NOT be hasty in pursuing Lovie Smith. Here's why. It's been my observation for a long time that Defensive-leaning HCs usually struggle mightily to stay consistant on the offensive side of the ball. Bringing in a "name" OC may or may not work, and more often creates a rift come draft time/FA time. And lets face it, todays NFL is all about offense, like it or not (argh!!). Mike Tomlin is one of the few to manage any semblence of balance between the two. I think that's very much because he's got a great DC who runs his own brand of D. Tomlin is NOT married to D as a HC. Parcells is another, but I'm dubious how Parcells would do today. And he never managed to maintain that year-to-year consistancy with his teams anyway. I think the Glazers want to maintain a good consistancy, to at LEAST be a major competitor year in and year out, if not a champion. One note regarding Schiano; I thought at the time he said it, he was sealing his fate here in Tampa Bay. He was asked in a PC mid-season about Mike Sullivan, and he basically responded to a question that replacing Mike Sullivan was not even a consideration, and jumped to the next question. He has now followed Tony Dungy out the door in the same manner; refusing to upgrade his offensive game planning... Bottom line here, we need to get an OFFENSIVE-minded HC who believes (as Sean Payton does) in balancing a spread quick read offense with a strong run game, and will hire an innovative DC.We got the QB to run this style; now let's USE him!!!
Well put.The other issue is that if you find a good OC they are likely to be hired away as a HC elsewhere so you have to keep looking for a guy that can carry that side of the coaching staff, that's not a good thing isn a league that is becoming more & more offensively minded with each passing season.You have a HC with an offensive background and you are set in terms of overall structure.
Seattle, Carolina and San Francisco say otherwise. This league is not all about offense like people believe it is. If you have an elite defense like these teams do, well...let their records speak for tthemselves. Combined 37-11. Neither of these teams will scare you offensively. But they have the formula to play and win anywhere. Yes give me a strong defense and a mistake free offense over a high powered passing game. Just ask the Saints how theyllike playing on the road.
Half the playoff teams are dominant defensive teams, half offense. A dominant offense is centered on one rare individual, defense is not. I think many are overplaying the "offense is king" argument.
It's been my observation for a long time that Defensive-leaning HCs usually struggle mightily to stay consistant on the offensive side of the ball. Bringing in a "name" OC may or may not work, and more often creates a rift come draft time/FA time.
Top 2 seeds in the AFC are defensive guys winning with offense - Bellichek and Fox. Defenisve guys who draw the bad rap tend to be defensive HC's with bad QB's. Ask Brian Billick, who people forget was an offensive genius in MIN, how you win games when you have Trent Dilfer, Tony Banks and Elvis Grbac as your QB?
I am NOT at all saying teams don't need D to win. But, D no longer can win without a good offense. All 3 of those offenses feature a QB who is a serious weapon as a runner. Instead of using runs and quick passes to carve up opposing D's, they use the QBs run skills and his ability to pass while on the run to complement their run game. They ARE offenses to be feared, as they are very good at keeping the football. Maybe not prolific scoring offenses, but combining keeping the football and good D is definitely a winning combo. I need look no further than Griffin in Washington to see that using a running QB as a big part of my offense can have serious side-effects...
I am NOT at all saying teams don't need D to win. But, D no longer can win without an
goodoffense period.
Fixed.
Good point regarding Fox and Belichick. They have literally re-invented themselves since Carolina and Cleveland respectively. And very wisely taken advantage of their QBs skillsets. Which Schiano wasn't willing to do here... Sad...
I wouldn't mind Lovie Smith. But I don't get the love for him by some on this board. He should be a fallback plan, not the #1 option. Though I think the Glazers want someone with a HC experience in the NFL this time around and he will be the guy. I just hope he gets a solid offensive staff because he is going to need it.
Seattle, Carolina and San Francisco say otherwise. This league is not all about offense like people believe it is. If you have an elite defense like these teams do, well...let their records speak for tthemselves. Combined 37-11. Neither of these teams will scare you offensively. But they have the formula to play and win anywhere. Yes give me a strong defense and a mistake free offense over a high powered passing game. Just ask the Saints how theyllike playing on the road.
You mean the same Saints that have a better defensive ranking than the Niners who you put as an example for building defense over offense, surely that type of D would help carry them on the road?7 of the top 10 offenses in the league have made the playoffs while only 5 of the top 10 defenses did.5 of the worst defenses in the league made it in also, just 2 of the worst offenses managed it.So the same number of bottom 10 defenses made it to the playoffs as top 10 defense, on the offensive side the numbers look very different.If you want to go back to last year the Super Bowl was won by the "defensive" Ravens but their offense was the one that actually had the better ranking and the average rankings for the final 4 teams offense 9th, defense 17th.The numbers don't lie, offensively minded teams have a better shot.
I agree Bucman but at the same time after two failed risky hires playing it safe is probably the smart thing for the Glazers to do. The franchise needs to stabilize itself.
Yes, let's not be hasty, so we can end up with another unexperience college head coach.
And regarding Denver, I'm fairly sure it was John Elway's decision to bring in Manning, not John Fox's. And Manning was already pretty much his own OC... ;D I'd be real curious to know how Belichick got sold on the spread-style offense they use in New England...
The question is - what is our quickest route to the playoffs and sustained success? Two of the teams in the division are offensive juggernauts (New Orleans and Atlanta). Carolina does it with defense and a power running game (plus Cam making plays here or there). They just went 12-4 and won a division championship.To me, the Bucs should strengthen that defense with a good defensive HC with NFL experience and then work on a power running offense. Lovie fits that bill to a tee.
Wasn't it Josh McDaniels? If you really want to know I can ask some of my wife's family. They follow the Psts like we do the Bucs.
