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Texans Biggest Blunder?

Corrosion

Idealist
Staff member
Carr would be my "Day 1 blunder" but iIf true and by all accounts it is I'll say rolling with Schaub over picking up Manning when he wanted to be here. I think we get to the SB that next year had we picked up Peyton.
You can thank Tricky Rick for that one .... Gary had Peyton in the building - This is where he wanted to be.

Kinda ironic that they both end up in Denver down the line and win a superbowl.
 

banned1976

sleeper mode
Drafting Watson...that guy sucks!

I’m going to refrain from picking the most recent moves as my “second choice”. I’ve heard some rumors about some of the recently departed Texans that makes me take pause and wait to see how things shake out.

I’m going to go with the XSF pick, #33 overall in the 2014 draft and passing on Jimmy G. Really, they screwed up that entire draft. From pick #1 overall to the first pick in the 7th round.
 

badboy

Hall of Fame
Wow..with little thought I'd say not providing Carr with an oline and in that not doing better job with checking out Tony Boselli has to rate fairly near top. Not drafting corner Darrell Revis. Hiring Gaines, not firing Ric Smith two years before he left. Drafting Clowney which led to him going to Seahawks and Texans paying half his salary.

Since we are looking back would signing Watt to $100 m extension with him missing 2 and a half seasons be a smart move?
 

dream_team

Hall of Fame
You can thank Tricky Rick for that one .... Gary had Peyton in the building - This is where he wanted to be.

Kinda ironic that they both end up in Denver down the line and win a superbowl.
I don't blame anyone for this. At the time, Peyton's health was a big secret, and rumors were flying around he was having problems completing a 20 yard pass. He was having secret workouts where NO ONE was allowed to observe. It all just sounded fishy and extremely risky. At the same time, Schaub was coming off a very good season, despite just playing 10 games.

Not to mention, Peyton wanted to get paid, and we were already on the cap. We'd have to cut guys to make room for him.
 

Lucky

Ride, Captain, Ride!
Staff member
Charlie Casserly
1. Hiring Casserly
I don't hate Casserly. But he wasn't the guy that built the Skins championship teams. That was Bobby Beathard. Casserly was the caretaker. Charley was foisted upon McNair by The League. McNair should have rejected that and moved heaven and earth to get Jimmy Johnson. I still believe Jimmy would have loved starting from scratch again.
 

OptimisticTexan

2024 / Rebuilding Block 4 After Playoffs / Texans
I don't hate Casserly. But he wasn't the guy that built the Skins championship teams. That was Bobby Beathard. Casserly was the caretaker. Charley was foisted upon McNair by The League. McNair should have rejected that and moved heaven and earth to get Jimmy Johnson. I still believe Jimmy would have loved starting from scratch again.
^^^^^^^^This, this, this!!!! I've called for Jimmy Johnson in some capacity on many boards before I got to TT.
 

otisbean

Veteran
Contributor's Club
1. Hiring Casserly
2. Drafting Carr
3. Hiring RS.
4. The Clowney draft. Not drafting Jimmy G. at 2-33.
Not a Casserly fan but the 2006 draft was our best by far. I read that Casserly was more of an information gatherer and he wanted Capers to tell him who he wanted to pick. Lots of really bad draft choices and FA signings under Casserly/Capers. It's almost weird how good Casserly/Kubiak were in 06. It makes me wonder if they should have let those 2 guys work together for a few more drafts
 

cuppacoffee

Resident Grouch
Derrick Henry signed a 4 year extension today... AND he's still making less annually than David Johnson. Lol.

That should tell you how big of a blunder the Nuk trade was.
Maybe we should add not hiring a real GM to the list.

Guess steelb is right about the McNairs and the Benjamins. Move surely saved the team money.

:coffee:
 

DocBar

Hall of Fame
Contributor's Club
I could go 1A-Z but I'll go with Carr being named the starting QB in 2002. I'm not going to knock the pick as much as naming him the starter on a team riddled with holes at all positions. Who knows where this team would be if a quality veteran had started 2002-2003 and showed Carr how to be a pro?
 

OptimisticTexan

2024 / Rebuilding Block 4 After Playoffs / Texans
Derrick Henry signed a 4 year extension today... AND he's still making less annually than David Johnson. Lol.

That should tell you how big of a blunder the Nuk trade was.
....really wish we could use more than one LIKE icon b/c I don't know whether to laugh, cry, or be really pissed. Actually all 3 would work. OB screwed that up royally. This trade is running a strong 1B in my book.
 

Double Barrel

Texans Talk Admin
Staff member
Contributor's Club
The pallet grass system with a stadium sun roof has to be somewhere on this list. Their eventual capitulation to field turf confirms the blunder.

I'd also put that Steelers game in 100+ degree weather and the sun roof open as an honorable mention. Steelers brought air conditioned benches with them from Pittsburgh. Texans players (and fans) were left roasting in the heat of the Texas sun.
 

badboy

Hall of Fame
I don't hate Casserly. But he wasn't the guy that built the Skins championship teams. That was Bobby Beathard. Casserly was the caretaker. Charley was foisted upon McNair by The League. McNair should have rejected that and moved heaven and earth to get Jimmy Johnson. I still believe Jimmy would have loved starting from scratch again.
Yes can you imagine having Jimmy Johnson for several years running this team? Think about the free agents that would have wanted to play for him. This would have also been a great JJ to have.
 

badboy

Hall of Fame
However our lack of 1st and 2nd round picks in 2021 means we're likely going to need to spend in FA.
Not necessarily. If our younger guys are good, I could see roster as is being successful going into future. Conley and Roby should be solid with John Reid backup. I'm interested in Phillip Gaines and if Lonnie Johnson improves second year, that's a good foursome. Gaines would be gravy for the fried chicken. Omenihu should be Watt's eventual replacement with Greenard, Blackson and Blacklock filling key roles. If Iwuagwu is the RG of future as I think, we should be set.

2021 third and two fourths should hit future primary needs at receiver, safety and perhaps oline. A 5th could hit on running back after the DJs leave.

Isaiah Coulter, Iwuagwu and Charlie Heck could be cheap solutions to those offensive needs I see.
 

Texazan

Our HOF 34
I don't blame anyone for this. At the time, Peyton's health was a big secret, and rumors were flying around he was having problems completing a 20 yard pass. He was having secret workouts where NO ONE was allowed to observe. It all just sounded fishy and extremely risky. At the same time, Schaub was coming off a very good season, despite just playing 10 games.

Not to mention, Peyton wanted to get paid, and we were already on the cap. We'd have to cut guys to make room for him.
I blame the entire org. It was a missed opportunity. Bunch of conservative BS. I don't care what year he had, Shaub was half the QB Manning was. All time great mind of the game, records, endless accolades, and oh yea, Texan WORTHY! LOL

I wish McNair would've stepped up and said "I want him here, make it happen". They bring Oz here sight unseen and throw away millions but can't roll the dice on Manning?? Kubiak wouldve been the perfect judge to watch him throw and know he was ready to go. All time blunder.
 

KA4Texan

Woof!
Contributor's Club
Many to choose from indeed, but for me up to this point.

Hiring OB, I hope he makes me eat my words some day, but IMO it was hiring him.

Take away that hire and some pretty bone headed recent moves likely dont happen.
 

FireBOB

Waterboy
Not necessarily. If our younger guys are good, I could see roster as is being successful going into future. Conley and Roby should be solid with John Reid backup. I'm interested in Phillip Gaines and if Lonnie Johnson improves second year, that's a good foursome. Gaines would be gravy for the fried chicken. Omenihu should be Watt's eventual replacement with Greenard, Blackson and Blacklock filling key roles. If Iwuagwu is the RG of future as I think, we should be set.

2021 third and two fourths should hit future primary needs at receiver, safety and perhaps oline. A 5th could hit on running back after the DJs leave.

Isaiah Coulter, Iwuagwu and Charlie Heck could be cheap solutions to those offensive needs I see.
I don't necessarily disagree with your player assessments (although Omenihu for Watt looks like a stretch) but what you're describing basically keeps us standing still. Guess it comes down to expectations, and in my very humble opinion, we need a leap forward in talent (thru draft or FA) if we're to do anything other than limp into the playoffs and then get embarrassed by the first decent team we face.
 

cuppacoffee

Resident Grouch
Many to choose from indeed, but for me up to this point.

Hiring OB, I hope he makes me eat my words some day, but IMO it was hiring him.

Take away that hire and some pretty bone headed recent moves likely dont happen.
What coach, NFL or college would you like to have seen hired instead of OBrien?

I can't remember who the other candidates were.

When did little Shanny leave Houston? Was he considered HC material then?

:coffee:
 

ShinobiMusashi

Waterboy
I know this won't be a popular opinion around here but I really liked Gary Kubiak and felt like him and Wade Phillips deserved another year here after 2013, I felt like they could have turned things around drastically in 2014. I feel like firing both of them is the biggest mistake we've ever made, a few years later we were watching them both hoist the Lombardi for another team. If anything they should have fired Rick Smith after 2013. Then consider the domino effect, we got O'Brien, then Osweiler, which led to that one Sunday Night game on NBC where Denver embarrassed us and they kept putting the camera on Rick Smith and Bob Mcnair while bringing up Brock's contract.

I feel like that was the all time low point for the franchise, they really made the whole org look like clowns, erased any and all winning culture we had built in 2011-2012 and established this team as a loser in the NFL fans' eye. Now with O'Brien in what?, his 6th year? And I know what a 2-14 team looks like and I think we're looking at one with this 2020 Texans team. Some key guys are going to get hurt and we're going to lose a lot of games, it's going to be bad. Book mark this post and come back to it in January when some other team gets our 1st overall pick, THEN tell me firing Kubes and Wade was the right move.
 
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steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
Contributor's Club
Not necessarily. If our younger guys are good, I could see roster as is being successful going into future. Conley and Roby should be solid with John Reid backup. I'm interested in Phillip Gaines and if Lonnie Johnson improves second year, that's a good foursome. Gaines would be gravy for the fried chicken. Omenihu should be Watt's eventual replacement with Greenard, Blackson and Blacklock filling key roles. If Iwuagwu is the RG of future as I think, we should be set.

2021 third and two fourths should hit future primary needs at receiver, safety and perhaps oline. A 5th could hit on running back after the DJs leave.

Isaiah Coulter, Iwuagwu and Charlie Heck could be cheap solutions to those offensive needs I see.
They also could use a 3rd/4th to move up to the late 2nd early 3rd if a guy they like falls.
 

steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
Contributor's Club
I know this won't be a popular opinion around here but I really liked Gary Kubiak and felt like him and Wade Phillips deserved another year here after 2013, I felt like they could have turned things around drastically in 2014. I feel like firing both of them is the biggest mistake we've ever made, a few years later we were watching them both hoist the Lombardi for another team. If anything they should have fired Rick Smith after 2013. Then consider the domino effect, we got O'Brien, then Osweiler, which led to that one Sunday Night game on NBC where Denver embarrassed us and they kept putting the camera on Rick Smith and Bob Mcnair while bringing up Brock's contract.

I feel like that was the all time low point for the franchise, they really made the whole org look like clowns, erased any and all winning culture we had built in 2011-2012 and established this team as a loser in the NFL fans' eye. Now with O'Brien in what?, his 6th year? And I know what a 2-14 team looks like and I think we're looking at one with this 2020 Texans team. Some key guys are going to get hurt and we're going to lose a lot of games, it's going to be bad. Book mark this post and come back to it in January when some other team gets our 1st overall pick, THEN tell me firing Kubes and Wade was the right move.
Gig'em

LMAO
 

banned1976

sleeper mode
After reviewing all the mistakes mentioned in this thread, I feel like the one that affected the Texans future in the most negative way was the “Carr experiment”. Building from the trenches first while treading water with a journeyman quarterback could have changed the trajectory of this franchise early on. Instead, they doubled down on that mistake by replacing Capers with the first coach that said he could make Carr look good. And that guy influenced the new GM replacement search which gave us Rick Smith. And RS gave us the 2014 draft!
 

KA4Texan

Woof!
Contributor's Club
What coach, NFL or college would you like to have seen hired instead of OBrien?

I can't remember who the other candidates were.

When did little Shanny leave Houston? Was he considered HC material then?

:coffee:
I honestly didnt care at the time. I was thrilled to see GK finally out the door.

OB has made me miss GK, which I hate saying.

Im not a bitter fan because they didnt pick "my guy" I just have zero faith in the ability of OB to "get it done". Rather than see accountability at the position of HC, I have seen more power and authority bestowed upon him.

I could be way off and IF we had taken someone else Id say I wish we had OB, I do not hate OB the HC/GM just to hate him..... I just dont see much in his track record to give me hope for our future under his leadership and BECAUSE I want my team to win, I want him gone.

IF we go 16-0 under OB the next real season... AWESOME, if the Texans get a Lombardi under OB great, I will eat crow with a bottle of Cholula and sign a petition to start Bill Obrien day.

I know the "OB needs to go" record gets old played on repeat all the time....but with no body in mind, Id have rather taken them than OB. At least then... MAYBE we wouldnt have handed over absolute power to someone that up til now has proven undeserving IMO. I WANT to love the guy, he just needs to give me the reasons to do so.

Even just avoiding his recent choices as overseer of all things..... I believe that alone drastically helos the Texans... by simply blocking the GM decision itself would make a huge difference IMO.

I believe it is OBs "pedigree" that has afforded him so much time and power. Without him coming from BB's stable and without us trying to be Patriots 2.0... anyone else dosen't recieve half the time nor power afforded OB. So anyone else would have either been highly successful, or held accountable...... maybe.
 
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