https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2011/12/07/32-teams-32-observations-week-13/ while: https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2011/12/07/all-pff-team-week-13/ and lastly: https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2011/12/08/offensive-lines-mid-season-report/
Boy, I want to say something like "Can you imagine how good they would be with a good O Line coach?" but that's what Tony was before........ But even my cynical side sees the improvement in the last several games in the O Line play. This is one of those mysteries of life, like when the girl in high school you've been wanting to ask out but afraid to ask because she's simply wonderful and you're not walks up, kisses you, and asks you when you're going to ask her on a date, then turns around and walks off...... Mystifying at best... sort of like the rest of the team. Where did it come from and why did it take so long? OY!!!!!!!
The lockout and this particular offseason, affected teams differently, especially ones that had schematic turnover..I heard a good point the other day, something like because of how Sparano was treated, having his legs cut out from under him like that, the players naturally are not gonna be in the right mindset on their own time, that uncertainty and lack of confidence displayed could of made them complacent, so, it basically took a while for Sparano to win over this team, and for the team to find its unity, under anything but, those type of circumstances this offseason.
I've been saying that we can't blame the lockout for 0-7, but that angle you just said may have me turn the corner on that. So thanks.
yup D, and think about this, our front office situation was more tumultuous than any other program last year..a very unique set of negative circumstances for a coach to coach... if he wins out, it will be seen as a damn good coaching job..
when considering this evaluation of the head coach, some still have it open, some do not, however, if those people are not taking into account what kind of affect playing for a lame duck coach can have on players, especially when there was no offseason to hash things out and create some unity amidst the chaos, I don't believe you are making the evaluation fair and objective..
Granted, it's a small sample size, but Garner's grades are encouraging, and Jerry has performed well in the instances he's been called on this year. I've been critical of their inability to develop offensive linemen into starters, but if this keeps up perhaps we won't need to be so worried about finding some in the draft or FA.
This is the dilemma that Ross is in now. Tony Sparano: Fire him or give him another year.... First he, in effect, fires Sparano (but forgot to tell him to pack his desk up), then after failing to replace him, gives him a obligatory bump to smooth things over, then the lockout happens, an abbreviated FA period that for the first time in decades occurs after the draft, then having to install a new offense in TC rather than in the offseason, flirting with acquiring a journeyman QB and trying to figure how to handle that with Henne, then that falls apart, Moore is acquired but doesn't really have time to compete with Henne since he's learning the offense and his team mates, losing the first few games but playing much better than expected, then Henne goes down and he has to re-install the O with Moore which takes a few games, then to have things come together and have this turnaround. Whether or not they win anymore games, all the flak that this guy has taken, just this season, with this turnaround from where this team was in Sept, is nothing short of amazing. I mean, if this team wins out, you have to consider him for COY... Now, there is a body of work associated with Sparano and you need to look at the other 3 yrs he was here, but even that has caveats...How much did the lack of talent at key positions hold him back. With a sparsely talented team he went 11-5 and won the division, then a couple of mediocre years and then this year where he's done a very good coaching job, despite the record. You can say he hooked onto Henne too long, but was that him or was that Quitcells or Ireland or a combination of all ?? We already know that Ross likes to mingle in the teams business (when he nixed the Orton deal, thank you very much), so did he piddle in there with Henne ?? How much of a negative impact did Quitcells wavering about whether to continue to be involved in the running of the team have on what Sparano was trying to get done ?? You can say that the lack of an elite QB has held this team back, but that's not Sparano's fault. I'd say that the fans are just about 50-50 with Sparano, given the resurgence to date. However, how will one or two more losses affect the fanbase ?? What kind of message does Ross send to the coaching candidates if he cans Sparano after this resurgence, assuming we win at least two more games. And if those are the jests or pasties... It's widely speculated (and I believe in the adage " Where there's smoke, there's fire) that Ross wants a name brand coach. How much hunting is he going to do before he finally tells Sparano to empty his desk ?? Is he going to stick with this group for another year based on this resurgence ?? The guy has some hard thinking to do before he makes any decisions on Sparano and Ireland....
His approval rating is up, and if he keeps winning its deserved.. Just imagine being hung out to dry to your players and not be able to face them, just sit there in embarrassment, all offseason.
Four more games of hard thinking , no need to rush things , we have a quarter of the season left , we stunk the the first 2 quarters , played ok/well the next quarter , let's see how the last 4 gmaes unfold.
