How do you feel about Kubiak?

[ObsiWan]

Originally Posted by steelbtexan

Gary should thank god everyday that Manning got hurt and Bum helped Wade get the DC job.

How many games did Gary win without Wade this yr?

Gary is Gary a quality OC. Wade is Wade a quality DC. Together they make a great combo.

This yr hopefully Gary makes the offensive draft picks and Wade makes the defensive draft picks. While Rick is locked in the bathroom for 3 days.

Kubiak lost two games without Wade running the D this year.
Kubiak lost four games WITH Wade running the D this year.
He lost twice as many games WITH Wade as without.

So what?

I agree with the rest of your post and have said so many times. Together they won ten games and the division title. May next year together be even better.

For the record, I'm starting to believe Rick Smith doesn't really make any picks. He goes out and finds the free agents we need to fill voids left after the draft. And he's done a pretty decent to very good job in that area.
Now I could be all wrong, but I think the draft is directed by the coaches.
Rick may hand in the selection card but it's the coaching staff who decides which name is on that card.

[SuperSerial]

Originally Posted by cbs1507

Dude you cannot compare 17 years to 6 years. I thought I made that clear. Was Belichick a great coach after 6 years? NO. If you cannot see the parallel I cannot help you. There are plenty of coaches that have early success but cannot sustain it. Those coaches don't last very long. Look at the situations in KC, TB and even the NY Jets. Most great coaches had to go through a learning curve (regardless of early success or not) and Belichick (and many others) was not exempt from it. It's that simple. Is Kubiak a great coach? IDK. Only time will tell. But he's not as bad as many people try to make him out to be.

Okay fair enough brah. Whatever you say is good.

Let's all agree we want the Texans to win, no matter who is at the helm. Get 'er dun'.

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by ObsiWan

Now I could be all wrong, but I think the draft is directed by the coaches.
Rick may hand in the selection card but it's the coaching staff who decides which name is on that card.

Since Kubiak has been here, this has been a group-think organization. Every decision is made by a group. Bob, Cal, Gary, Rick, and whoever may be at OC, DC, & position coaches, & all the scouts. Last off-season defense was definitely the focal point & I'm sure Wade's opinion weighed in heavily. But it's not like he said, "Get me Jonathan Joseph at all cost, not that Nnamdi guy." Everyone had them ranked Nnamdi, then Jjo.

Von Miller, Marcell Darius, Patrick Peterson, Aldon Smith, JJ Watt, Nick Farely, Robert Quin.. the rest of the league may not have ranked them that way, but I have no doubt Rick Smith did. Taking JJ Watt over Farely & Quin looked like classic Rick Smith to me, gambling that Ayers & Reed would be there in the second.

I like Wade & I'm not trying to take anything away from the job he did in H-Town. But just two years ago, Rick Smith was heralded as one of the best young executives in the NFL. I can't find the story, but I found this from 2008

Rick Smith, general manager
Houston Texans
Smith, 38, is entering his third season as general manager for the Houston Texans. The youngest GM in the NFL, his first job with the league was in 1996 as an assistant defensive back’s coach for the Denver Broncos. In 2008, he received the Tank Younger Award for outstanding work in an NFL front office.

I know everyone was/is extremely excited about Wade Phillips, but this organization is starting to look like the organization we hoped we were getting when Bob dropped them dollahs on Kirby.

[Rey]

Originally Posted by thunderkyss

Since Kubiak has been here, this has been a group-think organization. Every decision is made by a group. Bob, Cal, Gary, Rick, and whoever may be at OC, DC, & position coaches, & all the scouts. Last off-season defense was definitely the focal point & I'm sure Wade's opinion weighed in heavily. But it's not like he said, "Get me Jonathan Joseph at all cost, not that Nnamdi guy." Everyone had them ranked Nnamdi, then Jjo.

Von Miller, Marcell Darius, Patrick Peterson, Aldon Smith, JJ Watt, Nick Farely, Robert Quin.. the rest of the league may not have ranked them that way, but I have no doubt Rick Smith did. Taking JJ Watt over Farely & Quin looked like classic Rick Smith to me, gambling that Ayers & Reed would be there in the second.

I like Wade & I'm not trying to take anything away from the job he did in H-Town. But just two years ago, Rick Smith was heralded as one of the best young executives in the NFL. I can't find the story, but I found this from 2008
I know everyone was/is extremely excited about Wade Phillips, but this organization is starting to look like the organization we hoped we were getting when Bob dropped them dollahs on Kirby.

I don't know how much Rick Smith had to do with the Watts pick, but I have no doubt in my mind that he plays a large role in the draft process. No way can one person handle that process by themselves.

I agree with most of what you say here. The organization as a whole is what really matters anyways. Well...Right now it's what matters...

Who or what is the glue that is going to help us see many years of success even when different parts start to go elsewhere (Knapp to Oakland for instance)...

Was this just a magical year, or did someone or some people in the organization finally get it right? Perfect storm?

[Goldensilence]

Originally Posted by Rey

I don't know how much Rick Smith had to do with the Watts pick, but I have no doubt in my mind that he plays a large role in the draft process. No way can one person handle that process by themselves.

I agree with most of what you say here. The organization as a whole is what really matters anyways. Well...Right now it's what matters...

Who or what is the glue that is going to help us see many years of success even when different parts start to go elsewhere (Knapp to Oakland for instance)...

Was this just a magical year, or did someone or some people in the organization finally get it right? Perfect storm?

The offense has looked pretty damn good the past 2-3 years with Kubiak getting the pieces he wanted to fit. The offensive coaching staff as well is pretty solid in that they all are on the same page philosophically speaking. The other thing is at the most key position QB, Kubiak gets productivity because of how the offense operates.

The problem the past 2-3 years has been a defense that starts slow and towards the end of the year picks it up. There's also been a lack of a real coherent scheme. I know the phrase "aggressive 4-3" got ran into the ground by Smith and Bush, but the reality is its was always a "read and react defense".

I would say amazing turnaround on defense without a doubt, but the real reason this was a magical season bar none was not only getting a DC with a real track record, but one that is elite. There has been a identity offensively, but this year we got a defensive one. That made ALL the difference in the world.

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by Goldensilence

The offense has looked pretty damn good the past 2-3 years with Kubiak getting the pieces he wanted to fit. The offensive coaching staff as well is pretty solid in that they all are on the same page philosophically speaking. The other thing is at the most key position QB, Kubiak gets productivity because of how the offense operates.

The problem the past 2-3 years has been a defense that starts slow and towards the end of the year picks it up. There's also been a lack of a real coherent scheme. I know the phrase "aggressive 4-3" got ran into the ground by Smith and Bush, but the reality is its was always a "read and react defense".

I would say amazing turnaround on defense without a doubt, but the real reason this was a magical season bar none was not only getting a DC with a real track record, but one that is elite. There has been a identity offensively, but this year we got a defensive one. That made ALL the difference in the world.

hmm...

I'll agree that our offense has put up "good" stats over the years, but to say the problem has been primarily a defensive problem for the alst 2-3 years isn't exactly accurate.

We've had trouble offensively one way or the other for the last 6 years. We couldn't run the ball in '06 or '07... the running game of '08 proved to be unsustainable. I don't think our OL got on track until mid-way through the '09 season.

We've had red-zone issues, turnover issues, health issues, depth issues on the offensive side of the ball, just like on the defensive side. Kubiak has done a much better job of managing those issues with lesser talent. But we need play-makers on the offensive side of the ball.

The way we were able to run the ball vs Cincy & the first half of the Baltimore game was impressive. Was that because we had AJ on the field? If so, I think we need to get studs at the OG positions to allow us to run the ball at will. Everyone wants another playmaker at the #2 WR position, & though we all love Schaub, it's time to start thinking about his replacement.

Bottom line, I'd love to see what Kubiak can do when the talent on the offensive side of the ball resembles that of the defense. I think the man is an offensive genius & has "gotten us by" with what he had to work with.