Tag: Steve Wilks

Cowboys’ McCarthy won’t join ranks of one-and-done coaches

The NFL is no stranger to quick hooks among the coaching ranks, but Stephen Jones confirms that Mike McCarthy will return in 2021,

The 2020 season has gone badly enough that the question had to be asked on Monday: will first-year head coach Mike McCarthy survive the proverbial bloodbath to return next year? The answer from Stephen Jones was an unequivocal yes, but that got the wheels turning. Just how bad do things have to go for a coach to last a year or less?

Not as bad as some might think. There is a rich history of trigger-happy owners showing their new charges the door in a hurry. Peruse the handy list below to take a look at some of the quickest hooks the league has ever seen. Note: for those wondering, Bill Belichick’s day-long employment with the New York Jets is not included; he never actually coached a game.

Year Team Coach Record
2019 CLE Freddie Kitchens 6-10
2019 ARI Steve Wilks 3-13
2013 CLE Rob Chudzinski 4-12
2011 OAK Hue Jackson 8-8
2009 SEA Jim Mora 5-11
2007 MIA Cam Cameron 1-15
2007 ATL Bobby Petrino 3-10
2006 OAK Art Shell 2-14
2001 WAS Marty Schottenheimer 8-8
2000 NYJ Al Groh 9-7
1999 GB Ray Rhodes 8-8
1994 NYJ Pete Carroll 6-10
1993 WAS Richie Petitbon 4-12
1984 MIN Les Steckel 3-13
1978 SF Pete McCulley 1-8
1977 LAR George Allen 0-2*
1976 NYJ Lou Holtz 3-10

Poor Al Groh got shown the door after a winning record! A nine-win season would require the Cowboys to run off a seven-game win streak, a statistical improbability that would dash the dreams of all draft fans. Three different men finished a respectable .500 before getting the axe. The majority of the coaches, though, really put in the kind of work that rightfully earned them a ticket to the unemployment line. This much is clear, however: working for the Jets, Browns, or Raiders could be considered an occupational hazard.

Still, just two team owners, if they had any semblance of self-awareness, would look back and rue the day they moved on from their coaches so quickly. Pete Carroll would go on to build a mini-dynasty that’s still going with the Seattle Seahawks, winning one Super Bowl and appearing in another. And Marty Schottenheimer went on to a critically-acclaimed run with the San Diego Chargers, though he always fell short of the promised land.

This won’t be the case for McCarthy and the Joneses. Even though a three- or four-win season in 2020 seems as likely as any other outcome, and as badly as some fans already want to pivot in a new direction, it’s not happening. It’s hard to say that the newest coach in Dallas deserves as much criticism as he’s received, given the circumstances he’s faced.

At a minimum, McCarthy’s job security for next year was likely locked in the moment starting quarterback Dak Prescott was lost for the season. Even though a divorce is inevitable, as it always is in the league whose initials are said to stand for “Not For Long,” it won’t happen in Dallas this off-season.

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NFL Draft Tinder: Analyzing Jonathan Taylor’s Fit With the Buffalo Bills as the Draft Inches Closer

A lot goes into whether a college football player finds success in the National Football League. Skill, size, speed, technique and experience all play a role in their transition to the new level of football, but an often-overlooked factor is their …

A lot goes into whether a college football player finds success in the National Football League. Skill, size, speed, technique and experience all play a role in their transition to the new level of football, but an often-overlooked factor is their fit with the team that drafts them.

This fit is based on many things. The skill level of the players around them, the culture of the organization, and the coaching/planned role for the player in his rookie year with the team.

Two clear examples of the squad that drafted a player playing a massive role in whether they found success, the examples each showing the opposite ends of the spectrum, are seen in the early careers of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Miami Dolphins quarterback Josh Rosen.

Nobody will deny that Mahomes is by far the better talent and better player. What is overlooked, however, is how different the early career situations affected each quarterback as they transitioned to the NFL.

Mahomes was drafted by the Chiefs–an extremely well-run organization with a great coach and a great roster–and was given a year to sit behind the current quarterback, veteran Alex Smith, in order to learn about what it takes to succeed in the league. He then was well prepared to take over the team in his second year and the rest is history.

Rosen, on the other hand, was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals–an organization without a history of success, with a first year head coach in Steve Wilks and a bad roster–and was thrust into the starting role in week four. The UCLA product struggled mightily throughout his rookie year due in large part to an abysmal offensive line and below average weapons on the outside. Then, that offseason Rosen was traded to the Dolphins, a similarly tough situation for a young quarterback to succeed, and he hasn’t found footing since.

While not nearly the only reason for each players’ early career success or lack thereof, the team that drafted the two and the situation they put the young quarterbacks in had an undoubted effect on the level of success they experienced early in their careers.

So, with all this said, I looked through countless mock drafts and saw where former Badger running back Jonathan Taylor was being projected to land. One of the constant teams I saw was the Buffalo Bills.

So I thought about, if I was Taylor, whether or not I would be attracted to the fit presented by the Bills based on their culture, coach, offensive line and overall track record of success. 

Here’s NFL Draft Tinder: Jonathan Taylor edition, volume one.

 

The Buffalo Bills

Swipe up (super like).

While the Bills aren’t the first organization that comes to mind when you think of the elite organizations in the NFL, Head Coach Sean McDermott has built an impressive culture there over the last few years and has his team in great position to take over the AFC East with Tom Brady now in Tampa Bay. 

The team’s run scheme–a cold weather, north-south attack–would fit Taylor’s skill set perfectly and help to counteract the team having the league’s 21st rated offensive line in 2019 according to ProFootballFocus. Furthermore, a key element in someone like Taylor finding NFL success is the presence of another back on the roster, preferably a change-of-pace back, to take pressure off of him and help to manage his workload. The Bills have exactly that in Devin Singletary, a guy who carried the ball 151 times for 775 yards and caught 29 balls for 194 yards in only 12 games last season as a rookie. The fit of the offense is then wrapped up by the Bills’ impressive young quarterback Josh Allen, a guy who is improving each year and isn’t afraid to use his legs to move the ball. In total, adding Taylor to this team would make them a force to be reckoned with on the ground.

So, the current culture of the organization together with trajectory of the team, their talented young quarterback, their coach and the presence of a change-of-pace back in Devin Singletary outweigh the team having a slightly below average offensive line and represent a great situation for Taylor to find himself in.

 

Stay tuned for Taylor’s fit with the Miami Dolphins tomorrow and more to follow.

Redskins targeting Jack Del Rio as their next defensive coordinator

Jack Del Rio seems to be the top candidate for the Redskins as they look to fill out their defensive coordinator position under Ron Rivera.

The Washington Redskins are expected to target former Oakland Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio as their defensive coordinator going forward, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

It was reported early on Tuesday morning by ESPN’s John Keim that Steve Wilks, who many expected to follow new Redskins head coach Ron Rivera to Washington to become the defensive coordinator, was not expected to make the trip. Soon thereafter, Schefter reported that Del Rio was the top target for the Redskins, and he’s likely to take the job.

Del Rio and Rivera will be tasked with overhauling the Redskins defense and implementing a 4-3 scheme that hasn’t been used in Washington in the past decade. Del Rio’s success in Carolina and Denver makes him a great choice for the Redskins, and one that would surely bolster their prospects on that side of the ball.

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Report: Steve Wilks not expected to be named Redskins defensive coordinator

Many expect Steve Wilks to join Ron Rivera in Washington as the DC, but a source close to Wilks says he doesn’t expect that to happen.

According to ESPN’s John Keim, it seems that defensive coordinator Steve Wilks is not expected to join Ron Rivera in Washington as the Redskins next DC at this time.

With the hiring of Rivera, who coached with Wilks in Carolina with the Panthers, many expected Rivera to bring in his old coordinator to help shore up the Washington defense and transition back to a 4-3 scheme in Washington. According to sources close to Wilks, that isn’t expected to happen.

Wilks last acted as the defensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns in 2019, and he was fired as the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals a year prior to that after going 3-13 in 2018. Should he not join up with Rivera in Washington, it will be interesting who the Redskins tab as their next DC. No matter who it is, we feel confident in saying that current DC Greg Manusky will no longer be with the team in that role going forward.

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What do Redskins’ changes mean for Trent Williams and Josh Norman?

Both Trent Williams and Josh Norman had questionable relationships with Bruce Allen, but now that the team president is out, what changes?

Obviously, some incremental changes are being made in Washington right now. The Redskins made the decision to fire team president Bruce Allen after 10 years of work on Monday morning, and they’re expected to sign former Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera by the day’s end.

While this information is pertinent to answer some questions about what might happen in the franchise’s immediate future, it also poses a couple personnel questions down the road — mainly, what is going to happen with LT Trent Williams and CB Josh Norman?

Let’s start with Williams first. As a seven-time Pro-Bowler, Williams entered 2019 as the un-rivaled star of the Redskins, and his presence on the offensive line was easily the best thing that the team had going for them. Unfortunately, a rift between himself, the team’s medical staff, and Allen had grown to dangerous levels, and it led to Williams holding out from the team for the entire season, where he was eventually placed on the NFI list.

A lot of the tension surrounding Williams had something to do with Allen, who he reportedly did not get along with. It was reported that Allen placed Williams on the NFI, not guaranteeing his 2019 salary, out of spite due to Williams meeting with the media earlier that week and airing his grievances about the team. Now that Allen is gone, where does that leave Williams?

Technically, Trent is still a member of the Redskins, and he is under contract for one more season. The 31-year-old left tackle has been aiming to get a new contract signed before he plays again so that he has some finances secured in case of injury, or the team could choose to trade him. He has a strong relationship with team owner Dan Snyder, who could offer Williams a nice new contract if that’s what it would take to get him to return. There is nothing official yet, but the Redskins may have a path to getting Williams back now that Allen is gone.

As for Josh Norman, it is the hiring of his former coach, Ron Rivera, that is interesting. Norman played under Rivera for several years in Carolina with the Panthers, and he has a solid relationship with both him and defensive coordinator Steve Wilkes, who is rumored to be coming to Washington as well.

Norman has had a tough 2019 season, and he’s seen his time on the field dwindled down to none in order to get young players some experience. It has long been assumed that Norman, who has a $12.5 million cap hit in 2020, will be playing for a new team next season. However, a new coaching staff could change things. That’s not to say that Norman is suddenly going to rewind the clock and turn into the lock-down corner of old, but his veteran presence could be beneficial to the Washington locker room.

Things are changing at the top of the Redskins’ organization, and it is likely to have ripple effects long down the line. We can’t wait to see how this all plays out.

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Scouting the Cleveland Browns for Week 16

A look at the stats and tendencies of the Cleveland Browns ahead of their Week 16 clash with the Ravens

Proud owners of a ten-game winning streak, the Baltimore Ravens will look to make it eleven in a row when they play the last team to beat them this season in Week 16. The Cleveland Browns were 40-25 victors at M&T Bank Stadium back in Week 4 thanks to 165 rushing yards and three touchdowns from running back Nick Chubb.

Famously, the Baltimore Ravens were born after Art Modell took his Browns team out of Cleveland following the 1995 season. A “new” Browns team was born prior to the 1999 campaign and placed in the same division as the “old” Browns. Since then, the two teams have met 41 times, with the Ravens enjoying a 30-11 advantage. When playing in Cleveland, the Ravens have a 14-6 record although they lost 12-9 in overtime in 2018.

Let’s take a closer look at the 2019 Browns to see what we can expect to see from them on offense and defense.

Browns offense

Credit: Scott R. Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

Coming into the 2019 season, many had high hopes for the Browns on offense. Second-year quarterback Baker Mayfield, Chubb and veteran wide receiver Jarvis Landry were joined by Odell Beckham, and many were ready to kiss the Browns all the way to the Super Bowl. Things haven’t exactly gone to plan.

Employing a pass:run ratio of 59%:41%, the Browns are 21st in points and 17th in total offense this season. They’ve been better rushing than passing, with the tenth most rushing yards and only the 19th most yards through the air. Mayfield has only thrown 17 touchdowns whilst tossing an identical number of interceptions.

34.2% of Cleveland’s offensive drives have ended with a score this season, the 14th worst rate in the NFL. 14.3% of them have ended with the Browns coughing the ball up to their opponents. That’s “good” for the ninth most. Despite major question marks across their offensive line, the Browns have seen their quarterback sacked on only 6.6% of their total dropbacks. This is the 17th highest rate of all teams.

The Browns have the seventh-best explosive play rate in the NFL, thanks in large part to big plays made on the ground. 14% of their runs have been for 20 yards or more, the 4th best rate in the NFL. Their explosive pass rate is the 13th best, standing at 10%.

The Browns operate out of the shotgun on 66% of their offensive plays and favor 11 personnel on offense (three wide receivers, one running back and one tight end), although the rate at which they line up in 11 is only the 21st highest in the NFL (59%).

The Browns pass on 70% of their plays when deployed in 11 but average a far from stellar 6.7 yards per pass attempt whilst throwing 15 interceptions against 11 touchdowns. They’ve gobbled up 5.1 yards per attempt on the ground though, which makes you wonder why they don’t run out of 11 more often. They instead choose to mainly run when in 12, with two tight ends joining two wide receivers and a back on the field. But much like when in 11, they should be doing the opposite of what they are doing. The Browns average 8.7 yards per pass attempt and 4.5 yards per rush in this formation.

Since Kareem Hunt joined the team following a suspension to start the season, the Browns have made a concerted effort to get both him and Chubb on the field at the same time. This is evidenced by their use of 21 personnel since Week 10. The Browns have turned to this formation on 13% of their offensive snaps, and have averaged 7.3 yards per pass attempt and 7.0 yards on the ground.

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Cardinals vs. Browns ultimate Week 15 preview

It’s Kyler Murray vs Baker Mayfield in this week 15 matchup between the Cleveland Browns and the Arizona Cardinals.

Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Sunday’s matchup against the Cleveland Browns was one of the more anticipated games of the 2019 season when the schedule released last April. While both teams haven’t had the kind of year they’d hoped, there are still storylines all over the field.

  1. Baker Mayfield faces Kyler Murray in a battle of the 2018 and 2019 No. 1 overall picks.
  2. Steve Wilks’ makes his return to State Farm Stadium as Browns defensive coordinator.
  3. LSU standouts Patrick Peterson vs. Odell Beckham Jr. will certainly be one-on-one.

Before the season started, many thought this game had primetime flex potential. With a combined eight wins between the teams, that certainly didn’t happen. Still, the connections between these two teams make this an interesting matchup to watch.

Read on for our Week 15 preview:

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Browns DC Steve Wilks has no extra emotions in return to Arizona

He isn’t admitting it, at least.

When the 2019 schedule came out for the Arizona Cardinals, one of the dates many had circled for a number of reasons was December 15 when the Cleveland Browns come to town. There are a number of storylines that connect the two teams. Quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray were college teammates, Heisman Trophy winners and No. 1 overall picks. Murray played under Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury before transferring after losing his starting job. There are a number of former Cardinals coaches and players on the Browns coaching staff.

That includes defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, who was fired by the Cardinals as their head coach after one season.

Many have dubbed this game as the Steve Wilks Revenge Game.

Wilks downplayed the return to Arizona when he spoke with reporters Thursday.

“To be honest, I do not really have emotions in regards to this week,” he said. “I want to win this game just like I wanted to win last week’s game, just like I wanted to win the first game against Tennessee. My focus is trying to get these guys in position to be successful. Hopefully, we can go out there and get a win.”

This is almost believable. Wilks, as we learned in his year as head coach, is very good about keeping things in focus and being methodical about his approach. He wants to win every game. However, there has to be a little more invested in this game, as it is the team who fired him despite giving him a bad team to coach.

He will surely have his defense ready to play.

And while he might be any more emotional outwardly, internally this game will have to mean a little more than the others.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

Ep. 251:

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Ep. 250:

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