Texans @ Stillers, Game 1 Preview

Texans @ Steelers, Game 1 Preview��� �By The Mighty Quinn �

 

Here�s some reading material for your pre-game festivities.  Similar to what you would see in the Post-Gazette, with certain areas of greater importance broken out from your basic offense, defense, and special teams comparisons.

 

Passing Game:

Quarterback: Steelers 9 out of 10, Texans 6 out of 10

 

Roethlisberger has all of the tools and the poise.  He still forces throws to make something happen, but even that may be changing as he appeared to check down to the RB in pre-season more than in past years.  If #7 gets solid line play and makes decisions a little bit sooner, he warrants a 10 in this category.  Matt Schaub isn�t bad, especially after being stuck behind Michael Vick in Atlanta.  In fact he was probably one of the better no-name QB�s in the league.  The QB rating was above the league average, but he threw 9 TD�s and 9 picks.  His back-up, Sage Rosenfels, played in several games last year due to injury and he threw 15 TD�s and 12 Ints.  But compare their combined 24 TD/21 Ints to Ben�s 32 and 11.  That�s a large gap.  Schaub doesn�t run often or very well but the Steelers tend to give QB�s their biggest rushing gains of the season on 3^rd and long.

 

Steelers Receivers against Texans Pass Defenders:  Steelers 8.5/10, Texans 5.5/10

 

The Texans� best cover corner, Dunta Robinson, won�t be on the field.  For some NFL history, Roethlisberger was drafted after Robinson in 2004.  The Steelers therefore will face Jacques Reeves and Fred Bennett on the corners.  Who are they???  Exactly!  Reeves was a FA acquisition from Dallas and was expected to play in the nickel role.  He has one interception in 4 NFL seasons.  Bennett is serviceable and led Houston with 3 pick-offs last year.  Will Demps, formerly of the Ravens and Giants, is the big name of the pass defenders.  Assuming the Steelers remember that TE�s are allowed to catch the ball (and that Miller and Spaeth aren�t kept on the line for a max protect scheme), I like Triple H (Holmes, Hines, and Heath) against whomever the Texans throw out there.  Keeping Ben upright remains the biggest question mark in the success of the passing game.  The Texans only had 11 total picks last year.  11!!!  Isn�t that sad?  It�s so sad that misery loves company and the Steelers defense decided they only wanted 11 interceptions too� 

 

Texans Receivers/Steelers Pass Defenders:  Steelers 6/10, Texans 7.5/10

 

Put Ike Taylor on Andre Johnson and keep a safety close by.  Johnson is one of the best receivers in the NFL.  In only 9 games last year he had 851 yards and 8 TD�s.  Projected to 16 games, he would have finished second only to Moss and his record breaking season.  The problem is if you roll coverage to Johnson, Kevin Walter is another big target (6�3�) that would be matched up with Townsend, who is 5�10� in heels.  The Texans follow with Andre Davis and Jacoby Jones in their extra WR sets.  Schaub�s safety blanket is TE Owen Daniels, who caught 63 passes.  Maybe if Timmons� 3^rd down responsibility is covering Daniels underneath, the Steelers won�t be so vulnerable to TE completions.  There is a healthy amount size, speed, and talent in Houston�s pass catching group, so generating pressure from the down linemen is paramount in relation to the performance of the defensive backs.  Really, Houston doesn�t have the running game to hurt the Steelers so it would seem it�s time for Polamalu to play in a two-deep zone safety spot instead of his indefinable hybrid role that starts or ends near the line of scrimmage.  If I was Houston, I would run a lot of 4 WR sets (or 3 WR, 1 TE).  It keeps your most talented position on the field more often and eliminates the Steelers� edge in interior line play.    

 

Line Play and Running Game:

 

Steelers� running game against Texans� run defense:  Steelers 7.5/10, Texans 5.5/10

 

Despite what seemed like a sporadic ground attack at times the Steelers were still 3^rd in the league in rushing in �07.  Maybe my perception was distorted by Parker gaining a yard, then losing 3, then gaining 8.  Arians still runs him inside far too often.  Hopefully the use of Mendenhall will add more pile pushing power that converts a 3^rd and 2 on the ground instead of making it a passing situation.  The Steelers only scored 9 rushing TD�s last season.  When is the last time you can remember their running game getting into the end zone so infrequently?  Normally they have one back with at least 10 TD�s and a team total approaching 20.  The Texans ranked 19^th against the run, giving up 114.1 yards per game.  A majority of their tackles come from MLB Demeco Ryans and Morlon Greenwood, who lines up on Mario Williams� side in their base 4-3.  The Steelers should focus their running efforts to the right, away from Williams� side, attacking Anthony Weaver, Amobi Okoye, and 2^nd year LB Zach Diles.  Maybe this will mean we�ll see more of Kemoeatu pulling and Simmons moving his lazy ass down the field to the second level of blockers. 

 

Texans� running game against Steelers� run defense:  Steelers 7/10, Texans 5.5/10

 

Maybe this rating is too critical of the Steelers� run defense.  It will remain so until they face a good running team with some talent at RB.  Luckily that doesn�t happen in week 1.  The Texans don�t really have the weapons.  Ahman Green, a member of Lombardi�s Packers, starts for the Texans.  There�s a good chance he�ll be taking a ride on the cart before this game ends.  Ron Dayne led them in rushing last year so you know there isn�t much to their talent in the backfield.  They tried to upgrade that by drafting Steve Slaton.  He�s the shifty, cutback type runner that could hurt the Steelers but he�s third on the depth chart.  I�ll be watching how #98 Hampton is handled on the interior.  If he puts forth the effort, requiring two blockers to hold him off, then the Steelers will win the battle at the line.  It will also be interesting to see how Woodley plays against the run.  I�ve seen him rush the passer and I�ve seen him cover guys in the short zones.  Can he shed blockers to find the backs?

 

Steelers� pass blocking against Texans� pass rush:  Steelers 5/10, Texans 6.5/10

 

Even though Roethlisberger is already talking about Mario Williams, there isn�t too much else to discuss about the Texans pass rush.  Yes, the Steelers offensive line can allow the most inept defense to have jailbreaks into the backfield all afternoon.  However, Williams� 14 sacks were nearly half of the team total of 31.  Okoye on the interior is also extremely agile.  His match-up with Simmons or Hartwig is more concerning than Williams against Marvel Smith.  It�s the situation where I have more faith in Marvel than I do in Simmons or Hartwig.  The Steelers will likely use Miller and Spaeth to help Marvel, unless they want to get Leftwich into the game early while Ben watches from UPMC�s trauma clinic.  This will be a nice test for the offensive line against a decent front four.  Luckily for the Steelers, the Texans get nothing from their LB�s in the pass rush.  Given the Steelers� issues up front, it�s a good time for Houston to send some different looks from their linebackers.

 

Texans� pass blocking against Steelers� pass rush:  Steelers 6.5/10, Texans 8/10

 

There are the obvious unknowns that could greatly improve the Steelers� rush over last season.  Woodley starting and Timmons playing more.  Hopefully some new wrinkles in the blitz package, instead of the same old �cross-fire� where Foote and Farrior blitz up the middle, crossing paths as they do.  Anyone who has watched the Steelers since �92 should recognize that.  An issue that the Steelers will encounter in this game is the Houston line.  They only allowed 22 sacks last year.  Maybe they just hated David Carr and were trying to get him murdered a couple of years ago.  Rookie 1^st rounder Duane Brown from Virginia Tech starts at left tackle, which gives James Harrison some fresh meat coming off the edge.  None of the other names jump off the page. I�ll be watching Timmons on obvious passing downs to see if he�s charged with more coverage duties or if they involve him in the blitz package.  The sack total for the Steelers in �07 was 36.  While sacks are somewhat glorified, the Steelers must generate pressure to take some of the heat off of their secondary, which seemed to be playing on the practice field at times in the pre-season.  AND STOP BLITZING POLMALU INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE LINE!!!

 

Special Teams:

 

Steelers return game /Texans coverage game:  Steelers 4/8, Texans 5/8

 

There doesn�t seem to be anything big to expect out of the Steelers� return game.  They forgot to call Louis Lipps for a tryout since everyone else had the opportunity to wave their hand in the air at a descending punt.  The Texans ranked 21^st in kickoff coverage and 12^th on punt coverage in 2007.  One key is that Houston did not allow a TD in either category.  Maybe Mendenhall becomes a wild card in this equation if used, but Old Milwaukee Moore sits atop the depth chart for kickoffs and punts.  I�m not going to throw all of the blame on the returners for the lack of game changing plays � the Steelers blocking sucks.  What does Bobby April do these days?

 

Texans return game/Steelers coverage game:  Steelers 3/8, Texans 7/8

This is where it gets scary.  Here�s the portion of the game that could make all of the homers betting on the Steelers lose some cash.  Last year Andre Davis took back 3 kickoffs for TD�s, and a guy Houston cut took back another one.  Nothing can be more back-breaking than holding the ball for 6 minutes, driving down for a field goal, and then when you kickoff your opponent uses all of 12 seconds to bring it back for a TD.  Houston deploys Jacoby Jones on punt returns, and he�s not as dangerous as Davis.  However � he�s fast and he�s never faced the Steelers� punt coverage so the sky could light up for him soon.

 

Steelers kicking game/Texans kicking game:  Steelers 6.5/8, Texans 6/8

Everything here is a wash.  Both teams have well-traveled punters who have combined to play for half of the NFL.  Their pensions should be great since they�ve punted for over a decade.  Nothing spectacular about their leg strength in recent years.  Screw them � they�re punters.  I hope we see Turk 10 times, and Berger never steps from the sideline.  Former Steeler Kris Brown still handles the scoring side of kicking for Houston and had his best season as a pro last year, making a career long 57-yard FG, and nailing 11 touchbacks.  He�s come a long way since he was missing extra-points for the home team.  Recall that he had problems kicking at home, something Jeff Reed has mastered when it matters.  We know what we get with Skippy Reed.  He makes 5 out of every 6 FG attempts but can only knock it to the 5-yard line on kickoffs.  But his truck is huge.       

 

Tangibles and Intangibles:  Steelers 4/6, Texans 2/6

Mark Bruener should be fired up returning to the home turf of the team that left him to die.  He�ll catch 8 passes, two for TD�s.  Nope, that won�t happen.

Houston turns the ball over too often.  They had the second-worst turnover margin in �07.

 

Since ancient times when Carl Pickens snatched a ball over Dewayne Washington�s head, Steeler DB�s have shown no ball skills against taller wideouts.

 

It�s supposed to rain Saturday.  Pitt plays Saturday night at Heinz Field.  Expect the turf to suck already and on the one play when Parker runs outside, he will slip in a mud hole.

 

The Steelers have won their last 5 home openers. 

 

Houston head coach Gary Kubiak coached the likes of John Elway, Terrell Davis, and Clinton Portis in Denver.  You can�t teach talent.

 

After tallying everything, the totals are 67 for the Steelers and 64.5 for Houston.  That�s mainly due to some major questions in the trenches for the Steelers, along with their consistently shoddy special teams play.  The Steelers win out on sheer talent, especially at QB and RB.

 

Stillers 23   Texans 17