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For the experts: How did each of our starting OL perform?

Discussion in 'Houston Texans' started by Hemingway, Sep 23, 2019.

  1. Hemingway

    Hemingway Member

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    Help me out here guys. I thought the line played great in the passing game, but I don’t have a great eye on how they individually performed. Anybody with some insight?
     
  2. vince

    vince Member

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    I’m no expert but I thought they played excellent!
     
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  3. DonnyMost

    DonnyMost not wrong
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    We should all pitch in to get Clutch a PFF subscription.
     
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  4. DatRocketFan

    DatRocketFan Member

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    I would say sht first half and then godlike second half.
     
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  5. J.R.

    J.R. Member

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    Working hard, getting better every day Brian.
    Fun to coach.
    Excited to see what Mike Devlin can do with them.
     
  6. MadMax

    MadMax Contributing Member

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    Definitely improving...it seems pretty evident that we've figured out the best roles for everyone (I THINK!!!)
     
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  7. Nimo

    Nimo Member

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    I just read that they played Roderick Johnson as a TE in some sets. Makes a little more sense why the pass pro looked better. Reminds me of the Cincy game a couple of years ago when the coaches schemed more protection to help the linemen out. Good job by the coaching staff there.
     
  8. ROXRAN

    ROXRAN Contributing Member

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    Man I just moved to a new home - really nice btw and tried to get xfinity out the weekend and they said o we have to come back and trench a line for service ,.... long story short I didn’t watch the game but kept up in game thread - then I seen the game later on my nfl app and wow - this OL needs to be set is all I have to say
     
  9. donkeypunch

    donkeypunch Contributing Member

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    I thought the line did fine but Chargers dont blitz a bunch. They are pretty much a zone coverage team and dont mix it up too often, just sending a 4 man rush most times. If anything, our line is suspect to outside speed rushes on the right side. Howard doesnt have the feet for a Bosa and Ingram, but most dont for a Bosa anyway.
     
  10. conquistador#11

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  11. Win

    Win Contributing Member

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    I'm not an expert either, but this was the first time in quite awhile that they were not clearly bad. I'm kinda optimistic about them.
     
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  12. coachbadlee

    coachbadlee Member

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    I too am no expert, but in my expert opinion, they finally performed like they were being coached by experts.
     
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  13. CrazyJoeDavola

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    There was no where to go but up.

    Go improvement!
     
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  14. aristophanes34

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    There has been a significant improvement in pass pro each week. This week the unit looked much more patient and cohesive. I did not notice any mistakes or blown protections against line stunts and games this week. Partly, this may be because LA employed a straight up 4 man rush in most cases. They did not run as many games as New Orleans, who had something going on almost every snap, or even Jax last week; however, the few the Chargers did run the Texans did not over commit and stayed in their kick slide and their spacing relationship trusting each man was going to do his job.

    Against the Saints this was not the case. For example, the first sack of the Saints game, which came on the second dropback, was a twist involving Cam Jordan and the DT inside him on the offense's left side. The DT, lined up on Kelemete, took an outside path targeting Tunsil's outside shoulder. Jordan let him go first and came underneath around him attacking the inside. Kelemete lunged trying to stay on the DT like that was 'his' man... Pass blocking doesn't work that way (Hell... run blocking doesn't either... There is no 'you got him' anymore). When Kelemete realized Tunsil had picked up the 3, he was so out of position and off balance from over striding he was done. Jordan went by untouched... And that was just one... They blew a few like that in the Saints game. It looked like a lack of preparation or poor coaching... Had Kelemete stayed within his technique and just gotten beat, I would put it on the player. Possibly it's a player trying to over compensate for lack of ability, but... Plus, like I said... this type of thing happened a few times in that game up and down the line. There was one like that in the Jax came too... Not quite as gross, but... Most of the pressure in that game came from blitzes. There are times when the offense does not have enough bodies to block everyone. For instance, if the offense goes empty and has 5 deployed the defense can play 0 coverage and bring 6 (you are welcome for the simple math lesson). Often teams will employ slide protection in these cases. In simple terms, everyone will step to the overload side and will turn the outside most threat lose. In those cases the free rusher is on the QB. He has to know where he is coming from and he has to unload or run before he can get there. That's what happened on the late TD to Stills in the NO game. Watson dropped to the right and created enough space to get that ball in the air before the free rusher to his left could get home. Against Jax, Watson missed a few of these. One time, I am pretty sure he declared the protection incorrectly (obviously, I cannot know this for sure (nor can you PFF!)) because the line slide protected to the left and the overload came from the right. Watson was dead on the snap, and visibly upset most likely because had the protection been right he probably would have had an easy short throw. Perhaps Jacksonville did a good job of disguising their pressure, but it didn't look all that tricky to me. Granted... my biggest pre snap concern was whether or not I would need another beer before the next commercial break, so... Anyway, blitz recognition issues happened a couple of times in that game which, imo, most likely is not on the line.

    But... Against the Chargers I did not see either issue. Again, I think LA made it easier, but it was encouraging to see the number of times Howard stoned Bosa on his initial push then mirrored him keeping him at bay. Also, Scharping looked good and showed good technique inside as well. And that was a hell of an athletic play to tackle King after the Watson brain fart fumble. I know King didn't kick it in gear yet and they scored a TD anyway, but still... Scharping got there quick.

    Obviously, they were not great in the run game Sunday. If you watch, it was mostly issues with Martin and Scharping. Those 2 got knocked back quite a bit in the run game. The Texans had a hard time getting the seal block out on the power. He couldn't pull because play side was knocked back in his way. It is very possible that Bradley had a great plan against the Texans power and gap schemes. He should know them well. Maybe he picked up on a tendency and had his nose crash the play side A gap if he saw 'fill in the blank'... not sure... Maybe with the line change OB was operating with a limited run package Sunday... but it looked like every time they ran the Chargers were waiting for it. And yes... insert 'OB is predictable' comments here... I think he showed the same tendencies during weeks 1 & 2 as well and they were gashing folks. All this to say, I am not sure we can fairly evaluate the run game as of yet.

    Anyway... Certainly not an expert, but sharing what I have seen so far this season.
     
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  15. Rudyc281

    Rudyc281 Member

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    Tunsil/Scharping/Martin/Fulton/Howard

    Damn good line.

    Each rookie is next to a veteran lineman.
     
  16. Nimo

    Nimo Member

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    https://www.pff.com/news/pro-pff-nfl-offensive-line-rankings-following-week-3-of-the-2019-nfl-season

    28. HOUSTON TEXANS
    Highest-Graded Offensive Lineman: C Nick Martin, 70.2

    We’re only three games in, but the Texans look far from a total liability at this point. Laremy Tunsil has been a stalwart with a 75.3 pass-blocking grade so far and the line had a different feel this past week with Max Scharping in the lineup at left guard. He earned a 64.7 overall grade in his first start there after Tytus Howard struggled earlier in the season.
     
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  17. ima_drummer2k

    ima_drummer2k Contributing Member

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    Maybe we finally got some guys who can play and it's just a matter of gelling from here on out?

    I hope they stay with this combo and stop moving guys around. Let them learn how to play together.
     
  18. Fyreball

    Fyreball Contributing Member

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    Based on everything they're saying, that's exactly what they are going to do.
     
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  19. bilaal14

    bilaal14 Member

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    Eh... i will be super impressed if they can help the production on the ground as well.... protection was Grade A... Run o was c-.

    So overall B+

    Tunsil- A+
    Max- A
    Martin- B+
    Fulton- B
    Howard- B-
     
  20. vince

    vince Member

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    With Tunsil being added after the last preseason game, and all the shuffling of the line, we knew it was going to take time to gel, just to see what the Texans have in the unit. And it seems that it’s holding up a good front as they play more together. The pass protection was very good against the chargers and The Jaguars.

    There is a lot of room for improvement, but it’s looking promising.
     

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