Rick seemed to be the only one who wanted Watson. He traded a lot to get him. For that he deserves a lot of credit. Plenty of people on this board and a lot of draft experts said he was going to suck. Based on Bobs reaction during the draft maybe he thought the same thing. Bob wanted to start Savage.
I'll admit that I was nervous as hell about the pick but Rick Smith took the gamble and appears to have really struck gold. I think you are right about BOB not really wanting him, which when taken with the QB's he really wanted to have and the guys he didn't want....it's quite an indictment of his ability to judge talent.
Source: O’Brien Wanted To Name Watson Starting QB In Preseason HOUSTON (SPORTSRADIO 610) — Houston Texans head coach Bill O’Brien changed quarterbacks just 30 minutes into the season, going from Tom Savage to rookie Deshaun Watson in the opener. But SportsRadio 610 has learned that O’Brien wanted to make the move much earlier. According to a source with knowledge of the situation, O’Brien wanted to promote Watson after his performance in Week 1 of the preseason against the Carolina Panthers, but was talked out of it by general manager Rick Smith. The source was not authorized to speak publicly and requested anonymity. Watson, who led the Texans to a 57-14 rout of the Tennessee Titans Sunday, spent all offseason behind Savage, who was named the starter the night Watson was drafted 12th overall. But according to the source, when O’Brien approached Smith about his thinking, Smith said he should “give it time,” in part to ensure that Watson wasn’t being rushed. “(O’Brien) knew what he had a long time ago,” the source said, adding that “it wasn’t a matter of if, but when” Watson would get the nod. The decision to stick with Savage was collaborative, the source said, and one that O’Brien ultimately agreed to. In the meantime, O’Brien put in significant time with Watson in training camp to get him ready for when he’d eventually take over.
LOL sounds like more lies leaked by BOB to try and make his decisions look better. The sad thing is that some people will actually believe this BS.
it's not that it doesn't fit the narrative, it's that it's completely unbelievable. We know that BOB is a liar and that he leaks BS to the media at times like this and that's what he's doing. Savage was his guy and Watson was a pick forced on him....but we're supposed to believe that it was Rick Smith, the guy who traded up for Watson, that talked BOB out of pulling Savage? C'mon man that's just stupid. BOB is known for being bull headed when it comes to who he decides to start at QB....you know like that season that he made up his mind before the season that Hoyer was going to start but he lied and said there was going to be a QB competition between Hoyer and Mallett.....one that Mallett won according to the metrics that BOB kept himself.....and he came out and said Hoyer won anyway. There's no way that Rick Smith told BOB who to play....and if he did, he'd have been pushing for his own guy, not for Savage. BOB is banking on fans being ridiculously gullible...and he might be right to do so. If Rick Smith had ANY faith in Savage, he wouldn't have traded as much as he did to go up and get Watson.
This has to be the most laughable leak of all. He won't even take responsibility for who he decided to start He was talked out of it by Rick? Lol
This was brought up months ago and was debunked. No way that is true. Savage has been Bill's guy. He named him the starter since before preseason. Not to mention that Savage had a better completion percentage, took less sacks and better QB rating in the Panthers game. Watson did have the rushing touchdown but he followed it up with a 3 for 10 game the very next week.
How so. It took him 30 minutes to put Watson in. He just suddenly came up with that idea? #Narrative. #BS.
Except it does fit the narrative. The narrative is that for 4 years, BoB has made endless bad decisions and then when they don't work out, his people leak that it was acutally someone else's decision. Rinse and repeat over and over again. It ensures that certain people an always give him credit for anything good and never blame him for anything bad. Even if you do believe him yet again (which makes you extraordinarily gullible), what does it say about your head coach that, for 4 years, he's let the GM repeatedly talk him into making terrible coaching decisions one after the other? Who to start is the coach's responsibility - endlessly blaming it on the GM is either a lie or it means you're a very weak coach.
No one in the Texans organization takes responsibility, so I am not surprised. O'Brien leaks to the media to cover his ass. Smith doesn't talk to the media when things are bad and threw his last coach under the bus. The owner of the team doesn't take responsibility for anything, from his absurd bathroom bill funding, to the performance of his team. Ultimately it doesn't matter because it is the NFL, fans will come in droves. Oddly enough Watson might bail them out AGAIN.
Here's the truth, from someone who actually knows the people/played in NFL/knows how to win: When the Texans brought Bill O'Brien in, it was because of his ability to have success with QBs... and then it didn't happen. But then again, it wasn't really coaching -- from a player's standpoint... I look at it as not enough personnel. The ability to see the weaknesses on your roster and make the right moves. Is Bill O'Brien the guy or not the guy? It's still to be determined. Yeah we've been 9-7 and unable to get over the hump, but that's due to injuries and lack of QB play. What he has done with Watson, if Watson's healthy this is a different conversation. The big thing is, a Head Coach has to have the right to be able to make roster calls. If he doesn't have control of who he's putting on the field, his system isn't being implemented in the best possible way. I've know Bill O'Brien personally for years now -- he's a very capable coach; he knows the game; he knows the offensive schemes; that's not the issue. --James Ihedigbo, Super Bowl winner with Harbaugh/Ravens and Super Bowl loser with Belichick/Patriots.
His guy was getting killed because he didn't have the mobility to survive behind that awful O line....so the move to a guy who could run for his life was a very obvious one. Also, when he decided to go with Hoyer over Mallett, he also was forced to make a change in the first game of the season despite rigging the QB competition for Hoyer in preseason. The fact that he's unwilling to take responsibility for what players he decided to play just shows that he's not the kind of guy you want in your organization. Only the most gullible of fans will believe that Rick Smith talked BOB into playing the guy BOB wanted to go with over the QB that Rick Smith just traded up for. It would require willful ignorance.
Are we to believe that Rick Smith is thinking "I'm going to have to talk BOB into playing Savage instead of this guy in a few months" while BOB is thinking "I bet Rick Smith isn't going to let me play this guy"? Watson was CLEARLY a Rick Smith decision and not a BOB decision, why would he be the guy forcing BOB to play Savage? I honestly can't believe anyone is gullible enough to believe this round of BOB leaks.
some of the prestigious houston media like Lance Z was saying there was no way they were drafting qb and he had talked to multiple 'inside' people with the 'know'.
From 2014... http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap20...ns-among-five-teams-with-new-power-structures Browns, Texans among five teams with new power structures ... Likewise, offseason coaching hires Bill O'Brien (Texans) and Lovie Smith (Buccaneers) inherited ultimate authority over the 53-man roster. ... Houston Texans Owner: Bob McNair, 13th year General Manager: Rick Smith, 9th year Head Coach: Bill O'Brien, 1st year Other front-office notables: Cal McNair, Chief Operating Officer; Brian Gaine, Director of Pro Personnel; Mike Maccagnan, Director of College Scouting; Chris Olsen, Vice President of Football Administration. Who's really in charge? The firing of Gary Kubiak brought the first big shakeup for McNair's organization in almost a decade. Smith survived the switch as the team's GM, and he still runs the draft and free agency. But just the same, it's clear that O'Brien carries a big stick coming aboard from Penn State, as evidenced by his securing contractual final say over the 53-man roster.
Watch the video, Einstein. Rick was laughing because Cal had just leaned back and said something funny. If that screenshot is so informative, why is that guy next to Rick unhappy? Why are all those guys looking so grim, covering their mouths? Why isn't anybody in the entire room "happy" other than Rick??? LOL, sheesh. Internet conspiracies.
That's wrong. Here's the truth: Head Coach Bill O'Brien public press conference in 2015... (on who has the final say when there is a disagreement between Executive Vice President of Football Operations and General Manager Rick Smith and him) (Founder, Chairman and CEO) Bob (McNair) has the final say on everything in this organization. Thats why they call him the owner. (on what his contract says) Mine says that basically its a partnership and that any decisions that are made are with the concurrence of the general manager, and thats the way it works. Thats the way it works. I dont know about anybody elses contract. (on if he gets to control who plays) Oh yeah, of course. On game day, Im in charge of the team you see on the field. No doubt about that... That means Rick is in charge. And has been in charge. You can make up whatever you want to fit your narrative, but the above is the truth. Or as MCClain has stated 1000 times: Rick runs the draft and controls the 53, O'Brien decides who plays.
