The Buddy Ryan method

[Mr. Scot]

Back in the late 80s/early 90s when he was coaching the Philadelphia Eagles, the late Buddy Ryan summed up his philosophy of how to win games in pretty simple terms.

Ryan believed all that he needed was for dynamic quarterback Randall Cunningham to make one or two big plays a game and his dominating defense would take care of the rest.

Did it work?

Three of Ryan's five seasons coaching the Eagles finished with ten or more wins, but all three playoff appearances were one and done.

So...Sort of.

In spite of his overall successful record, after the third playoff loss the Eagles fired Ryan. He would later finish his football career coaching the Arizona Cardinals in 1995, a season that would include an embarrassing loss to the expansion Carolina Panthers.

Ron Rivera wouldn't join the Eagles staff till several years after Ryan's tenure, but Ryan was a coach and a mentor to Rivera during his time with the Bears.

Fast forward to today, and some folks see some similarities between Ryan's approach with Randall Cunningham and Rivera's method with Cam Newton.

So in light of that, two questions...

Do you believe Rivera is using the same philosophy that Ryan did?

If so, is this genuinely a philosophy that can lead to sustained success?

[t96]

I don't think that's what Rivera's doing at all Scot, I think you're completely off on this one.

[carolinajay]

14 minutes ago, Mr. Scot said:

Three of Ryan's five seasons coaching the Eagles finished with ten or more wins, but all three playoff appearances were one and done.

To be fair. They dealt with the death of Jerome Brown one season and played in a playoff game that shouldn't have been played (Fog Bowl).

16 minutes ago, Mr. Scot said:

Do you believe Rivera is using the same philosophy that Ryan did?

No.

[Mr. Scot]

2 minutes ago, thomas96 said:

I don't think that's what Rivera's doing at all Scot, I think you're completely off on this one.

Didn't say. I asked a question.

To amend the question though, even if you don't believe he's doing so consciously, is that what we've morphed into?

 

[Byrdman4real]

Only 2 big plays? Not how shula call plays. For example, 3rd and 3 and Shula calls a fly route.

[Eazy-E]

No. I also don't even know if Rivera could tell you his strategy for winning football games. How to blow leads in the second half on the other hand... He can tell you all about that.

[Mr. Scot]

5 minutes ago, carolinajay said:

To be fair. They dealt with the death of Jerome Brown one season and played in a playoff game that shouldn't have been played (Fog Bowl).

I remember that game well.

Ryan was pissed about that for years.

[carolinajay]

5 minutes ago, Mr. Scot said:

I remember that game well.

Ryan was pissed about that for years.

I would be pissed too. That game was before my time but looking at the highlights and the conditions of that game it should have never been played. That could have been Ryan's year.

[Mr. Scot]

3 minutes ago, carolinajay said:

I would be pissed too. That game was before my time but looking at the highlights and the conditions of that game it should have never been played. That could have been Ryan's year.

I blame Roger Goodell.

[outlaw4]

I'd say that our offense is overly dependent on big plays to succeed. Biggest case in point: Ted Ginn. He had 10 TD's last season. Right now, zero. Defensively, hard to say they are dominating anyone. At the least, the game changing turnovers in our favor haven't been there for us.

[Mr. Scot]

2 minutes ago, outlaw4 said:

I'd say that our offense is overly dependent on big plays to succeed. Biggest case in point: Ted Ginn. He had 10 TD's last season. Right now, zero. Defensively, hard to say they are dominating anyone. At the least, the game changing turnovers in our favor haven't been there for us.

Would you chalk that up to dependence on Cam or is that just the nature of the Coryell offense we run?

[outlaw4]

10 minutes ago, Mr. Scot said:

Would you chalk that up to dependence on Cam or is that just the nature of the Coryell offense we run?

When you have a huge man with a rocket arm that can also run, then you tend to dip into that well. Problem is that it only works if you give him the time. I said it in another thread but from a pass perspective, you have to see Cam as a Drew Bledsoe. Big pass plays have to come from the pocket.

[ThPantherFan]

1 hour ago, Byrdman4real said:

Only 2 big plays? Not how shula call plays. For example, 3rd and 3 and Shula calls a fly route.

Fire shula.

[Mr. Scot]

9 minutes ago, ThPantherFan said:

Fire shula.

Has anybody ever suggested that before?