Motivation not a problem
Pleased with personnel on offense, O’Brien eager to atone for playoff failure
Bill O’Brien looks nauseated when he recalls the Texans’ 30-0 playoff loss to Kansas City last season that overshadowed a 9-7 record and AFC South title.
The stench from that wild-card performance lingered for weeks, and it’s going to haunt the competitive O’Brien until he leads the Texans to their first playoff victory since 2012.
“That was a bad night that became a bad week and then a bad month,” O’Brien said with a pained expression.
O’Brien admits the Texans’ loyal, long-suffering fans — 71,800 who attended the Chiefs debacle at NRG Stadium — deserved better.
“The fans in this city have a passion for football like no city I’ve ever seen, and we all know we let them down — led by me,” O’Brien said, an uneasiness in his voice.
As he prepares for his third training camp — the veterans report Saturday, and the first practice is July 31 — O’Brien believes the Kansas City defeat can provide incentive as the Texans try to defend their division championship.
“That kind of thing stays with you, and it starts with me,” he said. “We don’t want to relive that ever again. That’s a motivating factor for us.
“One thing I really like about our team is that it’s shown over the last two years that it’s very resilient. When they came back for our offseason program, they were moving forward. They did everything we asked them to do and set a very solid foundation for this season.” Don’t look back
O’Brien preaches to his players to learn from their mistakes and move on.
One thing O’Brien and general manager Rick Smith learned from that playoff game was they had to improve the offense, beginning with quarterback.
Brian Hoyer, who committed five turnovers and had a 1.7 rating against the Chiefs, was released. In the most celebrated free-agent signing in team history, Smith replaced Hoyer with Brock Osweiler, who got $37 million guaranteed in a four-year deal and an average of $18 million per year to leave Denver.
By signing running back Lamar Miller and drafting receivers Will Fuller and Braxton Miller and running back Tyler Ervin, the speed on offense improved dramatically.
O’Brien knows expectations, locally at least, are as high as they’ve been.
“We want a passionate fan base, and we don’t want to temper their expectations,” O’Brien said.
O’Brien, 46, knows his players are just as excited as the fans, but he doesn’t want that excitement to be distracting or allow them to swerve off the path he has cleared for them going into the season.
“In our building, we need to stick with our plan — just do your job,” he said. “What we do on the practice field and in the meeting room is, ‘Hey, guys, let’s just do our jobs.’
“I don’t care who it is. If your job is to be the head coach, do it as well as you can. If you’re on special teams, do your job as well as you can.”
O’Brien speaks confidently about his roster. He believes in what the players are capable of achieving.
“I know this, I really appreciate how hard this team has worked,” he said. “They know what to expect from us as a coaching staff.
“I don’t know how I was two years ago compared to now, but they know what to expect from me, and I know what to expect from them.”
In 2014, his first training camp, the players had no idea what to expect from O’Brien, who was a first-time NFL coach. After three offseasons, he’s familiar and comfortable with the way the Texans do business. That should make his job less stressful, if that’s possible.
“It is different,” he said, looking back at his first training camp. “Nothing’s new to me now. From a simple thing like getting around Houston to more complicated things like putting together a roster with Rick, we’re all more comfortable in our roles.
“We work very hard — players, coaches, GM, scouts — everybody’s working to win.”
O’Brien can be hardheaded, but he doesn’t resist change. He embraces it if he believes it can help the Texans win.
During the offseason, O’Brien welcomed the new sports science department. He created 39 seminars for his players, including 16 conducted by his coaches on everything from life skills to domestic violence and media training.
“I really try to look in the mirror a lot,” he said. “I try to get better every day. Can we practice better? How can we help our roster get better? How can we improve our special teams?
“I’m never really satisfied with the job I do.” Buck stops here
O’Brien is the first to accept blame when things don’t go well. He understands blame starts at the top. His players appreciate it. They know he’s sincere and not just giving lip service.
When O’Brien blasts his players with expletives on and off the field, they know it’s because he’s a perfectionist who wants to win desperately. They don’t hold it against him. They use it to try to improve. And they don’t want to let him down.
“I think I have a better understanding of our players, especially the ones that have been around me since I got here,” he said. “I love our players. I have a lot of respect for them, and I love working with them. I have a much better comfort level with our players.
“Now, camp is here. It’s about limiting mistakes, everybody doing his job and winning games. We’re all working toward a common goal, and I’m very excited about it.”