I don’t think it’s always a bad idea. Some head coaches are “writer-directors” and can get the job done. Besides, if you trust your coaching staff you ought to be able to freely dip your hands in whatever area you want to give special attention to.
I think the issue with Phillips is just that he’s not head coach material. I’m so sick of the beaten puppy dog that shows up at press conferences after games and talks about how well his team played and how they went to the playoffs last year. It stings even more when I see the Rangers next door and all the adversity they’ve had to face this year believing in themselves and sticking it to the Yankees the way they have. There’s a team that is playing for their coach.
I think the Rams have already bested last years record.
I am good now.
-Rumor was Belichick spent quality time with the D before the Miami game-
Yeah, but this is what a head coach does—fix things that break down during the season. What I mean is you don’t want your head coach having to focus of coaching the defense during the week and then calling the defense during the game. You want your head coach to be a manager, not a supervisor.
-I think the issue with Phillips is just that he’s not head coach material-
Yeah, you know, I have mixed feelings about this. That’s certainly how it’s looked this year, but his career winning percentage is .590, which ain’t bad. I was under the impression that he was really a placeholder until Jerry felt Garrett was reading to be a head coach, but I don’t think Garrett looks like a head coach either.
Yeah, Garrett should have taken a head job when he had the chance. I look at Phillip’s winning percentage the same way I look at the Cowboy’s yardage totals—they don’t mean shit when you’re 1 and 4.
I’m just the AD on the set of Stalker telling Tarkovsky he needs to stay out of the foamy water.
.590 aint bad…but it aint good either. Barely above average. Especially so given the lack of playoff success. I defended Phillips in the past but now I think I see the truth I previously ignored: he’s probably only ever going to be a slightly above average coach. As the wise analysts and coaches say, you are what you are.
^ I think he’s a fine Defensive Coordinator, but the guy at the top has to be able to command respect, to lead men onto the frozen tundra in the dead of December to steal a victory on guts and brotherhood (can’t you hear the NFL Films voiceover?), and I don’t think he can do that. Not that many can—that’s why they’re so special.
Right. Respect comes with success. So if he doesn’t have that it’s all a moot point.
-.590 aint bad…but it aint good either.-
Actually, in the scheme of league history, it is. 38th best all-time (6th best among active coaches), actually. I looked it up (better than Billick, better than Gruden, by the way). Obviously there are other factors that go into winning percentage than just raw coaching ability, but . . .
Run his numbers in the postseason. Or better yet, see if he’s among the top 6 active coaches in playoff appearances. Needless to say, a better percentage than Billick and Gruden means nothing when they’re wearing rings on their fingers and he isn’t.
Yeah, I don’t disagree regarding the post-season record, just saying you could do worse if you make a change without someone in particular lined up. But c’mon Bobby—Gruden???—you and me both know Gruden won his Superbowl with Dungy’s team. Take away that season and Gruden’s 2-4 in the playoffs.
Ok, I’m not saying Gruden is one of the greatest coaches out there. But clearly a change may be needed. Gruden sounds as interesting as the next guy at this point.
Yes, Gruden won with Dungy’s team…so why couldn’t Dungy win with them? Let’s not discount the fact that Gruden coached his way to a ring. No one can take that away from him and there are no asteriks on his record.
-so why couldn’t Dungy win with them?-
Partly because the year Gruden won was the year that Tampa Bay moved from the old NFC Central to the NFC South.
NFC Central 2001
Chicago 13-3
Green Bay 12-4
Tampa Bay 9-7
NFC South 2002
Tampa Bay 12-4
Atlanta 9-6-1
New Orleans 9-7
Carolina 7-9
A weaker division meant that they had an easier path to winning their division, which meant they didn’t have to go to Philadelphia and play the Eagles as a Wild Card. Instead, they got a week off and didn’t have to play the Eagles until the NFC Championship game. It probably didn’t hurt that Gruden got to play his Super Bowl against the team he’d been coaching the previous four years, and that this team was still running Gruden’s offense pretty much verbatim, so the Bucs defense more or less knew what was coming when the Raiders snapped the ball.
You’re right, though, I’d still take him over many of the guys coaching in the league right now.
Wow…. Raiders….. I have no words. Did they wake up and realize they’re a football team
Bad weekend to be a Philly fan. The Phillies get eliminated in the NLCS and the Eagles defense absolutely collapses in the fourth quarter, making Kerry Collins look like an all-pro. Ugh. Where’s my bourbon?
What happened this weekend? The Raiders score 59. Chiefs score 42. The Falcons score 39. The Titans score 37. The Ravens score 37. The Bills score 34. The Browns score 30. Did the league’s crackdown on illegal hits really make that much of a difference?
FTW: New England Patriots
Have to win 5 of next ten games to be 10-6:
W Oct 31 MIN @ NE
W Nov 07 NE @ CLE
? Nov 14 NE @ PIT
? Nov 21 IND @ NE
W Nov 25 NE @ DET
? Dec 06 NYJ @ NE
? Dec 12 NE @ CHI
? Dec 19 GB @ NE
W Dec 26 NE @ BUF
W Jan 02 MIA @ NE
Don’t count on that last win against Miami. Tough division game when it counts the most. I do like the way the Pats are playing though. Brady is creating some magic again.
MIA in Foxboro – last game, not sure of MIA motivation. Would be more than willing to trade that one for a win over the Jets.
Pats had 35 yards in the first half against SD – offense was horrific given the SD turnovers canceling out the superior SD defense, we got away lucky.
Favre: NFL should send him away. So sick of him.
Favre: NFL should send him away
After next week….
True,,,ha!
That MIN vs GB game had the 3rd highest TV rating in NFL history.
Wow really and for some reason the game seem like a dud. Somehow after Harvin’s called back TD you knew the game was over. As for Favre being done after next week, sad but true another great QB goes out with his head down.
Too bad he couldn’t go out with a championship. But how many people get to hit walk-off title shots in their careers? It’s rare.
Okay, so Romo broke his collar bone. That’s at least six weeks, right?
Wade Phillips is inept, and there;s something wrong with Jason Garett.
FAILURE!!!
Self-moderated, due to guilt. I know & like too many Cowboys fans that I feel bad for right now.
I still don’t want to pick Division winners, it’s too damn close & too damn odd, and we’re coming up on halfway.
Is this the worst Vikings start since the season after the sex boat episode?
It’s not quite mid-season yet but I think its time for another check-up on the state of the league. Many interesting things going on…
AFC East:
What a race its turning out to be between the Pats and the Jets. I think Brady has some magic left in his arm and can push them to the division title.
AFC North:
I was assuming the Bengals would be much better and make this a very competitive division. They’re just too up and down. One year they’re good, one year they’re bad. But they’re never great.
AFC South:
Still the most competitive division in football from top to bottom. I don’t think the Colts have a lock on it this year. But could someone besides the Titans win it?
AFC West:
So far the Chiefs have to be the surprise team of the year. Still I wouldn’t write off the Chargers. The division is too weak, and they always start slow then speed up.
NFC East:
Look at the Giants surprising everybody! Some call them the best team in the NFC. I don’t know. This division is still the second-most competitive in football (the best if the Boys ever wake up) and is wide open for the taking.
With Romo out the season is officially over for the Boys. I think Phillips loses his job. No rebuilding necessary. Just a coach that can be a dominant personality.
NFC North:
This is turning into a mess of a division. And as bad as things look for the Vikes they’re not out of this race by a longshot.
But forget about everything else, here’s the story of the year: will Favre actually be benched next weekend? If so, I would absolutely LOVE to see that drama play out. I’m drooling for it. Not because I want to see Favre do bad. Just because of sheer curiosity.
NFC South:
Can the Bucs actually challenge for the division title? Are the Falcons the best team in football that no one is talking about? The Saints are having a Super Bowl hangover. I figured they would.
NFC West:
It’s been a mess of a division for as long as I can remember. Even when the 9ers were dominating in their heyday there was never any competition from the other teams. The Seahawks may win this by default. But they’re not an elite team. Yet and still a great start for the Carroll era.
Robert W Peabody III
bad idea to have your head coach also coordinating the defense
Rumor was Belichick spent quality time with the D before the Miami game.