Mr. Scot

Another excerpt, one that echoes what a couple of guys on here have said regarding team employees not liking Rhule's management style... Rhule said his process is “1,000 percent working,” even if the results don’t show it. There is growing skepticism among some Panthers players about whether that’s the case. Many of the 20-plus players, staffers, team and league sources interviewed for this story believe the same attributes that made Rhule a successful college coach are undermining his efforts in the NFL. They say Rhule — like a lot of ex-college coaches used to controlling every facet of the program — has the tendency to micromanage “everything that touches football,” as one source put it. Rhule has the final say on roster decisions, although he called that a formality when general manager Scott Fitterer was hired in January, saying the two would work collaboratively. Fitterer said the arrangement is similar to the setup in Seattle with head coach Pete Carroll and GM John Schneider. But where Carroll had been an NFL and college head coach before being hired in Seattle in 2010, Rhule’s only previous NFL experience was a one-year stint as the Giants’ assistant offensive line coach in 2012 under Tom Coughlin. Rhule, who turns 47 in January, has leaned heavily on his Temple and Baylor connections in building his staff and roster. And though more than half of the assistants on Rhule’s first Panthers staff had at least some NFL experience, none had been an NFL head coach or coordinator. “The proof’s in the pudding,” said one veteran personnel official. “The product on the field is bad.”

More from the article... The defense has been the strength of the team, but it’s built on speed and athleticism, which makes the Panthers susceptible to downhill, power-running attacks. Defensive coordinator Phil Snow’s group has shown cracks while being forced to play almost flawlessly to keep the Panthers in games. “The defense is starting to wear down,” said a longtime NFC personnel executive. “They don’t have a lot of size on defense, which is starting to show late in the year.” The Panthers have allowed 30.4 points during their current five-game losing streak. Only the Steelers (31.0 ppg) and the Chargers (30.5) have allowed more points since Week 10. Facing an injury-depleted Buccaneers offense last week, the defense gave up its longest run and longest completion of the season — both in the first half. The Panthers are tied for 23rd with 16 takeaways — a statistic Snow said has to improve for the defense to become elite. “We are making progress, but it’s not where we want,” he said. “To be a championship-level defense, we’ve gotta get more turnovers and create more plays that change the game, and not give them up.” Another veteran scout said it’s tough to say what the Panthers’ identity is, but it’s not toughness. “(Rhule) can say toughness in his mind, but they’re not oozing toughness on the field,” the scout said. “They’re soft. They’re a really soft football team. I don’t see the defense stopping anybody where it’s a 14-13 score. That’s tough football.”

From the article... Anderson said in a phone interview last week. “How often have you seen a coach go into a situation and in Year 2 take them to the Super Bowl?” The answer is 10 times, and the list includes John Fox, who guided the Panthers to the Super Bowl in his second season. Robby probably shouldn't try out for the debate team anytime soon.

Translation: "I could do better than you guys. Lucky for you I'm staying here." Im reminded of the "appropriate response" option screen from The Terminator.

He doesn't know. Not knowing, you proceed under the assumption that you're staying until told otherwise, so you scout the game.

Eeehhh, most analysts are probably gonna give that title to Steve Largent. (might be before your time)

Tell ya something else that gets me... Tepper came in talking about analytics and sports science and all that bullsh-t. Then he proceeded to hang on to a GM whose win-loss record was awful, whose free agent acquisitions had been garbage and whose drafts rarely produced anything worthwhile past the first round. Wouldda thought analytics might have pointed him in the opposite direction, but okay Then he makes that GM the point man in the search for our next head coach. And when they find their guy, what do they say led them to that decision? "We had a feeling..." "It's just a feeling..." "There's a feeling you get..." "All of us had the same feeling..." "Feelings...whoa whoa whoa... feelings..." Oy For a supposed analytics guy, Tepper doesn't really seem to be all that...analytical.

My immediate reaction when the news of Rhule's hiring broke was "Okay?!" Was pretty disappointed up front that we didn't go ahead and at least interview McDaniels. FYI: Word is he's heating up as a candidate again this cycle and some folks expect he'll get a job this time around (not from us, of course). Where I really cringed was when the stories that are quoted in the OP came out. Made me immediately think of an elderly or mentally challenged person listening to a bombastic sales pitch, falling for it hook line and sinker and wanting to sign on the dotted line immediately. Buuuut like I have with plenty of other decisions I disagreed with, I did my best to get on board. And at least for a year or so, it looked like it was going to be okay. Damn, did things go to hell quick though

I wouldn't argue for Andre Johnson being in the Hall of Fame, honestly. Not saying he wasn't great because he absolutely was, but still...

This is all valid. I still don't really understand Andre Johnson though.

Sheesh

I didn't really think Steve Smith was a first ballot Hall of Famer, not with the logjam that already exists at that position. That said, I didn't really think Andre Johnson was either, so I don't know about that one Happy to see Sam Mills on the list though.

Neither have I, but I have seen him endorse Marty Hurney as GM, then follow that up by handing a 7 year, multi-million dollar deal with full roster control to a college coach who brought a college staff with him. First mistake is gone, at least. Right now, I'm waiting to see whether he's smart enough to rectify that second one.

What are his successes on the football field?

Tepper strikes me as one of those guys who'll totally screw something up seven times, then after lucking into a good result on try number eight turn around and go "See? I know what I'm doing"

Check who he's been quoting... Granted, we're not talking about somebody with a firm grip on reality, but yeah, he said it.

I get the impression those "feelings" were behind a lot of Hurney's decision making.

A lot of people float the idea of hiring a former Super Bowl winning coach, yet never seem to think about the fact that not a single coach in NFL history has ever won a Super Bowl with two teams. Why? Well it's not just a coach that wins a Super Bowl. It's an organization and a system. And frankly, also a lot of luck. Heck, loads of coaches never even win a second Super Bowl with the same team. It's a really really difficult feat to accomplish.

It would be the Browns

This is why I hate stats without context. Frank Reich was a better quarterback than several guys on that list. Likewise, jimmy Clausen is not a better QB than Taylor Heinicke.

Good point.

Tepper "went big" the last time he hired a coach, paying out big money and giving full power to what was a hot name at the time. Don't care about "going big" this time around. I'd rather he "go smart" and let someone else make the choice.

Bieniemy might make sense in Denver given he has history in Colorado. Of course, some of that history might keep him out of Colorado.

We're not on Wilson's "approved team" list. That, plus there's no way we could afford to trade away the kind of capital it would take to get him.

Gus Bradley, Quinn's successor in Seattle, also became a head coach (with the Jags). And like Quinn, as a head coach he made a great DC. Fun thing about him, though. He's likely looking for a job soon (part of the Raiders staff) and has a prior connection not only with Scott Fitterer, but also Nathaniel Hackett