Is O'brien's Approach to Poor Performance Really In Any Contrast to Last Year?

[CloakNNNdagger]

O’Brien, as stone-faced as Bud Grant before the game, was hardest on himself and his staff after this opening debacle.

“We have to coach them better, and it starts with me,” O’Brien said. “We’ve got to improve a lot as coaches.”

Before his first game, O’Brien was all business – no smiles, no joking around, just a portrait of intensity before he watched his team embarrass itself.

“We’re all in this together,” he said afterward. “As a team, nobody played well. Nobody coached well. It was bad football.”................................

..................As for the Texans’ overall performance?

“There’s nowhere to go but up,” O’Brien said. “We all have to learn from our mistakes.”

link

Whether it's last year's "It's on me" or this year's “We have to coach them better, and it starts with me,” praising individual players in public and leaving more than well-deserved criticisms entirely behind closed doors again presents a somewhat disingenuous approach to honest assessment. These are not kids, who should have to be protected from their mistakes. These are men who are being paid a fortune to avoid producing reasons for harsh criticisms. When criticism is not swept under the rug, it acts as its own very strong incentive not to become a recurrent theme. If players aren't tough enough to endure open criticism, they are certainly not tough enough to see the field.

And, in light of such a disgustingly inadequate performance last night, this extreme in-step "Stepford Wives" approach of what information coaches WILL comment on and what information players CAN discuss, has clearly taken on an air of exceeding childishness.

Thank you for allowing me to vent my present frustration.

 

[DX-TEX]

Its coach speak. When he says "They're battling out there!" then I will freak the hell out.

 

[Honoring Earl 34]

I think he was shell shocked and was flustered . This weeks workout with Atlanta should be interesting . If he wants to get their attention , laps won't do it , cutting some will .

 

[Brisco_County]

I think it would've been worse if he publically blamed any players in his first ever post game conference. Once he has some tenure in the role, he won't have to play it so safe with the media.

 

[Porky]

His act is starting to rub me the wrong way. Nuff said.

 

[thunderkyss]

link

Whether it's last year's "It's on me" or this year's “We have to coach them better, and it starts with me,” praising individual players in public and leaving more than well-deserved criticisms entirely behind closed doors again presents a somewhat disingenuous approach to honest assessment.

I don't think the point is to protect anyone's feelings. It's about everybody doing their job & the coaching staff did not do their job. Those guys were not prepared to play at the same level that the Cardinals were. Their offense in the 4th qtr was playing at a higher level than our offense in the first & it wasn't just the QB.

At the beginning of the game, the announcer said OB was simply hoping to avoid stupid mistakes..... well, for the most part that's what he got.

Doesn't make sense to call out any individual player when they gave him what he asked for.

 

[Playoffs]

“I don’t think our protection was good enough,” he said after the game. “I don’t think our passing game was good enough. I don’t think our running game was good enough. Our run defense, our pass defense, pass rush, kicking game - they all need to be improved.”

“We need to perform better than that, and we didn’t,” he said. “We have a lot of work to do.”

Wish we had that team's coach's problems, or this one's after their final preseason game last year...

After [he] was asked if there were any positives he could take from the game. His answer was brief.

“Nope,” he said. “Nope. We need to work on everything.”

“When you can’t stop them on defense, then we couldn’t get back in the game,” [the head coach] said. “Couldn’t score on offense, so it’s a bad combination. Too many negative plays. Just too many bad plays in all phases of the game. We’ve got a lot of work to do and that certainly wasn’t a very competitive performance tonight.”

 

[CloakNNNdagger]

I don't think the point is to protect anyone's feelings. It's about everybody doing their job & the coaching staff did not do their job. Those guys were not prepared to play at the same level that the Cardinals were. Their offense in the 4th qtr was playing at a higher level than our offense in the first & it wasn't just the QB.

At the beginning of the game, the announcer said OB was simply hoping to avoid stupid mistakes..... well, for the most part that's what he got.

Doesn't make sense to call out any individual player when they gave him what he asked for.

I thought I caught a mistake or 2 or 3 or 4 or 10 or 20 ...........

 

[Goatcheese]

Do people expect a Denny Green meltdown in every press conference?

There's nothing wrong with how OB or Kubiak handled their public relations after a loss. It's coaching 101 to not throw your players under the bus and take the blame for a team playing poorly.

 

[utahmark]

There is absolutely not reason to publicly criticize your players, other than fans "need to know". He is trying to build a football team, not create a soap opera.

 

[thunderkyss]

There is absolutely not reason to publicly criticize your players, other than fans "need to know". He is trying to build a football team, not create a soap opera.

At least until it's clear that the private aschewing ain't working. When it's time to put it out in the media, then it's time to put it out in the media. But if you get that far, you're dangerously close to losing it.

 

[MistaRed]

His act is starting to rub me the wrong way. Nuff said.

What act?

 

[infantrycak]

I think it's a useless exercise to analyze or angst over public comments from coaches. In private coaches are nothing like they are for mandatory media comments. Frankly thinking the media comments have anything to do with behind the scenes is a bit ludicrous. And so is the idea the players get their feedback or develop their habits from the media comments.

 

[speedfreek]

BoB is butt chinned Kubes v-2.0

#1 I can make it work with Fitzpatrick (a la Carr)
#2 I can be HC and OC (said Gary..)
#3 I'll bring in old my old buddies from NE to coach (Denver in Gary's case)
#4 I failed to coach this game (It's on me)

6 more years of this crap (McNair..) and I'll be a college-only football
fan.......

 

[Playoffs]

I think it's a useless exercise to analyze or angst over public comments from coaches. In private coaches are nothing like they are for mandatory media comments. Frankly thinking the media comments have anything to do with behind the scenes is a bit ludicrous. And so is the idea the players get their feedback or develop their habits from the media comments.

Co-sign 100%.

 

[EVOLVIST]

Thanks, Doc, for posting a similar thread to what I was thinking after the game.

Yes, there's no need, at this point, to throw players under the bus... BUT...Bill O' Brian said the wrong friggin' thing to a fanbase who has been highly sensitized to Kubiak's brand of coach-speak over the last 8 years.

This leads to the perpetual question, where does the coach's responsibility end and the player's begin? From all accounts, at practice (and I know it's been only 11 practices), O'Brian has lead a well disciplined schedule that players have reacted to in kind. The lights go on and all of that, apparently, went out the window. So, how much is on the players at that point? Probably a lot!

I know the every-man-is-accountable-to-himself philosophy prompted Bill O'Brian to comment the way he did. That's good. Still, when the new boss sounds like the old boss, it's going to raise some hackles.

Having said that, if Bill O'Brian continues to act like Kubiak, this train will keep rolling through the same halls of public perception. It's only human. I will not, however, make a judgment on the Bill O' Brian era until the bullets start flying for real, and we accumulate a win and loss column. I'm not giving the guy the benefit of the doubt. Quite the opposite. After Kubiak, a coach's trust must be earned. Nevertheless, I see it for what it is, i.e. this preseason game further solidified that this is a full-on rebuild, and if the players and O'Brian show continual progress throughout the season then they might get the benefit of the doubt.

So, Bill, if you're truly different, show us what you're made of, not what Kubiak was made of.

 

[badboy]

"As a team, nobody played well. Nobody coached well. It was bad football.”................................

Well I get that player are learning new system but coaches not coaching well? If I were McNair I want some answers.

 

[Mr. White]

“We have to coach them better, and it starts with me,” O’Brien said. “We’ve got to improve a lot as coaches.”

I take what he says at face value. I'm sure I've seen worse performances from football teams before last night. I just can't remember when.

Since the team couldn't perform in any phase of the game last night, that leads me to believe that the problem is between the ears. I'm not sure what he's doing when the cameras are off, but it's obvious that OB isn't connecting with his players.

 

[speedfreek]

The problem with Obrien is that he wasn't truly ready (or deserving)
of an NFL head coaching gig..

That is why we have a DC that was unemployed last year, and
a bunch of position coaches who were great players but had no
actual coaching experience.

The team I saw yesterday was completely unprepared from the start,
and there was nothing that indicated, to me, that they know how to fix
any of the issues as a coaching staff..

Honestly, go back and look at the expressions on the faces of ALL of
the coaches -- it was utter dumbfounded-ness. As if to say, WTH
do we do now?

If it were me, as an Texans fan, I would have hired Wisenhunt
(or other offensive minded head coach) to fix the offense and kept Wade
for at least some consistency on defense..

Wade isn't the best, but he did have top 10 defenses in terms of yards -
and with a healthy back end and Clowney could have given us at least a
"plausible" defense.

The Cards had six trips into the red-zone for Christ sakes!

Wisenhunt, etc. IMO --
would have been the only legitimate shot of having a quick turnaround
this year. Instead, we have started over from scratch -- and I have
no confidence in the captain at the helm..

I'm curious to see how the Titans do this year vs. us.

 

[Texian]

All things considered the Texans would be better off with Josh McDaniels as their coach. Gary Kubiak had an excellent debut with the Baltimore Ravens. In all the years I never saw a Gary Kubiak team perform as poorly as the Texans played last night.

 

[ObsiWan]

link

Whether it's last year's "It's on me" or this year's “We have to coach them better, and it starts with me,” praising individual players in public and leaving more than well-deserved criticisms entirely behind closed doors again presents a somewhat disingenuous approach to honest assessment. These are not kids, who should have to be protected from their mistakes. These are men who are being paid a fortune to avoid producing reasons for harsh criticisms. When criticism is not swept under the rug, it acts as its own very strong incentive not to become a recurrent theme. If players aren't tough enough to endure open criticism, they are certainly not tough enough to see the field.

And, in light of such a disgustingly inadequate performance last night, this extreme in-step "Stepford Wives" approach of what information coaches WILL comment on and what information players CAN discuss, has clearly taken on an air of exceeding childishness.

Thank you for allowing me to vent my present frustration.

repped.
could not have said it better.

 

[Mr. White]

During the pre-game they kept reiterating how smart that the QB needs to be and all the different places that Watt and Clowney are going to be coming from.

Looks like the playbook is way too complicated on both sides of the ball.

 

[speedfreek]

This is who Obrien reminds me of for some reason -- I could totally
see it getting as extreme here as it did in Oakland if the team starts
of 0-4, 0-5, etc..

 

[houstonspartan]

All things considered the Texans would be better off with Josh McDaniels as their coach. Gary Kubiak had an excellent debut with the Baltimore Ravens. In all the years I never saw a Gary Kubiak team perform as poorly as the Texans played last night.

I wasn't aware that Gary Kubiak has been named head coach of the Ravens...

Also, my 5-year-old nephew could nail Kubiak's simple-ass offense in a week.

I don't get the panic over O'Brien's comments. I don't care what a coach says; I care what he does. O'Brien seems like the type that would fire his mamma if she was in his way of winning games.

 

[ObsiWan]

Wish we had that team's coach's problems, or this one's after their final preseason game last year...

Are you gonna tell us who these quotes are from and when?

 

[ObsiWan]

I wasn't aware that Gary Kubiak has been named head coach of the Ravens...

Also, my 5-year-old nephew could nail Kubiak's simple-ass offense in a week.

I don't get the panic over O'Brien's comments. I don't care what a coach says; I care what he does. O'Brien seems like the type that would fire his mamma if she was in his way of winning games.

Then you should send your 5 year-old nephew over to Bob McNair and have him interview for the offensive coordinator's job. Because O'Brien's offense was no where near as effective; even when our ones went against their twos or our twos went against their threes and fours.

 

[infantrycak]

Also, my 5-year-old nephew could nail Kubiak's simple-ass offense in a week.

Sometimes when you (generic) overstate your insults to the point of ridiculousness they kick more than they shoot.

 

[thunderkyss]

Thanks, Doc, for posting a similar thread to what I was thinking after the game.

Yes, there's no need, at this point, to throw players under the bus... BUT...Bill O' Brian said the wrong friggin' thing to a fanbase who has been highly sensitized to Kubiak's brand of coach-speak over the last 8 years.

This leads to the perpetual question, where does the coach's responsibility end and the player's begin? From all accounts, at practice (and I know it's been only 11 practices), O'Brian has lead a well disciplined schedule that players have reacted to in kind. The lights go on and all of that, apparently, went out the window. So, how much is on the players at that point? Probably a lot!

I think it's pretty easy. If we're talking about three or four guys screwing up, then that's on the players. If we're talking about three or four guys playing well, then the coach is responsible for the other forty-some guys who did not.

 

[xtruroyaltyx]

I can deal with in game mistakes and all...First game under new regime...Obviously lack talent in certain areas...

What I can't take is all those penalties...The Cardinals made a lot too, but we made more...

I hope to see a cleaner game being played next week.

 

[thunderkyss]

Wisenhunt, etc. IMO --
would have been the only legitimate shot of having a quick turnaround
this year. Instead, we have started over from scratch -- and I have
no confidence in the captain at the helm..

I'm curious to see how the Titans do this year vs. us.

I watched a bit of the Titans/Packers game. They didn't look as poorly as we did, new coach, new system... they looked like a football team.

 

[sandman]

When I read threads like this, where after the first pre-season game some of you have already given up on the new coach and system, that I remember this simple thought:

God gave us Houston sports fans the professional sports teams that we deserve.

 

[Honoring Earl 34]

We'll see what happens this week vs Atlanta at practice and in the game but BOB may have malcontents corrupting his efforts . That or he's over his head .

 

[CloakNNNdagger]

When I read threads like this, where after the first pre-season game some of you have already given up on the new coach and system, that I remember this simple thought:

God gave us Houston sports fans the professional sports teams that we deserve.

The original post did not reflect a "giving up" on anything. It reflected a frustration built on a need for this regimen to heavy-handedly control all facets of information regarding progress, with no way to assess whether the purported progress is based on solid and honest foundation........or based on a straw foundation that more accurately explains the final outcome.

 

[JamesBill]

I don't have a problem with Bill doing it but I also didn't have a problem with Kubiak doing it. I think most fans issue was that if it is the coaches fault for 5 years why is he still employed.

 

[DocBar]

Preseason game 3 is where the rubber meets the road, boys and girls. That one is "fully" game-planned for and is also the "tune up game". Last night's game deserves a spot on Ridiculousness, but it's not necessarily an omen of things to come. How can you have a one sample trend? I expect things to be better, not great, next week.

The next few weeks will tell us more about BO'B's coaching than last night. Be concerned, but don't reach for the panic button just yet.

 

[b0ng]

Nobody gives a **** about press conferences unless we are losing, and only then, will the non-answers given by coaches be poured over like the Zapruder film.

 

[Mr. White]

I was really concerned up until last night when I saw Greg Bailey's post-game interview with OB on channel 13's Sunday night show.

O'Brien came off pretty calm and matter-of-fact. He came off to me like a guy who has a plan of action. He didn't act as clueless as we seem to think he was acting on the sidelines.

I'll try to find a link to the interview.

Edit: Can't find a link. The show is called Houston Texans: Inside the Game and it comes on ABC 13 Sunday nights at 11 if anyone else wants to take a stab at it.

 

[Double Barrel]

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. hehe

I cannot evaluate O'Brien after one meaningless game. It's going to take years to truly see what he is all about. And with Bob McNair, we know it will be at least 4 years to give O'Brien a chance to change the fortunes of a 2-14 team.

99% of head coaches are the same after losses, most resorting to a sort of bland coach-speak, so I cannot get worked up in the slightest about this current post-game interview.

If anything, maybe I sensed a realization in O'Brien that he inherited a much bigger mess than he previously thought. But, that was most likely me projecting my own perspectives into his bland coach-speak.

 

[Mr. White]

If anything, maybe I sensed a realization in O'Brien that he inherited a much bigger mess than he previously thought. But, that was most likely me projecting my own perspectives into his bland coach-speak.

Maybe it's just me, but I always pay more attention to body language in the post-game interview than I do the coachspeak that goes on.

Nothing against Kubiak, but I always could tell that he absolutely hated that interview after a loss. He'd look down, cross his arms, and never really give a yes or no answer. O'Brien actually stood up straight and made eye contact. Maybe I'm just drinking the kool-aid ond OB is good at spin control, but he just didn't come across like a guy that thinks he's in over his head.

Having said that, I think he is in over his head. I was hoping that he could make chicken salad out of chicken$#!7, but I don't see any indication of that happening. Still too many patchwork guys out there looking more clueless than they looked last year.

 

[Porky]

Was anyone else a little insulted that OB came out and talked about having positives out of the game?

Your team just embarrassed itself, was completely undisciplined, mentally weak, and was completely out-manned, out-maneuvered and outgunned in every single phase of the game by every level of player, and you talked about positives?

That's like walking into a gruesome triple murder scene and commenting that the drapes didn't get blood on them. Ya, let's be happy. Hell throw a damn party, ain't life grand.

 

[Texian]

Was anyone else a little insulted that OB came out and talked about having positives out of the game?

Your team just embarrassed itself, was completely undisciplined, mentally weak, and was completely out-manned, out-maneuvered and outgunned in every single phase of the game by every level of player, and you talked about positives?

That's like walking into a gruesome triple murder scene and commenting that the drapes didn't get blood on them. Ya, let's be happy. Hell throw a damn party, ain't life grand.

I wasn't insulted. What I saw was a guy who was in over his head, state of shock and disbelief. He was a little more humbled than anyone had seen him before and not really knowing what to say. His tough guy arrogant image was definitely NOT going to play after Saturday night's game. The only reason he was there was because he had to be.

 

[QuantumMortis]

I don't mind the coachspeak and he can use every cliche so long as he starts to find a way to win. If he had called out specific players or said something outside of the standard coachspeak the 24 hours sports news cycle, let alone the local radio would sound like parrots.

"Bill O'Brien called out player XX!" *squawk!*... "Bill O'Brien called out player XX!" *squawk!*... "Bill O'Brien called out player XX!" *squawk!*...

I understand that fans want players and coaches to speak from the heart at least sometimes, but I don't think it's a good idea for them too, and I think the NFL teams punish them behind the scenes if they do.

I think Schaub was one of the best Texans ever at playerspeak. I remember chuckling after several interviews throughout the years thinking that I learned nothing and he said basically nothing. He knows how to play the media game.

 

[speedfreek]

I disagree. It was really important after 2-14 to look at least
"coherent" on the field last Saturday.

Even more so for game #2. If they **** the bed again, it is a sign
that we're in for a long season and I believe that many fans
will simply tune out.

God help us if we get crap-stomped in the first regular season game --
there will be some serious mutiny in the player ranks -- something
that makes the AJ and Foster flaps look trivial..

Preseason game 3 is where the rubber meets the road, boys and girls. That one is "fully" game-planned for and is also the "tune up game".

 

[Double Barrel]

Maybe it's just me, but I always pay more attention to body language in the post-game interview than I do the coachspeak that goes on.

Nothing against Kubiak, but I always could tell that he absolutely hated that interview after a loss. He'd look down, cross his arms, and never really give a yes or no answer. O'Brien actually stood up straight and made eye contact. Maybe I'm just drinking the kool-aid ond OB is good at spin control, but he just didn't come across like a guy that thinks he's in over his head.

Having said that, I think he is in over his head. I was hoping that he could make chicken salad out of chicken$#!7, but I don't see any indication of that happening. Still too many patchwork guys out there looking more clueless than they looked last year.

yeah, understand your perspective on body language. Just keep in mind that O'Brien is one pre-season game into it, so he looks bright eyed and bushy tailed. Hard to compare to 8 years and the reaction to an on-going 14 game losing streak that Kubiak was displaying last season.

 

[DX-TEX]

I don't mind the coachspeak and he can use every cliche so long as he starts to find a way to win. If he had called out specific players or said something outside of the standard coachspeak the 24 hours sports news cycle, let alone the local radio would sound like parrots.

"Bill O'Brien called out player XX!" *squawk!*... "Bill O'Brien called out player XX!" *squawk!*... "Bill O'Brien called out player XX!" *squawk!*...

I understand that fans want players and coaches to speak from the heart at least sometimes, but I don't think it's a good idea for them too, and I think the NFL teams punish them behind the scenes if they do.

I think Schaub was one of the best Texans ever at playerspeak. I remember chuckling after several interviews throughout the years thinking that I learned nothing and he said basically nothing. He knows how to play the media game.

Jayson Braddock ‏@JaysonBraddock · 1h
O'Brien's phone rings during PC, MNF ringtone. It's his wife. Smiles & says wife is back, back 2 school & says puts things in perspective.

BOB is being overly scrutinized

 

[speedfreek]

if you want a true contrast to last year consider this:

Last year the Texans had a half-time lead against the Cardinals
with (inexperienced) Keenum running the (obviously) "predictable"
Kubiak offense while facing the AZ starters for the entire half.

This year a 10-year vet running the "multiple" Obrien offense
trailed by 20-zip at the half while facing the AZ starters, backups,
camp fodder, etc. And I find it highly unlikely that the cards
game planned for Fitz or BoB

And _THAT_ is what the contrast looks like to me...

Staff = Problem

 

[DX-TEX]

if you want a true contrast to last year consider this:

Last year the Texans had a half-time lead against the Cardinals
with (inexperienced) Keenum running the (obviously) "predictable"
Kubiak offense while facing the AZ starters for the entire half.

This year a 10-year vet running the "multiple" Obrien offense
trailed by 20-zip at the half while facing the AZ starters, backups,
camp fodder, etc. And I find it highly unlikely that the cards
game planned for Fitz or BoB

And _THAT_ is what the contrast looks like to me...

Staff = Problem

You're comparing regular season game with a long time entrenched staff, a team with all starters on the field and a full gameplan designed specifically for that game

Against:

A first preseason game, a new coaching staff on both sides of the ball, new schemes on both sides of the ball. new players including QB and a base gameplan meant to experiment with players and positions.

Seems like a fair comparison.

 

[speedfreek]

Seems like a fair comparison.

Lots of turnover in the NFL coaching ranks this year, no one
looked as ill prepared and completely incoherent as we did..

Find an example of a team who played a preseason game #1 with
their starting QB for a half and failed to sniff the redzone
let alone score.

Very fair comparison.

 

[thunderkyss]

Speaking of OB's approach to poor performance, a couple of headlines on NFL.com caught my attention.

Bucs wast no time...

& Fitz

 

[xtruroyaltyx]

& Fitz

I figured Fitz would remain the starter.

He'll play better.