Attention To Detail

Was listening to the "Morning Drive" on Sirius NFL Radio this morning on the way to work & Randy Cross went on a diatribe about the difference between winning football teams and losing football teams was often not a talent disparity. He indicated it was an urgency, focus, & attention to detail. Taking care of the little things every day added up to fewer mistakes, fewer gaffes, & generally not coming unwound at critical junctures during a game.

He cited the single season turnarounds in places like Atlanta, Baltimore, & Miami as examples of what having coaches to force teams to do the little things over time can do.

That got me to thinking about the Kubiak tenure and his coaching staff. This whole year has been a series of near misses. While it is true that our talent on the defensive side of the ball isn't on par with elite teams, the Texans' ability to add a whole bunch of little screw-ups together is generally what sends to a loss.

Clock management, penalties, missed assignments, late play calls, wasting times-out, failing to challenge plays, etc. etc.

It seems like every week those same issues rise to the surface over and over again as contributing factors to why we lose. Eventually, we've got to look beyond just the Richard Smith and assistant coaches issue and look at Kubes himself. For quite some time, we all clamored for changes in Caper's staff & then the changes made didn't bring results. We finally came to the point of changing the head man. I'm getting that same sickening feeling like the middle late years of the Capers era. We start re-arranging the deck chairs before finally realizing the whole ship is sinking.

Go Texans

While I understand what you are saying, and I too am worried about some of the decision making I have seen this year but I think Kubiak definitely deserves another year. He inherited a very bad ball club, has shown marked improvement each year so far and had some solid drafts. Until this season is over we don't know what the overall peformance for 2008 will be.

I am not advocating an extension by any means or anything nor am I saying that at this point does he deserve to be cut loose. Basically, he's earned the right to another season if nothing else to see what he can do and if he can turn this thing around. I think he needs to re-tool some of his staff for sure.

If he goes backwards this year in W-L column, which we all suspect is going to be the case he will have a fire lit under his buttocks to get this thing going. He's been in the league long enough, he will know he's on the hotseat.

As far as the attention to detail comments, I think those are very valid and accurate, and that falls on the coaches.

*on a side note, he looked very deflated in the live presser yesterday, like he is searching for answers.

I think that Kubiak has done a decent job with getting this team to play better. However the blame is falling on the QBs. Here is why:

Up until the Ravens game, we had an average of about 1 penalty per game. The Ravens game got real out of hand with penalties and in the 3rd quarter they were too outta hand if ya know what I'm sayin.

Before this team would wipe out big plays with a holding penalty or a false start. Who here remembers throwing to AJ for a big play only for it to be called back? I do. That doesn't happen anymore.

What is happening are 19 Turnovers and 17 of them are from our QBs. Schaub 9 and Rosie 7.

Are there some dumb calls? yes. For the most part though, our team has moved the ball and played well offensively only to be let down by a dumb QB decision.

Defensively we've been bad. That's all there is to it and I look at the defensive talent and ask why.

Historyhorn said:

Clock management, penalties, missed assignments, late play calls, wasting times-out, failing to challenge plays, etc. etc.

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All these things are important, but pale in comparison to the players taking care of the ball. We aren't losing games because of the things you mention - we're losing because of turnovers. Turnover margin is the single biggest determination in who wins or loses in the NFL.

Hardcore Texan said:

*on a side note, he looked very deflated in the live presser yesterday, like he is searching for answers.

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I think he knows the answer, but it can't be addressed and he won't say it to the media - our QBs are making stupid mistakes. He can't replace them mid-season, and there's only so much coaching you can do. Those guys have to protect the football, and it falls on them.

No one else on the team has problems with turnovers anymore. The coaches have benched players, chewed them a new one, made them carry the ball, etc., so the fumbles are a thing of the past, for the most part. The rest of the team has two fumbles so far, and they were both flukes (AJ and the INT return by Wilson).

eriadoc said:

All these things are important, but pale in comparison to the players taking care of the ball. We aren't losing games because of the things you mention - we're losing because of turnovers. Turnover margin is the single biggest determination in who wins or loses in the NFL.

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We've lost three games arguably because of turnovers this year: the first Indy game (the Rosencopter), Minnesota and Baltimore.

In the other four losses:
Pittsburgh annhilated us in every phase of the game. We had two early turnovers (only one of which led to a score) and one late one, but they were doing whatever they wanted with us regardless of how they got the ball.

We lost at Tennessee because our offense got stoned in the redzone. Two of our three turnovers came on 4th and 10 plays--in that case, the QB is supposed to force something if the easy play is not there. The other turnover that game led to no points for the Titans.

We lost at Jacksonville in a game where no turnovers occurred. That loss was 100% on the defense.

Sage's pick at Indy cost us a chance to win, but we were losing up to that point despite not turning it over.

eriadoc said:

All these things are important, but pale in comparison to the players taking care of the ball. We aren't losing games because of the things you mention - we're losing because of turnovers. Turnover margin is the single biggest determination in who wins or loses in the NFL.

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From OP:

Randy Cross went on a diatribe about the difference between winning football teams and losing football teams was often not a talent disparity. He indicated it was an urgency, focus, & attention to detail. Taking care of the little things every day added up to fewer mistakes, fewer gaffes, & generally not coming unwound at critical junctures during a game.

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I would put "take care of the football" into the "urgency, focus and attention" bucket of a coach getting his team prepared and into the right mentality to play football.

I really have to agree with the OP on this one. Sums up what I've been feeling about this coaching staff and their inability to properly coach the mental and gut-check parts of the game.

This offense, as up and down as it has been, is scoring enough points to win football games. Our defense needs to keep the opponents out of the game.

That will cut down on the Rosencopter sightings.

IlliniJen said:

From OP:



I would put "take care of the football" into the "urgency, focus and attention" bucket of a coach getting his team prepared and into the right mentality to play football.

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With regard to fumbles, I would agree. And this team has not been plagued by fumbles. In terms of INTs, what specifically would you like to see Kubiak do?

eriadoc said:

With regard to fumbles, I would agree. And this team has not been plagued by fumbles. In terms of INTs, what specifically would you like to see Kubiak do?

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I know he's not throwing the ball, but he needs to hold his QBs responsible and I have to think that some of those interceptions are preparation (or lack thereof). Are Sage or Matt showing a tendency to throw INTs in certain situations? Are specific def looks giving them problems? I don't believe that improving a QBs play and decision making isn't part of a coach's responsibility to a point.

In Sage's case, I would sit his ass. This season is done with and players need to ride the pine if they're not helping the team win. That's a message that would resonate with more than the QB, and frankly this team needs a huge nutting up session.