and
it's a name that is very familiar in New England.
Familiar in the NFL guy. Back in the NFL had been
a successful head coach with the Texans but for whatever reason
didn't get a single head, coaching interview,
Bill O'Brien. Chris, that was something you caught wind of
weeks ago.
The Patriots had to keep the cards close to the vest for
a variety of reasons, the Rooney Rule, now applies to
coordinator hires so they had to go through A process and we
end up where we thought we were going to be
with a real actual offensive coordinator with experience
running an offense. Now running the New England offense,
a change that had to be made
by Bill Belichick after last year's failed, experiment with
Matt Patricia. And Joe judge to non-offensive coaches who were
given
the reins primarily Patricia to the New England offense.
Yeah, I think this is a, it's a positive move for the New
England Patriots. And, you know, and for me,
Jones, I think that's a double whammy a kind of covers both
areas here. One, we know they needed, you know, a real
offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien understands how things
are done in New England,
and there's going to be no,
systematic adjustment. And anyway,
and then there's
history with Mac Jones as well. So,
all of that makes sense and yeah, not only. Are you going
to improve your offense with a guy that's been there. Done
that. But you got a guy that's got a relationship with your
starting quarterback. Quarterback who? Hey, took
a step back this year?
Not necessarily because of themselves, but because of
the surrounding issues with the football team and now maybe you
can get him back on the right track here with Bill O'Brien
and, you know, a better offense and a
guy that that knows him and has a relationship.
And Matt Jones particularly frustrated because he had seen
what it was like under Josh McDaniels and it was
a dramatic, dramatic change from McDaniels to Matt Patricia. And
Joe judge and is Vance Joseph. The Cardinals defensive
coordinator said as the Cardinals were preparing to
host the
Patriots on a Monday night late in the season,
Matt Patricia calls an offense. The way a defensive coordinator
would it's a different approach. It's a different
mindset. It is a fundamentally different job running. The
defense is
completely and entirely.
From running the offense, I was talking to somebody over
the weekend about that concept of offensive versus defensive head
coaches. And I'm a big proponent offensive. Coaches
head coaches,
because of that relationship with the quarterback,
but the person I was
speaking to actually, I think
cited something John Lynch. The 49ers GM is said
about the difference between an offensive and defensive head
coach akal. Shanahan, there's a
higher level of proactivity. There's a greater
sense of Attack when you're an offensive coach, when you're
defensive coach, more careful, more conservative make sense.
What's your what's your expertise in football?
It's defending its stopping.
It's not starting, it's stopping
your offense have head. Coach
is the guy that goes is the guy that pushes is the guy that's
aggressive. Typically, typically don't want 10 grand,
but I think it's cute.
You're right? Yep.
No I don't disagree with your thought there. You're right.
This is always worried about risk and reward. And
wait, where am I going to be susceptible? And
if I do this they could do this. And man. Now I give up
a huge play right away where? Yeah, there's just a,
it's a different mindset all together. And I think that
you're not wrong by saying, that traditionally you had
defensive coaches are a little more conservative than
the offensive coaches.
I don't think you're off base with that
and we've had no success with both sides. There depends on
the air.
Arrow of football right now. It does seem like for whatever
reason offensive coaches or you know, have a little advantage
in this era of football for a lot of reasons. But yeah, this
was something that we knew had to be done by the New England
Patriots.
I mean, what we saw last year it was
nothing what we've seen
over the 20 years of
New England, Patriots, football, with Bill. Belichick.
It was a great offense with Charlie Weis when they won
the first three, Super Bowls, it was a great offense with Josh
McDaniels. It was a
Really damn good. One
with Billy O'Brien,
when he took over after Josh McDaniels left. And then, of
course, went back to great when Josh, McDaniels came back. So
yeah, they were hurting and their defense was really good.
The weakness of their team was their offense. As we saw down
the stretch or really the whole year, it couldn't have been
more ordinary. So now hopefully they're going to be able to
lean on that a little bit more.
And that's what they need look.
I don't know how many more years Bill Belichick has
of mediocrity of missed play-offs of no playoff
victories. It was Robert Kraft, the owner of the team who said
last March, he's bothered by the fact that the gone three
years
without a postseason victory.
At some point, something's got to give
you got to prove that you are
a God who can win football games, without Tom. Brady
mean, the numbers are just dramatically different not to
get back to the whole Tom Brady thing but when he had Tom
Brady, the Patriots were a hell of a lot better
than when Bill Belichick hasn't had
Tom. Brady,
so that's
that's the reality for the New England Patriots and I still
can't, I don't understand why Bill O'Brien didn't get
a single
head. Coaching interview a guy who won like four divisions
with the dysfunctional. Texans team, I wrote something last
week about this and I'm trying to remember all the names
I listed
Successful head coaches. Yeah, not guys. Who flamed out after
a year or two successful head coaches. All you wrote
the right? Thank North. Yeah. In this process, right. Bill
O'Brien. GI Jason Garrett, who we got was a coach of the year
and had multiple playoff, appearances and division round
with the
anted to DAC /, you know, besides I saw somebody say on Twitter
Dak Prescott doesn't need to get better, just gets needs to
get back to being the guy who wasn't when he was a rookie.
Well, that was with Jason. Garrett, is the head coach?
That was dark Prescott's best year. Is all is Lizbeth
n******. We're probably yeah, yeah
yeah,
you've got you've got Marvin Lewis, who got the word out
this year? He wants to get back in and not a peep,
not an interview. Frank Reich. We talked about before.
Yeah. Frank Wright. Who really wasn't as successful as
the others and he did get an interview and Jim Caldwell got
an interview, Jim Caldwell is another ones. Like what's wrong
with this picture that a guy
who took a team to a Super Bowl?
A guy who was the best coach the Lions? It. For a very long
time who got thrown overboard because they hired a GM that
wanted to hire Matt Patricia.
Because you know, you get that thing where
a GM and a coach is they're working up the ranks, they
become friends and they decide hey, you know, forever in these
positions we want to work together and it didn't work. In
Detroit.
The New England way, isn't going to work in most places
other than New England, it's just odd. Even Mike Zimmer,
who,
you know, we had multiple playoff appearances, he had
an NFC Championship Game appearance. He doesn't get
an interview either. I would add a minimum Chris This,
I would want to talk to some of these guys who have done it in
a high level to see if there's something that blows me away
about them. And also to glean some personality traits from
them that I may see, or not see
in these Rising coordinators who have yet to show. They can
be a head coach, you know, if I interview a young offensive
coordinator and he reminds me of Bill O'Brien in a good way,
Jason Garrett, whatever if I can, if I can sense. Something
that makes me think this person is going to be
To lead that this person is going to be ready to step into
that bigger job.
That is a much different skill set
it's just it just doesn't make sense to me.
Why these guys didn't at least get consideration
given I heard they have done the job and they've done it. Well
it's I hear you.
It's really hard. There's only 32 of them.
And yeah you look at some and I go damn there's some that are
out there that have been successful, you named a lot of
them and I go he
There's a second chance,
but at the same time, there's also one sitting here
at an inn, you know, assistant villain the NFL, where I go.
Damn, they deserve a chance here at some point. Eric, be
enemy. Wink Martindale. It got other Assistance or you go when
they've done positive things for a long time, and they've
been knocking that. Can
I get a chance at a head coaching job and they don't
ever get a shot? So that's where it's hard. So I it's like
I feel for everybody, and that's why the NFL is brutal.
It's a not fair, a lot of the times and
Yeah, a lot of those guys you talked about their deserve
second chances, they did pretty good in their first chance, let
alone there was some things that if we unpacked some of
their chances there we'd go.
There was some real dysfunction or some issues behind the scene
that they had a deal with and they still did pretty good.
But it's just the nature of the Beast. I don't understand it
either. Mike, it's not fair but there's a lot of qualified
candidates out there that,
you know, deserve a chance and haven't gotten it yet.
And that's where it's really hard.
I mean, if I was the one making the call, I would, I'm not
saying I would definitely hire somebody who has experience as
a head coach, but damn, that would be important for me and
I'd want to talk to multiple candidates who have been head
coaches of NFL teams.
Because if you've done it and you've done it, well
then
chances are you're going to do it? Well for me and oh and this
the other thing too
well we're in the it's the public perception that I don't
feel like really plays into this to, right. That's
the other aspect that I think makes owners chickened out with
the retread.
Guy there. It's just because of oh
you're gonna hire that guy.
They didn't do anything
and you're like, well, they actually way far exceeded
expectations and did great, but because you don't really pay
attention. You're going to start the online. You didn't do
anything
and that's where it's wrong to,
but that's just the nature of the Beast.
I remember the backlash that USC got when they had Pete
Carroll 20 years ago, right? Been more than 20 now. Yeah
they were Relentless because what's Pete? Carroll ever done.
He got fired by the Patriots. You got fired by the Jets.
What's he ever done? Oh God, he's
not going to do anything here.
And he transforms the program
and then he goes to Seattle and he transforms that one.
Here's a point that I was talking to somebody about, as well
as relates to,
when you have a coach that, you know, is a great coach and this
just isn't, you know, run-of-the-mill middle of
the pack. When you Have a coach that, you know, is doing
the job. Well,
That is one huge thing to never have to worry about if your
team is struggling.
It's not. Does my coach not know what he's doing? No,
my coach is good.
I'm not worried about my coach.
I can worry about my left tackle,
I can worry about my Kicker,
I can worry about
my salary cap space,
I don't have to worry about my coach
and that's a huge difference for the people who run the team's,
the GM, the front office people,
if you know, you've got a great coach,
That is a huge burden
that is never carried.
Because when your team isn't getting it done,
you never have to say to yourself.
Is my coach, good enough because, you know, he is,
you know, New England. The issue isn't the head coach.
The issue is other stuff offensive coordinator,
for example, with Bill Belichick and and I think
that's one of the reasons why they're clamoring for Sean
Payton. Once you have a great head coach, you don't have to
worry about whether or not your coach knows how to code.
Ouch, unlike many of these other teams, Chris. Yeah,
that you you get a rising coordinator like the Broncos
did last year and they spent most of the Year asking
themselves does Nathaniel Hackett know how to be a head
coach? Well, yeah, you know, you're
right. And you're spot on. I mean, God,
when we had some examples this weekend, right?
Oh wait, we lost a quarterback. All we lost the backup
quarterback. Oh, we're on the third string or wait, I got
a good damn. Coach will still be good? Oh wait I lost my
Superstar quarterback with a high ankle sprain. Don't worry.
I'm a good damn coach and I've set this team up. Aware?
We can survive and Chad Henne can score on a 98-yard drive,
right here. That's what you're talking about. That's what good
coaches do. They overcome obstacles? They always have
the team believe in working hard, doing all those type of things,
right? And I think
that's kind of what you're speaking of. And if you look at
the top teams in the organ and football, the Baltimore Ravens,
John Harvard, same thing, right? Oh, it quarterback.
Sure, great. We're still going to be competitive and you're
gonna have to fight for like hell to beat us
even with their backup quarterback.
That's what a special The coach can do. He makes
the organization, believe always has the right game plan and
approach according to who's on the field and the injuries and
all that, and I think that's kind of the point you're
speaking. Do there.
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