How bad is Ron Rivera?

[Sean Payton's Vicodin]

So Rivera would have to get to his second job to become a competent HC? Alrighty then.

[KSpan]

Belichick and Carroll were both fired and then had several years (a decade in Pete's case) to learn and grow before becoming an HC again.

[bigjohn]

I don't think Coach Rivera is the best coach in the game.  But I certainly don't think he's the worst.

 

I think you can get better at things like clock management and when to challenge.  I'm not sure you can get better (at this point) at handling people, which to me is what 90% of coaching is all about.

 

George Seifert was probably pretty good as a game time coach, but he sucked at dealing with his players.

 

The players all seem to respect him and want to work hard for him, and I think that is something that cannot be overlooked.

[ecu88]

Duality: Riverboat Ron vs Paddleboat Conservative Ron

If Riverboat Ron is back, we might have a chance.

First step was Ron admitting his mistake:

http://m.espn.go.com/general/blogs/blogpost?blogname=carolina-panthers&id=11217

Now the next step is let Riverboat Ron over take the Floating Turd Ron in decision making and for the future as well. He can be a great coach, just needs to learn how to embrace the 'calculated' risk and success. This is his moment to prove and show that he has learned with this last game against the Falcons.

[EightyNine]

Keep in mind these performances were good enough to get them canned from their first jobs.  

 

This is true, but I bet the people who fired them eventually regretted it..

[MadHatter]

Rivera is not nearly as bad a coach as most on here make him out to be.  His biggest issue is that he gets way too conservative at points during the game and that comes back to bite us in the ass.

 

He just can't help himself.

[cardiackat88.]

He's improving IMO.

Taking a timeout before the half to get the ball back, two won challenges.

[chknwing]

Rivera is not nearly as bad a coach as most on here make him out to be.  His biggest issue is that he gets way too conservative at points during the game and that comes back to bite us in the ass.

 

He just can't help himself.

 

I think this shows a lack of faith in his coaching staff/players.

[KSpan]

Rivera is not nearly as bad a coach as most on here make him out to be.  His biggest issue is that he gets way too conservative at points during the game and that comes back to bite us in the ass.

 

He just can't help himself.

 

That's a pretty fatal flaw though.  The best coaches don't always go against the odds, but they do need to be able to pull the trigger without hesitation when the moment calls for it.  Riverboat was able to do that last year... this team needs that guy back.

[MHS831]

Personally, I hate him as a game manager but you have to pay attention to what is going on right now to judge--

 

This team did not fall apart.  The defense was fixed after an early season meltdown (they are now 14th--they were around 30th at one time). The offensive line is much better, especially in the run game, but Cam is not getting sacked like he was. 

 

Look at the growth we got from the Rookies we drafted--.

Benjamin will be our first 1000-yard WR in some time.

Ealy is showing signs of being a nice ;ate second-round find.

Turner stepped into the RG spot for good about the time the line improved.

Boston has been solid after a late start.

Binwikere has been a stud--I now see why we traded up in the fifth round.

 

THEN there is this group (hats off to Gettlemen and his staff, Rivera and his staff):

Philly Brown is showing major strides as a rookie.  He is a high character guy who will be here for a long time.

Norwell probably just became our left guard.  He and Turner have turned the run game around.

 

If you throw in Remmers, Bersin, Whittaker, etc.  You see how this team has improved based on the improvement of the rookies and players at the bottom of the roster.  It tells me that some coaching is going on.

 

[Khaki Lackey]

This is true, but I bet the people who fired them eventually regretted it..

You beat me to it. Like Cleveland is glad they got rid of Belichick.

[KSpan]

You beat me to it. Like Cleveland is glad they got rid of Belichick.

What's to say he would have figured it out without the 5 years in between the firing and stepping in as NC's HC? He did work under Parcells in NY, so it's not like Belichick was out there with no outside influences.

[unicar15]

Rivera has his moments the problem is that it hasn't been consistent. He by no means deserves to be fired this year but if he keeps Shula and the offense is still inept in the redzone next year then the whole lot should get poo canned.

His biggest problem seems to be he doesn't recognize something that is ineffective. OL, Shula, secondary...personnel decisions took WAY too long to get corrected. Who knows if Shula ever will. Still not impressed with the offense...you have to score TDS to win and we aren't doing that.

[Cyberjag]

Personally, I hate him as a game manager but you have to pay attention to what is going on right now to judge--

 

This team did not fall apart.  The defense was fixed after an early season meltdown (they are now 14th--they were around 30th at one time). The offensive line is much better, especially in the run game, but Cam is not getting sacked like he was. 

 

Look at the growth we got from the Rookies we drafted--.

Benjamin will be our first 1000-yard WR in some time.

Ealy is showing signs of being a nice ;ate second-round find.

Turner stepped into the RG spot for good about the time the line improved.

Boston has been solid after a late start.

Binwikere has been a stud--I now see why we traded up in the fifth round.

 

THEN there is this group (hats off to Gettlemen and his staff, Rivera and his staff):

Philly Brown is showing major strides as a rookie.  He is a high character guy who will be here for a long time.

Norwell probably just became our left guard.  He and Turner have turned the run game around.

 

If you throw in Remmers, Bersin, Whittaker, etc.  You see how this team has improved based on the improvement of the rookies and players at the bottom of the roster.  It tells me that some coaching is going on.

 

There are several aspects to coaching, and this one is overlooked a lot.  Rivera is great at developing talent, and so are his assistants.  So far, he hasn't shown any talent at all for in-depth game preparation, as evidenced by his record when he has more than a week to prepare.  His record at in-game management has had it's ups and downs--if he had coached all year with the same "Riverboat" attitude he had last year, we probably would have beaten Atlanta, and may have beaten Cincy as well.  And I really wish he would develop a "go for the jugular" mentality on offense, and dump Shula.

 

But at the same time, we have Norman, Benekiwere, Brown, Boston, etc... that have flourished under his tutelage.  The team has a young feel to it, and we're in contention for the NFCS title, which would make us the first back-to-back winners.  At the same time, NO is in cap hell, Atlanta has all it's talent concentrated in a few positions and no depth, and Tampa Bay is gonna Lovie.  So while he may not be the best coach out there, he's set up the team for a pretty nice run.