Archive: Coaching
Countless misteps led to early exit
Twenty-three months is not enough time to evaluate a head coach, unless he only makes disastrous decisions in that span.
By Anthony Stalter | December 7, 2010; 12:24 PM ET | Comments (1)
Experience trumps genius
Josh McDaniels was hired because he had been tagged a young "genius" working under Bill Belichik. His failures prove once again that experience is paramount in the NFL's coaching ranks.
By Dave Goldberg | December 7, 2010; 11:57 AM ET | Comments (0)
Winning matters
Josh McDaniels made repeated poor personnel decisions, was responsible for a second 'Spygate' and alienated one of the best fanbases in the league. But in the end, it was his inability to win games that sent him packing.
By Leonard Shapiro | December 7, 2010; 11:03 AM ET | Comments (0)
Too many bad decisions
Josh McDaniels repeatedly made bad decisions as head coach of the Denver Broncos. By firing him, the Broncos made a good one.
By Michael Kun | December 7, 2010; 10:40 AM ET | Comments (0)
Futile foursome
Minnesota and Dallas have massively underachieved, but so have the revamped Cincinnati Bengals. Perhaps a "Futile Four" tournament would provide a fitting end to each of their seasons.
By Chris Richardson | November 23, 2010; 01:04 PM ET | Comments (1)
High hopes, blunted expectations
The situations in Dallas and Minnesota both demanded crisis control, which, in this case, resulted in the sacrifice of a head coach to make progress toward a better future.
By Derede McAlpin | November 23, 2010; 10:55 AM ET | Comments (1)
Vikings are biggest loser
The Vikings and Cowboys failed this year for strangely similar reasons, but Minnesota's fall from Super Bowl contender to NFL laughingstock has been the greater surprise
By Richard Boadu & Claude Clayborne | November 23, 2010; 10:42 AM ET | Comments (0)
Inevitable in Minnesota, not so in Big 'D'
The dismissal of Brad Childress in Minnesota was inevitable, but Wade Phillips' firing in Dallas could have been avoided had the Cowboys lived up to their potential.
By Brandon Benson | November 23, 2010; 10:07 AM ET | Comments (0)
Cowboys should have been better
The Cowboys' turnaround since Wade Phillips' firing shows their players quit on their former head coach - and that's downright shameful.
By Doug Farrar | November 23, 2010; 09:18 AM ET | Comments (0)
Deeply disappointing
Both the Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys have been colossal failures this season. The Vikings placed their bet on a 41-year-old quarterback while the Cowboys have failed to live up to their payroll.
By Dawn Knight | November 23, 2010; 01:13 AM ET | Comments (1)
Boys' bigger surprise
The writing was on the wall for the Vikings after everything went their way in 2009. With a roster loaded with talent, the Cowboys' demise is the bigger stunner.
By Anthony Stalter | November 23, 2010; 12:30 AM ET | Comments (0)
Great expectations
Brad Childress became the second head coach to fall victim to unfulfilled expectations on a team picked to challenge for a Super Bowl title.
By Leonard Shapiro | November 23, 2010; 12:00 AM ET | Comments (1)
Which team has been the bigger disappoint?
Which team has been the bigger disappointment this year?
By Reader Poll | November 22, 2010; 11:16 PM ET | Comments (0)
Face it, Cowboys
Having fired their coach following a 1-7 start to the season, the Dallas Cowboys have officially become irrelevant.
By Dawn Knight | November 9, 2010; 04:03 PM ET | Comments (0)
Wade is out but problems remain
Firing Wade Phillips won't solve the problems facing the Dallas Cowboys, but getting a real general manager to replace Jerry Jones just might.
By Robert Littal | November 9, 2010; 02:24 PM ET | Comments (2)
When in crisis, watch your blind side
After a 1-7 start, the reeling Dallas Cowboys face the daunting task of big business crisis management.
By Derede McAlpin | November 9, 2010; 11:27 AM ET | Comments (0)
Victims of the hype machine
The Cowboys are a victim of their own marketing and hype machine.
By Peter Schaffer | November 9, 2010; 11:11 AM ET | Comments (3)
Worst season ever
No matter their final record, the Cowboys are in the midst of the worst season in franchise history.
By Edward Valentine | November 9, 2010; 11:01 AM ET | Comments (1)
Succumbing to the hype
The Cowboys believed all the hype they heard coming into the season and forgot they had to win to make that predicted Super Bowl run a reality.
By Michael Kun | November 9, 2010; 10:29 AM ET | Comments (2)
Blame Jerry
The collapse of the Dallas Cowboys falls on the flash-over-substance personnel decisions made year after year by owner and general manager Jerry Jones.
By Dave Goldberg | November 9, 2010; 10:08 AM ET | Comments (0)
Know when to fold 'em
The Colts still have the potential to make another Super Bowl run, but their coach can't afford to make any more mistakes that might cost them critical division wins.
By Leonard Shapiro | October 5, 2010; 11:04 PM ET | Comments (0)
Colts hurting at DT
Peyton Manning and the Colts are not a franchise on the decline, but their inability to stop the run is taking its toll on their AFC South supremacy.
By Anthony Stalter | October 5, 2010; 10:54 AM ET | Comments (0)
How far will the Colts go?
With an 0-2 start in the AFC South and serious concerns on defense, how far will the Colts go in 2010?
By Reader Poll | October 5, 2010; 09:25 AM ET | Comments (0)
Diggin' the drama
Unlike recent seasons, the Colts' 2-2 start will keep things interesting all season in the AFC South and across the NFL where 2010 has been wide open so far.
By Dawn Knight | October 5, 2010; 09:10 AM ET | Comments (0)
Peyton still a safe bet
Despite an 0-2 start in the division, helped by Jim Caldwell's timeout blunder against the Jaguars, the Colts should turn things around behind the most reliable signal caller in the NFL, Peyton Manning.
By Dave Goldberg | October 5, 2010; 08:38 AM ET | Comments (0)
Timing is everything
One AFC South team is 3-1 because of a prudently timed timeout taken by its coach while another is 2-2 as a result of its coaches timeout blunder.
By Michael Kun | October 5, 2010; 08:10 AM ET | Comments (0)
How will Carroll do as the Seahawks' coach?
Will the former USC Trojan coach see as much success in the NFL as he did in the NCAA? Weigh in...
By Reader Poll | January 11, 2010; 12:41 AM ET | Comments (1)
Front office first
History is rather definitive that coaches, left to their own devices, aren't the best judges of talent.
By David Aldridge | November 9, 2009; 01:38 PM ET | Comments (2)
Harmony is key
Having a strong general manager and a strong head coach who can gel is how you win a Super Bowl.
By Shawn Zobel | November 9, 2009; 01:19 PM ET | Comments (1)
Trade Zorn for Phillips?
Here's a radical solution for the problems in Washington, Dallas and Tennessee: don't fire these head coaches, trade them.
By Sean McCann | October 21, 2009; 12:43 PM ET | Comments (4)
Keep Zorn for Now
The best thing Dan Snyder could possibly do would be to let the 2009 season play out with Zorn still the head coach.
By Leonard Shapiro | October 21, 2009; 12:20 PM ET | Comments (5)
Off With His Head!
Sometimes the gods demand a public execution, whether the official comes from a sports team, Fortune 500 corporation or government.
By Jason Maloni | October 21, 2009; 10:40 AM ET | Comments (1)
Dump Jim Zorn
If I were Dan Synder, I would have put Zorn out of his misery three days ago.
By Sean Moroney | October 21, 2009; 10:29 AM ET | Comments (14)
Why Wait, Dan?
If Dan Snyder has an idea of who he wants to coach the team next year, why not bring that person in now?
By David Aldridge | October 21, 2009; 09:55 AM ET | Comments (10)
It Just Don't Work
For the other three majors, changing coaches midseason is like sending back a meal. In the NFL it's like impeaching the President.
By Emil Steiner | October 21, 2009; 09:55 AM ET | Comments (0)
Interim in Vogue
Firing a coach in midseason isn't giving up the future.
By Dave Goldberg | October 21, 2009; 09:50 AM ET | Comments (0)
Dump Zorn, Keep Fisher
Zorn is getting things taken off his plate -- soon he won't have a plate at all.
By Matt Loede | October 21, 2009; 09:39 AM ET | Comments (2)
Interim Can Work
Bring in a temporary coach -- worst case you have to replace him in February
By David Hill | October 21, 2009; 09:29 AM ET | Comments (1)
Hiding Behind HIPAA
The NFL and individual teams manipulate the injury report policy for their own benefit, then hide behind HIPAA.
By Dr. A. Brion Gardner | September 18, 2009; 07:40 AM ET | Comments (8)
American Gamesmanship
Eric Mangini's little games with the weekly injury report reflect a common practice in the NFL, and show that a $125,000 fine is simply the cost of doing business.
By Michael Oriard | September 18, 2009; 07:28 AM ET | Comments (0)
Coach's Call
One can understand why the Belichick-acolyte might have overlooked Brett Favre's injury.
By Jason Maloni | September 18, 2009; 07:17 AM ET | Comments (1)
Who's Your Quarterback?
Vote on your choice for steadiest signal caller
By Reader Poll | August 31, 2009; 08:52 AM ET | Comments (2)
Guess Who's Back... Back Again
In Green Bay no one seems to care anymore
By Cindy Kagan | August 18, 2009; 04:11 PM ET | Comments (0)
Not Dead, Just Resting
While the feature back is rarer and rarer these days, due to size, the great ones find a way to rise to the top.
By Michael Oriard | August 17, 2009; 07:52 PM ET | Comments (0)
Alive and Well, Obscure
If any runner has a 100-yard day, week one, fans in his city will declare him the feature back.
By Brian Tarcy | August 17, 2009; 07:21 PM ET | Comments (0)
Blame the Draft
While the featured back may not be completely dead, it's getting close.
By Shawn Zobel | August 17, 2009; 06:43 PM ET | Comments (0)
Specialization is the future... and not just at running back
Fantasy football players may shudder at the thought, but rotating backs makes sense for both the team and for the players.
By Rob Rang | August 17, 2009; 11:49 AM ET | Comments (2)
Double Your Durability
The feature back may not be completely dead but the two back system is more popular because of the beating that running backs take in the NFL.
By Jimmy Morris | August 17, 2009; 11:16 AM ET | Comments (0)
Blame Mike Shanahan
Not only can Mike Shanahan be blamed for the downfall of the Denver Broncos, fantasy owners should blame him for ruining the feature back.
By Dan Levy | August 17, 2009; 06:11 AM ET | Comments (0)
Vick Got Lucky
When the worlds of sports and animal-rights activism collide at the team's headquarters in South Philadelphia on Friday, it's clear the Eagles will be prepared.
By Sean McCann | August 14, 2009; 12:18 AM ET | Comments (9)
The NFL's Odd Couple
Strangest pair since Martin Luther King, Jr. and Civil War General Robert E. Lee or Saul Bellow and Josef Mengele.
By Michael Kun | August 11, 2009; 07:38 AM ET | Comments (6)
Is Dungy Too Loyal?
That Dungy agreed to mentor Vick doesn't say much about how far Vick had progressed, only that Dungy saw him as in need of help.
By Joe Baker | August 11, 2009; 07:09 AM ET | Comments (0)
Keep Talking 85
Nothing can stop him from tweeting from the locker room, but a talkative 85 is good for Marvin Lewis and the Bengals.
By Joe Reedy | July 10, 2009; 02:12 PM ET | Comments (1)
Passion of the Chin
His chin, his stare, his passion could motivate a winning season out of the Washington Generals.
By Emil Steiner | May 14, 2009; 12:04 PM ET | Comments (0)
Dont' Forget About JJ
Jimmy Johnson was the brains behind perhaps the greatest turnaround in NFL history, and that's why he's the most coveted retired coach.
By Gene Wang | May 13, 2009; 11:40 AM ET | Comments (1)
It Ain't Me, Babe
I would like to think I have the credentials to be on the list but at 72-years-old I just don't have the stamina to do it anymore.
By Dick Vermeil | May 13, 2009; 09:54 AM ET | Comments (0)
Holmgren Creates Greatness
If the most important position in the NFL is quarterback, the most coveted retired coach should be Mike Holmgren.
By Jeff Nelson | May 13, 2009; 09:13 AM ET | Comments (0)
New Game, New Rules
The NFL may be shifting away from the era of the high-priced, high profile coaches who may soon find themselves filling GM chairs.
By Doug Farrar | May 13, 2009; 08:52 AM ET | Comments (0)
Shanahan in Demand
With Jerry Jones and Daniel Snyder hot on his trail, Mike Shanahan will get the highest bid.
By Les Carpenter | May 13, 2009; 08:29 AM ET | Comments (0)
Learning From College
Overtime is one of the areas in which I believe the NCAA has surged past the NFL in being more fan-friendly and fairer to the teams, themselves.
By Rob Rang | March 20, 2009; 02:12 PM ET | Comments (0)
The Star Treatment
They can be a waste of time for established veterans whose time could be better spent resting, or in some cases healing
By Gene Wang | March 18, 2009; 12:27 PM ET | Comments (0)
Who Gets 6 Months Off?
Do the PR people and the equipment people take six months off? Does the GM take six months off? (okay, that's debatable for many teams.)
By Dan Levy | March 18, 2009; 12:02 PM ET | Comments (1)
Useful in Some Ways
The whole exercise may seem repetitive and boring, but it does get everyone in pre-draft shape.
By Doug Farrar | March 18, 2009; 12:00 PM ET | Comments (0)
