Move over Rasputin! Tom Coughlin has a tendency for survival that rivals even a cat.
For a man who has been on the hot seat pretty much since getting the New York Giants head coaching job, Coughlin seems to get the most out of his team when it matters most. In the eight years he has been there, he has been rumored to be fired more often than Billy Martin. He has gotten less respect than Rodney Dangerfield felt that he got. Yet, along the way, the Giants have won their division four times, won a Super Bowl, and only had one losing season – his first. If that type of success can get a coach almost fired multiple times during the season, then you have to wonder what the expectations are for the Giants. 16-0 every regular season?
Now that Coughlin has reached his second Super Bowl, he may be poised to pass someone that happens to be considered the greatest coach in Giants history – Bill Parcells. As it stands now, Coughlin is not that far behind Parcells – Coughlin has a .578 winning percentage to Parcells at .611. Coughlin has won one less division title, but he also has one less losing season. If the Giants win, they will have the same number of championships. Maybe then, Coughlin will finally get his due.
The Super Bowl is a huge game for a number of reasons. A lot of legacies are on the line. But perhaps Tom Coughlin has more on the line than anyone else. A win, and he may finally not be coaching week to week.
Showing posts with label NFC East. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NFC East. Show all posts
Friday, February 3, 2012
Saturday, December 3, 2011
What The Shanahan - Part Five
Remember back in the offseason, when Rex Grossman stated that the Redskins would be the team to beat in the NFC East for 2011? That notion seemed to be as insane as any proposed sequel for Ishtar. So, everyone laughed it off, and basically thought that the NFL drug policy obviously does not check for hallucinatory drugs. Then the Redskins started off the season 3-1, and suddenly people were jumping on their bandwagon, thinking that maybe Rex Grossman was really not that insane all along.
Funny thing about terrible teams – they will eventually revert back to the mean. Week One, the Redskins beat an injured New York Gians team that was still trying to figure out who to start in the secondary. In Weeks Two and Four, they defeated terrible teams in Arizona and St. Louis. Not exactly a murderer’s row of competetion there, especially since half of the teams in the college ranks could defeat them.
The most damning statistic to come out of the first twelve weeks is the flat ineptitude that the offense has shown. Previously, Shanahan had success in plugging in just about anyone as a starting running back, and getting them to produce. But how much of this was the ‘genius’ of Shanahan, and how much was the zone blocking scheme of Gary Kubiak? Fascinating to note that the Texans, who Kubiak coaches, can run the ball with ease, while Shanahan’s Redskins are 29th in the league in rushing yards.
The quarterbacks have been equally, and predictably, atrocious. Aside from Mike Shanahan, did anyone really expect the Disasterous Duo of Rex Grossman and John Beck not to suck? After all, John Beck has NEVER won an NFL game. Think about that for a moment. And this is the guy that Shanahan felt he could turn into an actual NFL quarterback? No wonder they have the sixth fewest points scored in the entire league.
Again, this really comes back to that overgrown Oompa Loompa Shanahan having a reputation for being better than he actually is. For all of the success that he is perceived to have, it all came riding the coattails of one John Elway. In fact, when not coaching Elway, Shanahan is 1-5 in playoff games. Yes, that’s right – one win and five losses. That is worse than the poster boy for playoff futility, Marty Schottenheimer. He’s 5-13 in playoff games. So, without Elway, how good a coach is Mike Shanahan? Answer – not that good.
So, as the Redskins prepare to face a good Jets team this weekend, get ready to laugh, cry, and be astonished. Not that the Jets are as great as they are going to look, but that the Redskins are that terrible. There will be no improvement until Dan Synder comes to his senses, asks What The Shanahan, and makes a coaching change.
Funny thing about terrible teams – they will eventually revert back to the mean. Week One, the Redskins beat an injured New York Gians team that was still trying to figure out who to start in the secondary. In Weeks Two and Four, they defeated terrible teams in Arizona and St. Louis. Not exactly a murderer’s row of competetion there, especially since half of the teams in the college ranks could defeat them.
The most damning statistic to come out of the first twelve weeks is the flat ineptitude that the offense has shown. Previously, Shanahan had success in plugging in just about anyone as a starting running back, and getting them to produce. But how much of this was the ‘genius’ of Shanahan, and how much was the zone blocking scheme of Gary Kubiak? Fascinating to note that the Texans, who Kubiak coaches, can run the ball with ease, while Shanahan’s Redskins are 29th in the league in rushing yards.
The quarterbacks have been equally, and predictably, atrocious. Aside from Mike Shanahan, did anyone really expect the Disasterous Duo of Rex Grossman and John Beck not to suck? After all, John Beck has NEVER won an NFL game. Think about that for a moment. And this is the guy that Shanahan felt he could turn into an actual NFL quarterback? No wonder they have the sixth fewest points scored in the entire league.
Again, this really comes back to that overgrown Oompa Loompa Shanahan having a reputation for being better than he actually is. For all of the success that he is perceived to have, it all came riding the coattails of one John Elway. In fact, when not coaching Elway, Shanahan is 1-5 in playoff games. Yes, that’s right – one win and five losses. That is worse than the poster boy for playoff futility, Marty Schottenheimer. He’s 5-13 in playoff games. So, without Elway, how good a coach is Mike Shanahan? Answer – not that good.
So, as the Redskins prepare to face a good Jets team this weekend, get ready to laugh, cry, and be astonished. Not that the Jets are as great as they are going to look, but that the Redskins are that terrible. There will be no improvement until Dan Synder comes to his senses, asks What The Shanahan, and makes a coaching change.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
2011 NFC East Preview
For the second of our eight part 2011 NFL preview, we take a look at the NFC East. The teams are listed in order of where we expect them to finish.
1. Dallas Cowboys: Yes, the Eagles are the trendy pick to win the division, but the Cowboys are deeper. Tony Romo, while overrated, is coming back to a very good offense with a much improved offensive line. The offense took off last year when Jason Garrett became the head coach, and the team started to run the ball more. Expect this to continue this season, as the triumvirate of running backs in Felix Jones, Tashard Choice, and DeMarco Murray are extremely good. While Roy Williams was released, this is addition by subtraction as he was nothing more than their fourth option on offense. Dez Bryant is expected to step up this year, while Miles Austin and Jason Witten provide their typical steady play.
On defense, the Cowboys will rebound from what was a statistically bad season for them. In their base defense, they allowed ten more touchdowns than they gave up prior to Wade Phillips getting fired. Afterwards, when they focused on fundamentals, they only gave up three more touchdowns than they scored. With Rob Ryan calling the plays and designing the schemes, the defense is bound to improve. While there may be an initial learning curve, expect DeMarcus Ware and the rest of that defense to wreak havoc upon the opposition.
You heard it here first – the Cowboys will be dramatically improved and win the NFC East.
2. Philadelphia Eagles: The Eagles entire season hinges on Michael Vick. While they have an offense made up of explosive playmakers in DeSean Jackson, LeSean McCoy, and the Not-Something-Sean Jeremy Maclin; Vick is the key to the engine. Should he go down, Vince Young would be the quarterback stepping in, which leaves one to wonder how he’ll handle an offense that will not protect him with a running game. As it stands, Young will probably start around five games this season, as Vick has yet to play a full slate of games in the NFL. Also decreasing the odds that he stays healthy is the offensive line, which might resemble a turnstile at points in time this year. There are questions at center, right tackle and left guard, as well as a rookie at right guard. With the pass rushes that the Eagles will face, particularly in division, Vick may have a hard time staying upright.
The biggest moves of the offseason for the Eagles came on the defensive side of the ball. With the trade of Kevin Kolb to the Arizona Cardinals, the Eagles acquired Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie, aka the actually good cornerback named Cromartie. They also signed the top free agent in Nnamdi Asomugha, which, along with Asante Samuel, gives the Eagles a trio of cornerbacks unlike any in NFL history. They also brought in more depth on the defensive line with the signing of Cullen Jenkins, formerly of the Green Bay Packers. Yet, linebacker, which was a weakness for them last season, was ignored, aside from the drafting of Casey Mathews. Given the aggressiveness of the line and the blitz schemes typical of the Eagles defense, the linebackers will need to step up in a major way.
There are questions here, even if people regard the Eagles as a lock for the Super Bowl. If all the pieces fall into place, they will have a deep run. If not, it could be scary in Philly this year.
3. New York Giants: The Giants are, quite simply, a team that needs to rediscover their offensive identity. Over the past couple of seasons, they have gone away from running the ball and have let Eli Manning air it out more. This season, expect Tom Coughlin to remember that he does not have the good Manning brother, and get back to pounding the ball with Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs. This will be partially be design, but also out of necessity, as they lost key pieces to their offense in Steve Smith and Kevin Boss. Can Travis Beckum and whoever they plug in as the third receiver make enough plays? And will Eli have enough time to throw the ball, as the offensive line has a new left tackle in William Beatty, to go along with a new center in David Baas. This season should serve as a reminder to Eli that he really is not in the same class as Tom Brady or his brother.
On defense, the key is going to be whether or not they have enough players in the secondary. Already, the Giants have lost starter Terrel Thomas and two reserves go out for the year with injuries. Top pick Prince Amukamara is out until at least October. Will they be able to stop the pass? While the defensive line is the best part of the defense, they need the other positions to make plays as well. The linebacking corps, which was a complete disaster last season, should be improved with the addition of Greg Jones. However, this is a squad that could give up far more points that one is accustomed to from a Giants defense.
The Giants simply do not have enough pieces to compete with the Cowboys and the Eagles. Expect a losing record this year, and a new head coach next season.
4. Washington Redskins: So-called genius Mike Shanahan took an already bad situation and somehow made it worse. First, the debacle that will be the quarterback position is going to be manned by has-been Rex Grossman to start the season, until he is replaced by the never-was John Beck. The receiving corps is entirely Santana Moss and a lot of nothing. While third round pick Leonard Hankerson has the potential to develop into a playmaker, it will not be in time to matter for this season. Chris Cooley, their most consistent receiver, has been battling a knee issue all preseason, and may not be effective this year. As such, the Redskins will need to rely on a running game that features Tim Hightower, who has done nothing in his NFL career to show that he can be a starting running back. While Ryan Torain and Roy Helu are serviceable, there is a distinct lack of talent on this side of the ball.
On defense, expect more of the same. Last year, the Redskins were flat out awful against the pass, and aside from Brain Orakpo, could not get anyone near the quarterback on a consistent basis. While several moves during the offseason will help them going forward, this is still a major work in progress. Ryan Kerrigan and Jarvis Jenkins look like they will be playmakers someday, but will it be for Shanahan or the next head coach? This team will need to figure out a way to stop people on defense, and that looks like a major challenge.
The Redskins are looking at winning the Andrew Luck Lottery this year. Expecting three wins may be overstating their competence.
1. Dallas Cowboys: Yes, the Eagles are the trendy pick to win the division, but the Cowboys are deeper. Tony Romo, while overrated, is coming back to a very good offense with a much improved offensive line. The offense took off last year when Jason Garrett became the head coach, and the team started to run the ball more. Expect this to continue this season, as the triumvirate of running backs in Felix Jones, Tashard Choice, and DeMarco Murray are extremely good. While Roy Williams was released, this is addition by subtraction as he was nothing more than their fourth option on offense. Dez Bryant is expected to step up this year, while Miles Austin and Jason Witten provide their typical steady play.
On defense, the Cowboys will rebound from what was a statistically bad season for them. In their base defense, they allowed ten more touchdowns than they gave up prior to Wade Phillips getting fired. Afterwards, when they focused on fundamentals, they only gave up three more touchdowns than they scored. With Rob Ryan calling the plays and designing the schemes, the defense is bound to improve. While there may be an initial learning curve, expect DeMarcus Ware and the rest of that defense to wreak havoc upon the opposition.
You heard it here first – the Cowboys will be dramatically improved and win the NFC East.
2. Philadelphia Eagles: The Eagles entire season hinges on Michael Vick. While they have an offense made up of explosive playmakers in DeSean Jackson, LeSean McCoy, and the Not-Something-Sean Jeremy Maclin; Vick is the key to the engine. Should he go down, Vince Young would be the quarterback stepping in, which leaves one to wonder how he’ll handle an offense that will not protect him with a running game. As it stands, Young will probably start around five games this season, as Vick has yet to play a full slate of games in the NFL. Also decreasing the odds that he stays healthy is the offensive line, which might resemble a turnstile at points in time this year. There are questions at center, right tackle and left guard, as well as a rookie at right guard. With the pass rushes that the Eagles will face, particularly in division, Vick may have a hard time staying upright.
The biggest moves of the offseason for the Eagles came on the defensive side of the ball. With the trade of Kevin Kolb to the Arizona Cardinals, the Eagles acquired Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie, aka the actually good cornerback named Cromartie. They also signed the top free agent in Nnamdi Asomugha, which, along with Asante Samuel, gives the Eagles a trio of cornerbacks unlike any in NFL history. They also brought in more depth on the defensive line with the signing of Cullen Jenkins, formerly of the Green Bay Packers. Yet, linebacker, which was a weakness for them last season, was ignored, aside from the drafting of Casey Mathews. Given the aggressiveness of the line and the blitz schemes typical of the Eagles defense, the linebackers will need to step up in a major way.
There are questions here, even if people regard the Eagles as a lock for the Super Bowl. If all the pieces fall into place, they will have a deep run. If not, it could be scary in Philly this year.
3. New York Giants: The Giants are, quite simply, a team that needs to rediscover their offensive identity. Over the past couple of seasons, they have gone away from running the ball and have let Eli Manning air it out more. This season, expect Tom Coughlin to remember that he does not have the good Manning brother, and get back to pounding the ball with Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs. This will be partially be design, but also out of necessity, as they lost key pieces to their offense in Steve Smith and Kevin Boss. Can Travis Beckum and whoever they plug in as the third receiver make enough plays? And will Eli have enough time to throw the ball, as the offensive line has a new left tackle in William Beatty, to go along with a new center in David Baas. This season should serve as a reminder to Eli that he really is not in the same class as Tom Brady or his brother.
On defense, the key is going to be whether or not they have enough players in the secondary. Already, the Giants have lost starter Terrel Thomas and two reserves go out for the year with injuries. Top pick Prince Amukamara is out until at least October. Will they be able to stop the pass? While the defensive line is the best part of the defense, they need the other positions to make plays as well. The linebacking corps, which was a complete disaster last season, should be improved with the addition of Greg Jones. However, this is a squad that could give up far more points that one is accustomed to from a Giants defense.
The Giants simply do not have enough pieces to compete with the Cowboys and the Eagles. Expect a losing record this year, and a new head coach next season.
4. Washington Redskins: So-called genius Mike Shanahan took an already bad situation and somehow made it worse. First, the debacle that will be the quarterback position is going to be manned by has-been Rex Grossman to start the season, until he is replaced by the never-was John Beck. The receiving corps is entirely Santana Moss and a lot of nothing. While third round pick Leonard Hankerson has the potential to develop into a playmaker, it will not be in time to matter for this season. Chris Cooley, their most consistent receiver, has been battling a knee issue all preseason, and may not be effective this year. As such, the Redskins will need to rely on a running game that features Tim Hightower, who has done nothing in his NFL career to show that he can be a starting running back. While Ryan Torain and Roy Helu are serviceable, there is a distinct lack of talent on this side of the ball.
On defense, expect more of the same. Last year, the Redskins were flat out awful against the pass, and aside from Brain Orakpo, could not get anyone near the quarterback on a consistent basis. While several moves during the offseason will help them going forward, this is still a major work in progress. Ryan Kerrigan and Jarvis Jenkins look like they will be playmakers someday, but will it be for Shanahan or the next head coach? This team will need to figure out a way to stop people on defense, and that looks like a major challenge.
The Redskins are looking at winning the Andrew Luck Lottery this year. Expecting three wins may be overstating their competence.
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