More on Black Monday Firings

BLACK MONDAY…. JUSTIFIED FIRINGS?

Well Black Monday hit, the day where NFL Coaches and General Managers hope to keep a job or begin to look for a new one. Here is the list: 

San Diego Chargers Coach Norv Turner along with GM A.J. Smith

Kansas City Chiefs Coach Romeo Crennel

Philadelphia Eagles Coach Andy Reid

N.Y. Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum

Jacksonville Jaguars GM Gene Smith

Cleveland Browns Coach Pat Shumur and GM Tom Heckert

Arizona Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt and GM Rod Graves

Buffalo Bills coach Chan Gailey

Chicago Bears Lovie Smith

Now some of the firings such as Turner, Crennel, and Reid (whose time has truly run its course) make total sense.  Kansas City finished 2-14, dropping from a 7-9 season the previous year. Although Crennel is one awesome Defensive Coordinator, his head coaching record (28-55) leaves people flat.   San Diego FINALLY decided to make a change, sending Norv Turner and GM A.J. Smith packing.  The parting of the ways was overdue in my opinion.  Yet there is one that I do not agree with and for the life of me did not see coming: Lovie Smith.  That  firing will be a plus for another team, and the demise of the once prominent Chicago Bears. Why do you say I can’t seem to grasp his firing? Well let’s look at the overall picture. 

      Smith overall record is above .500 (81-63 or .563). Smith has been to the NFC Championship game twice losing to  the Packers and Panthers and he was in the Superbowl, losing to Peyton and the Colts.  But according to Bears GM Phil Emery it was the right thing to do.  Emery states;  “Our No. 1 goal always has to be to win championships, and to win championships we have to be in contention on a consistent basis, and to be in contention we have to make the playoffs on a consistent basis," he said Tuesday (via PFT). "We've had defensive excellence, but during the course of coach Smith's years here, we've had one offense that was ranked in the top 15." (CBSSports) This is the same guy who fired Mike Martz for Mike Tice and we all know what happened with that train wreck.  

  

   Again maybe the time and magic with Smith ran it's course with the Bears.  There are a few people who feel it was unjustified. People like Mike Ditka and Devon Hester (who is thinking of retiring after this fiasco) have voiced their opinion even going as far as to say the firing was a stupid move. (Ditka)

In my opinion, play calling along with not protecting the QB stood out more to me.  I personally know that no matter who is QB, wide receiver or running back, if you can’t make holes to run through or protect the QB to have time to survey the field, it starts with the line first, leading to the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach and scouts. Talent is what you need.

    

      Lucky for Andy Reid, he has signed to become the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs ( ESPN), and Lovie is being interviewed by the Bills ( Smith Interviews)  Both are talented and looking at the issues they endured this season, will be very interesting next season. You can have the greatest coach, but if you surround them with mediocre talent, they will not win.

     

      How many times have we seen QB Rivers self-destruct? Jay Cutler? It is amazing Mike Vick can still walk and want to play the game period.  The owners and GMs need to back off and let the coaches do their job. Yes I know they pay the salaries but you know what. If you don’t have the talent to fill the seats, to win the games all you have left is zero. Just look at the second train wreck… Dallas Cowboys.

Overall, we will see if these latest firings will improve the records of these teams. I bet money Chicago and Philly will be at the bottom of the basement. Wonder if they will get fired after their first season if they do not make it to the playoffs. 2013 will be very interesting.