Fox Not To Blame?

I take it back, re: Davidson. Two shit runs to open up the game, and lucking out on a penalty on 3rd down. Hilarious.

Jeff: you're ok to attempt a forward pass on 1st and 10 to open a series. It's legal.

 

Im ready for a change whether Foxy was given appropriate funds or not. Jerry obviously made the decision to start over in 11 clearing house for a new HC.

Fox has had long enough here to assemble a quality team and not rely on so much youth.

But the same problems still remain, dodgy QBs, no #2 WR, wasted 2nd round picks, streaky records and a team that has serious issues about putting 2 halves of football together. Looking at the TE situation in the NFCS makes me wanna puke too. I still miss Mr Walls.

I wish Jerry had the balls to start over with a new HC in the summer when Shannihan was available. I hope he has someone serious in mind next year, a Cowher, Dungy or Shotty possibly?

 

Well, the Darin Gantt's and Steve Reed's of the world all keep saying it will be the next "young assistant".

Then again, Gantt said Smith would be out for 5 weeks about a week ago. They don't always get it right--the media folk.

I don't think it has to be a veteran head coach, but I also don't think all assistants blossom into great HC's.

The big issue with Cowher is not money, it's staffing. His posse is all over the place (Lebeau, Gailey, Capers, April, Mularkey, Whiz, etc.) I don't know if Cowher does this team any better, without the coaching staff he wants, than Fox does with the current staff. Plus--personnel? Defensively. We are, arguably, less suited than any other team in the NFL to transition our defense to a 34. We've built a very good, very capable C2 defense that can get pressure with 4 and take the ball away. Don't fuck with that, I would suggest, since it's the only moving part that works.

Baker is impressive--at least I think. So is Meeks. I would definitely keep them both, and I think Gilhammer deserves a reprieve, since he's got his DB's playing some pretty good ball in this scheme.

If you go big-name, veteran, Gruden would make the most sense. His base defense from Tampa is already installed here. He knows the division well. Many of his associates and assistants from the past would be available. I would be willing to bet he would like to be "VP of FB Ops, along with HC"--and that could be the end of Hurney.

Yet, again, Gantt and Reed both swear that Hurney is like a Panther for-life.

If you go former HC, Gruden would be my pick o' the litter. Say whatever you want about the guy, but he took over an offense that was slapdick, and got it steamrolling into a Super Bowl. He also let his DC run his defense, something the current HC is not doing.

Gru bombed in the playoffs several times, but he won the South in 2002, 2005, 2007. The ONLY concern was the meltdown at in December 2008, but I would say Monte Kiffin, and his utter unprofessionalism, had something to do with that.

 

I like chucky too, more so from the Oakland days if you catch my drift. I actually thought about Foxy hiring Gruden as OC when TB dumped him. I guess he considers himslf HC material but some do it for a year or 2 after getting the axe.

Is Cowher strictly a 3 4 guy?

Gruden would be refreshing for an O guy but I would worry about a QB carousel. We'd need to get him a bonafied starter at QB. Whos up in FA?

 

At least Chucky wouldn't be boring. Neither would Brian Billick.

 

gruden?

45-53 after winning the superbowl with dungy's team. 7-9 and 5-11, an unprecedented 2 year hangover for a superbowl winner. 0-2 in playoff games post superbowl season. 4-12 season won them gaines adams in the draft, another in a long string of draft bombs. qb guru who failed to ever develop any qb at tampa.

i guess we can be entertained by chucky faces on the sideline though.

 

Gilhamer is a Fox boy. He and Skipper are assumed goners IMO.

I honestly think whatever you do you would either want to keep Meeks or build a defensive philosophy that works with what we have...Gruden does fit with that, and he loves our skill guys. But he won't manage our QBs better and that's saying something.

Dungy is the guy I expect the team would get if it's a vet. Shit, we have a coordinator of his. But his problem in TB seems to be what he might have here....two good backs and no pass game.

 

I think the smart thing would be to keep Meeks as DC and hire a good offensive mind to be HC. I am not sure who that guy is but the defense is not broken and I suspect it will always be decent under Meeks. We need a guy who can get the offense working. Clausen may be the future of the franchise so we need someone who can help him develop. We need a guy who can design an offense that involves more than just run on first and second down then throw on third and long.