McCarthy and "Close Games"

[Bretsky]

Let me just point out that this list leaves McCarthy presumably at 11th. Higher than the 14-18 rank estimated by someone earlier.

Also let's point out that Mike Smith hasn't won squat and has the healthiest team in the league. And he just lost at home to the Patriots on a questionable call in the 4th Quarter.

John Harbaugh has his name and a win in Foxboro over the Patriots in the payoffs to his credit plus a 9-7 season in his first year that would not qualify for the playoffs this year.

Wisenhunt had the end of last year plus the entire offseason to find a replacement for Warner. He waived his first choice and selected Derek Andersen as his second. That decision has sunk his season.

Tomlin is winning with his team approved assistants and defense (LeBeau and Arians) not his own staff. Its still Cowher's team except at WR.

Caldwell has done nothing of note. I might have taken Fisher at one point, but after this many years, he may be done. Rex Ryan has gotten more credit for playing 500 football than any other man alive, his record this year is better but I am not convinced.

That puts McCarthy knocking on the top five.

I would not ponder MM as one of the top 5 coaches in the NFL; I more than conceded at a later post he's above average and in the top 10. I would not take Mike Smith or Harbaugh off the list myself; both have well disciplined teams who seem to show consistency and improvement. If Caldwell has none nothing of note you can replace MM into that sentence as well and then you can take MM out of your top 5. Tomlin, seriously......he's well above MM in results so far and it's not my fault if MM has hired some shitty coaches while Tomlin's excel. Coaches deserve some credit or blame for the quality of assistants they fly with. Fischer was one I was debating some. I could certainly add a couple who I personally might like over MM but I don't think there is justification yet.
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[MJZiggy]

I would not ponder MM as one of the top 5 coaches in the NFL; I more than conceded at a later post he's above average and in the top 10. I would not take Mike Smith or Harbaugh off the list myself; both have well disciplined teams who seem to show consistency and improvement. If Caldwell has none nothing of note you can replace MM into that sentence as well and then you can take MM out of your top 5. Tomlin, seriously......he's well above MM in results so far and it's not my fault if MM has hired some shitty coaches while Tomlin's excel. Coaches deserve some credit or blame for the quality of assistants they fly with. Fischer was one I was debating some. I could certainly add a couple who I personally might like over MM but I don't think there is justification yet.
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How can you say M3's done nothing of note when he took the team to a hair's breath of the SuperBowl. When did Caldwell make the title game?

[Bretsky]

How can you say M3's done nothing of note when he took the team to a hair's breath of the SuperBowl. When did Caldwell make the title game?

You realy want me to answer this for you ???

[pbmax]

I would not ponder MM as one of the top 5 coaches in the NFL; I more than conceded at a later post he's above average and in the top 10. I would not take Mike Smith or Harbaugh off the list myself; both have well disciplined teams who seem to show consistency and improvement. If Caldwell has none nothing of note you can replace MM into that sentence as well and then you can take MM out of your top 5. Tomlin, seriously......he's well above MM in results so far and it's not my fault if MM has hired some shitty coaches while Tomlin's excel. Coaches deserve some credit or blame for the quality of assistants they fly with. Fischer was one I was debating some. I could certainly add a couple who I personally might like over MM but I don't think there is justification yet.
.

Harv answered about Tomlin so I will take Caldwell. He took over a Super Bowl caliber team (including Super Bowl caliber offensive assistants Moore and Howard Mudd) and took it to the Super Bowl. He went 14-2 (impressive under any condition) while playing in a bad AFC South Division. In three years, this might indicate that Caldwell is under-appreciated currently and is indeed a top ten coach. But right now, to me, he seems closer to Barry Switzer or Brian Billick.

Judging the Colts this year is tough as like the Packers they have had extensive injuries. However, unlike Tomlin, Caldwell had the clout to remake his defensive staffand hired Larry Coyer to replace Ron Meeks. Meeks' last two years with Dungy produced points allowed rankings of 1st and 7th. Coyer has notched 8th and 23rd. As I said, injuries make conclusions about this year tough. But Caldwell is a cipher compared to McCarthy. M3 has done more with less for longer.

But let's face facts: McCarthy's credentials can be argued back and forth for eternity. There is material for each side of the debate. If he makes another deep playoff run or wins a Super Bowl, then all questions will fade and his near-genius will be proclaimed far and wide. But until that point, no one will have the guts to comment that this guy is good and that its a good bet that when replaced, the next guy will be worse.

All coaches have holes and weaknesses. No one thought Holmgren could win in Green Bay with a passing attack that couldn't run until he did it (I always thought it odd that the Dickey years didn't provide more confidence about a passing attack in Green Bay-must have been Infante; or Gregg's overall record). But when he made the championship game and then won a Super Bowl, all questions were left in the dust. He didn't transform into a genius and he had the same weaknesses, people just couldn't claim those weaknesses were fatal.

McCarthy has the tools and the smarts. The outstanding questions (special teams, O line inconsistency, penalties, being overly fond of 50 FG attempts(ie. passive late game strategy)) will stay the same. But if he can hold two of those together for a string of six games (ST and penalties) late in the season, then I think he wins one very soon.

[pbmax]

Harv answered about Tomlin so I will take Caldwell. He took over a Super Bowl caliber team (including Super Bowl caliber offensive assistants Moore and Howard Mudd) and took it to the Super Bowl. He went 14-2 (impressive under any condition) while playing in a bad AFC South Division. In three years, this might indicate that Caldwell is under-appreciated currently and is indeed a top ten coach. But right now, to me, he seems closer to Barry Switzer or Brian Billick.

Judging the Colts this year is tough as like the Packers they have had extensive injuries. However, unlike Tomlin, Caldwell had the clout to remake his defensive staffand hired Larry Coyer to replace Ron Meeks. Meeks' last two years with Dungy produced points allowed rankings of 1st and 7th. Coyer has notched 8th and 23rd. As I said, injuries make conclusions about this year tough. But Caldwell is a cipher compared to McCarthy. M3 has done more with less for longer.

But let's face facts: McCarthy's credentials can be argued back and forth for eternity. There is material for each side of the debate. If he makes another deep playoff run or wins a Super Bowl, then all questions will fade and his near-genius will be proclaimed far and wide. But until that point, no one will have the guts to comment that this guy is good and that its a good bet that when replaced, the next guy will be worse.

All coaches have holes and weaknesses. No one thought Holmgren could win in Green Bay with a passing attack that couldn't run until he did it (I always thought it odd that the Dickey years didn't provide more confidence about a passing attack in Green Bay-must have been Infante; or Gregg's overall record). But when he made the championship game and then won a Super Bowl, all questions were left in the dust. He didn't transform into a genius and he had the same weaknesses, people just couldn't claim those weaknesses were fatal.

McCarthy has the tools and the smarts. The outstanding questions (special teams, O line inconsistency, penalties, being overly fond of 50 FG attempts(ie. passive late game strategy)) will stay the same. But if he can hold two of those together for a string of six games (ST and penalties) late in the season, then I think he wins one very soon.

Finally a bump that makes me look prescient, not hopeless.