Kubiak
by WhiskeyR on Dec 1, 2009 8:42 PM CST
63 comments
i'm going to go against the current grain here and express my support for Kubiak.
Before the season started, many of us though we'd have a shot at the division - others thought we'd need another year to make the playoffs. As a franchise and a fan base we're quite optimistic about our chances when we look at the pieces we have in place as a team. But what we do not have in place is an ability to overcome the difficulties every single team faces in an NFL season.
We're not immune to injuries, bad calls, a 7-4 team going 11-0 in our division, turnovers, illness, difficult match-ups, missed field goals, 1 yard line fumbles, underestimating other teams or helping Vince Young hang the fucking moon again.
Its the NFL. It ain't easy. This year we are in some very close games and having a tough time finishing. We need to finish. But in years past, we'd have not even been close.
Kubiak has greatly improved this team from its 2-14 days. We have a short memory about that it seems. He turned Matt Schaub into a nearly elite QB. He (and Smith) drafted defensively and still built a very good offense. The defense is on the rise, the whole team is - as long as we look longer than 3 weeks past.
There have been plenty of mistakes. Many are on Kubiak. But he doesn't deserve quite as much criticism as he is getting. Its fun to play armchair coach and everything, when we're watching replays on our HDTVs and blaming Kubiak when the guy in the booth doesn't see something. But its not all his fault, and he's got our team on the right track. We're getting close and I think he can turn that corner.
I say give him another year. There are a lot of teams moving backwards. We're moving forward from year to year. Lets wait it out.
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I'm Still Forming My Opinion
But until further notice, I’m with you, Whiskey.
Not coincidentally, I uttered the preceding sentence to a half-empty bottle of Clontarf on Sunday night.
Looking forward to a day when being a Texans fan doesn't mean that April is the highlight of my season...
by Tim on Dec 1, 2009 8:50 PM CST reply actions 1 recs
Rec'd
For the sad fact that this opinion came out to the beer before it came out to the blog.
Being a Texans fan.
- Rivers McCown, From Mom's Basement | Twitter
I am ready for a change
I will admit that Kubiak has done better with the Texans than Capers. But the list seems to get longer with questionable calls. Lets face it, some people are not cut out for head coaching assignments. Look at Capers now – Green Bay’s defense has improved and Bill Parcel has done a good job organizing Miami. Maybe Kubiak is cut from the same cloth.
Now most of the teams the Texans face seem to consider the Texans just a minor speed bump….…and when the Texans do something to get noticed and make a statement – they lose that edge with the next game.
Honestly, I lost faith in Kubiak last season after two games:
1) when he put the punt return team on the field on fourth down when the Jags offense never left the field.
2) and the Colts game last season…….everyone blamed Sage for falling apart and losing the lead to let the Colts win….But look at the play calling. For three quarters they were tearing up yards with running Slaton of Leach to the sides….but in the fourth quarter – when they try to eat the clock – they started jamming the middle for no gain. Sage had no choice to try to make some type of play for the first. (Yes, Sage should have NEVER went airborne), but look at the play calling that got them to that point of 3rd and long.
Realistically, I am to the point where I don’t care who comes to coach Houston – as long as the new coach has some balls to make the tough play calls, get in the players (or ref’s) face when they screw up, and keep a team motivated to keep a lead or bounce back from a deficit.
I don't think Kubiak is generally making "safe" play calls
as opposed to tough ones. And he certainly gets in the refs faces – the players too, but the refs more from where I sit.
FWIW.
Maybe he does, but I still think Kubiak plays it safe
Starting Brown before Slaton or Moats is playing it safe. Yes Slaton has fumbled the ball a lot, but A.P. has 17 fumbles in 3 seasons, 9 last season alone and the Vikings still start him.
What if starting Brown first is for his pass protection skills?
We’ve all been complaining all year about “run to setup the pass”. If he decides to go mostly pass, he gets critiicized for who he starts at running back…
Also starting brown
is trying something new… not “safe”
Not that I don't agree
But I play Devil’s Advocate a lot.
Slaton is not AP.
He doesn’t have that sort of break-away speed (or power), and he’s averaging 3.1 ypc when he is running the ball.
Fumbles are not his only problem right now.
ya in his defense, our offensive line is no where near as good as the Vikings.
Be judgmental about the actions of the past, be hopeful about the actions of the future. -The Homers Creed
Indeed.
The YPC isn’t really his fault. But if our O-line isn’t capable of springing anybody for a decent run, I don’t see any fault in starting the guy who doesn’t cough it up as much. I think Kubes is doing a decent job with his rag-tag cast of RBs. But his hands are tied when it comes to that interior offensive line… Just tough to deal with three below-average players.
lets keep in mind we have 2 backup guards in there and a center who has been playing with an ankle sprain all season. Im not a Myers fan regardless of that and I’d like to upgrade center in the offseason.
Be judgmental about the actions of the past, be hopeful about the actions of the future. -The Homers Creed
Free Agent OL this offseason.
http://www.footballsfuture.com/2010/fa/ol.html
I dont know much about OL’s so im gonna step back and hear from other people about this. I figured having a list of FA OL available for people to see would further the discussion.
Rec'd
Fuck the “We want Cowher!” camp. People forget shit too easily because a lot has happened. Even if we go 7-9 i’d still be behind Kubiak. For another year at least. He can turn that corner, we just need a couple more pieces to complete the puzzle.
Kubiak is the guy
I still feel that way. Partially because – I really think he’s the guy… and partially because – I’d rather go another season giving him a shot than blow it up and start over again. Our offense would be totally different next year (chances are we’re not going to get another ZBS coach) and the O is just too close to being dominant to go backwards.
Also – another thing I think people are leaving out – I believe the Texans are the youngest team in the NFL, among starters. I think that’s a bigger deal than it’s been made out to be.
Chris - www.HoustonDiehards.com
by HoustonDiehards on Dec 2, 2009 12:32 AM CST reply actions 1 recs
Our OL has looked good in stretches, but I think you are giving them too much credit
Yes the Texans are a young team. I heard that they were the youngest, and am not sure if that just means the starters. I am not convinced that bringing in a new coach automatically means that we are starting over. There have been numerous coaching changes around the league the past 2 seasons and many of the coaches are 1st time HC’s. I’m not sure of this but I don’t think that all of those coaches did extensive roster overhauls. I don’t think Kubiak is getting the most out of our players, and that is one thing that all great coaches do. Obviously that is just my opinion, not a measurable. Furthermore I do not see Kubiak improving in making mid-game adjustments, clock management and knowing when to and when not to get conservative with the game plan. I want a change.
It took the Astros 44 years to get to the Series, the Oilers-Texans are due to get to the big dance...Go Texans!!!!!
by oiler-texan diehard on Dec 3, 2009 8:29 PM CST up reply actions
Disagree on not making half-time adjustments.
Against Arizona, Buffalo, Cinci, and Tennessee (the first time), they made terrific half-time adjustments. That’s something I don’t remember ever seeing last year, which shows improvement to me.
Last game we looked absolutely lost on both sides of the ball after halftime
Agree with you that he is better, and did make + adjustments in several key games this year, but are we satisfied with this inconsistency or do we seek out something better?
It took the Astros 44 years to get to the Series, the Oilers-Texans are due to get to the big dance...Go Texans!!!!!
by oiler-texan diehard on Dec 4, 2009 9:18 PM CST up reply actions
Indeed we did.
As always, it’s a mixed bag with Kubiak. Sometimes we look like a championship team, and sometimes we’re capable of losing to the Raiders. I guess you’ve gotta ask yourself whether or not another coach is actually capable of making them play at a high level for all 16 games.
But keep in mind, inconsistency is also a product of young players, and our roster is very young.
what kind of halftime adjustment do you make when you are doing everything right? The pressure was on the colts to make the adjustment, and they did.
Be judgmental about the actions of the past, be hopeful about the actions of the future. -The Homers Creed
Really I thought the momentum changed not at the start of the 3rd quarter
but during the 2nd. Manning led an excellent drive to cut the deficit to 10, and we were forced to settle for 2 FG attempts in the red zone. There was plenty to discuss at halftime. Instead of starting the 2nd half on fire, like we did in the 1st quarter, we came out flat and did not do much of anything on either side until it was too late. Penalties and turnovers killed us. To me that was easily as much on the coaching staff as the players.
It took the Astros 44 years to get to the Series, the Oilers-Texans are due to get to the big dance...Go Texans!!!!!
by oiler-texan diehard on Dec 5, 2009 3:09 PM CST up reply actions
Come up with a plan B....
in case the other teams adjustments actually do work. You can’t keep doing the same old same old when it is obvious it has quit working. That is where Kubes and his coaching staff suck….in game adjustments.
Just my $.02
Even duct tape can't fix stupid
last year I'd agree
but the adjustments this season have been inconsistent.
Sometimes great, sometimes eh. The niners and colts were two examples of poor, and the niners was an anomaly.
I think we have a lot of examples of good halftime adjustments.
Smushiak will take us to the playoffs in 2009.
You can lead a horse to water, but you cant make it drink!
How focused have the Texans been on taking that Drink? Kubiak led this team to the pond!!!… And the TEXANS wont drink the water… DONT BLAME COACH!!!
by bluezzball_sports on Dec 2, 2009 3:49 AM CST reply actions
People need to spend some time watching Kubiak on the sidelines during games. The guy yells, he cusses, he gets in guys faces. You cant tell me he isnt a fired up guy who wants to win. Kubiak puts on a “media face” when hes at the podium. Kubiak is taking alot of heat for the simple reason that the players are letting him down. If we were getting beat by 3 scores a game I could put alot more blame on Gary and how he prepares the team, but the fact of the matter is the players had a chance to win every game save one, and they failed. The football was in their two hands, and they failed, not Gary. What we need is a player leader like Ray Lewis, calling player only meetings and getting in guys faces and getting them fired up.
Be judgmental about the actions of the past, be hopeful about the actions of the future. -The Homers Creed
The short of it is this.
We all LIKE Kubiak. He is a stand up guy, has integrity and is a hometown boy. We all want him to succeed.
If he does not however, McNair will have to make a change, because once the fans eant the Head Coach’s blood, so to speak, he is in trouble. Especially if that translates into attendance/ticket sales issues.
I have been a vocal advocatoe of ditching Kubiak if he doesn’t turn it around this season. However, don’t confuse that with WANTING him to fail.
Here is hoping he finds a way to go 5-0 over the stretch.
"An open mind is like a fortress with it's gates unbarred and unguarded."
The ROSENFAIL : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAKAKE-uq-8&feature=related
rofl...
should readr “advocate”…..to much time at Mexican restaurants.
"An open mind is like a fortress with it's gates unbarred and unguarded."
The ROSENFAIL : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAKAKE-uq-8&feature=related
by TexansForever on Dec 2, 2009 9:05 AM CST up reply actions
Nice post.
After every tough loss over the past year+, I’ve tried to defend Kubiak rationally. I think he did a lot the past two years with tough schedules, injuries, and a pretty sub-par team talent-wise. This year, however, he is underachieving. I get where people are coming from when they call for his head. It’s frustrating to be so close, yet so far. It’s frustrating to watch rookie coaches come in and turn teams into playoff contenders in their first year on the job.
To those people, I can’t argue with you any more. You might have a good case for replacing him. However, I just have a gut feeling that he’s the right guy for the job, and if McNair is patient enough to give him another year I think it will pay dividends.
Yes, he struggles with clock management and challenges, but I think he’ll improve in that regard. And while we haven’t played a full game yet so far this season, we’ve had a few games where we came out of the gate and clearly had a perfect game-plan from the start. In a few other games, we made great half-time adjustments and worked our way back into the game. I think, given one more year, Kubiak will figure out how to put those two together.
But of course… it’s just a hunch.
how much of this underachieving is from Kubiak’s management and how he prepares, and how much of it is from players failing to perform? That my main beef with the subject right now. I dont personally agree with blaming a coach when a player fails to make a play or blows his assignment. Also lets keep in mind when people bring up new coaches turning a team around, everyone pointed to Miami, Atlanta, and to some extend Baltimore last season. It is likely none of those teams make the playoffs this year. So that begs the question, was it the coaching, or the players performing to their abilities one year and not the other?
Be judgmental about the actions of the past, be hopeful about the actions of the future. -The Homers Creed
Sometimes it's on the players.
Ala Chris Brown fumbling, Schaub throwing inopportune picks, Busing and Barber blowing assignments every time their on the field, and Kris Brown missing field-goals.
On the other hand, things like Cushing’s inability to cover Dallas Clark? That’s on the coaches. They know a linebacker can’t cover a TE like Clark. Trying to pound it in on the goal-line with our crappy offensive line? That’s on the coaches (although I still agree with the decision; if you can’t get a yard on the ground, you don’t deserve to win). Expecting Chris Myers to block Kris Jenkins? Again, coaches.
But like I said, despite all the mistakes, I still think he’s the right guy for the job. I think he coaches from the heart instead of by the book, which has its benefits and draw-backs. But I think he’s also willing to adjust and play to the strengths of his team, instead of sticking by obnoxious habits (like every baseball manager the Astros have had in recent years).
by Nashmeister on Dec 3, 2009 3:27 AM CST up reply actions 2 recs
Well...
Firing coaches at a whim is a good way to start. Drayton doesn’t quite grasp the concept of stability, does he?
McNair does.
Heck, he gave Capers four years so why cant Gary get more? The man pulled our team out of the suck pile while Capers buried us deep in it.
True that.
Then again, that’s always the argument against giving him another year. What if he gives us the 2-14 treatment next year?
Ain’t gonna happen though. That 7-win season under Capers was so clearly a mirage. Whereas right now, we’re easily better than our record.
2-14
I don’t see that happening. Our offense is capable of winning seven games by itself IMHO. If we can find the right players to plug the holes in our defense, we can make a play off run.
This is what I dont understand about the fans that are calling for Kubiak’s head after the season. Do they not remember the Capers/Casserly era? That 7 win season was out of sheer luck. Our team wasn’t even close to being competitive. With Gary, we know that we’re capable of .500 season. It’s his first HC gig so we know that he still has plenty to learn. And I truly believe that he’ll be able to turn that corner when he’s given more time.
Just look at Fisher’s career. It wasn’t until his sixth season (after 3 straight 8-8 seasons) that he turned that corner. Different situations, different expertise I know. But I truly believe that a first time HC should be given at least 5 years before he’s considered a failure.
CUT KOOBS HEAD OFF!
Many of you are all saying look at this person and that person and their career. The coach is ultimately responsible for preparing our players to handle their assignments week in and week out. It is his job to surround himself with capable assistants that will get the job done. When you open the paper and look each week it says win/lose and at this point we are losing. His job is to win and if he is not capable of that then it is time to get someone who is. Players are only as good as the person that is teaching them, preparing them or however you want to put it. The Capers years were a blur because he kept a loser quarterback that we should not have picked in the first place. When Koob came on he kept him on as well. And by no means am I saying that I wanted Vince Young because I didnt! I would love to get a coach that has been there and that will exert some discipline over our players, because they are always partying and things of that nature instead of studying and preparing like they should. But once again this stems from the top (COACHING)!
evidence of them “always partying and things” and not preparing, and evidence of Kubiak not doing anything about it or your post is completely retarded. This is almost as bad as the guy quoting his imaginary friend 1000 miles away.
Be judgmental about the actions of the past, be hopeful about the actions of the future. -The Homers Creed
by DaGoaT on Dec 4, 2009 6:47 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Our talent level is better than what our current record indicates
because of the coaching staff. Players collective talent level + Coaching staff’s collective efficiency = W – L record. We are what we are, a .500 team for the last 43 games. Can we get better with Smithiak running the show. Maybe? Is Kubiak a championship level coach? I don’t think so.
It took the Astros 44 years to get to the Series, the Oilers-Texans are due to get to the big dance...Go Texans!!!!!
by oiler-texan diehard on Dec 3, 2009 9:12 PM CST up reply actions
you are forgetting player’s maturity level and performance from your equation. Talent alone does not translate into performance. You make it sound like all a player has to do is have natural god given talent and everything else is the coach’s job. Talent alone doesnt make a guy not fumble, not miss his assignment, or come up with the big play at the end of the game.
Be judgmental about the actions of the past, be hopeful about the actions of the future. -The Homers Creed
OK, you are right, mea culpa for gross oversimplification
but I stand by my opinion that our team is underperforming. I think that at least partially that has to point to the coaching staff. We have talented players making too many mental and physical mistakes. Yes the coaches cannot make the plays on the field, but like your supervisor is responsible for your efficiency, they are accountable for the players’ collective level of productivity. Every coach knows that if his players let him down, that he will soon be moving on.
It took the Astros 44 years to get to the Series, the Oilers-Texans are due to get to the big dance...Go Texans!!!!!
by oiler-texan diehard on Dec 4, 2009 9:26 PM CST up reply actions
to play devil’s advocate, if they dedicated a DB to guarding Clark, Wayne is no longer doubled and he has a field day on you. Pick your poison really.
Be judgmental about the actions of the past, be hopeful about the actions of the future. -The Homers Creed
Dime package.
But that means Fred Benett would have to be on the field. Wow. It feels weird typing that name.
Dime package would just open up the middle for dumpoffs and draw plays. Its really hard to defend two excellent receiving threats, its why we had so much success with AJ and Daniels ourselves.
Be judgmental about the actions of the past, be hopeful about the actions of the future. -The Homers Creed
Oh, agreed.
I think the coaches were willing to concede that as long as they could keep the deep-ball in check. And hey, 20 points for the Colts? I’ll take that any day.
Koob is my guy.
if mcnair makes a change, that will be the 3rd regime change in less than 10 YEARS. first of all, cowher didn’t win his first championship for many years… so i dunno what the hell people are slobbin’ his knob so hard for. now bill walsh?? you tell me we going after him or jimmy johnson… and THEN i will say fuck koob.
Michael: It is going to up in Tahoe a couple more days. Maybe you could take a date?
Lucille: How am I supposed to find someone willing to go into that musty old claptrap?
Michael: The cabin... yes! That would be difficult, too.
http://www.twitter.com/doobieman21
Here is one thing for the "Fire Kubiak" camp
He does only have one year left on his contract…and it’s pretty hard to maintain locker room respect of people who know they’ll be here longer than you will.
Which in my mind makes me think a decision probably has to come this offseason one way or another. Extend him or fire him. And as good as I personally think he’s been, we all know the way that axe will swing based on the results this year.
- Rivers McCown, From Mom's Basement | Twitter
To counter that argument
Ive been reading this blog for awhile now because it has the best and most up to date information on the Texans and decided now was the time to sign up and make my first post. I would actually argue the opposite of what you said rivers. I think the fact that next year will be the last year in his contract is more reason to give him one more chance. The last year of a coaches contract tells alot about how the players feel about the coach. The players will either rally around a coach they believe in or crumble underneath a coach they do not respect. Either way, one more year will tell us whether or not Koobs is able to turn the corner or if he was just the right guy to get us to the corner.
Welcome, Coogman
Glad to have you aboard. Look forward to reading more from you in the very near future.
Looking forward to a day when being a Texans fan doesn't mean that April is the highlight of my season...
by Tim on Dec 2, 2009 9:05 PM CST up reply actions
The risk of the crumbling
Is pretty important though.
- Rivers McCown, From Mom's Basement | Twitter
by riversmccown on Dec 2, 2009 10:28 PM CST up reply actions
This i true but
If they respond this year and win at least 3 of our last 5 games (1 win against our 3 tough remaining games) after this heartbreaking 3 game losing streak I personally feel confident that they will not crumble next year.
Good points there CoogmanSam.
That is how the Giants won the superbowl a couple of years back. Let’s just hope that we plug enough holes via draft and FA this off-season that will enable us to turn that corner.
To me, it looks like Kubes have the respect of every player in the locker room. Especially Kris Brown.
That's an interesting thought...
But one example comes to mind: wasn’t Coughlin in the last year of his contract and on the hot-seat when he lead the Giants to a superbowl victory?
indeed, he was nearly fired before the giants made a run.
Be judgmental about the actions of the past, be hopeful about the actions of the future. -The Homers Creed
Agree as well.
One can say it worked, it was just poorly executed, but as a Monday morning armchair QB, I don’t see the logic in calling it in the first place. I have read everyone’s arguments for, but I still think it was a strange call at that point in the game.
Just my $.02
Even duct tape can't fix stupid
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