Texans' Running Game Running On Empty

That's a pretty good GPA, a comfortable mileage for a run, and a great time for 0 to 60.

It's also a terrible yards-per-rush average, and it currently belongs to the Texans.

Over the first few weeks many Texans' fans have been saying that we shouldn't worry about it, and that the combination of Alex Gibbs, Gary Kubiak, and Steve Slaton will be fine.

Sorry guys.  I'm worried.

We're now a quarter through the season, and we're still operating on hope.

The Texans' running game works on a zone blocking scheme, and they even have the original architect on staff in Alex Gibbs.

In a true zone blocking system, the lighter offensive linemen will occasionally get pushed back, and the anticipated hole won't be there. 

When executed properly, however, the defensive linemen will get blocked quickly, and then the lighter, more athletic, offensive linemen will run down-field and get a block on a linebacker, or safety.

This gives the running back not just a hole, but a path for extra yardage.

Obviously, the path does not last long, because the offensive linemen are not holding their blocks. 

The running back must then recognize the hole when it is created, and hit it quickly before it disappears—hence, the "one cut and go" definition.

The scheme was run to perfection on Slaton's 32 yard TD run on Sunday against the Raiders, as you could see Duane Brown, Kasey Studdard, and Chris Myers briefly pushing the defensive line, and then running down field to get second level blocks.

So, if the offensive linemen and running backs know how to operate, and the system has a history of success, why are the Texans struggling so bad to run the ball?

For one, the offensive line has struggled to consistently create the running lanes. They have improved in pass blocking throughout the first few games, but there have been many times that the first contact on the running back has been in the backfield.

Second, Slaton has not been as explosive as he was last year.

After identifying the hole, Slaton has not done a good job of accelerating through the hole. 

While watching Ryan Moats last week, I noticed that he seemed to get more consistent yardage than Slaton did. Upon further examination, Moats would start slow after receiving the hand-off, and when he identified a hole, he turned on the jets and burst through.

Slaton on the other hand, was less aggressive. He was slightly less patient to let the blocking develop, and then slower to run through it.

Some have argued that the weight Slaton put on this off-season has affected his ability to accelerate. 

That may be true, but part of the problem could also be mental. Slaton seems to have missed some opportunities in the last few games, and it may be that he's trying so hard to make plays, that he's not seeing all the openings in front of him.

The causes are all speculation of course, but the results are real, and the impact is huge.

The Texans do not need to rely on a running game in order to be successful, but their explosive passing game is driven by a threat of a running game.

Many of the Texans' biggest plays this season, and in past seasons, have come off the play action. If the defense doesn't respect the running game, then the success of those plays will suffer.

Furthermore, the Texans need to be able to run the ball late in games when they have the lead, in order to burn clock and close out games.

This week, the Texans face an Arizona Cardinals team that ranks among the league's best against the run, but some of their opponents have found success.

In their three games, Frank Gore ran for 30 yards on 22 carries, Maurice Jones-Drew ran for 66 yards on 13 carries, and Joseph Addai ran for 63 yards on 13 carries. 

Those aren't very high totals, but Jones-Drew and Addai both ran for more than 4.5 yards per carry.

Overall, however, the Cardinals have held opponents to 3.1 yards per rush, so the Texans may have an opportunity to gain some yards on the ground, but they're going to have to run the zone blocking scheme to perfection.

While the Texans' defense has struggled this year, the team has relied on the offense to carry the load and win games, and even if the defense improves, the team's success is highly dependant on the offense.

If the running game doesn't improve, the team will struggle to maintain the offensive output.

It's not too late to make the improvement and have a good season rushing the ball, but it's not too early either.