No playoffs, bye bye Kubiak. The defense has nowhere to go but up, now it's Kubiak's in game decision making that should be scrutinized harder. We know the offense is good, but that shouldn't give Kubiak a free pass, his overall decision making and game management can make the difference between a double digit win season and playoffs or the same ole same ole seasons we've had before. The problems have been addressed on the D side of the ball, so you're running out of excuses Gary. It's definitely on you this time.
I am torn because as much as I want the Texans to break through and get to the playoffs this year, but I'm afraid of how McNair will react. I like Kubiak, but I honestly think his ceiling as a head coach is about 10-6, and I'm afraid a 9-7 or 10-6 playoff entry will get Kubiak another extension and we'll never be able to take the next step. He got too long of an extension last time, so even if he gets us to the playoffs with a 10-6 record, I want him to show improvement beyond that to extend him again. Unless he gets us to the AFC championship game, he needs to just finish out the contract.
Sheesh, I was one of the biggest proponents of canning Kubiak last year, but let's at least wait until the season starts before we start talking about his potential replacement. LOL. That being said, I think it matters more how we play this year than what record we end up with. If we finish 9-7 after starting 5-7 and get swept by the colts while going 3-3 in the division and missing the wildcard, Kubiak should be canned. (I know that's impossible since we play the colts so late in the season, but you get the idea...) If we finish 9-7 and sweep the colts while going 5-1 in the division and making the playoffs as the division champs, well that's a little different. The bottom line is Kubiak should not be extended unless he does MORE than what's expected this year. If we go 11-5, win a playoff game or 2, I say he's earned that extension.
C'mon, man. You know you can't have a lame duck coaching your team. How can you expect Kubiak to coach if he and his players know that his job on the line. Yeah, you can bet on Bob giving Kubes an extension if he makes the playoffs. We gave him a 3 year extension for posting a winning record. There's no doubt in my mind that McNair will give him another one if he squeaks into the playoffs.
I'm a reasonable person. My first thought is 10 wins saves his job, but it shouldn't be a 3 year extension unless there are playoffs and a win involved. Otherwise I would do only a modest 1 year extension (believe he already has 1 year left) 9-7 to me opens him up to being fired. But it's fluid. Has he improved as a head coach? If the same issues with him exist then he's gone. 8-8 or worse fired no matter what. As far as Wade becoming the next head coach, he's probably a better head coach than Gary is, but I would hope that Bob would go after a more established coach.
Wade is a very established head coach. Entrenched, in fact. Entrenched in mediocrity, that is. He's a perfect fit for these Texans. If Kubiak is gone for whatever reason, sign me up for Cowher. That said, the man is still the Texans' HC, so I'm in his corner. Go battlefightin' Kubes! Win 10 or 11! (I predict 9-7)
And I was only advocating on keeping Kubiak for only one more season. All this extension talk is scaring me.
As it stands, I find myself rooting for this combination to work, at least for a year or two. If Kubiak goes this season, it kicks off the Wade Era and I'll hang myself. It's a big relief that McNair stripped Kubiak of defensive oversight and reduced his roster imput somewhat. He simply couldn't be trusted anymore to honestly evaluate a defensive coaching staff and his spotty draft record had to be called into question. My worry going forward is the big issue of last year - his inexplicable reluctance to use such an explosive ground game. The Dallas and MNF IND games continue to haunt me: 6+ ypc, and Foster wasn't given 20 touches. Foster should make the aerial assault even more lethal and turn Kubiak's beloved play action calls into pick your poison. This should be a wonderful problem to have, and hopefully Kubiak spent the lockout revising his scheme to take advantage. But I somehow doubt it. Scary but true: despite a 4.8 YPC avg for all backs (Foster 4.9) compared to 3.9 the previous two years, the Texans ran the ball less. I recognize the "playing from behind" angle...but we're talking about a guy that still averaged 4.4 YPC in losses.* And with a historically inept defense, it should have been more of a concern to keep them off the field. *Schaub in losses: 83 rating, 60% completion rate, 10 of his 12 INTs, and 21 of his 33 sacks. Not really. We've got a 3-4/4-3/5-2 mixed mutt. You know a real 3-4 by the presence of a legit NT. Shanahan couldn't implement a real 3-4 in Washington last season since Haynesworth refused to play as one. But a transition to a "real" 3-4 would be a whole lot easier after this offseason.
The 3rd & 2 and then the 4th & 2 @ Indy where he threw the ball twice (lined up in shotgun for 4th down) was one of the biggest "WTF are you doing Kubiak" moments of the season for me. When asked after the game, he said he didn't know that he was going for it on 4th down when he called the 3rd down play. Yep. You couldn't really ask more out of Foster, he was 3rd in the league in rushing attempts (probably would've been first if he hadn't been benched for half of the Oakland game). But the Texans as a team were 19th in attempts. Ward played really well in the backup role and probably should have gotten more carries.
C'mon, those players love Kubiak! Havent we heard that the past 2-3 years, every year down the stretch trying to "save" his job, they dont want him fired, etc. They love that guy! But yeah, you cant have a lame duck coach. It isnt the "right" thing to do. Meh, so what. I wouldnt doubt it either. #ontherighttrack
No, we don't know that, we hope that, but I've long given up on Uncle Bob holding Kubiak accountable.
If we go 10-6, there is no way Kubiak won't get an extension. 10-6 will be seen as major progress and will probably get us in the playoffs. If we go from being 6-10 to 10-6 in one year and make the playoffs, the fans are going to be going nuts.
If I was the GM I would give him these options: - 10 wins and a playoffs spot, let him have his final year. - 12 wins OR a playoffs win, give him an extension - no playoff spot, and he is out of here, unless its like the Pats, that got 11-5 and missed playoffs, then I will give him one more year.
I think we go 10-6 and Kubiak stays, regardless of the playoffs. And, honestly, that would be okay with me. Anything under 10-6, with no playoffs, I'll want him gone. I think if we go 10-6, and beat the Colts at least one game, there is no way you can fire him for not making the playoffs. Or at least that is what McNair will say. You can't control how often other teams are winning, you know.
Fans: 2009: "Playoffs or bust" 2010: "Playoffs or bust" 2011: "Playoffs or bust" Why do Texans' fans have a suffering fetish? First, people made excuses when the Texans cut Robinson. "He lost a step", "he wasn't that good", "Kareem Jackson is NFL ready because he played for Nick Saban". Then they make excuses about Okoye. "So what if he is only 20, he should look like the reincarnate of Warren Sapp during his prime", "He hasn't made the Pageantry Bowl", "He made Kareem Jackson fall down". I am very close to becoming a Buffalo Bills fan. I want to prove to people that Texans fans have a suffering fetish, for which the only cure is a debate about whether a discombobulated head coach who has yet to prove anything other than average results deserves a 3-year extension after being given more time than anyother head coach with a single team to make the playoffs without having made the playoffs in the history of the NFL. So my answer is yes, Kubiak deserves a 3-year extension.
a fetish in wanting to win? Seems like that's just about everyfan. few corrections...texans didnt re-sign Dunta because he was asking for way more than he is worth. Kareem was NFL ready...for the suck. But it was widely agreed upon that he was the most ready because he played in the best conference and played in an NFL-like system. No one every compared Okoye to Sapp
I think this is a generally bad idea. Guys that come from the premier programs are often going to be the least ready because they are on teams with talent advantages at every position. If you're a QB, you probably have an awesome line and are throwing to WRs that are faster and bigger than the DBs they are lining up against. If you are a WR, you probably have an awesome QB. If you're a CB, the front 7 is probably dominating, so you have less work to do. Etc.
Word. Kareem had the benefit of an absolutely monsterous front 7 wrecking shop for him. His life at Alabama was easy street. His life as a Texan is decidedly more difficult. His linemen made him in college, which just goes to show how piss poor our talent evaluation has been, particularly on defense.
shut up and look ahead, quit looking back... Kubiak has several pluses, and negatives like many coaches do, so shut up and ween !
