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I agree 100%. I just wonder how long the Texans will be able to make excuses for Dom not being great at running the ball. Yes, he can catch passes but it seems to me that the lack of respect by defenses for Dom is what is killing the Texans passing game and forcing the dumpoffs. Maybe the OL really is that bad, but it seems to be the easy answer.
Well, based on your stats, why is DD not as good or better than McGahee? According to you the general thought is that the Texans line is worse than Buffalo's line at run blocking. This snippet of stats are from another post, but thought it fit nicely here amongst the folks who think DD can't move the chaings and thus doesn't affect games:Edit to add: the person that pulled these did so from the data dominator for short yardage situations, i.e. first downs in 3rd and 1 to go type situations.
Notice who seems to appear to be the best overall in this list for a combination of attempts, percentage and TDs. That and he is a heck of a receiver who can at least be a safety valve for a QB often about to get pummelled.Also, all the folks who are going to bash DD will look at the first half of last year and all his proponents are going to point to 2003 and the second half of last year where he ran much better and had a 4.3 and 4.5 ypc average, respectively. As to the longest run of 11 yards, he beat that in 11 out of 11 games once he was the starter in 2003 with a long of 51 and he beat that in 5 of 6 of the weeks after week 11 in 2004 with runs of 41 and 44. He also had a 60 yard TD called back due to a penalty in the one week his long was only 10 yards against the Jets.
It would be really helpful if you actually looked at statistics before spouting off with nonsense like the above statement:68 catches 588 yards 27 first downs.40% of his receptions were for first downs. He had an 8.6 YPR average.In comparison, LT's catches were first downs 30% of the time and he had a 8.3 YPR average, Tiki Barber had 11.1 YPR and 34% receptions for first downs, Dunn had first downs 31% of the time and a 10.1 YPR average.Some others - CuMar was under 30% with a 6.0 YPR, Edge went 39% with a 9.5 YPR average, McGahee went 36% with a 7.7 YPR average.I think my point has been made. DD is certainly near the top, if not the best, pass catching back out of the backfield for moving the chains.
Great posting. Opposing teams will let DD rack up stats instead of giving up big plays. The question is will the Texans accept being a losing team with this strategy or change it and try to incorporate some big plays.I just don't think any defensive coordinators are afraid of DD, which makes containing their offense a fairly easy job. I could be wrong.
"Keep" drafting backs? Hollings and Wells were already on board when DD arrived, only Morency has been selected since DD. On why a team would take more RBs, see above Colin - they are incorporating a Broncos style running game with 450+ carries per year, and the drafting of Morency is more an indoctment of Wells/Hollings behind Davis than an indictment of Davis.
Curious where you heard that. I'm not saying it's not true, i just haven't seen that anywhere.
But that does not indicate that they are planning to hand the job to Morency - and certainly not in 2005 - which has been the intent of this thread. I do not disagree that DD doesn't light the world on fire or that he is not a premier NFL back. But there is absolutely no evidence that the Texans are looking to replace him - in fact, all the empirical evidence suggests they are willing to stick with DD for a few more years.
Zone blocking scheme stolen directly from the Denver Broncos - this has actually been common knowledge since last offseason.On the Texans spotlight on NFL access a couple weeks back, the OL were talking about how great the Broncos run blocking has been and how psyched they are to be in the second year of that scheme.
I don't think they are looking to replace him, but I do think they are looking to complement him, and if the guy who is complementing him excels DD could be on the wrong end of a RBBC down the line.
Interesting take. Can you expand on that? I do not doubt it - I just always figured on the 450 carries being split 300-320 to DD in a 16 game season and the rest to the rest - that still leaves quite a few 10-15 carry games for Morency if he is the "hot hand." Don't forget, the team was talking about sharing the load last year, but it was still a great FF year for DD.
Actually my point is that the Texans run blocking is better than everyone thinks. I used team data instead of individual data. McGahee didn't start the full year in Buffalo. When Jon Wells started he ran for over 100 yards behind the Texans line last year. Wells couldn't start for anyone.
The Texans were a LOSING team last year and were behind a lot and the Chargers were ahead a lot. Teams tended to give us the yardage in between the 20's. Stats are nice for fantasy stuff and rotisserie baseball but don't really portray the events on a football field as well as being at the game watching what happens. If you assume the Texans want to stay mediocre on offense you will assume that the team isn't going to change the way they play. I think that is a flawed assumption. We finally have a bit of depth and the offense was still evolving last year since we had 4 new starters in different positions on the line. This is the very first year that we return the majority of our starters across the board offensively. Most of the arguments here are based on the fact that the Texans will just try to run out the same offense from last season. I think that is flawed thinking.
I understand your point about Buffalo versus Houston, but its your opinion. I just turned around your stats because if everyone else thinks Buffalo > Houston OL, then why do people think McGahee is a stud but dismiss DD. Again, not saying he is, just pointing to the full year stats you showed.Also, Wells isn't even a good argument to say he got a 100 yards behind the same line. Even with DD's bad first half of 2004, he still has a career 4.1 ypc and Wells has a 3.0 ypc career average. They aren't even in the same book, so I can see why Houston selected Morency. Even with only a few carries, Hollings also has a 3.0 ypc career average and he can't stay even as healthy as DD.
I just took a bunch of the top-12 fantasy backs and figured out their numbers. And, regardless of your argument above, MacDaddy was 100 percent wrong on DD's receiving ability. Finally, just because DD was on a losing team and teams gave him underneath yardage does not automatically mean he would not do as well if he was NOT given that buffer.I have seen him play, and with coverage tight or without it, DD is an excellent pass catching back, and he has excellent balance and vision - which explains his ability in the red zone. He is NOT a world beater (his runs over 20 yards show that), but it is purely asinine to say DD is not a good pass catching back.
As a DD owner, I will take Mac up and will definitely draft him. In my draft (non-dynasty/keeper with only 15 roster spots or 6 total RBs per team) he will go very late, if at all.I think the most important thing, whichever side of the argument you are on, is that having DD + Morency or just Morency if you think that DD will fail is that if Houston with their blocking/running style becomes a Denver type running attack, get in on the ground floor. DD was the #5 RB last year in only 14 games (and missing 2 other halfs due to injury) and was the #1RB in the second half. I will sleep very well having DD with a Morency handcuff as my number 2 RB.Yo mac, you better scoop up Morency in first round before someone else gets him.
Hey, you do great research. I enjoy reading you, but I don't think you are right on this one...that's all. I'm sure you have seen him play, but I've seen every snap, been in camp, and am pretty close to the team - jmo.The Texans have changed their passing scheme to timing patterns instead of the old Run and Shoot "take what they give you" multiple option routes. They have made signifigant changes to their offense and will move AJ around like the Chargers use Gates. Davis will still get majority touches in the running game - I don't doubt that, but Dom's days as the end all be all to the offense are over.....as well as the expansion years. This team is finally ready to compete. The offense will still be a power rushing offense, but there are many changes taking place over in the bubble.
don't know why we're in disagreement, then.MacDaddy's premise is that Morency replaces DD this year.Agree that a DD-Morency handcuff is good if you are risk averse to DD not yet finishing a 16 game season healthy, though I would not be surprised to see Capers go full-on committee between Hollings, Morency AND Wells if DD gets injured.
I'm sorry, but you can't say because Wells rang up 105 yards on 24 carries that the Houston D-Line is a great line. We're talking about 1 game against a pretty bad team....Sorry, I need more statistical backing than a single game against a bad team to annoint he Texans as a good run blocking team.
I can say anything I want. This place is for opinions. I'm not forcing mine on you. You are free to have yours. You won't get much more statistical backing for Wells starting becasue he isn't that good. He doesn't get the rock much.
You mean like the 1st half of the season last year?121 attempts
Based on what? He has only finished half of his rookie contract. I think you are confusing message board banter with how the team perceives DD. The team has never given an ounce of indication that they don't value Davis.
You wanna bet - I'm with it.Barring injury, there is NO WAY Morency wins even a single start - or that DD/Morency end up in a "committee" - they will probably both PLAY, but that does not a committee make - barring injury, DD is the starter and feature back of that offense for the next 16 games.
And I completely agree tha the Texans OL is a drastically improved run blocking unit - if they improve their pass blocking, they could be right up there with the Cincinnatti Bengals as most improved OL unit
Define committee and I might take you on a sig bet
you got it - barring season-ending injury to either player before week 10, of course.Morency will not have anywhere near as many carries as DD in the Texans offense from week 10 onwards.
need to keep this one. "am pretty close to the team" is my favorite, so far.
So whats the sig bet ??P.S If either is injured after week 10 bet is off
season ending injury - what if one dings his toe and only misses a week or two? I want to win fair and sguare too.You make my sig I make yours.
You are funny. Morency can step right in? Does he even know any plays? Is he even signed?Do you have any links what so ever to support your "open competition" statements or any links whatsoever where the team/coaching staff has said anything positive AT ALL that could even start to lead you to the conclusion that Morency even has a pulse at this point?
