Just saw the closeup footage of Kubiak on the stretcher.
He was responsive but his eyes were completely closed.
I'm not a medical professional, but lack of facial muscle
control is usually an indicator of stroke. If he had one,
I doubt he coaches the team the rest of the year.
(rehab might take a while)
This season is cursed. Seriously..
Kubiak has actually earned my respect this year. He completely
changed his offense (in only 2 games) to take advantage
of Keenum's skills.
That is not the action of a "stubborn" or "arrogant" man --
which is what I've been hearing from sports radio and began
to believe myself..
TJ
I have always respected him as a man, as a Christian, and as a human being. The problem with changing the offense now to fit Keenum is the lack of other players to compliment the new offensive scheme. We need big linemen who can block and give Case time to move around and find open receivers, and time for receivers to get open ala AJ on his second TD last night. We need depth on defense, because a quick scoring offense that goes vertical will mean a defense that may spend more time on the field. They need quality players who can rotate in and be an impact no matter who is on the field. They need special teams specialists who can be counted on to perform every week.
Sure. If say the head coaching job was offered to Kyle Shanahan from the Redskins. Somebody who's already familiar with the type of offensive schemes we already run and who can add his own wrinkles to the plate. The kid is a brilliant young mind and he probably isn't leaving his father's team unless he's given a head coaching job.
If Kubiak would feel less stress, maybe he has to do it for his health, and be okay with being demoted to the offensive coordinator job. It would basically be a role reversal of what we once had when Kyle Shanahan was here.
The offensive schemes we already run is what is wrong with this team now. The old Bronco offense of 20 years ago is just not the way of the NFL today. The zone blocking scheme that relies on smaller offensive linemen seems to struggle against the faster, bigger defensive front sevens of today. The game of football has evolved, rules have been changed to make it a passing league. Out of 32 NFL teams, how many can you say are a ground team, where running the ball to establish the pass is the norm? Watching other teams I see the opposite - the passing game opens up the run, and running backs are plugged in at will to fill the whole when another one goes down.
We don't need a head coach to come in and be Gary's boss and continue to run the same old tired offense. We need a head coach who will surround himself with good people and let them do their jobs. The head coach does not have to be the offensive or defense mind of the team. He should hire 3 really good people and let them run a specific part of the team - an offensive coordinator, a defensive coordinator, and a special teams coach. He should not be so involved with one piece that he leaves the other 2 pieces to chance. He should hold these 3 coaches accountable, they should be expected to deliver a consistent product on the field, making in game adjustments as needed. The head coach should be the manager of the game, deciding when to challenge, when to go for it on 4th down, when to fake a kick, and when a man needs to pulled aside for an ass chewing for boneheaded play he needs to be there to pull him aside and lay the smack down. The head coach needs to be thinking ahead to the adjustments the team must make during the game, talking to his 3 coaches continuously on the sidelines, pointing out the mistakes being made and formulating a plan to change it. And the head coach must be a motivator, he must get the team ready to play, and keep them playing throughout the game. He must have the balls to challenge those on the team who are not performing where they should, and be willing to handle accordingly those who continue to let his teammates down.
Gary Kubiak may realize with this health scare that he can't be the head coach the way he has always tried to be. He may learn that he needs to hire good people and let them do their jobs, thus relieving the stress on himself. Time will tell.
