Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson is by all accounts a pretty quiet guy. Even though he has faced some situations where he could rightfully name some names, he hasn't done so because he isn't that guy. Recently, AJ was asked about the sort of ball that Matt Schaub throws, and well, by comparison made his old QB not look so good:"When you look at, the differences that I see is that with David (Carr) you had to wait on the ball a little bit more. With Matt, he's pretty decisive with what he's doing. He's going to get back in his drop and let the ball go. When you're in your route, you don't have to wait on the ball or anything like that. I think it just helps the offense as a whole a lot, not just me. It was something you had to get use to when he first got here, but we've gotten use to it."The quoted story implies that the dig probably wasn't intentional. Sort of like how Andre Johnson was the first to reveal that Carr was originally coached to not read defenses:
Wha? That's the sort of statement that can give Texans fans post traumatic stress symptoms - remembering lots of bad, inexplicable throws. Bygones. I promise the next couple of entries won't mention the previous Texans quarterback, and I hope that you just focus on the positives reports from camp that Matt Schaub is decisive and throws quick ball. And to be extra niiiiice, I am sure that David Carr as someone with a lot of experience being paid as a backup is a good thing for Carolina.Sorry, No Photos"I think (the problem) was the way he was coached my first couple of years here. He was pretty much just told where to throw the ball. And a lot of people didn't know that. He was never really taught to go through reads and stuff like that. Coach (Gary) Kubiak came in, and that was his big thing - teaching him how to go through reads. So it was like he was taught all over again."
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
6-26-2007 @ 3:52PM
Henry (Hank) Askew said...
Stephanie:
Johnson's comments concerning Carr's not using
reads certainly explains the absents of big plays,
excess sacks,and generally inept offensive production.I find it unconscionable that a coach and an NFL quarterback would be so bush-league as to attempt this in pro football!
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6-26-2007 @ 3:53PM
Melissa said...
I always laugh when you channel Richard Fish.
I have a feeling that Pro Bowl numbers are going to be a lot easier for AJ to achieve starting this year. He may actually have some fun out there.
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6-26-2007 @ 4:48PM
gdsteve said...
I don't really see these comments as throwing someone in the Grease.Carr has alot of room for growth and probably will grow now that he's out of Houston.This is not a knock on the Texans as much as it is thier O-Line.
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6-26-2007 @ 6:49PM
David said...
It is understandable what went on with Carr. Look at the Panthers first four years with Dom Capers as heead coach. Kerry Collins went thru the same thing Carr did. They had no offense per say. There games were won mostly by John Casey's foot. So you need to look where the problem really sarts at the top down. Not defending Carr because he is a Panther but being realistic about where to start the blame for the Offenseive woo's.
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6-27-2007 @ 3:41AM
Mark in Cypress said...
It wasn't a surprise to me. Some of that I think came with Carr's delay and hesitancy on his reads. I also think it was unintentional as Andre was only being honest. I would love to see Keenan McCardell sign with the Texans to get these receivers fired up. I am ready for training camp, especially since the Astros look like they are in their RIP mode!
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6-27-2007 @ 3:42AM
cseafous said...
I just can't understand it. This article is about the difference between Schaub and Carr. None of the issues Andre brought up have to do with the offensive line. We have a direct quote from a player (with first hand knowledge) stating exactly what Carr's shortcomings are and someone still finds a way to blame it on the oline. My mind is officially boggled.
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6-27-2007 @ 3:42AM
tom said...
Woe unto us that we should resurrect the ghost of David Carr yet again he might turn poltergheist and bring the house down on us.
I remember reading those quotes last spring and went into a long meditation about Andre Johnsons naive honesty. Well that changes every thing.
That 'BAD OFFENSIVE LINE' almost single handedly beat the super bowl champs last December. The thing is the Texans finally did beat them.
I never was crazy about Capers as a first coach for the Texans. There was always an underlying assumption that he would repeat his expansion franchise success with the Texans, even though the rules of the expansion franchise game had changed.
31 more days. Let us not look to the future of dehydration in late July and August but mindfully reflect on the worn out stories of spring, "Bad ofensive line" "Bad David Carr".
I'm almost ready to just give up football as entertainment.
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6-27-2007 @ 10:04AM
chuck said...
Wow another David Carr entry .... what's next week's? Capital Punishment? Immigration? Race? Sex?
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6-27-2007 @ 10:54AM
Stephanie Stradley said...
Rusty-
*Interesting* comments. I don't write for a rag because uh, I write on the internet. I am not making up stuff, I'm merely quoting stuff that Andre Johnson has said publicly. I could give you lots and lots more quotes about how happy Andre is with Schaub.
Certainly, the Texans need to have a concern for the inexperience at the #2 WR position and offensive line, but is there any possibility in your head that perhaps quicker decision making and release of the ball can make the line look better? (And maybe an experienced running back helping with protection?)
I don't have narrow thinking of Carr. Like any quarterback, he has strengths and weaknesses, and I've documented those in the past (my name is at the bottom of the post, not at the top, and I think I was pretty fair):
http://blogs.chron.com/fanblogtexans/2007/01/more_than_you_want_to_know_abo.html
As for the egg on my face, the early reports out of Carolina is that Delhomme looks good, Carr not-so-much learning a new system. That would make sense given that one has experience in the system and the other does not. Getting Carr might have done wonders in pressing Delhomme to look better. It's hard for Carr to show all us Texans fans when he is happy sitting on the bench for the Panthers.
As I've said before, Carr shouldn't be scapegoated for everything, but the reality is that a lot of his mobile QBing is a function of not reading defenses properly and releasing the ball on time. Look at his college stats--being a mobile QB was not his strength--he got in the habit of running for his life in Houston. I'm not saying all of this is his fault, but rather he just got his internal clock messed up in his head.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
-Steph
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6-27-2007 @ 2:59PM
Kyle said...
Did anyone else watch the same football team that I watched the last 5 years? I mean has there ever been a stretch of worse o-line blocking in the history of the game? Its pathetic to think that any QB could be a success when he is thrown into that kind of a mess. I feel for Carr and know that once he gets some talent around him he will be a solid QB
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6-27-2007 @ 3:33PM
twayne_05 said...
Rusty, I am not sure why you think itis neccessary for you to rip on someone in personal matter, sounds more like you need a hug and a lollipop.
I am not sure what scrambling of Carr you saw about him beating teams with his feet but running out of bounds behind the line of scrimage is called a sack. And does nothing to put the fear into anyone.
You may not speak from speculation but you are attributing a quote without providing a link, when she does. As far your arrogant tone, you can shove it. By the way it is hard for anyone to prove anything to anyone other than how to get slpinters out of your hands from holding a clipboard.
No one has blamed Carr soely for anything everyone had a hand in the failures of the previous years and no one (not even pretty-boy) gets a pass. This also includes WR ot coming back to the ball, which also includes AJ.
As far as the worst o-line blocking, please see the raiders last year. Or the '85 or '86 Eagles, can not recall which year. Blaming every sack on the o-line is eSpin esque, because that takes coverage sacks, QB fumbles recovered by the QB and or the QB tripping over his own two feet.
I just wish people would watch each game and all aspects of said games before making blanket statements which are inaccurate, like espin does so often.
Thomas
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6-27-2007 @ 8:10PM
Wayne Liebl said...
I really liked Baldingers NFLN comparison between Carr and Schaub. Baldinger made it seem like Schaub and Carr were 180 degrees apart when it comes to reading defenses. Since Carr has left he's been bashed left and right. I wonder what's going to happen if Schaub doesn't live up to his expectations. Then Baldinger will probably take him apart as well, which at that time I'll be laughing hysterically because I'll remember when Baldinger praised him to the hilt. What makes me a little skeptical about Schaub's ability to get the job done effectively is the video on YouTube that shows him tripping over his own feet during a crucial drive, within a short distance from the endzone, against the Eagles.
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6-27-2007 @ 9:12PM
tdbrought said...
Baldy wasn't the only one who found Carr's ability to read a defense to be a little lacking. The same team that was willing to surrender a draft pick for Trent Green didn't think David was worthy of an unrestricted FA offer, much less a signing. Minneapolis took one look and said Thanks but no thanks. The NFL as a whole deems Carr's talent backup material. So yeah Wayne, you could be right and the entire NFL could be wrong on Carr -- or maybe they've watched Texans game film, something I suspect you haven't.
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6-28-2007 @ 9:41AM
TexansFight said...
So a personal friend and a Carr supporter??? Hmmm... how convenient.
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6-28-2007 @ 11:12AM
Frank said...
Look at all the comments made about a quarterback that Houston traded! I would have thought that the talk would be about the future for the Texans but look how many are digging up old issues? It's my belief that there are people who in Houston fully realize that the problem wasn't David Carr and now that they don't have him to kick around any more may just be shown exactly what problems lie with Houston.
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6-28-2007 @ 4:17PM
Richard Sanders said...
Rusty....I agree that it is out of line to attack someone personally when discussing a topic. I also find it odd that you choose to do this in the same reply you choose to claim that you know AJ personally and he has given you personal information on how he feels which is in direct conflict with what he has said he feels pubicly. I personally believe you are lieing, but if you are not you might be careful. If I was AJ and I read what you posted here I might reconsider talking to you in the future about anything. You really should grow up....
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6-29-2007 @ 7:53PM
Wayne Liebl said...
I wasn't saying that Carr was a panacea for all the Texans woes when he was here, but it wasn't all entirely his fault. I'm sure if he had a decent offensive line in front of him he would've fared a lot better. Maybe the reason that Carr couldn't read defenses was the way he was coached. What I find amusing is that while Baldinger was bashing Carr left and right for his ineffectiveness you're bashing me for my critique of the analysis. You make me laugh! You're such a fool!
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6-30-2007 @ 11:27PM
tom said...
27 more days to reality. Can they get here faster?
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6-30-2007 @ 11:32PM
tom said...
Shut up Rusty.
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7-01-2007 @ 2:37AM
JB said...
AS A TRUE AND BLUE TEXANS FAN,IT MAKES ME LAUGH AND SHAKE MY HEAD EVERY TIME I HEAR SOMEONE BASH THE TEXANS O-LINE.PEOPLE,I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL REALIZE THIS,BUT THIS IS NOT THE SAME O-LINE OF THE 4-12,6-10,7-9,AND DEFINITELY THE 2-14 SEASONS.IF YOU TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THAT LAST YEARS LINE LOST THEIR STARTING LEFT TACKLE,RIGHT TACKLE,AND CENTER,THEY PLAYED PRETTY WELL AS A UNIT AND GOT BETTER AS THE SEASON PROGRESSED.OH,DID I FAIL TO MENTION THE INSANE NUMBER OF TIMES THAT DAVID CARR FUMBLED THE BALL.BUT THAT'S THE O-LINE'S FAULT,RIGHT.CARR STUNK,PERIOD.I TRIED MY BEST TO SUPPORT THE GUY,BUT GAMES LIKE THE ONE'S HE PLAYED AGAINST TENNESSEE,OAKLAND,NEW ENGLAND(I'LL STOP HERE)WERE UNEXCUSABLE.GOOD LUCK TO CARR,AND GOOOOODDDDD RIDDINS'
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