Mike Lombardi on Pioli and McDaniels 1/7/09

[fnordcircle]

mcd took caldwell and doug gabriel to the afccg

Gabriel was cut before the Championship game.

 

[Fencer]

I never really thought that Pioli wants to leave NE. I think he is willing to speak and if he gets bowled over by an offer, he may consider it.

That's pretty much what I was saying from the getgo.

I'd say "I told you so", but:

A. Nothing is certain yet
B. Anyway, nobody that I recall flamed me for my opinion except DaBruinz, and proving him to have been obnoxious and out of line isn't much of a sport.

 

[BritPat]

mcd took caldwell and doug gabriel to the afccg
made a prolific offensive system when they got welker and moss
made cassel a possible future franchise of some time...

even though he made some questionable calls in games like all OC's do its a pretty impressive job

Have to agree with that.

They guy has done a very good job, even with the obvious mistakes. And we all make mistakes.

I'll actually be sad to lose him, personally.

 

[condon84]

Hater is too strong a word for me. I didn't like the way mcDaniels refused to adjust during the last few games of the season, and especially during the Supberbowl. Not going to a hot receiver or screens to slow the Giants pass rush was pure Mike Martz Lite. We scored about as much as did the XXXVI Rams, and for the same reason.

This year? I've always liked Cassel and I believe that Cassel would have shined without McDaniels, and further that we would have won two more games this year and would be playing this weekend with someone more adaptable as OC.

Your belief might be different than mine, but these are what I believe to be facts, and are not changed if McDaniels changes his ways in the future. He did what he did, and I dislike what he did. If he decides to be less martz-like and make in-game adjustments and does well in Denver, good for him. It doesn't change what he did during the Giant Superbowl.

So if McDaniels does well in Denver, it is a double whammy for you. You lose a guy you like, and people who didn't like the way he called plays here won't eat crow for you because his play-calling here didn't impress us, and that hasn't changed.

Similarly, if Maroney comes back in 2009 and hits the hole with vigor, you won't get anyone eating crow for not liking his dancing because it is a fact that he did dance. If he learns and gets better, good for him, but it doesn't change my opinion of the 2007-2008 version of him.

I hope McDaniels does well for the Broncos, better than he did for us last February. He was still a bad OC for the Pats.

I'm not surprised BB is encouraging him to apply for head coaching jobs and tried to discourage Mangini. Mangini is a rat, but he was a better DC than McDaniels was an OC.

I can't agree with that comment. Like many, I questioned some of his playcalling, but his overall body of work here in NE was outstanding. He, for the most part, maximized the talent on offense and had great gameplans on a weekly basis.

The Super Bowl was disappointing and I too feel like he didn't make the necessary adjustments, but lets not focus and assess his tenure here in NE based on that one game. The kid obviously is a good coach and will get better with experience.

 

[SteveBsFan]

Josh, what's the rush?

Money, of course.

 

[BradyBranch39]

My sense all along has been that if McDaniels is patient and hones his craft with the Pats, he would be the successor to BB at some point. Josh, what's the rush?

Same here. And I thought I remembered him or someone close to him saying thats what he wanted to do.