Saturday, June 10, 2006

The Changing of the Guard: Fresh Faces on the Sidelines


As Dylan once said, the times they are a'changin'. This is a transitional period for our beloved NFL, and with a new CBA in hand, the future looks bright. One of the most exciting developments is the emergence of new talent in the coaching ranks. The transfer of power has already begun, and should continue over the next few years.

Althought their return has reinvigorated the traditional powers in the NFC East, legendary old schoolers Joe Gibbs and Bill Parcells can't coach forever. Dick Vermeil will weep on the sidelines no more. The Big Show, Mike Holmgren, just signed a two year extension in Seattle, but his future beyond that is unclear, and now Bill Cowher, the league's longest tenured head coach, is hinting that he may hang 'em up in a year or two (though this may be nothing more than posturing in hopes of landing a fat new contract). Marty Schottenheimer may be on the outs in San Diego.

New England's Bill Belichik and Denver's Mike Shanahan are at the top of the current coaching elite; Tampa Bay's John Gruden is a bright young coach who already has a ring, and Tennessee's Jeff Fisher can still turn things around if Vince Young and Lendale White can fill the big shoes of Steve McNair and Eddie George. John Fox and Andy Reid seem firmly entrenched in Carolina and Philadelphia, respectively, and are poised to ascend to the penthouse if either can secure a Super Bowl ring, so the league won't lack for established coaches even if an exodus of big names occurs over the next few years. Still, it's reassuring to see a promising group of young guns ready to step into the void.

At the head of the class are Cincinnati's Marvin Lewis and Chicago's Lovie Smith, both of whom have made immediate impacts on their franchises. Lewis has engineered a particularly impressive turnaround of one of the worst teams in the league, and if Carson Palmer can return at full strength, the Bengals have a nice array of weapons that will give them a chance to defend their AFC North crown. Lewis won a ring with the Baltimore Ravens in 2000 as the coordinator of their dominant defense, and if he can mesh the young talent he has on that side of the ball in Cincinnati into a cohesive unit, he may have a chance to earn another in the coming years, as the Bengals boast a wealth of young talent that is under contract for the next few years and should continue to improve. In Chicago, Lovie Smith has restored some luster to the once-proud Bears franchise by building the best defense in the league; if he can find a playmaker in the passing game to compliment his powerful rushing attack, the Bears have the tools to dominate the NFC North for years to come. Both coaches are still a little rough around the edges, and have much to learn-- but both won their divisions last year, and if they can find the balance they need they'll have their teams in the hunt for a championship in the next few years.

In Miami, first year head coach Nick Saban brought a welcome breath of fresh air to the moribund Dolphins franchise. Saban's squad impressed with a six game winning streak to finish the season, and if new quarterback Daunte Culpepper can return to his 2004 form, the Dolphins should be able to challenge the Patriots for control of the otherwise weak AFC East. Despite a very shaky roster, the Cleveland Browns were surprisingly competitive in Romeo Crennel's first year as a head coach, and with a host of free agent additions and a strong draft, the Browns are poised to break out in the next year or two. Crennel has wasted no time assembling the personnel neccesary to run the type of 3-4 defense that thrived under his guidance in New England, and he is counting on second year quarterback Charlie Frye to become a leader on the other side of the ball.

Two first-time head coaches to watch for this year are Eric Mangini with the New York Jets and Gary Kubiak with the Houston Texans. Mangini, another Belichik disciple, will have his work cut out for him in the pressure cooker of New York, but he has the intelligence to succeed if the Jets can stock their roster with adequate talent. Kubiak, the long-time second hand man to Mike Shanahan in Denver, has been patiently awaiting an opportunity after helping to orchestrate one of the most consistent offenses in the league during his time in Denver; Kubiak will bring the Broncos' proven zone blocking schemes with him to Texas, and will attempt to ressurect the career of quarterback David Carr as he did over the past few years with Jake Plummer. Look for Kubiak to maximize the untapped potential of wide receiver Andre Johnson, a potent weapon if they can find ways to get him the ball. The pieces are in place to build a dynamic offense in Houston if the young offensive line can come together.

Several fast-rising assistants could join this list within a few years-- keep an eye on Ron Rivera, the coordinator for the tough Bears defense, and former great Mike Singletary, the current Assistant Head Coach in San Fransisco. Also, defensive mastermind Gregg Williams seems to be the logical candidate to replace Joe Gibbs in Washington when he retires, although nothing is certain with unpredictable owner Dan Snyder.
All in all, the future of the league looks to be in competent, inspired hands. It's going to be fun seeing who emerges as the next legend of the sidelines.

6 Comments:

At 9:54 PM, Blogger Cameron said...

Thanks GEM, glad you enjoyed it. I wanted to start a blog as a place to write about trends and happenings across the league, and I'll be addressing a variety of topics. I'm glad to see you posting here.

 
At 8:56 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

Great job Dog. I am impressed on the time and effort you took to do this. Excellent read and I will continue to read as you make more entries. :beer: I would post a hot chick here to congratulate you, but can not. Use your imagination and look at Adriana Lima. (WOW)

 
At 4:57 PM, Blogger Cameron said...

Thanks John and Tex, you know I appreciate it. Don't worry, I am seeing Adrianna Lima in my mind right now! And Tex, I am actually hoping to do some sports writing at some point-- I started this blog to give me an forum to practice my style, so we'll see where it leads.

 
At 2:04 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

That is very impressive if you are going to do some sports writing. Let us know and we will read it. You know I will. You did a great job here and for that ***Jennifer Aniston***. Seriously I love reading sports and would welcome all of it

 
At 4:04 PM, Blogger Erik said...

Nice one, Dog....

I like this post... I did some NFL blogging toward the end of the year just because I felt like it... but it was mostly info I'd gathered from the boards, so nobody from the boards would've really appreciated it too much.

This on the other hand, was well written and not just spit out knowledge and analysis. Awesome.


One suggestion. In your sig, you should put - 'check out my new blog... last update ______' so we know to come read. Matt's hasn't been updated in forever, so I don't think to look.

 
At 3:34 PM, Blogger Cameron said...

Erik and Inkana, thanks for the feedback. Once we get through the summer and into the regular season, I should post here a little more frequently. Erik, good suggestion about changing my sig, i took your advice.

 

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