Neat little series by TouchdownWire called “Mythbusters,” with this particular article tackling the infamous “no huddle” topic, especially at a quick tempo, and if it’s a fix for a passing game on a no-matter-what basis. Lastly, a monster video breakdown by Texans_Thoughts that’s just so much fun to watch, and learn, and enjoy what we’re seeing.

Mythbusters: Why no-huddle isn’t the universal cure for every ailing offense
By Doug Farrar, TouchdownWire

Excerpt: In this series, Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar dives down into the NFL’s common myths and examines what the real story is. In this installment, let’s look at the idea that the no-huddle offense, especially at a quick tempo, is a fix for a passing game on a no-matter-what basis. 

Generally speaking, when teams have success out of no-huddle, there’s an immediate “build the whole plane out of this” statement regarding the help tempo can give a passing game. But it’s not always the case. First, there are different kinds of no-huddle — it’s not always speed no-huddle. When Philip Rivers was with the Chargers, I distinctly remember a lot of no-huddle in which the Chargers would bleed the clock. That was less about forcing a defense to hurry up, and more about keeping a defense in unfavorable personnel without the ability to substitute. Second, there are instances in which it can hurt a quarterback as much as it can hurt a defense.

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Texans_Thoughts on twitter:
“As heartbreaking as the #Texans loss was to the Colts, there were plenty of positives to takeaway, and I broke them down in this video – Deshaun vs an ELITE defense – Keke Coutee and Chad Hansen showing PROMISE – Defensive formula for FUTURE success Enjoy.”

Texans Unfiltered posted an article by YoungAriGold and Texans Thoughts that delves into what they think the next Texans HC needs to possess, and I encourage everyone to read the full article. Also: In that article they’ve linked to an article at ToroTimes (Deshaun Watson: The Case for MVP 2020) that I have also posted a link to within today’s daily thread article.

All Deshaun Watson Needs Now Is His “Phil Jackson”
By YoungAriGold & Texans Thoughts

Excerpt: After Bill O’Brien was dismissed this season, my initial thought was to hire a defensive-minded HC given the holes on defense, and the fact I believe Deshaun will thrive no matter the HC. That changed for me last week; I want a HC who is going to maximize the talent of Deshaun Watson as he isn’t even close to hitting his ceiling. The Texans need to look for a HC that understands who Deshaun is as a QB, player, and person. They need to lay out their vision for the team on both sides of the ball as they impact how Deshaun can thrive.

They also need to understand they have a player that cares more than anybody else in that locker room and gives you the ability to establish a winning culture quickly. When your leader cares how Deshaun Watson does, it makes setting that culture a lot easier; it becomes infectious and spreads throughout the organization.

However, culture also needs to spawn from the top of the organization, enact the change required to become a true winning organization. The Texans need a HC that can evolve and build an organization, offense, and defense, not just one of the three. You can’t hire a HC that is looking to replicate previous success at their former team because you are doing a disservice to Deshaun at that point. He isn’t just any other QB; he is Deshaun Watson.

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Deshaun Watson: The Case for MVP 2020
By Martin Marroquin, ToroTimes (Article was posted 1 week ago, by the way)

Excerpt: Even with the pressure of playing from behind, Deshaun Watson has performed. Completing 140 of 201 passes for 1855 yards, along with 16 touchdowns and only two interceptions. The Clemson product also accounts for 87.9 percent of the Texans total offense, which is a higher percentage than any of the other three mentioned quarterbacks.

Watson is third in passing yards despite not ranking in the Top 10 in passes completed or attempted in 2020. That is due to him leading the league in yards per attempt. So even though Watson ranks 15th in pass attempts in the NFL, he is making the most of his opportunities.

As mentioned, the Houston Texans rushing attack is among the worst in the league. This should allow defenses to really focus on stopping Watson and the passing game, but that has clearly not slowed down the young quarterback.

Watson’s counterparts have the luxury of a running attack to make their jobs easier. Each of their team’s ground games are in the Top 20 in rushing yards and all three are in the Top 11 in yards per carry. To reiterate, the Texans are 31st in rushing yards and 28th in yards per rush.

Even Sarah Barshop gets some digs in on the departed HC of the Texans. Jason La Canfora talks at length about John Dorsey being one of the GM candidates for the job in Houston, and he cites unnamed or anonymous sources to back up his claims.

Despite tough loss, shorthanded Texans find two promising receivers
By Sarah Barshop, ESPN

Excerpt: It’s only one game, but the fact that the Texans had both Coutee and Hansen on the roster makes their decisions about their wide receivers this offseason even more questionable. Former general manager and head coach Bill O’Brien not only didn’t play Coutee, but because he believed there was no future for the receiver in the offense, he signed slot receiver Randall Cobb to a three-year, $27 million contract. Coutee was behind both Cobb and punt/kickoff returner DeAndre Carter on the depth chart, a healthy scratch for six of Houston’s first nine games this season before Carter was cut last month.

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Texans general manager search: Former Browns, Chiefs GM John Dorsey expected to interview with Houston
By Jason La Canfora, CBS Sports

Take it with a grain of salt since it’s La Canfora’s “reporting,” but if the below is true then you can bank on Jed Hughes likely putting forth a considerable recommendation for John Dorsey to be strongly considered by Cal McNair for the GM job, especially with the tie-in Dorsey has with Bienemy from their time together in K.C. (A package deal might be the easiest sell, considering Watson’s reported/rumored advocacy of Bienemy to Cal McNair, which of course IIRC was also a La Canfora-reported tidbit of info from not too long ago). Then again, who is to say that Bienemy has a positive view of Dorsey and/or vice versa?

The extra bit of fun is that it’s not unreasonable to speculate that Easterby might have something to say about John Dorsey’s pattern of a bit of a blind eye when it comes to off-the-field issues such as Tyreek Hill (kicked off the Oklahoma State team for an arrest, but no charges filed, regarding domestic abuse issues with his then-girlfriend) and Kareem Hunt who was with K.C. and then found a 2nd chance in Cleveland when, you guessed it, Dorsey was the GM for the Browns.

Excerpt #1: It’s exceedingly rare in the NFL that any general manager gets a third opportunity to run a team, but former Browns and Chiefs GM John Dorsey may have a chance to defy the odds. 

League sources said that headhunter Jed Hughes, who twice previously conducted GM searches in which Dorsey prevailed, remains very high on the longtime personnel executive, and is advocating for his consideration for the opening in Houston in which Hughes’ firm is overseeing. The Texans search is puzzling to many around the league, with an owner, Cal McNair, who has never had to make a hire of this magnitude before and much speculation about the role that director of football operations Jack Easterby will play in the hire, along with search firm Korn Ferry, run by Hughes.

Excerpt #2: The Browns are quite possibly headed to the playoffs with a roster that Dorsey largely constructed, and Dorsey also has ties to Chiefs assistant coach Eric Bieniemy; Bieniemy will almost certainly have the opportunity to interview with multiple teams again this January and sources said that Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson is a big proponent of Bieniemy (he coaches Watson’s friend, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes).

Excerpt #3: Dorsey’s roots are under longtime Packers executive Ron Wolf, whose lineage tends to be in demand for front office openings, and several people with knowledge of the situation in Houston affirmed his name is in the mix with the Texans and indicated Hughes ongoing affinity for his work.

No news articles today. Enjoy the conversation and hope y’all have a great day today.