The day after the Texans fell to the Colts, head coach Gary Kubiak answered questions from the media. The following is a transcript of his interview.
Head coach Gary Kubiak
(on LT Duane Brown's injury) "It's a knee. It happened on the last play of the game or the next to last play of the game, I'm not sure."
(on if there were any other injuries) "No, he's pretty much it. (DE Tim) Bulman is getting an x-ray and we've got a couple of guys that are sick today, but other than that, no that's where we're at."
(on his thoughts on the game 24 hours later after watching tape) "It hasn't changed. You're watching two different football games and you don't want to watch one and you love watching the other one. A lot of good things are going in the first half, a very good half of football all around. In the second half, just a lot of inconsistencies in what we're trying to do and what we're trying to accomplish. When you do that or you start that, to me, it started a little bit with the turnover and just started spreading throughout the group—we all kind of took our turns. We punted twice yesterday but we gave them the ball five times because you had three turnovers. We did that in the second half and this team is way too good—all of a sudden, they take control of the football game."
(on the feeling that things are headed one way or another in a game) "It's a mindset. It's a frame of mind. It's something we're trying to find right here with this football team. I know one thing. I know we believe we can win every week when we go out. We've got to find a way to make the plays when we're in these close, good football games to come out on top, and good teams do that. This team we played yesterday, to me, is a great example of when I sit there and listen to them after the game, and all they talk about was how the first half was no big deal. Let's just go play the second half and find a way to win. That's what you've got to find in this league. Regardless of all the poor things we did, you're still sitting there with every opportunity to win the game—almost three times. That's my job. Like I said and told you guys yesterday, I've got to find some consistency in the group. I've got to get them to the point where they make those plays when they're in pressure situations and in crunch time, we've got to make the right call to get them over the top. Those things all go together but it starts with me. We've just got to keep battling and stay focused, stay positive and demand out of each other and find a way to get that W."
(on what he said after the big play following CB Dunta Robinson's big hit) "I told them that it was an example of their team and our team at that point. We make a big play. We have a big hit and we should be excited. Everybody should be excited. That's a great play, but you have to refocus. That's your job, to make those plays. So you've got to go back and come make it again. Then you're looking at a team, an 11-0 football team, one of their players gets the heck knocked out of them and nobody lost focus. They went right to the line of scrimmage and made a 30-something yard play that got their team going. That's what this game is about—staying focused regardless of the high or low or what happened. Keep playing the game. We not only lost our focus for that next play, it happened for a couple plays that drive. We had a couple of issues in that drive."
(on where the players should take responsibility) "We all carry our weight. We all have our part to do. I've got to worry about myself. I've got to continue to look and say, "Okay, in this game, why couldn't I get us to move the ball the second half? Why couldn't I find a play that would get us going again in the second half like we did in the first half?" We didn't punt. We didn't punt on the first possession of the second half either. We needed a play to get over the top, so I've got to worry about me. Can I get the defense going coming out of the locker room? We came out of the locker room and we didn't play with the same intensity that we did in the first half. That's my job. I've got to worry about myself. They've got to look in the mirror and worry about themselves too. We've all got to do our part to find a way to be successful."
(on how bad he feels about their poor home record) "We've lost some tough games at home. You need to win at home in this league and find a way to go on the road—they always say, 'split on the road or steal road games,' but we need to be better than we've been at home. We've got two more left here and we need to play better in those games and find a way to get over the top from that standpoint. Obviously, we haven't done it this year at Reliant."
(on what he saw from his defense on Colts RB Chad Simpson's touchdown run) "I saw frustration. I saw three plays of great effort and stopping them. Then I saw frustration. I saw three guys trying to strip the football instead of just making the play. I didn't see a lack of effort on anybody's part. We just need to make the tackle."
(on if this is the time for his leaders to step up) "There's no doubt. When you have adversity, people either get strong or weak. We need a lot of strong people around here right now and need some guys to step up as we move forward."
(on if there is something that is causing them to be unable to win close games) "I wish there was one thing I could put my finger on. But no, I can't right now. I'm searching. You're right; we've been in a lot of very close games this year and we have struggled to make the play to get over the top. I think yesterday was a little different. I see yesterday's game different. Like I said, I thought we were as good as we've been all year and then I thought we might've been as bad as we have been all year for a half. I saw it a little bit different than the previous two."
(on if anybody else was hurt other than LT Duane Brown) "That's where we're at today."
(on if it's easier to refocus against a division team) "No, I think regardless of who we're playing, we've got to find another level of focus I guess is the way I would explain it, because obviously the one we've had the past few weeks hasn't gotten us a 'W' so regardless if it's Jacksonville or who we're playing, as I said yesterday, we've got to find a way to win our sixth game. We've got to stay focused on who we're playing, not look at the big picture—not look at the last five. We've got to stay focused on the next game and trying to find a way to fix our issues."
(on if he's worried about the mindset of the team) "Yeah, I guess I'm concerned about it. I mean, I'm concerned about everybody. A lot of people in this building are working very hard, coaches, people in this building that deserve some success and those players are a big part of that. They're the ones that have to go find it for everybody so obviously they're very, very down today. Everybody is very down today. But you can't feel sorry for yourself for very long. You got to go get ready to play."
(on if he's surprised that the players are making so many mistakes this late in the season) "What happened in the second half, I'm very, very concerned about because like I said, I see this game a little bit different than I see the last two. It doesn't mean I'm right—that's the way I see it. I just don't like the way we played in the second half: our attention to detail; the little things that we did right in the first half and then you don't go do them right in the second half. The mistakes that we made—that hasn't been us. We haven't made a lot of mistakes. We've come up some plays short but some of the mistakes we made in that game that sent us in the wrong direction just didn't make much sense to me."
(on the 'here we go again' feeling hitting the players for the first time this game) "Unfortunately in sports, you're competing. You're playing a tough 16-game schedule. If you go through rough patches, there may be a few guys who start to say stuff like that. What we have to do is weed through that. Weed through those people and have strong people and people that are positive and people that are strong to move forward to get a job done. So if we've got some of that going on, I've got to find it and I've got to make sure it doesn't happen."
(on why he thinks the players caved instead of realizing they had a chance) "I totally agree with you. I called them up on the sidelines when we were up 20-14 because you could sense some of the feeling of, 'Oh no, what's going on here?' instead of, "Hey, let's go out there and make the next play." And that's something I talk to them about all the time. You've got to get through that. You've got to fight through that stuff and you've got to be positive in your approach or you're not going to go out there and make those plays and make a difference."
(on if he has any words of hope for the fans) "I don't have any magic words for them. I'm as disappointed as they are and the players are too. But I can say it's not a lack of effort. I mean guys are busting their tails. It obviously is not clean. We've got a lot of football left to play and I believe in those guys. I believe in the coaches. I've told y'all that over and over again and I know they're going to come back battling their tail off. I'm expecting them to step up and play well this weekend. I'm disappointed in yesterday like everybody else but I can't wait for the next Sunday."
(on the Jaguars' success) "First, without going back and looking at them today, which I haven't gotten into them yet, obviously they've got one player that's a big-time difference maker in this league. I mean, he touches the ball running it, he touches it carrying it, and he's kind of taking their team on his back here over the course of the last months. So that's the obvious thing that stands out. They're very young on defense. It looks like they've really made a lot of improvement since the first time we played them. It's a different scheme for us. So they're sitting there 6-5 with a lot of opportunities and we're a game behind them so it's a very big game for both of us."
(on QB Matt Schaub's play against the Colts) "Like the team—I thought he was excellent in the first half, he struggled in the second half when we made the mistake with the ball, trying to make the big play there. I thought that led to some other issues. He kept battling, kept playing, but obviously he knows he's got to play better for us to be successful."
