality angles tracking the ball once locating it. Good hand-eye coordination and shows the ability to high point the ball. Adequate leaping ability. While he has above-average height he has shorter arms and needs to continue to add bulk to hold up with bigger and more physical NFL-caliber receivers in contested situations.
Run Support 3 Aggressive and willing in this area. Physical taking on blocks but will occasionally be late getting off blocks against bigger receivers. Takes quality angles in pursuit. Effective at cutting out legs of ball-carriers. Will enter contact with high pad level at times when tackling ball-carrier up high. Needs to continue to improve strength in this area in order to be more effective getting off of blocks and finishing as a tackler.
Benardrick McKinney
ILB
Junior
6-4⅛, 246 lbs
Miss. St
Scouts Grade80
Position Rank4
Overall Rank62
40-YD Dash4.66
ConferenceSEC
What he brings: He has an excellent combination of size and athleticism. His movement skills are a little stiff, but he has very good straight-line speed and closing burst against the run, and he's fearless in taking on blocks. He has good upside as a pass-rusher but needs to get better in coverage.
Overall Football Traits
Production 1 2011: Redshirted2012 (13/10): 102-4.5-1 2013 (13/13): 71-7.0-3.5 2014 (13/13): 71-8-3
Height-Weight-Speed 1 Excellent combination of height and weight. Well-proportioned frame. Built like a 3-4 OLB. Long arms but has smaller hands. Very good top-end speed and leaping ability for size.
Durability 1 Played in all 39 career games (36 starts) during his three seasons at Mississippi State (2012-2014).
Intangibles 2 Coaches rave about his football character. Brings a lot of energy to the defense. Takes well to coaching and has no off-field issues to our knowledge.
Inside Linebacker Specific Traits
Instincts/Recognition 2 Pronounced: Benard-rick. Has adequate key-and-diagnose skills but needs to be more consistent in order to take his game to next level. Has a good natural feel for the game and appears to have fast eyes. Has improved discipline against the run. Improved run fits and maintained better gap integrity within scheme in 2014. Still frequently takes the bait and will get caught in no-man's land versus play-action and misdirection.
Take-on Skills 2 Shows no fear of stepping up and taking on the lead blocker. Has shock in hands to jar blockers with initial contact. Also has long arms to help keep blockers off his pads. Needs to improve consistency of pad level and will be slow to disengage at times as a result. Does not protect his feet well, particularly when pursuing laterally.
Range vs. Run 3 Runs well on a straight line for his size. Is tall and has some tightness. Lacks ideal redirect quickness but is at least adequate. Could be more consistent with pursuit angles but does show good quickness shuffling laterally and above-average closing burst.
Tackling 3 Not a vicious hitter but has good size and enough strength to occasionally deliver a blow. Is an adequate open-field tackler. Has long arms to lasso ball carriers when he's not in an ideal position to break down and wrap up. Keeping pads low will always be a challenge for him. Falls off some tackles because he comes in too high.
3rd Down Capabilities 3 Shows adequate feel in zone coverage. Anticipates crossers and shows good field awareness. Closes quickly when coming forward and does a good job of limiting the run-after-catch. Has some tightness in his hips and will struggle to match up one-on-one with quicker NFL RBs. Flashes upside as a pass-rusher, especially off the edge. Has length and athleticism to improve with more coaching and reps.
1 = Exceptional 2 = Above average 3 = Average 4 = Below average 5 = Marginal
Houston turmOiler
Footballguy
Let's dump Swearinger and get another pick today... anything we can get
Houston turmOiler
Footballguy
Yeah that LB seems like the thumper type... I'll reserve judgment, but I've always wanted to get some LBS that can fly sideline to sideline. Hopefully he fills a good role though, I'm happy we added an ILB at least. Happy with the Strong pick as well. Never really watched Kevin Johnson so I'll just hope...
Houston turmOiler
Footballguy
Well maybe...but I'd argue we'd need another one then anyway. I actually think a playmaking inside backer that is fast and can stay in for any package is pretty valuable. Like Cushing pre injury. McKinney seems like the thumper that plays the other ILB spot, but we'll see. I'm just a fan of fast LBS, we've had replacement level guys lately. But I have no issue taking McKinney. We need new blood there. I'd love another one later who is fast, even if he's a project. ...
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jsharlan
Footballguy
I liked the first three picks, but everything after that were head scratchers. I would have really liked to get a bonefide pass rusher as Merc has proven nothing but a rotational guy and Clowney is coming off major injury. Nothing behind them. We can't depend on Watt doing it all himself again. Also no OL at all is a bit worrisome. Overall I feel the draft was a B-.
jsharlan
Footballguy
Eh, it wasn't bad. $6.5M/yr for that position isn't bad. If he plays just like he played last year, I'd say it is a break even deal. He's really improved a ton against the run. If he continues to improve in any/all phases then the contract becomes good value. If he gets worse then yeah, bad signing. But he's young enough that it shouldn't happen like that. My initial reaction was "wtf?!" until I thought about it for a bit. 3-4 OLBs get paid and he's a mediocre starter. The salary fits. Allows us to focus on other positions while not breaking the bank to fill that position.
jsharlan
Footballguy
I don't really have a problem with the dollar amounts, I just didn't agree with not drafting someone else and replacing him. He's had a long time to develop, I think we've seen what he is. He was drafted to be a pass rusher, and he just isn't. Hopefully we address the position next year.
dhockster
Footballguy
Or Jadaveon comes back healthy and Mercilus is better because defenses are worried about Watt and Clowney.
I think, in general the Texans are paying way too much right now for the LB's. Cushing contract is ridiculus, Clowney's is big and now Mercilus. What is saving the Texans is they are not paying big dollars right now at either QB or WR.
GregR
Footballguy
It looks like possibly Swearinger was traded, or if not maybe someone hacked his Instagram account, which posted the following:
No word from the Texans or anywhere else yet on a trade.
GregR
Footballguy
SportsRadio 610 retweeted
Cody Stoots @Cody_Stoots 46m46 minutes ago
D.J. Swearinger is still on the Texans. That's all Bill O'Brien offered on his status. "It's a free country" when asked about DJ's Instagram
GregR
Footballguy
Houston turmOiler
Footballguy
another gem of a draft pick by Rick Smith.
GregR
Footballguy
Media reporting the Texans were picked for Hard Knocks.
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/25196973/report-texans-have-been-selected-for-nfls-hard-knocks
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/25196973/report-texans-have-been-selected-for-nfls-hard-knocks
GregR
Footballguy
Oof Antonio Smith. Weird dude but this caught me completely by surprise.
http://www.si.com/nfl/2015/05/27/antonio-smith-broncos-investigation-child-abuse-nfl-conduct-policy
http://www.si.com/nfl/2015/05/27/antonio-smith-broncos-investigation-child-abuse-nfl-conduct-policy
dhockster
Footballguy
I think the Texans defense this season may be close to dominating. Several reason why:
-2nd season in Romeo Crennel's defense. Everyone should be more familiar with the system and should be reacting quicker. Just last year the Texans averaged 391 yards allowed and 22 points scored against them in the first nine games. In the last seven games they averaged 293 yards allowed and 16 points scored against them.
-No significant losses in defensive personnel.
-The possibility of significant contributions from new or returning players: Clowney may return healthy, and would certainly add to the pass rush. Vince Wolfork and Louis Nix should greatly improve the play at nose guard and help solidify the run defense. Rahim Moore should help out in the secondary. Brian Cushing is now two years out from last major injury and the word from OTA's was that he looked lightyears better than last year in his speed and his anticipation. Kevin Johnson, their number one pick should provide depth in the slot to Joseph and Jackson on the outside.
-JJ Watt should just be entering his prime physically. If he has better personnel around him, which it appears he does, he may be even more dominant.
-I think the offense should be better this year as they also are in the second year of a new system. Also, I think they will get more consistent QB play from Hoyer/Mallett than they did with 4 different QB's last year. A better offense will stay on the field longer and score more points which should take some of the pressure off of the defense.
Calling it here early. Texans defense will be really good in 2015.
-2nd season in Romeo Crennel's defense. Everyone should be more familiar with the system and should be reacting quicker. Just last year the Texans averaged 391 yards allowed and 22 points scored against them in the first nine games. In the last seven games they averaged 293 yards allowed and 16 points scored against them.
-No significant losses in defensive personnel.
-The possibility of significant contributions from new or returning players: Clowney may return healthy, and would certainly add to the pass rush. Vince Wolfork and Louis Nix should greatly improve the play at nose guard and help solidify the run defense. Rahim Moore should help out in the secondary. Brian Cushing is now two years out from last major injury and the word from OTA's was that he looked lightyears better than last year in his speed and his anticipation. Kevin Johnson, their number one pick should provide depth in the slot to Joseph and Jackson on the outside.
-JJ Watt should just be entering his prime physically. If he has better personnel around him, which it appears he does, he may be even more dominant.
-I think the offense should be better this year as they also are in the second year of a new system. Also, I think they will get more consistent QB play from Hoyer/Mallett than they did with 4 different QB's last year. A better offense will stay on the field longer and score more points which should take some of the pressure off of the defense.
Calling it here early. Texans defense will be really good in 2015.
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