Bill O'Brien Hot Seat Thread

[amazingandre]

4 minutes ago, Texansfan713 said:

If O'Brien goes back to Savage starting then I'm not watching a single minute of the game Thursday.  Im actually off that day too. I'll just do something else.

Ugh it's my birthday Thursday, not really sure I like the idea of this game 

[Texansfan713]

4 hours ago, EliteTexan80 said:

Depends on the candidate. We're not luring a guy like Bill Cowher or Jon Gruden out of the booth (which is ALWAYS a rumor heading into Black Monday) and we're probably not getting a guy like Jim Harbaugh to leave Michigan - where he makes an NFL level salary for maybe 2/3rd the work. If there a coordinator who is looking to break out into the HC ranks, they might also be scared off by the thought (so someone like a Matt Patricia isn't on the table). College has always been a place to find guys, and Dabo Swinney makes too much sense given the pro-Clemson make-up of the roster...but doubt he leaves what has been a great place for him.

This all being said - I think people see the length of leash that Bob McNair has had for all three of his HCs. You don't get fired from Houston unless you totally tank (both Gary Kubiak and Dom Capers were fired for 2-14 campaigns, despite not being terribly successful in their runs). That probably works in the teams' favor, an owner who is hands off (but Cal McNair might offset that, as he's starting to come off as very hands on). You also have a city which is dedicated to Football; Both the Houston Astros and Houston Rockets boast elite, playoff ready teams, but the majority of Houston are Texans fans first (not that we don't love the 'stros or Rockets, just that the Texans are the favorite sons in Houston).

Ultimately - I think if we're in the market for a new HC, it's possible we keep to names who have experience as a HC. Last two guys were fresh on the HC scene and their inexperience showed. I think somebody who has been there before as a HC, understands how to construct a roster and manage a coaching staff would be best pressed for HC in Houston. 

Not sure who'd that would be, but there it is. 

Thats where part the problem lies. We gotta force McNair to make significant changes.  We should be supporting the Rockets and Astros way more than the Texans. I know I plan on going week 4 vs Titans in part because I want to take my GF, but Astros and Rockets easily get my money. People who spend season tickets on the Texans are delusional. I know Houston a football city first but our basketball and baseball teams deserve the support. 

[Apollo Stallion]

12 minutes ago, amazingandre said:

Ugh it's my birthday Thursday, not really sure I like the idea of this game 

Small world - my birthday too.  Can't decide if watching the Texans is a good gift or bad.  Between Baylor's 0-2 humiliation, the Texans abomination, and me starting CJ Anderson over Kareem Hunt in fantasy, football has brought nothing but pain so far this month.  Cardinals making a late run to overtake the Cubbies would actually make all things right in the world, though.

[Texansfan713]

You learn something new everyday.  O'Brien never really was the "OC" for the Patriots that one year. He was the "acting" OC.  God I cant wait till this overrated coach is gone.

[Texansfan713]

1 minute ago, Apollo Stallion said:

Small world - my birthday too.  Can't decide if watching the Texans is a good gift or bad.  Between Baylor's 0-2 humiliation, the Texans abomination, and me starting CJ Anderson over Kareem Hunt in fantasy, football has brought nothing but pain so far this month.  Cardinals making a late run to overtake the Cubbies would actually make all things right in the world, though.

I think me and ET have the same Bday.  

[shep0507]

32 minutes ago, Apollo Stallion said:

Small world - my birthday too.  Can't decide if watching the Texans is a good gift or bad.  Between Baylor's 0-2 humiliation, the Texans abomination, and me starting CJ Anderson over Kareem Hunt in fantasy, football has brought nothing but pain so far this month.  Cardinals making a late run to overtake the Cubbies would actually make all things right in the world, though.

I'm going to the Baylor at Duke game this weekend. Nothing personal, but I hope your bad luck streak skips Thursday and then extends to Saturday.

Go Blue Devils!

[amazingandre]

49 minutes ago, Apollo Stallion said:

Small world - my birthday too.  Can't decide if watching the Texans is a good gift or bad.  Between Baylor's 0-2 humiliation, the Texans abomination, and me starting CJ Anderson over Kareem Hunt in fantasy, football has brought nothing but pain so far this month.  Cardinals making a late run to overtake the Cubbies would actually make all things right in the world, though.

Yup same here. Bell and Crowder single handily ruined my fantasy week and of course, the Texans look like hot garbage NOT TO MENTION I picked them in my survivor league....FML

[ET80]

1 hour ago, Texansfan713 said:

I think me and ET have the same Bday.  

10/18, right? 

[Apollo Stallion]

12 minutes ago, shep0507 said:

I'm going to the Baylor at Duke game this weekend. Nothing personal, but I hope your bad luck streak skips Thursday and then extends to Saturday.

Go Blue Devils!

I remember being so excited when we scheduled this game 4 years ago and how it would be nice to get a little tune up before conference play.  I went to South Bend to see Baylor/Notre Dame OOC years ago and planned on going with the same crew to Durham this year.  We knew the on-field product this year would be ugly, but nobody dreamed it would be lose to Liberty/UTSA all-time low.  Zach Smith at QB should help things a bit, but we're basically fielding a glorified high school team at this point.  Honestly, it will be a relief when just losing football games feels like a big deal again. 

Sadly at one point thought Baylor was getting the Duke Lacrosse treatment led by glorified UT Alumni rag Texas Monthly in the Rolling Stone fake news planting role and ESPN gladly assisting its Longhorn Network partner.  Even though there STILL has been exactly 1 Baylor football player convicted of anything it's painfully clear how deficient our Title IX protections and oversight of football were and whatever seeds were initially planted from outside, the Baylor Board of Regents allowed this to continue blossom, actively fed it, and poisoned the entire University.  It's a great school and the football program will eventually be respectable again, but I mean that in every sense of the word. Sic Em!     

[amazingandre]

@Apollo Stallion I am curious to who you would consider at GM and HC if we were to clean house.

[Texansfan713]

11 hours ago, EliteTexan80 said:

10/18, right? 

I thought yours was the 19th?

[ET80]

15 minutes ago, Texansfan713 said:

I thought yours was the 19th?

Once you get to my age, it doesn't matter. Ha!

I'm the 18th, but close enough. 

[Texansfan713]

I did a little bit of research and found the lineup Kubiak had year 1 here compared to O'Brien. This is how I know O'Brien is overrated. I'll start with the offense first.

Kubiak

QB- Carr (11 tds and 12 Ints)

RB- Lundy (rookie)

WR- Andre Johnson/Eric Moulds (Moulds was 33 when he played with us)

TE- Daniels (rookie)

LT- Salaam

LG- Pitts

C- Flanagan

RG- Weary

RT- Winston (rookie)

 

Defense

DE Weaver/Mario

DT- Anthony Maddox

MILB- Ryans (rookie)

OLB- Greenwood

OLB- Shantee Orr

CB- Robinson/Faggins

SS- Glenn Earl

FS- CC Brown

 

Kubiak managed to go 6-10 with this roster. Keep in mind most of his starters were via trade, free agency and draft picks. He had to overhaul the roster left by Capers.

 

Meanwhile this dumb idiot O'Brien inherits a much talented team and he has made this team worse each year.

 

[UKTexans]

What an awful team. Only the rookies and AJ were worth a damn. 

[ET80]

12 hours ago, amazingandre said:

@Apollo Stallion I am curious to who you would consider at GM and HC if we were to clean house.

I'm not @Apollo Stallion, but will chime in.

First off - I think what this team ultimately needs is a Football Tzar. A Director of Football Operations. You've seen this before with teams, they bring in someone who knows football from both on field and off field management and someone who can manage the HC and the GM in tandem. I'm thinking there are only a few guys qualified for this role (Mike Shanahan, Bill Parcells, Mike Holmgren, etc). One guy I'd like to see in the role? D!ck Vermeil (sorry, had to bypass the filter). Has a winning pedigree, and built up one of the greatest offenses with an unknown QB in Kurt Warner. He's not going to be asked to coach, or GM - he builds the road map that the coach and GM follow. 

(Tricky part will be getting Vermeil because he's enjoying retired life while running his winery).

On to GM, which is a tricky add - you really don't hear about a GM vs Assistant HCs, coordinators, etc. Most GMs you hear about are guys who failed at the next level. You COULD go the 49ers route with a guy with zero experience (John Lynch) but why risk it? One risk that looks like it's paying off? The Browns with Paul DePodesta and Saashi Brown, two baseball guys who are known for their deep analytics. Luckily, Houston DOES have two GMs that are analytic-driven guys in Jeff Lunhow of the Astros and Daryl Morey of the Rockets. I doubt either are leaving their posts, but they have a fully primed staff ready to harvest from. Find a guy who can crunch numbers to the Nth degree from one of those two teams, and find quality players where nobody was expecting to find 'em.

And, onto HC. Toughest spot to locate talent. My initial thought was Matt Patricia from New England, and I haven't completely given up on that. Just don't think another NE neophyte will pay dividends. Dabo Swinney has a cushy gig at Clemson, doubt he goes - and I'm not too keen on another college guy making this jump. Mike Vrabel was just as much the problem on Sunday as O'Brien, but that doesn't get him off the list. 

Given the safeguards with a hypothetical Vermeil on board as a Football Tzar, I'm OK with a continuity-based hiring of Vrabel as HC. If not that, then you find a guy with HC experience, such as a John Fox or Lovie Smith. (Not tied to either name, just giving you an idea of a resume that would stand out).

Ultimately, change starts at the top - in the sense that you create a NEW top, and let the message flow downward. You see Tom Coughlin's fingerprints all over this Jags team, time to get some winning fingerprints on our team.