It will have to be taken in context. Was the defense only marginally better, with the offense carrying them most of the games, and largely responsible for the wins? If so, Kubiak's contributions (mainly on the offensive side of things) are pretty valuable and can't be discarded totally. If it comes down to decision making (challenges, etc.), timeout management, if the offense is jekyl and hyde again, or if there is any sense that he was just "outcoached" on both sides of the ball... then he goes. Its almost as if he's too good of an offensive coordinator to just toss away... because you know he's going to catch on somewhere and turn an offense around, much like Dom Capers turned the Packers defense around. Its just too bad that he can't take a "demotion" with this organization... he's either head coach/OC, or nothing at all.
I just don't understand why every time a receiver gets released that someone thinks we need to pick them up. Every year it happens. Kubiak's offense doesn't need a ton of high profile receivers. Not when you have Andre Johnson, Owen Daniels, and good receivers out of the backfield. Kevin Walter is a great hands guy (though he had a down year last year), Jacoby is kind of a wild card card but can make plays, and Dorin Dickerson looks like a solid player. People just narrow in on the wide receiver position and forget that we have great options with OD, Foster, and Casey in the passing game as well.
Wish there was a photo shop of John McClain saying BINGO! I am happy with the WR's here. AJ is the best in the game, Walter from what's told runs good routes and has pretty reliable hands, OD is a pro bowler when healthy, Jones like mentioned probably the most unreliable hands of all of our WR's but can make big plays happen when he gets his hands on the ball, Dickerson has been getting good reviews, I think Toliver has a good chance on making the team he is tall and Kubiak says he is catching everything.
So I guess we're not gonna get any WR help via free agency? I'm ok with that as long as Daniels can do what he did before he got injured, Jacoby shows that he deserves that contract, and Dickerson or Toliver surprise me. But, as we all know, we don't live in a perfect world. I'd be satisfied with 2 out of the 3 happening...
Daniels is said to be 100% and he looked good at the end of last year. Jacoby, there is still some doubts but he played well at the end of the season when AJ was out. He does/did drop balls, but he still has big play ability. Dickerson, imo, will be solid and make some plays. Toliver has to prove himself.
The one area I dont want a FA in is WR...I am completely content with what we've got. I have some major hopes for Dickerson, so any signing would interfere with him getting PT.
I'm reposting this in this thread bc I was surprised nobody gave me their take on my analysis, not even an, "it sucks"...haha. What do you peoples think?? I see no reason why we can't beat Indy week one. From what I understand, Manning (Peyton) may not even be playing and if he is, then he will be at reduced capacity. Either way, he will not be able to read our secondary the same as last year and we still beat them in week 1. From what I hear out of TC, the secondary is not going to be as easy to read this year based on what the players are saying with the new scheme of split corners where you don't know at any given play who is FS and who is SS. I think that's why Quinn is practicing as both. Week 2 at Miami, as long as the Texans don't go in expecting to win we should come out of South Beach with a W. Week 3, I think this one could go either way. The Saints replaced Bush with Sproles and look to be a tough team. However, this will be the 7th game the D has played together (I think people forget we have 4 games in preseason) and I look to see a lot of improvement. Not a sure loss in my opinion. We have Pittsburg at home in week 4. The Steelers are a tough team, true enough, but I think I've read rumors of discontention in the locker room with Harrison and what not. Don't know that they will have it all together next year, and I think Big Ben is over rated. We have a #3 offense returning from last year, replacing Leach with Vickers and OD showed a lot of improvement coming back from injury towards the end last season. In Week 5, Oakland...do we really need to go into this? Again, We need to go in not expecting a win, and play to win. Week 6 at Baltimore, We say hello to Vonta. We gave Baltimore a pretty good game last year, but as was the pattern last year, we gave it to them in the 4th qtr. I think this year with improved defense, we come outta this one with a win. @Tenn and vs Jax in week 7 and 8 Respectively. I see both of these games as wins. The Jags don't have enough on Offense and Tennessee looks to be a mess this year letting a couple of key defensive players get away. Should be fun to see AJ and Finnegan go head to head again. I say 5-3, maybe 6-2 in the first 8 weeks, 4-4 at the utmost worse barring any significant injury.
The biggest problem I see with the early schedule is that we're playing against teams that have had continuity on offense for a while. Any mistake/lapse by the defense, and Manning/Brees/Big Ben is going to capitalize. Also, there's a big 800-lb Gorilla in the room in that last year team's (specifically Jacksonville) were said to have been able to pick up Wade's blitzes before the snap thus limiting the effectiveness of the 3-4 scheme. We'll see if Wade makes an adjustment in what the offense can read pre-snap. That being said, I'd take 5-3 (assuming an opening game win at home) to start the season.
Desi, I actually think you're on to something. Wade implements a new D everytime he goes to a new team. However, the question is, does he change up the strategy and the looks the d gives quarterbacks during his tenure there? I didn't hear about them picking up his blitz before, but that would make sense. Maybe he needs to change the look up more to be more deceiving on the blitz...just a thought
To be honest, predicting any Texan's season is a crapshoot. How many times have they beaten or played close against teams they supposedly had no chance against, and how many times have they not shown up against bottom-feeders? When you have a team that relies almost exclusively on it's offense like this team has so far, W/L comes down if the offense is feeling it or not during the 4th quarter. Extremely unpredictable. Hopefully all the defensive additions changes that this year. Kubiak is a wild card as well. Sometimes he looks like a genius (on the offensive side of the ball, anyways) and other times you wish he would just use the "Ask Madden" option. If we play our cards right, I think we can win the AFC South. We have too much talent not ti.
If we're 5-3 or 6-2 after the first 8 weeks, then go ahead and buy your playoff tickets. Because in the last 8 weeks, there's very little chance we lose more than 2 of those games.
The kiss of death is assuming we're going to go 6-2 while playing the Colts, Ravens, Steelers, & Saints... If we're 4-4 after the first 8 weeks, I will be content. If we're 5-3, I will be happy. If we're 6-2, I will be dancing in the street.
I agree. I don't know if the picture of Bill Worrell popped up or not, but I was just making reference to his jinxing abilities.
Yeah, this will be the first season I won't complain at all about starting 3-3. But after that stretch, there are only 2 games I expect to lose (Ind and Atl). I'm not officially predicting 11-5 because I know there will be a few hiccups in there just like every other team, but I sure don't expect to start out 5-7 like the last 5 years or whatever. No reason we shouldn't go 5-1 in the division this year. Should definitely sweep the Jags and t***. Both will probably be embroiled in QB controversies by the time we play them.
