Looking a bit ahead: Spags for AHC/DB's

[jays52]

Watching the secondary this season it is clear that there is a serious coaching issue at corner. Everyone but Arrington's issues this season look to be poor coaching. Bad understanding of receivers, sloppy technique, unrefined hand play, all of this points towards coaching issues. I think this issue is further compounded by the lack of continuity the corners have with the safeties. I believe that there's a difference between having poor talent and poor talent executing poorly. We're seeing the latter.

I think the defense in general is dangerously thin in coaching. Compare the development of the defensive line and linebackers to the corners. While players coached by Johnson and BB have developed nicely, the corners have developed Arrington and rookie year McCourty. This feeling is further backed by the simplistic schemes being run this year compared to last. Compared to last years polymorphic coverages, this years are simple cover-1, 2 and 3. The only thing I can say in defense is that they finally scrapped that cover-4.

I think that there is a need for an additional veteran coach, and another talented mind. Spagnoulo is going to become available, and adding a respected, creative coach with experience at every position is needed. Not only will adding Spangoulo assist in developing players, he will help to develop the younger coaches as well.

So, uh, I guess flame away but I'm going to bang the drum for Spagnoulo until he signs with another team and turns their defense around.

 

[DaBruinz]

There is only one slight problem with making Spags a AHC.. The Pats already have an AHC in Dante' Scarnecchia.. This isn't college where you need a gazillion AHCs because you have a gazillion players..

A few issues:

1) You overlook the fact that Corwin Brown was the DBs coach last year and it came out that he actually had some duties stripped from him as the year went along.

2) The Pats have 1 coach for the CBs and 1 for the Safeties. Josh Boyer is in his 1st year there and Matt Patricia is in his first year as the Safeties coach, but has 3 previous years of experience.

3) The coverage changes stem more from a lack of talent at safety then anything to do with the coaches.

4) I think you missed the last 2 games where Patricia has done an outstanding job of adjusting on the fly. Particularly against the Broncos.

 

[FalconHeavy]

I'm all for it. Go get em tiger !

 

[andrewgarrr]

Who was the last high profile non-personnel related assistant/coordinator that Bill Belichick hired?

 

[patchick]

Who was the last high profile non-personnel related assistant/coordinator that Bill Belichick hired?

Dom Capers?

 

[jays52]

There is only one slight problem with making Spags a AHC.. The Pats already have an AHC in Dante' Scarnecchia..

Dom Capers? They just slapped a different title on him when he was hired as the same thing.

 

[DaBruinz]

Dom Capers? They just slapped a different title on him when he was hired as the same thing.

Dom Capers was not in line to Coach a game if BB was suspended.. That was DS.

And Capers Title was: secondary coach/special assistant

And do you really want to bring in a guy who might only be around for 1 year?? There are going to be numerous job openings and I'd be willing to bet that Spags goes somewhere he'd be the DC over coming here to be a "special assistant".

 

[andrewgarrr]

Dom Capers?

Ah. I'd welcome him back!

 

[Kontradiction]

Dom Capers? They just slapped a different title on him when he was hired as the same thing.

Exactly. And you know if you read my posts that I am all for this. Just got into a debate about it a few threads ago. Spagnoulo would be an excellent choice for a secondary coach. But we do need better talent and I would welcome his opinion being expressed to Belichick re: the draft and free agency. It can only make us better to have someone besides Matt Patricia expressing his opinion to BB. Good luck with this thread because the raging, unapologetic homers are going to be all over this one, probably screaming "POINTS!!!".

 

[JackBauer]

I don't know how plausible it is, but I'd certainly welcome Spags aboard.

Seems like they've had a greater than usual number of defensive backs regress in the past couple of years, and I doubt that can be chalked up to happenstance.

 

[Sciz]

It's all but certain that Spags is going to Philly for next year, I've read.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

There is only one slight problem with making Spags a AHC.. The Pats already have an AHC in Dante' Scarnecchia.. This isn't college where you need a gazillion AHCs because you have a gazillion players..

Or, for that matter, are allowed to have a gazillion AHCs. IIRC, NFL only allows one per team.

 

[Rob0729]

It's all but certain that Spags is going to Philly for next year, I've read.

I thought the rumors were that he was going back to the Giants. Both teams have past relationships with Spags so it is a logical fit for both.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Who was the last high profile non-personnel related assistant/coordinator that Bill Belichick hired?

Dom Capers

But he has moved on to become the DC of the NFL's top ranked defense

 

[DaBruinz]

Dom Capers

But he has moved on to become the DC of the NFL's top ranked defense

Top Ranked Defense based on what?

 

[Rob0729]

Dom Capers

But he has moved on to become the DC of the NFL's top ranked defense

Did the 30 teams that are ranked higher than the Packers this year die or something?

Even when the Packers' defense was highly ranked last year, they were only ranked 5th. Not the top ranked defense.

The only place the Packers' defense is highly ranked is turnovers, but so are the Pats.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Top Ranked Defense based on what?

An emoticon was obviously needed

 

[DaBruinz]

An emoticon was obviously needed

Yes.. Yes it was...

 

[TheComeback]

Exactly. And you know if you read my posts that I am all for this. Just got into a debate about it a few threads ago. Spagnoulo would be an excellent choice for a secondary coach. But we do need better talent and I would welcome his opinion being expressed to Belichick re: the draft and free agency. It can only make us better to have someone besides Matt Patricia expressing his opinion to BB. Good luck with this thread because the raging, unapologetic homers are going to be all over this one, probably screaming "POINTS!!!".

What has Spagnuolo done in his career that makes you believe he'll improve the defense?

 

[Deus Irae]

Spagnuolo's not going to happen, if the reports are anywhere near accurate:

That report by Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune also offered some information about Spagnuolo’s possible landing spot if he is relieved of his duties with the Rams. Per Acee, league sources are saying it is “all but certain” that Spagnuolo would return to Philadelphia as part of Andy Reid’s coaching staff as defensive coordinator.

Report: Philly will hire Steve Spagnuolo if he’s available | ProFootballTalk

Also, it's tough to blame the coaching when one CB is doing fairly well and the other is in the toilet because he demonstrates the same failings week after week. If McCourty sucking like a Dyson was just coaching, BB would have fixed it himself by now, if needed.

As for the safeties, you can only do so much with the talent. We're talking about a group that is so bad that the staff put Matthew Slater back there.