Idle thoughts - The Houston Match up. (Texan fans welcome)

[Rob0729]

All I've been hearing from the Texans locker room is executing better so I don't see us changing up anything scheme wise especially on defense. Brady is still going to get man to man coverage majority of the game & will be forced to make accurate throws every time he drops back which we all know he can do. I hope we don't change it up & if we do what are we going to change it up to? Play more zone? I believe Brady would eat that alive. So PatsFans expect the same type of defense just better play. If anything changes its going to be our blitz packages.

Wade Phillips isn't an innovator or very creative. He does what he does which is man to man. Unfortunately for the Texans, Brady is really successful historically against the typical Wade Phillips defense. Blitzing Brady is not exactly a good strategy because unless you get pressure up the middle, he eats blitzes alive. Wade will need to kick Watt inside a lot.

 

[Rob0729]

Greg Bedard brought up a good point about Wade Phillips. He is overrated (my words, not Bedard) in that when he goes to a new team he makes a huge immediate impact in turning around the defense, but his defenses usually fall back to earth in their second and/or third year.

For all the hype about the Texans' defense, their defense isn't all that better than the Pats' much maligned defense. Yes, the Texans give up 50 less yards a game (in part that they are a run first team which means longer drives) and had seven more sacks, but they have given up just as many points as the Pats have (both gave up 331), the Pats give up less yards per rush (3.9 vs. 4.0), the Pats have nine more forced fumbles, and the Pats have 5 more INTs.

 

[SVN]

Houston will play man to man again and I believe thats the best way to beat brady .They should hope for more pressure from their front and will possibly double welker or try and take him out of the game.Thats what the 49ers did early on.You take welker out of the game our offense always struggles,regardless of gronk or anyone.

 

[TexasTradition]

Greg Bedard brought up a good point about Wade Phillips. He is overrated (my words, not Bedard) in that when he goes to a new team he makes a huge immediate impact in turning around the defense, but his defenses usually fall back to earth in their second and/or third year.

For all the hype about the Texans' defense, their defense isn't all that better than the Pats' much maligned defense. Yes, the Texans give up 50 less yards a game (in part that they are a run first team which means longer drives) and had seven more sacks, but they have given up just as many points as the Pats have (both gave up 331), the Pats give up less yards per rush (3.9 vs. 4.0), the Pats have nine more forced fumbles, and the Pats have 5 more INTs.

Last year we had Demeco Ryans and Brian Cushing manning the middle of the D. Nuff said. Ok, just for good measure: http://www.battleredblog.com/2012/4/2/2913942/past-as-prologue-wade-phillips-year-two

 

[Rob0729]

Houston will play man to man again and I believe thats the best way to beat brady .They should hope for more pressure from their front and will possibly double welker or try and take him out of the game.Thats what the 49ers did early on.You take welker out of the game our offense always struggles,regardless of gronk or anyone.

Except the Texans played man last time and took Welker out of the game last time (3 catches) and the Pats didn't have Gronk.

What the 49ers did was play man AND pressured Brady up the middle. Brady can eat apart man coverage without the second piece. The Texans didn't pressure Brady enough up the middle.

 

[SVN]

Except the Texans played man last time and took Welker out of the game last time (3 catches) and the Pats didn't have Gronk.

What the 49ers did was play man AND pressured Brady up the middle. Brady can eat apart man coverage without the second piece. The Texans didn't pressure Brady enough up the middle.

And that is their best bet to do it again. Brady hit some great throws on the money so they have to take the chance to make him be that accurate. Watching the replay yesterday, brady was really quick to get the ball out of his hands and even then the pressure was right there.They certainly have the players to pressure up the middle and will pick somethings up from the jags and 49ers games. And personally, having gronk or not doesnt really matter. You have to stop welker to stop this offense .Without him this offense sputters even with gronk. Not to mention, last few postseason losses, our oline has crapped the bed so if they have a bad game like they are sometimes prone to, our offense can be stopped.

 

[PatsDeb]

Houston will play man to man again and I believe thats the best way to beat brady .They should hope for more pressure from their front and will possibly double welker or try and take him out of the game.Thats what the 49ers did early on.You take welker out of the game our offense always struggles,regardless of gronk or anyone.

If they play the same way they are going to lose. They doubled Welker last time (he only had just over 50 yds. and also had a few drops), and then they couldn't cover Hernandez or Lloyd (or even Woodhead for that matter). Now they are going to have to deal with the addition of Gronk. I think the way to beat Brady (much as I hate to give it away, LOL), is to play a bunch of DBs, cover everybody, and get a strong pass rush up the middle (hello, Watt?) with just 3 or 4. From what I have read about Wade Phillips and Gary Kubiak, however, they are not into coming up with creative game plans, so they will probably just go with the same old, same old. We also have a better run game now, so maybe we won't be paralyzed (as we have been against the Jets in the playoffs and in the Superbowl losses) if this happens.

When I watched the replay last night I noticed that, at least early on, Houston was moving the ball on us, they just couldn't score. Once Shaub threw that INT to McCourtey, they looked scared. When I watched the game last weekend, Houston moved the ball a lot, they just couldn't score (more than figgies). Hopefully they will continue to be redzone deficient. Shutting down Andre Johnson and Arian Foster are the keys. We did pretty good with that last time, but early on they were getting yards. I am a little worried about our secondary. Both Talib and Dennard have been injured since the first game.

 

[IllegalContact]

Houston will play man to man again and I believe thats the best way to beat brady .They should hope for more pressure from their front and will possibly double welker or try and take him out of the game.Thats what the 49ers did early on.You take welker out of the game our offense always struggles,regardless of gronk or anyone.

if the texans play straight up man, they're done......they don't have an LB that can cover worth a lick.....hernandez, gronk, woodhead will be open constantly....there is more than the texans defense can take away.

the dumpoffs will be there all day......

 

[Rob0729]

Last year we had Demeco Ryans and Brian Cushing manning the middle of the D. Nuff said. Ok, just for good measure: Past As Prologue: Wade Phillips, Year Two - Battle Red Blog

This article doesn't disprove that Phillips defenses fall back to earth in the second or third years, but it does show that there has been some exceptions to this rule. Unfortunately, for the Texans' Phillips' second year with the Texans falls in line with the belief. I am sure injuries play a part of it, but Ryan was miscast in the Texans' system and that is why they traded him.

 

[Double TE]

NFL Picks - Straight Up - Week 19 - CBSSports.com

Every single "expert" picked the Pats

 

[BrainTrust66]

NFL Picks - Straight Up - Week 19 - CBSSports.com

Every single "expert" picked the Pats

...always cause for concern. I don't trust these prognosticators as far as I can throw 'em! Have you ever seen Pete Prisco? I'm thinking that I couldn't throw him very far at all

 

[Double TE]

...always cause for concern. I don't trust these prognosticators as far as I can throw 'em! Have you ever seen Pete Prisco? I'm thinking that I couldn't throw him very far at all

Yes but the Pats were the only unanimous selection. Some dude picked the Ravens (Really?).

 

[Wax Frog]

NFL Picks - Straight Up - Week 19 - CBSSports.com

Every single "expert" picked the Pats

So it's true then - we *are* doomed

 

[Uncle Rico]

LIstening to BB presser today:

REISS (I think, sounded like him): How would you describe Arian Foster's running style?

BB: Good


<awkward silence>
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
</end awkward silence/>


Followup., then some elaboration.


So coach is in classic form.

Edit: Now talking about number of passes pats dropped last time v Texans.

 

[PatsDeb]

LIstening to BB presser today:

REISS (I think, sounded like him): How would you describe Arian Foster's running style?

BB: Good


<awkward silence>
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
</end awkward silence/>


Followup., then some elaboration.


So coach is in classic form.

Edit: Now talking about number of passes pats dropped last time v Texans.

I heard this too. Was LOLing in my car as I drove to get my lunch. People must think I'm nuts.

Another good one right after...

Reis "Coach, we all know one mistake, one small mistake, and you can be sent home from the playoffs. How do you deal with the players at this time of year? How do you tell them not to make mistakes, but at the same time, go out there and be aggressive and try to win the game?"

BB "We're all dealing with that at this time of year, coaches, players,....(again with the silence.).

LOL (that's me, NOT BB )

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

Now talking about number of passes pats dropped last time v Texans.

You know, when I watched the replay last night that was actually true. Our lead should have been more than 42-7.

Then again, the Hernandez recovery of the Ridley fumble and the Lloyd recovery of the Woodhead fumble were both lucky to some extent, so I guess it balances out. Watt blasted the ball out of Woodhead's grasp with such violent force that it went so far so fast as to not be in the vicinity of the usual flock of defenders that are pursuing the ball carrier.

 

[letekro]

...always cause for concern. I don't trust these prognosticators as far as I can throw 'em! Have you ever seen Pete Prisco? I'm thinking that I couldn't throw him very far at all

Especially with your bad knee, Ed.

 

[letekro]

Yes but the Pats were the only unanimous selection. Some dude picked the Ravens (Really?).

Ravens are a bit of a wildcard because if Flacco connects on a few of his rainbow balls/draws PI on them, they can beat anyone, including the Broncos and Pats.

 

[SacPete1]

27-23 Pats.

Houston's a good team. Let's not kid ourselves. I actually think this is a tougher matchup that Denver. I'm not paying too much attention to the last game's result. The 2nd one is often different. This is not the Broncos from last year which we knew was very limited offensively.
I think both teams will move the ball. Gronk in the redzone may be the difference.
It should be a good game (said that last time but still believe it).

 

[VinnyPatrollie]

Yes but the Pats were the only unanimous selection. Some dude picked the Ravens (Really?).

I can totally see the Ravens upsetting the Broncos. Manning has sucked in the cold and has gone One and Done 7 out of 11 trips to the playoffs (3 of those after a Bye).