The question is "was the season a success." All-encompassing. So of course "I'm looking for things" both negative and positive.
Well it depends on the question then. Is it coaching and play on the field? Or is it the overall direction of the franchise?
it was a "step in the right direction"... but calling this season a "success" is looking at the world through rose colored glasses. i think BOB did a damn good job, and is growing each week. that's what i am most happy about.
I wasn't saying that you shouldn't look at both, but there are so many positives it seems odd to focus on the few negatives more.
I would argue that bombing just about the whole draft, not solving the QB question, and having our high priced LB look terrible because of injury aren't small negatives.
Good point. Overall, I'm fine with the direction, so long as our drafting improves a little from the last few years. I feel cap management wouldn't have been a huge issue had we drafted better. I'm fine with this draft, too, so far. Yeah, right now it looks bad, but we took some risks that could have paid off big. It looks like they may not, and I would be upset to do that every year, but I feel like this was a good year to do it. We had a team that was drafting with the first pick of each round (and a few compensatory picks), and we took some risks. Took a known injured, but potential beast nose. We took a project quarterback. Got a potentially perfect tight end for the system (still not ready to write off the Polish Hat), a guard with potential, a backup running back. Not bad if it all worked out. So far it hasn't. I think not having veterans that are savvy with the schemes set our rookies back more than some realize, and I expect them to bounce back with better seasons next year. If we hit a home run in the upcoming draft, this team's arrow will be pointing sky high.
And I would argue that your assessment that the draft was bombed probably isn't the most solid as is your assertion that there was a better solution to the QB question than what they did. Again, it seems like you are going out of your way to be negative in that anything that is a question mark you automatically assume is a negative. How about giving the guys who went from a 2 win season to a winning season in just one offseason the benefit of the doubt?
The fact that we got nothing from the draft class does not make me more optimistic about the direction of this franchise. I'd rather have a 6-10 season with Clowney, XSF, and Nix killing it. Buuuuuuuut beggars can't be choosers so I'll just enjoy a meaningful Week 17, which I truly did not see coming.
What an odd post. I think the fact that we did better than 6-10 without those guys doing anything speaks volumes about the direction of the franchise.
I'm not going out of my way at all. We don't have our QB figured out and our draft has sucked. Not sure why you think either of those is a stretch. Did I say we had a better solution to what we have at QB? No, I did not. Doesn't make it better anyway.
Again, those things are question marks that you automatically assume are negatives. We don't know what we'll get from this draft class, but that doesn't automatically mean it was bad. There's plenty of reasons for optimism about XSF and Fiedorowicz and we'll have to see about Nix and Clowney coming off of injuries. The QB situation is something that we wouldn't have figured out any better no matter what we'd have done yet you see that as a reason to worry? It's just another question mark. Is Mallett that guy? Maybe, maybe not. Again, you should have a bit more faith in the team given what they've done in just one offseason even with a ton of bad luck
I guess I'd rather have the talent on the field. But yeah winning is most important and shouldn't be discounted. Maybe BOB can keep it up and he turns into Belichick 2.0.
First, it is not over. Second, it has been entertaining mainly because win or lose the team played hard. Third, as a fan you can see progress. Despite the injuries the team seems better overall now than at the beginning of the season. They need to take a hard look, a very hard look at the QB situation. I do not want to see Fitzpatrick on the field again. I do want Mallet to get a chance; he looked promising. I think Case would be a good backup. The Rookie class was extremely disappointing but some of the free agent signing have looked good.
you simply do not have your head in the sand. we are all equally happy about today's win... but, major questions remain with this franchise. as i said, it's a step in the right direction. there is nothing wrong with acknowledging missteps and lingering problems within the franchise. those who call it "negative" are simply building a straw man.
Also, this should have made everyone happy. Hopefully there will be a lot more of this next season <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>CJF not breaking stride, runs through the DB. Good to see him do this. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Texans?src=hash">#Texans</a> <a href="https://t.co/ARnlcKZZNE">https://t.co/ARnlcKZZNE</a></p>— PDS (@PatDStat) <a href="https://twitter.com/PatDStat/status/546879503965126656">December 22, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
I think that was the major takeaway of today's game, and this season as a whole. Our coaching staff now is capable of mixing things up, reacting to the teams we play against and picking at their weaknesses, hitting them right where it hurts. That versatility is not just helpful in today's NFL; I would argue it is essential. With Kubiak we had a two trick pony (ZBS running, play-action passing) that got completely shut down anytime we played a coach worth his salt (Coughlin, Belichek, McCarthy, Harbaugh, Carroll, etc). Now we have a coach that can go toe to toe with those guys. I'm not saying he'll win every battle, but he gives us a chance. So step 1 was a success for this season. We got a coach who can think on the fly now. Time to work on step 2: getting a GM who can think, period. Not just an empty suit like Rick Smith. To that end I think this season was also a success, because it showed just how inept he continues to be, through the draft and through veteran deadweight contracts holding us back. Hopefully McNair sees the light and makes a GM change this offseason.
