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Thomas Brown - A Closer Look (via The Athletic)

Bear Hands

By Bear Hands,
in Carolina Panthers

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Bear Hands Grand Master

Bear Hands

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Thought this was thread worthy since questions keep coming up and the main OC thread is pretty large.  Jordan Rodrigue, who many should remember well from her time here, has been a Rams reporter for a few years so has some great info on both sides here.  

Sidebar: Usually when I link the Athletic, have to remind people it's like $1/mth if you wanna subscribe.  It's totally worth it IMO.

https://theathletic.com/4222452/2023/02/18/panthers-offensive-coordinator-thomas-brown/

What does Thomas Brown bring?

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It sounds like both sides — the Panthers and Brown — are so fired up about this hire. There has been a lot of rumbling about Brown since his first season in L.A. in 2020, and that has only grown. Brown is a direct, confident and personable leader whose ability to connect with players and coaches alike has really set him apart.

Brown has had several offensive coordinator interviews over the past two seasons and even a few head-coaching looks. Because McVay usually hires external candidates for his coordinator roles, however, Brown was not promoted with the Rams.

McVay has been outspoken about how much he has leaned on Brown’s honesty, insight and knowledge over the years, and he made Brown the assistant head coach entering 2021. What McVay also held in high regard was Brown’s ability as a teacher.

On what his experience working with McVay could bring in:

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Some might think the “McVay” connection automatically means Brown will call games and design an offense that is all “McVay” fingerprints. But Brown holds certain football philosophies that make him a great fit for the moment the NFL is in. For example, in part because of what McVay’s offense did to change the NFL’s trending passing game, defenses have also changed toward stopping the pass first. That means we’re seeing more zone and “match” zone, mixed coverages and shell defenses behind lighter boxes (including what the Panthers are about to install). To beat it, offenses have to accept small pieces of yardage and have the patience and discipline to commit to that, knowing the opposing defense is trying to make the looks muddy enough to where the quarterback messes up or the play caller takes a shot downfield at the wrong time.

Brown believes a play caller has to remove all ego and find a balance between multiplicity and discipline. In regards to how he calls games, he has said to me before, and I’m paraphrasing slightly, “I don’t care if it takes me 10 plays to kill your defense or one play — the point is to kill your defense.” That means being more physical than the other guys at the point of attack, disciplined in the run-pass balance when the situation calls for it and taking shots when it hurts the most — somewhat different from McVay’s pass-first approach (though by no means underutilizing the pass).

By the way, that ethos is why the 49ers have had the Rams’ number in recent years. It wouldn’t surprise me to see Brown borrow a little nastiness from Kyle Shanahan in that regard. And speaking of borrowing/collaborating on ideas, this staff is the talk of the town right now. What do you make of its chemistry?

Some more...

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In reporting an in-depth feature on Brown last year, I talked to a lot of NFL executives around the league and a lot of people connected to the league office, and they all believed Brown will be a head coach before he’s 40 and that when he gets the job, he’ll be there for a decade. That’s high praise for someone still so relatively young, but it speaks to how highly people think of him. That’s a “champagne problem” the Rams have struggled with for a few years — McVay’s coordinators have usually been hired away from him quickly for head-coaching jobs, but it means that coordinator has done a great job. The Panthers can hope Brown excels with them and that his eventual replacement is also on the staff.

Between Brown & Evero, we have a really cool staff in place on both sides of the ball.  

Capers guiding Evero, Caldwll guiding Brown with Reich leading the ship.  I wouldn't look past how critical Tabor is.  And Reich lived true to his word--really no experience with either Evero or Brown.  Really going outside the box for the up and comers.

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Bear Hands Grand Master

Bear Hands

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1 minute ago, ForJimmy said:

Having Evero and Brown scheming at each other during practice will only make them better too. Very excited about this staff!

Right?

Evero w/Dom vs. Brown w/Caldwell & Staley

We not only we got both of them, but they know each other from peak McVay Rams. 

I can see their weekly dynamic & practices hitting right off the bat and is really fascinating.  The concepts both are bringing are the top trending and at league forefront right now.  

You've got aspects of LAR (the non-QB depleted version), Detroit & Philly on offense

Shades of Fangio on defense. 

If we can find a QB to carry this with just a few more weapons, this could be fun.   

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Jon Snow Grand Master

Jon Snow

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2 minutes ago, Bear Hands said:

Right?

Evero w/Dom vs. Brown w/Caldwell & Staley

We not only we got both of them, but they know each other from peak McVay Rams. 

I can see their weekly dynamic & practices hitting right off the bat and is really fascinating.  The concepts both are bringing are the top trending and at league forefront right now.  

You've got aspects of LAR (the non-QB depleted version), Detroit & Philly on offense

Shades of Fangio on defense. 

If we can find a QB to carry this with just a few more weapons, this could be fun.   

It sure is one hell of a better start than with that other guy that I refuse to call by name. 

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Jackie Lee Grand Master

Jackie Lee

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22 minutes ago, Bear Hands said:

LOVE the part about out matching the defense from a physical standpoint.  "Kill the defense" sounds like a fun philosophy.  

Interesting that she compares his philosophy closer to what the 49ers are doing currently vs the Rams. Makes total sense for us having a good run game but needing to get more aggressive/creative in the pass game. 

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Bear Hands Grand Master

Bear Hands

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The cool thing as well is this staff seems to derive from a few great modern NFL units:

Harbaugh/Fangio's early 2010's Niners (NFC Champs, lost SB)

Sean McVay/Staley/O'Connell Rams (multiple NFC Champs, lost & won SBs)

and of course the Pederson/Reich/Schwartz Eagles (Won SB)

These guys have quality history, this by all means should be a quality team.  Hard to believe these guys can't coach up the team we already have.  Doesn't factor in who we will even bring in at QB yet.  Exciting stuff.

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Bear Hands Grand Master

Bear Hands

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Just now, Khyber53 said:

Makes me wonder what he'd give to have CMC back... or does he prefer a more smash-mouth type runner?

I would personally love to get our future at running back for the next 4-5 years in this draft.  That's all the years I'd expect with modern RB shelf life, but it seems like a prudent add.    

Foreman played admirably so don't mind re-signing, but Kendre Miller would fit the bill a lot in that respect.

But also think about the complimentary role, you want to game breaker.  A guy like Tyjae Spears, Devon Achane, or Israel Abanikanda would perfectly compliment Foreman.  

This RB class is STACKED.  

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