Gary Kubiak Deserves One More Year with the Houston Texans

(Photo caption: Gary Kubiak applauds my approval of one more year at the helm of the Texans.)

I'll be the first to admit it: I'm not a big Gary Kubiak fan. I've written more than once on this site about my dislike for Kubes.

And you know this. No need to recap.

But I'll say this now: Kubiak deserves one more year to show he's the right man for the job. 

Or, if you're slightly less optimistic, Kubiak has one more year to show that he's in over his head.

I don't think Kubiak should get an extension or a raise on his current contract. The original deal was five seasons for $10 million. 

Pretty decent salary for a first-time head coach, even if he did have ties to Houston.

Owner Bob McNair should let this contract run its course. If the Texans are in the playoffs next year, or even make some noise, an extension is warranted. If the Texans don't make it to the dance...well, the leader of the band should be sent home.

Has Kubiak done much to prove he deserves to stick around longer? 

His career record is 31-33. He's coming off of his first winning season. But I think there is room for improvement.

In the National Football League (imagine Ron Jaworski saying that), you are what your record is. I don't think that's a debatable point. So, based on his record, Kubes is a slightly below average coach. So far.

But let's go further. Other coaches have started their careers slowly. The Great Hooded One started 36-44 in his first head coaching gig in Cleveland. I'm not comparing the two coaches, but Rome wasn't built in a day, if you follow.

Bill Parcells went 3-12-1 his first season. Bill Walsh went 2-14. Not many coaches win Super Bowls right out of the gate. 

You get the point. A slow start doesn't mean a guy can't coach.

Even I think Kubiak deserves one more year to show he can be more than an offensive coordinator. There is no doubt his offense works. And we can build on that.

Matt Schaub, Andre Johnson, and Owen Daniels are proof of how well the offense can function when good players run it. Undrafted running back Arian Foster showed how well the running game can work when blocked effectively (granted, New England wasn't playing its top lineman, but an NFL defense coached by Bill Belichick is nothing to scoff at).

But there is a long line of guys who can draw up the X's and O's. Being the top dog means more than that. I'll point to Cam Cameron, Charlie Weis, and even Norv Turner (before this season) as recent examples. 

Being a successful NFL coach is about leadership and attitude. Look at Super Bowl winning coaches: Vince Lombardi, Belichick, Parcells, Jimmy Johnson. These were leaders who coached with a certain attitude and toughness. Their teams embodied those ideals.

I'm not saying that a coach must be an in-your-face or mean S.O.B. type. 

Look at Tony Dungy and Bill Walsh: genuinely nice men who were winners. But these two were still tough, even if they weren't screamers and yellers and intimidators (that's a word). 

Inner toughness, quiet toughness...Whatever you want to call it, these men had it.

Let's go back to Norv Turner. He ran great offenses at every stop he had in the NFL. But he couldn't ever be the top guy until this year. Maybe something changed in his attitude or outlook. Maybe his message got through to the players better this year than in years past. Either way, he's a more successful coach than ever before.

This is who Texan fans must hope Kubiak emulates. Kubes has had his run of good offenses, both in Mile High City and the Bayou City. The time has come for him to turn it all around and become the head coach the Texans need.

We all know he can run a great offense and put together plays. We all hope he does a better job next season. He won't get another chance in Houston if the Texans fall short of the playoffs. Kubes needs to do more than just come up with good plays.

I think the Texans are a few tweaks away from being a serious contender. More talent in the backfield and improved health and play from the interior of the line on offense. A top-notch cornerback and free safety on defense. Maybe a big defensive tackle. Huge changes are not needed.

The same can be said about Kubiak.

If it were up to me, I'd demand Kubiak improve his body language on the sidelines. Not looking at field goals is something for fans to do...not NFL head coaches. Man up, Gary.

The coaching staff (who are a reflection of Kubiak) must do a better job of keeping their feet on the gas. How many more times will the Texans race out to a lead, only to lose it later? Not under Kubiak.

That is, if he wants to keep his job.

The Texans must become more aggressive and develop a killer instinct. Or bring in more players who play like Brian Cushing and Bernard Pollard. Toughness is more than just yelling and screaming. And leadership is more than just saying the right thing.

Kubiak must prepare the team to play tough games right away. Winning games when the pressure is off is for high school, not the NFL. Laying eggs like the Steelers game in 2009 and this season's opener against the Jets are only two examples. 

Bring it from the beginning, Kubiak.

Kubes has one more season to get over the hump. Otherwise, he might be joining his old boss Mike Shanahan and current offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan in Washington in 2011. Or maybe he'll be on TV. 

All I know is, he won't be coaching our Texans.