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I would look at how they performed against top notch competition - because the NFL has top notch talent on every team. College players can put up huge numbers 9 games out of the year, but they perform like crap the 2 games they play against top teams.
Manziel seemed to excel, and not shrink away, against Alabama twice and in the last bowl game when they fell behind and he brought them back. He definitely has the mental toughness and swagger to hang in the NFL.
So we got treated to the number #1 Offense vs the number #2 defense this Sunday.
#1 Defense
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jack Lance
A lot of Seattle's defense was acquired through free agency and trades.
yes & no ..... they go nuts churning the roster
However, if you look at their defense one of the first players they targeted was Earl Thomas at #14 overall .... he makes that defense tick
They also spent a first rounder on Bruce Irvin to get more pressure
They drafted Sherman, Chancellor, Maxwell, Lane, Thurmond, KJ Wright, Bobby Wagner, Malcolm Smith and have put some draft picks on the DL - they had holdovers in guys like Red Bryant and Brandon Mebane ... then they went to work and traded for Chris Clemmons, brought in FAs to help clog the middle and get pass rush
So the defense is basically a blend on the DL where they did focus more FA activity and then homegrown for the LBs and Secondary
I can say though - that a smart offense makes the defense all that much better ....... a good team works in harmony together .......... Seattles offense did a good job at controlling the ball, flipping field position and getting some chunk plays - this allowed the defense to do what they do and stay fresh
A couple years ago when Jackson was starting at QB for Seattle they had some good defensive potential, but the offense put them in really bad spots ...... I think this happened with the Texans a bit this year - the defense held them remarkably close despite being in a lot of bad spots this year
They lost to Seattle, Indy, AZ, KC & NE all by 3 points or less ......... that's 5 playoff teams that they pretty much played to a slim margin of error
They stack a good draft this year, which they should be able to do and I think they'll be right back in the running
I'm not sure what I would do if I were the Texans though ..... maybe trade down if anyone is willing
Great teams don't need the #1 pick to build Championship teams. Most truly great teams are built through trades , free agency and later round gems that are not obvious to the know-it-all media pundits . Manziel is a risk , but so is Bridgewater, Bortles or anybody else mentioned. We do need to look at him in the NFL Combine to make sure there are no hidden glitches in his game, but I find it hard to believe that McNair is going to pass on the obvious marketing and PR value of Manziel. I mean the Texans literally dove straight to the bottom to get the chance to draft this guy.
Remember the fan appeal Kenuum had, Manziel will have many times that effect on the Texans fan base.
Manziel is starting to look more like a polarizing figure, which worries me. Look at what happened to Tim Tebow, who was also pretty polarizing and let his "fame" overshadow his ability.
Vince Young was even more marketable for the Texans and they didn't draft him. It seems he has no problem making the unpopular pick. I don't think Manziel has as many deficiencies though. I wouldn't make assumptions about who we tanked for either. Also fan appeal won't last if he does not perform.
I disagree, I don't remember Vince Young being called Johnny Football. Locally Vince had some chops but the national media was not as high on him as it is Manziel.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Truth713
My personal Opionion
* Kubaik never wanted case on the feild the front office forced him
* The old guard defenders were matt loayaist(think about how much better their defending the Qb became everytime Case got set down and matt came in .. no one finds that strange ?
Your not suggesting that the Texans should assume that Kennum will be their future. I do think O'Brian may be giving Case & TJ a second look though and nobody is saying Manziel will start off the bat. I'm also thinking that Schuab will end up in Baltimore.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DRob4JC
Manziel seemed to excel, and not shrink away, against Alabama twice and in the last bowl game when they fell behind and he brought them back. He definitely has the mental toughness and swagger to hang in the NFL.
Yes excellent points. Manziel does NOT choke.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Finger Laker
#1 Defense
They lost to Seattle, Indy, AZ, KC & NE all by 3 points or less ......... that's 5 playoff teams that they pretty much played to a slim margin of error
They stack a good draft this year, which they should be able to do and I think they'll be right back in the running
I'm not sure what I would do if I were the Texans though ..... maybe trade down if anyone is willing
Yes, their defense is not as needy as what a lot of people are thinking. They traded off Connor Baldwin and Demeco Ryans which I think did hurt them, but players like that are not that hard to replace.
Quote:
Originally Posted by crono_clone
Manziel is starting to look more like a polarizing figure, which worries me. Look at what happened to Tim Tebow, who was also pretty polarizing and let his "fame" overshadow his ability.
Manziel is far superior in talent to Tebow. But Tebow was evaluated in the Combine and they saw that he lacked arm strength , but he got drafted anyway. Manziel is a totally different animal..
yeah ... I don't think Tebow let his fame overshadow his ability, meaning that he didn't hit his ceiling because of his fame ..... If anything, his fame hid his lack of NFL ability ........... People wanted him to be able to do it, even when it was clear that he really couldn't - it blinded them
Manziel has a better skill set and his fame is almost the opposite - people let some of the other stuff distract from the work he does put in and the stuff he can do that could translate
I could see a Matt Lienart type scenario if you thought Manziel was more about the party than the work ... not sure if I would buy that scenario, but probably a closer line than Manziel and Tebow
See everytime I look at Manziel something inside me screams bust, and we will regret it.. Sadly I have a nasty habit of being right about such things, which is why my friends no longer bet me..My insticts tells me if we go with him .. a season out from this one everyone will be talking about what a waste of a pick
I would look at how they performed against top notch competition - because the NFL has top notch talent on every team. College players can put up huge numbers 9 games out of the year, but they perform like crap the 2 games they play against top teams.
Manziel seemed to excel, and not shrink away, against Alabama twice and in the last bowl game when they fell behind and he brought them back. He definitely has the mental toughness and swagger to hang in the NFL.
Another lesson learned last night: Russell Wilson 5'11" 206lbs is not too small to win in the NFL.
Johnny Manziel 6'1" 210 lbs is bigger than Wilson.
Mario Williams 6'6" 292lbs first overall pick 2006, did nothing to make the Texans defense dominate.
A lot of Seattle's defense was acquired through free agency and trades.
My point, pick a QB.
Size doesn't trump personality and intelligence. It remains to be seen if anybody available this year has the intangibles to be a franchise QB. Think about Romo and Sanchez. Was it lack of size or arm that made them mediocre? Or ability to execute a game plan?
So we got treated to the number #1 Offense vs the number #2 defense this Sunday. Long story short the Top defense completely owned. I have been saying for months we Texans fans are too obessed with A QB when we clearly need to fix the leaks in are other areas as well. I still belive that a team can go to the superbowl with a decent QB but without a great defense they are not going to win. Dispite not winning manning actually completed the majority of his passes, but the Hawks defense was able to shut them down time after time, they were able to disrupt plays, make manning throw before he was ready and a hundred other things. Yes you need a Great QB to make plays happen but you also need a great recivers and great defense to force turn overs. So did this game change your mind on what the Texans should focus the most on ?
ESPN stats say Seattle is #1 defense, not #2. Carolina is #2 Houston has #7 defense, #11 offense. Their defensive performance deteriorated inexpicably. Matt Schaud didn't have anywhere near the skills to compensate. Somehow Houston didn't exploit the talents on their defensive squad.
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