To advance in the playoffs, you must protect the QB and run the ball well
Texans must address O-line issues
Jan 7, 2019, 7:10 am
Last year's O line was bad. This year might have been worse. Frederick Breedon/Getty Images
The off season starts now for the Houston Texans and the time is now to address the most glaring weakness on this football team. The offensive line for the Texans was exactly that, offensive, all season long. We knew it was an issue last year and new GM Brian Gaine had improving the group in charge with protecting Deshaun Watson as his top priority in the off season. We knew if he could do that in his first year on the job, he would no doubt win over the fans and impress his employer as well as his head coach, Bill O' Brien. Everyone had high hopes that with the check book open and possibly a few savy draft manuevers, this team could block, protect and take this squad to a whole new level. Watson was coming off season ending knee surgery as well, so it was imperitive that the line improve if the franchise quarteback was to survive the entire season and stay upright enough to win more games.
With that said, he was limited in the draft picks he had at his disposal and passed on the biggest names hitting the market in free agency. Instead he looked for bargains and steals and guys that had underachieved as well as considering veterans that hpefully had something left in the tank. After starting the season 0-3 and putting Watson in harms way on seeminlgy eery play, the five guys up front for the Texans looked like they might just be the worst offensive line in football and clearly a step down from the sub par group that finished the 2017 season. Just when it looked like it was over and done and the team had no chance to make the playoffs, let alone win their first game, along came Deshaun and his surgically repaired knee, feeling good and running around slinging the rock to the tune of nine straight wins. Thanks to his incredible athletic ability and ridiculous escapability in the pocket, the line looked like it improved with every victory as fans were too giddy with the W's to continue harping on the worst position group on the roster. They won the division and won 11 games, making the playoffs after starting 0-3, a feat that hadn't been done since 1998. It was all good in the NRG neighborhood, right? WRONG!
Along came the playoffs and as every victorious team in the opening weekend of the post season can attest, you have to have solid line play for four quarters as you protect your QB and open up holes for your running game to win at the most critical time of the season. The Colts, Eagles, Cowboys and Chargers checked all those boxes as they survived and advanced to the divisional round next weekend. Philly and LA kept their QB upright and held off two of the best defenses in the league, while Dallas won by opening up big holes for the running game against a stingy Seattle defense and we all know what Andrew Luck was able to do against Houston.
The Texans were sent home to lick their wounds and start the process of improving for next year by addressing the most glaring weaknesses on the roster. It's safe to say it all starts with the o-line and overhauling a position group that gave up a whopping 62 sacks this year while forcing Watson to endure 133 hits in and around the pocket. Those numbers rank up there with the David Carr era as the third worst protection performance in team history, and was in the ballpark of the two worst performances protecting a QB in NFL history. Carr was sacked 76 times in 2002 which set the league record and he almost topped that mark with 68 more in 2005. The only other season where a team surrendered 70 or more sacks was in 1986 when Randall Cunningham was taken down 72 times as a member of the Eagles.
So it's safe to say, the line was absolutely horrendous and it could have been worse if they didn't have such a talented signal caller behind center. When you factor in that Watson led the team in rushing Saturday with 76 yards and it wasn't the first time that had happened, it gives you even more ammunition to how bad the blocking was, as well as the protection. The offensive line failed to open up holes for the running game against Indianapolis just as they had failed to do in the last meeting between the two teams in the regular season. They also had surrendered 12 sacks to the Colts in two games this season and three more on Saturday, while the Colts have only allowed Andrew Luck to be taken down 18 times all season, including the game two days ago. Watson led the team in rushing Saturday in part because he was constantly running for his life and trying to escape pressure in the pocket. He finished the year as the teams' second leading rusher with over 500 yards on the ground partly because it was the only way he could attempt to stay safe and avoid another serious injury.
Now that you finally have your franchise quarterback in Houston, the time is now for Brian Gaine and the Texans front office to address the most glaring need and improve the O-line through the draft and free agency. They will have a full compliment of picks at their disposal and enough money to put themselves in position to overhaul the current group and upgrade the position group accross the board. They better, because if they don't Texans' fans better prepare for more heartbreak and failure than divison titles and playoff victories.
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With the Astros now officially ten games under .500 for the season, manager Joe Espada is taking a lot of heat from the fanbase for the team's struggles.
While we don't agree with the sentiment, we even hear fans clamoring for the return of Dusty Baker and Martin Maldonado, thinking the Astros wouldn't be in this mess if they were still here.
Which is ridiculous. First of all, Maldonado has been awful for the White Sox, hitting .048 (even worse than Jose Abreu's .065). And for those of you that think his work with the pitching staff justifies his pathetic offense. Let me say this: Where was Maldy's game calling genius for Hunter Brown, Cristian Javier, and Framber Valdez last year? All of them regressed significantly.
And as far as Baker is concerned, we have no idea how much a difference he would make, we can only speculate. Baker would also be dealing with a pitching staff ravaged with injuries. And let's not forget, Baker was the guy that refused to move Jose Abreu down in the batting order, even though he would finish the regular season with the ninth-worst OPS in baseball.
The reality of the situation is managers can only do so much in baseball. Which leads us to something else that needs to be considered. Is Espada being handcuffed by the front office? Espada and GM Dana Brown both said recently that Jon Singleton was going to get more at-bats while they give Abreu time off to try to figure things out. Yet, there Abreu was in the lineup again in the opening game of the Cubs series.
It makes us wonder how much power does Espada truly have? The Astros have some other options at first base. Yainer Diaz may only have eight games played at the position, but how much worse could he be than Abreu defensively? Abreu already has four errors, and Diaz is obviously a way better hitter. Victor Caratini isn't considered a plus offensive player, but his .276 batting average makes him look like Babe Ruth compared to Abreu. Let him catch more often and play Diaz at first. Starting Diaz at first more often could also lengthen his career long-term.
Maybe that's too wild of a move. Okay, fine. How about playing Mauricio Dubon at first base? I understand he doesn't have much experience at that position, but what's the downside of trying him there? If he can play shortstop, he can play first base. He's driving in runs at a higher rate (11 RBIs) than everyone on the team outside of Kyle Tucker and Yordan Alvarez. And he's producing like that as part-time player right now.
The other criticism we see of Espada is his use of Jon Singleton to pinch hit late in games. Let's be real, though, who else does Espada have on the roster to go to? Batting Abreu late in games in which you're trailing should be considered malpractice. Espada can only use who he has to work with. This all really stems from the Astros poor farm system.
They don't have anyone else to turn to. The draft picks the club lost from the sign-stealing scandal are really hurting them right now. First and second rounders from 2020 and 2021 should be helping you in 2024 at the big league level.
Maybe they go to Astros prospect Joey Loperfido soon, but after a hot start he has only two hits in his last six games.
Finally, we have to talk about what seems like a committee making baseball decisions. Lost in a committee is accountability. Who gets the blame for making poor decisions?
As time continues to pass it looks like moving on from former GM James Click was a massive mistake. He's the guy that didn't sign Abreu, but did trade Myles Straw (recently DFA'd) for Yainer Diaz and Phil Maton. He also built an elite bullpen without breaking the bank, and helped the club win a World Series in 2022.
The reality of the situation is Dusty Baker and James Click are not walking back through that door. And all good runs come to an end at some point. Is this what we're witnessing?
Don't miss the video above as we hit on all the points discussed and much more!
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