Post by spiderfan on Dec 22, 2021 15:28:14 GMT -8
Belated column to Week 15 lasting nearly a whole week SCtoC! It is I, Spiderfan the official NFL analyst of this great forum. Without any further delay, let us begin!
Who ever is the owner of white sedan, you left your lights on
Above is a G rated version of why Urban Meyer was fired as the HC of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Sure, his offensive coaching staff was leaking to anyone and everyone who would listen about how Urban told them they sucked (which when you remember that multiple failed unpopular Seahawks OCs are on the Jaguars offensive coaching staff, Urban's point is accurate) and yes Trevor Lawrence got mad that Urban benched starting RB James Robinson because Robinson fumbled, but those didn't get Urban fired. In fact, Jaguars owner Shad Khan had more or less stated that Urban would not be fired, at least not during the season. Considering the winnable games that the Jaguars had coming up, it seemed to me that Urban would survive and hire a new offensive coaching staff.
And then former Jaguars K Josh Lambo came out in an interview (which for the record can I ask who wants to give an interview to a random free agent kicker) and said that (allegedly) during the preseason Urban kicked him and then said some mean things that I can't repeat on this family friendly forum thus the G rated Spongebob analogy above.
As someone who was very high on the Jaguars hire of Urban Meyer and thought that he would succeed as a NFL coach, I will eat my platter of crow. But, after eating said platter of crow, I want to give my take on why Urban failed as a NFL HC.
You'll often hear that the job of a NFL HC is to manage personalities. This requires getting along with both players and assistant coaches. You'll often hear that NFL is all about "next man up", which is not the case unless you are a VERY VERY well run and well built team. THAT is the difference between the NFL and college football. College football is more transient than the NFL from a team building standpoint. You don't like how the coach is treating you? You transfer. If you are an assistant coach who feels like he is being yelled at too much? You leave for another assistant coaching job because unlike the NFL you can move from school to school as an assistant coach. Your starting running back fumbled? Forget him, there is another 5 star RB waiting to take his place.
In the NFL that 53 man roster is more or less static. Unless another team decides to hire one of your coordinators to be a HC or unless you let one of your lower level assistant coaches become a coordinator, your coaching staff is static. If you want to succeed as a NFL HC you HAVE to get along with people. And it isn't just limited to college coaches who tried the NFL like Urban Meyer. Arguably, the greatest OC of all time Josh McDaniels did not even last 2 seasons as a NFL HC because of his lack of personality management.
Let the Urban Meyer era in Jacksonville be a reminder to everyone. Kick footballs. Not people.
Analytics are a double edged sword
I personally am a believer of analytics in football. I think it has made the game more interesting and made front offices and coaches more open minded about how to approach the game. The trick with analytics specifically going for it on 4th down, is that there are times you will convert, continue drives, chew clock, or score points. There are times that based on the percentages you won't make it and cost yourself the game. I'm reminded of when the Houston Rockets in the NBA did "Moreyball" and took 3 point shots at every possible opportunity. There were stretches, whole games, a run of games where they would appear to be unbeatable. Other times? They were VERY beatable. They didn't win a NBA Finals for a reason.
The Los Angeles Chargers lost themselves the game against the Chiefs because of a repeated notion of going for it on 4th and goal. They came up with no points and instead of kicking FGs which would have ultimately given the Chargers the lead, they lost in overtime. It's a lesson that especially early in the game, maybe going for it isn't the best idea. Especially, against a good to really good team.
That doesn't mean don't go for it EVER
The Patriots were down 20 to the Colts due to a combination of turnovers and poor defensive play. They were coming back in the 4th quarter when down 20-7 early in the 4th quarter, the Patriots decided to go for it inside FG range and they made it. That decision made sense because the Patriots needed TDs, although there was still plenty of time left with it being EARLY key word EARLY in the 4th quarter, a FG would not have necessarily been the worst thing in the world. The Patriots then got inside the 10 yard line MIDWAY through the 4th quarter and the Patriots decide to kick the FG.
The Patriots chewed up more clock in the 4th quarter so that they could do the conservative thing? After already passing up a chance for a FG with more time on the clock? Mind boggling. Especially when you consider they would score a TD on their next possession and the score would be 20-17. Had they gone for it and gotten a TD, they would have had the lead and even if they failed to convert it would still have been a one possession game after their subsequent TD drive at 20-14.
The Colts might actually make the playoffs now. The NFL just wants me to eat platters of crow don't they?
Yep. They do. (For context I said that the after the Packers loss, the Cardinals would collapse like the Steelers did last year)
Other thoughts:
-Don't read too much into the Saints win against the Buccaneers. The Buccaneers had no offensive weapons outside of Gronk, and the Saints offense barely scored 9 points. If the Saints do make the playoffs, they'll be a one and done.
-Having a kicker is important. Just ask the Panthers.
-I wrong about the Titans, without Derrick Henry they are disaster waiting to happen. Maybe, they should have kept Adrian Peterson and given more of a shot than they did. Just saying.
-Trevor Lawrence is going to end up getting Darrell Bevell the head coaching job of the Jaguars and just like when the Browns tried it (when Baker wanted Kitchens to be the HC), failure is what will happen.
-Wouldn't ya know it, running the ball is good idea! Took long enough for Cowboys OC Kellen Moore to figure that one out.
-Congrats to the Dolphins for getting themselves back firmly in the playoff hunt with their 6th straight win!
-Get well soon Teddy Bridgewater!
-The Ravens are going to cost themselves a playoff spot because they went for the win TWICE this season and failed both times. As I said in my Week 13 column, NEVER GO FOR THE WIN!
-While the final score surprises me, did anyone think that the Browns would actually beat the Raiders?
-Ryan Day can't come to the Bears soon enough.
-While final score doesn't surprise me, did anyone think that the The Artists Formerly Known As Redskins would beat the Eagles?
-I refer you to my Week 12 column for my thoughts on the Seahawks.
And that is all for this week's Web of Football folks. I know it is way later than it usually is, but I hope ya managed to find some enjoyment out of it and I hope to see ya again next week. This is spiderfan out.
