Talent that was not "coached" to its potential. That's why Uncle bob needs to take out the garbage and bring in someone that's competent.
Kubiak often runs the ball to end the game so your points stat might be misleading. Wasn't it the first game of 2011 when they scored 30 against the colts in the first half and then 0 the second half when they just ran it every single time?
The 2011-2012 stats look that way in part because we were protecting leads, much like the 2010 stats look they way we do because we were playing from behind. However, the key is that it is "in part". It doesn't entirely explain it away. The fact that this 2nd half falloff trend has continued into 2013 (not to mention how dramatic the dropoff is between halves), when the Texans aren't "protecting leads", reinforces the thought that it isn't just circumstantial.
Points being down in the second half those past years is not a second half dropoff though in production unless the Texans were actually struggling to score. The second half collapse was not a Kubiak special in years past. The Kubiak special was playing only one half of football, either the first or second, it didn't matter.
It's not that the numbers are lying...yes, we have scored less in the 2nd half. Some of that is due to terrible coaching...and some of that is due to the fact that we had big leads in games and running out the clock was the method of approach to the second half. I think, more than ever, the coaching staff is just getting out coached...and it's just painful to watch. I always knew Kubiak was a little wuss when it game to aggressiveness, but I always hoped that he would learn over time, just like players develop over time. However, he's shown that he just doesnt have the head coach mentality. I'll do the numbers for the Ravens last year, just for sh!ts and giggles.
That's just it though, in large part, they were struggling. Both as a combination of conservative playcalling and the fact that other coaches were doing a better job of adjusting to our playcalling. I included the net points to demonstrate the defense's adjustments, or lack thereof. Disagree. After going back over every game the last 5 years, I can say I'm more convinced than ever that the Kubiak/Phillips tandem has a serious 2nd half problem. Playing with a lead simply cannot explain that much of disparity.
I just did the Ravens 2012 Super Bowl season...pretty impressed with the balance. 199 first half points. 196 second half points. In 7 of the games, they scored more in the first half. In 9 of the games, they scored more in the second half. Very consistent.
2012 Patriots 290 first half. 267 second half. In 11 of the games, they score more in the first half than in the second half...and a lot of that has to do with clock management to close out the game. Donny, I had a brain fart...just saw your +/-...I didnt do that...will take care of it once in an hour or so when I get some time. EDIT: jk, took care of it now. First half +130 Second half +93 They were outscored in the 2nd half 5 times all season...and in those 5 games, they lost 3 of them. Week 2, they were -2 in the 2nd half and lost the game by 2. (Arizona) Week 3, they were -7 in the 2nd half and lost the game by 1. (Baltimore) Week 6, they were -8 in the 2nd half and lost the game by 1. (Seattle) In the other 2 games that they were outscored in the 2nd half, they had big leads and had no reason to be aggressive...in those games, they were -1 and -2 in the 2nd half. Regardless of score, they were never worse than -8 in the 2nd half...that's pretty amazing.
I am convinced that this was Antonio Smith's way of calling out the coaching staff of the Texans. I don't think he is being petty per se... I don't think he believes the Patriots cheated in order to beat them. He is saying that it doesn't take a crystal ball to figure out what the Texans are doing on defense.
I don't believe it was a shot at the coaches. Here's the video: http://www.nfl.com/videos/houston-t...Antonio-Smith-on-Patriots-I-m-very-suspicious
Antonio isn't dumb enough to criticize the coaches in his contract year, nor is he smart enough to criticize anyone in such a subversive manner.
"they was having some confusion too because we was confused and trying to get our lineup" That seems like one of the more telling parts of the interview. The whole time he is smiling and clearly being sarcastic... It's possible he is smiling because he is implying that the Patriots cheated or because he is implying that they are cheating. Also: "Either teams are spying on us or scouting us..." Seems to suggest that he is not accustomed to the Texans scouting other teams.
To accuse a team of cheating puts a big red flag on his worth. Players and media will ridicule him, as they are, and it makes him look like a poor loser that nobody wants on their team. Players know when something is up. This team is in turmoil because of the coaching and everybody sees it. Antonio will still get a contract because he can be productive. Calling out our dismal coaching staff or accusing a team of cheating will likely raise character concerns, but one has more merit than the other, and I think it's obvious which one does.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Antonio Smith said he was "joking" and "kidding around" when he used "spying" and "Belichick" in his postgame comments about Pats comeback.</p>— John McClain (@McClain_on_NFL) <a href="https://twitter.com/McClain_on_NFL/statuses/407679547476164608">December 3, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Spoiler <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Texans&src=hash">#Texans</a> Antonio Smith: “It tickles me how much the country loves the Patriots so much they take everything so seriously."</p>— Nick Mathews (@Nick_Mathews) <a href="https://twitter.com/Nick_Mathews/statuses/407685181386936321">December 3, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Texans&src=hash">#Texans</a> Antonio Smith: “I wasn’t angry or serious and I didn’t say that’s why they beat us.”</p>— Nick Mathews (@Nick_Mathews) <a href="https://twitter.com/Nick_Mathews/statuses/407685435746316288">December 3, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Smith: "I didn’t think anything else about it after we talked until I woke up this morning and everybody wanted to kill me on Instagram."</p>— Nick Mathews (@Nick_Mathews) <a href="https://twitter.com/Nick_Mathews/statuses/407685613345701889">December 3, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Antonio Smith: “I said it, but you have to check the manner in which I said. I didn’t accuse them of beating us with cheating."</p>— Nick Mathews (@Nick_Mathews) <a href="https://twitter.com/Nick_Mathews/statuses/407686130423693312">December 3, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Texans&src=hash">#Texans</a>' Antonio Smith: "Come on, don’t you have a sense of humor?"</p>— Nick Mathews (@Nick_Mathews) <a href="https://twitter.com/Nick_Mathews/statuses/407686235193225216">December 3, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Antonio doesn't even take himself seriously. Why should anyone else? I'm gonna miss him when he's gone. As to the discussion over the second half impotence, I also remember when the Texans would "pick a half, any half," but that was earlier in Kubiak's career. More recently, the Texans have been seriously impotent after the break. depressingly so.
