Moral Victories Suck…

Yesterday, the San Francisco 49ers missed out on an opportunity to go 3-0 after a powerful defensive performance against Brett Favre and Adrian Peterson. That performance went for naught on a desperation Hail Mary pass with two seconds to go. It should have never gone that far. With under 2:00 minutes remaining on the clock, the Niners shut down the Vikings and took over possession.

Unfortunately, Jimmy Raye choked and called three running plays in a row, allowing enough time for the Vikings to get the ball again and end the 49er hopes. How much does Shaun Hill have to do for the OC to trust him? He could just as easily installed Michael Robinson, his best pass receiver out of the backfield, to catch a swing pass or a fullback delay—ANYTHING, but three straight runs!

THOUGHTS:

~ Vernon Davis officially became a star today with his tremendous pass catching and great blocking.

~ Kudos to the front three on the defensive line of Isaac Sopoaga, Aubrayo Franklin and Justin Smith. Opponents are not going to enjoy trying to run the ball against this group.

~ It’s time to get Jason Hill out of the doghouse and back onto the field. The 49ers can use his ability to step up late in games when neededcould it

~ I don’t know about anyone else, but it was obvious to me (and my wife) that Frank Gore was limping BEFORE the game. He is suffering from a high ankle sprain, which is a nasty form of ankle injury that lingers a lot longer than the predicted two weeks they say he will be out.

~ It’s time to activate Kory Sheets and add some speed and the ability to get outside to the running game. Sheets is a liability as a blocker so he’ll have to be used tactfully.

~ It’s also time to use some of Michael Robinson’s athletic ability. Now in his fourth season, he has thrown ZERO passes, and has not been allowed to run the option. Come on guys, this kid is talented. Mix it up a bit. Vanilla is too bland.

Gary Mialocq
The SF 49er Observer

Copyright @ 2009
All Rights Reserved

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For Washington Redskins’ Ownership and Fans: Gut Check Time

First, a quick history lesson: Dan Snyder bought the Washington Redskins from the estate of Jack Kent Cooke in 1999 and quickly made a name for himself as a “meddlesome” owner. Following the signing of several aging big name free agents, the firing of head coach Norv Turner in the 2000 season while the team held a 7-5 record, the stage was set for a tumultuous era for the Redskins.

Assistant coach Terry Robisky would take over as interim head coach, the Redskins lose two of their final three games, miss the playoffs. Change becomes the name of the game in Washington.

Following an up-and-down season with Marty Shottenheimer leading the franchise, Steve Spurrier would be given his shot, only to see his “fun and gun” offense fail miserably in his second season, causing him to walk away.

Enter Joe Gibbs.

Most fans had visions of a return to glory. With fans clamoring for stability, for owner Daniel Snyder to let “football people” run the team, Gibbs would go 30-34 in his second stint as head coach and bring “stability” to the franchise.

When Gibbs retired following the 2007 season, owner Daniel Snyder stated the he wanted to create as much “continuity” and “stability” as he could for the franchise. Echoing the criticism that fans and football pundits had been voicing for years, he said he would give the new head coach plenty of time to turn the team around, and stay on course.

Enter Jim Zorn.

Many fans and football people around the league questioned his hiring, with no coaching experience beyond the assistant level, Zorn was an unknown quantity. Mr. Snyder stated that he felt Zorn would be a fine head coach, and that Zorn would be given the time get it done.

While skeptical, most fans claimed to be prepared to allow Zorn the time to fail or succeed. The opportunity to implement the changes that most fans, media people, and football analysts around the NFL claim they wanted from the owner.

Now, here we are. Present day. The day following an embarrassing loss to the Detroit Lions. A team that had lost 18 straight games. Never mind the fact that the Lions are not the same team that went 0-16 in 2008. Never mind the fact that the Lions had a very real opportunity to beat the now 3-0 Minnesota Vikings in Week Two of the season.

Never mind the fact that the Lions held the NFL’s best running back to under 100 yards, or a future Hall of Fame quarterback to only 155 yards passing. No, don’t think of any of that.

Let’s instead clamour to fire Jim Zorn. Yeah, that’s it! Lets go back to instability. Let’s go back to constant change. Let’s have another interim head coach who can fail just as miserably as almost 100 percent of those put in the same position do. Let’s blow up the whole team, and start over. AGAIN!

Let’s bench the ninth rated quarterback in the NFL. Let’s forget that the seemingly instant success for new coaching staffs seen in recent seasons in Atlanta and Baltimore are rare at best. Let’s not understand that the norm for this type of change is more commonly like that being lived through in Buffalo, Tampa Bay, Miami (yeah, they were great last year, 0-3 this year), New York (Jets, they had to change it all again didn’t they), Cleveland and numerous others throughout the NFL’s history.

Yeah, let’s go that route.

We can hire Bill Cowher (one Super Bowl victory in over 10 years as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers), or Jon Gruden (one Super Bowl victory in his first year in Tamp, none since) or Mike Shannahan (two Super Bowl victories with John Elway, none since) or any number of “other” guys to come in and do what? Change. That’s the only thing that would absolutely, positively happen. There would be change. Nothing else is guaranteed.

Or we can actually do what the fans and media and football pundits have said we need to do for many years. Maintain stability. Offer the players and coaches the opportunity to play through the difficulties and experience some form of continuity.

The opportunity to learn and grow as a group without constant upheaval. We could actually NOT “blow it all up and start over”, and find out just how good or bad Jim Zorn really is. NFL history is full of examples of coaches who “fail” in their first efforts as head coach, to be fired early on, to only return later and show what they learned from the first time.

I say let’s try to be patient. Let’s try supporting our team through a rough spot and see what kind of team comes out the other side. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. But firing Zorn now only accomplish two things: another losing season, and another major change.

Zorn can’t get better if he isn’t here to do it. The team can’t grow if we rip up the roots again.

Let’s just try it. For a change.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

For Washington Redskins’ Ownership and Fans: Gut Check Time

First, a quick history lesson: Dan Snyder bought the Washington Redskins from the estate of Jack Kent Cooke in 1999 and quickly made a name for himself as a “meddlesome” owner. Following the signing of several aging big name free agents, the firing of head coach Norv Turner in the 2000 season while the team held a 7-5 record, the stage was set for a tumultuous era for the Redskins.

Assistant coach Terry Robisky would take over as interim head coach, the Redskins lose two of their final three games, miss the playoffs. Change becomes the name of the game in Washington.

Following an up-and-down season with Marty Shottenheimer leading the franchise, Steve Spurrier would be given his shot, only to see his “fun and gun” offense fail miserably in his second season, causing him to walk away.

Enter Joe Gibbs.

Most fans had visions of a return to glory. With fans clamoring for stability, for owner Daniel Snyder to let “football people” run the team, Gibbs would go 30-34 in his second stint as head coach and bring “stability” to the franchise.

When Gibbs retired following the 2007 season, owner Daniel Snyder stated the he wanted to create as much “continuity” and “stability” as he could for the franchise. Echoing the criticism that fans and football pundits had been voicing for years, he said he would give the new head coach plenty of time to turn the team around, and stay on course.

Enter Jim Zorn.

Many fans and football people around the league questioned his hiring, with no coaching experience beyond the assistant level, Zorn was an unknown quantity. Mr. Snyder stated that he felt Zorn would be a fine head coach, and that Zorn would be given the time get it done.

While skeptical, most fans claimed to be prepared to allow Zorn the time to fail or succeed. The opportunity to implement the changes that most fans, media people, and football analysts around the NFL claim they wanted from the owner.

Now, here we are. Present day. The day following an embarrassing loss to the Detroit Lions. A team that had lost 18 straight games. Never mind the fact that the Lions are not the same team that went 0-16 in 2008. Never mind the fact that the Lions had a very real opportunity to beat the now 3-0 Minnesota Vikings in Week Two of the season.

Never mind the fact that the Lions held the NFL’s best running back to under 100 yards, or a future Hall of Fame quarterback to only 155 yards passing. No, don’t think of any of that.

Let’s instead clamour to fire Jim Zorn. Yeah, that’s it! Lets go back to instability. Let’s go back to constant change. Let’s have another interim head coach who can fail just as miserably as almost 100 percent of those put in the same position do. Let’s blow up the whole team, and start over. AGAIN!

Let’s bench the ninth rated quarterback in the NFL. Let’s forget that the seemingly instant success for new coaching staffs seen in recent seasons in Atlanta and Baltimore are rare at best. Let’s not understand that the norm for this type of change is more commonly like that being lived through in Buffalo, Tampa Bay, Miami (yeah, they were great last year, 0-3 this year), New York (Jets, they had to change it all again didn’t they), Cleveland and numerous others throughout the NFL’s history.

Yeah, let’s go that route.

We can hire Bill Cowher (one Super Bowl victory in over 10 years as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers), or Jon Gruden (one Super Bowl victory in his first year in Tamp, none since) or Mike Shannahan (two Super Bowl victories with John Elway, none since) or any number of “other” guys to come in and do what? Change. That’s the only thing that would absolutely, positively happen. There would be change. Nothing else is guaranteed.

Or we can actually do what the fans and media and football pundits have said we need to do for many years. Maintain stability. Offer the players and coaches the opportunity to play through the difficulties and experience some form of continuity.

The opportunity to learn and grow as a group without constant upheaval. We could actually NOT “blow it all up and start over”, and find out just how good or bad Jim Zorn really is. NFL history is full of examples of coaches who “fail” in their first efforts as head coach, to be fired early on, to only return later and show what they learned from the first time.

I say let’s try to be patient. Let’s try supporting our team through a rough spot and see what kind of team comes out the other side. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. But firing Zorn now only accomplish two things: another losing season, and another major change.

Zorn can’t get better if he isn’t here to do it. The team can’t grow if we rip up the roots again.

Let’s just try it. For a change.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Cleveland Browns: Climbing Out of the Wreckage

Three weeks in and that ledge is looking pretty good right now.

 

It’s actually difficult to encapsulate just how bad this team looked on Sunday. From the coaching to the players, it was even uglier than most people anticipated. The 34-3 final score would make the casual observer think the game was closer than it actually was.

 

Let’s look at some stats.

 

The Ravens gained 479 total yards to the Browns 186; they outgained the Browns on first downs 28-11. The Browns were 3-of-12 on third downs, the Ravens 4-of-11. The Browns made no attempts to convert on fourth down.

 

Time of possession was once again lopsided, 28:42 for the Ravens, 21:18 for the Browns. Only Peyton Manning can overcome that kind of deficit, and we obviously don’t have a Peyton Manning anywhere on this roster.

 

Speaking of quarterbacks, the teams tied on quarterback usage, with both teams using two quarterbacks. Of course, the Ravens waited until the game was well out of hand before putting in Troy Smith to run out the clock.

 

Head coach Eric Mangini, on the other hand, decided 2.5 games was enough for Brady Quinn and threw Derek Anderson on the field for the second half.

 

Anderson then promptly reminded everybody why he lost the quarterback competition to begin with by throwing an interception on his fifth play. This was followed by two more interceptions before the final gun sounded.

 

After the game, Mangini said he was looking for a “spark” to get the offense going.

 

So other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?

 

When Browns owner Randy Lerner hired Mangini, the decision split the fan base into two camps, those who thought another branch on the Bill Belichick coaching tree was a great find, and those who didn’t.

 

I lean toward the latter camp because we’d just fired a coach from the Belichick coaching tree and I wasn’t eager to go that route again.

 

However, I wanted to give Mangini the benefit of the doubt, even if I refused to swallow the Kool-Aid.

 

After the first three games, I’m wondering if the Belichick tree is rotten to the core.

 

Mangini’s decision to bench Quinn smacks of desperation. It reeks of a coach who spends so much time second-guessing himself, he can’t commit to anything, thereby leaving the team floundering in the surf, looking for a life raft.

 

The preseason competition, in retrospect, looks like a fiasco of over-thinking the team into a giant hole they may not be able to get themselves out of. It shows Mangini never really had any confidence in Quinn.

 

Unlike last year, Quinn has played like a guy looking over his shoulder, waiting to be benched. So that’s exactly what happened. I don’t feel bad for him because of it, either. Quinn played like garbage, he got benched. End of story.

 

Given the current situation, it’s now obvious Quinn had every reason to be looking over his shoulder. When you are constantly being benched, it can’t help but affect your on-field play, not that I’m excusing Quinn.

 

However, when you look at the sidelines, you have an offensive coordinator calling for a quarterback sneak on first-and-ten after a 17-yard gain by the starting running back.

 

I could dignify that coaching decision with a snarky comment, but it’s just not worth it.

 

How is the public supposed to take this coaching staff, and their talent evaluation, seriously when they throw the ball backwards on third down, attempt Wildcat formations that go nowhere, and call for a QB sneak on first down?

 

No, you now have lost your credibility, and not just with the fans. There are a lot of guys in that locker room who are going to be spending the next 14 weeks playing not to get injured.

 

Mangini said after the game he would get rid of any players who showed any evidence of quitting, which prompted me to wonder aloud, “Okay, so do you cut the entire team for quitting in the fourth quarter last week?’

 

Mangini also said after the game the team has to “identify the things we do well” and concentrate on improving those thing.

 

I now will ask the question everyone else is thinking: What, exactly, is it this team does well?

 

Due to poor play and poor coaching, there is no passing game. Our running backs are either old or injured, so there is no running game. Our wide receivers can’t catch the ball, or are inactive. The defense can’t stop the run or cover receivers.

 

I would like Mangini to name just one thing this team does well except draw fines for violating team rules.

 

The Bengals appear to be rising from the grave, so we can’t count on reviving the season by playing an equally bad team next week.

 

What we can count on is Mangini not naming a starting quarterback until just before kickoff, because we all saw how well that worked for us the last time.

 

Mangini talks about accountability with his players. He needs to apply that theory to his coaching staff. I have seen all I need to see of Brian Daboll’s play calling. It’s time for him to go.

 

Three weeks into the season, this team looks worse than it did last year, and that’s with half the roster turned over. The New York Jets are 3-0, and look at this moment like a team headed to the Super Bowl.

 

Was it coaching that kept them out of the playoffs last year?

 

This question has to be asked. It may not be fair, but life isn’t fair.

 

All Browns fans know right now is Mangini’s favorite shell game is back in play as we wait to see who starts at quarterback versus the Bengals. I said a few weeks ago to not be surprised if Brett Ratliff is the starting quarterback by Thanksgiving.

 

I don’t look so crazy now, do I?

 

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Cleveland Browns: Climbing Out of the Wreckage

Three weeks in and that ledge is looking pretty good right now.

 

It’s actually difficult to encapsulate just how bad this team looked on Sunday. From the coaching to the players, it was even uglier than most people anticipated. The 34-3 final score would make the casual observer think the game was closer than it actually was.

 

Let’s look at some stats.

 

The Ravens gained 479 total yards to the Browns 186; they outgained the Browns on first downs 28-11. The Browns were 3-of-12 on third downs, the Ravens 4-of-11. The Browns made no attempts to convert on fourth down.

 

Time of possession was once again lopsided, 28:42 for the Ravens, 21:18 for the Browns. Only Peyton Manning can overcome that kind of deficit, and we obviously don’t have a Peyton Manning anywhere on this roster.

 

Speaking of quarterbacks, the teams tied on quarterback usage, with both teams using two quarterbacks. Of course, the Ravens waited until the game was well out of hand before putting in Troy Smith to run out the clock.

 

Head coach Eric Mangini, on the other hand, decided 2.5 games was enough for Brady Quinn and threw Derek Anderson on the field for the second half.

 

Anderson then promptly reminded everybody why he lost the quarterback competition to begin with by throwing an interception on his fifth play. This was followed by two more interceptions before the final gun sounded.

 

After the game, Mangini said he was looking for a “spark” to get the offense going.

 

So other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?

 

When Browns owner Randy Lerner hired Mangini, the decision split the fan base into two camps, those who thought another branch on the Bill Belichick coaching tree was a great find, and those who didn’t.

 

I lean toward the latter camp because we’d just fired a coach from the Belichick coaching tree and I wasn’t eager to go that route again.

 

However, I wanted to give Mangini the benefit of the doubt, even if I refused to swallow the Kool-Aid.

 

After the first three games, I’m wondering if the Belichick tree is rotten to the core.

 

Mangini’s decision to bench Quinn smacks of desperation. It reeks of a coach who spends so much time second-guessing himself, he can’t commit to anything, thereby leaving the team floundering in the surf, looking for a life raft.

 

The preseason competition, in retrospect, looks like a fiasco of over-thinking the team into a giant hole they may not be able to get themselves out of. It shows Mangini never really had any confidence in Quinn.

 

Unlike last year, Quinn has played like a guy looking over his shoulder, waiting to be benched. So that’s exactly what happened. I don’t feel bad for him because of it, either. Quinn played like garbage, he got benched. End of story.

 

Given the current situation, it’s now obvious Quinn had every reason to be looking over his shoulder. When you are constantly being benched, it can’t help but affect your on-field play, not that I’m excusing Quinn.

 

However, when you look at the sidelines, you have an offensive coordinator calling for a quarterback sneak on first-and-ten after a 17-yard gain by the starting running back.

 

I could dignify that coaching decision with a snarky comment, but it’s just not worth it.

 

How is the public supposed to take this coaching staff, and their talent evaluation, seriously when they throw the ball backwards on third down, attempt Wildcat formations that go nowhere, and call for a QB sneak on first down?

 

No, you now have lost your credibility, and not just with the fans. There are a lot of guys in that locker room who are going to be spending the next 14 weeks playing not to get injured.

 

Mangini said after the game he would get rid of any players who showed any evidence of quitting, which prompted me to wonder aloud, “Okay, so do you cut the entire team for quitting in the fourth quarter last week?’

 

Mangini also said after the game the team has to “identify the things we do well” and concentrate on improving those thing.

 

I now will ask the question everyone else is thinking: What, exactly, is it this team does well?

 

Due to poor play and poor coaching, there is no passing game. Our running backs are either old or injured, so there is no running game. Our wide receivers can’t catch the ball, or are inactive. The defense can’t stop the run or cover receivers.

 

I would like Mangini to name just one thing this team does well except draw fines for violating team rules.

 

The Bengals appear to be rising from the grave, so we can’t count on reviving the season by playing an equally bad team next week.

 

What we can count on is Mangini not naming a starting quarterback until just before kickoff, because we all saw how well that worked for us the last time.

 

Mangini talks about accountability with his players. He needs to apply that theory to his coaching staff. I have seen all I need to see of Brian Daboll’s play calling. It’s time for him to go.

 

Three weeks into the season, this team looks worse than it did last year, and that’s with half the roster turned over. The New York Jets are 3-0, and look at this moment like a team headed to the Super Bowl.

 

Was it coaching that kept them out of the playoffs last year?

 

This question has to be asked. It may not be fair, but life isn’t fair.

 

All Browns fans know right now is Mangini’s favorite shell game is back in play as we wait to see who starts at quarterback versus the Bengals. I said a few weeks ago to not be surprised if Brett Ratliff is the starting quarterback by Thanksgiving.

 

I don’t look so crazy now, do I?

 

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Lions Win! Lions Win! OK, Now What?

Finally.  After two years of not winning a game, the Lions are off the snide.

And please, this victory over the Washington Redskins should not be discounted because the Redskins are a bad team.  Remember folks, we were that “bad team” 19 freaking times in a row.

Classy move on Lions Head Coach Jim Schwartz to have the team go back out onto Ford Field to share the victory with the fans.  Schwartz said in his post-game locker room talk to the Lions that they owed something to the community and this win is as much the fans as it is the teams.

So the Lions got a win…and they beat a team they were supposed to beat.  It wasn’t pretty but there were some marked improvements.  I didn’t actually see the game only some of the highlights and statistics. 

And did my eyes deceive me when I saw the Lions made a nice defensive stop on the Redskins and promptly drove 99 yards for a touchdown?  I don’t care who the team you are playing against, that is not a common occurrence.

Kudos to the rookie QB Matthew Stafford who went 21-of-36, 241 yards and ZERO, NADA, ZILCH INTERCEPTIONS.

Kudos to Kevin Smith going 101 yards on 16 carries for 6.3 yards per carry average.

Kudos to the other Johnson, Bryant getting 73 yards on 4 catches and a real nice catch for a score (that I saw on the highlights).

Kudos to Megatron for putting in a solid game, 5 catches for 49 yards.  Still got to get him the ball more though.

Kudos to Ko Simpson on a timely interception.

Kudos to the defense for holding Clinton Portis to 42 yards and the huge 4-and-1 stop in the first quarter.

It feels good to finally write something good about the Detroit Lions.  I don’t think they will beat Chicago next week at Soldier Field.  But the Lions have to feel a whole lot better about themselves.  For one game, the hung together as a team and won as a team.  They have shown improvement each week.

Who knows what happens when a team gets hot.  Does this win mean the Lions are on a roll?  Let’s not get to giddy here.  We all know how well they have played on the road in recent history.  The last time the Lions won in Soldier Field was October 28, 2007 with a 16-7 victory.  In fact, the Lions actually swept the Bears that season as they beat them 37-27 on September 30th, 2007.

All right, the 800 pound gorilla is off your collective backs.  Keep improving, give the Chicago Bears a good scare and if you can, surprise the hell out of everyone and win two games in a row!

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San Francisco 49ers: The Good Teams, the Bad Teams, and the Ugly

Just about every NFL coach and player would endorse the idea that “it doesn’t matter how you win, as long as you somehow get the win.”

 

This is the stance they must take.

 

After all, you can’t argue with a win. If you try, you might appear as if you care more about pretty things such as stats, style, and flash. No sensible pro football player wants to be caught dead putting personal stats over team.

 

Despite all of this posturing, the reality is obvious.

 

It does matter how you win.

 

It matters a lot.

 

 

Ugly

 

In football, “ugly” is a common term to describe a mostly defensive football contest.

 

These types of games are usually low scoring and frustrate and confuse fans on both sides.

 

But where are “ugly” games most often found?

 

Perhaps both teams have a good defense which can shut down most other teams’ offenses?

 

Perhaps both teams have bad offenses which struggle against any defense?

 

Or perhaps a team plays every game ugly?

 

If “ugliness” follows a particular team around, then that particular team most likely has a good defense because they always seem to slow down the other team’s offense.

 

On the other hand, if that same team never wins a game “pretty,” then that team obviously has problems on offense too.

 

So, a team that wins “ugly” is most likely a team with a good defense and a not so great offense; because if they had a good offense, they would win and lose many more “pretty” games.

 

 

Pretty

 

A “pretty” football game is generally considered to be a game with a lot of successful passing on both sides of the ball.

 

Both teams dance around the field, and when the music stops, whomever made the last trip to the end zone goes home happy.

 

It is pretty much the opposite of “ugly.”

 

 

Good Teams

 

A “good” team is almost always a team that has a history of winning games.

 

Almost always, this history is “recent.”

 

But what are the most common traits of winning teams?

 

Hmm…

 

Let’s try this: Take the top five players (whomever you think they are) at every position; QBs, RBs, LBs, etc.

 

How good is the team they are on? Are they a winning team or a losing team?

 

So let’s just cut to the chase. The top QBs almost always play on good teams.

The same thing cannot always be said of any of the other positions; most notably RB.

 

 

Bad Teams

 

There are some very good running backs in the NFL who play on bad teams.

 

Over the last few years of losing, 49er fans are well acquainted with one of them.

 

Obviously, there are also top running backs who play on good teams, but I’m sure it can be agreed that simply having a top running back does not mean you have a top team.

 

The most ideal example of this in NFL history is, of course, Barry Sanders. He spent many tough years on a losing team.

 

Sanders was one of the top running backs to ever play, yet even he was not good enough to turn a bad team into a good team.

 

 

Throw the Ball, Not the Game

 

The greatest quarterbacks to ever play have a large collection of Super Bowl rings.

 

The greatest running backs to ever play have fewer.

 

It’s just the nature of the game.

 

A perfect pass cannot be defended. 49er fans have seen this occur many times (cough cough).

 

A perfect run can be defended, because you can’t outrun everybody.

 

However, a typical forward pass can outrun any defender who has ever played the game. Combine this with the fact that a perfectly thrown ball can be placed into any receiver’s hands anywhere on the field at any given time.

 

Not every quarterback can throw the perfect pass of course, but even an imperfect pass will keep a defense on its heals and guessing.

 

Without an effective passing attack, every win is ugly and every loss is hideous.

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Texans Fumble away Victory: A Recap of Keys to Victory

Before Sunday’s Week Three loss to rival Jacksonville, the Houston Texans were on the verge of a winning record. While ordinary teams are not often quick to celebrate such things, the Texans are no ordinary team.

In Week Two’s victory, the Texans were able to overcome horrific run defense. Chris Johnson was able to run all over the field, but the Texans came back to win.

This week, the luck ran out. Houston’s defense played equally bad, or worse. Maurice Jones-Drew had three touchdowns and ran all over the field. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? 

The Texans have the worst run defense in the league. You know it, I know, and you can bet opposing coaches know it and salivate over that stat. The Jaguars offense came alive against the Texans this week. This may be a refrain we often repeat.

Sure, Chris Brown fumbled into the end zone. Sure, the pass interference call on Kevin Walter could have gone either way. But it should never have come down to such plays.

In order to stop the physical Jaguars, it was imperative the Texans take an early lead and force the Jags to catch up through the air. Houston was unable to do so and paid the price in the end.

The first key I identified last week, forcing the David Garrard to sling his way to victory, was not achieved. The Texans defense allowed Jones-Drew to remain a huge factor.

Giving credit when it’s due, Jones-Drew was the story for the Jags. Jacksonville averaged nearly six yards per carry, an other-worldly figure.

Another key I identified was the Houston pass rush running over and past the Jaguar’s  rookie tackles Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton. Again, swing and a miss. The Texans notched exactly zero sacks in the game.

Britton and Monroe are talented players who were taken early in this year’s draft, but keeping Mario Williams and company off the scoreboard completely is inexcusable.  Simply put, the Texans must generate a pass rush from somewhere. Whether the problem is scheme, effort, or talent, a solution must be identified. And quickly.

The time of possession for each team was fairly close, with the Jags holding the bar for almost two more minutes than the Texans. The score was close throughout the game. 

This Houston team, however, is simply not well equipped to win close games. The defense gave up too many points and did not generate enough turnovers. The offense did not score enough points and gave it away too many times. Sounds a lot like years past, doesn’t it?

All of a sudden, next week’s match up with Oakland takes on much more meaning.  Falling again at home would signal an ineptitude that will only lead to the loss of employment for both players and coaches. Oakland possesses a shut down cornerback and a physical defensive line. The Texans are in for a dog fight. Is there any fight in them? Only time will tell.

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‘Battle’-Ready Jacksonville Jaguars Run Over Texans in Win at Houston

In the midst of the Jacksonville Jaguars’ game-long gashing of the Houston Texans’ league-worst run defense Sunday, one play stood out as the Jaguars’ signature.

1-10-HOU 19 (11:32) 32-[Maurice] Jones-Drew up the middle to HST 14 for 5 yards (93-[Tim] Bulman).

NFL.com’s play-by-play account of the game, short and to-the-point, does little to document the grunt work put into those five yards by Jones-Drew and the offensive line.

Having given up a touchdown less than a minute before halftime to go down 21-17, Jacksonville started the third quarter by moving 64 yards in seven plays, including a 22-yard reverse and a 28-yard deep pass.

Inside Houston’s 20-yard line for only the second time in the game—and having settled for a field goal the first time—the Jaguars reverted to their bread-and-butter rushing attack.

After taking the handoff from David Garrard, Jones-Drew plowed straight ahead into the gap between center Brad Meester and left guard Vince Manuwai. He was met at the line by Bulman, who hit him low, and a blitzing linebacker overloading the gap.

With his feet churning, though, Jones-Drew extended the play. Meester and Manuwai dug in, shoving forward behind their persistent running back. Guard Uche Nwaneri and one of the Texans’ defensive linemen joined the pile as the play degenerated into a rugby-style scrum.

Locked in over Jones-Drew, the three big Jaguars muscled forward for five yards before the mass of players collapsed. Nwaneri emerged from the pile pumping his fist in the air, ready for second and five.

Two plays later, Jones-Drew bounced off a would-be tackler at the goal line and walked in for six.

Jacksonville did significant damage through the air, passing for 214 yards and on all five of their third-down conversions. Given ample time to throw by rookie tackles Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton, Garrard hit the Texans up for chunks of yardage throughout the game.

Against Houston’s outmatched defensive front and undersized linebacking corps, the Jaguars’ offensive line spearheaded a ground game that averaged nearly six yards per carry. They generated push on runs up the middle and blocked well in space when pulling for sweeps, off-tackle runs, and a pair of end-arounds by rookie receiver Mike Thomas.

Garrard got in on the action, gaining 32 yards and a touchdown on two designed bootlegs as Jacksonville used misdirection to freeze the Texans’ defensive secondary. All in all, the Jaguars rushed for 184 yards and three scores on 31 carries to spoil one of the Texans’ annual “battle red” uniform days.

Houston’s quick-strike passing offense kept pace with Jacksonville’s grinding ground game for thirty minutes, answering Jacksonville’s long drives with three first-half scores.

But when the Texans lost those two crucial shoving matches on the Jaguars’ first second-half scoring drive and failed to answer with a touchdown, Jacksonville gained the downhill momentum needed for a 14-3 run to take over the game.

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A Tribute To Bob Carroll, a Superb NFL Historian

A few days later I received the newsletters.

I only knew Bob Carroll through the Internet and email communications. However when I visited Canton, Ohio I told Jerry Csaki, the HOF education director, how Bob helped me write my first historical article, entitled,  “A Gleam of Dawn.”

The experience of writing an article for The Coffin Corner was a treasured one. When I saw the beautiful, original artwork in the publication, I knew that I was positioned near a great man as I struggled to get my article up to his standards.

I so clearly remember writing about six versions of my article. I still have each and every email from Bob Carroll. I was astonished today after reading my old mail. I noticed that Bob Carroll passed away in his sleep on August 25, 2009.

I was so busy starting my new semester in college teaching that I simply never opened all of my newsletters and publications.

Bob, in my opinion, was a perfectionist when it came to recording NFL history. He asked me to add so many details. He reminded me, time and time again, that it was my article but that it would be better if I adhered to his advice.

I listened. I learned. And, my territory of readership increased in the world of professional football and sports writing.

Before I published my article, I sent in a two year membership. I knew that an affiliation with the organization that Bob Carroll so dearly loved would add dimension to my interest in sports writing.

I visited the Pro Football Hall of Fame in June, 2009. While I sat in Jerry Csaki’s office, I told him about my article and that Bob was so helpful in determining the style, scope and content of the article.

Csaki said to me, “Do you know him?” I answered, “Only through emails.” Csaki  then showed me a documentary that Bob had contributed to and he showed me his picture. I smiled. He looked so peaceful and fatherly.

Csaki let me know that Bob often conducted workshops at the Hall of Fame. I told Csaki, I would be interested in attending some time in the future.

Although I am headed to Cleveland and to the Hall of Fame, again, in a few days, the visit will take on another character this time.

I know that I must complete the book that I told Bob I wanted to write. I know that I can not delay the project any longer.

Bob actually gave me an assignment and I told him I would start it this Fall semester. I was gearing up to start it, and then, on Sept. 27, I learned that he left us, in a peaceful way, by transitioning during his sleep.

I am writing this tribute to a man whose family has requested that we make contributions to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, in Bob Carroll’s memory.

As for me, I am so grateful to have met Bob Carroll through my writing experiences. I was told by my father that “a person’s gift will make room for him and bring him before great men.”

I have experienced mentoring and sharing with a great man, Bob Carroll. His illustrious contributions and beautiful artwork will forever grace the halls of history.

Finally, I think back to the time I started preparing to write about sports.

I can truly say that something helped me increase my territory, and have my voice heard in another domain, because of the kindness and eloquent gifts of Mr. Bob Carroll.

Indeed, I have had my Jabez experience, and my experiences in sports writing have been greatly enriched.

Thank you, sir.

Robert (Bob) N. Carroll Jr. (July 10, 1936 – Aug. 25, 2009)

 

 

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