I put the ":-)" on the end of that post because I'm very aware of the fact that RGIII's injury changed the course of that game. We're only going to find out in the future because I just don't think you can come to any real conclusions based on a two games that invalidate the total season of a defense. That the Seahawks played poorly in the first half of both playoff games could be because they aren't very good, or it could be because they weren't well prepared by their coaches. And yet somehow in the Atlanta game the defense managed to limit that Falcons offense to just 10 points in the second half, which suggests they have actual talent at some level. And a defense with less talent managed to help beat the Giants on the road last year. At this point I'm not sure what you are trying to argue anyway. That Seattle's defense isn't that good? Or that because they haven't played enough top offenses on the road they were not ready to win on the road in the playoffs yet? Those are two different things, and simply because of the youth of the team and overall lack of playoff experience the latter argument isn't much of a stretch. You need to seperate national hype from more realistic fans like Blue Jackalope and I, who are well aware that the Seahawks defense is not at this point an "all time" squad. Especially for a game where their leading pass rusher was out.
My main point was that the defense is not as good as the stats suggest, nor is the team as good as its record. Will they be better next year? It's hard to say, they're going to have to play Atlanta, Carolina, Houston, Indianapolis and the Giants on the road. If they can't beat an NFC West team, it's tough to see how they get more than two wins out of that schedule, and even the Colts could be too much. They're likely to continue to be a bipolar team—tough to beat at home, struggling to compete on the road.
Late word that the Bears are going to hire Marc Trestman to be their new head coach. Trestman has a long history in the NFL, particularly as an offensive coordinator but has been a successful head coach in the CFL for the last five years.
Thanks. A goofy college coach with a goofy offensive scheme escaping one step ahead of the sanctions brigade. Can't wait.
So, like 6 months for the scandal to break in Oregon then? I wonder how many scholarships they'll lose and how long they'll be bowl ineligible for.
I am conflicted. On the one hand I want to see him apply his up-tempo offensive scheme to the NFL and shake things up a bit, but on the other hand I want Philly fans to suffer. Maybe they can score a ton of points but never get the defense figured out and go 8-8 every year.
Why would Kelly bother with a veteran? He has a young QB (Foles) on the roster and there will be draft opportunities if he wants someone more familiar with the option. And don't forget that there are elements of what Oregon does in the NFL already - the Patriots, for example, have incorporated aspects of it.
For someone unable to watch college football, any good links on what this scheme of Kelly's is all about? I've heard that it's "exciting" and "up-tempo" but hey, so were the Buffalo Bills and even The Run n' Gun back in the day.
It's basically no-huddle taken to the logical extreme. They average over 80 snaps per game; the idea is to run the defense ragged, make it hard for them to make substitutions, etc.
Whether Foles is a long-term fit for Kelly's offense or not, I doubt Vick or Smith or any other available vet would be any better. So they might as well keep Foles and draft someone to develop or play right away.
Yeah I agree with that. But Kelly's essentially going to need an RG3 or Russel Wilson type to run his offense, ad they don't exactly fall off trees (and Geno Smith isn't that guy either). That's assuming he will try to bring his offense to the NFL. The more worrying thing with Kelly is he's never worked in the NFL. It's a way different work environment than college.
No doubt the Eagles are taking a big risk on Kelly. That said, a lot of NFL observers do seem to think that his ideas will translate. Hopefully he will be smart enough to bring in some NFL veteran assistants. John Clayton says Kelly contacted Cleveland as well, indicating he had a huge change of heart and decided to get back into it.
NFL coaching rumors update: Arizona - Seattle OC Darrell Bevell skipped out on interviewing with Jacksonville to visit the Cardinals. Bruce Arians would get a shot but apparently he wants Todd Bowles as his DC and the Cards want to keep Ray Horton in that position. Jags - there is supposed to be a good chance 49ers OC Greg Roman gets the job due to ties to the new GM, but if the 49ers win this week the Jags may not be willing to wait any longer.
I was joking about Alex Smith. I can't imagine anybody less equipped to run Kelly's offense, he was still having trouble getting plays off using the full play clock in his seventh season. Well, Vick actually is an RGIII or Wilson-type QB, if he can stay healthy. So in that regard it makes sense to keep Vick while they find and groom a replacement. Assistants are a great predictor, in my opinion. When Dennis Erickson was hired by San Francisco, he brought in his whole posse of cronies who'd been following him around. He even replaced Tom Rathman, one of the best running back coaches in the league and a 49er icon. Not surprisingly, Erickson's tenure was as lackluster as his supporting cast. Conversely, Jim Harbaugh assembled a team with a ridiculous amount of experience. Roman and Fangio were with him at Stanford, but they both have coached in the NFL and been successful. Ed Donatell is currently the secondary coach, but he has been an NFL defensive coordinator. Mike Solari, the offensive line coach, and Geep Chryst, the QB coach, have both been offensive coordinators. If Kelly is really ready for the NFL, he will have a list of guys he wants on his staff, and it won't just be people he's comfortable working with. If that's true, it's retarded. You aren't willing to wait two extra weeks for the guy you want to lead your team, presumably for the next several years? "We'd love to hire you, but you just keep winning! That tendency is making you a less attractive prospect. It doesn't really mesh with what we do here." I suppose if they aren't totally sure they want Roman, then waiting means the other top prospects will be gone. But how much are you going to rely on the interview when you've already worked with the guy?
Except Vick is not a good passer and makes terrible decisions. You need to be smart, and a threat throwing the ball and running the ball to run his offense.
Vick passed for 3000 yards in 2010 and 2011, which is the same as Wilson and RGIII this year. I dunno how much more you can expect out of a stopgap placeholder you're planning to replace in a year or two.
Well that's a weird comparison. Vicks started 121 games, whereas the other two were rookies. Vick also turns the ball over, has accuracy issues (see his 56% career completion percentage, a good 10% lower than the rookies), and can't stay healthy. He's also 33, and oh right, he's going to cost the Eagles 15 million to keep him next year, and has said he won't renegotiate that for the Eagles. Other than that, he's a great option?
Oh that would be awesome. Man could you imagine how angry the Philly fan base would get after watching Tebow throw into the ground over and over?
That's the reason, as a Cowboy fan, I am pulling for Tebow to go to Philly. I just want to quantify exactly how angry Philly fan can get. You know, for science. And the beautiful tears
I guess the Jags decided not to wait for Roman. They hired Seahawks DC Gus Bradley to be their new head coach.
If this means Roman stays in SF for another year, then Yay! If not, well, whatever, I don't really care about Jacksonville.
Good news, everybody! Norv Turner isn't dead; he's just moving to Cleveland! I didn't even know they had an offensive coordinator position.
When Pete Carroll took over from Jim Mora, he kept two assistants - Gus Bradley as DC and Dan Quinn as DL coach. Quinn left after Carroll's first season to become DC at Florida. Today he was named Bradley's successor. So that's the good news. The bad news will be just how many other assistants go with Bradley to Jacksonville. And if Bevell gets a head coaching job just how many assistants he might take. That's the downside of success in the NFL.
And it looks like Arians has taken the Cardinals job, which I believe means all current openings are filled.
"Like I said, it was going to take something special for me to leave Indianapolis and this is special,” Arians said, via the team’s official website. Yes Bruce, the Cardinals organization is special. So to speak. ;-) On another note, we all know that the NFL likes to recycle its coaches. So here is an update on the status of the men fired after last season for being bad head coaches: Andy Reid - hired to be head coach of the Chiefs and given even more power. Norv Turner - hired to be the offensive coordinator of the Browns. Ken Whisenhunt - hired to be the offensive coordinator of the Chargers. Chan Gailey - currently unemployed. Lovie Smith - currently unemployed. Pat Shurmur - under consideration for the offensive coordinator position with the Panthers. Mike Mularkey - currently unemployed. Romeo Crennel - currently unemployed.
