Coaching Matters

[conraddobler]

Jeff Fisher, quality coach, quality coachings staff, Rams 3-2.

It's not about what you players can't do, it's about what they can do, there's always a way to win with ANY NFL caliber team.

Our coaching isn't terrible, no it's not, in fact in places it's quite good, Whiz's attitude, demeanor, all that, quality.

His assitants?

Some good, some bad, some worse.

Our FO isn't terrible, in places it's very good, then it's got weak spots then it's got blindingly terrible spots.

Where to start?

Well the FO is to blame for who we do have they also get credit for guys like Washington, Peterson, Fitzgerald, Docket, Campbell, Williams etc.

The O line..... ok the problem starts with the FO there, this shouldn't be allowed to happen but it has so then what to do?

Well coaching there isn't the strongest, not necessarily the line coaching in terms of telling them what to do or not do or how to play, because sometimes in the NFL you just have to do what these guys apparently can't do but even so you could do things to make things better.

There the problem lies first with the OC.

Ok in training camp the O line problem is probably going to stick out like a sore thumb so then if you were smart you'd say, well this sucks but it is what it is so what DO I have.

I have three good to great WR's, a rookie esq RB and Beanie and Kolb and these TE's and this terrible O line.

I have a sketch FA QB I got and a rookie esq QB that's still raw even if he shouldn't be he is but whatever I have I'd be better off running more, passing less, at least towards balance but my O line just sucks, what can I do there?

At this point it would probably occur to most people that what I should do is focus on teaching these terrible linemen to do a few things very well, screens, draws, play action passing etc.

Teach them to execute flawlessly, teach them to run multiple plays out of a few base formations that best fit what you do have, and that would IMO be what has in fact show to be a good formation for us, double TE max protect formations.

Now those formations are limited for sure, they don't stretch out defenses like you'd like, there's problems with them for sure. The flipside is they allow the most protection, keep your QB clean and you do have three very good WR's that should allow you to do some things even so.

So now you start overhauling your playbook to focus more on that, dump the spread options for the most part and focus on mastering that formation to it's maximum extent, you have to runn multiple options out of it to keep the defense guessing and exploit whatever it is they are trying to do to you.

There were examples last night of very good blocking schemes comming from the Rams that got them some good runs, those kind of things you can teach even bad O linemen to do.

It first starts with who you get to play for you then once that's set, then it's about HOW you play what you have.

My biggest beef with this teams coaching is that they just aren't very good at this aspect of the game, and if they were we'd be a lot better football team than we are.

 

[Catfish]

Jeff Fisher, quality coach, quality coachings staff, Rams 3-2.


Where to start?

Playbook.



So now you start overhauling your playbook to focus more on that, dump the spread options for the most part and focus on mastering that formation to it's maximum extent, you have to runn multiple options out of it to keep the defense guessing and exploit whatever it is they are trying to do to you.


My biggest beef with this teams coaching is that they just aren't very good at this aspect of the game, and if they were we'd be a lot better football team than we are.

Problem is that the playbook is the same as it was when Whiz came here. Each time the scripted plays don't work the OC and the HC start limiting the playbook to a very few simple plays that they figure ANY QB, or OL, or WR, or RB can fathom easily, instead of working on those plays that can make a difference in the game. (An example of this is that we hardly ever call screens or draws until we are in the second half of a game, and the defense is bull-rushing us play after play because we can't protect the QB). This coaching staff stubbornly sticks to its scripted plays and NEVER changes the playbook.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Problem is that the playbook is the same as it was when Whiz came here.

Not a fan of it.

It can work, just not a fan of it.

 

[Catfish]

Not a fan of it.

It can work, just not a fan of it.

It makes no difference if you are a fan of it or not. The best way to slow an all out rush is to successfully complete screen passes and draw plays. We attempt neither until the game is on the line late and they are killing our QB.

Another way is to actually establish the run, so that you can play action out of it. We ran successfully the first two series then quit running all together. That only leads to pass, pass, pass, which gets our QB hammered.

 

[Russ Smith]

To be fair the Rams were decimated by injury last season. They could have made Dave McGinnis the coach and probably improved this year just getting healthier.

But I do think Fisher is a terrific coach.

He outcoached us last night and it looks like they had an excellent draft.

They basically won on 2 plays they made and we blew, gotta make plays to win.

 

[kerouac9]

To be fair the Rams were decimated by injury last season. They could have made Dave McGinnis the coach and probably improved this year just getting healthier.

But I do think Fisher is a terrific coach.

He outcoached us last night and it looks like they had an excellent draft.

They basically won on 2 plays they made and we blew, gotta make plays to win.

They haven't exactly been injury-free so far this year, either.

 

[kerouac9]

To be fair the Rams were decimated by injury last season. They could have made Dave McGinnis the coach and probably improved this year just getting healthier.

But I do think Fisher is a terrific coach.

He outcoached us last night and it looks like they had an excellent draft.

They basically won on 2 plays they made and we blew, gotta make plays to win.

No. You win a game by 7 points, not 14, if it hinged on two plays. Kolb had a bunch of chances early in the game (four or five) to make deep connections that would've kept us in it. The defense kept us in the game for FOUR QUARTERS if the offense under MVP Candidate Kevin Kolb had shown any signs of life or leadership.

 

[THESMEL]

thank you for your insight

Our coaching isn't terrible, no it's not, in fact in places it's quite good, Whiz's attitude, demeanor, all that, quality.

Yes Whiz has a good attitude and demeanor- He listens to nobody outside his circle that he hired and forces his will to pass onto Coaches like Jeff Fisher- Has been the most successful coach in Cards history- He is creative in the pass game and willing to keep pressure on the opposing defenses 2ndary to the very end - pressing them to defend pass after pass after pass -down after down- game after game. We have lost more multiple score leads than many teams ever had.

It still amazes me that opposing defense start in stacked run defense- knowing that the Cardinals will abandon it early and often- until they get a lead in the 4th 1/4. but so far so good 4-1- 10 days off. Graves has provided personell requested- stays out of whiz's business - I surrender to the fact that the Cardinals have no intention of a balanced game plan. They live and die by the pass- no matter how many players get blown up.

Double down and bet on the draw.

 

[Catfish]

To be fair the Rams were decimated by injury last season. They could have made Dave McGinnis the coach and probably improved this year just getting healthier.

But I do think Fisher is a terrific coach.

He outcoached us last night and it looks like they had an excellent draft.

They basically won on 2 plays they made and we blew, gotta make plays to win.

One thing the Rams had last night that we didn't, was that they had BOTH Long and Quinn coming relentlessly off the edges, the whole game. Our defense could not match that intensity, especially with Dockett playing hurt, and little to speak of.

One good thing-----we have about 10 days till we play again, and can sure use the time to prepare for Buffalo and get healed up some. I would really like to find a way to beat at least Buffalo before we have to play San Fran.

 

[cardpa]

Here is the reality, Whiz is at best a little above average Head coach. If he was a above average head coach this team would not be in the predicament it is in now.

The staff is Whiz's to own. There in lies part of the problem. Horton has turned out to be very good. The rest of them are average or less.

When you look at what Harbaugh did in SF his first year and what Fisher is doing in St. Louis his first year it quickly establishes what are very good head coaches. They make the adjustments necessary to get the best performance out of what they have to work with. This is the area where Whiz fails miserably.

Yes Wiz is the head coach with the most wins in franchise history. When you look at who that is compared to and the history of this franchise it did not take that much to become the coach with the most wins.

How many even sniffed a winning record?

I believe the key here is the Michael Bidwill needs to step up and tell Whiz its time to make some changes starting with the OL coach and the OC because who you have chosen so far is not working. He is the only one with the authority to override anything Whiz wants. He is the guy who signs the paychecks. It should also be made known to Whiz that he will not have total input on who the next coaches will be.

 

[Catfish]

Here is the reality, Whiz is at best a little above average Head coach. If he was a above average head coach this team would not be in the predicament it is in now.

The staff is Whiz's to own. There in lies part of the problem. Horton has turned out to be very good. The rest of them are average or less.

When you look at what Harbaugh did in SF his first year and what Fisher is doing in St. Louis his first year it quickly establishes what are very good head coaches. They make the adjustments necessary to get the best performance out of what they have to work with. This is the area where Whiz fails miserably.

Yes Wiz is the head coach with the most wins in franchise history. When you look at who that is compared to and the history of this franchise it did not take that much to become the coach with the most wins.

How many even sniffed a winning record?

I believe the key here is the Michael Bidwill needs to step up and tell Whiz its time to make some changes starting with the OL coach and the OC because who you have chosen so far is not working. He is the only one with the authority to override anything Whiz wants. He is the guy who signs the paychecks. It should also be made known to Whiz that he will not have total input on who the next coaches will be.

cardpa-----you have indeed hit on the real problem I believe. Whiz IS better than nearly all the previous coaches of the Cardinals. That said, with the revenue streams generated by the new stadium, and the corresponding increase in hired talent on the field, we SHOULD have had a much better record than the previous coaches did. With the exception of Coryell, very few of those coaches had any depth of talent to work with at all.

The problem is that Whiz has, (with the exception of Lott, Horton, and Spencer), very mediocre to poor coaching talent that he has secured to go with him. Worse yet, (while he has demanded competition for position, and proven performance, from his players), he has done NO SUCH thing with regard to his coaching staff.

It is very unfortunate that there seems to be virtually no real coaching talent on the offensive side of the ball, and there hasn't been since Whiz came here. (Let's face facts here-----both Whiz and Grimm were passed over in the selection process to replace Cowher). Worse yet, there seems to be NO demand for improvement in the coaches coming from Whiz.

Those who have made changes in their respective units have done so out of their own desire to improve things. Meanwhile, those who are not self starters, have been given a free pass to continue doing the very same things that have led to poor performance from their units. This has been a glaring problem, (especially on the offensive side of the ball), since Whiz' arrival. That remained true on the defense too, until he finally succeeded in landing Horton. Until then, his selections, and (Bidwill's), on the defensive side of the ball were poor at best.

Unless Whiz either cracks the whip on those coaches who are not performing, (or he replaces them), nothing is likely to change. We will continue to come up with decent talent, but not all the coaches will demand the best out of that talent, (nor will there be a great deal of teaching to bring that talent to the surface). The result is what we have seen all along, trying to change the outcome of things by doing the same things (that haven't worked very well), over and over regardless of whether we are addressing technique, scheme, or play calling.

The truly sad part of this, is that most of the fans, and virtually ALL the ownership, are elated at finally have a coach who produced a winning record here. By continuing on this same path, the only way we can become an elite team, is to find another 'Warner' to play QB. The prospect of that is very slim indeed. After all, how many HOF'rs are in the league right now, and of those, how many would be willing to have his career shortened by the beating and battering that Whiz's QB's ALL have to endure, Warner included?

 

[Crazy Canuck]

Here is the reality, Whiz is at best a little above average Head coach. If he was a above average head coach this team would not be in the predicament it is in now.

The staff is Whiz's to own. There in lies part of the problem. Horton has turned out to be very good. The rest of them are average or less.

When you look at what Harbaugh did in SF his first year and what Fisher is doing in St. Louis his first year it quickly establishes what are very good head coaches. They make the adjustments necessary to get the best performance out of what they have to work with. This is the area where Whiz fails miserably.

Yes Wiz is the head coach with the most wins in franchise history. When you look at who that is compared to and the history of this franchise it did not take that much to become the coach with the most wins.

How many even sniffed a winning record?

I believe the key here is the Michael Bidwill needs to step up and tell Whiz its time to make some changes starting with the OL coach and the OC because who you have chosen so far is not working. He is the only one with the authority to override anything Whiz wants. He is the guy who signs the paychecks. It should also be made known to Whiz that he will not have total input on who the next coaches will be.

This is bizarre...

What part of 11 and 3 ... don't you understand?

 

[Crazy Canuck]

cardpa-----you have indeed hit on the real problem I believe. Whiz IS better than nearly all the previous coaches of the Cardinals. That said, with the revenue streams generated by the new stadium, and the corresponding increase in hired talent on the field, we SHOULD have had a much better record than the previous coaches did. With the exception of Coryell, very few of those coaches had any depth of talent to work with at all.

The problem is that Whiz has, (with the exception of Lott, Horton, and Spencer), very mediocre to poor coaching talent that he has secured to go with him. Worse yet, (while he has demanded competition for position, and proven performance, from his players), he has done NO SUCH thing with regard to his coaching staff.

It is very unfortunate that there seems to be virtually no real coaching talent on the offensive side of the ball, and there hasn't been since Whiz came here. (Let's face facts here-----both Whiz and Grimm were passed over in the selection process to replace Cowher). Worse yet, there seems to be NO demand for improvement in the coaches coming from Whiz.

Those who have made changes in their respective units have done so out of their own desire to improve things. Meanwhile, those who are not self starters, have been given a free pass to continue doing the very same things that have led to poor performance from their units. This has been a glaring problem, (especially on the offensive side of the ball), since Whiz' arrival. That remained true on the defense too, until he finally succeeded in landing Horton. Until then, his selections, and (Bidwill's), on the defensive side of the ball were poor at best.

Unless Whiz either cracks the whip on those coaches who are not performing, (or he replaces them), nothing is likely to change. We will continue to come up with decent talent, but not all the coaches will demand the best out of that talent, (nor will there be a great deal of teaching to bring that talent to the surface). The result is what we have seen all along, trying to change the outcome of things by doing the same things (that haven't worked very well), over and over regardless of whether we are addressing technique, scheme, or play calling.

The truly sad part of this, is that most of the fans, and virtually ALL the ownership, are elated at finally have a coach who produced a winning record here. By continuing on this same path, the only way we can become an elite team, is to find another 'Warner' to play QB. The prospect of that is very slim indeed. After all, how many HOF'rs are in the league right now, and of those, how many would be willing to have his career shortened by the beating and battering that Whiz's QB's ALL have to endure, Warner included?

Very well put...

But, where is the evidence other than your imagination that supports this contention, after contention?

We have in fact had several coaches sacked and new one's hired over the Whiz years. Do a little research, you'll see.

 

[Bodha]

I agree



But players matter more. Players make plays. Players make the on field decisions. Players throw picks. Players make picks.



The coaches value is his ability (or lackthereof) to communicate his mind to his players.

Horton - took some time, but the D he had in his brain has set itself upon our defensive 11. They UNDERSTAND. Thats invaluable.

Miller - Im sure in his brain, hes got this amazing offense. But the real life O doesnt fit or grasp what is on his mind because hes failing at communicating it.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

I agree



But players matter more. Players make plays. Players make the on field decisions. Players throw picks. Players make picks.



The coaches value is his ability (or lackthereof) to communicate his mind to his players.

Horton - took some time, but the D he had in his brain has set itself upon our defensive 11. They UNDERSTAND. Thats invaluable.

Miller - Im sure in his brain, hes got this amazing offense. But the real life O doesnt fit or grasp what is on his mind because hes failing at communicating it.[/QUOTE]

I doubt that a failure in communication. It's a failure to execute.

 

[Bodha]

I doubt that a failure in communication. It's a failure to execute.

Is there really a difference?

After the failure to execute what happens - go to the sideline and they say "Next time you shouldve..."

Odds are theyve had that conversation many times. And thats what practice is for. But I agree the players, like I said, have to make the plays.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

Is there really a difference?

After the failure to execute what happens - go to the sideline and they say "Next time you shouldve..."

Odds are theyve had that conversation many times. And thats what practice is for. But I agree the players, like I said, have to make the plays.

Yes... there is.

 

[Catfish]

Very well put...

But, where is the evidence other than your imagination that supports this contention, after contention?

We have in fact had several coaches sacked and new one's hired over the Whiz years. Do a little research, you'll see.

OK-----

1. Even when Warner was here, the offensive line was mediocre to poor at best. It NEVER got better. It was Warner's ability to make pre-snap reads and then quick progression reads that allowed him to get rid of the ball quickly enough to beat the pass rush most of the time. He still got beat up regularly, and finally decided "no more" despite the fact that he had another year on his contract. That O-line is still the weakest part of our offense.

2. If you would have 'read' my full post, you'd have seen that I acknowledged that Whiz sacked a number of coaches. Our defense was not exactly all peaches and cream before he found Horton. Remember though, that most of the coaches he brought in were failures also. How many DC's did we go through before we found Horton.

3. The MOST successful OC we have had was hired away to become a HC. Granted, more of that success was probably due to Warner than to Haley, but the fact remains that not one of our OC's has been more successful than Haley was while he was here. Whiz hired all of them.

4. Yes, we are 11 and 3 since Hortons defensive players learned his scheme, but suppose they had just played mediocre. How many wins would Skelton and Kolb have given us over that same span. The overwhelming number of those games were won by just a few points. Our offense could not have competed had the defense given up average NFL points.

SO-----

Yes, I contend that Whiz' coaches are mediocre at best (save for Lott, Horton, and Spencer). None of them, not the O-line, the TE's, the RB's, and even the QB's, (Warner excluded), have ever been better than mediocre here. They just don't get a lot better over time, although the jury is still out on Kolb at this point. Why is it that only the defensive players seem to be doing better now? It is definitely due to Horton, as none of Whiz' other hires have made any vast improvements to our defense. Horton either made the difference, (or he got his coaches to make the difference in our defense). That simply has not happened on offense.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

OK-----

1. Even when Warner was here, the offensive line was mediocre to poor at best. It NEVER got better. It was Warner's ability to make pre-snap reads and then quick progression reads that allowed him to get rid of the ball quickly enough to beat the pass rush most of the time. He still got beat up regularly, and finally decided "no more" despite the fact that he had another year on his contract. That O-line is still the weakest part of our offense.

2. If you would have 'read' my full post, you'd have seen that I acknowledged that Whiz sacked a number of coaches. Our defense was not exactly all peaches and cream before he found Horton. Remember though, that most of the coaches he brought in were failures also. How many DC's did we go through before we found Horton.

3. The MOST successful OC we have had was hired away to become a HC. Granted, more of that success was probably due to Warner than to Haley, but the fact remains that not one of our OC's has been more successful than Haley was while he was here. Whiz hired all of them.

4. Yes, we are 11 and 3 since Hortons defensive players learned his scheme, but suppose they had just played mediocre. How many wins would Skelton and Kolb have given us over that same span. The overwhelming number of those games were won by just a few points. Our offense could not have competed had the defense given up average NFL points.

SO-----

Yes, I contend that Whiz' coaches are mediocre at best (save for Lott, Horton, and Spencer). None of them, not the O-line, the TE's, the RB's, and even the QB's, (Warner excluded), have ever been better than mediocre here. They just don't get a lot better over time, although the jury is still out on Kolb at this point. Why is it that only the defensive players seem to be doing better now? It is definitely due to Horton, as none of Whiz' other hires have made any vast improvements to our defense. Horton either made the difference, (or he got his coaches to make the difference in our defense). That simply has not happened on offense.

You can't make chicken salad out of chicken droppings.

I contend that the coaches on 'O' are not the problem per se. The issue is one of talent and execution specific to the O-line. We would be measurably better off at this point with LEVI at left tackle and a vet like Bridges on the right side.. Baptiste is a jouneyman and virtual rookie on one side and Massie is facing off for the very first time against everyone he meets this season.

Coaching can only do so much, the player has to execute to the level of his ability.

Now, we can discuss the why's of offseason decisons and do the 'blame game' around that, but, Lord knows, that to has been beat to death.

 

[Cheesebeef]

You can't make chicken salad out of chicken droppings.

I contend that the coaches on 'O' are not the problem per se. The issue is one of talent and execution specific to the O-line. We would be measurably better off at this point with LEVI at left tackle and a vet like Bridges on the right side..

here's my issue with this tho... Levi would be an upgrade at LT, but a huge upgrade? He was still pretty bad the first half of last season and was mediocre the last eight games. Who's to say he continues playing as well as he did for the last eight games, as opposed to how bad he'd been the previous 70? And as for Bridges... he a) couldn't even beat out a horrendous starter at RT last season and before he was injured, he was STILL playing behind Batiste.

Baptiste is a jouneyman and virtual rookie on one side and Massie is facing off for the very first time against everyone he meets this season.

Coaching can only do so much, the player has to execute to the level of his ability.

Now, we can discuss the why's of offseason decisons and do the 'blame game' around that, but, Lord knows, that to has been beat to death.

lol... you're always one to knock people for the blame game before the games start because speculating on how bad something on this team is going to behas no basis in fact... telling people they should wait and see before they comment... yet now that we've waited and saw... those people shouldn't comment on who's to blame because they've already talked about it? under that logic, no one should ever criticize anyone on this team EVER because if they do it before games start, they have no basis for doing so and if they do it after seeing the games, they've already been there.

that's comical... almost as comical as you beating your chest after week 2 mocking people who feared this was going to be one of the worst O-lines in history.

 

[AzStevenCal]

here's my issue with this tho... Levi would be an upgrade at LT, but a huge upgrade? He was still pretty bad the first half of last season and was mediocre the last eight games. Who's to say he continues playing as well as he did for the last eight games, as opposed to how bad he'd been the previous 70? And as for Bridges... he a) couldn't even beat out a horrendous starter at RT last season and before he was injured, he was STILL playing behind Batiste.

Oh yeah, I think he'd be a huge upgrade at LT. I agree with your assessment of Levi's play but this year is showing us there is bad and then there is BAD. I think we all know what Batiste is. Also, even if he did little to improve the protection, Levi would make a huge difference in the run game.

Steve

 

[Cheesebeef]

Oh yeah, I think he'd be a huge upgrade at LT. I agree with your assessment of Levi's play but this year is showing us there is bad and then there is BAD. I think we all know what Batiste is. Also, even if he did little to improve the protection, Levi would make a huge difference in the run game.

Steve

the point about the run game is a good one.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

here's my issue with this tho... Levi would be an upgrade at LT, but a huge upgrade? He was still pretty bad the first half of last season and was mediocre the last eight games. Who's to say he continues playing as well as he did for the last eight games, as opposed to how bad he'd been the previous 70? And as for Bridges... he a) couldn't even beat out a horrendous starter at RT last season and before he was injured, he was STILL playing behind Batiste.



lol... you're always one to knock people for the blame game before the games start because speculating on how bad something on this team is going to behas no basis in fact... telling people they should wait and see before they comment... yet now that we've waited and saw... those people shouldn't comment on who's to blame because they've already talked about it? under that logic, no one should ever criticize anyone on this team EVER because if they do it before games start, they have no basis for doing so and if they do it after seeing the games, they've already been there.

that's comical... almost as comical as you beating your chest after week 2 mocking people who feared this was going to be one of the worst O-lines in history.

On the evidence over the past two weeks, posters could certainly say that this is, 'the worst O-line in history'. That evidence was certainly not in after week two, and who knows how they'll play next week and the weeks to come. Comical that you can't understand the distinction.

 

[cardpa]

There have been some pretty interesting posts since I last posted on this thread. A lot of good comments and points.

I think What I was trying to say is at this point we have what we have on offense. You can argue that the talent is lacking and it is a valid point.

As a coach what is it you need to contribute to make the talent better? You need to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of the players you are coaching and develop a method to improve them. Let's say for example most would agree that Levi's strength is run blocking, pass blocking not so much. So you look at his pass blocking techniques and analyze what his problems are in pass blocking. Does he have problems sliding laterally to his left or right? Is he slow off the snap? Is his punch ineffective? Etc. Etc. Now what can you do to make these weaknesses better? If you can't make them any better how do I cover them up? This is what it seems many of the coaches on the offensive side of the ball lack.

Watch the last two games and you see the same problems snap after snap. Everything is stagnant and nothing changes or gets better. Yes Whiz has gone through a litany of coaches on the offensive side save Grimm. What does that tell you about Whiz's ability to select coaches. I think most would agree that Whiz has had almost total freedom to pick the coaches he deems best to fit what he is trying to do and that in itself may be part of the problem.

All I want to see is incremental improvement week after week. All I see is the same with no improvement whatsoever. May be the problem is all the offensive coaches are off doing their own thing and there is limited coordination amongst them. What is wrong with Grimm going tot the Miller and saying look we just have to give Massie help with a chip because he just can't handle the wide rush no matter what we try to do with him. Maybe the Offensive coaching staff is dis-jointed and that contributes to the offensive woes. These are just guesses on my part but there is certainly something wrong on the offensive side of the ball.

The defense seems to have their collective brains together and have developed a fluid chemistry. Maybe Horton is better at communicating with the defensive coaches and Miller is not. The bottom line is there is a breakdown and I just have a hard time believing its simply talent.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

There have been some pretty interesting posts since I last posted on this thread. A lot of good comments and points.

I think What I was trying to say is at this point we have what we have on offense. You can argue that the talent is lacking and it is a valid point.

As a coach what is it you need to contribute to make the talent better? You need to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of the players you are coaching and develop a method to improve them. Let's say for example most would agree that Levi's strength is run blocking, pass blocking not so much. So you look at his pass blocking techniques and analyze what his problems are in pass blocking. Does he have problems sliding laterally to his left or right? Is he slow off the snap? Is his punch ineffective? Etc. Etc. Now what can you do to make these weaknesses better? If you can't make them any better how do I cover them up? This is what it seems many of the coaches on the offensive side of the ball lack.

Watch the last two games and you see the same problems snap after snap. Everything is stagnant and nothing changes or gets better. Yes Whiz has gone through a litany of coaches on the offensive side save Grimm. What does that tell you about Whiz's ability to select coaches. I think most would agree that Whiz has had almost total freedom to pick the coaches he deems best to fit what he is trying to do and that in itself may be part of the problem.

All I want to see is incremental improvement week after week. All I see is the same with no improvement whatsoever. May be the problem is all the offensive coaches are off doing their own thing and there is limited coordination amongst them. What is wrong with Grimm going tot the Miller and saying look we just have to give Massie help with a chip because he just can't handle the wide rush no matter what we try to do with him. Maybe the Offensive coaching staff is dis-jointed and that contributes to the offensive woes. These are just guesses on my part but there is certainly something wrong on the offensive side of the ball.

The defense seems to have their collective brains together and have developed a fluid chemistry. Maybe Horton is better at communicating with the defensive coaches and Miller is not. The bottom line is there is a breakdown and I just have a hard time believing its simply talent.

Good points, and well argued.