Official Texans @ Steelers Game Thread, 10/20/2014

[Big Texas]

Several opportunities for someone to make a PLAY...but no one steps up...

[popanot]

Just trade AJ. If you're going to piss around with Fitzpatrick as your QB, show the man some respect and trade him to an organization that gives a shite.

[nunusguy]

Originally Posted by popanot

Just trade AJ. If you're going to piss around with Fitzpatrick as your QB, show the man some respect and trade him to an organization that gives a shite.

I hear the Seahawks might be looking for a WR, could we get their 2015 3rd round pick for him ? Doubt they'd take on that contract, and besides AJ is hardly the type of receiver that stretches the field the way Harvin does and he did 4 or 5 years ago. AJ is much more like a Boldin these days.
Games like last night night should accelerate O'briens decision to put Mallet on the field, as the ESPN crew said O'Brien plans to get him out there with a little more grooming.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by nunusguy

I hear the Seahawks might be looking for a WR, could we get their 2015 3rd round pick for him ? Doubt they'd take on that contract, and besides AJ is hardly the type of receiver that stretches the field the way Harvin does and he did 4 or 5 years ago. AJ is much more like a Boldin these days.
Games like last night night should accelerate O'briens decision to put Mallet on the field, as the ESPN crew said O'Brien plans to get him out there with a little more grooming.

Harvin is the least field stretching WR in the NFL. He does not even run deep routes. He has 22 catches for 130 yards (a bad YPC for a RB). He is incredibly fast, but they deploy that speed to horizontally stretch the defense. I cannot recall seeing him actually go deep, and he really didn't for Minnesota either.

But AJ does not fit what Seattle does. They don't like to traditional drop back pass. AJ needs to be with a QB that takes his drop and puts the ball where AJ will catch it. Not a guy who throws screens, read option hot routes, wheel routes, and scramble drill balls.

[popanot]

Send AJ to Indy, I don't care. Send him to PHL, KC, CAR, CLE, PIT, BAL, NE...anywhere that still has a chance. I don't even care what round pick they get in return. Give him up for the stupid pick they gave away to NE for Mallett. What a useless trade that was. Send him to BAL for Arthur Brown. Ravens aren't using him and lord knows he can't be any worse than our current MLBs. AJ deserves better than this BS.

[WMH]

Originally Posted by popanot

AJ deserves better than this BS.

Interesting comment.

Why?

[popanot]

Originally Posted by WMH

Interesting comment.

Why?

Because he's put his time into this mess of a franchise. Sure he's gotten paid well, but IMO, he deserves better and they should look at moving him out of respect. Look at it like SF trading Montana. Yes, SF had Young, and there were various reasons behind it, but they moved Montana mostly out of respect.

As for what to do with AJ's WR position, put in Posey and see what you have. Not that any QB on the roster could get him the ball consistently...

[nunusguy]

Originally Posted by barrett

Harvin is the least field stretching WR in the NFL. He does not even run deep routes. He has 22 catches for 130 yards (a bad YPC for a RB). He is incredibly fast, but they deploy that speed to horizontally stretch the defense. I cannot recall seeing him actually go deep, and he really didn't for Minnesota either.

May be but if so that's on Seattle (and Minny). Take a couple minutes to check out Harvins highlites in college at FLA: yes he was a tremendous rusher, but he also caught his share of balls on vertical routes for some other big plays, and we know that Wilson can throw a deep ball. So if the Seahawks didn't trot their sub 10.5 100 meter receiver out wide and run some fly-patters to stretch the field out, it's on them. That'd be like having Usain Bolt on your Track team and not entering him in the sprints.

Originally Posted by barrett

But AJ does not fit what Seattle does. They don't like to traditional drop back pass. AJ needs to be with a QB that takes his drop and puts the ball where AJ will catch it. Not a guy who throws screens, read option hot routes, wheel routes, and scramble drill balls.

You obviously know the Seattle offense better than I do, so you are pretty confidant that they couldn't use a big physical WR with excellent hands who has moderate speed and can bloc well ?

[Arky]

Texans look to be a 1 pt favorite at Tennessee this Sunday...

[barrett]

Originally Posted by nunusguy

May be but if so that's on Seattle (and Minny). Take a couple minutes to check out Harvins highlites in college at FLA: yes he was a tremendous rusher, but he also caught his share of balls on vertical routes for some other big plays, and we know that Wilson can throw a deep ball. So if the Seahawks didn't trot their sub 10.5 100 meter receiver out wide and run some fly-patters to stretch the field out, it's on them. That'd be like having Usain Bolt on your Track team and not entering him in the sprints.

You obviously know the Seattle offense better than I do, so you are pretty confidant that they couldn't use a big physical WR with excellent hands who has moderate speed and can bloc well ?

They just certainly use Andre (anyone could). But they obviously prefer jitter bug types who can win battles in the space Russell Wilson creates. Wilson very rarely throws timing routes (AJ specialty). They let Golden Tate walk so they could pay Percy Harvin far more money. Which of those guys does AJ play more like? Is any WR on that team known for size, hands, or route running? So maybe they could use him in the abstract, but everything about their roster says they would not go near him if we called.

As for Harvin, I am sure he did go deep in College. Lots of guys do lots of things in college. I am not waiting on Keenum to orchestrate a 50 ppg offense based on what he did in college, and I am not basing what Harvin does in the NFL on what he did at Florida. I will look at Harvin's not inconsiderable NFL career for how to judge his ability to stetch the field. The evidence says he averages 11 YPC in his career and much of that is YAC. He is basically a fast Wes Welker who has mysterious migraines that allow him to miss practice whenever he feels like it.

[nunusguy]

Originally Posted by barrett

He is basically a fast Wes Welker who has mysterious migraines that allow him to miss practice whenever he feels like it.

Yes he is, he's a really, really fast freakin Wes Welker isn't he.
The only other thing I would add is that there's a reason the fastest guys in the NFL are wide-outs (and the corners who have to cover them), so it's puzzling that an NFL team wouldn't take advantage of that most most valuable trait given the opportunity.

[barrett]

For the Steelers if Heyward-Bey is on your hands team you need to fire your special teams coach. That guy has never caught anything.

For Houston, I don't know how you give up 24 points in 3 minutes. The turnovers and especially the fumble issues are bad. We are not very good offensively and we aren't going to overcome that.

At least Mercilous was able to build off of last week. I hope he stays on the field when Clowney is back.

Also, it is really sad watching Cushing be half the player he was. He so clearly loved football in the past and played with so much emotion, but now there is none of that.

[popanot]

It's sad wTching Cushing. He has no wheels left. I just hope it's one of those 2-years to recover things, but it's not looking good. Not looking good for our cap either.

[Arky]

Originally Posted by popanot

It's sad wTching Cushing. He has no wheels left. I just hope it's one of those 2-years to recover things, but it's not looking good. Not looking good for our cap either.

Ya, it reminds me of that year DeMeco was "recovering". He was an unproductive slug that year but no one was going to get him (DeMeco) out of the line-up. He insisted on playing and no one was going to tell him different. I hated that. Being a leader only goes so far - you gotta produce.....

[Nconroe]

Originally Posted by popanot

It's sad wTching Cushing. He has no wheels left. I just hope it's one of those 2-years to recover things, but it's not looking good. Not looking good for our cap either.

I think Texans will be fine on the cap next year, most likely, even keeping Cushing. Quite a few already coming off the books next year plus cap is going up now.

Cushing - I hope makes it back but he certainly doesn't have the body control and strength we are used to seeing for now.

AJ obviously loves the Texans, but if he wants to find a competitive team and good trade for Texans let him do it.

[chuck]

Rick Smith or whoever was in charge took Cushing over Clay Matthews. Once again, they were picking a position of need (when you have so many needs annually you can do this pretty much every year...) and once again they made the wrong choice.

[Nconroe]

Originally Posted by chuck

Rick Smith or whoever was in charge took Cushing over Clay Matthews. Once again, they were picking a position of need (when you have so many needs annually you can do this pretty much every year...) and once again they made the wrong choice.

Both guys have been injured at various times, and both are impact players at various times.

Productivity this week likely not related to draft position several years ago.

Might be interesting how LBs line up once Clowney comes back.

[barrett]

Did Cushing have injury red flags coming out? I honestly have no idea. If he did then it's on Smith.

If he didn't then I won't blame Smith for picking an amazing player who was destroyed by the harsh reality of injuries in NFL football. When Cushing was healthy in 2011-2013 he flew around the field and changed everything about how both teams played. Everyone had to be aware of him. One of my favorite Texans to watch when he was right. That's what makes it so sad to see him out there as a shell of himself with none of the fire he used to have. He obviously knows how limited he is and does not have much fun being mediocre.