The Houston Texans made an abrupt coaching change this week. On the heels of a disappointing 0-3 start to the season, Bill O’Brien will take a more active role in calling the plays throughout the game.
Although offensive coordinator Tim Kelly isn’t getting fired or demoted, yet, this move obviously isn’t a ringing endorsement of his strategizing.
According to reports, he will still have the admirable job of passing along O’Brien’s plays to the offense, but it will be the head coach who will have a newly “heavy hand in which plays are called.”
Houston’s offense to start the year has not been good. Quarterback Deshaun Watson, who just signed a four-year, $160 million contract extension, currently ranks 19th in the NFL in passer rating.
As a team, the Texans have the fifth worst total yards per game average, are third worst in total offensive yardage, rank in the bottom half of the league in both passing yards per game and total passing yardage, are second worst in the whole NFL in rushing yards per game, and are scoring the fourth fewest points per game in the league.
Some handled it better than others. https://t.co/xj0fF0SgOU
— Game 7 (@game7__) October 3, 2020
Needless to say, the offense, as currently constructed, is not exactly putting fear in the hearts of opposing defenses.
“We have to do a better job, whether it’s receivers or tight ends or the running back or the line or Deshaun getting the ball out quicker,” O’Brien said this past week.
“Whatever it is, everybody’s in it together. It’s something that we all work hard on to try to improve and we got to get it improved.”
It goes without saying that shipping away wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins looks like a bad move, in retrospect, but what’s done is done.
Back in January, Houston’s front office appointed O’Brien as the team’s general manager despite him accomplishing nothing of note as the team’s head coach. It was a classic example of failing upwards that seemed apparent to everyone but Texans brass.
There can only be one Adam Gase. https://t.co/Illkak6mvp
— Game 7 (@game7__) October 3, 2020
General managers need to have a big picture understanding of what players and coaches bring to the table and how they help the team. Considering that O’Brien has already overseen the departure of one key player, and apparently supervises a seemingly useless offensive coordinator, it’s safe to say he is not exactly shining in his new capacity at this stage.
This week the Texans face off against an equally discombobulated Minnesota Vikings group that has also started the year at 0-3. Should they emerge with a victory, then all old worries will be forgotten and everyone will move on.
If they lose here – the panic sirens have to start going off.
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A graduate from the University of Texas, Anthony Amador has been credentialed to cover the Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks and high school games all over the Lone Star State. Currently, his primary beats are the NBA, MLB, NFL and UFC.
