Tough Choices Ahead for Houston Texans Front Office

Corner Back Kareem Jackson showed improvement from year one to year two, but how much does Kubiak and the staff trust him to be the true #2 CB behind Johnathan Joseph? I don’t think the coaching staff has as much faith in Kareem Jackson as some think they do. The entire season he split time with former first round pick Jason Allen, who was let go by the Miami dolphins during the 2010 season and was considered a bust by many.

It seemed some games Kareem Jackson would disappear and Jason Allen would take a majority of the snaps opposite Johnathan Joseph.

I, for one, think Jackson showed a lot of improvement from his dismal rookie season. But the real question is was it that he improved our was it that we were consistently getting more pressure on opposing quarterbacks?

In 2010 when the Houston Texans had a historically bad secondary they picked up street Free Agent Jason Allen. Allen was released by the Dolphins and did not know if he would ever get a chance to play in the NFL again. And then, when the Texans called, he became the only bright spot in the Texans secondary who would make rookie QBs look like the next Tom Brady.

For instance, the Texans are most likely the cause of the emergence of the Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow. In 2010 the Texans allowed Tim Tebow to throw for 308 yards and a TD. Yes, it is true, he brought the Broncos back to win the game 24-23. The Texans did intercept him one time, and that was CB Jason Allen who had outstanding coverage in the end zone and picked off Tebow.

In 2010, Jason Allen had three interceptions with the Dolphins before he was released. He then collected three more with the Texans for a grand total of six INTs in 2010. He intercepted a total of four for the texans in 2011. In his career he has picked off 15 passes and has 34 passes defended. He has a nose for the ball, and his deep coverage skills and speed are far superior to Kareem Jackson’s who, since he has been in the league, has picked off three passes and has 16 passes defended.

We will see how the front office plays it with Allen and Jackson but do not be surprised if Allen is back in a Texans uniform next season and seeing more playing time.

When OLB Mario Williams went down with a pectoral injury in 2011, many thought that the defense would suffer and that pressuring the QB would be a little harder. Well, in steps Rookie OLB Brooks Reed, and he prospered racking up 6 sacks and recovering 2 fumbles. So do the Texans need to really be concerned with resigning soon to be free agent Mario W

illiams?

And my answer is yes!

While brooks Reed did a solid job, there is no denying that Mario Williams is a superior pass rusher. Although he has been hampered by innjuries the last 2 seasons, when he is healthy he is one of the most feared outside rushers in the league. In his career he has 53 sacks 11 forced fumbles and he is only 26 years old. There are  few dominant pass-rushing DE/OLBs that come out of the draft – he is one of them.

Running Back Arian Foster will not be going anywhere.

The Texans will pay the man the money he deserves this off-season and lock him up for many years. He is a dominant game changing running back who can single handedly win games.

Two Pro Bowls in two seasons, a NFL rushing champion.

In his short career of two seasons + two games he has rushed for 3,097 yards and 29 Touch Downs. He is also a reliable receiver out of the back-field pulling in 127 passes for 1,314 yards and four TDs. If the Texans don’t lock Foster up this off season, and they were somehow to let him slide through their grip and go to another team, it would be the dumbest thing any NFL franchise has ever done.

So expect to see Arian Foster in a Texans Uniform for many more seasons. Though the Texans dont have much room salary cap wise, i would expect Jason Allen, and Arian Forster to return to the texans. And for them to let Mario go.