This game was nothing but an Offensive Line CLUSTER FUCK!!!!
CJ, WRs and TEs being a "C" grade was ALL because of the O-Line.......All of our receivers were finding their open windows. However, CJ was too busy dodging a barrage of bullets to be able to step up into the "pocket", find them and throw his strikes.....ALL of our "skill" players did their jobs. CJ just didn't have any "throwing lanes" or time to make the connections.....One of CJ's best attributes is his ability to keep his eyes downfield and anticipate who will hit that "open window".....He couldn't do that Thursday. Once he has to pull the ball down and start hunting for a bail out option the "route being run" on any particular play goes out the window and everything turns into "sandlot" football.......We CAN'T continue to play "Luckball". We need to get back to playing actual football if we expect to get past the first round of the playoffs. I give our skill players an overall a B- for trying to give CJ a target on the run and CJ a B- for trying to find them or making a run for it.
I totally agree with an "A" for the running back room........but if we have to depend on Mixon to be our only bright spot on this offense it is only a matter of time before defenses key on him and shut him down......
I also give CJ a B- for his ability to SURVIVE this game without a serious injury........This is the second game in a row that I saw CJ get frustrated and angry about his lack of protection.........This is also the second game in a row where I actually saw fear in his eyes instaed of confidence.
I think it is time for Nick, DeMeco, Slowik and CJ to sit down in private and discuss what and who should be part of the plan to patch together an O-Line from the pieces we have.....or to go find a piece or two from who's available elsewhere.
I am by no means saying that Carr was anywhere near the quality of QB that CJ is.....but if we all remember right.....He was a highly touted draft pick and expected to be "The Face" of the Texans....Carr did win his first game against the hated Cowgirls before having his confidence CRUSHED due to crappy O-Line play.....They gave him the CURRENT STANDING record for sacks!!!!! His confidence never recovered.........This O-Line, like Carr's O-Line, could ruin CJ's confidence just like Carr's O-Line did for him.
Let's hope the "fix" happens before that!!!!!!
Across the front should be.....Tunsil, Howard, Scruggs, Patterson and Fisher.......with Mason and Kendrick Green as back-up options at guard......They and the other pieces of the protection packages (TEs and RBs) should ALL sit down together IN PRIVATE with CJ, Slowik and DeMeco and have a "Sunday go to meeting" meeting with each other about their individual strengths and weaknesses and find out how to support each other better.......This CAN NOT turn into a "finger pointing" situation......it needs to be an honest and productive situation!!!!!!
The above should be the O-Line moving forward..........at least until we can go outside and find a viable LG and an additional swing tackle to work into the rotation. It will take anyone we go get a bit of time to prove they should start and learn the scheme but replacing Kenyon Green with a viable player we have on the roster now is PARAMOUNT to our QB having a secure enough pocket to be able to keep his eyes downfield, find his receivers and carve up defenses instead of looking for an escape route and running for his life.
At this point of the season we are depending solely on the defense to keep the score low enough so CJ and Mixon can work their magic.........BUT.....at this point of the season this O-Line is exposing what is actually behind that "magic curtain"......We have found out, along with everyone else, it requires CJ having 2-4 seconds of clean-ish pocket time for his magical slight of hand to work effectively......and that well run "stunts" against a sub-par O-Line exploits his weaknesses. We also saw that once a defense closes Mixon's cut back lanes his magical production goes down as well.
This game was nothing but an Offensive Line CLUSTER FUCK!!!!
CJ, WRs and TEs being a "C" grade was ALL because of the O-Line.......All of our receivers were finding their open windows. However, CJ was too busy dodging a barrage of bullets to be able to step up into the "pocket", find them and throw his strikes.....ALL of our "skill" players did their jobs. CJ just didn't have any "throwing lanes" or time to make the connections.....One of CJ's best attributes is his ability to keep his eyes downfield and anticipate who will hit that "open window".....He couldn't do that Thursday. Once he has to pull the ball down and start hunting for a bail out option the "route being run" on any particular play goes out the window and everything turns into "sandlot" football.......We CAN'T continue to play "Luckball". We need to get back to playing actual football if we expect to get past the first round of the playoffs. I give our skill players an overall a B- for trying to give CJ a target on the run and CJ a B- for trying to find them or making a run for it.
I totally agree with an "A" for the running back room........but if we have to depend on Mixon to be our only bright spot on this offense it is only a matter of time before defenses key on him and shut him down......
I also give CJ a B- for his ability to SURVIVE this game without a serious injury........This is the second game in a row that I saw CJ get frustrated and angry about his lack of protection.........This is also the second game in a row where I actually saw fear in his eyes instaed of confidence.
I think it is time for Nick, DeMeco, Slowik and CJ to sit down in private and discuss what and who should be part of the plan to patch together an O-Line from the pieces we have.....or to go find a piece or two from who's available elsewhere.
I am by no means saying that Carr was anywhere near the quality of QB that CJ is.....but if we all remember right.....He was a highly touted draft pick and expected to be "The Face" of the Texans....Carr did win his first game against the hated Cowgirls before having his confidence CRUSHED due to crappy O-Line play.....They gave him the CURRENT STANDING record for sacks!!!!! His confidence never recovered.........This O-Line, like Carr's O-Line, could ruin CJ's confidence just like Carr's O-Line did for him.
Let's hope the "fix" happens before that!!!!!!
Across the front should be.....Tunsil, Howard, Scruggs, Patterson and Fisher.......with Mason and Kendrick Green as back-up options at guard......They and the other pieces of the protection packages (TEs and RBs) should ALL sit down together IN PRIVATE with CJ, Slowik and DeMeco and have a "Sunday go to meeting" meeting with each other about their individual strengths and weaknesses and find out how to support each other better.......This CAN NOT turn into a "finger pointing" situation......it needs to be an honest and productive situation!!!!!!
The above should be the O-Line moving forward..........at least until we can go outside and find a viable LG and an additional swing tackle to work into the rotation. It will take anyone we go get a bit of time to prove they should start and learn the scheme but replacing Kenyon Green with a viable player we have on the roster now is PARAMOUNT to our QB having a secure enough pocket to be able to keep his eyes downfield, find his receivers and carve up defenses instead of looking for an escape route and running for his life.
At this point of the season we are depending solely on the defense to keep the score low enough so CJ and Mixon can work their magic.........BUT.....at this point of the season this O-Line is exposing what is actually behind that "magic curtain"......We have found out, along with everyone else, it requires CJ having 2-4 seconds of clean-ish pocket time for his magical slight of hand to work effectively......and that well run "stunts" against a sub-par O-Line exploits his weaknesses. We also saw that once a defense closes Mixon's cut back lanes his magical production goes down as well.
Fingers crossed and STILL........
KEEPING THE FAITH!!!!
GO TEXANS!!!!
CJ gets an A for survival! Haha
I am all for benching Shaq Mason.