The Positives

[AllOrange]

Since this season appears to be a lost cause, I decided to try and come up with the positives going into next season:

1. A top 10 pick in the upcoming draft. The top of the 2009 draft has just what the Texans need--multiple defensive ends like Orakpo (Texas) Johnson (Georgia Tech) and possibly Selvie (South Florida.) I know there will be some top safeties, QBs, and OLs at this point in the draft, but usually elite DEs are only available at this point in the draft. If Mario had any decent pass rush on the other side, the results would be amazing.

2. A second round draft pick. I'm making the homer pick here and telling Rick Smith (or whoever is the GM this April) to visit Clemson for the 2nd pick. A QB like Cullen Harper, who has all the measurables but has an injured shoulder and plays behind a line worse than the 2002 Texans' would be a good pickup here. Michael Hamlin at SS would be a good pickup as the Texans need an enforcer in centerfield that can really lay the wood.

In short, this pick has to be correct. A potential starter at QB is the biggest need here IMO because until Matt can prove he can stay healthy, the backup is going to play. Sage can't be trusted with being the starter anymore. If not QB, we need the best playmaking DB available at this selection.

3. Zac Diles and Xavier Adibi at LB, Steve Slaton at RB, and Jacoby Jones at KR/WR.

4. Mario Williams and DeMeco Ryans.

5. There will be a new defensive coordinator and possibly a new head coach.

Any more to add?

[BIG TRAV]

new record... everyones same same

[kenshinshinobi]

I agree 95% but I can see Coach Kubiak staying here for another year. And as for R. Smith. He won't be here any longer after this season.

[TEXANBRONCO]

i think we really need to TRADE UP:D and try to get 2 1st round picks. picking 2 1st rounders for DE, would make me 1 happy puppy and MARIO would love it:D

[Texan Dave]

I don't think Kubiak is going anywear, the DC. has to go though, we are lacking in some areas on the defence, but this guy isn't even puting the guys in the right place to make the plays. Kubiaks offence is good, I still think that if you score 27 or 28 points in the NFL, you should win the game, period, and the defence is at fault if you don't.

[Aztequila]

I think the offense is fine where it is now, definitely something we can build on next year, but we need to do some about the defense. If it isn't the players, then it should be the coaches and schemes.

[TheRedfishCo]

haha he said cullen harper.

[Wolfscar]

Since this season appears to be a lost cause, I decided to try and come up with the positives going into next season:

1. A top 10 pick in the upcoming draft. The top of the 2009 draft has just what the Texans need--multiple defensive ends like Orakpo (Texas) Johnson (Georgia Tech) and possibly Selvie (South Florida.) I know there will be some top safeties, QBs, and OLs at this point in the draft, but usually elite DEs are only available at this point in the draft. If Mario had any decent pass rush on the other side, the results would be amazing.

2. A second round draft pick. I'm making the homer pick here and telling Rick Smith (or whoever is the GM this April) to visit Clemson for the 2nd pick. A QB like Cullen Harper, who has all the measurables but has an injured shoulder and plays behind a line worse than the 2002 Texans' would be a good pickup here. Michael Hamlin at SS would be a good pickup as the Texans need an enforcer in centerfield that can really lay the wood.

In short, this pick has to be correct. A potential starter at QB is the biggest need here IMO because until Matt can prove he can stay healthy, the backup is going to play. Sage can't be trusted with being the starter anymore. If not QB, we need the best playmaking DB available at this selection.

3. Zac Diles and Xavier Adibi at LB, Steve Slaton at RB, and Jacoby Jones at KR/WR.

4. Mario Williams and DeMeco Ryans.

5. There will be a new defensive coordinator and possibly a new head coach.

Any more to add?

I agree with you for the most part, but like another poster here I don't see any reason to get rid of Kubiak. We have one of the most potent offenses in the NFL and a lot of the calls he's been involved in this year have been really smart. And often quite bold, which I think is generally a good thing.
Richard Smith is another matter. Our D is awful about 60% of the time, which is worthless. There is no way on earth that receivers should get as open as they do and we give up way too many easy plays. Too many quarterback scrambles for massive gains, too many RBs tearing between the tackles without one of our players anywhere near them. It's got to stop and the buck has to stop with the DC. I'd love us to bring a good smashmouth kind of guy to add some fire to our schemes. This deep cover, Please Don't Hit Us On A Big Play crap has just gone on way too long.

1. I'm really hoping we pick up Orakpo in the draft. My hope is that we get ourselves a dominant, big time NT through Free Agency who can close down the lane to opposing runners and tie up opposin OLs for our pass rushers. A big Haynesworth type of player. Not a rookie though - we need someone who already knows how to play the position effectively.
If we do that, then Rak and Mario can terrorize opposing QBs all-day-long.

2. I think we look for a safety here. I like how Eugene Wilson is coming on and Will Demps does a good job, but we do need a safety who can lay the wood, as you say. It would be great if we could pick up William Moore here.
It's also worth thinking about a stud MLB to bring in and groom so that we can start to move DeMeco back out to WLB, where he is even more effective than he already is. If we could eventually have a Ryans - Maualuga - Diles backfield, that would be fearsome.

3. Yep - all made good strides. And I'd like to tentatively add Moats to that as KR/RB3. I think that was a smart pickup.

4. Obviously

5. Addressed above.