One phrase that gets bandied about in the NFL is “self-scout,” and it sounds self-explanatory and a cure-all for anything that could ail a team.
Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio joined Texans Radio with play-by-play voice Marc Vandermeer and sideline reporter John Harris to talk about what that actually looks like for the organization.
“We actually talk through our personnel here a little earlier this morning with the staff and kind of gone through some players,” Caserio said. “Each game you’re evaluating, you go through your personnel, what happened in the game, here’s some things we need to do better. Maybe it’s a personnel change or a schematic change. We talk about those things. We’re looking at it, I’m looking at it from our perspective, but, again, it’s within the context of the team perspective, what we feel is best for the Houston Texans on a week to week basis.”
According to Caserio, the bye week isn’t exactly a time to take off or observe what has happened to that point in the season. Rather, that process is ongoing throughout the season.
Said Caserio: “What you really want to do during the bye week is say, all right, what are some things, three or four things, two or three things, that each side of the ball we identified that we can find a way to improve those incrementally. And if we improve those incrementally, then maybe it will give ourselves a better chance come Sunday. It’s not necessarily about the opponent; it’s more about what we need to do with our team.”
Coach David Culley told reporters on Nov. 8 that he will look at everything in his bye week evaluations.
“I evaluate what I’m doing,” said Culley. “I evaluate the message that I am giving to them. I know the message I am giving to them is the right message, but am I giving it to them the right way? What can I do to maybe give it to them to the point to where they truly understand what it means? But after nine ball games, they know. They know, and now there is an accountability and responsibility on all of us, us as coaches and them as players, to get this right.”
Houston has plenty to go through as they deal with a 1-8 record. The Texans get back in action with a Nov. 21 showdown with the Tennessee Titans to commence their season series with their AFC South rivals.