Bob McNair's general assessment of the Texans

[ArlingtonTexan]

Texans owner Bob McNair offered the following assessment of his team entering the Week 10 bye: "I'm pleased with the way we're playing. I just think we're a very good team. As I've commented, we're not an elite team. There are few elite teams in the league, and we've got to eliminate some mental errors before we become an elite team. Clearly, once we do that, we will be not just a good team; we'll be an elite team. I'm pleased with that. We just have to keep making progress

http://profootballweekly.com/2009/11...ers-turnaround

[HJam72]

We just need to execute.

[disaacks3]

Originally Posted by HJam72

We just need to execute.

How many and in what order?

[brakos82]

Originally Posted by disaacks3

How many and in what order?

19, and in the order listed on the schedule would be preferred.

[m5kwatts]

I think if we finish 8-8 Kubiak is gone, for better or worse

McNair aint playin around anymore

[Hervoyel]

Originally Posted by m5kwatts

I think if we finish 8-8 Kubiak is gone, for better or worse

McNair aint playin around anymore

I think you're one year early. I think if we finish 8-8 that McNair lets Kubiak come back but next season we're in "win and go to the postseason or you're done" mode. I think McNair's got almost too much patience for his own good and he's seen enough positive out of what the coaches are doing now to let it ride another year.

Frankly I've come over to a similar position though obviously not for the same reasons that McNair might have. I don't think a great deal of Kubiak's progress as a head coach but I do think that he seems to have gotten lucky with Frank Bush. I want to see how this plays out because they've gotten better as the year has gone by and I think that with another year this defense could be special. You can go pretty darn far with just a defense.

The offense has problems though. Alex Gibbs can't make these guys run the football. Think about that for a second. Nobody is so bad that Alex Gibbs can't turn them into a running powerhouse but we can't run the football. I think this, added to the fact that Baby Shanahan is calling the plays really hurts us but the good news is that it is fixable.

For starters if his job is on the line and the defense is playing well I think Kubiak is smart enough to turn back to the offense and get things straightened out.

Second I think we're probably going to see the arrival of a real franchise back very soon. Running the ball is too important to this offense to just blow it off like we've been doing this year. Steve Slaton, as much as I love watching this guy run the football is headed for permanent third down back status. I expect out of just plain survival instinct Kubiak is going to draft a running back next year if we fall to 8-8 or lower this year. That's particularly true if the reason we fail is the offense (his so-called "specialty").

I guess then I think I want Kubiak back another year to see what becomes of Frank Bush "DC" and because I think that IF the defense is more or less done with just "coming together" and maybe one or two pieces left we're finally going to draft that back who makes other teams spend all week preparing to get embarrassed. You add one of those guys to what we already have and Gary isn't going to have to be the perfect head coach to win.

And if he fires him I have no faith that McNair will find someone better. More than likely he'll hire someone "proven" but done winning and in decline. That seems to be our M.O. here. I think we're in so deep now with this regime we should just hang in there one more season if this one doesn't work out.

[El Tejano]

Originally Posted by m5kwatts

I think if we finish 8-8 Kubiak is gone, for better or worse

McNair aint playin around anymore

Certainly sounds like it huh?

[Tailgate]

We have one of, if not THE youngest starting lineup in the NFL. I'd say that speaks volumes on the mental errors and inconsistency. We are one more off season away imo from truly taking that next step to elite status. Interior O-line, RB, true DT to spot next to Okoye, and some improvements in secondary will get us there I think.

I have no doubt we are on the right path... STILL.

[bckey]

We hear the same thing every year. We need another year. It is getting old and tired already at 8 years in. I don't think McNair should keep Kubiak if we go 8-8 or less. We can still get a new head coach and keep Bush and the defensive staff.

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by Tailgate

We have one of, if not THE youngest starting lineup in the NFL. I'd say that speaks volumes on the mental errors and inconsistency. We are one more off season away imo from truly taking that next step to elite status. Interior O-line, RB, true DT to spot next to Okoye, and some improvements in secondary will get us there I think.

I have no doubt we are on the right path... STILL.

We're also training offensive co-ordinators, defensive co-ordinators, OL coaches, DL coaches, Secondary coaches, running back coaches..... GMs, & probably the whole personnel department.

I find it hard to believe that McNair has given so much to Kubiak that just about every facet of this organization is being done "his way"

I know I'm speculating, but what if Sherman & Richard Smith were "anchors" McNair forced on Kubiak, (not those guys specifically, but the roles they played) & the Kubiak clock didn't start until last year? Or even this year?

You can see we were doing things differently with Sherman & Smith... & now, we're doing it more in line with what was going on in Denver... the way you'd think Kubiak would have done it from the get go. At least that's my take on it.

It's not just the way this organization is changing on the field, but off the field as well. I don't think McNair would be silly enough to throw that all away.

[DexmanC]

It sure did hurt watching both Manning AND Brady quick-snap the ball
on close plays to avoid the red flag.

[DexmanC]

Texans owner Bob McNair offered the following assessment of his team entering the Week 10 bye: "I'm pleased with the way we're playing. I just think we're a very good team. As I've commented, we're not an elite team. There are few elite teams in the league, and we've got to eliminate some mental errors before we become an elite team. Clearly, once we do that, we will be not just a good team; we'll be an elite team. I'm pleased with that. We just have to keep making progress.

Originally Posted by thunderkyss

We're also training offensive co-ordinators, defensive co-ordinators, OL coaches, DL coaches, Secondary coaches, running back coaches..... GMs, & probably the whole personnel department.

I find it hard to believe that McNair has given so much to Kubiak that just about every facet of this organization is being done "his way"

I know I'm speculating, but what if Sherman & Richard Smith were "anchors" McNair forced on Kubiak, (not those guys specifically, but the roles they played) & the Kubiak clock didn't start until last year? Or even this year?

You can see we were doing things differently with Sherman & Smith... & now, we're doing it more in line with what was going on in Denver... the way you'd think Kubiak would have done it from the get go. At least that's my take on it.

It's not just the way this organization is changing on the field, but off the field as well. I don't think McNair would be silly enough to throw that all away.

I believe Mcnair has more-than-made-it-clear, that he's building this team
for sustained, LONG-TERM success. However, there's a high learning for that
goal. He tried to go with the guy with a "proven" track record, Casserly,
and a coach with "proven" success with a franchise team, Capers. We,
as Texans fans, witnessed the most inept, futile, "are they an NFL team" crap
football we've ever seen for FOUR STRAIGHT YEARS.

Mcnair then makes a move that most of us don't talk about. He brought in
a border-line hall-of-fame coach, Dan Reeves, to evaluate the Texans
organization from the very top to the very bottom. When Casserly and
Capers left, the WHOLE ORGANIZATION was overhauled. New GM, new
scouts, new coordinators, new coaches, new players. Reeves led the
Broncos, early in the Elway years, to the superbowl. I don't think it's
by accident we got most of the youth from that organization injected
directly into the veins of the Texans.

As long as they are making progress, we will continue on this path. The
Bengals could have canned Marvin Lewis under similar circumstances as
Kubiak, but they didn't. Now, they're 7-2 with Benson and LJ at the
runningback position. They have swept the team that gave them
the most problems over the last few seasons, and are sitting pretty
with a bye week in the first round of the playoffs.

The process hasn't failed yet, and I ain't for scrapping it until it does.

[Marcus]

I'd say that going strictly from McNair's assessment, unless we do a nose dive the rest of the season, which I really don't see happening, it looks like he's satisfied that he's got the right people to do the job, from Smith, Kubiak, to Bush on down. If indeed he's patient to a fault, I'd much rather have that than an owner that's impatient to a fault.

We hear the same thing every year. We need another year. It is getting old and tired already at 8 years in. I don't think McNair should keep Kubiak if we go 8-8 or less. We can still get a new head coach and keep Bush and the defensive staff.

It doesn't work that way. If you hire a new head coach, that new head coach will want to bring in his own people. In other words, start over.

I can't see McNair doing that, not with the assessment he just made.

[Insideop]

Originally Posted by bckey

We hear the same thing every year. We need another year. It is getting old and tired already at 8 years in. I don't think McNair should keep Kubiak if we go 8-8 or less. We can still get a new head coach and keep Bush and the defensive staff.

You make it sound like Kubiak's fault for the first 4 years. This team and coaching staff are light years ahead of that bunch. And remember, Kubes and Smith had to completely rebuild this team. If you fire the staff at the end of the season you're looking at starting over again! JMHO!

[TexCanada]

I can't imagine why people would want to see Kubes and his staff gone. I mean, surely everybody agrees that we are improving as a team. Most people will even agree that this is the best Texans team ever. If we slide to an 8-8 record this year again, I would be more than willing to give this staff another shot. We have shown improvements, and it doesn't always translate to wins right away.

That being said, I really don't think we will end up with less than 9 wins. We are only a player or two away from becoming a really good team, I say give Kubes at least one more year to work with what he's building. It would be unfortunate for him to have a Gruden situation where a new coach comes in enjoys the benefits of someone else's work.

[Vinny]

Overall I like the direction the franchise is heading and I think this team has assembled some talent to compete. What I'm not sure about is if Kubiak is a top tier HC. I'm pretty convinced that any number of coaches could take the existing talent and produce .500 seasons. I think there are a lot of coaches that are better motivational guys. I also think there are tons of coaches who are better game managers/strategists. I'm ok with Kubiak if he can push past .500 and I'm comfortable enough with the team's character, characters, and talent level to give Kubiak a little more patience in lieu of how well they have played the last month or so. One caveat however - I'm sick of never having a winning season also, so my patience is really only good if this team continues to rise during the last half of the season. Otherwise, I'd like us to make a move while the core talent is young.

[bckey]

I didn't say anything was Kubiaks fault. All I said was it gets old and tired hearing wait till next year. And if we go 8-8 or worse I think Kubiak should get the axe.

It is funny how at the beginning of the season fans will say one thing and then when it doesn't happen the excuses begin. Everyone was playoffs or bust and now it is we are so much better that next year we can be an elite team.

You can hire a new head coach and keep the same defensive staff. It isn't the norm but it happens. Look, I like Kubiak. This whole argument may be moot. If we go on to have a winning record then I think for sure Kubiak stays. I'm not a hater. But please don't start making excuses in case things go south.

[Double Barrel]

I don't know why, but I honestly think Kubiak has this team in 2010 regardless of what happens this season. The team has already showed enough improvement in terms of talent and playcalling. Reading McNair's words, it's the players making mistakes that are costing us games. And last I checked, Kubiak is not throwing a uni on.

The owner states that we are just mental errors away from being an elite team. That sounds like he's blaming the players and not the head coach to me.

(I'm not saying that I agree/disagree with keeping Kubiak, but just my take on reading McNair's words.)

[m5kwatts]

Originally Posted by Hervoyel

I think you're one year early. I think if we finish 8-8 that McNair lets Kubiak come back but next season we're in "win and go to the postseason or you're done" mode. I think McNair's got almost too much patience for his own good and he's seen enough positive out of what the coaches are doing now to let it ride another year.

Frankly I've come over to a similar position though obviously not for the same reasons that McNair might have. I don't think a great deal of Kubiak's progress as a head coach but I do think that he seems to have gotten lucky with Frank Bush. I want to see how this plays out because they've gotten better as the year has gone by and I think that with another year this defense could be special. You can go pretty darn far with just a defense.

The offense has problems though. Alex Gibbs can't make these guys run the football. Think about that for a second. Nobody is so bad that Alex Gibbs can't turn them into a running powerhouse but we can't run the football. I think this, added to the fact that Baby Shanahan is calling the plays really hurts us but the good news is that it is fixable.

For starters if his job is on the line and the defense is playing well I think Kubiak is smart enough to turn back to the offense and get things straightened out.

Second I think we're probably going to see the arrival of a real franchise back very soon. Running the ball is too important to this offense to just blow it off like we've been doing this year. Steve Slaton, as much as I love watching this guy run the football is headed for permanent third down back status. I expect out of just plain survival instinct Kubiak is going to draft a running back next year if we fall to 8-8 or lower this year. That's particularly true if the reason we fail is the offense (his so-called "specialty").

I guess then I think I want Kubiak back another year to see what becomes of Frank Bush "DC" and because I think that IF the defense is more or less done with just "coming together" and maybe one or two pieces left we're finally going to draft that back who makes other teams spend all week preparing to get embarrassed. You add one of those guys to what we already have and Gary isn't going to have to be the perfect head coach to win.

And if he fires him I have no faith that McNair will find someone better. More than likely he'll hire someone "proven" but done winning and in decline. That seems to be our M.O. here. I think we're in so deep now with this regime we should just hang in there one more season if this one doesn't work out.

I don't think we'd fire Kubiak and go lame duck into head coaching free agency and expect to reel in a big fish. He'd only do it if he had a good idea of who the replacement should be and a good idea as to whether the replacement would accept the job. The Texans are 10x better a head coaching job than they were when Kubiak took it. The job would be sought after and like any owner does when looking for a head coach, McNair would poke around as to who has interest.

Otherwise I believe McNair believes Kubiak is the guy to take us to the promise land even if the 8-8 thing is getting redundant. Right now, I don't think he even knows who will coach next year. The 2nd half of the season will decide that. Depending on how things unfold.

[Second Honeymoon]

Barring a complete meltdown for better or worse, Kubiak is back in 2010 and probably with a new contract last through 2012.

Bush has done a good job with his on-the-job training and the offense has improved in the red zone. The turnovers are still there but that isn't on the coaches or GM for the most part. Kubiak still is horrible at clock management and making decisions quickly but hopefully he can get better at that. I am just waiting for the day that Kubiak actually outcoaches someone and when he can get his team to play 4 quarters consistently. The best he has done with that was the Bengals game this year. That win looks better and better.

My biggest problem with him now is his inability to think on the fly. He blew it with not having snapped the ball at the end of the half v. the Colts. That was his one opportunity to outcoach someone and he blew it.