[Foxsports] Kubiak needs to get it together after ugly win

[GlenRice]

Houston defeated Cincinnati, 19-13, an interesting set of numbers considering the Texans dominated every facet of this game except for punting. And in fairness, the guy from Cincy had way more practice.

First downs: Texans 24, Bengals 12

Total yards: Texans 420, Bengals 198

Time of possession: Texans 38:49, Bengals 21:11

This list goes on and on and on and includes Kubiak schooling Lewis in what amounted to a fight to be the tallest short person. Lewis okayed and watched as his offensive coordinator Jay Gruden inexplicably underused running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis and overused a screen play that worked exactly never. There was a misused timeout, a forgotten A.J. Green, a reliance on Jermaine Gresham and inability to adjust. And yet with under four minutes remaining, the Bengals were driving down the field for what possibly could have been the game-winning score.

Why this happened was inadvertently explained by Texans linebacker Bradie James when talking their defensive strategy.

"The biggest thing, well, a lot of us have been trying to talk about it — not giving up seven points. You see, when you give up seven points you don't have a chance," James said. "But when you keep a team to just kicking field goals, you keep 'em close and then you can pin your ears back."

James needs to deliver this speech to Kubiak.

To him or Texans owner Bob McNair or somebody, because the reverse is also true. Kubiak employs quite possibly the most conservative game plan in the NFL. If this was politics, he'd be labeled a wingnut and decried by Glenn Beck as having lost touch with mainstream values. The guy always looks to be in a state of panic about when he can get his kicker on the field. Heck, there was a moment Saturday when the Texans took a delay on fourth-and-short with their punter on the field. The idea of doing that with his offense probably never crossed his mind even though Arian Foster was lethal Saturday.

It is why Texans fans boo kicker Shayne Graham every time he takes the field. It is not personal. They are sick of seeing him every single time there is a close call in the red zone.

"I love our crowd but they are getting spoiled," Texans running back Arian Foster said. "They're booing, and we're OK. We're OK, man."

What is frustrating is the Texans could be a good team, at very least a competitive playoff team. As much as this pains me to say, defensive coordinator Wade Phillips has his side ballin'. He may be a cupcake as a head coach, but he's pretty good at coordinating. And J.J. Watt is just a freak of football nature.

Kubiak's not beating the New England Patriots Sunday in Foxboro if he's not willing to gamble, open his game plan up just a bit and play to win. We already saw that game, the Texans going up to Foxboro in their matching letter jackets and talk of Bulls on Parade and clear hearts, full eyes can't lose . . . and getting pummeled.

New England absolutely embarrassed Houston on Dec. 10, a 42-14 whipping that started a slide to end this season. Almost every Texans player downplayed that first meeting with the usual clichés about this being a different season, about short memories, about how this game will be closer.

"I don't think it was embarrassing. It just was a game and, on any given Sunday, if you don't show up, it can happen," James said. "New England did teach us a lot. They taught us you need to show up and bring the intensity to be a champion."

This perspective comes from being in his 10th season, of knowing NFL teams do not get infinite kicks at the can, of knowing NFL teams oftentimes have to do a little impossible if they want to win a Super Bowl.

"I'm not worried," McNair said when asked about playing New England again, which felt like the exact wrong thing to say.

He needs to worry because Tom Brady is not going to let the Texans off the mat if they keep constantly settling for field goals like the Bengals and QB Andy Dalton did. McNair needs to worry because Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has a firm grasp of how to best use his weapons, despite his critics. McNair needs to worry because Belichick is not going to Marvin Lewis this thing.

Belichick coaches with a big set of lower guts. And he rarely beats himself. And if Kubiak coaches like he did Saturday, the Texans do not stand a chance. *

And in a couple of years or next, the pink slip may be his and there will be little outrage.

[GlenRice]

smh..... that your players and your owner attitude toward the ass kicking they've received from the patroits is "whatever, just another game". At this point I have a feeling a lot of players on this team don't even care.

[HJam72]

I don't totally disagree, but if Kubiak is going to take chances, Schaub better bring it. AJ streaking down the sideline is useless if Schaub underthrows to his beaten corner. The same goes for OD straight up the middle deep, etc. If you're talking championships and risk-taking, Kubiak's first big, long-term mistake was bringing in a starting QB that excels at 20 yard crossing patterns and sucks at the long-ball.

What he has done is get us division championships and brought us a long way from 2-14. I'm not sayin' it's all bad.

[HJam72]

Originally Posted by ckhouston

I do think if you have RB's like we have and an OL that was playing like it was yesterday, you have to go on 4th and 1. If we play conservative against NE ... we lose.

4th and 2. If it's less than 2 yards, and your line doesn't suck balls like a jr. high team, you will make it most of the time. It's been studied.

Kubiak used to have a reputation for going for it on 4th down a lot. I wish he would get back to that. It worked then and we didn't have Foster, D. Brown, (we might've had our center, but he sucked way back then, LOL) etc.

[Corrosion]

I just dont get why everyone bashes the gameplan .... its sound football.

Control the clock , limit mistakes .... Dont ask your players to do things they cant .... especially your QB.


Schaub excells at play action .... but without it , he's just average. Asking him to "throw it around the yard" is a recipe for disaster.


Keeping Brady on the sidelines and Schaub from making mistakes gives them a chance to win.

[Goodwrench3]

Keeping Brady in the sidelines,and pressing him,we have a chance!

[HJam72]

Originally Posted by Corrosion

I just dont get why everyone bashes the gameplan .... its sound football.

Control the clock , limit mistakes .... Dont ask your players to do things they cant .... especially your QB.


Schaub excells at play action .... but without it , he's just average. Asking him to "throw it around the yard" is a recipe for disaster.


Keeping Brady on the sidelines and Schaub from making mistakes gives them a chance to win.

The gameplan is fine as long as Manning, Brady, Rodgers, etc. aren't lighting up our D. Then, we get frustrated over the lack pf aggression. Schaub's arm/Kubiak's play-calling; whatever, it's frustrating that we so rarely come back from behind. Maybe one of the fricking refs would like to be our QB.

[jaayteetx]

Originally Posted by Corrosion

I just dont get why everyone bashes the gameplan .... its sound football.

Control the clock , limit mistakes .... Dont ask your players to do things they cant .... especially your QB.


Schaub excells at play action .... but without it , he's just average. Asking him to "throw it around the yard" is a recipe for disaster.


Keeping Brady on the sidelines and Schaub from making mistakes gives them a chance to win.

That game plan would've gotten us beat if Dalton can hit a wide open AJ Green.

[HJam72]

Originally Posted by jaayteetx

That game plan would've gotten us beat if Dalton can hit a wide open AJ Green.

I can tell you this: Tom Brady can hit a wide open anybody all day long, and if he don't, it's a penalty on your corner, HC, DC, OC, QB, and everybody not wearing a Patriots jersey in the stands.

[theNumber80]

Originally Posted by Corrosion

I just dont get why everyone bashes the gameplan .... its sound football.

Control the clock , limit mistakes .... Dont ask your players to do things they cant .... especially your QB.


Schaub excells at play action .... but without it , he's just average. Asking him to "throw it around the yard" is a recipe for disaster.


Keeping Brady on the sidelines and Schaub from making mistakes gives them a chance to win.

We bash the gameplan because there are times when we struggle to move the ball and when we do eventually get into the red zone it's basically a LOCK that we're kicking a FG. We could waste all the time in the world but when we're kicking FGs and Brady is scoring TDs in 2 mins, we have NO shot.

[Fili]

It's a start from playing awful against teams we should've beaten. A win is a win, but we can't be playing like this against the Pats.

[cuppacoffee]

Originally Posted by GlenRice

Houston defeated Cincinnati, 19-13, an interesting set of numbers considering the Texans dominated every facet of this game except for punting. And in fairness, the guy from Cincy had way more practice.

First downs: Texans 24, Bengals 12

Total yards: Texans 420, Bengals 198

Time of possession: Texans 38:49, Bengals 21:11

This list goes on and on and on and includes Kubiak schooling Lewis in what amounted to a fight to be the tallest short person. Lewis okayed and watched as his offensive coordinator Jay Gruden inexplicably underused running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis and overused a screen play that worked exactly never. There was a misused timeout, a forgotten A.J. Green, a reliance on Jermaine Gresham and inability to adjust. And yet with under four minutes remaining, the Bengals were driving down the field for what possibly could have been the game-winning score.

Why this happened was inadvertently explained by Texans linebacker Bradie James when talking their defensive strategy.

"The biggest thing, well, a lot of us have been trying to talk about it — not giving up seven points. You see, when you give up seven points you don't have a chance," James said. "But when you keep a team to just kicking field goals, you keep 'em close and then you can pin your ears back."

James needs to deliver this speech to Kubiak.

To him or Texans owner Bob McNair or somebody, because the reverse is also true. Kubiak employs quite possibly the most conservative game plan in the NFL. If this was politics, he'd be labeled a wingnut and decried by Glenn Beck as having lost touch with mainstream values. The guy always looks to be in a state of panic about when he can get his kicker on the field. Heck, there was a moment Saturday when the Texans took a delay on fourth-and-short with their punter on the field. The idea of doing that with his offense probably never crossed his mind even though Arian Foster was lethal Saturday.

It is why Texans fans boo kicker Shayne Graham every time he takes the field. It is not personal. They are sick of seeing him every single time there is a close call in the red zone.

"I love our crowd but they are getting spoiled," Texans running back Arian Foster said. "They're booing, and we're OK. We're OK, man."

What is frustrating is the Texans could be a good team, at very least a competitive playoff team. As much as this pains me to say, defensive coordinator Wade Phillips has his side ballin'. He may be a cupcake as a head coach, but he's pretty good at coordinating. And J.J. Watt is just a freak of football nature.

Kubiak's not beating the New England Patriots Sunday in Foxboro if he's not willing to gamble, open his game plan up just a bit and play to win. We already saw that game, the Texans going up to Foxboro in their matching letter jackets and talk of Bulls on Parade and clear hearts, full eyes can't lose . . . and getting pummeled.

New England absolutely embarrassed Houston on Dec. 10, a 42-14 whipping that started a slide to end this season. Almost every Texans player downplayed that first meeting with the usual clichés about this being a different season, about short memories, about how this game will be closer.

"I don't think it was embarrassing. It just was a game and, on any given Sunday, if you don't show up, it can happen," James said. "New England did teach us a lot. They taught us you need to show up and bring the intensity to be a champion."

This perspective comes from being in his 10th season, of knowing NFL teams do not get infinite kicks at the can, of knowing NFL teams oftentimes have to do a little impossible if they want to win a Super Bowl.

"I'm not worried," McNair said when asked about playing New England again, which felt like the exact wrong thing to say.

He needs to worry because Tom Brady is not going to let the Texans off the mat if they keep constantly settling for field goals like the Bengals and QB Andy Dalton did. McNair needs to worry because Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has a firm grasp of how to best use his weapons, despite his critics. McNair needs to worry because Belichick is not going to Marvin Lewis this thing.

Belichick coaches with a big set of lower guts. And he rarely beats himself. And if Kubiak coaches like he did Saturday, the Texans do not stand a chance. *

And in a couple of years or next, the pink slip may be his and there will be little outrage.

mods like links.


This is what happens when two less than brilliant coaches choose to play lets not lose it instead of playing to win it.

Next time Kubiak shows any imagination in playcalling will be the first time.

How many times yesterday did we attempt a pass that was beyond the first down marker, how many times behind the first down marker?

Refresh my memory..has he ever called for a fake field goal or a fake punt?
.. on a fence post

Like watching paint dry.

[infantrycak]

Originally Posted by cuppacoffee

mods like links.

Yes - please do not post without links. Here is this one.

[Dishman]

Originally Posted by Corrosion

I just dont get why everyone bashes the gameplan .... its sound football.

Control the clock , limit mistakes .... Dont ask your players to do things they cant .... especially your QB.


Schaub excells at play action .... but without it , he's just average. Asking him to "throw it around the yard" is a recipe for disaster.


Keeping Brady on the sidelines and Schaub from making mistakes gives them a chance to win.

Somewhere in that game plan you should consider scoring touchdowns, or is that something the players can't do?

[TEXANRED]

Originally Posted by GlenRice

smh..... that your players and your owner attitude toward the ass kicking they've received from the patroits is "whatever, just another game". At this point I have a feeling a lot of players on this team don't even care.

What do you want them to say to the media? Do you know what they are saying behind closed doors?

[TEXANRED]

Originally Posted by ckhouston

I do think if you have RB's like we have and an OL that was playing like it was yesterday, you have to go on 4th and 1. If we play conservative against NE ... we lose.

The Texans pretty much took a really good Bengals defense and walked all over them. The Patriots dont have as good a defense as the Bengals.

The Texans have a better Oline, Defense, and running game. The Patriots however have better coaching and QB.

[Texecutioner]

Originally Posted by Corrosion

Keeping Brady on the sidelines and Schaub from making mistakes gives them a chance to win.

No it doesn't. Brady is going to put up some scores. The Texans have to keep up with those scores. This isn't some low scoring offense they're playing. They'll be playing the highest scoring team in the league that raped every other team as far as offensive scoring goes. The Texans will have to keep up with that. Trying to play conservatively against a team like the Patriots is what is a recipe for disaster.

[Pantherstang84]

Man the media couldn't give us 24 hours to enjoy the win. /sarcasm

[Big Lou]

Ugly win?

It wasn't the sexiest win, but it sure wasn't ugly. Any team in the playoffs would be thrilled with that game.

Schaub made one big mistake, and Andre dropped a tough but watchable ball. Houston took what they were given. You play your game plan and the flow of the game.

The Texans overcame a couple of critical mistakes, that's what good teams do, that's what they failed to do the last several weeks of the season.

The defense was on fire yesterday, so why take chances. Open up the play book a little more when you have to.

I just can't see how you can be missed off about yesterday's win. Was it a complete as whooping, no, but it's the damn playoffs the competition is a little stiffer. The red zone thing should be the only complaint, if you like complaining about a win.

Hopefully the team gets some healthy confidence and builds some momentum based on a damn good statiscal if not high score differential win.

[Textan]

To beat New England just about everything has to go right and you'll have to get some turnovers against a QB who doesn't give up many.
Think we'll know within 5 minutes if we have a repeat of the slaughter.
Offense showed some signs of life yesterday, but the RZ ineptness was troubling. That RZ futility will have to bear fruit against NE, FG's won't cut it.
If we were playing NE at our home, which we should have been, we'd stand a damn good chance.
Just haven't seen much to make me believe the outcome will be different than before, play off or not.