Good post, injuries and Mcnair's complacency will save his job, it is up to fans to show their displeasure; no winning, no money!
The bottom line is that Kubiak has had 5 years to get it done, and he hasn't done the job. Barring a 6-2 finish, he needs to be gone. I've been a supporter of their drafting abilities, but Ric makes a compelling argument. Lots of project players on a team that needs players to put it over the top. Okoye was a bust, and Kareem Jackson was an absolute reach. I still think he can be decent, but not worth a 1st round pick. Speaking of Antwaun Molden, why isn't he getting on the field with the defense?! It's time to see if a 3rd round pick from THREE YEARS AGO can play. You don't take a player in the 3rd round to play special teams. I've been very patient with this team, but across the board we just come up a little short in every category. Drafting, game management/playcalling, player development, etc.. The only experienced coordinator we've had is Sherman. We reached on Richard Smith and Frank Bush, a LB and DL coach, as rookie coordinators. We reached on Kyle Shanahan and Rick Dennison as rookie o-coordinators (Kyle has a bright future, but it wasn't the right time to hand over the reigns to a first time playcaller, and it looks like we can say the same thing for this season with Dennison). Ultimately Kubiak has full control over these things and has failed.
Eh, agree to disagree here. I think the season was basically over when we lost to j-ville to go 5-7. Yes, I know it wasn't over mathematically, but realistically, it was over. Much like this season will be over when we lose 2 of the next 3. Because we sure aren't going to finish THIS season on a 5-game winning streak. I know you won't agree with this rational because it's literally impossible to quantify, but... I really do think it's an attitude problem with this team. And it reflects on the coach IMO. I know attitude can't turn Kareem Jackson into Champ Bailey or Amobe Okoye into Warren Sapp, but I do think a team takes on the mindset of the coach. And I'm just not convinced Kubiak has that "God dammit, we're going to kick these guys asses and there's not a G-D thing they can do about it" mindset of, say a Rex Ryan. Jets were a laughing stock just 2 short years ago. I know they've added some talent, but it's mostly their mindset that's made a difference. IMO. Here's a hypothetical: if Rex Ryan comes here instead of the Jets last year, where do you think we are right now? I hate the guy, but you can't argue with what he's done in such a short time. I mean, can you IMAGINE Rex Ryan not being able to watch his FG kicker try a game winner? Hell, look what a guy like Todd Haley has done with the lowly Chiefs this year. He's totally changed the mindset of the locker room. He's got a lot less to work with than Kubiak.
At the midway point, they sported a better record than both eventual wild card teams. Even after the 4-game losing streak, they were still just a game behind the final wild card spot. Remember, Jet fans had written their team off, too, after they dropped to 4-6. They wound up 60 minutes from the Super Bowl. You judge a season by its entirety. Interestingly, Collinsworth addressed this very thing last night; that often, when the coach (he was discussing Wade Phillips) appears taciturn, fans have a rendency to fill what they consider that fire and brimstone void with their own fire and brimstone. But he ultimately concluded lots of different styles work, citing Bill Walsh and Tom Landry as prime examples of winning coaches who did not shoot fire out of their rear ends. (Ignoring his NBC colleague, Tony Dungy, btw.) LOL. “Some” talent? They’ve added (or he inherited) a wealth of talent. That’s a really good football team. Best offensive line in football, one of the best backfields in football, one of the best front 7s in football, best secondary in football…. The Texans have one of the best running backs and wide receivers in football - that's about it. Above average QB. I think. You know who Rex Ryan reminds me of? Jerry Glanville. He’s a minstrel. A great defensive coach, sure - but a sideshow. If he were with the Texans, a team that lacks the overall talent of the Jets, I think they’d be a 7-to-9-win team and we’d all be fed up with Rex Ryan. IMO, of course. Keep in mind, the Jets were headed to 7-9 last year when the Colts and Bengals packed up shop 2 weeks early. And yes - I'd love to be 6-2 - but look who they've beaten: Their last 4 wins are against teams with a combined 7-25 record. And they needed OT to beat Detroit yesterday. Maybe Rex should have yelled more? They've beaten exactly one team above .500. I'm not defending the Texans but they've played 5 teams with winning records and won 3.
I don't necessarily disagree. And like you, I see the only folks who can possibly be faulted for that is Kubiak and Smith. Because this team is chock full of guys they selected to be on this roster. No matter which part of the job you're critical of....play-calling; demeanor and attitude; personnel; etc...it all ultimately falls on the man who has been head coach and chief bottle washer for going on 5 seasons now. If they don't turn it around and pull this team into the playoffs, then I think we're looking elsewhere.....though...I have no idea how the potential labor problems ultimately will affect all that.
Yeah, I think the 2006 draft was sooooooo good, we've (self included) all kind of slept on how... not good their subsequent drafts have been. They haven't been Casserly-like abysmal - but like Casserly, who continually blew or wasted 2nd and 3rd round picks - Kubiak doesn't have a lot to show for those picks, either. When you mix in first round misses (Okoye, possibly Jackson), it really underscores striking out in rounds 2 and 3. Again, this is the EXACT same pattern that doomed Casserly.
Bring in Wade Phillips as def coord to finish out the season I was 100% for bringing kubiak back even if they didn't make the playoffs assuming the were close. That was going into the season, but he has made some terrible decisions this year and I don't think he is capable now
If Bob has the balls to fire Kubes at the end of the season, I hope they look at John Fox. He is a good head coach that got stuck in a bad situation over the last few years with that organization, give him talent/money and he can succeed.
I was thinking about bringing him in as a consultant, but apparently his defense has become very easy to read (unless Kubiak/Dennison/Schaub are involved) and that's contributing mightily to their wretched start. Over the past 5 games (after their bye week), they're averaging giving up almost 36 points a game!! That's even worse then Frank Bush's defense!!
That was meant more as a joke. I think that team quitting is the main reason. I still think he can be a good def coord. Our def is truly a joke. I agree with post above that it seems kubiak ignores certain positions/aspects of the game.
I am not one for knee jerk moves, though this defense has been so bad for the entire season I am not sure any move would be considered knee jerk, but if Jerry let's him go then yes I think the Texans should bring in Wade. By all accounts they won't fire Kubiak this year if there is a lockout so get a leg up now and bring in Wade. I don't care about the 3-4/4-3 thing or if you are not supposed to hire coaches during the season, just do whatever will work. Frank Bush has had his chance and Wade can do no worse. This is desperation time for the defense.
My Question is this. Why does he keep going away from Foster after it's clearly working? I mean I'm not a coach and never claimed to be one but when you see a play or a player working and it's giving you the lead then you continue to do it until they finally can stop it. Hell as boring as it might sound but if I am playing Madden and my opponent can not stop the same play no matter how many times I run it, then hell I'm going to keep doing it until he can stop it and make sure I win. Why would I go away from it. It seems every game recently when Foster is getting going and destroying the other team he goes away from it and it completely hurts us. I just don't get it. 99 yards and 2TD's in first half and then boom! lets go to the passing game which isn't working at the moment. Run for 231 against the Colts in week 1 and last week have Foster Gash them for 9 yards a carry, instead of gong to it more what does Kubiak do? Go away from that and change it up and then finally realize at the end of the game that we need Fosters running again. What the hell is going on in that mind of his. I am not saying I know what the hell I am talking about but damn it looks pretty damn simple to me at this point.
It's interesting how he defines QBs to make it fit his argument. Eli Manning, inconsistent at best over his career but having a good season, is considered very good / great. Meanwhile, Vick, Young, and Garrard (comprising 5 of the last 8 QBs the Texans will face), currently rank #1, #2, and #4 in passer rating this season but are listed as poor/mediocre. Orton, currently ranked #9, is basically having an identical season to Eli Manning but is made red instead of blue. So in the 8 remaining games, we'll face 6 of the current top-10 efficency guys. Combined, those QBs have a 41 TD - 14 INT ratio, but somehow they are inaccurate and bad decision makers.
I have this feeling that player development is also in play here. With the right coaching, both Okoye and Jackson might be able to prove their draft value. Measuring the Texan player development abilities though is impossibly subjective. I do find it interesting that you mentioned two defensive players. The Texans do appear to have a little better luck drafting and developing offensive players like David Anderson, Jacoby Jones (to some extent), Owen Daniels, and James Casey. Not drafted, the Texan have also developed Matt Schaub, Kevin Walter and Arian Foster.
I just don't agree with this. Look at the Broncos starting off 6-0 last year, then finishing 2-8 after their bye. You think Bronco fans consider that a typical 8-8 year? Point taken. I heard that too and immediately thought of Kubiak. Still, I don't remember Walsh or Landry constantly blaming themselves after losses or not being able to watch FG attempts. We've shown we can run the ball as good as anyone in the league when we want to. Our top 2 RB's have a much higher ypc average than the Jets top 2 RB's. It's just that Rex runs the ball more. And surprise, they're 6-2 and we're 4-4. The defense...well, you got me there. Our defense would probably give up 30 points to Cy Creek... I compared him to Glanville after watching Hard Knocks. Even mentioned it on this bbs after Week 1. But yeah, maybe the Jets are a bad example. How about the Chiefs? I know we (barely) beat them this year, but they've already won more games this year than all of last year. They were AWFUL under Herm Edwards, then hired Todd Haley and (IMO) he changed the mindset of the entire team. Reinvigorated the fanbase as well after suffering through a 2-win season in 2008. You can't really argue that they are more talented than the Texans. Yes, we probably don't have the personnel to win 11 games this year. Maybe not even 8.... But like max says, Kubiak is the head coach and driver of the Winnebago (someone name that reference), so the buck stops with him. When we don't make the playoffs again this year (and we won't), it's time for him to go. No other coach in the league has been at the helm for as long as Kubiak without making it to the playoffs. I'm not saying that's going to solve all our problems and we'll win the Superbowl the next year, but 4 straight seasons of 8-8/9-7, and it's time for a change.
i'd feel a lot better if the receivers were covered. if guys weren't wide open. when no-namers you've never heard of before have 3-5 yards of separation from defenders repeatedly, it doesn't matter who the QB is, that's gonna be a completion more times than not.
Didn't really want to make a new thread for this, so I figured that I'd put this in here: http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AqnbrYqLAJpIzP7ZDb51Zgw5nYcB?slug=cr-winnersandlosers110710 We've all thrown around Chucky and the Chin as possible coach substitutes for the inept Kubiak, but I think Dungy could definitely get it done with the personnel we have. He's not a real fire/brimstone coach, but I think he'd fit in well with the "Texans culture," whatever that is.
