Another way of looking at it:
R1 pick
HOF
HOF
HOF
R1 pick
Reigning MVP
R1 pick
HOF
High profile FA
High profile FA
Prior OROY
...and an undrafted QB from Samford most famous for being a duck-call champion.
Another way of looking at it:
R1 pick
HOF
HOF
HOF
R1 pick
Reigning MVP
R1 pick
HOF
High profile FA
High profile FA
Prior OROY
...and an undrafted QB from Samford most famous for being a duck-call champion.
I’m not a Tomlin hater. I’m really not. I’m generally one of those people who thinks he’s really good at certain aspects of the job, but is beholden to coordinators for actual Xs and Os strategy. I’m certainly not someone who ever felt there was more to gain than to lose by firing him.
It is interesting to hear that he was actively making in game strategic adjustments, and that they seemed to be good ones. He absolutely deserves praise for the results he’s getting from his decisions.
However I still think it’s early to bestow too much praise. It’s probably true with most coaches (besides the truly elite ones) that many of their decisions could have just as easily gone the other way, good or bad. But do I think Tomlin is ever the guy to constistantly outmaneuver his opponent (like I DO think Bill Bilichick does)? I honestly can’t say.
His overall results are better than most coaches, and I think that is a testament to his personality and leadership abilities more than anything.
I guess it’s fine to reward him with praise for results. But does it mean he’s a better head coach today than he was when we were losing to lesser opponents? I’m just saying, I don’t know if he’s a better coach than we usually give him credit for. And I don’t know that he’ll be a consistently better coach going forward. But I hope so. I really want Tomlin to be great.
I've been a very vocal Tomlin critic over the last several years because I think he was a really good coach that had just gotten lazy. He had a HOF quarterback making things look easy, and he knew it. He also worked for an organization that flips head coaches about as often as the Catholic church flips popes.
The underwhelming way last season ended had some of the minority owners grumbling that Tomlin has exceeded his shelf life. He knew he needed a deep playoff run this year to quiet the doubters, and then 2 games into the season, he's left holding a steaming shitburger when Ben goes on the rack. Before you know it, the team is 1-4 and looking like it's about to hand Miami a top 5 pick in 2020.
This put his back against the wall for the first time in a very long time and forced him into a place he hadn't been since his first few years in the league: Being a coach who had to actively coach, out-scheme, make tough calls, and make the locker room believe he could rally them - and start scratching out wins the hard way, not by trusting Ben to go 33-45 for 350 yards and 3TDs every week to give you the W.
And you know what? It worked. These guys are gutting out wins through a brutal, turnover-causing D, and a relatively safe offense that's just good enough put them at 7-5 and in the driver's seat for a post-season berth. With practice squad talent in many of the skill positions on offense. I've got a renewed faith in Tomlin that the guy can be a really good coach whose players would run through a brick wall for, and he's proving it this year. I only hope that next year when Ben is back, and the offense is clicking again that he doesn't forget what he did this year.
This year is a washout, there've just been too many injuries to expect a deep playoff push. But next year, with a ferocious D, Ben back under center, a few key additions, and a reinvigorated Mike Tomlin - this could be a nasty, nasty team for the rest of the league to contend with.
The problem is that 2020 is going to be potentially a rougher go. Recent league-wide trends strongly indicate that defense doesn't repeat year after year, especially turnovers. Look at the Bears from 2018 to 2019. Still real good, but not season alteringly good. It is just so hard to have the offense and the defense and injury luck all line-up in the same season for an NFL team to make a serious SB run.
I see what you’re saying, but I think it just depends on who can keep on defense. Takent is talent.Originally Posted by Mojouw
I mean the Patriots defense was good last year and stayed good.
I just hope Colbert manages to keep these guys together. I hope we can keep Dupree and Hargrave but it might be tough. Maybe Tuitt can actually have better health luck next year.
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One of the things this team has going for them is their youth. This defense isn't relying too heavily on aging veterans that are past their prime where you can see a significant decline with the same set of players going forward.
They have nearly everyone of importance on that defense back next year. Dupree and Hargrave are the players that may not be there next year if they sign big contracts with other teams. Both are showing that they are very important pieces in this defense's success. Both are making a case for the team to do whatever they have to do to keep them. After seeing what this defense has done this year, they need to keep at least on of them IMO.
After that, everybody should be back, plus Tuitt was a monster until he went down. The secondary is young and talented.
I think most signs point to this defense playing very well for the next several seasons. I know that nothing is guaranteed, but I like the direction of this defense and the way the current pieces fit the scheme and have the versatility to play multiple positions. Hargrave has shown that he can be very disruptive and that he can move around and be a problem for defenses to handle him. Dupree and Watt can rush the passer, and are good in coverage. Bush is only going to get better. The safeties are interchangeable and the secondary in general is more cohesive and are more skilled than any secondary in recent memory....and they are young except for Haden. Minkah is still on his rookie contract, which is amazing.
It will be interesting to see who the front office decides are priority signings on the defensive side of the ball. The organization has been trying to build a defense like this for about 7 years. It's hard to imagine that they won't prioritize keeping this group together if possible.
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