We don't have good coaching (getting outcoached again)

[Wolf]

hopefully Bennett can continue to learn but so close

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Justin Gage, top, catches an 11-yard touchdown pass over the reach of Houston Texans cornerback Fred Bennett (32) in the third quarter of an NFL football game in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Dec. 2, 2007.

[ObsiWan]

I've been on the "Richard Smith must go" wagon since early in the year. Since TexansChick kinda pointed us in that direction about week two (maybe three). She's been saying all year that his defense does not dictate but is constantly in react mode.

[TexansSeminole]

Originally Posted by Wolf

hopefully Bennett can continue to learn but so close

The picture doesn't exactly do it justice. Bennett barely left his feet. Edit: I should say he didn't locate it quick enough. Watch this video. I think its at about 1:30.

[austintexanite]

Originally Posted by TexansSeminole

Was the Boulware-Babin trade worth it? I thought it was an interesting and exciting trade at first but I haven't seen it pay off thus far.

I thought the same thing about the trade, but Boulware hasn't done/shown anything. We sorely miss another pass rusher on the d-line.

[TheIronDuke]

Don't forget that Boulware was the one holding on a punt when we recovered a fumble, negating the whole play.

[HoustonFrog]

Originally Posted by Marcus

And I would make a judgement that those people are ignorant. I never have understood the mentality of those that want to shift the blame to coaches in order to make their favorite players look good.

Agreed. I was just saying that is what some people say. Once you coach it up, you can only do so much,

[dskillz]

Originally Posted by Hookem Horns

I don't know if I am ready to break out the "Fire Kubes" soap bar yet, however consistently sucking in the 3rd QTR week in and week out is a sign of bad coaching. Teams are adjusting to us at halftime and we are not returing the favor. Just look at the 3rd QTR stats in most of our games.

More than anything, it has been rare that this team has looked ready to play this season. After the first handful of scripted plays, things turn to poo. That is coaching. I totally expect Kubiak to come tomorrow with his press conference and pinpoint what he did that cost the team the game. It happens after every loss. You hit the nail on the head though. There are no adjustments. Remember the Titans game at Reliant this season? Coach K said he had no clue that the Titans would blitz that much and he maybe should have adjusted in the 2nd half. But he didn't.

I am not saying fire Kubiak, but when the team is as talent-strapped as this team is we don't need the coaching staff to make mistakes as well. for the most part, Kubiak is about has experienced as Schaub in his position, so in reality he should be given more time. But it is hard to keep paying for what results to school.

[4Texans]

Yeah, let's question the coaching...... Someone tell me how you coach the guys to hang on to the ball, and when we continue to turn it over, don't let the other team score. We turn the ball over more than any other team in the league, and then give up the most points off turn overs..... That's got to keep Kubes pacing the floors all night long.....

That's the one thing that has disapponited me the most this year.

[Wolf]

Originally Posted by TexansSeminole

The picture doesn't exactly do it justice. Bennett barely left his feet. Edit: I should say he didn't locate it quick enough. Watch this video. I think its at about 1:30.

watched the video and tough play for bennet on an underthrown ball (possibly on purpose)

i was kinda suprised no mario clips (at least one) ..if it was ESPiN, I'd understand but NFLN, was kinda suprised

[BigBull17]

Originally Posted by TexansSeminole

He messed up in this very game. On the touchdown catch, by Gage I beleive it was, he should have knocked that ball down. It was a simple jump ball pass that VY threw a little too far into the inside. Gage still managed to snag it.

I see good things out of Bennett. He is a ballhawk for sure. If you errantly throw the ball his way he will pick you off. He has good hands, he doesn't drop the easy ones. He has made some good plays on short passes and running plays by coming up and making good tackles. However he is having his rookie mistakes and showing that he is still a bit raw. There are times that he makes some really nice plays. I think it's just about learning and experiencing the game more.

I agree with you there are growing pains, but another problem is that most of our role playing veterans on defense aren't doing anything for us. Weaver has been a bad fit with this defense thus far. Our outside linebackers are also playing poor to average on a consistant basis. Boulware has been a non-factor, however Demps has contributed well, considering his situation at the beginning of the season with the elbow, at a position of serious need.

Was the Boulware-Babin trade worth it? I thought it was an interesting and exciting trade at first but I haven't seen it pay off thus far.

Yeah, Bennet could have picked off the second TD pass if he just got his head around. He wasnt playing the ball and had an easy play if he sees it coming. He also could have picked off a similar pass later. But hey, he is a rookie and one of the few bright spots in our secondary this year, so Im ok with it.

[Brandon420tx]

Originally Posted by BigBull17

Yeah, Bennet could have picked off the second TD pass if he just got his head around. He wasnt playing the ball and had an easy play if he sees it coming. He also could have picked off a similar pass later. But hey, he is a rookie and one of the few bright spots in our secondary this year, so Im ok with it.

True, but if he had been looking at the QB and not the reciever Young lobs it over him to the back of the endzone for the TD anyway. He played the coverage pretty well, he was just a step in front of the pass.

[Mr. White]

Was anyone really surprised that the Titans were looking to kill our QB again?

I wasn't.

Was anyone surprised that they did it?

I wasn't.

Was anyone surprised that Dayne had a good YPC average again and was not getting enough carries? Again?

I wasn't.

True that players have to execute, but coaches have to put them in a position to execute. We were outcoached. Again. By the same game plan as last time.

Dunno about you guys, but I'm tired of being Jeff Fisher's *****. I'm tired of holding onto his pocket and scoring cigarettes for him.

The Texans need real coordinators. Jim Bates my have wanted too much control as DC, but at least he had experience running a unit. Troy Calhoun was the OC in name only last year. Mike Sherman should have run Kubiak's offense instead of bastardizing it.

</rant>

[santo]

Though I agree that coaching was less of a factor in this game, I still blame the coaches for not starting people when they should have.

Bennett: Why was he on the bench for so long? He could have been starting by week 2 or 3 instead of allowing Faggins to be the starter every week. He coud have been learning more as the weeks gone by. Eventhough Bennett is a rookie, he has made more plays than mistakes, imo.

Demps: This guy impresses me. He's a ballhawk. He made a lot of tackles when they flew by CC Brown. Surpirses me that he wasn't starting at least two weeks after they signed him.

These 2 guys have some skills.

Just wish the coaches can utilize these guys more with Mario, Okoye, and Demeco on the field, such as more blitzing.

[Texans_Chick]

Originally Posted by ObsiWan

I see these posts that say we were out-coached. I think we were out-manned.

- Their O-line is better than our ability to bring pressure - especially since Richard Smith refuses to blitz.
- Their D-line is better than our O-line, especially after Weary went down. That means their suspect secondary only has to cover 2-3 seconds, unlike ours that has to cover up to 4 seconds - 5 if the QB scrambles a bit.
- Our WR corps, who stepped up when AJ was out, seems to have stepped back down.
- They have 2-3 healthy, productive RBs, we have one. When LenDale White get's done banging you in the first half they bring in Chris Brown's fresh legs in the second half. We have Ron Dayne. And I think their RB productivity is also a reflection of their better O-line as much as talent at the RB position.

We're out manned. And, looking at our schedule, we will continue to be for the rest of the year. If we stay in any of the remaining games it'll be a surprise.

Well said. Especially as it relates to the running back position.

Also as a general rule, if you are a team that depends on rookies and inexperienced players for many key positions, you are a team that is going to make a lot of mistakes. They are trying to build at different areas of the team, but there are so many positions to upgrade.

There are assistant coaches I might want to see if I could upgrade, but I've seen enough from Kubiak to think that generally he is going in the right direction. I know there is a lot of disappointment after the early season success, but personally, looking at this roster and who is still healthy, I don't think they are underachieving.

For example, who on this roster do you think could go to the Pro Bowl if they maxed out their abilities? Scary small list.

[Texans_Chick]

Originally Posted by santo

Though I agree that coaching was less of a factor in this game, I still blame the coaches for not starting people when they should have.

Bennett: Why was he on the bench for so long? He could have been starting by week 2 or 3 instead of allowing Faggins to be the starter every week. He coud have been learning more as the weeks gone by. Eventhough Bennett is a rookie, he has made more plays than mistakes, imo.

Demps: This guy impresses me. He's a ballhawk. He made a lot of tackles when they flew by CC Brown. Surpirses me that he wasn't starting at least two weeks after they signed him.

These 2 guys have some skills.

Just wish the coaches can utilize these guys more with Mario, Okoye, and Demeco on the field, such as more blitzing.

Bennett was coming off an injury early in the season.

[santo]

Originally Posted by Texans_Chick

Bennett was coming off an injury early in the season.

true, forgot about that.

[Texans_Chick]

Originally Posted by Mr. White

The Texans need real coordinators. Jim Bates my have wanted too much control as DC, but at least he had experience running a unit. Troy Calhoun was the OC in name only last year. Mike Sherman should have run Kubiak's offense instead of bastardizing it.

</rant>

Ask Denver fans what they think of Jim Bates.

Today, at least one Denver columnist is thinking that that was a poor hire by Shanahan.

John McClain liked the Richard Smith hire. So he will be the last one to really criticize it.

It was a bad time to be defensive coordinator shopping.

[Specnatz]

Originally Posted by Texans_Chick

Ask Denver fans what they think of Jim Bates.

Today, at least one Denver columnist is thinking that that was a poor hire by Shanahan.

John McClain liked the Richard Smith hire. So he will be the last one to really criticize it.
It was a bad time to be defensive coordinator shopping.

This is just another reason I hate most sports writers today. They voice their opinion and say what they like and dislike on players, Coaches, and everything else up to and including the clothing. But when something they have always wanted and liked has not worked they do not say hey ya know I was wrong but instead the beat the drum harder and louder.

Heck, I see a lot of that here. I admit, or at least try to, when I say I did not like this player and he turns out to be good (unless it is in the smack talk section ) or vice versa.

It seems the Houston Chronicle has a bunch of these type of writers, especially when it comes to football talk. Now I can say which coordinators and coaches I like and dislike; but I would love to have a real analyst of our coordinators and coaches from someone out side of the organization, but I think that is asking for something I will never get to see.

[Double Barrel]

Originally Posted by Hookem Horns

I don't know if I am ready to break out the "Fire Kubes" soap bar yet, however consistently sucking in the 3rd QTR week in and week out is a sign of bad coaching. Teams are adjusting to us at halftime and we are not returing the favor. Just look at the 3rd QTR stats in most of our games.

Hearing that the last time we scored in the 3rd qtr. was week 2 really makes me wonder about our gameplans and halftime adjustments.

I'm not one to advocate firing our HC right now, but it's obvious that he's got a learning curve just like the rookie players in the league. Kubiak tends to take the blame after every loss, but I'm not sure if he's just covering up for his players or if he's really responsible for so much of it.

I'm sort of on the fence about motivation, simply because these players get paid big jack to be professional athletes. It seems to me that they should be self-motivated, but maybe a HC can add that extra mindset to seal the deal.

Originally Posted by Marcus

And I would make a judgement that those people are ignorant. I never have understood the mentality of those that want to shift the blame to coaches in order to make their favorite players look good.

I tend to put the burden on the players, as well. However, when a professional sports team fails at the fundamentals of the game - i.e. holding on to the ball and making tackles - I can't help but wonder if our staff stresses these angles during the week. There are drills that cover the fundamentals, and from everything that I've read/heard, they make a difference when teams focus on them to avoid costly mistakes.

We are not good enough of a team to overcome shooting ourselves in the foot.

[Rex King]

Originally Posted by Mr. White

Was anyone really surprised that the Titans were looking to kill our QB again?

I wasn't.

Was anyone surprised that they did it?

I wasn't.

Was anyone surprised that Dayne had a good YPC average again and was not getting enough carries? Again?

I wasn't.

</rant>

Most of the time it seems we can only get enough time to protect the QB on play-action. The Titans weren't biting - they didn't the last game either. And same as last game, we were getting killed early on 5 to 7 step drops. I put a lot of this on poor o-line protection, but we know we have problems against the Titans pass rush.

Also noticed we also got killed again on a safety (or was it corner?) blitz - I think it's happened at least three times when we're in a no-back set - not the o-line's fault. I can understand if Rosenfels can't audible, but it's happened to Schaub as well. Perhaps they just aren't recognizing it, or they can't audible out of it.

Anyway, I think both are to blame. When their front four can generate pressure, and ours can't, that's on them.