The issue I have with Smith is I still believe he should have been fired right along with Kubiak.
At the time I felt the same way. Since then, I've changed my mind. Before last season started I was happy with every position on the field except QB. I liked a lot of the depth at most of the defensive positions.
I know Rick Smith drafted players who have been recognized as defensive rookie of the year, defensive player of the week, defensive player of the month, defensive MVP, offensive player of the week, & several pro bowls, a few all-pros.
No, he didn't hit on every pick, but hit on several. Maybe he did something way back when that didn't sit right with most of us. But I think he's gotten better at adding talent to this team. Like I mentioned in another thread. Great Offensive coach, great offensive team. Great defensive coach, great defensive team. Our offense sucked the last two years. I'm OK thinking first time OC George Godsey wasn't cutting it.
Also, since he became GM the Texans haven't drafted a QB within the first 3 rounds. Not once. For a team that has been starving for a franchise QB since Carr flopped that makes zero sense. Even New England drafts QB's within the first 3 rounds with the GOAT at the position still as good as ever.
If you're going to frame it like that, yeah. Doesn't make any sense. But if you look at what he did do, it's not so bad. His first year he invested two 2nd round picks in a QB that held the fort for 7 years. Two pro bowls, lead the league in passing one year. Best QB in franchise history.
Then you look at Brady. He was 34 years old before the Patriots invested a 3rd round pick on Brady's heir apparent. Matt Schaub just turned 35. When the Patriots were in our position, they were drafting 6th round QBs, so technically the 5th we spent on Tj & 4th we spent on Savage is more of an investment in QB than what the Patriots invested when they found Brady.
Personally, I'm frustrated by the same quotes by Smith and McNair every year. "We feel good with what we have" or "we need to find a QB" and then they don't draft one until late, or UDFA's like Case. In contrast the HC here now just say's "we do what the boss tells us to do". That's as close to saying "I have no control over the process".
A little off topic but the way O'b handles the media makes me think he has a hard time thinking two steps ahead. I mean you lose a game your QB turns the ball over four times in the first half & when asked about it he has no answer. He was caught totally off guard by the question. So he blows up & starts acting like a baby.
I don't know if O'Brien will walk away before he gets fired. But if he gets fired, Smith should go with him.
I think JVG is a good basketball coach & honestly I was getting tired of Morey shuffling players around all the time. So much that when the Rockets did get to the playoffs, they were basically a new team.
But JVG obviously wasn't on the same page with Less & Morey.
Nobody wanted D'Antoni, but he looks like the coach Les & Morey were looking for all along. The players the Rockets have been acquiring seem to excell at the things D'Antoni likes to do & is good at doing.
So while I recognize there are some things O'b is good at, & may very well be a good coach. I wonder if he's the right coach for this team. McNair sets the vision, it's his team. I think we all agree Rick & Bob are in lock step. If O'b is a square peg... he's a square peg.
Nothing wrong with square pegs, unless you need a round one.
