another season down the drain

[utahmark]

i actually thought the team played well at times this season considering the injuries. we stayed in most games even though later in the season just didnt get the feeling we would pull these games out. we could still win a couple of games. actually it would be good for my pocket book if we won 2 more.

offensive line continues to be biggest problem. still no consistant pass rush. but if daunta can come back i think bennett could be our other defensive back. we are a decent team who is improving actually reminds me of the oilers the few years before we started winning with moon and company. with all the injuries our record may not be quite what it could of been and in the long run that may help us with better draft position and being able to develope young talent. andre davis, kevin walter and bennett all look like keepers.

unless matt schaub can stay healthy we waisted a couple of draft picks on him. hopefully we will get a couple more o-lineman in the off season to help with that.

draft is only 5 months away. playoffs next year?????

[TheIronDuke]

I'm thinking next year will be when we are a .500 team. If we're not in the playoffs in '09 then this team will be a failure IMO. I feel so bad for the players out there giving their all (Bennett, AJ, DeMeco, Walter, , KB, MW at times) but we just don't have enough yet.

I'm not expecting Dunta back next year due to my pessimism when it comes to Texans injuries. Injuries have continually plagued this team from it's inception and there's nothing we can do about it.

[J-Russ]

Yea, this pretty much elimates our chances of the playoffs...

But guess what?? We could finish off 7-9, that like ties our best record in franchise history!!!!

[utahmark]

one thing that ive been concerned about is why do we look so good early in games and then get out played later on. almost seems like other teams are making better adjustments than we are. although i like kubes and think he has us going in the right direction that worries me a little.

[beerlover]

Originally Posted by markbeth

draft is only 5 months away. playoffs next year?????

145 days & 19 hours roughly.....but free agency should also be more active, specificly to address needs

[GP]

Originally Posted by J-Russ

Yea, this pretty much elimates our chances of the playoffs...

But guess what?? We could finish off 7-9, that like ties our best record in franchise history!!!!

Well, that sums up this team's philosophy.

7-9 is top notch!

Until Bob McNair ponies up the money for players AND coaches...we're looking at this sort of situation every season.

I really don't think we need to go any further than the owner. No combination of players or coaches will work. You need a great GM, HC, and then finally the right players at the right time for a team to be a winner.

Bob is trying to piece this team together, and it's not working. He's trying to find combinations instead of a cornerstone to build off of.

Get a great leader in the GM and HC spots, and everything else falls into place. I think our current GM is proving that he can work minor miracles on a shoe string budget. I'd like to see what he can do when we have a better cap situation in the offseason.

[texanfan2002114]

Originally Posted by markbeth

one thing that ive been concerned about is why do we look so good early in games and then get out played later on. almost seems like other teams are making better adjustments than we are. although i like kubes and think he has us going in the right direction that worries me a little.

I couldn't agree with that comment more!!! Kubes gets out coached week in and week out and if he keeps coaching like this, I wouldn't mind firing his azz!!!!!!!

[nunusguy]

Originally Posted by Bandwagon

I'm thinking next year will be when we are a .500 team. If we're not in the playoffs in '09 then this team will be a failure IMO. I feel so bad for the players out there giving their all (Bennett, AJ, DeMeco, Walter, , KB, MW at times) but we just don't have enough yet.

You're being very patient with the Texans.
Most of us we're thinking .500 this year, with hopes of the wild card next year. And we were thought to be the realists. The wild-eyed optimists were actually predicting playoffs this year.

[Dread-Head]

To quote Jim Mohra: "...Playoffs?! Playoffs?! Are you...are you KIDDING me? Playoffs?!"

I wasn't predicting the playoffs, but at the same time I'm a lot more optimistic than many of the pessimistic muff-huggas in here. The season aint over yet people. The fat lady might be warming up, but this opera's not over YET. So sit back down and pass me my flask. BTW I lost your opera glasses...and straighten your tie.

[TheIronDuke]

Originally Posted by nunusguy

You're being very patient with the Texans.
Most of us we're thinking .500 this year, with hopes of the wild card next year. And we were thought to be the realists. The wild-eyed optimists were actually predicting playoffs this year.

I was thinking we'd be .500 this year too but we're not going to be obviously. If we're somehow in the playoff mix next season that'll be great. What am I going to do? I'm a Texans fan and there's nothing I can do about it but wait and hope that somehow this team can compete with the best in the NFL. When we're finally competitive it will make all this suffering much more worth it. I can only hope it's sooner rather than later but there's nothing we can do now, just take these beatings and hope that there's some end to our suffering eventually.

We have a good core of young players at least.

[Runner]

Originally Posted by markbeth

offensive line continues to be biggest problem. still no consistant pass rush.

Who knew? They have a hands-down better quarterback. I don't even need to mention all that exciting depth they added in the off-season. It is still weak. It's almost like the Texans are going to have to resort to getting better offensive lineman to make the offensive line better.

Originally Posted by J-Russ

But guess what?? We could finish off 7-9, that like ties our best record in franchise history!!!!

That's right - get back to the level of the best David Carr team! That team may have been 9-7 or so if they had an average quarterback instead of Carr. That is a sobering thought when the current team, its talent level, and its record is being considered.

[nunusguy]

Originally Posted by Bandwagon

We have a good core of young players at least.

We do, but we also have a lot of needs and a lot of problems with the team yet to be solved. But I to will certainly remain a fan, even though its getting
more challenging each year to be patient.
The team has had a lot of real bad injuries to key players this year, and we should handicap Kubiaks performance accordingly and he therefor deserves another year to get it right. I just hope he's capable of doing so ?

[Maddict5]

im not as gloomy as alot of people.. obviously im disappointed with how the last few games have gone but we're really beat up which is further exposing our weaknesses (o-line, secondary)...

despite that, we're competitive nearly every week (bar SD, Jax).. and this season we've had some guys continue to improve which will help alot next year- if mario, bennett, tj and co continue to play well, i wont call this season wasted..

im pretty optimistic about next yr*:

we getting pieces:

i like schaub- i see enough bad qb's every week to recognise a keeper and he is one (hoping hes just going through a rough patch injury-wise)

dayne has shown hes a decent rb.. we need a nice faster shifty guy to change things up though.. should be easy to get imo

set at wr and te (OD will be fine)

i want 4 new starters on the o-line (pitts is the only starter after weary's broken leg- never have been sold on eric at rt)

d-line is mostly ok- would like to see us pick up a speed rusher and move mario to LE though.. make weaver a dt or situational guy cos he just isnt getting it done

lb'ers- could go with a new sam if a good ones around but it's not critical imo as it seems to only hurt us when we come up against the likes of K2 or gates

cb- bennett looks like a keeper and a legitimate #2.. we prob need to get another decent guy for nickel/ insurance for dunta

safety- def an area of emphasis.. we need a decent cover guy plain and simple.. but i think cc/ earl/ boulware (unlikely) or some other joe will do at ss


so by my count we need roughly 6 more guys which is pretty doable when we'll have cap room in FA and 3/4 decent picks in the draft.. whatever people say about kubiak, his drafts have been good.. and hes been limited in FA previously (although weaver's signing isnt a great sign).. who knows how dunta and spencer will come back but they're possible starters also.. we're improving and getting more and more competitive

*although even i hope we get a better DC and no more GB/DEN hybrid running game next yr

[utahmark]

Originally Posted by GP

Well, that sums up this team's philosophy.

7-9 is top notch!

Until Bob McNair ponies up the money for players AND coaches...we're looking at this sort of situation every season.

I really don't think we need to go any further than the owner. No combination of players or coaches will work. You need a great GM, HC, and then finally the right players at the right time for a team to be a winner.

Bob is trying to piece this team together, and it's not working. He's trying to find combinations instead of a cornerstone to build off of.

Get a great leader in the GM and HC spots, and everything else falls into place. I think our current GM is proving that he can work minor miracles on a shoe string budget. I'd like to see what he can do when we have a better cap situation in the offseason.

have you ever heard of a salary cap?

[BSofA04]

General Rule for the Texans:
Stay young and become a hater, have faith and lose some hair.

However, the koolaide's gonna taste so much sweeter when the Texans become a contender. Where do you want to be? Don't lose the faith. We have something to look forward to. Since Kubs has been here, he has made some mistakes but he has made us competitve in 90% of the game we have played. Come next year, the pieces will fall in place.

[SA Texan]

I'm not looking at this as a season down the drain...that was last year. At least we are seeing stuff we can build on this season and there is hope for the future.

[BSofA04]

Originally Posted by SA Texan

I'm not looking at this as a season down the drain...that was last year. At least we are seeing stuff we can build on this season and there is hope for the future.

Rep to you man. I completely agree. however, we must finish this season on a high note.

[austintexanite]

3 out of our last 4 are at home, 8-8 is still possible, but more than likely 7-9. I predicted 8-8 so there is improvement on this team. Injuries fellas, they are a b***h.

[Runner]

Originally Posted by SA Texan

I'm not looking at this as a season down the drain...that was last year.

I thought last year was the building year to lead into the play-offs next (this year). I may be confusing that with this 5-7 (so far) year that was just a building year to lead to the play-offs next year. Or is it next year that is the building year (8-8 or bust!) to lead to the play-offs the year after. They are all starting to run together in my mind.

[GP]

Originally Posted by markbeth

have you ever heard of a salary cap?

Have you ever heard of NO salary cap for coaches?

My entire point rests upon the word "AND" that I placed between the words "players" and "coaches."

It doesn't take good players.

It doesn't take good coaches.

It does, however, take BOTH. It's my opinion that we are lacking both.

I am not dense. I know we have been a casualty of the cap for PLAYERS. But the owner can spend a zillion dollars for coaches with no penalty/cap. And, for the UP-TEENTH time...the hiring of Richard Smith reeks of penny pinching.

Maybe you should slow down and re-read before you reply.