Interested in the bolded statement. I think we can all agree that he's made mistakes in clock management, time outs and abandoning the run at times. What specifically has he done correctly that most HCs wouldn't do? Not stirring here. Honest question.
1. Has built a great offense.
2. He found a proper QB to run his offense.
3. He generally finds effective TEs and implements them well.
4. Struggled early on to find proper RBs, but has hit the jackpot with Foster and Ward. If Tate returns, survives the injury bug, and shows flashes of talent like he did last preseason, then Kubiak will have found three RBs who run in his system very well.
5. Offensive line is serviceable. It's not awful. It's not great. But it gets the job done. Their run blocking, coupled with Foster/Ward/Tate, is usually a well-oiled machine. Struggles vs. beefier defensive systems, though.
6. Wide receivers could use an upgrade, but Kubiak has done well to work with what he has. There's AJ (which makes any coach look good) and then there are role player WRs who generally do a decent job of functioning within the system. With the way the TEs play for us, it's going to be hard for him to justify using a high pick on a secondary WR to pair with AJ (IMO).
7. Doesn't go screwball on the sidelines, nor in pressers, which is a benefit in the long run. Would like to see him "coach" more during games, rather than 20 yards away from players and staring at playsheets. The offense players "get it" by now. They're not freshmen anymore. So he needs to spend his time more on observing play-by-play and pulling guys aside to instruct them from time to time.
8. Isn't afraid to go for it on 4th down. While I don't always agree with some of the specific plays he calls for certain 4th down down & distances, I still think he's fairly aggressive on 4th down attempts. Which is good.
9. Great hair. Hurricane-proof. Which means he will win a Super Bowl.
10. Eats at Whataburger. So he's down with eating the BEST fast-food burger in existence. I'm down with that, too. :extraonions:
See what I did just there? I am capable of admitting someone's strengths. Even Kubiak's strengths.
I just don't think he has the "it" factor. What's going to really really make me angry, is if he and Wade Phillips somehow DO end up becoming a dynamic duo and go deep into the 2011 playoffs. This will mean that somewhere, somehow, within the Texans organization the ball was dropped BIG TIME because all we needed as a solid d-coord out there the whole time. This, IMO, will somewhat (potentially, since it's a stretch to say this will happen) exonerate Kubiak and therefore put more blame on an owner and GM who should have told Kubiak to mind his business with the offense and that they (owner and GM) would get him a d-coord. In short: It could be perceived that the top of the food chain is responsible for our woes and poor old Gurry Kubiak was only treading water in the sea of someone else's incompetence.
HOWEVER......
This is all based on the Texans finally doing what they have never done before, which is to put it all together and sustain their efforts for an entire four quarters of football over an entire 16-game season.
I have to say that I still would have my doubts. I think I wouldn't admit to anything positive about 2011 until we are through with the reg season and talking about our playoff opponent a year from this day. Until that day comes, nothing the Texans do can sway me to believe that things are "better."
It might "feel" better. But feelings are fleeting. I know, because I remember how I "felt" after week 1 of this season. That feeling faded over the remainder of the season. The signs were there, but the high of week 1 was too strong. Weeks 2, 3, and 4 a lot of us poo-poo'd the signs that were there, and some of us were screaming it from the rooftops trying to warn us.
Done.
