The loss to the Redskins over the weekend left a bitter
taste in my mouth. I couldn’t spit it out fast enough it was that bad. For a
third week in a row, the defense coughed up close to 500 total net yards and
made Brunell look like a pro-bowl quarterback. Brunell looked so good that he
set the record for highest number of consecutive completions in a single game
with 22.
The front four of the Texans defense looked totally inept
of talent and drive. They could not stop the run nor could they put pressure on
an aging and immobile Mark Brunell. The defensive coordinator Richard Smith must
have been watching a different game than I was, being that there was only one
obvious blitz in the game (which happened to be effective) and resulted in one
of Brunell’s few incomplete passes.
I have said it before and will say it again, blitz, blitz,
blitz. The game plan obviously didn’t consist of any pass rush or even any run
blocking for that matter. I really hope that this coaching staff was not
absolutely blind in thinking they could win without some kind of blitz package
put together. Brunell was there for the taking and the Texans missed another
obvious opportunity to be competitive.
The Texans’ defense is en route to being one of the worst
defenses in NFL history if they keep up at this pace. Something has to be
changed; whatever it is needs to work. Some, maybe even most of the players on
the defensive side of the ball would not start on other NFL teams. The season
has already started and the possibility of changing the roster is limited but
something has got to give. Kubiak stated on Monday that, “I don’t anticipate any
personnel changes. We’re going to have to make some changes in what we do and
how we do it. We’re going to have to get better real fast.” We are all hoping
that things get better real fast but you have to make changes for it to happen.
The absence of the pass rush has affected the defense to
the point of failure. Mario Williams has been a non-factor in every game this
year. Coach Kubiak had some comments about Williams’ performance on Sunday that
were not very forgiving. Kubiak commented about Williams as saying, “I was just
disappointed. I don’t want to pin it in one area, but I was disappointed
overall.”
That being said about our number one draft pick this year
is disappointing. I feel the progression of Williams should be seen on
the field on a weekly basis but we haven’t seen much. Whether this is due to the
way in which they are using him on the field, or a result of questionable
coaching, no one knows. The one thing we can do is keep the faith that the man,
Kubiak does know and will get this show on the road to turning things around.
When Richard Smith came to the Texans and was given the
title of defensive coordinator, he said his defense would be more aggressive
than it has in the past. It’s already week three and I haven’t seen a glimpse of
what he said it would be. The aggression seems to be lacking in large quantities
and it’s showing on the field.
Last year was a blunder all Texans fans would like to
forget. Capers and Casserly screwed things up together for four long years and
left a mess for Kubiak and the new coaching staff to clean up. I know that it is
going to take considerable time to completely gel together and play like a
playoff or championship team but is competition too much to ask for?