2012-2013 NFL Thread

[Chisoxfn]

One thing you can say, Emery is casting a wide net. Every day you hear new names mentioned being called in for interviews. Exciting to say the least

It could be bad though. If you go too wide and can't make up your mind, the top guys could come off the board. That said, I'd have to imagine he has his idea as to who his top candidates will be and their is no harm interviewing as long as you move swiftly. To me these are the guys I'd be dissapointed if Emery didn't have a conversation with them:

 

1. Holmgren

1b. Cowher (probably won't even interview but you better damn well call his agent and ask)

2. Reid (looks like they won't chat)

3. Gruden (not sure I'd hire him, but should at least reach out and have a conversation)

4. Mike McCoy (that is happening)

5. Bill O'Brien (really really good candidate; not sure you can get him but have to try to have the convo)

6. Shanny (like him a lot)

 

Should probably also reach out to the top OC candidates out their as well (not mentioned above). E.g,. Clements, Carmichael.

[ptatc]

Ya exactly. Drafting by need in baseball makes no sense, drafting by need in football is essential.

This is very short-sighted and should onlybe true in later rounds. In the early rounds you take the impact player regardless of position. Look at Green Bay this year. They had many wide recievers and Drafted Cobb because he was the best player. Turns out they needed him due to injuries and Jefferies may leave because of it. You draft the impact player. Now as I said the Bears have such a glaring need I would be tempted to go O-line all the way. However if you pass on say a D-line or LB you may miss the next impact player you need in a year.

[ptatc]

It could be bad though. If you go too wide and can't make up your mind, the top guys could come off the board. That said, I'd have to imagine he has his idea as to who his top candidates will be and their is no harm interviewing as long as you move swiftly. To me these are the guys I'd be dissapointed if Emery didn't have a conversation with them:

 

1. Holmgren

1b. Cowher (probably won't even interview but you better damn well call his agent and ask)

2. Reid (looks like they won't chat)

3. Gruden (not sure I'd hire him, but should at least reach out and have a conversation)

4. Mike McCoy (that is happening)

5. Bill O'Brien (really really good candidate; not sure you can get him but have to try to have the convo)

6. Shanny (like him a lot)

 

Should probably also reach out to the top OC candidates out their as well (not mentioned above). E.g,. Clements, Carmichael.

I bet he doesn't interview the top 4 on your list. They don't want the re-tread whether it's for power or money.

[cabiness42]

This is very short-sighted and should onlybe true in later rounds. In the early rounds you take the impact player regardless of position. Look at Green Bay this year. They had many wide recievers and Drafted Cobb because he was the best player. Turns out they needed him due to injuries and Jefferies may leave because of it. You draft the impact player. Now as I said the Bears have such a glaring need I would be tempted to go O-line all the way. However if you pass on say a D-line or LB you may miss the next impact player you need in a year.

 

I think you have to balance need and best available. If the top guy at your position of need is the 5th best available player, you take him. If he's the 15th best available player you go ahead and take the #1 guy.

[witesoxfan]

This is very short-sighted and should onlybe true in later rounds. In the early rounds you take the impact player regardless of position. Look at Green Bay this year. They had many wide recievers and Drafted Cobb because he was the best player. Turns out they needed him due to injuries and Jefferies may leave because of it. You draft the impact player. Now as I said the Bears have such a glaring need I would be tempted to go O-line all the way. However if you pass on say a D-line or LB you may miss the next impact player you need in a year.

 

Bills and CJ Spiller too. Of course, had they not drafted him and drafted someone else that's terrible, they may have ended up with a higher draft pick, which could have been nice too.

 

They should probably just start drafting a s***load of good players.

[Steve9347]

I bet he doesn't interview the top 4 on your list. They don't want the re-tread whether it's for power or money.

This. Agreed.

[Kyyle23]

It could be bad though. If you go too wide and can't make up your mind, the top guys could come off the board. That said, I'd have to imagine he has his idea as to who his top candidates will be and their is no harm interviewing as long as you move swiftly. To me these are the guys I'd be dissapointed if Emery didn't have a conversation with them:

 

1. Holmgren

1b. Cowher (probably won't even interview but you better damn well call his agent and ask)

2. Reid (looks like they won't chat)

3. Gruden (not sure I'd hire him, but should at least reach out and have a conversation)

4. Mike McCoy (that is happening)

5. Bill O'Brien (really really good candidate; not sure you can get him but have to try to have the convo)

6. Shanny (like him a lot)

 

Should probably also reach out to the top OC candidates out their as well (not mentioned above). E.g,. Clements, Carmichael.

 

Pretty sure Mike Shanahan said his coaches arent to interview until after their playoff run is over, and that usually pushes those guys way to the back of the line.

[dasox24]

Another guy in a situation where the head coach is the mastermind behind the offense, I don't want any part of the Saints/Packers OC.

While I would normally agree, I think Carmichael's situation is different. With Payton out this year, Carmichael called the plays and led the NFL's 2nd ranked offense (3rd in points). So, we know he can actually lead a successful offense.

Edited January 3, 2013 by dasox24

[Kyyle23]

While I would normally agree, I think Carmichael's situation is different. With Payton out this year, Carmichael called the plays and led the NFL's 2nd ranked offense (3rd in points). So, we know he can actually lead a successful offense.

 

Again, is that Carmichael or is he just letting Brees do his thing with a little push here and there?

[LittleHurt05]

Again, is that Carmichael or is he just letting Brees do his thing with a little push here and there?

 

How much of that offense was implemented by Sean Payton too?

[maggsmaggs]

Word is Carimi was injured all year (never healed) but should be 100% next year......sounds like a columbo thing.

This is the problem with Carimi, he is just going to be injured his entire career. I have no hope from him other than being at most a serviceable back-up tackle or maybe starting guard.

[southsider2k5]

Ian Rapoport ‏@RapSheet

 

#Bears are 1st team to put in an interview request for #Colts OC Bruce Arians, I'm told. Won't be the last. #Chargers among those interested

[daa84]

Well one of the things I have never really understood about our offensive playcalling is why we don't ever seem to be able to 1) call a slant or 2) execute a slant successfully. Green Bay runs a crapload of slants and other quick inside crossing routes that allow Rodgers to get rid of the ball quickly. They also roll him out quite a bit more than the Bears roll Cutler out. Now it's pretty clear that Rodgers is better on the run than Cutler (and probably the best in the League, honestly), but we just never seemed to call the offensive game according to the limitations of our offensive line (outside of that Dallas game last year and maybe a few other instances I am not recalling).

 

So I agree with your general point, but I don't think that is a Cutler issue, as he has shown a really incredible ability to avoid pressure within the pocket and he has shown he can really be athletic when he gets outside of the pocket. I think it is more of a failure of our coaching staff to design and/or call the correct plays to try and deal with a subpar offensive line.

 

 

no doubt that some of these offensive issues are what plagued the bears this year. for the past 3 years the bears have run offensive schemes that simply require good pass blocking from the offensive line. Both Martz's offense and Tice's were predicated on a more vertical passing game, down the field, deeper drop backs. for an team with a bad offensive line, there must be adaptability in using the quick hitter to the middle of the field (and emery said as much in his press conference). The only time I really recall the play calling changing in favor of quick 3 step drops is the Dallas game when they had Omiyale playing LT, then Martz went back to his old ways.

 

 

ha, I completely missed that in your original post. we are on the exact same wavelength

 

if you ask me, the stubborn minded offensive coordinators lovie has had is what did him in - they were incapable/unwilling to adapt, and simply wanted to run their own system, which frankly didn't work. I know Lovie's philosophy defensively is "we are going to do what we do" , and while that philosophy worked for the D, it certainly didn't (and IMO can't) on offense. need to be able to change based on what the opponent is doing, and based on your own personnel

 

Dan Pompei tweeted this - which is just about the perfect response to this above issue....

 

This is why I think Broncos OC Mike McCoy might be in the pole position for the Bears' head coaching job:

 

McCoy is an outstanding candidate. He has been prepared by a fine head coach in John Fox. He understands offensive football and how to put players in position to succeed. He is young but can command a room. And McCoy is a flexible strategist. We had a talk about his philosophies awhile back. He told me, “I learned from Dan Henning a long time ago that if the quarterback doesn’t like something, or he can’t do it, you eliminate that from the game plan. Same with the running game. If there are schemes up front that our offensive line runs better, why try to force feed something else? I always say I don’t care what we want to do, but what can our players do well? That’s where it all starts.” Whoever is hired as head coach will be able to hire his own defensive coordinator and special teams coach. New head coaches usually bring in their own people for key positions. Ask Dan

[ptatc]

Ian Rapoport ‏@RapSheet

 

#Bears are 1st team to put in an interview request for #Colts OC Bruce Arians, I'm told. Won't be the last. #Chargers among those interested

I really like him. He was an outstanding OC in Pit and Indy. I don't know if he is HC material but he is an innovative offensive mind.

 

**3,000 posts** isn't 3,000 a lock for the HOF? Oh, wait. That's hits.

Edited January 3, 2013 by ptatc

[iamshack]

I really like him. He was an outstanding OC in Pit and Indy. I don't know if he is HC material but he is an innovative offensive mind.

 

**3,000 posts** isn't 3,000 a lock for the HOF? Oh, wait. That's hits.

I think he passed the "HC material" test this season...

 

The Steelers were on crack to fire him...

[Kyyle23]

I think he passed the "HC material" test this season...

 

The Steelers were on crack to fire him...

 

 

the reason was just bizarre. Too buddy buddy with Big Ben. WTF is that, why shouldnt the OC be friends with the QB

[iamshack]

the reason was just bizarre. Too buddy buddy with Big Ben. WTF is that, why shouldnt the OC be friends with the QB

And I thought there offense last year was one of the most exciting to watch...they were developing one hell of a wr corp...then they fire Arians and bring in Haley and run this bs West Coast system that wastes all that speed they have...just mind-boggling.

[Harry Chappas]

I think he passed the "HC material" test this season...

 

The Steelers were on crack to fire him...

 

The fact he is 60 years old and has not had a head coaching job other than at Temple leads me to believe there is something amiss there.

 

Also emery interviewing all of these guys seems odd. The Atlanta or Dallas special teams coaches are interviewed yet Toab is not considered for the job?

 

If you are the GM and you fire your coach your search should be rather small, as I would think he knows what he wants. He seems to be interviewing everyone.

[witesoxfan]

Bills have already interviewed Whisenhunt, and they have about 5 (Kelly, McCoy, Marrone) but most interestingly, Lovie Smith. He's the first I've seen connected.

 

I don't think Russ Brandon wants to hire Lovie, but I really hope Lovie sells himself. I'm not sure any of the other guys are honestly that interested in the Bills job, but I know Lovie is. I want Lovie in Buffalo.

[bmags]

The fact he is 60 years old and has not had a head coaching job other than at Temple leads me to believe there is something amiss there.

 

Also emery interviewing all of these guys seems odd. The Atlanta or Dallas special teams coaches are interviewed yet Toab is not considered for the job?

 

If you are the GM and you fire your coach your search should be rather small, as I would think he knows what he wants. He seems to be interviewing everyone.

 

Emery has to request interviews with those other coaches, which I'm assuming is where it leaks. I doubt that same process is done with a coach on staff.

[Chisoxfn]

The fact he is 60 years old and has not had a head coaching job other than at Temple leads me to believe there is something amiss there.

 

Also emery interviewing all of these guys seems odd. The Atlanta or Dallas special teams coaches are interviewed yet Toab is not considered for the job?

 

If you are the GM and you fire your coach your search should be rather small, as I would think he knows what he wants. He seems to be interviewing everyone.

Supposedly everyone has looked at him as a career assistant because he doesn't have the personality for a head coach. What that means, I don't know. I don't know if it means he rubs people the wrong way or if he doesn't see the big picture or what. That was always the knock on him.

 

However, no doubting the success he had this year as well as in Pitt (and previously). Hard part about Big Ben is he is so damn unique.

[Jake]

The guys I like right now (and we're obviously limited in how much we can actually know about anyone, especially other teams' coordinators) are:

 

Bruce Arians

Mike McCoy

Jon Gruden

 

 

[MexSoxFan#1]

Well one of the things I have never really understood about our offensive playcalling is why we don't ever seem to be able to 1) call a slant or 2) execute a slant successfully. Green Bay runs a crapload of slants and other quick inside crossing routes that allow Rodgers to get rid of the ball quickly. They also roll him out quite a bit more than the Bears roll Cutler out. Now it's pretty clear that Rodgers is better on the run than Cutler (and probably the best in the League, honestly), but we just never seemed to call the offensive game according to the limitations of our offensive line (outside of that Dallas game last year and maybe a few other instances I am not recalling).

 

So I agree with your general point, but I don't think that is a Cutler issue, as he has shown a really incredible ability to avoid pressure within the pocket and he has shown he can really be athletic when he gets outside of the pocket. I think it is more of a failure of our coaching staff to design and/or call the correct plays to try and deal with a subpar offensive line.

I love this post, especially the bolded part...

 

I also can't stand the fact that the Bears really really suck at HB screens or creating plays to get Hester in open space to best utilize his speed/quickness.

[Kyyle23]

I love this post, especially the bolded part...

 

I also can't stand the fact that the Bears really really suck at HB screens or creating plays to get Hester in open space to best utilize his speed/quickness.

 

I agree that they have no idea how to run a screen, but i completely disagree about Hester. He has been given so many opportunities to do something with his speed and quickness and he dances and goes backwards. Hester has been his worst enemy

[Steve9347]

Hester blows.