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"Is Obrien Really An NFL Caliber Head Coach"??

Given enough time every organization mimics it's leader.

McNair has created a confused and indecisive organization. As fans we still don't know who has responsibility for what function - and this is not a new thing - we still don't know who was making draft picks all the way back to the end of the Casserly era. Watching hard knocks reinforced this: that whole process around the last cut struck me as two men trying to convince themselves they were doing the right thing, with neither really sure what they or the other wanted. It was like me and my wife trying to decide where to go for dinner, "well what do *you* feel like eating?"

McNair needs to rip this structure up. Smith needs to go. If he wants to keep O'Brien, then that's fine but his remit need to be clearly defined: The head coach tells the GM the kinds of players he wants, the GM sources the talent and the HC does the best he can with them. If the talent sucks, fire the GM. If the results suck, fire the HC. This wishy-washy joint (in)decision making process is a joke, and a structure in which a politician like Smith can hide and deflect, and whisper. Define and fill the roles and let them execute. Pick a QB and run with him.

So tired of this nonsense.
 
markn said:
Given enough time every organization mimics it's leader.

McNair has created a confused and indecisive organization. As fans we still don't know who has responsibility for what function - and this is not a new thing - we still don't know who was making draft picks all the way back to the end of the Casserly era. Watching hard knocks reinforced this: that whole process around the last cut struck me as two men trying to convince themselves they were doing the right thing, with neither really sure what they or the other wanted. It was like me and my wife trying to decide where to go for dinner, "well what do *you* feel like eating?"

McNair needs to rip this structure up. Smith needs to go. If he wants to keep O'Brien, then that's fine but his remit need to be clearly defined: The head coach tells the GM the kinds of players he wants, the GM sources the talent and the HC does the best he can with them. If the talent sucks, fire the GM. If the results suck, fire the HC. This wishy-washy joint (in)decision making process is a joke, and a structure in which a politician like Smith can hide and deflect, and whisper. Define and fill the roles and let them execute. Pick a QB and run with him.

So tired of this nonsense.
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I wholeheartedly agree with you, Rick Smith needs to go. I believe his time is up here and move in a new direction for a GM and Bill O'Brien should stay on as head coach. Mcnair needs to reitorate this heavliy to O'Brien and whoever becomes the next GM, DRAFT A QB IN THE 1ST ROUND!!! and NO YOU CAN'T DRAFT HACKENBURG!!!!
 
thunderkyss said:
Don't make it right.

But I agree with you. O'Brien will be back for year three with his QB Brian Hoyer (who we should be proud of) & Tom Savage as his back up.

We'll probably draft the next Jankowski with a top 10 pick.
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If we have the first overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, or even anywhere in the top 10 (we'll be top 5 most likely), Bill O'Brien is going to have the opportunity to draft his quarterback with a high first-round pick. Not a fourth-round project, who's body is made of glass, like Tom Savage.
 
Bulls on Parade said:
If we have the first overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, or even anywhere in the top 10 (we'll be top 5 most likely), Bill O'Brien is going to have the opportunity to draft his quarterback with a high first-round pick. Not a fourth-round project, who's body is made of glass, like Tom Savage.
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But it still comes down to would Obrien
draft Peyton Manning or Ryan Leaf.

I don't know if he can tell the difference.
 
DBCooper said:
But it still comes down to would Obrien
draft Peyton Manning or Ryan Leaf.

I don't know if he can tell the difference.
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He's stubborn enough to go with the Ryan Leaf type talent.
Just to prove he was right and shove it down our faces.
I've never seen an egomaniac as passionate as O'Brien.
 
Chris said:
I wholeheartedly agree with you, Rick Smith needs to go. I believe his time is up here and move in a new direction for a GM and Bill O'Brien should stay on as head coach. Mcnair needs to reitorate this heavliy to O'Brien and whoever becomes the next GM, DRAFT A QB IN THE 1ST ROUND!!! and NO YOU CAN'T DRAFT HACKENBURG!!!!
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But your last sentence is exactly what you DON'T want you owner to do, though. Instead, you want,"Okay, you can take Hakenberg; that's what I'm paying you for, Mr. GM and Mr. Coach, but if he fails, that means YOU fail, and your ass is the bread line quicker than you can say 'new deal'".
 
O'Brien is definitely being humbled this season. I am really sour on the Texans. The QB shuffle this year really turned me off. I didn't even buy Madden and I always buy Madden.

Anyway, time for the Astros. And then the Rockets in a couple of weeks. Real teams run by real GMs.
 
Bulls on Parade said:
If we have the first overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, or even anywhere in the top 10 (we'll be top 5 most likely), Bill O'Brien is going to have the opportunity to draft his quarterback with a high first-round pick. Not a fourth-round project, who's body is made of glass, like Tom Savage.
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We don't need no stinking high first-round QB, we've got Hoyer & we should be damned proud of it.
 
thunderkyss said:
We don't need no stinking high first-round QB, we've got Hoyer & we should be damned proud of it.
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Brian Hoyer starting games the rest of this 2015 season will help us land a high first-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. Bill O'Brien will have an opportunity to draft his quarterback once and for all. It may be the #1 overall pick but I see us drafting no worse than the top five.
 
infantrycak said:
Like I said, you wouldn't listen no matter what.

Oh fyi, where McNair watches when on the sideline - right in front of my seats.
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Ok, let's try this post again.

So, you get taken in even though you are right there, yet I don't from 165 miles away. You don't think he's putting on a show?? I do. It's obvious.
 
BoB should be happy to know that our future first round draft pick is "proud of both
of our QB's"

After all, the earlier you select, the more they get paid...
 
Bulls on Parade said:
So what's the plan for the rest of this season?
If we lose out and finish 1-15 and get the #1 overall pick.
I suppose Bill O'Brien will have a big influence on who we draft.
It's not like he's going to be fired with an awful 2015 season.
Rick Smith on the other hand. How do you justify him staying?
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Can you say Godfather?
 
I have no malice towards McNair, although I have to question at least just a little bit his motives for owning the team and his vision for the direction of the team. No matter how McNair factors into all this, I hope he doesn't come out with one of his famous public statements. Every time seemingly dire situations pop up, it scares the heck out of me thinking about what next may be about to come out of his mouth.
 
Bulls on Parade said:
Brian Hoyer starting games the rest of this 2015 season will help us land a high first-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. Bill O'Brien will have an opportunity to draft his quarterback once and for all. It may be the #1 overall pick but I see us drafting no worse than the top five.
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Actually i think your wrong on this. I think Mallett does. Hoyer is blah. He'll win 7 games and we'll be screwed on the draft. The better answer is start mallet, if he refines himself into a better QB then you know what you have OR he never wins another game and you have a top draft pick.

This is ANOTHER reason that O'Brien is demonstrating he's not a great head coach. And all this switching around has just killed the morale of everyone. This is terrible.
 
Bulls on Parade said:
So what's the plan for the rest of this season?
Click to expand...

They have a plan ?

I kinda like the current direction of the team - #1 pick and a new coach.



If we lose out and finish 1-15 and get the #1 overall pick.
I suppose Bill O'Brien will have a big influence on who we draft.
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They go 1-15 OB is a goner. (Please finish 1-15 , its best for the long term to get ridda OB).


It's not like he's going to be fired with an awful 2015 season.
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I so hope you are wrong.

No QB.

ST sucks and there is a penalty on them more often than not.

The defense is offensive ....

What's a TE ?!

XSF , Louis Nix , Fido , McKinney.

About the only thing OB does at the level of an NFL coach is cuss.

Do I need to mention QB again ?! We don't have one.



Rick Smith on the other hand. How do you justify him staying?
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Smith must have damaging pics of Cal making a mob style hit .... or maybe Cal & his boyfriend in a compromising situation.
 
CloakNNNdagger said:
I have no malice towards McNair, although I have to question at least just a little bit his motives for owning the team and his vision for the direction of the team. No matter how McNair factors into all this, I hope he doesn't come out with one of his famous public statements. Every time seemingly dire situations pop up, it scares the heck out of me thinking about what next may be about to come out of his mouth.
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He gets to close with his employees in a results driven business , IMO . This being said he kinda dictates the definition of a Texans player or coach which may affect 10% of possibilities . Between what he won't take and what he won't get rid of makes a Candy Land environment .
 
GuerillaBlack said:
O'Brien is definitely being humbled this season. I am really sour on the Texans. The QB shuffle this year really turned me off.
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I think you hit the nail on the head. I think O'Brien has ability. There's no way you finish 2nd in coach of the year voting unless you're a tad crafty. Watching games last year, I saw good game plans and we were very competitive in almost every game. I'm thinking maybe his ego got the best of him, which led to the "I can win with Hoyer or Mallet". Personally, Im through with Mallet. I've seen enough to know he just doesn't have it. Other than the mop up duty against KC and the Cleveland game last year, he looks mediocre at best. The offense looked substantially better with Hoyer against Atl and Indy so they should just run with him. I do NOT think Hoyer is the answer, he is just more watchable at this point than Mallet. Im tired of seeing throws in the dirt and I'm tired of seeing 5-7 yd passes throw at 98mph. Either way QB is THE top priority in the off season, and I have a feeling O'Brien realizes this now.

Now, what I think needs to happen:

Remove Smith at the end of the season. Our player personnel decision making is terrible. If they love Smith as a person so much, laterally move him to VP or some other BS position, just keep him away from player decision making in any way, shape or form. We need a strong competent voice in the GM position.

If it were me and I see one more defensive performance like I have in the first 5 games, Im firing RAC and promoting Vrabel. The D is a train wreck, and they were supposed to be good. I'll cut the O some slack because of injuries to the OL and Foster and, quite frankly, we all expected them to be pedestrian this year, but there is no reason the D should be this bad. They look dazed and confused most of the time, and they unwillingness to tackle the last 2 games is sickening. I'd promote Vrabel to see what he's got as a DC and make a decision on that position at the end of the season based on the results of the last 11 games.

I'd fire the ST coach as soon as I can find a more competent replacement. ST has been a joke for 2 seasons and it has to stop now.

Im personally giving O'Brien one more season to see if things turn around. I think you have to give HC's a fair shot. He was good year last and this year things haven't gone well - which one is the real O'Brien? Is he the guy that finished 2nd on COY or is this year more indicative of his abilities?
 
If the coach is fired then the team will be on its fourth head coach with minimum results it lies with the owner but that does mean Bob does not care. He probably just does not know enough or have what it takes to become a winning owner.
 
gary said:
If the coach is fired then the team will be on its fourth head coach with minimum results it lies with the owner but that does mean Bob does not care. He probably just does not know enough or have what it takes to become a winning owner.
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He just hasn't had the good fortune to have drafted Andrew Luck , Aaron Rodgers , Peyton Manning or Tom Brady.
 
otisbean said:
I think you hit the nail on the head. I think O'Brien has ability. There's no way you finish 2nd in coach of the year voting unless you're a tad crafty. Watching games last year, I saw good game plans and we were very competitive in almost every game. I'm thinking maybe his ego got the best of him, which led to the "I can win with Hoyer or Mallet".
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He's being tested, that's for sure. I'll be impressed if he can turn this crap around. 11 games left.
 
Corrosion said:
He just hasn't had the good fortune to have drafted Andrew Luck , Aaron Rodgers , Peyton Manning or Tom Brady.
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Whose fault is that? I am not saying he has made all decisions about players and personal but he has hired those who have been choosing the staff.
 
Bulls on Parade said:
Agreed in most cases. But we're not about to go on to head coach number four in franchise history this early in the process. Bill O'Brien has job security for at least another season. Now talk to me next season at this time then I'll buy that he's on the hot seat if we're still struggling and off to another 1-4 or 0-5 start.
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We will know a lot about Bob McNair's perspective as owner if he keeps a coach after a 1-15 season.

And if that happens, I would probably never have any expectations for this team to be able to compete at a championship level.

He needs to learn lessons from Les Alexander and Jim Crane on how to hire strong, competent individuals to run their franchises and then stay the hell out of operations.

Showtime100 said:
Let's see it for what it is, friends. McNair.

Screw the Texans. At least Bud Adams cared.
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I think McNair and Adams have a lot more in common than many Houston football fans want to admit. I think both cared about winning, and both did not know how to accomplish that goal.

Just like Adams, McNair likes to make coaching decisions without his head coach's final say. See Buddy Ryan and Wade Phillips. And like Adams, McNair likes to hire old superstars in spite of the perspectives of their coaching staffs.

As owners of football teams, both get involved with operations when they should keep their noses out of it.

Where they are fundamentally different is McNair actually cares about fans. I do not think Adams ever gave a crap about us beyond the money he could make off of us.
 
Double Barrel said:
We will know a lot about Bob McNair's perspective as owner if he keeps a coach after a 1-15 season.

And if that happens, I would probably never have any expectations for this team to be able to compete at a championship level.

He needs to learn lessons from Les Alexander and Jim Crane on how to hire strong, competent individuals to run their franchises and then stay the hell out of operations.



I think McNair and Adams have a lot more in common than many Houston football fans want to admit. I think both cared about winning, and both did not know how to accomplish that goal.

Just like Adams, McNair likes to make coaching decisions without his head coach's final say. See Buddy Ryan and Wade Phillips. And like Adams, McNair likes to hire old superstars in spite of the perspectives of their coaching staffs.

As owners of football teams, both get involved with operations when they should keep their noses out of it.

Where they are fundamentally different is McNair actually cares about fans. I do not think Adams ever gave a crap about us beyond the money he could make off of us.
Click to expand...

Hey, he's not Jerrah!
 
Double Barrel said:
We will know a lot about Bob McNair's perspective as owner if he keeps a coach after a 1-15 season.

And if that happens, I would probably never have any expectations for this team to be able to compete at a championship level.

He needs to learn lessons from Les Alexander and Jim Crane on how to hire strong, competent individuals to run their franchises and then stay the hell out of operations.



I think McNair and Adams have a lot more in common than many Houston football fans want to admit. I think both cared about winning, and both did not know how to accomplish that goal.

Just like Adams, McNair likes to make coaching decisions without his head coach's final say. See Buddy Ryan and Wade Phillips. And like Adams, McNair likes to hire old superstars in spite of the perspectives of their coaching staffs.

As owners of football teams, both get involved with operations when they should keep their noses out of it.

Where they are fundamentally different is McNair actually cares about fans. I do not think Adams ever gave a crap about us beyond the money he could make off of us.
Click to expand...

Bob sat down at a poker table with 31 other guys . He loses money and they tell him how fast he's learning and how great he's doing . After awhile he should think maybe their not being honest with him but he's playing his hand the same as usual .
 
Double Barrel said:
We will know a lot about Bob McNair's perspective as owner if he keeps a coach after a 1-15 season.

And if that happens, I would probably never have any expectations for this team to be able to compete at a championship level.
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I do believe this year's team will finish 1-15
But I'd like to see Bill O'Brien draft his quarterback #1 overall.
And then have 2016 and 2017 to develop that guy.

I wouldn't fire O'Brien until after the 2017 season if we keep losing.
That would be four seasons total and ample time to build a winner.

I just don't see any head coaching candidates that I feel would be any better. In terms of hiring after this season. Unless Bill Cowher or Jimmy Johnson come out of retirement then no thanks.
 
Texian said:
The only difference is that Jerah calls himself the GM. Even though McNair is the true GM he doesn't have Jerah's arrogance and audacity.
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jerry.jpg
 
Bulls on Parade said:
I do believe this year's team will finish 1-15
But I'd like to see Bill O'Brien draft his quarterback #1 overall.
And then have 2016 and 2017 to develop that guy.

I wouldn't fire O'Brien until after the 2017 season if we keep losing.
That would be four seasons total and ample time to build a winner.
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If O'Brien has already started losing some of the players this early, he'll be toast by the end of the season.

Then there is the cherry bomb that he flushed down McNairs toilet by selling him on the delusion that we can win a championship without seeking a top tier quarterback. Remember, "The city of Houston should be proud of both of them."
 
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Texian said:
The only difference is that Jerah calls himself the GM. Even though McNair is the true GM he doesn't have Jerah's arrogance and audacity.
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Wait. You're saying that Robert C. McNair is the GM of the Houston, Texans? In what ways might these be?
 
Bulls on Parade said:
I do believe this year's team will finish 1-15
But I'd like to see Bill O'Brien draft his quarterback #1 overall.
And then have 2016 and 2017 to develop that guy.

I wouldn't fire O'Brien until after the 2017 season if we keep losing.
That would be four seasons total and ample time to build a winner.

I just don't see any head coaching candidates that I feel would be any better. In terms of hiring after this season. Unless Bill Cowher or Jimmy Johnson come out of retirement then no thanks.
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O'Brien already had a shot a draft pick 1.1

He apparently believes that no QB is good enough for his system, so he picks up scrubs from the scrap pile.

I do not have the confidence that he would draft QB next year with the same draft position.

As far as available head coaching candidates, that is putting the cart in front of the horse. I subscribe to Texian's suggestion to hire Eliot Wolf (or someone similarly qualified) as GM and let him make those decisions. The fundamental problem with the Texans is an owner hiring head coaches based on whatever criteria he's got in his head, but he's obviously not a football guy. His metrics seem to include things that are not important to being a head coach.

infantrycak said:
Don't believe what you're reading on that one. Jerry really took over once Jimmy left.
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This is true, but he was smart enough to hire Jimmy when he bought the team.

And I say this as someone who never roots for the Cowboys and have no affinity for Jerrah. But facts are facts, and he's a better owner than McNair at this point.
 
xtruroyaltyx said:
I agree, the defense is terrible too.

Having said that, I think as a team the concentration, effort and morale are affected by the mismanaged qb situation.

I think poor play there affects the team in less tangible ways in its own right....but when you have poor play AND the coach is jerking guys around there it kind of puts a dark cloud on the team.

That said, I'm with you. I don't even care who's at qb right now. This team is terrible as a whole. The entire team is poorly coached and lacks discipline.
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I agree....this musical chairs QB circus has got to be a distraction on entire team due to all the drama around it...other players have got to be scratching their heads wondering just like us what the hell is going on. I think this coaching staff is losing credibility w/the team. Pick a QB (whoever) & roll w/ him. But like you said...looks the entire team is confused just not coached well. At Obriens last post game press conference he said he's approaching this season like each game is a season.....What the hell does that mean????
 
Scooter said:
It's depressing to think that O'Brien might be back next year just because McNair may feel he needs to justify his hiring, or actually believes there's sunnier days. If you've lost the locker room by your second year, you're in over your head. If Rex Ryan is laughing at how you're handling quarterbacks, you're in over your head. When your most consistent draft pick is a 6th round fullback, you're in over your head. I'll restrain myself there, but this list is dang near endless.

This should've been obvious (I'm trying really hard not to curse here) when hiring a New England coach who's experience is Tom Brady's towel boy, and declining college programs. Who really thought this was a good hire ... except maybe Robert Kraft, who after talking to McNair smirks as he walks away. The 35 year old Shanahan has more NFL experience.
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Good points.....well said...
 
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