Coaching Failures

[Mr. Scot]

How important is coaching in the NFL?

 

Consider the following missteps made this season...

 

 

Failure to adjust to offensive line issues

 

A few seasons back, we faced a Vikings team that was known for its pass rush with a beat up offensive line and a quarterback that nobody feared as a run threat in Matt Moore.

 

What did the coaches do?

 

They moved Moore around a lot, adjusted the line schemes and went to quick, safe pass routes.

 

What's the MO been this season?  Long developing routes (using receivers that weren't suited to it), medium to deep drops with few if any rollouts and no discernible changes to the blocking scheme.

 

 

Failure to adjust to defensive line issues

 

Maybe if it had just been Greg Hardy we lost this season, the defense still could have been more effective.  But the reality is we lost both our top flight defensive ends, one to off field issues and the other to injuries that have hampered his performance.

 

Now, the Jim Johnson defensive scheme that we run is an extremely flexible attack.  Adjustments could have been made to use more blitzes, disguised blitzes, etc. and try and generate more pressure.

 

Instead, we're still trying to get pressure using just the front four, this despite the fact that Hardy's absence and Johnson's issues have us effectively down to a "front two".

 

 

Failure to properly use personnel

 

Go back to point one and you'll notice a mention that the receivers we've been using aren't suited to the routes we run.   Cotchery and Avant are both possession/red zone receivers, and have been effective when used in that role.  This coaching staff instead tried using them as deep threats and even on reverses, something their skill set didn't suit at all.

 

What makes that particular failure even worse?  We actually did have a speed receiver available to use in that role.  In fact, he showed in only the second week of the season what he was capable of.  yes, he had injuries, but even when he was healthy and available he remained buried on the depth chart while the coaches continued trying to force square pegs into round holes.

 

And what about the runningback position?  Anyone with working eyes can see Jonathan Stewart has been a far more effective runner.  And yes, he's been hurt too, but again even when healthy he's been stuck behind an ineffective DeAngelo Williams on the depth chart.  Plus there's the sheer comedy of watching Stewart get in games and look like he's finding a rhythm, only to see the coaches sit him down and stick Williams back in.

 

And I won;t even go into the position sifting adventures with Nate Chandler and Charles Godfrey (Oy).

 

But what about the quarterback?

 

Voth pointed out that Cam Newton was actually doing better as a passer before the staff "took the chains off", and he's right.  It does actually seem a little absurd now to think that you'd solve the problem of your quarterback taking too many hits by sending him on more runs, but that they did (while still staying away from rolling him out).

 

 

Failure to anticipate problems

 

Twice this season, we've seen massive special teams failures followed up by statements from the other team saying "we saw something on film".

 

Truth be told, it's probably happened way more frequently than that, but those are the examples we know of.

 

Coaches are supposed to self-scout to try and anticipate those things.  It hasn't happened, and even in the face of the failures that were so blatantly exposed, the head coach responds to a question of whether he still has faith in the special teams coach by saying "Why wouldn't I?"

 

 

Blaming the wrong people

 

And to top it all off, this season has seen its share of sacrificial lambs led to the slaughter.  Antoine Cason and Jason Avant are the latest examples.  Were their releases justified?  It could be argued, but what brings those arguments into question is the fact that they were misused.

 

Think of it this way: If you were this staff, you'd sign a shifty, elusive runningback like Darren Sproles and then use him as a blocking fullback.  He'd fail in that role, of course. Then you'd likely release him on the ratiionale that he wasn't playing well enough.

 

You'd also do things like throwing all the blame on the players for special teams failures even while coaches and players for other teams were pointing up things on film that your old college teammate failed to see.

 

And here we are...

 

 

The bottom line

 

I haven't even gone into gameday stuff like adjustments, clock management, etc.  Heck, that's a thread in itself.

 

No coaching staff is perfect, but the bottom line is that this coaching staff is deficient in far too many major areas to be effective anymore, and it starts at the top with the former "Riverboat" Ron Rivera.

 

They pretty much need to be shown the door.

[Paa Langfart]

 

 

They pretty much need to be shown the door.

 

 

Rather see some one shove them out the door and lock it behind them.

[Cary Kollins]

time to go to work nippleslacks

 

 

[Mr. Scot]

The whole thing about the Eagles game being "an eye opener" kinda sums it up for me.

 

When you have an "eye opener" ten weeks into the season, it's pretty clear you didn't know what you were doing for the first nine (and probably still don't).

[Towelboy]

you captured my thoughts so well. if only our front office would read this.

[Darth Biscuit]

Lovie Smith admits to coaching mistakes in loss to Bengals...

 

 

 

 

 

"Coach Rivera, did you or your staff make any mistakes against the Vikings?"

 

[Mr. Scot]

Mind you, I'm really only talking about leadership / scheme / game planning type mistakes here.

 

If I tried to write a thread that also included the actual gameday mistakes, I might wear out my keyboard.

[SpeedOFLight]

How important is coaching in the NFL?

 

Consider the following missteps made this season...

 

 

Failure to adjust to offensive line issues

 

A few seasons back, we faced a Vikings team that was known for its pass rush with a beat up offensive line and a quarterback that nobody feared as a run threat in Matt Moore.

 

What did the coaches do?

 

They moved Moore around a lot, adjusted the line schemes and went to quick, safe pass routes.

 

What's the MO been this season?  Long developing routes (using receivers that weren't suited to it), medium to deep drops with few if any rollouts and no discernible changes to the blocking scheme.

 

 

Failure to adjust to defensive line issues

 

Maybe if it had just been Greg Hardy we lost this season, the defense still could have been more effective.  But the reality is we lost both our top flight defensive ends, one to off field issues and the other to injuries that have hampered his performance.

 

Now, the Jim Johnson defensive scheme that we run is an extremely flexible attack.  Adjustments could have been made to use more blitzes, disguised blitzes, etc. and try and generate more pressure.

 

Instead, we're still trying to get pressure using just the front four, this despite the fact that Hardy's absence and Johnson's issues have us effectively down to a "front two".

 

 

Failure to properly use personnel

 

Go back to point one and you'll notice a mention that the receivers we've been using aren't suited to the routes we run.   Cotchery and Avant are both possession/red zone receivers, and have been effective when used in that role.  This coaching staff instead tried using them as deep threats and even on reverses, something their skill set didn't suit at all.

 

What makes that particular failure even worse?  We actually did have a speed receiver available to use in that role.  In fact, he showed in only the second week of the season what he was capable of.  yes, he had injuries, but even when he was healthy and available he remained buried on the depth chart while the coaches continued trying to force square pegs into round holes.

 

And what about the runningback position?  Anyone with working eyes can see Jonathan Stewart has been a far more effective runner.  And yes, he's been hurt too, but again even when healthy he's been stuck behind an ineffective DeAngelo Williams on the depth chart.  Plus there's the sheer comedy of watching Stewart get in games and look like he's finding a rhythm, only to see the coaches sit him down and stick Williams back in.

 

And I won;t even go into the position sifting adventures with Nate Chandler and Charles Godfrey (Oy).

 

But what about the quarterback?

 

Voth pointed out that Cam Newton was actually doing better as a passer before the staff "took the chains off", and he's right.  It does actually seem a little absurd now to think that you'd solve the problem of your quarterback taking too many hits by sending him on more runs, but that they did (while still staying away from rolling him out).

 

 

Failure to anticipate problems

 

Twice this season, we've seen massive special teams failures followed up by statements from the other team saying "we saw something on film".

 

Truth be told, it's probably happened way more frequently than that, but those are the examples we know of.

 

Coaches are supposed to self-scout to try and anticipate those things.  It hasn't happened, and even in the face of the failures that were so blatantly exposed, the head coach responds to a question of whether he still has faith in the special teams coach by saying "Why wouldn't I?"

 

 

Blaming the wrong people

 

And to top it all off, this season has seen its share of sacrificial lambs led to the slaughter.  Antoine Cason and Jason Avant are the latest examples.  Were their releases justified?  It could be argued, but what brings those arguments into question is the fact that they were misused.

 

Think of it this way: If you were this staff, you'd sign a shifty, elusive runningback like Darren Sproles and then use him as a blocking fullback.  He'd fail in that role, of course. Then you'd likely release him on the ratiionale that he wasn't playing well enough.

 

You'd also do things like throwing all the blame on the players for special teams failures even while coaches and players for other teams were pointing up things on film that your old college teammate failed to see.

 

And here we are...

 

 

The bottom line

 

I haven't even gone into gameday stuff like adjustments, clock management, etc.  Heck, that's a thread in itself.

 

No coaching staff is perfect, but the bottom line is that this coaching staff is deficient in far too many major areas to be effective anymore, and it starts at the top with the former "Riverboat" Ron Rivera.

 

They pretty much need to be shown the door.

 

 

Good post! I agree. I can't see who anyone can justify this coaching staff. It is basic things that the coaching staff should be handling properly and they are falling short. It is like they go into a game with a specific game plan/scheme, no matter who is out there, no matter the score or opponent. If the scheme/game plan is not working, they will still stick with it. They refuse to make any kind of adjustments. I've see countless times where we find plays that are working and the staff would just revert back to the ineffective plays. It is frustrating as a fan because if I can see what is wrong with this team, why can't the so called professionals see it too. Frankly, I'm tired of watching my team lose. I won't give up on them but something has to change. How about bring in an OC that is a guru on offense? How about build around your franchise QB and continue to help him develop? I hope JR and Gman has seen enough because I know I have.

[TheRumGone]

Meh we tried blitzing a lot when the pass rush failed early in the season. It was exposed big time