My Expectations for This Season

[Houston_Fanatic]

I was disappointed and let down last season when we kept playing not to lose. After the first 3 games it felt like the entire season was a looong pre-season where Kubiak was just evaluating talent for this year. My expectations for this year are:

1. Open up the playbook and run some creative plays.

2. A 2-minute drill..... PLEASE!

3. Schaub in the shotgun on 3rd and long every once in a while.

4. A solid performance by the D, like they ended the season last year.

5. Our first winning season - 'bout **** time!

[Rosstafarian]

If I may play Devil's Advocate for a second or two...If Matt Schaub doesn't work out as our starting QB, it is my firm belief that Gary Kubiak will not be the Houston Texans Head Coach in 2009.

I think he'll be in the hotseat if Schaub is not at least decent. I think it'd take him blowing up the whole season and going something ridiculous like 2-14.

EDIT: Expectations. 7-9. Improvement on the defensive side of the ball enough so that they are fun to watch. The offense showing improvement. I still expect some growing pains in Kubiak's softmore year, because of replacing his RB, QB, and still hammering out the kinks on the offensive line. I do want to see an O-line improvement as well.

[football-fan]

I don't think they lose with Green. But, Schaub is an unknown. I say 6-10 to 8-8.
But, if they go 4-12, Kubiak will be in the hot seat.

[ObsiWan]

I was disappointed and let down last season when we kept playing not to lose. After the first 3 games it felt like the entire season was a looong pre-season where Kubiak was just evaluating talent for this year. My expectations for this year are:

1. Open up the playbook and run some creative plays.
2. A 2-minute drill..... PLEASE!
3. Schaub in the shotgun on 3rd and long every once in a while.
4. A solid performance by the D, like they ended the season last year.
5. Our first winning season - 'bout **** time!

We were playing not to lose. And we did spend all year evaluating talent. Kubiak found out some guys looked better on film than they did on game day. He found out some guys can't/won't play with pain. He found out some guys are okay with showing up to get paid and not really caring whether we win or not. Hopefully, we got rid of all those guys and brought in guys who expect to win whenever they suit up.
As far as your expectations, I'm with you on all of 'em. I fully expect to see 1-4 before preseason is over. I think #5 is very possible.... as long as I look at things thru my Battle-Red colored glasses.

The logical half of my brain warns that there isn't enough data to make a call on that winning season thing just yet. Let's wait until they start hitting. Let's see what the roster looks like after the final cuts.

[HJam72]

I expect 8-8 or better this year. I don't think that's too much to ask after we went 6-10 last year, brought in Green, replaced Carr with Schaub, resigned Leach, etc.

In terms of that first .500 or better season, it's time to WIN NOW.

I don't expect playoffs, and a winning season won't guarantee playoffs in our conference anyway, but I'll be sorely dissappointed if we have another losing record. We need to put that losing attitude behind us and move on.

[Pantherstang84]

I don't think they lose with Green. But, Schaub is an unknown. I say 6-10 to 8-8.
But, if they go 4-12, Kubiak will be in the hot seat.


You're shooting way too low.

9-7 to 11-5

You've got to aim high. Think like a winner. Don't settle for mediocrity.

[HuttoKarl]

I don't think they lose with Green. But, Schaub is an unknown. I say 6-10 to 8-8.
But, if they go 4-12, Kubiak will be in the hot seat.


You're shooting way too low.

9-7 to 11-5

You've got to aim high. Think like a winner. Don't settle for mediocrity.


Yes.

[TexanFan23]

8-8 is a good mark to shoot for...
possibly 9-7..

[Battle-Red]

On paper I see 6 wins and 5 losses and 5 games that can go either way.

[BIG ERN]

I don't think they lose with Green. But, Schaub is an unknown. I say 6-10 to 8-8.
But, if they go 4-12, Kubiak will be in the hot seat.


You guys quit worry about Schuab!He is a pimp ....WE DO NEED TO BLOCK FOR HIM.He will be a better version of Matt Hasselbeck.

[kcwilson]

I don't think they lose with Green. But, Schaub is an unknown. I say 6-10 to 8-8.
But, if they go 4-12, Kubiak will be in the hot seat.


You're shooting way too low.

9-7 to 11-5

You've got to aim high. Think like a winner. Don't settle for mediocrity.


Yeah ... sure, but as a FAN, I hope for 15-1 (because I don't think a team can go 16-0 and realistically not crap on themselves in the playoffs thinking that they just can't lose).

As someone evaluating the personnel and the talent we have, along with the strengths of the other teams that we play, I think 8-8 is a success, but something tells me 9-7 is where we will top out.

In terms of calling creative plays, we seemed to have a few creative calls in the early going, lots of motion, namely the FB motioning in and out of the backfield, and calling a few naked bootlegs (remember the 3rd and 7 against the Giants when they called Carr's number and he actually made the play).

At the end of the season, it was very vanilla running and short pass routes. I think creativity is not what we need as much as just opening up the playbook to the plays that we didn't call last year.

The difference between the two is I don't want to see reverses, flea flickers, and any gimmicks where we can expose our weaknesses. I'd rather just run the set of plays that we can execute flawlessly in the face of different looks on defense and have a qb that can read what the defense is doing and know where to go with the ball to expose the defense.

If we can execute the basics, then we stand to be 8-8. Imagine all the games last year we could have won if we executed the basics (NY Giants, hanging onto the ball), Tennessee (either game), Buffalo.

We have improved in the areas that caused us to lose in those games, whihc can easily result in 2 of 3 of those games turning around (we can't always be perfect right?). That is 8-8, so I think we can get there and maybe be more competitive in a game that we weren't last year but should have been (Washington, Philly).

Es possible!

[kcwilson]

And one last thing...

Chad Stanley! Lord almighty, why can't anyone see that pretty soon the ball will be able to punt Chad Stanley farther than Chad Stanley can punt a football. I am just waiting for Stanley to swing his leg forward and it will probably bounce backwards from the ball and hit himself in the back of the head.

[Houston_Fanatic]

Agreed that Chad Stanley needs to step up. Same with Kris Brown in the 30-yard range.

I also agree with what kcwilson said about our plays - maybe creative wasn't the right word - I am not a fan of trick plays. I just saw the same plays called over and over and over. Hopefully Schaub will play well enough that they feel comfortable opening up the playbook a lot more this season.

[TSgt.Texan]

I think we will make a run at the wild card. I know we havnt had a winning season and we now have a new QB. A new QB is the reason I think we will get it done, not a knock on DC but he was shell shocked, not all his fault but he was a big part of losing alot of games.(fumbles ect.)