Our inability for the second or third time this season not to make an easy interception which would have iced the game got me thinking. Our players do not make the key play. I think back to Ted Ginn not catching the pass in the end zone against the Colts last year, to the drops on key third downs this year. The difference between being a winning and losing team in the NFL is very small. So why do some team seem to get all the luck while others end up on the short side of the stick? Why do players that never made key plays start making them when they go to different team? I believe the "confidence" to make a play in a key time comes from the coach. It seems that it doesn't matter who the player is, players on certain teams will more often than not make the key play when necessary. My list (in no particular order) of those teams is as follows: New England Pittsburgh Baltimore New York Giants New York Jets (since Ryan became coach) New Orleans Atlanta (especially this year) Indianapolis (until this year) Good teams not on my list Indianapolis (on the list until this year) San Diego Minnesota Philly (the jury is still out for this year, but did not make them up to this year) Coincidentally (or not) those teams on my list are also teams that have some of the best coaches. It doesn't surprise me that Indy isn't making plays this year not because of injuries, but because I don't think of Caldwell as a top coach and I believe it is showing this year. I was on the fence about Sparano as I think he is a very good "practice" coach. I was hoping that Sparano would be able to take that into the game as he gained more experience, but our inablility to make plays has convinced me that we need a change. We have a solid team, one which I think is a playoff quality team. I am officially on the fire the coach bandwagon. It pains me to say this because I believe that one of the keys to having a winning team is continuity in coaching.
