Justin Houston on joining the Colts: "I just wanted to be in a 4-3."

[Halfcan]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

It was most apparent in his run defense.

For all the shit that Ford took as a run defender, he was at least an outstanding pursuit defender against the run. Houston, OTOH, jaked it BADLY last year in run defense.

You can flip a switch as a pass rusher and give effort when you want to. As a run defender, you're either engaged every down or you're ineffective. Last season Houston was clearly ineffective.

That raises some obvious red flags with regards to effort and intensity.

This! I don't remember Houston not sealing his edge being an issue, but he was pushed to the outside very often, opening huge running lanes inside. Even his pass rushing was off. Maybe he just finally had enough of Sutton and decided to play when he felt like it.

I think having the intensity of a Frank Clark and getting rid of Houston's "only play hard on some downs" attitude will be huge in the run game.

Not having Berry lingering around on the sideline scratching notes on a candy wrapper should help moral too. Bottom line- we got rid of two high paid, nonimpact guys in Berry and Houston and replaced them with high-intensity vocal leaders that play hard every down. This in itself, should help change the culture of the defense where last year it was oklay to dog it when you wanted too and nobody would say anything.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Halfcan

This! I don't remember Houston not sealing his edge being an issue, but he was pushed to the outside very often, opening huge running lanes inside. Even his pass rushing was off. Maybe he just finally had enough of Sutton and decided to play when he felt like it.

I think having the intensity of a Frank Clark and getting rid of Houston's "only play hard on some downs" attitude will be huge in the run game.

Not having Berry lingering around on the sideline scratching notes on a candy wrapper should help moral too. Bottom line- we got rid of two high paid, nonimpact guys in Berry and Houston and replaced them with high-intensity vocal leaders that play hard every down. This in itself, should help change the culture of the defense where last year it was oklay to dog it when you wanted too and nobody would say anything.

For some reason I hadn't thought about it in those terms before, but you're right. The Chiefs directly replaced Houston and Berry with their two biggest investments of Clark and Mathieu. That says a lot.

[Halfcan]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

For some reason I hadn't thought about it in those terms before, but you're right. The Chiefs directly replaced Houston and Berry with their two biggest investments of Clark and Mathieu. That says a lot.

Hobo Berry wandering around mumbling to himself in street clothes during the game -replaced with Honey Badger wrecking people's shit while pumping up the crowd and team.

Houston the highest paid player on the team, who was a shell of his former self due to injuries and attitude- replaced by Frank Clark, a high intensity, defensive player of the year candidate, who wore a Van Halen / Judas Preist shirt when he touched down in KC.

To say I like these moves would be an understatement. Veech had a great offseason!

And as a Bonus- we dumped bonehead Ford, who did not know how to line up during the biggest game of the year. I am sure the Chiefs will miss his piano playing but not his soft as a bunny locker room attitude.