Lovie Smith's Last Stand: Texans 'Evaluation' Must Be About Firing Coach

Did coach Lovie Smith improve Houston this year? In Week 5, the Texans beat Jacksonville 13-6. In this Week 17 rematch, Houston lost, 31-3. That's not "improvement.''

Lovie Smith's "body of work,'' as NFL.com phrased it in its gentle morning-of-Week 17 item on the future of the Houston Texans head coach, has been a largely classy thing.

And so it is understandable why so many involved are handling Smith's wobbly status with class. And when the 2-13-1 Texans spend the next few days maybe coming to the conclusion that this season should be Lovie's Last Stand?

Sure. Maybe his firing will be handled in a "classy'' way, too.

NFL.com politely said it this way: “The Texans plan to evaluate the future of head coach Lovie Smith at the end of the season, with the entire body of work being considered.''

"Evaluate''?

That is the same exact phrase our esteemed Texans beat writer Aaron Wilson has used - "evaluate'' - and it is both accurate and lovely ...

But a dirty, scruffy, nasty word needs to be introduced into the conversation.

That word is "fired.''

NFL.com writes, "The team has played well of late, including a win last week over the Titans and close losses to the Chiefs and Cowboys.'' But that is a too-gentle "evaluation,'' as "playing well'' is a relative thing. 

Is the pro-Lovie argument really going to be, "Hey, he won two games but he almost won four''? That's it?

The far more pertinent questions are ...

*Does Lovie have the respect of the locker room? We believe he does. That's one plus for him. Does he "inspire'' them? Not sure of that one.

*Did Houston improve this year? In Week 5, the Texans beat Jacksonville 13-6. In this Week 17 rematch, Houston lost 31-3.

That's "improvement'' by one of the teams; indeed, the Jaguars break a nine-game losing streak against Houston.

But that's not improvement from the team from Houston; indeed, this is the most lopsided loss in this lopsided season.

*Is Lovie the best possible overseer of a program that seems likely to build in 2023 with the top-overall NFL Draft selection of a QB like Alabama's Bryce Young? That really doesn't feel like a logical fit at all. ... and we believe the well-earned apathy of of the fan base reflects agreement there.

The circumstances a year ago that led to Smith being elevated from defensive coordinator to head coach were odd ... as were the circumstances that led to the hiring of his one-and-done predecessor David Culley.

Maybe this time around, Houston shouldn't shoot for "odd.'' Or "convenient.'' Or "polite.''

In any event, Culley was always going to be a "bridge.'' ... and so was Smith.

We are now approaching the end of the bridge. ... and maybe the end of having to be polite.

Want the latest in breaking and insider news for the Houston Texans? Click Here

Follow Texans Daily on Twitter and Facebook

Make sure to subscribe to our daily podcast @LockedOnTexans today! Click here To Listen.

Want even more Houston Texans news? Check out the SI.com team page here.