I'll be very clear, right from the top. I don't believe Rick Smith or Gary Kubiak have done anything to warrant bringing them back. Kubiak has already failed hiring two defensive coordinators and if kept he'll have a say in yet another choice. He won 6 games in year one and won 6 games in year 5 - no playoffs in between. He's the longest tenured coach in the league who hasn't made the playoffs. (more on this below)
The in-game management of this football is hardly sharp and has not improved since he was a rookie head coach five years ago.
Smith has run four drafts since arriving after the 2006 draft. He's drafted 31 players. Are they any impact players in that group? Cushing? Maybe, but he was a shell of the 2009 version and there's no telling he'll ever return to that rookie, pro-bowl lever he played at. Duane Brown, Glover Quin & Amobi Okoye have logged a bunch of starts and while Brown would probably start in most places - I don't know that I could say the same about anybody else that Smith has tagged on draft day. Hard to believe they have so little to show for their last 4 drafts.
There's plenty more that could be said - but at this point it's totally unnecessary.
- Only 5 current non-interim head coaches have never been to the playoffs. One is Oakland's Tom Cable who finished his 2nd full season at 8-8; the first season for the Raiders with more than 5 wins since 2002. Cable reportedly is about to be fired. Two others each finished their 2nd seasons, Raheem Morris in Tampa Bay and Steve Spagnuolo in St Louis. Each had their teams in the playoff hunt into the final week of the season with Tampa Bay improving from 3-13 to 10-6 and St. Louis improving from 1-15 to 7-9. Another is Jim Schwartz in Detroit. The Lions finished with a 4-game winning streak and he took over the only 0-16 team in league history.
I imagine you figured out who the 5th coach is. It's the Texans Gary Kubiak. He just finished his 5th season by posting the same record (6-10) that he posted in his first season. He did post the franchise's first and only winning season last year at 9-7, but is just 37-43 overall and has yet to post a winning record inside the AFC South.
- Kubiak did accomplish a first for the franchise. By splitting their season series with each of their divisional opponents, the Texans beat each team in the AFC South within one season for the first time.
- Houston finished 3rd in the league in yards gained. But only 2 of the top 6 made the playoffs. They finished 10th in scoring (24.4). They finished 10th in scoring last year also (24.3).
- Only 3 teams had fewer turnovers than Houston's 18. Each (NE, KC & Atlanta) won their division and made the playoffs.
- Texans finished 7th in total rushing yards after finishing 30th last year. They were also 30th in yards per carry in '09, but improved to 3rd this year. Their 20 rushing TDs this year were a league-best.
- The Texans 18 takeaways tied for the lowest total in the league.
- The 2011 Texans schedule (barring an 18-game season) looks like this.
HOME - Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Atlanta, Carolina, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Oakland
AWAY - Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Tennessee,Baltimore, Cincinnati, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Miami
By finishing with a win yesterday and reaching 6-10, they move ahead of Tennessee (based on division tie-breaker) in the division thus they get Oakland & Miami next year, instead of Denver & Buffalo.
- With a loss they Texans would've had the 6th pick in the first round of the 2011 draft, but the win pushed the Texans to 11th on the first round draft board.
Curious what the historical success of the no.6 pick vs. the no.11 pick since the Texans have been around might be?
Yr................#6........................................#11
10.....Russell Okung, T..............Anthony Davis, T
09.....Andre Smith, T................Aaron Maybin, DE
08....Vernon Gholston, DE.......Leotis McKelvin, DB
07.....LaRon Landry, S..............Patrick Willis, LB
06....Vernon Davis, TE..............Jay Cutler, QB
05....PacMan Jones, DB............Demarcus Ware, DE
04....Kellen Winslow, Jr, TE....Ben Roethlisberger, QB
03....Johnathan Sullivan, DT....Marcus Trufant, DB
02....Ryan Sims, DT..................Dwight Freeney, DE
At number 11, Roethlisberger has two Super Bowl rings & Willis, Ware and Freeney are arguably the best players at their respective positions. Cutler helped the Bears earn the 2nd seed in the NFC this year. The other players have had varying degrees of success, the recent draftees have done next to nothing.
While at number 6, the best players drafted have been Winslow, Jr. & Davis - both tight ends. I wonder if that's out the window for the Texans? (loud laugh here). Landry is an above-average safety and the recent OT draftees could still be plus players - but totally lacking in superstars.
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