Arizona Cardinals: A New Standard

The Cardinals reaching the Super Bowl was one of the more far-fetched playoff runs that we have seen in recent memory. Who knew a team that seemed so unbalanced on offense and flawed on defense would be one drive away from becoming Super Bowl champs?

This year, the Cards aren’t sneaking up on anybody. Now it’s time for them to prove to the doubters that last season wasn’t a fluke.

A high-flying passing game is what the Cardinals are known for. They have the best pair of wide receivers in the league in Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. Add in Steve Breaston, and you have a trio of 1,000-yard receivers that a re-signed Kurt Warner can throw to.

It only gets worse for opposing defenses, as the Cardinals drafted a talented young running back to cure an ailing running game that was last in the NFL. First round selection Chris “Beanie” Wells will be taking the bulk of the carries and is expected to balance and add to an already potent offense.

Wells’ role might be even more important than expected. Boldin is chanting for more money or a trade, and if the latter comes to fruition, Wells’ big play ability will have even more of an impact.

If the Cardinals expect to have anything close to the season they had last year, the defense will have to take a big step forward.

In his second stint as defensive coordinator, Bill Davis will be looking to add on to the turnover-creating defense displayed in their improbable playoff run. The Cardinals did add free agent corner Bryant McFadden as well as pass rush specialist Cody Brown, safety Rashad Johnson, and corner Greg Toler via the draft.

The Cards haven’t made any major additions to the defense, but will play to their players’ strengths. If the defense can cut 10 points off of what they allowed per game last year (26.6), the Cardinals will be in good shape.

Defense is a concern, but the biggest problems could come from some discontented players.

Boldin has been unhappy with his contract since Fitz got his pay day. He still has issues with the front office, and people are wondering if Boldin will go the soldier route and fall in line or become a disruptive force throughout training camp and the season if he doesn’t get his money.

Negotiations for a new deal are still in the workings, but there’s no telling if both parties will reach a compromise or heal the fragile relationship between Boldin and the organization.

Defensive tackle and Super Bowl standout Darnell Dockett has also been looking for a new deal. Dockett has already asked to be traded twice, knowing that the Cardinals have no interest in giving him more money since he inked a $22 million dollar extension in 2006.

Head coach Ken Whisenhunt and the organization have done a good job of addressing contracts and not giving in to the beckoning of their disgruntled players. Expect Dockett to keep wearing the Cardinal red for at least one more year.

Overall, the Cards seem poised for another successful season, albeit a much more difficult path. They will no longer be underestimated, and their division has improved. The Seattle Seahawks will be on top of them the entire season, but if the defense can at least be mediocre, their offense will take care of the rest. An 11-5 season and consecutive NFC West titles are within reach.

Jaguars’ Roster: All It Takes Is One Bad Move

As the Jaguars continue to tweak their roster, new general manager Gene Smith has been content to target players with limited off-field baggage.  After dealing with enough problems with players running afoul of the law, a different approach was needed in order to restore some level of control, and Smith has put an emphasis on character with nearly every move made so far. 

With that simple fact in mind, the buzz this week was amplified significantly when Michael Vick was released from federal prison to serve the remainder of his sentence for financing a dog fighting ring under house arrest and limited work release. 

As is normally the case when a high profile name appears to be available, the debates begin over whether or not the Jaguars should actively pursue the player. This discussion heats up even more when a talking head somewhere in the national media mentions the player and the Jaguars in the same breath.

The reality is that Michael Vick is not a good fit for the Jacksonville Jaguars; it does not get any simpler than that.

For a team that has spent the past few months ridding itself of players that have created problems for themselves ranging from drug busts to DUI, the team has focused on cleaning house to get rid of these problem children.  The Jaguars hope by putting an emphasis on character and leadership, they can return to a more successful experience on the field.  The model worked previously in Jacksonville under Tom Coughlin.

No matter how someone tries to spin it, the team would not be better off in pursuing a player like Michael Vick. There was a time when he was a highly touted athlete with endorsement deals and a budding legend as the starting quarterback in Atlanta.  Michael Vick squandered that when he showed a serious lack of judgment in his business dealings away from football. 

These shortcomings were not only unsavory, but they also violated federal law.

He has served his time and paid his debt to society. There will certainly be an opportunity for him to resurrect his NFL career with some team once he is reinstated by the NFL Commissioner, Roger Goodell.  It just should not be here in Jacksonville.

To be clear, this has nothing to do with the specific details of his imprisonment as much as it has to do with the clear lack of judgment on the part of Vick.  What he was convicted of was truly reprehensible, but it was the lack of a moral compass that landed him in prison. 

It is not about dog fighting, or animal cruelty; it is about a person who did not have the moral clarity to recognize a problem in such activities. 

It is about a person who had every opportunity to create a better life for himself through his athletic gift, but chose to squander it away because he was unable to shed the sycophants he had associated with in a previous life.  

He was unable to appreciate the gift handed to him on a silver platter.  He leveraged the mindset of entitlement that is normally bestowed upon athletes that rise to the top of their game, convincing him that he could get away with anything. He was above the law.

It is about a complete lack of judgment.

I have seen the broad spectrum of arguments from those supporting the notion of bringing him to Jacksonville:

He’ll sell more tickets. He’ll push David Garrard. He’ll be better than either of the current backup quarterbacks on the roster. He’ll create buzz for the team.

Each one of these points can be dispatched pretty quickly.

First, for every fan that he might attract to the Jaguars, there will be at least one fan that becomes disenchanted by such a signing. 

Many fans are encouraged by Smith’s character-first approach because it parallels the Tom Coughlin era, where personal responsibility was a trademark of the players that the former head coach brought to Jacksonville.  They like the current trend, and signing a player with as much baggage as Vick totes would derail that very quickly. 

Michael Vick has not played football or worked out in an NFL regimen for two years.  It is physically impossible for him to be properly conditioned to resume his NFL career and push a starting quarterback for his job. Vick will be no exception to that fact, and because he has not been exposed to an NFL playbook, the learning curve would be severe. 

While Vick might be potentially better than either Cleo Lemon or Todd Bouman, he is at a distinct disadvantage—not only because of conditioning, but also because both players have extensive experience working within the Jaguars current offensive system, and they are familiar with the personnel. 

It also remains to be seen if the Jaguars plan to stick with either of their current backup quarterbacks. There are other options available to them that would be significantly better than Michael Vick, and they would not bring the same level of scrutiny to the team that he would upon signing. 

Buzz is a highly subjective term. There’s good buzz, and there’s bad buzz. While this is a Jaguars team that is certainly a small market franchise in search of the positive chatter, signing Michael Vick would not provide them with anything of the sort. Rather, it would create a media circus with animal rights protesters greeting the team at home and on the road.

That certainly is not the type of exposure that the team would be able to rely upon to generate ticket and merchandise sales.  In fact, it could very quickly backfire on the Jaguars.

In the end, the Jaguars are focused on building a team that is loaded with talent, but without sacrificing on character. 

Gene Smith has said repeatedly that character issues would not be tolerated, and his actions back that up with the departure of players like Reggie Williams, Khalif Barnes, Matt Jones, and Gerald Sensabaugh.

Why anyone believes that he would suddenly have a change of heart because he has the opportunity to sign a player in Michael Vick—who has not been on a field competitively for two years—is a complete mystery.
 
For a team that is struggling mightily to regain confidence from the local fan base, signing a player like Vick would spoil an otherwise solid offseason. The damage that it could cause would take considerable effort to undo, creating an even steeper hill for the team to climb to restore fan confidence. 

One bad move could undo all of Gene Smith’s efforts to get the Jacksonville Jaguars back on the winning track both on the field and with their fans.

Signing Michael Vick would be the type of move that would destroy any hope this team has of turning things around quickly on both fronts.

San Francisco’s Million Dollar Backfield: The 49ers’ Fabulous Foursome

In the 1954 season, the San Francisco 49ers fielded the finest backfield in NFL history with four future Hall of Famers playing for the offense.

“There was no greater running backs than Hugh McElhenny, John Henry Johnson and Joe Perry in the same backfield,” Hall of Fame Y.A. Tittle declared on San Francisco 49ers: The Complete History. “It made quarterbacking so easy because I just get in the huddle and call anything and you have three Hall of Fame running backs ready to carry the ball.”

First came fullback Joe “The Jet” Perry who became the first running back in NFL history to run for 1,000 yards two straight seasons and by 1956 he became the NFL’s all-time leading rusher.

In 1952, halfback “The King” Hugh McElhenny joined “The Jet” and Tittle.

“He had a style to me that was flowing like a willow in the wisp,” Perry said about McElhenny on San Francisco 49ers: The Complete History. “And seemed like at times he had eyes in the back of his head.”

“I think I ran more with fear than I did of confidence of running,” McElhenny responded on San Francisco 49ers: The Complete History. “Fear of being embarrassed, fear of getting caught from behind, fear of making a fool of yourself, you just want to do well.”

John Henry Johnson became the final addition to “The Million Dollar Backfield” in 1954 where his physical approach to the game became a perfect complement to Perry and McElhenny’s running styles. This gave the San Francisco 49ers their third breakaway threat.

“I’m convinced if John Henry Johnson had been a prize fighter he would be heavyweight champion of the world,” Tittle stated on San Francisco 49ers: The Complete History. “Because he did dish out punishment.”

During their first year together, the “Fabulous Foursome” shattered the 49er team record for rushing yards in a season.

With the extremely potent offense, many thought San Francisco was due to win a NFL Championship but problems on the defensive side of the ball landed the 49ers in third place behind the first place Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears in 1954.

“The Million Dollar Backfield” was disbanded before winning a championship in 1957 when John Henry Johnson was traded to the Detroit Lions.

New York Jets’ Assistant Coaches Must Be Shoulder for Rex to Lean On

In 2008, Atlanta’s Mike Smith and Baltimore’s John Harbaugh both guided their resepctive clubs to the playoffs as rookie head coaches.

Some called it “beginner’s luck,” while others cited solid experience as an assistant, as well as being surrounded with a talented cast of coordinators in their first year.

I tend to think it’s the latter.

For Harbaugh, he had an offensive coordinator in Cam Cameron who already had several years of experience as an assistant, as well as a season as head coach (Miami, 2007).

His defensive coordinator, Rex Ryan, was around football his entire life. His father, Buddy, needs no introduction and Rex had worked the previous nine seasons as an assistant for the Ravens, including the last five as defensive coordinator.

The combination of Harbaugh, Ryan, and Cameron helped lead the Ravens all the way to the AFC Championship game last season before they were ousted by the eventual Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers.

Now Ryan is a head coach himself and will look to lean on an experienced trio of coaches as he adjusts to life as the head honcho.

Brian Schottenheimer, Offensive Coordinator

Schottenheimer was hired by Eric Mangini in 2006 to run the Jets’ offense and burst onto the scene as a creative and exciting play caller.

He coached a unit that featured multiple formations and motions as well as the occasional “Wildcat” with Brad Smith—essentially implementing the “Wildcat” before it became a household name last season.

Before coming to the Jets, Schottenheimer was an assistant with St. Louis, Kansas City, and Washington. He also worked under Cam Cameron as an offensive assistant for San Diego from 2002-2005.

Schottenheimer also has experience as a college quarterback with Kansas (1992) and the University of Florida (1993-1996). In his three seasons as Jets’ coordinator, his offenses have ranked 25th, 26th, and 16th respectively.

The reason Schottenheimer is so valuable to the staff and head coach Rex Ryan’s development is the fact that he’s learned under some excellent coaches.

In addition to Cam Cameron, he worked under his father Marty in those coaching stints with Kansas City, Washington, and San Diego. He’s already had experience as an assistant with a rookie head coach (Mangini, 2006) and helped lead that team to the playoffs.

In three seasons, Schottenheimer has experienced both moments of genius and ones of complete failure. He’s been the subject of frustration among fans, while at other times he’s been praised.

Because he’s an experienced coordinator and knows the Jets’ personnel he can draw on the successes and failures of the last three seasons to help Ryan develop his offensive philosophy and school him on each player’s strengths and weaknesses.

Mike Westhoff, Special Teams Coach

In terms of assistant coaches, is there a better brain to pick than that of Mike Westhoff?

With a combined 27 years of NFL coaching experience, Westhoff is the ultimate shoulder to lean on. Since he took over the Jets’ special teams unit in 2001, the team has 11 kickoff returns for touchdowns—good for best in the NFL during that span.

Before joining Gang Green, Westhoff spent 15 years as an assistant with Miami working under Don Shula, Jimmy Johnson, and Dave Wandstedt.

Westhoff is widely considered the best special teams coach in the league and will provide Rex Ryan with a luxury not many head coaches can brag about—a unit that can score on any given play.

In 2001, Westhoff directed a group that ranked second in average kickoff drive start (31.2 yard line). The Jets also had two blocked punts returned for touchdowns as he helped rookie head coach Herman Edwards lead the Jets to a 10-6 record and a playoff berth.

In 2006, his unit helped then rookie head coach Eric Mangini guide the Jets to a playoff appearance with a solid kickoff return unit. The Jets averaged 24.1 yards per return that season (fifth in the NFL) and scored two touchdowns.

Under Edwards and Mangini, Westhoff was always a guy those coaches could bounce ideas off. Anything from going for it on fourth down, to wind direction, and tendencies, there’s little Westhoff has not seen.

For those reasons, you cannot underestimate his value to rookie head coach Rex Ryan.

 

Bill Callahan, Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line

Perhaps the Jets most underrated move of last offseason was the acquisition of former Raiders head coach Bill Callahan.

Callahan, 52, knows a thing or two about being a rookie head coach. In 2002, his first with the Raiders, he led the team to an 11-5 record, an AFC West title, and an appearance in Super Bowl XXXVII.

Prior to leading the Raiders, he was offensive coordinator for the team from 1999-2001. Callahan also coached the Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive line from 1995-1997.

Last season he directed an offensive line that finished ninth in the NFL in rushing yards with 2,004. The unit also finished fifth in yards per carry (4.7).

As assistant head coach, Callahan will most likely have his share of input in game planning and in critical situations during the game.

In terms of the offensive line, if Callahan can somehow extract even more from that unit, it will undoubtedly make Rex Ryan’s job that much easier.

In fact, I think he’ll have to. The line has no choice but to improve, due to the fact that there will be an inexperienced quarterback and one less playmaker at the receiver position (due to Laveranues Coles’ departure).

Overall, Rex Ryan is coming into a situation that is setup for him to succeed. He is surrounded by quality assistant coaches with tons of experience, a solid core of players coming off a winning season, and a talented rookie quarterback.

He also has two quality running backs and one of the top special teams units in the league.

With any rookie head coach, there will be some growing pains. However, having those coaches around him will make those pains few and far between, and hopefully translate to lessons through victories rather than through losses.

 

 

Why Do Derek Anderson Fans Have Selective Memories?

Mini camps have been happening all over the NFL this week. In Cleveland the talk is about the new regime that consists of the front office, coaches, and many new players.

The other talk is about the much publicized quarterback battle between Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson.

Throughout the week Quinn has been the guy practicing with the first team. The reps have been equal but Quinn has gone in first. Contrary to reports that Manigini doesn’t like Quinn, he has said that Quinn has been “outstanding” this offseason. He said that it isn’t as though Anderson has been bad, just Quinn has been outstanding.

So it appears as though Quinn has the early edge. Most Browns fans will be happy about that. However, there are still many fans who believe that Anderson would be a better choice.

I have some questions for those who support Anderson. The same guys often have plenty of criticism of Quinn too.

Something I always hear is that Quinn didn’t light the world on fire in his first three starts, the same way Anderson did in his first start against the Bengals in 2007.

Do you forget that that wasn’t his first start?

He started a handful of games in 2006. He threw five TDs and eight INTs. His rating was 63.1. That is not exactly lighting the world on fire.

Another thing I always here is that Quinn’s success was against bad defenses. Well last I checked Chicago had a pretty good defense. They wanted to end the preseason with a solid feeling so they started all their regulars including Brian Urlacher. Yet Quinn moved them right down the field for two scores in two drives.

I am not sure Buffalo had that bad of defense. If they did then the Browns line was sleeping because they were in Quinn’s face all night. Because of that he didn’t put up great passing stats but he managed the game well enough to manufacture 29 points and a victory.

Also do they forget that Anderson’s success in 2007 came against a very weak schedule?

According to Anderson Supporters, Quinn choked in every big game he played in at Notre Dame. I don’t consider beating Michigan on the road choking. The comeback on the road against Michigan State was amazing.

Some of the other games they lost because the other team was better. He had a great game against USC and set a school record for passing yards against Ohio State. So the Irish didn’t lose because of Brady Quinn.

While we are on the subject of choking in big games, what did Anderson do in 2007 against the Patriots and Steelers?

More importantly what did he do in week 16 against the Bengals?

That was the game in which the Browns could have clinched a playoff spot and he threw four INTs.

Based on all that how can anybody prefer Anderson at this point?

Maybe Quinn is the guy and maybe he isn’t. So let’s find out, because as far as I am concerned Anderson ship has already sailed.

The picture above is symbolic of that. 

Newest Carolina Panther: A Sit-Down with Everette Brown

The Carolina Panthers had no first-round picks in April’s NFL Draft, but they weren’t going to let that stop them from getting a first-round talent. Everette Brown, a pass-rushing defensive end out of Florida State, was regarded by many teams as just that.

After picking up 13.5 sacks in his junior season as a Seminole, Brown decided to realize his dreams and declared for the draft.

Joining Julius Peppers as a constant threat on opposing quarterbacks, Brown could see lots of the field in his rookie campaign, ranging from spot pass-rushing situations (at worst) to splitting time with second-year Panther Tyler Brayton.

If given the chance to sit down one-on-one with Brown, I would have lots of questions I would want answered:

 

1. You grew up in North Carolina, just about an hour from Chapel Hill and three or so hours from Charlotte. How closely did you watch your new teammate, Julius Peppers’ rise to stardom?

2. At Florida State you wore No. 99. Maake Kemoeatu already had that number in Charlotte, so you went with 91—the number after Peppers’ 90. Is there any significance to that?

3. Your new club has a two-headed monster at tailback—kind of a thunder and lightening thing going on with DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. With Peppers at 6’7″, 283 and yourself at 6’1″, 256—a bit undersized for an NFL defensive end—do you foresee a similar type of dual threat as pass-rushing ends, with him taking advantage of his size and strength more, while you rely mostly your quick first step?

4. Your alma matre has a number of big-name defensive stars in the league, but none really at defensive end—Chauncey Davis perhaps has had the best active career, getting 30 tackles and four sacks last season for the Atlanta Falcons. Is that lack of a star defensive end a product of the defensive system at FSU or just an anomaly?

5. Do you see yourself bucking that trend?

6. What attracted you to Florida State with so many FBS—then Div. 1-A—schools in your area, including UNC, N.C. State, Wake Forest, Duke? Was it about getting away from home? Playing for Bobby Bowden? Something else?

7. What led to your decision to leave FSU with a year of eligibility remaining? Had you essentially done all you could in Tallahassee?

8. You were regarded as a possible first-rounder. What was your thought process like when the 32nd pick went by the wayside and your name hadn’t been called?

9. How soon were you hearing from Carolina on draft day that—if available—they might be taking you with their first selection?

10. Do you feel the need to play like a first-rounder since you had been labeled as such and the Panthers spent their first pick on you?

11. You, along with the rest of the defensive line, will be taking commands from new coaches Ron Meeks (defensive coordinator) and Brian Baker (defensive line coach). With coach Fox having a history as a secondary coach before his days as defensive coordinator, how much of an advantage is it for you that your entire unit will be starting at square one with the part of the coaching staff you will be interacting with the most?

Was It Fate? Boy Born One Month Before Super Bowl XXI

As I look back on a life dedicated mostly to sports, I can reflect on my journey that ended with me being the biggest New York Giants’ fan I know (it helps I live in Texas).

It all started out with me being born during the magical 1986 season in December of that year. The 1986 season would prove to be the most successful for the boys in blue in terms of not only regular season success, but getting the ring as well.

As a young boy not much of my life was spent in front of the TV. Living in Houston I was lucky enough to have outside weather pretty much every day of the year. As a result, I had played organized football, baseball, basketball, soccer, tennis, and even roller hockey all by the age of 11.

So while I did not watch sports very often, few Sunday afternoons were spent watching my older brother and father rooting for the Houston Oilers. I was too young to understand it, but I always marveled at their passion for the game.

Then came the dreaded 1997 off season. After the 1996 season, Owner Bud Adams up and moved the team to Tennessee, taking the logo and name with him. Selfish as he was, he wouldn’t even let the team use either when they unveiled the new football franchise in Houston.

I was eight years old.

My brother and father were torn; ripped from us were the days we could spontaneously get tickets and go to a football game. Among other things, we felt betrayed, abandoned, and helpless.

Then my father said something to me I’ll not soon forget; “It’s OK son, we still have the Giants.”

You see, while my father has spent the last 35 years of his life in Houston, he was born and raised in Elmira, NY, and with that comes an undying sports loyalty to the Giants, Yankees, and Rangers.

He has passed the legacy on to me and I have suffered through all the lows and soared through all the highs. Even though the NFL gave us back our Houston team, we shall never again show loyalty to any other team, for we are Giants fans, to the end.

Matt Leinart: Learns, Grow,s and Reflects

Matt Leinart is on the verge.

Of what exactly, no one knows for sure.

He could be on the verge on being a first-round bust. The former Heisman Trophy winner was taken 10th overall in the 2006 draft by the Cardinals. He was tabbed the starter for the 2007 season but after being injured early in October of that season Kurt Warner has started 31 consecutive games and led the moribund franchise to the Super Bowl.

But then again, Warner is 37 and today’s NFL has quarterbacks needing replaced because of injuries as often as baby’s diaper. He also might be on the verge of taking over the offense for the defending NFC Champions.

One thing is for sure, Leinart is no longer a baby and he knows he is ready to make an impact in the league.

Here are the questions that I’d ask Leinart for a feature story. Some serious, some not so much.

 

Reports of your offseason have all been positive, which hasn’t always been the case since your rookie season. What turned your approach around this time?

 

The coaching staff has noticed there is a difference in your footwork and even command of the offense. Is it fair to say this is most prepared for a season you have been in your professional career?

 

A Super Bowl run has a weird effect on teams. The coaching staffs get raided, the players get big contract offers after performing in highly-visible games and others want new contracts.

At 26, you are heading toward the prime of your career and yet Kurt Warner was signed to a two-year deal. Was there a part of you that wanted to find your wait out of Arizona?

 

How are long are you willing to bide your time behind Warner before you start thinking about your career?

 

It’s apparent that your relationship with Warner has been pretty positive. How long did take for you to realize that it might be a good idea to latch on to a guy who is a former league MVP and guided his time to the Super Bow?

 

What’s the dirtiest word you ever heard come out of Warner’s mouth?

 

How different do you think the offense will be this season with Todd Haley in Kansas City instead of on the Cardinals sideline?

 

The nation only gets to see the sickness of Larry Fitzgerald once a week for 16 weeks or so per year. Does he make those amazing, ball-at-the-top-of-its-apex type catches daily and does it ever get old?

 

You were drafted in the Dennis Green era. That’s didn’t last too much longer. Coach Whisenhunt came in and basically said may the best man win. You did, beginning the 2007 season as the starter, but were injured.

Warner came in and started every game since. Do you think if Green was still running things there would have been more of  chance to re-take your starting spot?

 

Every backup player in the NFL has probably uttered some variation of the phrase about “being ready because you are always one play away from being the starter.” What do you do to make sure it is not just a cliché and something the coaching staff and your teammates believe in?

 

There is a sense that quarterback play in the NFL is down compared to years past. Heck Vinny Testaverde started against you guys a few years back, Brett Favre is still dangling out there and there is the Michael Vick saga.

Do you think this is the result of colleges going with spread offense and the QBs coming into the league unprepared or are this generation of players under rated?

 

Your son, Cole, is approaching his third birthday. Has Peter Carroll sent out any feelers yet about his college choice?

 

Former USC QB Mark Sanchez made some recent headlines because of his spread in GQ. Do you have any cautionary tales for your fellow alum?

The 2009 Pittsburgh Steelers: Who Will Step Up?

Defending a Super Bowl championship is one of the most difficult things for a team to do in all of sports. Injuries, free agency, and salary cap casualties are just a few of the things that can be obstacles for a team to repeat. The Steelers have the same challenge on their hands, but certain people must rise to the challenge to fill critical holes.

New York Giants’ Coordinators: New and Old Step Into Spotlight

2. Write a profile on your team’s coaching staff. Single out key members in the team’s play calling, decision making, etc. How did the key members rise to that position?

 

A glance at the Giants coaching staff reveals a group that reflects the composition of the Giants roster in the Eli Manning era: continuity in many spots combined with some new faces brought in to complement head coach Tom Coughlin.

Seven coaches (Kevin Gilbride-offensive coordinator, Pat Flaherty-offensive line, Jerald Ingram-running backs, Mike Pope-tight ends, Mike Sullivan-wide receivers, David Merritt-secondary/safeties, and Mike Waufle-defensive line) have been with the Giants for the duration of Coughlin’s regime (2004-Present).

Recently promoted defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan has been on board since 2005, and Peter Giunta (secondary/cornerbacks) since 2006.

In the NFL, where coaching turnover amongst assistants as well as head coaches is quite frequent, this coaching staff continuity has been an underlooked aspect to the Giants current franchise record streak of four consecutive playoff appearances.

Like many other NFL coaches and the man who first brought him to the Giants for his first tour of duty (wide receivers coach 1988-1990) with the Giants, Bill Parcells, Coughlin has long preferred that assistant coaches are restricted from talking to the media as much as possible (a trend that commissioner Roger Goodell has fought vigorously in his brief tenure).

While this makes any profile of the Giants coaching staff somewhat of a mystery, some Giants assistants have made names for themselves in recent years.

With former defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo (2007-2008) becoming the first member of the Giant staff during the Coughlin era to leave for a head coaching position with the St. Louis Rams, we look at the Giants current coordinators, holdover Kevin Gilbride on offense, and Spagnuolo’s replacement, Bill Sheridan.

 

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR-Kevin Gilbride

Going back to the days immediately following Tom Coughlin’s hiring in 2004, one of the more peculiar decisions made by Coughlin involved Gilbride and previous offensive coordinator John Hufnagel. 

As of 2004, Gilbride had previously served as an offensive coordinator with four NFL teams (Oilers ’90-’93, Jaguars ’95-’96, Steelers ’99-’00, and Bills ’02-’03), and a two-year stint as head coach of the Chargers from ’97-’98.

In San Diego, Gilbride was done in by one of the toughest tasks ever assigned to any NFL head coach: trying to win with Ryan Leaf as his starting quarterback.

Hufnagel on the other hand, had never been a coordinator in the NFL, and had far less experience coaching in the NFL, as he had spent a great deal of his career coaching in the Canadian and Arena leagues.

Hufnagel’s NFL coaching experience at this point consisted of four separate tours of duty over a five-year span as quarterbacks coach in Cleveland, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, and New England.

To the surprise of many, Coughlin overlooked Gilbride’s track record as a coordinator, Hufnagel’s as a quarterbacks coach, and proceeded to name Gilbride quarterbacks coach and Hufnagel offensive coordinator.

For the first two and a half seasons of Coughlin’s regime, this peculiar decision drew little fanfare. After a disappointing 6-10 season season in 2004, the Giants and quarterback Eli Manning made great strides in ’05, winning 11 games and the N.F.C. East title.

Even after a disappointing 23-0 home loss to the Carolina Panthers, the Giants and their offense both appeared to be on the rise and on track to becoming perennial championship contenders.

John Hufnagel and his job performance were rarely so much as casually bantered about during his first two years in New York. But when the Giants offense hit a rough patch late in the controversy-laden 2006 season, Hufnagel quickly became one of the scapegoats for a talented offense’s underachieving ways 

Hufnagel’s play-calling was often drawn into question during the second-half of the ’06 season, especially following a week 12 loss in  Tennessee that saw the Giants lose a 21-0 fourth quarter lead in a 24-21 loss to the Titans.

With the collapse aided by Hufnagel carelessly abandoning the ground game with a three touchdown lead, the heat on Hufnagel was turned up, and things reached a boiling point following a week 16, 30-7 home loss to New Orleans in which the Giants failed to cross mid-field the entire game.

Desperate to salvage the season with a Week 17 win in Washington, Coughlin relieved Hufnagel of his duties.

It was announced that Gilbride would call the plays, and while he wasn’t officially given the title of coordinator until the season concluded, for all intents and purposes, the offense has been in Gilbride’s hands since the ’06 season finale, a 34-28 playoff berth clinching victory in Washington.

Two years later, this singular decision has benefitted the three involved parties better than anyone could have imagined. Tom Coughlin was retained as Giants coach and led the team to the world championship a year later and Gilbride finally won his first championship in the 17th year and sixth stop of his NFL coaching odyssey.

And what about the forgotten John Hufnagel? He left the Giants, missed out on the incredible championship season, and banished off to western Canada…Where he coached the Calgary Stampeders to the CFL’s Grey Cup championship in his first season as head coach. To top it off, he was awarded the Annis Stukus trophy as the CFL. Coach of the Year.

In a coaching profession filled with firings, relocated families, and lots of coaches leaving the business with unfulfilled dreams, this turn of events was truly remarkable.

As 2009 approaches, Gilbride looks to help the Giant offense and it’s receiving corp in particular remake itself following Plaxico Burress’ season ending suspension in 2008, and the team’s subsequent decision to release him this past March.

While Gilbride did catch some heat from Giant fans and writers alike for his play-calling in the 23-11 playoff loss to Philadelphia, the fact remains that in Gilbride’s two full seasons as coordinator, the offense has been far more consistent overall than in the years previous to his promotion.

Although he has not and most likely will not receive the recognition and star status of his former defensive counterpart in Spagnuolo, Gilbride has done a credible job as O.C. and the Giants are fortunate to have him.

In the 2007 championship season, Gilbride was forced to deal with the inconsistency of his star quarterback, a revolving door of running backs as Derrick Ward was lost for the year and Brandon Jacobs missed time, the season-ending injury of tight end Jeremy Shockey, and receiver Steve Smith missing the vast majority of the regular season.

While it’s true that Manning worked the kinks out of his game and talented reserves like Ahmad Bradshaw and Kevin Boss stepped up their games, Gilbride and the rest of the offensive staff deserved at least part of the credit for the many seamless transitions made by reserves into the starting lineup.

With the Giants receiving corp needing a makeover, Spagnuolo gone, and the propensity of fans to latch on to popular assistants and blame others for a team’s failings, Gilbride’s days as an overlooked and overshadowed assistant coach could be over, with increases in praise and criticism both possibilities.

The Giants’ ability in 2009 to put up points against top teams will be highly scrutinized early and often. Like many companies in today’s volatile market, Kevin Gilbride’s stock will be one to watch come September.

 

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR-Bill Sheridan

With Spagnuolo gone to St. Louis, the Giants promoted from within, naming linebackers coach Bill Sheridan as defensive coordinator. Secondary/Cornerbacks coach Peter Giunta, the only member of the Giants defensive staff who previously served as a NFL coordinator (St. Louis, 1998-2000) was also considered, but it was Sheridan who got the nod.

As he steps into one of the NFL’s most storied assistant coaching posts, Sheridan is an unknown quantity as a coordinator. The same cannot be said of many of his predecessors.

Over the past half century, few positions have resembled a stepping stone the way Giants D.C. has. Starting in the 50’s with Tom Landry right through Spagnuolo’s two-year tenure, this position has often been filled with coaches on their way to bigger and better things.

Along with Landry and Spagnuolo, past Giant defensive coordinators who have eventually became head coaches either with the Giants or elsewhere include the two Bills, Parcells (1979, 1981-1982) and Belichick (1985-1990), Marty Schottenheimer (1977), Mike Nolan (1993-1996), and John Fox (1997-2001).

Looking ahead to Sheridan’s tenure as coordinator, one things is certain: Sheridan has plenty of talent to work with in his first year piloting the defense.

As for the journey he took from small-college player to NFL coordinator, it is clear that Sheridan’s trek was an old-fashioned one, paved slowly and surely over the past three decades.

While the NFL has began to trend towards hiring younger head coaches over the past decade like Jon Gruden, Eric Mangini, Raheem Morris, and Josh McDaniels (34, 35, 32, 33 respectively when first hired as head coach), Sheridan is proof that the coaching lifer who slowly progresses into a prominent position still exists.

Once his playing days at Grand Valley State College (since changed to University) concluded following the 1980 season, Sheridan jumped right into the coaching profession.

Over the course of the next 28 years, Sheridan held 11 different positions with a combination of one high school, six different colleges, and as Giants linebackers coach in the pros.

For geography lovers and biography lovers alike, Sheridan coached at Shrine Catholic High School in Royal Oak, Michigan from 1981-1984, and after stepping up to the college ranks in 1985, at Michigan, Maine, Cincinnati, Army, Michigan State, and Notre Dame before returning to Michigan in 2002, where he stayed through 2004 before coming to the Giants in ’05.

As for a statistic not seen in the sports section but often discussed inside the coaching profession, Sheridan moved from one city to another on eight separate occasions.

Outside of a six-year stint at Army from 1992-1997 where he served as both linebackers coach and defensive backs coach, Sheridan never stayed at any spot longer than three years, which he did on three occasions, at Cincinnati (1989-1991), Michigan State (1998-2000), and during his second stint at Michigan (2002-2004).

After 28 years as a position coach, Sheridan’s first off-season as a coordinator has not surprisingly seen him pledge to keep the majority of Steve Spagnuolo’s system in place.

In an interview with giants.com, Sheridan acknowledged that a system that he described as “very sound, and proven” will remain intact and that “there won’t be a lot of changes.”

With a system spoken highly of by it’s players intact and a talented and deep defense, the pressure is on Sheridan to maintain the Giants strong pass rush and overall defense.

While it’s clear that with a defensive line that goes eight deep with talented players, captain and emotional leader Antonio Pierce leading the linebacking corps and a solid secondary returning, the Giant defense will be somewhat strong.

However, as Sheridan may soon find out, the 2009 Giants defense is a unit that has the potential to be truly great, and a “strong” showing might not be acceptable to Giants fans hungry for another Super Bowl victory.

Even in his first year as coordinator, Sheridan’s defense will be accepted to perform at high level early starting in September right through January’s playoffs and he will be under a microscope right away.

Will Sheridan become another hero amongst Giants fans like previous coordinators Belichick and Spagnuoulo? While only time will answer that question, you can be sure that having waited 28 years for this opportunity, Sheridan is eager to try and work his way into the rarefied air of that conversation.

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