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So if the Texans draft Clowney and he lives up to the hype, should we be worried?


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I mean Watt and Clowney. That D may become insanely good. Here, I was thinking we'd dominate (have a 2 game lead at least) the AFC south for the half a decade at least. I really hope the Texans draft a QB or Clowney is a bust :)

 

It is much harder for a DL to make a first year impact than a QB. Look at the Carolina Panthers. Julius Peppers was a can't miss talent. Yeah, they got him with their first pick (or 2nd pick of the 1st round) but I felt when they got Jake Delhomme, as bad as his numbers for other years were, in 2003, he played well in the playoffs to get them to the SB. But look how long it took for them to get their franchise QB.

 

Clowney is good but he won't make the impact that a franchise QB will make. No matter which way you slice it, the first pick will be a QB, IMO. No defense can stay on the field that long without the O helping them and the same goes back-and-forth. They have the running game and blocking schemes to help out a QB, a QB makes a lot of sense.

 

If I'm the Colts, I'd be more concerned if they do land a franchise QB. Plus, DL and OL can be outbid in free agency, franchise QBs hardly make it to free agency for teams to get a shot at them, so get them while you can.

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This is why we run the ball....and specifically RUN AT HIM. Until I see him prove himself typically the best way to slow a pass rush or expose a weakness is to run at them. Worked on Freeney over the years...I mean I will be worried about our OL protecting Luck but if we get the ball out faster this year and utilize Allen, Wayne, TY, Fleener, and Nicks spreading teams out we have options.

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It is much harder for a DL to make a first year impact than a QB. Look at the Carolina Panthers. Julius Peppers was a can't miss talent. Yeah, they got him with their first pick (or 2nd pick of the 1st round). But look how long it took for them to get their franchise QB and once they got it, they win the division in a few years.

 

Clowney is good but he won't make the impact that a franchise QB will make. No matter which way you slice it, the first pick will be a QB, IMO. No defense can stay on the field that long without the O helping them and the same goes back-and-forth. They have the running game and blocking schemes to help out a QB, a QB makes a lot of sense.

 

If I'm the Colts, I'd be more concerned if they do land a franchise QB. Plus, DL and OL can be outbid in free agency, franchise QBs hardly make it to free agency for teams to get a shot at them, so get them while you can.

Yeah but none of the QB's this year are a franchise changer. Every analyst says that Clowney's the best defensive prospect in the past decade or so. Just a little bit concerning, especially when they already have the best defensive player in the league already. 

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Yeah but none of the QB's this year are a franchise changer. Every analyst says that Clowney's the best defensive prospect in the past decade or so. Just a little bit concerning, especially when they already have the best defensive player in the league already. 

they have Mack from Buffalo higher

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Yeah but none of the QB's this year are a franchise changer. Every analyst says that Clowney's the best defensive prospect in the past decade or so. Just a little bit concerning, especially when they already have the best defensive player in the league already. 

 

I'm not worried. They can be the Ravens of the 2000s after that dominant D won the SB, they didn't do jack till Flacco put it on his arm in the playoffs in 2012. Great D can only take you so far, you need to have a playmaking QB. Rules have changed a bit in favor of the QBs since those Ravens won it.

 

I personally feel that with the running game that they have with Arian Foster, a QB like Manziel who makes some key 1st downs with his legs would make them more dangerous than Clowney because he would take away the Texans' biggest division rival's weapon, Andrew Luck, by keeping him on the sidelines. Even Freeney, that Clowney is compared to, took half a year to get it going, and like someone else said, they just kept running at him. NFL OL are not the same easy pickings Clowney faced in college. We had Mathis and Freeney, yet teams negated them with 2 and 3 step drops plus draw plays and heavy RB/TE chipping.

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Our defense is improving, and they still don't have a QB, so no I don't think they beat us for the division just yet. Having a very good DL is great to have, but having a star QB can overmatch that. Plus I think our running game will improve with TRich and that could help neutralize their pass rush.

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I would be more concerned if one of the teams in our division actually had a franchise QB.

 

As far as Clowney we will have Allen back he can stay in and protect. Trent is a good blocker. I am not sure what you mean by worry.

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Cherilus is solid and Castonzo is steadily improving.  With that said, the combo of Watt and Clowney could be too much for them to handle in a few years, so I would look to Pep (or whoever our playcaller is at that point) to try to neutralize their pass rush with things like screens and other shorter routes.  Defenses can be great, but no defense is without its flaws.  It's up to our coaching staff to watch the film and make a good gameplan

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Is it even humanly possible to live up to that hype? He could be a 12 time all-pro and 5 time league MVP and he still wouldn't have lived up to the hype, lol.

 

To answer your question, no. He will make their defense better, no doubt. There are ways to neutralize him.

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Don't underestimate Clowney. The man is a freak and when he tries/gives full effort, he's a dominant football player, he can take over a game(watch the Michigan vs USC bowl game when he had "The Hit"). With the right coaching and support he could be a HoF caliber player, no doubt in my mind. It's just a matter of if he really wants to be great and not just be good/get paid. 

 

At the very least Houston would be getting an above average pass-rusher. 75% of Clowney is better than 100% of other players. I'm certainly hoping that they don't take Clowney. 

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And leave JJ Watt on an island.....

 

In 2012 we were on Houstons 1-2 yard line and we run a quick hitter up the middle.

Watt is lined up across from Castonzo. Castonzo let Watt cut through his inside, hardly even touched him, and Watt stops the play. Honestly, AC, how was that possible?  AC has been among the LT League Leaders in combined Sacks/Hits/Hurries EACH of his 3 seasons. A Huge season coming up for him. Zero doubt he is going all out to be ready. And he will have better help around him. lol

  

Yip, Clowney would be helped a great deal by playing with Watt. Yikes!

 I wonder if that Beast LB will be healthy too?

 

Hmmm! We Better make Sure we have the Guards to get it done. 

 I am confident with Holmes, if he gets hurt, oh boy.

 

 

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The Texans have never won in your stadium.

 

 

You should always be worried about divisional opponents nevertheless. They know you best, and they are going to save every last hard hit for you. That's why the rivalries tend to be so fun.

 

I really wouldn't worry about them, but for the sake of it, you should always keep close look on them since they are a divisional foe. Didn't they almost beat you last year?

 

 

The Colts-Texans rivalry has certainly lived up over the years. It reminds me of the old Saints/Rams rivalry. The Saints used to always come oh so close to beating those Rams teams, and then we'd choke it away or blow it in the final minute.

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It is much harder for a DL to make a first year impact than a QB. Look at the Carolina Panthers. Julius Peppers was a can't miss talent. Yeah, they got him with their first pick (or 2nd pick of the 1st round) but I felt when they got Jake Delhomme, as bad as his numbers for other years were, in 2003, he played well in the playoffs to get them to the SB. But look how long it took for them to get their franchise QB.

 

Clowney is good but he won't make the impact that a franchise QB will make. No matter which way you slice it, the first pick will be a QB, IMO. No defense can stay on the field that long without the O helping them and the same goes back-and-forth. They have the running game and blocking schemes to help out a QB, a QB makes a lot of sense.

 

If I'm the Colts, I'd be more concerned if they do land a franchise QB. Plus, DL and OL can be outbid in free agency, franchise QBs hardly make it to free agency for teams to get a shot at them, so get them while you can.

 

Chad....

 

I'm not sure I follow you with the line I put into bold...

 

The problem is......   there is no franchise QB in this draft.    There are guys worthy of a first round pick,  but not worthy of the first pick in this draft.    No one.

 

Are you predicting that whoever makes the first pick in this year's draft (Houston, or some other team if the Texans trade the pick) will be drafting a QB first overall?      Is that what you're saying?

 

I look forward to your answer......

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Chad....

I'm not sure I follow you with the line I put into bold...

The problem is...... there is no franchise QB in this draft. There are guys worthy of a first round pick, but not worthy of the first pick in this draft. No one.

Are you predicting that whoever makes the first pick in this year's draft (Houston, or some other team if the Texans trade the pick) will be drafting a QB first overall? Is that what you're saying?

I look forward to your answer......

No franchise QBs? The top 3 QBs (Manziel, Bortles, and Bridgewater) are better than Ryan Tannehill, Jake Locker, Christian Ponder etc. who were all drafted to be franchise QBs. Just because they may not be worth the 1st overall pick doesn't mean they aren't franchise QBs
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Chad....

 

I'm not sure I follow you with the line I put into bold...

 

The problem is......   there is no franchise QB in this draft.    There are guys worthy of a first round pick,  but not worthy of the first pick in this draft.    No one.

 

Are you predicting that whoever makes the first pick in this year's draft (Houston, or some other team if the Texans trade the pick) will be drafting a QB first overall?      Is that what you're saying?

 

I look forward to your answer......

 

Yes, and I do believe Manziel, Bridgewater and Bortles, while they may not be Luck, RG3 and Wilson caliber, can become franchise QBs unlike Gabbert, Locker and Ponder.

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No franchise QBs? The top 3 QBs (Manziel, Bortles, and Bridgewater) are better than Ryan Tannehill, Jake Locker, Christian Ponder etc. who were all drafted to be franchise QBs. Just because they may not be worth the 1st overall pick doesn't mean they aren't franchise QBs

 

I guess it depends on how you define what a "franchise QB" is....

 

Just because you're drafted to be a franchise quarterback,  doesn't make you one.

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Yes, and I do believe Manziel, Bridgewater and Bortles, while they may not be Luck, RG3 and Wilson caliber, can become franchise QBs unlike Gabbert, Locker and Ponder.

 

Well....   if I understand you correctly,  that you're still predicting that Houston, or whoever ends up with the first pick, will take a QB first overall,  I think you're going to be very disappointed.

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No. I remember when Lavar Arrington came out from Penn State and went #2 to the Redskins. Everyone touted how he was the next Lawrence Taylor. Arrington just turned out to be decent. My point is that there is no guarantee that Clowney will be as good as his potential suggests. Also tough to ignore all the "lazy" comments about him being thrown around.

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Yes, and I do believe Manziel, Bridgewater and Bortles, while they may not be Luck, RG3 and Wilson caliber, can become franchise QBs unlike Gabbert, Locker and Ponder.

I agree. Especially if they are as improved in the front office as I think they are, they will take a QB. As far as Clowney, I've seen him play a lot and he takes many, many plays off. He averaged 8 sacks per season for his college career and averaged 8 sacks the last 2 seasons as well (including just 3 sacks last season). He may have a season here and there with double digit sacks, but I don't see him doing much more than he did in college--8 sacks per season. So, no, I don't think we will be greatly impacted if the Texans do in fact pick Clowney. Keep keying on JJ Watt--he'll still be the one to look out for.

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No. I remember when Lavar Arrington came out from Penn State and went #2 to the Redskins. Everyone touted how he was the next Lawrence Taylor. Arrington just turned out to be decent. My point is that there is no guarantee that Clowney will be as good as his potential suggests. Also tough to ignore all the "lazy" comments about him being thrown around.

Ding, ding, ding. Another right answer!

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If he lives up to the hype, he'll be a handful, but that's all any great player is.  A combo like Watt and Clowney could be the type of duo that can take over a game, but they won't take over every game and they won't cover for other weaknesses in the defense.  And without a competent QB, they will have their problems.  It's better to just worry abotu what is within your control. 


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