“My ultimate vocation in life is to be an irritant, someone who disrupts the daily drag of life just enough to leave the victim thinking there’s maybe more to it all than the mere hum-drum quality of existence.”—Elvis Costello

Jets’ Quarterback Decision

Watching the New York Jets game Monday night, it was clear to me that Mark Sanchez is the right choice to start at quarterback—not because he looked great or because he seems ready to handle the NFL—but because the Jets don’t have any other choice.

I admit I’m not a fan of Kellen Clemens, so for me, Clemens is not an option. To me, he doesn’t demonstrate the skills of an NFL starter; he plays like a backup, and last night it was very obvious. I realize he led the team to a second half touchdown, but that was when the second team had already entered the game.

As we know, the key to correctly evaluating players in the pre-season lies in correctly evaluating the competition.

The Jets will struggle early in the season as Sanchez learns the offense and the Jets give him more offense to run. When playing a team like the Baltimore Ravens, it requires you to bring a volume of offense into the game, but unfortunately for Sanchez, he can’t handle all of the volume right now. Clemens can, but he can’t execute it, so either way you’re screwed.

Therefore, you’re better off starting Sanchez and allowing him to grow.

That’s why the Jets’ decision is not that difficult. They don’t really have a choice. They have to find ways to win with their defense and kicking game early in the season and get the ball to Leon Washington as often as possible (they better get his contract redone; he’s their best player). Washington is the one player who can make plays for the Jets.

I’ve been writing this all offseason—I love the Jets’ move with Sanchez, but they’re far from being Super Bowl contenders in 2009. They’ll get better as the season goes along, but as I evaluate them, they’re rebuilding this season, not reloading.

One question I did have watching the game: Why did the Jets play Calvin Pace and Shawn Ellis as much as they did in the first half? Both have to serve suspensions early in the season, Pace for four games, Ellis for one. Pace might be their best player, but if he can’t get pressure, then the scheme must get pressure. I can’t imagine Vernon Gholston being able to start for more than one game.

Once America watches him play in a real NFL game, that will be enough to send him to the bench. A mistake is hard to cover up.

49ers: I Wonder What Coach Thinks

So much for all talk in the spring about Alex Smith turning the corner and looking great in San Francisco. I even wrote about it in the Sunday Post. The games count in the evaluation process, and Smith has not played well in either game.

Coaches fall in love during the offseason with players who are compliant in the program. Being compliant is important, but being effective is what matters most.

Smith is headed back to the bench.

This was another easy decision based on not having any choices.

I really feel the San Francisco 49ers are going to rue the day they didn’t select a quarterback in the NFL Draft this year or even try and trade up to get one.

It’s another example of not knowing your own team. Where are the 49ers this year? Do you 49ers fans really believe that Shaun Hill is the answer? Michael Crabtree is not going to make a difference this year, even if he does show up.

When I look at the 49ers on tape, or look at their talent base, I’m often reminded that they somehow lost their voice that came from coach Bill Walsh—the voice that placed a premium on the quarterback position, that understood that the game must flow through the quarterback, and that if you didn’t have one, you needed to get one. Coach would always tell me that if you knew you didn’t have a poker hand to win the pot, you’re better off discarding it and trying again. He was not afraid to make moves to ensure he had the one position solidly covered.

These 49ers think the quarterback position is not that important, or they do think it’s important and just wrongly evaluated their current talent level. Either way, they’re falling victim to the words of their former head coach, “There are very few people who can evaluate the quarterback, and fewer that can coach him.”

‘Edge’ in Seattle

The Edge is back.

I’ve been taking a boatload of criticism for writing that the Seattle Seahawks needed a runner. Entering the season with Julius Jones was a dangerous proposition. Now they sign Edgerrin James to a one-year, $2 million contract.

I’m not a fan of signing older running backs for the runner role. I don’t mind them for the nickel back role or the short-yardage role, but for the main down-and-distance role, I’m very reluctant.

James will fit in the Seattle scheme, but he needs to demonstrate he still has juice left in his lower body to break tackles and make yards after contact. James is 31 and has been on a decline the past three years. In two of the last three seasons, he’s had more than 300 carries, but has not come close to breaking the four-yards-per-carry mark. This clearly shows that he doesn’t break tackles like he once did.

The Seahawks may have signed James, but they still need a back.

QUOTE: “When you begin to get good, you’ll arouse the haters of life.”—Theodore Roethke

Starting tonight, we’ll have 13 games to review over the weekend, and these games will be very important to many players. Last night, there were two games. The Bengals looked impressive on defense, and the Colts’ first-team offense started to look more like its old self.

Things are now starting to take shape in the NFL. Here are a few players/teams (not the obvious ones) I’ll be watching to see if they can improve their stock with solid games.

Flozell Adams, Dallas Cowboys

Based on his first game against the Raiders, the big man did not look very effective. He looked slow-footed, and I kept saying to myself that there’s no way he can last 16 games. How is he going to block Osi Umenyiora or Trent Cole twice a year?

I bet teammate DeMarcus Ware is probably pissed he doesn’t get a chance at Flo twice a year to pad his sack count. Adams turned 34 last May and must prove that his skills aren’t slipping and that he can handle the left tackle spot the whole season. The Cowboys have not been able to produce an alternative player. At one time, I thought it would be Doug Free, but now I’m not so certain.

Brian Brohm, Green Bay

The Packers invested a second-round pick in Brohm and couldn’t have imagined that seventh-round pick Matt Flynn would eventually prove to be the better player. But so far, based on the games I’ve seen, this year and last, this seems to be the case. Below are stats from the ‘08 preseason. Based on numbers, Flynn is the easy winner in year one. 

                                  Att     Cmp    Yds    Cmp%    Yds/Att    TD    Int     Rating
M.Flynn                     42       27      209     64.3%       5.0          3      0       100.2
B.Brohm                    42       19      155     45.2%       3.7          0      1        45.2

Based on the first game of this preseason, Flynn is again well ahead of Brohm. Now, I don’t see the practices, and maybe Brohm looks sensational in practice but has tough luck in the games. But at some point, he has to play well in the games, and it better start tonight against Buffalo.

The Redskin Offense

Last week, the ‘Skins didn’t score a point and had only 11 first downs against the Ravens. This week, they face another tough assignment against the Steelers. Last week, they averaged 5.2 yards per passing attempt, and that’s not going to be good enough to avoid last place in the NFC East.

I know it’s the preseason, but this offense has to show some progress. Jim Zorn was hired for his ability as an offensive guru—well, tonight might be the time to start guru-ing.

This offense must make a few big passing plays down the field and show the NFL that it’s not just about going sideways but rather going vertically down the field.

Jamal Lewis and the Cleveland Offense

If I were a Browns fan, I would be worried—worried about not having a runner, worried about not scoring a point in the first preseason game, worried about my team’s offense and, most of all, worried about my team wearing those horrendous brown pants ever again.

As bad as the ‘Skins looked on offense, the Browns one-upped them with their outing at Green Bay. They had the ball 20 minutes, made only 11 first downs and threw four interceptions. This week, the Browns have to show something, anything, on offense. They must demonstrate they have the ability to move the football forward with their offense.

As for Lewis, he has to prove that he can still be an effective back the whole season. Veterans who make the opening-day roster are guaranteed their salary for the season, so the Browns are going to need to see if Lewis still has the skills to warrant that kind of commitment.

A reminder: Be sure to come back for the Sunday Post, and keep checking the National Football Post all weekend for your news and analysis.

QUOTE: “Talent Is Obsessed with Renewal from Day 1 to Day “R” (R = Retirement).” — Tom Peters

BRANDON MARSHALL AND TRUST

The headlines often don’t match the real essence of what’s being said, and that was obvious this morning reading about Brandon Marshall and the Broncos. Marshall is one of the best wideouts in the NFL and wants a new deal, but his off-the-field behavior has made the Broncos wary about investing in a new contract (giving Travis Henry and Daryl Gardner big money would have made anyone wary).

However, Marshall admitted there are mutual problems when he said, “There are trust issues on both sides and that’s understandable. We’ve got to try our best to move forward.”

At least he’s willing to do that, willing to learn the playbook and willing to acknowledge that he’s made his share of mistakes. For me, this is an indication of progress.

Watching the Broncos the other night in San Francisco, I thought their offense looked exceptional in terms of their design, and all I kept thinking was how good they’ll be when Marshall is added to the equation.

He dictates coverage from the defense and is the kind of player who has to be respected, short and long. Opposing defensive coordinators must ask a very simple question when game planning against Marshall: Who is going to be able to tackle him when he gets the ball in his hands?

Opponents can’t play a smaller corner on his side or they’ll throw him bubble screens and force the corner to tackle. Trust me, this will end after two bubble screens because the corner will have had enough. It’s no fun in tackling Brandon Marshall.

What makes the Broncos so exciting to watch on offense is that when Marshall is on the field, head coach Josh McDaniels will be able to move him around, shifting personnel groups as he lines up Marshall all over the field.

Then it will become very difficult to roll coverage to him, double him and, most important, get the best tackler on him. Marshall will not shift or move when McDaniels wants the coverage to roll to him, thus allowing him to attack other parts of the opponent’s defense. Marshall is the kind of player that great coaches know how to use to help others make plays.

That’s why Broncos have indicated they don’t want to trade Marshall; they need him to maximize their offensive potential. Marshall can help Kyle Orton become a better player. He will not stop him from throwing interceptions, but he can make the reads easier, and his ability to run after the catch will be a huge asset for Orton.

If Marshall is willing to make this work, so are the Broncos.

DON’T COLOR THE RAMS BLUE

After doing my blue-chip profile the past several days, the one team that jumped out at me in a negative way was the Rams. Wow, do they lack talent. Even their good players—the ones I thought were going to be blue—were not, once I analyzed their past two seasons.

However, what was alarming was their lack of up-and-coming talent. Maybe I’ve missed a few. Maybe Chris Long, Donnie Avery and Jason Smith will ascend to the blue level this season.

Looking back over their drafts, they’ve missed on too many picks, and now coach Steve Spagnuolo is going to have to dig them out from the ruins and rebuild this team from the ground up.

The Lions have taken so much heat as being the worse team in the NFL, in large part because it was easy to dump on Matt Millen, their former GM.

Yet in fairness to Matt, the Rams in previous years have done as bad a job of collecting winning NFL talent as any team in the league. I have written this numerous times, and maybe one day it will resonate with NFL owners who constantly lose, but it takes talent to evaluate talent.

The Giants are a talented team because they have an organization that has very good talent evaluators.

The other night on Monday Night Football, I heard Jon “Love You Bro” Gruden talk about how all the Giants players look alike—how they have a team of big, long-armed players. Well, that’s not by chance and it’s not by hope; it’s purely by design.

The Giants have a process of how they build their team. They have system to procure talent and they have talented evaluators. This is why they have so many blues and the Rams do not.

To regain their winning ways, the Rams must start collecting winning players in every round. What will help this along is that their head coach knows the right way to do things and the right kind of players needed to win consistently in the NFL.

I bet Spags has been shaking his head many days wondering how this team he now coaches got so bad. I know I am.

Follow me on Twitter: michaelombardi

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“I stake my destiny upon hours of uninterrupted work.” — Charles Baudelaire

PRESEASON GAMES: WHO SHOULD PLAY IN WEEK ONE?

Should Tom Brady play in week one of the preseason? Should LT? Should Adrian Peterson? Should Brad Childress call plays? OK, never mind that last one—just being a wise ass.

What should the rule be for playing “star players” in the preseason? There is only one rule: You cannot get ready to win games in the NFL if you don’t play in games. Players need to play; they need to prepare and they need to be serious about the games.

Every morning, we wake up to news about injuries sustained during training camp. When I attended practice during camp, my fear was injuries. When I attend practice during the season, my fear was the opponent.

Injuries in practice during the season never worried me because the players knew how to practice. In camp, when there are more than 80 players, the bad players (and there are always a few of them) can often get the good players hurt—not intentionally but because they can’t stay off the ground and stay in balance.

They can’t control their bodies, so they’re sometimes at the wrong place at the wrong time.

There are two types of injuries: the ones you can’t avoid, regardless of how you practice, and ones you can avoid.

The unavoidable injuries are the work of the unknown. For example, a player jogging and tearing his ACL or his Achilles without any contact is an unavoidable injury, no matter how a team practices. The ones you can avoid are the ones where you practice smartly, with good players working against good players.

So when you hear a team representative say, “We just want to get to the regular season healthy,” their team is not preparing for the season. Last year, we heard that rhetoric from the Browns and they were never ready.

The key is not getting through camp healthy; the key is getting through camp prepared to win games. Injuries are a part of football; you can’t play the game the right way if you worry about injuries.

I always admired how former Giants coach Bill Parcells got his teams ready for camp, using a boxing metaphor to prepare for Week One of the regular season. He focused on the offensive and defensive lines, making sure they had sparred enough rounds to be able to handle the championship fight on opening day.

He would play his lines for a quarter and a half in Week One, then a half in week two, then in week three they’d play into the third quarter, and in the final game, maybe 10 plays.

Nevertheless, to use a “Parcells” term, the lines needed to do the “heavy lifting” in games. He wanted them game ready, and the only way to become game ready is to play in games.

The outcome of the game is not important; the outcome of the repetitions in the game is crucial. Never lose sight of the fact that football is a game of pad level, fundamentals and techniques. Teams cannot improve in these areas without working on them with attention to detail and great effort.

So where does this leave Brady, LT and Peterson?

My sense is that Brady needs to play. He needs to get the feel of the game back in his head, he needs to feel the timing of the game and the pace of the game, and the only way to do that is to play.

He should play in week one with the first team offensive line. He must increase his playing time as the preseason goes along, because he will not be ready for Buffalo if he doesn’t have a feel for the game under his belt. The tempo from the preseason to the regular season is significant.

That speed, that tempo, will not be duplicated in preseason or practice, so for Brady to get back, he must gain that feel.

How about the rookie quarterbacks like Matthew Stafford, Mark Sanchez and Josh Freeman? That one is easy.

They need to play, and they need to play early in the game when the good players are on the field. If they’re going to be ready for the speed of the game, they need to play.

Last year as a rookie, Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan threw almost 60 passes in the preseason. He was clearly preparing for the opener against the Lions.

As for running backs, there’s a fine line. Running backs need to feel the game. They need to work more on their pass protection, then their run skills. The speed of those blitzes will increase tenfold from the walkthroughs to the practices to the preseason games.

Pass protection is the hardest element to feel in week one, and if the running backs haven’t prepared in the preseason, they will blow an assignment in the opener. My vote would be for LT, Peterson and other top backs to play and prepare for the opener.

I know the perception of the preseason is that it doesn’t matter, doesn’t count, and players can get ready to play. Well, last year, when Indy’s Peyton Manning couldn’t practice or play in games, his rust in the opener was obvious.

No matter how talented a player is, he needs the work.

Follow me on Twitter: michaelombardi

QUOTE: “If you don’t have good dreams, Bagel, you got nightmares.” — Robert “Boogie” Sheftell from the movie “Diner”

Michael Vick…

It’s been two weeks since Commissioner Roger Goodell reinstated Michael Vick in the NFL. We’ve heard from many teams that were not interested, but as is usually the case, teams don’t always speak the truth. In fact, Tony Dungy admitted he’s getting a ton of calls from coaches about Vick. The commissioner did Vick a huge favor by bringing in Dungy to allow him to speak with authority about the new Vick.

APMichael Vick

Now there’s a report that the Packers sent a high-level personnel man to meet with Vick, which makes perfect sense to me. No matter what level of interest a team may or may not have, it makes sense to watch him work out. The one thing that’s been told to me repeatedly is that Vick will be back in the NFL—and if that’s the case, knowing what he looks like as an athlete in case you have to play against him twice a year makes sense. Think of it as a one-man combine; you need to know what you are dealing with, and this will be the last time you have access to gauge his level of effectiveness.

If I worked for an NFL team, I would make sure that the personnel department was fully aware of Vick’s physical condition and skill level. It’s important for each NFL team, no matter what its situation might be at quarterback, to evaluate every quarterback in the draft. The more information you can gather, the better prepared your team will be if you have to face that quarterback. It’s important to do every position in the draft, but it’s important to study all the quarterbacks, even if you have a Pro Bowl player handling the job.

It’s smart for the Packers to check out Vick and learn more about where he is today in his life on and off the field. In the information age, the key is to determine what good information is and what bad information is. Consider this a fact-finding mission for the Packers. Most teams should follow suit.

Random Thoughts…

I know Browns coach Eric Mangini might be a hard ass, but no coach wants to see a player injured, especially in the salary cap era. There are precautions taken for every situation at practice because no coach wants a player to miss time as a result of injury. If the coach, especially a coach with the power that Mangini wields, wants to get rid of a player, all he has to do is release him….

APBrandon Marshall

I’m worried about Brandon Marshall not returning to the field because of his leg injury. He might be out a little longer now that Roddy White just landed a huge deal, and Marshall is probably wondering, where’s my money? The Broncos have a great medical staff, so they’ll know if Marshall’s injury is legit. Another problem is that he’s facing a trial this week in Atlanta on a misdemeanor batter charge, so he has plenty on his plate. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello has confirmed that the wide receiver, who already served a one-game suspension last season because of the incident, was informed that the commissioner could hand down additional discipline….

At some point, 49ers tight end Vernon Davis will have to grow up if he’s ever going to be more than a great athlete who plays football. It reminds me of the line Bill Parcells once used on the sideline while coaching the Giants, as recorded by NFL Films: “We are too stupid to be any good.”…

Derrick Ward had 1,000 yards as the backup to Brandon Jacobs in New York, and this year, Ahmad Bradshaw will take over that role. Bradshaw is very talented, and I look for him to do what Ward did last year, and then some…

Can someone tell me who’s going to block at tight end for the Eagles and Jets? This is game week, and I can’t wait to find out which players will fill those important roles. If the Jets don’t find someone to replace Chris Baker, teams will treat Dustin Keller as a wideout, sending their nickel on the field every time he’s the lone tight end. That will prevent the Jets from gaining an advantage….

This first week of preseason games is great because we can really study the rookies and check their progress. Pay close attention to who starts in the kicking game if you want to know who the coaches like and who will have a chance to make the team. The kicking game in the summer is the key to breaking down teams….

Jay Cutler went 22 for 28 in the Bears’ scrimmage the other night. Is anyone surprised? I am, only because he didn’t go 27 for 28. When you allow him time to throw, with no rush, Cutler is deadly accurate and precise.

We hear and read about injuries that happen on a daily basis during camp. Injuries to veterans like Casey Hampton or Nick Mangold are minor and are not a concern. In fact, veterans can afford to miss time. But when rookies miss time, it becomes a huge concern in terms of being able to help the team this year. Rookies who just signed, like Aaron Curry and Malcolm Jenkins, have plenty of time to catch up in camp, assuming they can stay healthy. But their holdouts give them little margin for error….

I know it’s preseason, but I feel strongly that if a game were on the line, Patrick Ramsey would be the No. 2 quarterback for the Titans, not Vince Young. This is because Ramsey knows offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger’s offense from his time in Denver. More on the Titans-Bills game once I watch the video.

QUOTE: “The seat of my office chair in use for twenty-five years is wearing out, my office rug is wearing out and I am wearing out, as the Chinese say, ‘It’s later than you think.’”—H.L. Mencken

It’s later than some clubs think, and the season hasn’t even started…

Derrick Burgess and the Pats…

On paper, before Thursday afternoon, the Patriots looked like an amazing team, with one glaring weakness—no pass rushers. Last season, they looked a tad slow on defense, and even slower when it got to third down. They lacked the ability to win with players, so they had to rely on the mind of head coach Bill Belichick to create ways to get to the passer.

They won 11 games with a quarterback who had never started before, pro or college, and did it without a pass rush.

They were ranked 32nd in the NFL in allowing third-and-long conversions, allowing them at a 26.7 clip while the league average hovered around 18. That doesn’t sound like the Patriots we’ve come to know.

They had only 22 takeaways for the season because they didn’t have the speed or athletic talent on defense to force offenses into mistakes. If opponents broke down on offense, it was because of the scheme or an unforced error, not the pass rush.

But where was the rush going to come from? The Pats brought back Tully Banta-Cain, thinking he might rekindle the rush he had before spending the past two seasons with the 49ers. From my viewpoint, there was still a void.

That ended Thursday. They settled all family business by acquiring Derrick Burgess from the Raiders for a third-round pick in 2010 and a fifth in 2011. The Philadelphia Eagles were the only other team in the bidding, but they were not willing to put any significant chips on the table, offering a bunch of backup offensive linemen and a late draft pick.

So the Patriots, doing what good teams do once camp starts—following the “10 moves” rule I wrote about this week—added a significant player to the team at a huge position of need. On paper, the AFC race looks like New England is comfortably in the driver’s seat.

The Pats newest addition…Derrick Burgess

Burgess brings his 47 career sacks to New England, and he brings pressure coming off the right side of the offensive line, where the right tackles are not as athletic or as nimble as their counterparts on the left. Considering he got all his sacks playing for a team that rarely was in the lead is another testimonial to his talent. In the AFC East, Damien Woody of the Jets, Brad Butler of the Bills, and Vernon Carey of the Dolphins will have their work cut out for them.

If he’s healthy, Burgess is a top-flight pass rusher. He can race the corner, but he also has the ability to play with power and push back soft-setting tackles. Even though he’s not very big in terms of girth, Burgess can play big in the pass-rush game and will fit in well with the Patriots’ nickel schemes.

Will he have a role on first or second down in base? Probably not, but he’ll be a huge part of their nickel packages. And based on the skill level of their offense and their scoring potential, they might be in their nickel defense quite often.

Are the Pats now the favorite to win the Super Bowl?

I’m a huge fan of Burgess, in large part because he was with me at the Hotel and played very well, recording 27 sacks in two years and making two Pro Bowl appearances.

His last season in Oakland, he was unhappy with his contract, had injury problems, and therefore had only 3½ sacks in 10 games. He wanted out of Oakland for some time, and since the signing of Greg Ellis, the Raiders wanted him gone as well. So both sides win.

On paper, the Patriots look loaded. If they’re able to convince former Tampa Bay Bucs defensive lineman Kevin Carter to come north—I hear there’s about an 80 percent chance—they might have solved all their defensive woes. It’s paper, I know, but wow—the Patriots look good.

QUOTE: “The one real object of education is to have a man in the condition of continually asking questions.”—Bishop Creighton (American bishop)

As training camps begin to open this week, we’ll continue examining first-year NFL coaches and the challenges that await them. Today, we look at Raheem Morris of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

BACKGROUND

My fellow Hofstra graduate has enjoyed a fast track to becoming an NFL head coach.

After his playing days for the “Pride” (when I attended, we were called the Dutchmen—not politically correct now), Morris moved quickly through the college coaching ranks, starting at Hofstra in 1998, then Cornell before gaining entrance to the NFL in 2002 as a Bucs defensive assistant.

His first NFL teacher was Monte Kiffin, the former Bucs coordinator who’s a master at teaching young coaches. Kiffin has a unique ability to find bright young coaches he can mold and shape. Morris spent four years learning the Bucs defense from Kiffin before heading back to college to become the defensive coordinator at Kansas State.

After only one season, Morris was back in Tampa as the main secondary coach, which was the first time he coached the position by himself. He held the job for two years before being named head coach.

LES STECKEL EFFECT

THEY DIDN’T TELL ME THIS WOULD HAPPEN

Given his age, I’m not sure even Morris suspected he would be the head coach the Bucs. He had an interview with the Denver Broncos for their head coaching position after being promoted to defensive coordinator of the Bucs.

Morris is going to have some on-the-job training as he moves into his new role, which is two rankings above his previous job.

He won’t have the benefit of Malcolm Gladwell’s rule of 10,000 hours of training from the book “Outliers,” but he will be able to enhance his education because of the staff he put together. The offensive (Jeff Jagodzinski, previously the head coach at Boston College) and defensive coordinators (Jim Bates, a veteran coach) will help Morris as he learns the ropes of his new job.

This isn’t to imply that Morris will let either of the coaches be part-time head coaches; rather that he can trust them both to handle their side of the ball with attention to detail. This will allow Morris to spend more time overseeing the team, making sure the team is doing the little things that are essential to winning.

He must act as the CEO of the team since he hasn’t had enough time to prepare for the details of the head coaching chair.

WHAT AM I GOING TO DO ON GAME DAY?

Since he has hired strong coordinators in all three aspects of the game, Morris can focus on motivation, preparation, and game management.

He must devote as much time as possible to understanding how much his role as a game manager can influence the team. He may not be calling the plays on either side of the ball, but where he can make a huge difference is being able to translate the practice reps to the field reps (for example, what worked in practice—what looked good, what looked bad, what he doesn’t want to see, what he thinks they need more of, etc.)

Coordinators often will get locked in on a situation. They are so far in the forest they can’t see the trees. Morris can take a step back and demand from the coaches what he feels will work and what he wants to avoid.

Some may say this is meddling, or invading the turf of the coordinators. In reality, though, if Morris spends his week working on the game, studying the practice tape, and learning what matchups can and can’t work, then he can be a huge help on Sundays.

Just because he doesn’t call the plays, doesn’t mean he can’t influence the plays.

Morris must become a great evaluator of teams. He must know the strengths and weakness of the teams, their favorite plays, what they like to do, and how they think.

He may be a young head coach, but with two veteran coordinators, he can focus on a specific role on Sunday and be able to excel in this area.

I KNOW WHEN TO PUNT…I THINK

Morris was going to take over the defense, which he would have kept in the spirit of Monte Kiffin. When he became head coach, though, he made the move to change the defense, allowing Jim Bates to bring his scheme to Tampa.

Bates’ scheme is slightly different than Kiffin’s in terms of the style of players needed and the manner in which they’re expected to play. Kiffin preferred more speed and quickness in the defensive front, while Bates wants more power, more size to be able to play a seven-man front and not have to commit the eighth player to the box.

For all the talk of being a Tampa 2 system, the Bucs played more man-to-man defense than was thought, which will fit in nicely with the new scheme.

The hardest part of this switch will be up front at tackle and making sure someone, anyone—are you listening, Gaines Adams?—can rush the passer.

I WISH WE HAD DONE…

Becoming a first-time NFL head coach is like buying your first home. You never think you can afford the payments, but somehow it all works out. There will be many things that Morris will wish he did after the first season, but I’m sure the Glazer family knows there will be growing pains when you hire such a coach.

I’M GOING TO REMEMBER THIS ONE…

Welcome to the NFL, Coach Morris. Of your first five games, four are against the NFC East, including your opener at home against the Cowboys. The schedule-makers didn’t do the Bucs any favors; they’re playing on the road in three of their five games. It’s disappointing because the heat and humidity always benefits the Bucs early in the season.

The Bucs don’t play an NFC South opponent until Oct. 18, at home against Carolina.

THINGS WILL BE DIFFERENT NEXT YEAR

Everything in Tampa will be different in 2010. By then, the Bucs may finally have their franchise quarterback in place as Josh Freeman will be ready to assume the role of starter. Morris will be a year older and a year wiser as a head coach, and the offensive and defensive systems will be established.

All that will be left to do is to keep improving the talent base and hope that Freeman is the right man for the franchise.

QUOTE: “Superior leaders get things done with very little motion. They impart instruction not through many words, but through a few deeds. They keep informed about everything but interfere hardly at all. They are catalysts, and though things would not get done as well if they were not there, when they succeed they take no credit. And because they take no credit, credit never leaves them.” — Laozi

Today, in part 3 of our series on NFL rookie head coaches, let’s examine Rex Ryan of the New York Jets.

BACKGROUND

Ryan comes from a football family. His father Buddy was a head coach in the NFL twice, once when Rex was a young man and once when he coached with him at Arizona. Rex is brash, speaks his mind and will never back down from a competitive situation. He has already spoken publicly about the Dolphins and Patriots, giving each team bulletin-board material for their first meeting.

LES STECKEL EFFECT 

Ryan has a great relationship with his players. Not to overstate the obvious, but he’s a “players’ coach.” He allows freedom of expression and allows his players to have input in the defense, resulting in an open workplace. He also inspires his players to play with passion, with a physical style, and they seem to respond to his leadership. If he fails as a coach, it won’t be because his teams don’t play hard.

Ryan also walks into a team that last season sent seven players to Hawaii for the Pro Bowl, but one of them might be playing in Minnesota this year (yes, Brett Favre did make the Pro Bowl last year).

THEY DIDN’T TELL ME THIS WOULD HAPPEN

Ryan’s leadership style is the complete opposite of former Jets coach Eric Mangini. He has an open-door policy that allows communication between players and coaches, although he walked into a situation with a few unhappy players based on compensation—most notably Pro Bowl kick returner and running back Leon Washington. Washington has been the heart and soul of the Jets’ offense the past few years. He’s the one player on offense whom opposing teams must game plan for to make sure they have the right match on him. If he’s pitted against a linebacker who has difficulty covering him, he will abuse him with his pass-receiving skills.

Washington is a scatback in terms of size, but he doesn’t play the game like a scatback, and he’s a very effective runner. He can pass protect well enough to create problems on third down, and he can gain yards after contact, if not easily avoid contact. He’s a very good player who wants to hear the bank bells ring.

In the same backfield is another unhappy Pro Bowl running back, Thomas Jones, who has spent his career being happy and unhappy with his contract. In fairness to Jones, running backs do not often get to a second contract because of the brutality of the game they face. A second deal for a back is huge, a third deal is damn near impossible and a fourth—don’t go there. So Jones is using his well-rounded University of Virginia education as he attempts to keep redoing his deal before it ends. You can’t fault a running back for trying.

Adding to this little drama, our new head coach threw more fuel on the fire by drafting Shonn Greene from Iowa in the third round. Green is a very good back with power in his lower body, which make him hard to tackle on first contact. He is clearly waiting in the wings to send Jones on his way (perhaps in exchange for a wide receiver?) or to serve as protection for a potential holdout. Either way, Greene is the future and Jones is trade bait.

Ryan needs Washington to be the player he was last year, creating plays, turning bad plays into good plays and being the one weapon opponents fear. With very little playmaking talent at wide receiver, Washington will be key to the Jets’ success on offense as their rookie quarterback, Mark Sanchez, learns to deal with the speed of the pro game.

WHAT AM I GOING TO DO ON GAME DAY?

Fire and brimstone come to mind when I think of Rex Ryan on game day. He has allowed Mike Pettine to run the defense, but it’s Ryan’s defense—and on game day, he will be involved. Ryan will need to have someone assist him with critical aspects of the game, but for the most part, he is the son of a coach, and oftentimes sons of coaches let the coaches coach. He’ll allow offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer run the offense from start to finish, allowing him to work freely.

Ryan will have to spend the first part of the season adjusting his defense to his offense. With a rookie at the helm (yes, I think Sanchez wins the job — why else would he sign this early?), the Jets will need to win a few close, low-scoring games early in the season. As they become more effective with their offense, the defense can take a few more chances. But early on, the Jets might have to avoid giving away games by taking chances on defense. Blitzing to make a play could cost them a game.

With Ryan’s check-with-me defense, which relies on blitzes to certain formations, he depends greatly on communication to make sure everyone knows what to do. Peyton Manning has often referred to the Ravens’ defense as “organized chaos.” When you watch game film of the Ravens, it’s hard to figure out what they’re doing as it applies to the rest of the NFL. They use a chaotic method to confuse offenses and attack the pocket in hopes of creating turnovers. When it’s successful, your first reaction is, “Why doesn’t everyone run this stuff?” When it fails and gives up a big play, your reaction is, “Man, that’s some unsound s—t.”

Ryan must be careful not to allow his emotions to get the best of him on game days. If teams know that a big play given up by the Jets defense will result in an onslaught of blitzes, then he’s played into the hand of his opponents. He must remain calm, think long term and not let them see him sweat.

I KNOW WHEN TO PUNT…I THINK

Being a defensive coach seems to prepare a coach to handle the game with a greater concern for the other side of the ball. That’s not a firm rule because some of the biggest offenders of game management have been defensive coaches. (I can’t help but think of the game last year between the Eagles and the Bengals, a clinic in what not to do in game management offered by a defensive-trained coach and an offensive-trained coach.)

Ryan must always remind himself (at least early in the season) that he’s not coaching the 2000 Ravens defense, he’s coaching the 2009 Jets. He must avoid putting his defense in harm’s way. A punt is a good play for the Jets as their offense grows and as they become more effective moving the ball.

I WISH WE HAD DONE…

The Jets start out in Houston, then go home to face the Patriots and Titans before playing the Saints in the Superdome. Could the NFL schedule-makers have given them a tougher challenge for their defense? They face four of the toughest offenses in the league to start the season, and holding each of these teams to 20 points would be a great feat. How will the Jets score 20 points a game early in the season with a rookie quarterback?

That’s a formidable challenge awaiting their defense in the first four weeks. Ryan must have his team fine-tuned when it leaves camp, at least defensively. We know the offense will be a work in progress for the first eight games, but the Jets must have a great camp, not in terms of winning preseason games but learning the defense.

I’M GOING TO REMEMBER THIS ONE…

I know Ryan loves the challenge of being a head coach and facing the best competition the NFL has to offer, but he will remember the September schedule for the whole year — and probably for the rest of his coaching career.

THINGS WILL BE DIFFERENT NEXT YEAR

With Sanchez entering his second year, the whole Jets organization will feel like the Super Bowl is within their reach — regardless of how Sanchez plays in 2009. With Ryan’s defense entering year two, each member will be able to teach the system to others, as opposed to learning the system from the coaches. Year two for the Ryan administration will be like Nirvana.

The Jets will get better as the season goes along, even if they start 0-4, which is a possibility. They cannot lose sight of their ultimate goal, which is to lay the foundation for a very complex defense and develop a potential “star” quarterback.

QUOTE: “The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men the conviction and the will to carry on. … The genius of a good leader is to leave behind him a situation which common sense, without the grace of genius, can deal with successfully.” — Walter Lippmann

Today, in the second part of our series on first-year NFL coaches, we’ll look at Steve Spagnuolo of the St. Louis Rams.

BACKGROUND

Spagnuolo, 49, has spent a lifetime preparing for the opportunity that awaits him in St. Louis. He started his coaching career as a graduate assistant coach at the University of Massachusetts. Steve worked his way into different roles and even worked a short time for the Redskins when current Rams GM Billy Devaney was there, forging their friendship.

Spending most of his time in the east, with occasional stints in NFL Europe, Spagnuolo got his NFL break when he to work for the Eagles in 1999 as a defensive assistant under Jim Johnson.

It would be fair to say that every job served Spagnuolo well, but his real education started when he joined the Eagles, learning pro football from Johnson and Eagles head coach Andy Reid.

From Philadelphia, he went to work for Tom Coughlin, another successful coach who, I’m confident, taught Spagnuolo a great deal about running a team.

LES STECKEL EFFECT

Because of his experience being around the NFL for some time, Spagnuolo will have a good way of dealing with players. He will be able to deal with the veterans in a professional manner that will not create problems. When your resume includes coaching some of the great players in the NFL, like Michael Strahan, you can speak with authority about what it takes to make a champion, and what champions do to prepare to play.

Like all first-time head coaches, he will need to install his infrastructure, and as a result, there may be some casualties along the way. However, getting people to buy into his program is not going to be an issue, so getting rid of the ones who don’t will not cost him many good players.

THEY DIDN’T TELL ME THIS WOULD HAPPEN

Spagnuolo’s greatest challenge this season will be to teach his team how to prepare, how to be professional and how to win in the NFL. The Rams have won five games the past two seasons and were in the bottom five of almost every offensive and defensive category in 2008. So learning how to win will be a challenge, but that can’t start until they learn how to prepare to win.

I know the Giants played the Rams last year in Week 2 of the season, so Spagnuolo was somewhat familiar with the team’s offensive talent before he interviewed for the job. But he must quickly determine the talent level as it relates to the rest of the NFL, then play off those strengths.

Good to great for the Rams starts with learning how to stop the run, which they could not do last year, and learning how to run the ball, something the Rams also could not do. The Rams will win some games this season, but they’ll have to do so playing a certain style, a certain way, and Spagnuolo must determine that style.

WHAT AM I GOING TO DO ON GAME DAY?

Having called the game from the sidelines as a defensive coordinator gives Spagnuolo a firsthand view now as a head coach. Trust me, the game is different when watching from the sideline. It has a different feel, and it takes training to be able to know what’s going on at field level. Spagnuolo is going to be involved with the defense, even though he has hired Ken Flajole to run the defense. However, this is going to be the Spagnuolo defense taught to Flajole. There are going to be calls from the sideline during the game that I’m sure that Spagnuolo will want to make.

The delicate balance here for Spagnuolo will be not to become the defensive coordinator over becoming the head coach. He was hired for his expertise in defensive football, but that expertise needs to be utilized in the formation of the game plan during the week. He must know what to expect from the offense and the kicking game.

Since Spagnuolo will be involved with the defense, he can’t allow the other two elements of the game get away from him. He must keep on top of those phases or else be at the mercy of the staff he hired.

I KNOW WHEN TO PUNT…I THINK

Dick Curl, formerly of the Kansas City Chiefs and New York Jets, is on the Rams’ staff as the assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach. Curl was the main man entrusted with handling Herman Edwards’ game management, which was legendary – in a bad way. Edwards, whether on the advice of Curl or not, was never in tune with the game. He never seemed to have a handle on when to call timeouts. In fact, the ‘08 Chargers have the Chiefs to thank for their playoff appearance because of two unexplained timeouts the Chiefs took as the Chargers tried to get back in the game. Watching the Jets or Chiefs under the Curl administration of game management, many were often left wondering.

I know that Curl and Spagnuolo have a deep-rooted relationship, but Spagnuolo has been around Coughlin, who is one of the best game management coaches in the NFL. He has also been around Reid and knows firsthand how a head coach’s game decisions can make life tough for one side of the ball or the other. So he shouldn’t rely on the advice of only Curl in this phase of the game. It’s one thing to hire your friend; it’s another to listen to him when it comes to a very critical component of winning or losing. If Spagnuolo does decide to entrust Curl with this important aspect of game management, he runs the risk of things not working smoothly.

I WISH WE HAD DONE…

APIs the clock ticking on Bulger?

The Rams play in the NFC West, which will feature every different kind of offense in the NFL. From the excellent passing game of the Cardinals to the west coast offense of the Seahawks to the attempt of the 49ers to become a smash mouth team, the Rams must be versatile with their defense. It would not surprise me if, at the end of the year, the Rams feel they did not spend enough time on the personnel of the west and how their team matches up to it.

I also think that next season might be the changing of the guard for St. Louis quarterbacks, and the Marc Bulger era may soon run its course. When the season is over, the Rams might look back and wish they had drafted USC quarterback Mark Sanchez. Just an observation.

I’M GOING TO REMEMBER THIS ONE…

For the Rams to be respectable in ‘09 as they start their climb from good to great, they must become a better fundamental team in terms of technique. Spagnuolo must start at ground zero, making sure the details he covers this year are in place when he enters year two of his program.

He can’t lose sight of the big picture, that he must build a foundation, not adapt more schemes to just win a game. This team needs to remember what it’s building for — long-term success.

THINGS WILL BE DIFFERENT NEXT YEAR

You can never fix all of a team’s problems in one year, but next year, I get a feeling Spagnuolo will have a better understanding of what he needs in order to win the NFC West. He will come to the realization that he must find a long-term solution at quarterback, and he is really just a year behind.

QUOTE: “Laughter gives us distance. It allows us to step back from an event, deal with it and then move on.” — Bob Newhart

On Thursday, we did just what Bob Newhart suggested. We took a step back and had a few laughs (at least some of us did). Today, we make a final decision on which unemployed Super Bowl coach the Redskins should hire. A friendly reminder to all: We’re pretending to be owner Daniel Snyder as he makes this very important decision.

On a side note, do you remember going to the doctor’s office as a kid? You had to wait in his lame waiting room that never had any sport magazines—nothing that appealed to kids who were sports enthusiasts, at least not in my doctor’s office.

Since I couldn’t find any pictures of my favorite sports heroes, I always gravitated to the Highlights magazine to work on the missing picture puzzle (I still do today). You know the one where they had a list of things you had to find somewhere in the picture, hidden behind a rock or alongside the page.

Well, yesterday’s column was meant to poke fun at the Redskins’ situation, a la Bob Newhart above, but there was a ton of truth on the page—you just had to find it. I guess you could say that was our attempt to make our first Highlights puzzle.

OK, back to the Redskins. Now, when hiring a head coach, you must have a “Come to Jesus” meeting with yourself. In the case of the ‘Skins, Snyder is Snyder. He’s not going to change how he operates—for anyone. He didn’t pay all this money for an NFL team just to sit idly by on the sidelines as a spectator.

He thinks he can run a team, he thinks he can build a team, he thinks he can general manage a team—and that’s not going to change. Not now, not after breakfast, not tomorrow, not two weeks from now, not a month from now, not ever.

The ‘Skins landed Jarmon, but it cost them a third-round pick in 2010.

A perfect example was Thursday’s supplemental draft. The ‘Skins once again mortgaged their future, using a 2010 pick for defensive lineman Jeremy Jarmon. I have nothing against Jarmon as a player; I’m more in the Wes Bunting camp, believing he can be a good player for the ‘Skins next year.

He can play all three downs and will provide depth along the line. However, it’s the plan on how to build the team that bothers me most. As long as Snyder is the owner, he’s going to manage each player personnel situation as an independent item.

He will never put to paper a business model of how he wants to build the ‘Skins for today, for tomorrow and for the next three years. This behavior always amazes me—a man makes billions of dollars in one business, then comes into the NFL and forgets all the good business methods that allowed him to make his fortune. Insane, right?

We know that Snyder won’t change; we also know that most of the five coaches we evaluated for this series have strong beliefs about how they want to set up an organization.

In fairness to Snyder, he will allow all five coaches to bring in any assistant coaches they want, paying each one above the going rate. The divide will occur over the structure of the front office. That will be the point of contention for any of the five.

Some will be willing to deal with the explanation that Snyder may offer (Brian Billick, Jon “Love You Bro” Gruden, Mike Shanahan and maybe Mike Holmgren), others will take a “my way or the highway” approach (Bill Cowher).

This discourse over the front office is not new in Washington. It’s been a recurring theme since Snyder has been in the NFL. The only person he feels works best for him is Vinny Cerrato. Cerrato understands how the owner works and, more importantly, how he behaves.

Cerrato was very close to Snyder’s father Gerald before he passed away, so Vinny is more like family than employee. Even though there were reports (not verified) that Snyder was angry at Cerrato for not making the deal to get Jay Cutler, their relationship will continue no matter who’s hired for the post.

Bill Cowher

How does all this end? When you break down the coaches as if you were Snyder, the first one off the list would be Billick. Not because he’s not a good coach but because he will not generate the “star” appeal that Snyder craves. Snyder loves stars and loves being around them, so the next coach he hires has to carry a little celebrity swagger.

As I mentioned this week, I really don’t think Cowher would take the job, no matter how many dollars Snyder throws his way. For Cowher to come back, a team would have to meet certain criteria.

Cowher pays attention to the NFL; he knows that when he returns, he needs the right team. He’s watched other Super Bowl-winning coaches return in failed experiments—George Seifert being the main example. Making the wrong move can hurt one’s legacy.

(It took former Kansas City Chiefs coach Hank Stram many years to overcome the debacle in New Orleans, which many felt kept him out of the Hall of Fame until 2003. Stram had 130 wins in his NFL career, but the last memory that many had was his New Orleans stop, which almost killed his career.)

I feel like Ryan Seacrest on “American Idol” as he gets to the final three. Our remaining contenders are ex-49ers coaches who all have ties to Bill Walsh. Mike Shanahan, Jon “Love You Bro” Gruden and Mike Holmgren are the choices for The Daniel. Which one will he pick?

Gruden is doing ESPN Monday Night Football, and he will work with the front office set-up that

Jon Gruden

Snyder has installed. He might bitch off the record to anyone and everyone about the lack of talent in Washington, but he’ll coach the team hard. He would want to bring in his former GM, Bruce Allen, in some capacity, which shouldn’t be a problem with Snyder.

Holmgren is smooth enough to get along with anyone, including Snyder. He has a relationship with Vinny from their days in San Francisco, and because Snyder allows the assistant coaches to be heavily involved in personnel decisions, I can see Holmgren making this work well.

Holmgren would need control of the 53-man roster, but once he secured that item, I believe he has the experience to make this work.

Shanahan has a ton of money coming from the Broncos, so he can be a little picky about what job he takes. Had the ‘Skins made the Cutler deal, this move would be a no-brainer, with or without Vinny in the front office.

FYI, Mike and Vinny have a friendship from their 49ers days. Snyder has the money to pay Mike and the money to pay players, both important items on the Shanny checklist.

In addition, Shanahan would want to hire his son, Kyle, who is an outstanding coach in Houston, as his offensive coordinator. If the control issues regarding personnel can be smoothed over, I can honestly see Shanahan and Snyder getting along.

I can see Snyder being able to sell himself to any of the three as his next head coach. He’s a great salesman, much like Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who might be looking at the same three coaches. Someone once told me that Jones is such a good salesman he could talk a cat off the top of a fish truck. The same could be said for Snyder.

Who will “The Danny” pick? My bet is Shanahan. That move would send shock waves along the I-95 corridor as the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants would be impressed – and also very worried. Shanahan will be a different man when he returns. He’ll be energized, and he’ll succeed.

If Snyder makes this pick, “Hail to the Redskins” will be playing all the time. I can see the NFP’s Ray Gustini dancing right now…