"This column is for the players who constantly tell us how much they like Gary Kubiak and love playing for him and would do almost anything for him. You defend him relentlessly. You say the mental mistakes aren't his fault. You say criticism of game plans, play-calling, clock management and the inability to close out games is unfair. You point out the Texans play hard, the effort is there, and they lose because, well, weird stuff happens. You ask if it's Kubiak's fault that a ball bounces off a wide receiver's knee or a pass gets tipped or an opponent puts together a miraculous game-winning drive. Why hold a head coach responsible for the players' mistakes? It's not his fault the football gods hate us. Here's the thing, boys. You might be right that there's no making sense of a season like this one, a season when so much optimism has turned into the same grim road to nowhere. Regardless, fellas, your coach is running out of time. He needs you now like he has never needed you. He'd never say such a thing because it's just not in him to make it about him. He deflects praise and accepts blame. When you guys screw up, Kubiak tells the world that's all his fault, that he's the one who failed to put you in the right place. Even when Bob McNair pleaded with Kubiak to stop publicly blaming himself for everything, Kubiak told him, "I'm only telling the truth." But these final four games are about Gary Kubiak. There's no other issue. The Texans seem likely to miss the playoffs for a fifth straight year under Kubiak even if they run the table and finish 9-7 again. Kubiak is 36-40. In five years, he has had one winning season and as many playoff appearances as the Detroit Lions (zero). He has no excuses. He and his handpicked general manager, Rick Smith, acquired these players and hired these coaches, and nothing that happens can be blamed on Dom Capers and Charley Casserly. McNair has been patient. He has given Kubiak the resources to succeed and has not interfered." Read more: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/justice/7336529.html
