Official Texans @ Colts Game Thread, 11/1/2010

[Arky]

The Texans travel to Indianapolis this weekend to do battle with the Colts on a Monday nighter. Big AFC South matchup with the winner to get excellent position for the stretch run. Both teams have lost players to injury for the season so both teams will be using backup players in key positions. This will be the Texans first opportunity in their 8.5 year existence to sweep the Colts. It is also Coach Gary Kubiak's 3rd opportunity this year to take his career record (35-35) to over .500 for the first time. Is the 3rd time the charm?

TV: ESPN, Monday 7:30 CST

Announcers: Gruden/Tirico/Jaworski

Opening line: Colts by 6
Current line = Colts by 5.5 to 7

Walterfootball.com projects the Texans to cover the spread.

[cland]

I think this game will be all about the turnovers, if we can go +1 or +2, we'll have a pretty good shot. The offense has to start hot. If we can get a 7-10 point lead through the air, the Texans will go right back to the Foster/Ward running game to wear the Colts defense down and burn time off the clock.

I expect the defense to again force/allow the short pass. I hope our defense can get week 1 pressure again, but if nothing else we need to tip a few three-step-drop balls in the air and hope our Linebackers or Safeties can snag it.

The colts are a team designed to play with a lead. There won't be any Redskins/Chiefs late game comebacks against them.

[cadams]

Originally Posted by cland

I think this game will be all about the turnovers, if we can go +1 or +2, we'll have a pretty good shot. The offense has to start hot. If we can get a 7-10 point lead through the air, the Texans will go right back to the Foster/Ward running game to wear the Colts defense down and burn time off the clock.

I expect the defense to again force/allow the short pass. I hope our defense can get week 1 pressure again, but if nothing else we need to tip a few three-step-drop balls in the air and hope our Linebackers or Safeties can snag it.

The colts are a team designed to play with a lead. There won't be any Redskins/Chiefs late game comebacks against them.

after the way we ran all over them last game you want them to start the game through the air? i was actually joking with someone the other day that kubiak would probably start the game passing to "trick" them instead of seeing if they could run on the from start to finish this time.

[HPF Bob]

Whether they do it running, passing or by turnover, taking the lead and then chewing up the clock is critical. Keep Manning off the field as much as possible.

I'm hoping the Texans have designed some new wrinkles on defense to grab an early advantage. Schaub will have to be on his game and avoid the stupid INT that so often plagues his performances.

We should not be afraid to go to AJ and JJ with some OD that they didn't see in Week 1 but, at some point, we have to pound them with Foster and Ward just to see if they are capable of stopping it. If they aren't they may cheat up, in which case, they should be vulnerable to deep routes.

Someone on another board mentioned the "Super Bowl loser hex", which afflicts teams the year after reaching the Big One. Seems like the Saints got hit with this worse than the Colts.

[NBT]

Brown's first game back from the suspension, he is going to be a little rusty, and against Freeny this is not the game to be rusty. Chip on him a little with the TE or RB. I hope we can continue to run on them like we did in game one. That would make the pass blocking a lot easier for the OT's.

[nunusguy]

I definitely don't expect us to win this game, but no matter because I'm satisfied to finally split with Manning. Maybe we can notch our 5th win a week from tomorrow in Reliant vs the Chargers, but that sure won't be easy either.
Monday will give us an opportunity to see what our modified defense looks like, specifically with the absense of DeMeco and Cushing replacing him in the middle and maybe we'll see more of our rookie DTs including just activated Malcolm Sheppard ? We should get a feel if this defense can play well enough to keep us competitive in most of the rest of this seasons games ?

[NBT]

I expect a win. If I didn't why even watch the game? What bothers to me is the Jeckyl & Hyde nature of Kubiak's team. One year the defense is hot, this year they are near the bottom. I don't blame Bush as much as I do Kubiak. He needs to let Bush have some breathing room to do some creative things with the defense which they certainly haven't been doing. After all, they can't get any worse.

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by NBT

I expect a win. If I didn't why even watch the game? What bothers to me is the Jeckyl & Hyde nature of Kubiak's team. One year the defense is hot, this year they are near the bottom. I don't blame Bush as much as I do Kubiak. He needs to let Bush have some breathing room to do some creative things with the defense which they certainly haven't been doing. After all, they can't get any worse.

I would say the decision to be yet again one of the youngest defenses in the NFL has as much to do with this as any other item we can point to.

When they decided to let Dunta go (which I agreed with) and then not sign Bodden (another move I agree with), then they cut both Reeves who was serviceable and Fred Bennett who time to leave had come, they were left with a very young inexperienced secondary.

With no pass rush the young guys are exposed. As i have said in the past they young guys should improve. The guys in the middle need a new plan to get to the QB.

As much as I hate to say it, if Bush and company can not turn the defense around, they need to be replaced. And a nice young aggressive defensive mind needs to be brought in. Someone like Dom Capers.

[nunusguy]

Originally Posted by painekiller

I would say the decision to be yet again one of the youngest defenses in the NFL has as much to do with this as any other item we can point to.

When they decided to let Dunta go (which I agreed with) and then not sign Bodden (another move I agree with), then they cut both Reeves who was serviceable and Fred Bennett who time to leave had come, they were left with a very young inexperienced secondary.

With no pass rush the young guys are exposed. As i have said in the past they young guys should improve. The guys in the middle need a new plan to get to the QB.

As much as I hate to say it, if Bush and company can not turn the defense around, they need to be replaced. And a nice young aggressive defensive mind needs to be brought in. Someone like Dom Capers.

I don't think it was necessarily unrealistic of the Texans' coaching staff to expect they could get enough pressure off of the edge from Mario and Barwin along with A.Smith on the inside in nickel situations to provide enough cover to offset the youth and inexperience of their corners they decided to go with in 2010, but alas injuries happen. It's just that they cut it too close and really had nom plan B when Connor went down. next year one way or the other we get ATLEAST one more pass-rushing prospect.
About your Capers reference ? Dunno if you're totally jesting or are you also promoting the idea of a 3-4 conversion ?

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by nunusguy

I don't think it was necessarily unrealistic of the Texans' coaching staff to expect they could get enough pressure off of the edge from Mario and Barwin along with A.Smith on the inside in nickel situations to provide enough cover to offset the youth and inexperience of their corners they decided to go with in 2010, but alas injuries happen. It's just that they cut it too close and really had nom plan B when Connor went down. next year one way or the other we get ATLEAST one more pass-rushing prospect.
About your Capers reference ? Dunno if you're totally jesting or are you also promoting the idea of a 3-4 conversion ?

First off I agree they had a more than realistic chance of a pass rsuh prior to Barwin's injury. And that the failure may have been the lack of a plan B when he did become hurt.

I was joking about Capers, but IMO if this coaching staff does not have this team in the playoffs, and they fall to .500 or below by years end then the HC and his defense is gone. McNair can keep Dennison to run the offense and look for a new HC. At the top of the list for new HCing jobs has to be the recycled guys, Cowher, Grudden, Brian Billick, and Dungy (not likely). When you look at the Cowher and Billick, they have a 3-4 background.

There are 4-3 guys out there, but few with a name big enough to satisfy our fanbase and the owner.

I can very likely see our team going to a 3-4, and the guy I would pick to run it would be Wade Phillips if he becomes available, not as a HC but as a DC. He runs an aggressive 3-4 similar to the Steelers, not the more passive style that was run here in the early years.

We are one big NT away from a decent 3-4 lineup.

Now another route would be to look at the coordinators in the league, but that is another thread all by itself, and we are 4-2 right now.

But my current top coordinators to watch, Chuck Cecil of the Titans (4-3), he is getting production from Babin, so he must be watched.

[HPF Bob]

Chuck Cecil of the Titans

Flipper? Not sure how McNair feels about coaches flipping off officials but I suspect he frowns upon it.

[WMH]

Originally Posted by painekiller

First off I agree they had a more than realistic chance of a pass rsuh prior to Barwin's injury. And that the failure may have been the lack of a plan B when he did become hurt.

I was joking about Capers, but IMO if this coaching staff does not have this team in the playoffs, and they fall to .500 or below by years end then the HC and his defense is gone. McNair can keep Dennison to run the offense and look for a new HC. At the top of the list for new HCing jobs has to be the recycled guys, Cowher, Grudden, Brian Billick, and Dungy (not likely). When you look at the Cowher and Billick, they have a 3-4 background.

There are 4-3 guys out there, but few with a name big enough to satisfy our fanbase and the owner.

I can very likely see our team going to a 3-4, and the guy I would pick to run it would be Wade Phillips if he becomes available, not as a HC but as a DC. He runs an aggressive 3-4 similar to the Steelers, not the more passive style that was run here in the early years.

We are one big NT away from a decent 3-4 lineup.

Now another route would be to look at the coordinators in the league, but that is another thread all by itself, and we are 4-2 right now.

But my current top coordinators to watch, Chuck Cecil of the Titans (4-3), he is getting production from Babin, so he must be watched.

WOW....can we get thru, oh, I dunno, GAME 7 of a 4-2 start BEFORE we start replacing the staff?

Geez, come on guy. We are 4-2, doesn't matter how we got here, we are here.

I am expecting a great game tonight. Can't really say who will win, but I am betting we can match a banged up Indy team better than most think. I HATE that Dallas Clark guy, and am certainly glad he won't be torching our LB's this week.

LESH GEAUX BOYS - 2 hours till KICK OFF!!!!!!

[chuck]

We're going to find a way to win this freaking game tonight.

[Arky]

Gametime!

Texans win the toss and elect to receive.

JJ brings the kickoff back to the Texan 33.

[TheMatrix31]

Let's get it done baby!

[Arky]

Quick hitter to AJ gets about 11. 1st down.

Pass goes inc. - nearly INT'ed. 2nd and 10 coming up.

Pass to AJ is caught out of bounds. Brings up 3rd and 10.

Timeout Texans.

[TheMatrix31]

Timeout already? Argh.

[Nconroe]

Schaub needs to be careful, almost an interception there after the first down pass. Schaub looks nervous. No running plays yet. Man Freeny ate Duane Brown up on that sack.

[TheMatrix31]

Well that's a good drive to start.

[Arky]

On 3rd and 10, Schaub is sacked. Texan have to punt.

Colts return the punt to their own 41.