Texans' struggles at QB show why the Saints should be proactive in finding a successor

01-16-2017, 11:01 AM

TEXANS' STRUGGLES AT QB SHOW WHY THE SAINTS SHOULD BE PROACTIVE IN FINDING A SUCCESSOR

BY NICK UNDERHILL | NUNDERHILL@THEADVOCATE.COM PUBLISHED JAN 15, 2017 AT 12:00 AM | UPDATED JAN 15, 2017 AT 2:51 PM

The Houston Texans should have beaten the New England Patriots.

Don’t be fooled by the score. Yeah, the Patriots covered the spread in a 34-16 victory. But New England didn't play well — at least not well enough to deserve to win a playoff game. You can be certain the Patriots felt fortunate to walk away with the win and realize they'll need to play much better to make the Super Bowl.

“It doesn’t feel great,” Patriots quarterback Tom Brady told reporters. “We worked pretty hard to play a lot better than we played.”

There were probably a few times New England was worried about things falling apart. But it didn't have to worry for long, because the Texans lacked the quarterback to take advantage of the Patriots' sloppiness and a quality defensive performance by Houston. Brock Osweiler simply couldn't take advantage of his opportunities.

Houston's situation at quarterback is what can happen when you struggle to find or develop a player at the position. Despite showing some of the same issues while with the Denver Broncos last season, Osweiler signed a four-year, $72 million contract last offseason. He never visited Houston as a free agent. In fact, Texans coach Bill O’Brien told Sports Illustrated's Peter King that his only interaction with the quarterback before signing him was a 10-second meeting during a 2014 joint practice.

That’s it.

That meeting and what Osweiler did during his seven games as Denver’s starter last year, when he threw for 1,967 yards on 61.8 percent passing with 10 touchdowns and six interceptions, were enough for Houston to go all in.

But the truth is, there was likely some desperation in the decision. The team had assembled one of the better defenses in the league and needed a quarterback to put it over the hump. The Texans almost had to take a shot with no other sure thing at quarterback.

Unfortunately, Osweiler responded by completing 59 percent of his passes with 15 touchdowns and 16 interceptions during the season. And after playing well in Houston’s first playoff game, he threw three interceptions against the Patriots.

It’s clear that Osweiler isn’t the answer. Houston might want to move forward with Tom Savage, who avoided mistakes in a few starts this year, but it's stuck in one way or another for at least another year. If the Texans cut Osweiler, it would cost them $25 million in dead money. And it’s unlikely they can trade him, since his $16 million base salary is guaranteed. It's hard to imagine anyone would want to take that on.

That's what can happen when a team is desperate for a quarterback. You can build a roster full of talent everywhere, but if you don’t have the right guy under center, it’s hard to overcome lackluster quarterback play. And sometimes when you miss on finding someone serviceable for a couple of years, you end up going in blind with a guy you never met.

These are the things Saints fans should keep in mind as New Orleans enters the offseason. Two years ago, the organization used a third-round pick on Garrett Grayson, to the chagrin of a certain segment of the fan base. Those critics felt it was a waste of a pick. That group believes the Saints should wait until Drew Brees retires or moves on to start looking for the next quarterback.

But there are no guarantees you’ll find that player when you need him — especially if the roster improves in other areas and becomes good enough to hover around .500 even with a mediocre player at QB. That’s what’s happening with the Texans. Or, worse, there could be no improvement and a quality quarterback remains elusive, a fate the Cleveland Browns cannot escape.

There are also no guarantees that the search for a quarterback will pay off. Grayson’s an example. Ryan Mallett didn’t hit in New England, and the Patriots might have struck too early with Jimmy Garoppolo since it doesn't look like Brady is going anywhere. Dallas got lucky with Dak Prescott, but being proactive put the club in position to continue succeeding.

But it’s better to start looking early and either get lucky or have something work out than wait until you have to find a quarterback. That’s how mistakes are made, and mistakes at that position aren’t easily overcome. You become invested in the player, and it’s not easy to just drop one and move in another direction. There aren’t enough good quarterbacks to even cover the number of teams in the NFL.

With Brees entering the final year of his contract and adding another year of mileage to his body — he turned 38 on Sunday — the Saints should have an eye out for their next quarterback.

ctsaint01 likes this.

Seer1 · 01-16-2017, 11:07 AM

Yes we should be looking and who's to say we really aren't? But why is Texas the example? They're much more proof of a group of people that couldn't spot a good QB if he came up and kissed'em on the lips!

NonieT · 01-16-2017, 03:17 PM

Originally Posted by Seer1

Yes we should be looking and who's to say we really aren't? But why is Texas the example? They're much more proof of a group of people that couldn't spot a good QB if he came up and kissed'em on the lips!

There an example because the Texans had the opportunity to get a good QB when they had the 1st pick in the draft a few years ago. They could have had Bortles, Bridgewater or even Carr who wasn't drafted in the 1st round. They passed and now they're paying for it, as they should be.

Seer1 · 01-16-2017, 06:19 PM

Still, even if Sean struggles with defensive personnel, he's pretty much proven he has a damn good eye for QBs.

SaintFanInATLHELL · 01-16-2017, 06:37 PM

Originally Posted by Seer1

Still, even if Sean struggles with defensive personnel, he's pretty much proven he has a damn good eye for QBs.

Not so sure. If that was the case then why are the Saints shuffling young QBs like a deck of cards?

I believe this is Grayson's 3rd year. He still has not improved enough to displace McCown, has he?

It's a tough spot for the Saints. Like the Patriots, and Denver with Manning, teams are in the same situation where the veteran QB plays at or close to an elite level until the wheels fall off.

And Prescott was luck to a degree. Let's not forget that each and every team including the Cowboys, passed on him multiple times.

It's a crap shoot.

SFIAH

vpheughan · 01-16-2017, 07:15 PM

A small list of Sean Payton Saints Quarterbacks: Drew Brees, Jamie Martin, Tyler Palko, Chase Daniel, Sean Canfield, Joey Harrington, Mark Brunell, Luke McCown, Ryan Griffin,Logan Kilgore, Garrett Grayson.

NOLA54 · 01-16-2017, 07:26 PM

Sorry I don't see the similarity between the Texans and Saints since the Texans never had a H.O.F. QB. I totally agree we need to get our hands on our future QB asap. Who will that be?

Danno · 01-16-2017, 08:12 PM

First-Throw any and all our resources into assembling a team that can win it all while we have Brees for few more years

Second-When Brees actually starts showing signs of decline, start looking for the next Brees.

Budsdrinker · 01-17-2017, 01:51 PM

I want to keep an eye on the kid at Ole Miss the next 2 years. That could be
Brees' replacement.

Rugby Saint II · 01-17-2017, 02:38 PM

We need to start winning now and any draft pick on a QB will not improve the team now.......so I'll pass.

01-16-2017, 11:01 AM	#1
Threaded by jeanpierre Site Donor 2018 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Thibodaux Posts: 43,543 Blog Entries: 39 Rating: (0 votes - average) Twitter TEXANS' STRUGGLES AT QB SHOW WHY THE SAINTS SHOULD BE PROACTIVE IN FINDING A SUCCESSOR BY NICK UNDERHILL \| NUNDERHILL@THEADVOCATE.COM PUBLISHED JAN 15, 2017 AT 12:00 AM \| UPDATED JAN 15, 2017 AT 2:51 PM The Houston Texans should have beaten the New England Patriots. Don’t be fooled by the score. Yeah, the Patriots covered the spread in a 34-16 victory. But New England didn't play well — at least not well enough to deserve to win a playoff game. You can be certain the Patriots felt fortunate to walk away with the win and realize they'll need to play much better to make the Super Bowl. “It doesn’t feel great,” Patriots quarterback Tom Brady told reporters. “We worked pretty hard to play a lot better than we played.” There were probably a few times New England was worried about things falling apart. But it didn't have to worry for long, because the Texans lacked the quarterback to take advantage of the Patriots' sloppiness and a quality defensive performance by Houston. Brock Osweiler simply couldn't take advantage of his opportunities. Houston's situation at quarterback is what can happen when you struggle to find or develop a player at the position. Despite showing some of the same issues while with the Denver Broncos last season, Osweiler signed a four-year, $72 million contract last offseason. He never visited Houston as a free agent. In fact, Texans coach Bill O’Brien told Sports Illustrated's Peter King that his only interaction with the quarterback before signing him was a 10-second meeting during a 2014 joint practice. That’s it. That meeting and what Osweiler did during his seven games as Denver’s starter last year, when he threw for 1,967 yards on 61.8 percent passing with 10 touchdowns and six interceptions, were enough for Houston to go all in. But the truth is, there was likely some desperation in the decision. The team had assembled one of the better defenses in the league and needed a quarterback to put it over the hump. The Texans almost had to take a shot with no other sure thing at quarterback. Unfortunately, Osweiler responded by completing 59 percent of his passes with 15 touchdowns and 16 interceptions during the season. And after playing well in Houston’s first playoff game, he threw three interceptions against the Patriots. It’s clear that Osweiler isn’t the answer. Houston might want to move forward with Tom Savage, who avoided mistakes in a few starts this year, but it's stuck in one way or another for at least another year. If the Texans cut Osweiler, it would cost them $25 million in dead money. And it’s unlikely they can trade him, since his $16 million base salary is guaranteed. It's hard to imagine anyone would want to take that on. That's what can happen when a team is desperate for a quarterback. You can build a roster full of talent everywhere, but if you don’t have the right guy under center, it’s hard to overcome lackluster quarterback play. And sometimes when you miss on finding someone serviceable for a couple of years, you end up going in blind with a guy you never met. These are the things Saints fans should keep in mind as New Orleans enters the offseason. Two years ago, the organization used a third-round pick on Garrett Grayson, to the chagrin of a certain segment of the fan base. Those critics felt it was a waste of a pick. That group believes the Saints should wait until Drew Brees retires or moves on to start looking for the next quarterback. But there are no guarantees you’ll find that player when you need him — especially if the roster improves in other areas and becomes good enough to hover around .500 even with a mediocre player at QB. That’s what’s happening with the Texans. Or, worse, there could be no improvement and a quality quarterback remains elusive, a fate the Cleveland Browns cannot escape. There are also no guarantees that the search for a quarterback will pay off. Grayson’s an example. Ryan Mallett didn’t hit in New England, and the Patriots might have struck too early with Jimmy Garoppolo since it doesn't look like Brady is going anywhere. Dallas got lucky with Dak Prescott, but being proactive put the club in position to continue succeeding. But it’s better to start looking early and either get lucky or have something work out than wait until you have to find a quarterback. That’s how mistakes are made, and mistakes at that position aren’t easily overcome. You become invested in the player, and it’s not easy to just drop one and move in another direction. There aren’t enough good quarterbacks to even cover the number of teams in the NFL. With Brees entering the final year of his contract and adding another year of mileage to his body — he turned 38 on Sunday — the Saints should have an eye out for their next quarterback. ctsaint01 likes this.
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01-16-2017, 11:07 AM	#2
Seer1 Site Donor Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Bayou Bayfield CO Posts: 4,722	Re: Texans' struggles at QB show why the Saints should be proactive in finding a successor Yes we should be looking and who's to say we really aren't? But why is Texas the example? They're much more proof of a group of people that couldn't spot a good QB if he came up and kissed'em on the lips!

01-16-2017, 03:17 PM	#3
NonieT 500th Post Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 921	Re: Texans' struggles at QB show why the Saints should be proactive in finding a successor Originally Posted by Seer1 Yes we should be looking and who's to say we really aren't? But why is Texas the example? They're much more proof of a group of people that couldn't spot a good QB if he came up and kissed'em on the lips! There an example because the Texans had the opportunity to get a good QB when they had the 1st pick in the draft a few years ago. They could have had Bortles, Bridgewater or even Carr who wasn't drafted in the 1st round. They passed and now they're paying for it, as they should be. Beastmode likes this.
NonieT 500th Post Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 921

01-16-2017, 06:19 PM	#4
Seer1 Site Donor Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Bayou Bayfield CO Posts: 4,722	Re: Texans' struggles at QB show why the Saints should be proactive in finding a successor Still, even if Sean struggles with defensive personnel, he's pretty much proven he has a damn good eye for QBs.

01-16-2017, 06:37 PM	#5
SaintFanInATLHELL The Professor Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Lithonia, GA Posts: 2,776	Re: Texans' struggles at QB show why the Saints should be proactive in finding a successor Originally Posted by Seer1 Still, even if Sean struggles with defensive personnel, he's pretty much proven he has a damn good eye for QBs. Not so sure. If that was the case then why are the Saints shuffling young QBs like a deck of cards? I believe this is Grayson's 3rd year. He still has not improved enough to displace McCown, has he? It's a tough spot for the Saints. Like the Patriots, and Denver with Manning, teams are in the same situation where the veteran QB plays at or close to an elite level until the wheels fall off. And Prescott was luck to a degree. Let's not forget that each and every team including the Cowboys, passed on him multiple times. It's a crap shoot. SFIAH K Major likes this.
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01-16-2017, 07:15 PM	#6
vpheughan 1000 Posts + Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 4,525	Re: Texans' struggles at QB show why the Saints should be proactive in finding a successor A small list of Sean Payton Saints Quarterbacks: Drew Brees, Jamie Martin, Tyler Palko, Chase Daniel, Sean Canfield, Joey Harrington, Mark Brunell, Luke McCown, Ryan Griffin,Logan Kilgore, Garrett Grayson.
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01-16-2017, 07:26 PM	#7
NOLA54 1000 Posts + Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 1,708 Blog Entries: 1	Re: Texans' struggles at QB show why the Saints should be proactive in finding a successor Sorry I don't see the similarity between the Texans and Saints since the Texans never had a H.O.F. QB. I totally agree we need to get our hands on our future QB asap. Who will that be?

01-16-2017, 08:12 PM	#8
Danno Truth Addict Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Spanish Fort, AL (via NO and B/R) Posts: 24,723	Re: Texans' struggles at QB show why the Saints should be proactive in finding a successor First-Throw any and all our resources into assembling a team that can win it all while we have Brees for few more years Second-When Brees actually starts showing signs of decline, start looking for the next Brees. SaintFanInATLHELL, Budsdrinker and AsylumGuido like this.

01-17-2017, 01:51 PM	#9
Budsdrinker A Cajun Transforming TX Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: The Woodlands, Texas Posts: 2,787	Re: Texans' struggles at QB show why the Saints should be proactive in finding a successor I want to keep an eye on the kid at Ole Miss the next 2 years. That could be Brees' replacement.

01-17-2017, 02:38 PM	#10
Rugby Saint II Bounty Money $$$ Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 5800 Airline Dr. Metairie, LA. Posts: 24,073	Re: Texans' struggles at QB show why the Saints should be proactive in finding a successor We need to start winning now and any draft pick on a QB will not improve the team now.......so I'll pass. SaintFanInATLHELL likes this.

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