Kubiak and Wade are obviously tied at the hip. The powers that be have been pot committed for quite awhile and it is my hope that we live up to expectations next year. I agree that it's been a good season considering all the injuries. At the beginning I figured 10 - 6 and an early exit ...due to Kubiak. Well, they surpassed that. And it was really something watching this group come together....through much adversity (so many injuries). A combination of player maturation, injuries healing, guys getting back to form, filling the gaps this last offseason, rookies bursting onto the scene ..It's been a thing to behold. I just feel like they left way too many ducks on the pond yesterday. My take is that these guys play for Wade, and that one really knows what he's doing out there at all times as a DC. I give Gary credit where it's due. He's a pretty damn good OC, but when we're slugging it out for all the marbles, against the best.. with Matt and Mario healthy, I'm scared with him at the helm. This team oozes talent..whether we keep Mario or shore up WR, CB, NT ...maybe even QB. It has always been my belief that to some degree we will have to win in spite of him. But this is who Bob's hitched our wagon to and I guess I need to sit back and enjoy it. (as they say) Yesterday's game was very intense/frustrating and whether you came in as an old school Oiler fan like me or have only known the Texans, it doesn't matter. We all want the same thing. There might be disagreements on how to best to get there, but in the end.....getting there while smelling the roses isn't a bad thing. Anyway, hats off to the effort across the board yesterday. I'm proud of those guys .... Bob - Thanks for bringing football back to Houston.
They should have been running the ball on that play ...period. Baltimore was back on their heals and waiting for that pass...whether Kevin was open or not doesn't matter. Again, you take it out of TJ's hand (minimizing risk and give it to Arian.(maximize on what was going on at that point) There's enough time, the defense is softened/stretched....we have a great run blocking line...... One question - Is it true Gary called a run and TJ audibled out of it?
Thank God we now have thread ratings in this forum. The same airheads actually clamoring for Kubiak to lose his job after the greatest season in franchise history, including a playoff win with a 3rd string rookie quarterback under center ... are most likely the same idiots who thought J.J. Watt was a horrible waste of a 1st round pick, thought they were stupid for drafting Connor Barwin in the 3rd round, thought the Texas overpaid for Matt Schaub and now think Mario Williams is useless because the defense did well in his absence. We'll always have them, unfortunately.
i don't think that's true at all. In the press conference Kubiak was asked about that play and he said that he wanted that play called because he wanted to take a shot and deep and that the play was there for a big completion to be had but it just wasnt performed correctly, i.e. yates didn't get rid of the ball quick enough. I really don't have too much of an issue with the play call, just the execution.
Kubiak is still the coach he always has been, and it isn't a very good one. They won't fire him because they did win a playoff game with a 3rd string QB, but the Texans were 10-6, but probably should have been better. The defense was so good, and they were in such a weak division. Going into next year, I'd have the Texans as my favorite for the Super Bowl.
What's the end result, though? He was averaging roughly 3 yards/carry over his last 10, and just 4 yards/carry minus his 28-yarder (which, IIRC, is the longest run the Ravens have given up in the playoffs) - what do accomplish there beyond running :25-:30 off the clock? They know you need 6; you’re not playing for a FG there. You’re (likely) not going to cover 38 yards in 2:00 running the football. Again, the play call and execution are two entirely different things. The play call, IMO, is pretty sound. It’s specifically designed to bait Reed. You follow two consecutive big completions across the middle with another route to the same location. If Reed sees it and breaks on the play, BOOM! You have AJ down the sideline with 1-on-1 coverage. (And if you watch the replay, AJ had beaten his man.) If Reed doesn’t bite, then Walter is running free underneath for another 15-20-yard completion. But Yates locks in on AJ from the snap; not only does he lock in but makes the determination that he’s going to throw to him, come hell of high water. That’s on the inexperienced, impatient rookie QB, not Kubiak. This is why they’ve been reluctant to open the playbook for Yates. I haven’t heard that but it would shock me, given how the play progressed. The design of the play was pretty clear and followed their previous pattern. It was all to try and set-up Reed.
This is going to get really annoying.... Better than 10-6? Has everyone freaking lost their mind?? They were 7-3 with their Pro Bowl QB; 4-4 without him, including a playoff win, which rates as a minor miracle. Anyone who thinks this season plays out exactly as it did had Schaub not gotten hurt should seriously go root for another team because this Texan team is simply not going to ever make you happy. Also: you're insane.
You left out all the people griping about bringing in Wade; there were A LOT of those guys. It amazes me how people actively choose not to be happy/optimistic/patient, etc.
Get out then. We don't need perennially depressed Titans fans coming in here to try to spoil our fun. The Texans rock and come next year will be the favorites to come out of the AFC. We'll continue to have fun stomping all over your sorry team while you guys enjoy watching Jake Locker continue to attempt to pull of his best "at least I'm not Blaine Gabbert" impersonation. See ya!
One of their wins (which was a Texan loss) was, for the Texans, a glorified preseason game. Texans were 7-3 after 10 games. That's an 11-win pace. Given their final closing stretch, 4-5 wins with Schaub is not remotely out of the question. That they went 3-3 with Yates is pretty remarkable.
Hey man, I called for the Schaub trade before it went down. And appreciated the personnel moves listed above......just like I was ecstatic when Wade came in and we finally addressed our secondary issues via free agency. This is about having the right HC. Gary obviously isn't going anywhere and the Texans future is bright. My contention though is that his ingame/strategic/personnel decisions leave a lot to be desired...and in playoff games... close games that come down to a drive or several plays that kill momentum....he's not the guy. I hope Wade stays in Houston and stays healthy (really mean THAT). And I love the idea of going all the way next year. Now is the time to circle the wagons and sing "kumbaya" .....It's great to feel the excitement of a playoff game again .......a time to celebrate ....The defense put this team on it's shoulders .... I just want to capitalize now that our window has opened....I want to kick in the door. Talk about patience, some people have no idea.
They were a defense/run first team with Schaub. They were the same without him. They should not have lost to the Panthers/Colts/Raiders.
How are we perennially depressed? I'm looking forward to Jake Locker and his 99.4 QB rating in limited playing time.
Even defense/run-first teams need their QB to make plays. The other factor here is they played two of those 3 games without AJ. Fully healthy, they probably blow the Carolina game. I have no problem suggesting a fully healthy Schaub and/or AJ changes the results of the other two games.
This but also don't forget that they played a 6-10 schedule this year where 6 of their games were in their woeful division. They ended up 4-2 in their division and had Schaub played the entire year, that would have easily been 6-0 giving them a 12-4 record. All told, Kubiak did extremely well considering the loss of key players that led to playing a 3rd string QB but next year should really provide a better picture of him as head coach when they play a tougher schedule. Going forward, the Texans are in a very good spot right now. They should get a completely healthy Schaub back next year and that alone will eliminate the questions at the QB spot. The AFC South is in complete disarray with only the Titans appear anywhere close to being respectable. Ditto for the AFC West where an 8-8 team won the division, two teams will be breaking in new head coaches while one team's (Chargers) head coach is a dead coach walking. However, I'd like to see what changes are made by teams like the Steelers, Jets and NE before labeling them as Super Bowl favorites although, I would definitely include the Texans in that mix for 2012.
I don’t think the schedule is appreciably harder; they got lucky in how it was structured this year, with most of the tough games up front. But they played five playoff teams this year, including one that’s still alive. If you include the playoffs, they went 4-3, with Schaub and/or ‘Dre missing every one of those games, save New Orleans (which they played without Foster). Next year, it’s five again. They do have three, right now, wild card teams – Jets, Titans and Bears – all could be better next year. But they also get seven games against the Colts, Jags, Dolphins, Bills and Vikings. I think there are 10+ wins in that group. The way the NFL structures things now, schedules don’t really move much from year to year, unless it lines up and you have the AFC/NFC West in the same year – that’s been a gimme. Otherwise, you’re going to always play at least two division winners; three if you don’t win your own division – and that means four games against division winners, so….. five playoff teams isn’t appreciably tougher than any other year, especially when you always have fraud playoff teams (DENVER!).
Definitely agree. I don't see Denver making the playoffs next year from the AFC West but I can see the Chargers or the Raiders taking their place. All in all - if the injury Gods smile on them (and Wade's past history doesn't repeat itself) - I can definitely see them going 12-4 or better. The truly nice thing about all of this is that the Texans' success and bright future is giving the Cowsheep fans a severe case of heartburn.
The only issue I had (and not a big one) with Kubes yesterday was the hail mary on 4th and 2 w/ 20+ to go. Was hoping they would run a short out for the 1st down. Kubes explanation today was he was worried about going for the 1st down on 4th and 2 and not getting and not getting another chance to throw one into the end zone. Reasonable explanation in my opinion, but still felt comfortable going for the 1st and taking 2 shots into the endzone (assuming they get out of bounds or spike it in time).
