Random Thought

[SouthPaw]

With all the hoopla surrounding the Dallas Cowboys, it really makes you appreciate the ownership that the Bengals have.  Sounds crazy to say, but its true. I think its an indictment on two things: 1) Jerry Jones is an f'in goof and 2) Mike Brown has come a long way.

[bubba]

With all the hoopla surrounding the Dallas Cowboys, it really makes you appreciate the ownership that the Bengals have.  Sounds crazy to say, but its true. I think its an indictment on two things: 1) Jerry Jones is an f'in goof and 2) Mike Brown has come a long way.

Yep. When Mike stepped back, we took off. Dallas & Wash won't be good until their owners realize they aren't football people

[Randle P McMurphy]

I think Dan Snyder realizes he's not a football guy.  At least not as bad as Jerry Jones.  Snyder just makes poor

decisions in hiring.  Although I'm not entirely sure who pulled the trigger on the trade to get RG3 but that was a

total disaster.  Jerry Jones on the other hand is a train wreck!!  Jason Garrett is nothing but a puppet.  Had his

play calling duties stripped away from him and handed to Bill Callahan of all people lol!  Then fired Ryan and hired

Monte Kiffin.  

[Oldcat]

I think Dan Snyder realizes he's not a football guy.  At least not as bad as Jerry Jones.  Snyder just makes poor

decisions in hiring.  Although I'm not entirely sure who pulled the trigger on the trade to get RG3 but that was a

total disaster.  Jerry Jones on the other hand is a train wreck!!  Jason Garrett is nothing but a puppet.  Had his

play calling duties stripped away from him and handed to Bill Callahan of all people lol!  Then fired Ryan and hired

Monte Kiffin.  

 

The cost was high, but give the way Snyder wasted his picks when he had some not totally absurd.  The value of that one playoff run to a fading franchise is pretty high.  The main problem was in how they rushed his return from the first injury before the playoff game, and then rushed him back this year.  There really wasn't a lot of surprise that he would be ineffective early on, and once the defense showed how bad it was playoffs weren't happening anyway.  So now he has to sack the coach and screw things up that way.

 

While I agree on Jerry Jones, I don't agree about playcalling duties.  The head coach needs to oversee both offense and defense.  Your coordinator should be calling plays, with your input every so often.  Calling all the plays is micromanaging, just like having the head coach mixing the Gatorade.

[|BlackJesus|]

I think a head coach should never double dip as coordinator. They are there to oversee the coordinators and overrule ... but if they are coordinating the offense or defense, they are taking time away from their ability to manage the team and personalities from above it all. To me a good head coach sets the tone, gives the team the vision, sets the game plan, and directs the team in the direction they want -- then they let the people under them do what they specialize in and have more time to do (coordinate).

 

Thankfully I think Marvin understands this. Your head coach also earns at least half their money (on a team without a GM) during the offseason, when they are setting draft boards, molding the roster, picking their coaches, deciding the scheme that fits the teams talent, taking all the info from scouts and deciding how to proceed, motivating players, setting team guidelines, and creating the team culture etc. To me this is where Marvin excels, much more than his week to week coaching. As a game day coach I'd put Marvin around #10 ... but as an offseason coach I'd put him top 3.

[BengalBacker]

Marvin basically said as much last week when talking about Leslie Frazier. He kind of admitted that he was still learning to be a head coach, and shouldn't have tried to be the DC too.

[texbengal]

Marvin basically said as much last week when talking about Leslie Frazier. He kind of admitted that he was still learning to be a head coach, and shouldn't have tried to be the DC too.

Right. A lot of new coaches think they can do it all... I'm sure it helps the Bengals that Marvin appears to have all the faith in the world in Zimmer, so he's not having to look over his shoulder like he did with Frazier.

Just listening to stuff like SoundFX, a head coach has a lot just to manage the game - e.g, thinking ahead to game situations (if we don't convert this 3rd down, we're going for it on 4th down, etc.), talking with his coaches, exhorting players, managing the clock, replay considerations, etc., so calling plays as well can be a significant burden.

In Dallas, I don't think Callahan is a good OC or play caller, but Garrett had several years to prove he could handle both tasks, and he wasn't very successful - so I understand why they made the change.

To get back to the original topic, I agree that Mike has made a lot of progress... Seems like he and Marvin have a good relationship, and with more success comes greater confidence and likely more of a willingness to step back. That, and Duke Tobin obviously has a significant role now, and the team has drafted and used the FA process effectively for the past several years.

Jerry Jones isn't a guy who wants out of the limelight, as opposed to Mike, who shuns it. What GM (or owner) talks to the press after every game, has a weekly show on the radio, etc? Only one guy that I'm aware of. It's comical at times; I know that there are only 32 head coaching jobs, so I get why someone would take the job if offered... but working for Jerry has gotta be a beating.

[T-Dub]

Jones should stop wasting everyone's time and just name himself the new HC.