Texans Q&A w/ John McClain

John McClain covers the Houston Texans for the Houston Chronicle. You can find his work at: http://www.chron.com/sports/texans/

You can find Mr. McClain on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/#!/McClain_on_NFL

Mr. McClain can also be heard on Sports Radio 610 in Houston, and 104.5 The Zone in Nashville.

Baltimore Sports and Life appreciates Mr. McClain for answering a few Texans questions prior to the Houston/Ravens game Monday night.

Baltimore Sports and Life: “The Texans defense is 10th against the run, but 32nd against the pass. How much of the troubles against the pass fall on the Front 7 and their lack of pressure (19 sacks, good for 29th in the league)?

John McClain: “The Texans are allowing 287 passing yards a game, which makes them one of the worst in history. Their defensive backs can’t cover. Even when they get pressure, the DB’s still get beat. Over the last 13 games last season, the defense ranked fourth, including second against the run. This season, not one player is playing better than last season, and almost all are playing worse.”

Baltimore Sports and Life: “RDE and former 1st overall pick Mario Williams has 8.5 of those 19 sacks. Obviously he is holding up his end. I know DT Amobi Okoye was a 2007 1st round pick, has he produced as expected? What do you think about the other D-line starters? Would Conor Barwin be starting if healthy?”

John McClain: “Williams is playing with a sports hernia that is preventing him from practicing during the week. Okoye plays the run well, but he’s been a bust as a pass rusher. Barwin was scheduled to come off the bench in passing situations again when Smith moved inside and Williams switched to the opposite end. It worked well last-season. DT Shaun Cody plays the run well and then hits the bench. Mark Anderson has two sacks since he was claimed. That is good on this team.”

Baltimore Sports and Life: “LOLB was the Defensive Rookie of the Year last year, with 5 sacks, and 4 picks. He missed the first four games of this season after being suspended for using performance enhancing drugs. Since his return I know he has been dealing with a knee injury, and he has 0 picks or sacks. Does he look like the same player to you?”

John McClain: “He hasn’t made the big plays like last season. Nobody on the defense has. Cushing was moved into the middle for two games when DeMeco Ryans went out, and that was a mistake. Not having Ryans next to him has hurt.”

Baltimore Sports and Life: “You mention the loss of the Pro Bowl MLB Ryans. How devastating has his loss been?”

John McClain: “They were 4-2 when he suffered a season-ending knee injury, but they were also ranked 32nd in defense. He’s the defensive leader, second in the NFL in unassisted tackles since 2006, his rookie year. He and Cushing played very well when on the field together last season. Both are better when the other is on the field.”

Baltimore Sports and Life: “2010 1st round pick Kareem Jackson is starting at CB. How has he progressed? Anyone else in the Secondary of note?”

John McClain: “Jackson got burned early and often and ripped like crazy by fans and the media. They let Dunta Robinson get away to Atlanta and replaced him with Jackson. Nobody in the Secondary is playing as well as last season when they allowed 19 TD passes. This season, they’ve surrendered a league high 27. Jackson will get better but they made a mistake going young with their top four corners (two rookies, two second year guys). Now veteran Jason Allen, acquired on waivers from Miami, is playing more as the nickel corner.”

Baltimore Sports and Life: “The personnel (and not surprisingly the numbers) are better on the other side of the ball, where the Texans have the 7th ranked offense. (7th rushing, 10th passing) Let’s start up-front with the Offensive Line. I know that the RT Eric Winston is regarded as the leader of the line, and has been dealing with a shoulder injury. He is expected to play this game, right? The Texans appear solid at both Tackle positions with Duane Brown manning the left-side. What can you tell me about the interior starters?”

John McClain: “All the starters will start against the Ravens. LG Wade Smith, a 9 year veteran, in his first season with the Texans is a nasty guy who will do anything to make a play. C Chris Myers is undersized but is smart and quick. RG Mike Brisiel has a sore shoulder. He often rotates with Antonie Caldwell, a 3rd round pick last year. Collectively they are better than they are individually.”

Baltimore Sports and Life: “Obviously Andre Johnson is one of the 2 or 3 best receivers in football. At 6’3, 225 lbs he is a difficult match-up for anyone in single coverage. I would imagine most teams would double-team him, which frees up the other capable Houston pass-catchers. Combine that with the success Arian Foster is having in the rushing game, and you understand why the Texans have success offensively. If you were scheming against the Texans, would you try and take away Johnson or the running game first?”

John McClain: “The Texans are slow starters. Foster is much better in the second-half than the first. I’d try and shut down the run and then double Johnson with Reed shaded to his side and force another WR to beat me, which won’t happen. Foster is a very good receiver, who beats LB’s in man coverage.”

Baltimore Sports and Life: “Some of those other capable pass-catchers are the WR’s Kevin Walter, and Jacoby Jones. What % of the game is Houston in a spread formation?”

John McClain: “They use multiple receivers and multiple TEs a lot. They use a one-back formation and the I formation. They use Johnson in motion quite a bit so defenses can’t always line up across from him. The bootleg is a big part of their offense, but defenses are catching up to it.”

Baltimore Sports and Life: “Getting back to Foster and the running game, the 2nd year back has already put up 1,200+ yards and is averaging 5 yards per carry. As you pointed out, he is also an excellent receiver with 50 receptions out of the backfield. How did he go undrafted, and who in the Houston Front Office gets credit for adding him?”

John McClain: “After his Junior year at Tennessee, he was coming out. He was told by the NFL advisory committee that he’d probably go in the 2nd round. Phil Fulmer, who was under fire, asked him to come back for his Senior year. It was a disaster all around. Fulmer was fired. Foster got hurt and was benched. Then he said somethings publicly which got a lot of people mad. He pulled a hamstring before the combine and couldn’t run. After the draft, the Saints, Texans, and Jets wanted him most. Texans GM Rick Smith offered him a two-year deal, and that got him.”

Baltimore Sports and Life: “Foster earned his opportunity this year, party because the rookie (and 2nd round pick) Ben Tate was lost to injury. Any reports on how Tate is progressing? Beyond those two is the 3rd string back Steve Slaton. Slaton had 1,600 combined yards as a rookie in 2008, but never sees the field now. I understand he had fumbling issues, but why is he buried so deep in the doghouse?”

John McClain: “The Texans are the only team with three 1,000 yards runners. Slaton isn’t in the doghouse. Foster has been incredible as a runner and receiver. Derrick Ward beat out Slaton for the backup job and averages about 6 yards a carry. When Slaton did carry, he averaged 4.9. They thought he’d be the third-down back, but Foster is such a good receiver, he’s stuck on the third team. Tate is on schedule to return next season.”

Baltimore Sports and Life: “Schaub has a QB rating over 90 for the 3rd consecutive season, and is coming off a year where he threw for nearly 5,000 yards. Is his accuracy and decisiveness with the ball his best attributes?”

John McClain: “He’s accurate but he’s not throw the ball down the field as much last season when he averaged 8.1 per attempt. I think protection has a lot to do with it. Not having Owen Daniels has hurt because he is a Pro Bowl TE. Imagine the Ravens without Heap for more than a year. ”

Baltimore Sports and Life: “Predictions for Monday?”

John McClain: “Ravens 33-20.”