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Posts Tagged ‘New England Patriots’

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Top 10 NFL Head Coaching Prospects for 2009

In Dallas Cowboys, National Football League, New England Patriots, New York Giants on December 2, 2008 at 1:21 am
New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is one of the brightest head coaching prospects in football.

New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is one of the brightest head coaching prospects in football.

Also check out the Top 10 NFL Head Coaching Vacancies for 2009.

10. Mike Heimerdinger, Offensive Coordinator, Tennessee Titans

Heimerdinger has a solid reputation for his abilities on the offensive side of the ball. He’s worked under Mike Shanahan twice, helping develop Jay Cutler at quarterback. The Titans’ offense ranks sixth in rushing yards and seventh in points scored in the league.

9. Jim Caldwell, Associate Head Coach and Quarterbacks Coach, Indianapolis Colts

Caldwell coached in the college ranks for 20 years and was head coach for eight at Wake Forest. He’s helped develop quarterbacks and passing games in the NFL.

8. Bill Cowher, Former Head Coach, Pittsburgh Steelers

Cowher sets an aggressive tone with his teams. He has a Super Bowl championship under his belt, two AFC championships, and was named AP Coach of the Year in 1992. Cowher is best with a veteran team.

7. Mike Martz, Offensive Coordinator, San Francisco 49ers

His accomplishments speak for themselves. The former Rams head coach is a great offensive mind. What seems to limit Martz is a reputation for not meshing well with others.

6. Ron Rivera, Defensive Coordinator, San Diego Chargers

The Bears defense fell off in 2007 with Rivera’s departure. He helped lead one of the most dominant defenses while defensive coordinator in Chicago. He has a solid background from his days in Philadelphia.

5. Jim Schwartz, Defensive Coordinator, Tennessee Titans

Schwartz has learned under Jeff Fisher and Bill Belichick. The Titan’s impressive start this year is primarily due to a resurgent defensive unit that has lost many players in recent offseasons due to salary cap restrictions.

4. Rex Ryan, Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator, Baltimore Ravens

Ryan has helped lead one of the best defensive units in nine seasons with the Ravens. In his three seasons as coordinator, Ryan’s defense has ranked among the top six in the league each year. Baltimore was No. 1 in the NFL in 2006, surrendering the fewest points.

3. Josh McDaniels, Offensive Coordinator, New England Patriots

What McDaniels has been able to achieve this season without Tom Brady is remarkable. He’s learned under one of the best in the business in Belichick. He’s considered a good evaluator of talent.

2. Jason Garrett, Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator, Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys have one of the league’s most dangerous offensive units. Garrett is the type of coach that’s perfect for a team looking to rebuild and develop young players. He’s unproven, however—this is only his second season as coordinator.

1. Steve Spagnuolo, Defensive Coordinator, New York Giants

Spagnuolo is the architect of a defense that applied relentless pressure on the Patriots’ record-setting offense in Super Bowl XVII. He’s turned around a defensive unit that ranked 25th in the league before his arrival, now ranked No. 3 overall in the NFL.

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Top 10 Reasons Your Losing Team Needs New Uniforms

In National Football League, New England Patriots, New York Giants on November 25, 2008 at 9:42 pm
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were the laughing stock of the NFL since the team’s inception. The fashion gods punished them for wearing those unsightly fluorescent orange and white uniforms. Talk about a fashion faux pas.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were the laughing stock of the NFL since the team’s inception. The fashion gods punished them for wearing those unsightly fluorescent orange and white uniforms. Talk about a fashion faux pas.

Okay, admittedly, clothes don’t make the man. But, in the case of uniforms, they sure as hell get your perennial doormat team turned around within five years. If your team is muddling in mediocrity, your team doesn’t need a new coach or better players. More often than not, a fashion designer is all your team needs.

1. Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons made a uniform change in ‘97. Ka-boom! Two years later, they’re in their first Super Bowl ever. Okay, so they get blown-out 34-19 by the Denver Broncos. No team was going to deny John Elway that year.

But, hey, who cares, right? Atlanta fans are doing the “Dirty Bird” in small towns throughout Georgia and man, they’re just glad they made it to a friggin’ championship game for once.

2. Baltimore Ravens

The former Cleveland Browns never made it to a Super Bowl. In ‘99, they not only change uniforms, they relocate to Baltimore all together and become the Ravens. Two years later, wham-o, all that history of losing seasons and gut-wrenching loses to the Broncos go by the wayside. They win their first Super Bowl, 34-7, over the Giants. Black and purple is the new black.

3. Denver Broncos

All the Broncos and Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway were known for were three Super Bowl chokes within four years. With nothing to lose, the team changes uniforms in ‘97. Cha-ching! The next year, they’re in the big game, and they defeat the Green Bay Packers 31-24 for their first championship. It only gets better when they clip the Falcons the next season for a second consecutive championship.

4. New England Patriots

Let’s face it, Patriot Pat wasn’t cutting it. In ‘93, the team decides to update their uniform and logo to what’s mockingly referred to as “the flying Elvis.” Mock all you want haters, but they’ll be seeing you in the Super Bowl four years later. They go down to the Packers 35-21, but alas, the flying Elvis gets his ultimate revenge later by single-handedly getting the Patriots three championships in four years.

5. New York Giants

It’s been 10 years since the Giants’ last title. They look back in time for inspiration. Visions of Sam Huff and Frank Gifford come to mind. They go retro. The old lower-case “ny” logo is the new Giants logo.

Whack! One year later in ‘01, they’re facing the Baltimore Ravens in the big dance. They may have lost 34-7 to one of the best defenses of all time, but more importantly, they look good going down in defeat, and that’s all that really matters.

6. New York Jets

In ‘98, the Jets bring back the uniforms and logo of the Joe Namath era. The Jets last playoff win was back in ‘86 and the team was a running joke. Wham! One year later, the team’s vying for a Super Bowl berth, but lose to the Broncos in the AFC Championship Game. They qualify for the playoffs in five of the next nine years.

7. Philadelphia Eagles

They updated their uniform in ‘96, as well as their logo, from an eagle that wouldn’t scare a pigeon to a screeching one with some serious ‘tude. Boom! Within the next four years, they return to the playoffs. The team plays in four straight NFC championship games, with a Super Bowl appearance in ‘05, losing a close one against the New England Patriots, 24-21. Okay, no ring, but it’s the best playoff stretch in franchise history.

8. Seattle Seahawks

What’s the Seahawks’ claim to fame up until ‘01? Brian Bosworth. Enough said. The team changes uniforms in ‘02. Surprise! Four years later, they’re in their first Super Bowl. So what if they lose to the Pittsburgh Steelers 21-10 in the lamest NFL title game ever.

Seattle fans can finally put their lattes down and cheer on their team for once. More importantly, they now have something more to brag about than over-hyped linebackers with bad mullets.

9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Bucs were the laughing stock of the league since the team’s inception. The fashion gods punished them for wearing those awful and unsightly fluorescent orange and white uniforms. Talk about a fashion faux pas.

Bucco Bruce with his feather hat, earring, winking eye, and dandy dagger just does not induce fear in opponents. In ‘98, they change uniforms and five years later, they’re blowing out the Oakland Raiders, 48-21, for their first title.

10. Tennessee Titans

Here come the Houston Oilers rolling into town. For a short while, they played as the Tennessee Oilers and keep their old uniforms. That ain’t going to work. In ‘99, they change names and uniforms and lo’ and behold, next year their playing for all the marbles (coming up one yard short to the St. Louis Rams).

So what if they stole their name from the old New York Jets and have the least threatening team colors (baby blue and white) in the league? It worked!

Who’ll Be Lifting the Vince Lombardi Trophy Soon?

The Arizona Cardinals updated their uniforms in ‘05. The San Diego Chargers also did so in ‘07. But, for the Cincinnati Bengals and Detroit Lions, who made recent uniform changes, even new threads may not be enough to get them over the hump.

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In Tribute to No. 21 for Helping the New York Giants Win a Super Bowl

In New York Giants, Reyna Thompson on November 25, 2008 at 8:59 pm
One of the most unheralded New York Giants player helped the team win a Super Bowl. Nope, it's not who you think.

One of the most unheralded New York Giants player helped the team win a Super Bowl. Nope, it's not who you think.

I don’t buy that nonsense about bulletin board material in locker rooms serving as motivation. If you do, you’ll likely presume this article’s title a sarcastic reference to a certain all-pro running back turned television commentator who, during his first telecast, decried his former team’s quarterback. We all know how that story happily ended.

But, I come to you today with much loftier aspirations.

Will the Real No. 21 Please Stand-Up: Reyna Thompson

In the afterglow of the weeks following the New York Giants defeat of the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII, I couldn’t help feeling that I needed to relive those glory years of Giants championships past.

Super Bowl XXV, in which New York beat the Buffalo Bills, in particular reverberated to me because, as in ‘08, the Giants were heavy underdogs, facing an opponent with a seemingly unstoppable offensive attack.

Both of the aforementioned Giants teams also featured a special teams player who was largely unheralded, despite the fact that both made it to a Pro Bowl.

In ‘08 it was David Tyree; in ‘90 it was no. 21, Reyna Thompson.

Reyna Thompson, Special Teams Player Extraordinaire

After clocking in at 13.4 seconds in the 110-meter high hurdles during his senior year in high school, Thompson enrolled at Baylor University on a track scholarship. He qualified for the ‘84 Olympic trials in the high hurdles, but was unable to compete because of a hamstring injury. He made the football team as a walk-on in his junior year and played corner back and safety and on special teams.

Thompson was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in ‘86. After three years in Miami, he played for the Giants for four seasons. Tim Rooney, the Giants’ director of pro personnel at the time, signed Thompson on the strength of watching one play on film. On that play Thompson ran from the far left side of the field to the far right side on a kickoff and tackled the return man.

During the season, Thompson would run from his apartment in Hackensack, NJ, to Giants Stadium and back—a distance of 18 miles—at least once a week. He also did hurdles in the off-season, because he believed it helped him maintain his speed and balance while being hit by opponents from all directions on kickoff and punt coverage.

Accolades for Reyna Thompson

His tremendous work ethic and drive made him a favorite of then Giants coach Bill Parcells. Which says a lot because Parcells is notorious for pushing his players hard.

The following is an excerpt from a New York Times feature on Thompson when he played for the Giants:

Three weeks ago, Bill Walsh, the former coach turned television analyst, asked Parcells for advice. Walsh wanted to know which Giants, aside from Lawrence Taylor and Phil Simms, he should focus on in the telecast of the game between the Giants and the Dolphins.

“I have this special teams player named Reyna Thompson,” Parcells said. The first time the Giants punted, an NBC camera was isolated on Thompson. He cut inside two would-be blockers and racked up the punt returner before he took a step.

The following week, John Madden, the former coach turned television analyst, was geared for a Giants’ punt. When it came, Thompson slipped past one blocker, then another and stopped the punt returner cold. Whereupon Madden called Thompson the best player he had ever seen running down to cover punts.

“He’s my kind of player,” said Madden, who likes his players tough.

Thompson was all-world linebacker Lawrence Taylor’s favorite teammate. The fans loved him as well. In a victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 16, 1990, the Giants faithful gave Thompson a standing ovation.

Thompson was a special-teams star, but he also did double duty, at one time starting at corner back when Mark Collins was on injured reserve.

Coach Joe Gibbs of the Washington Redskins said he had to put together game plans for Thompson.

“It’s amazing how a guy can line up in one of the most difficult assignments in football, get doubled every time and no one can stop him,” Gibbs said. “It’s a tribute to him that he can do it and still be a starter on defense.”

Gary Myers of the New York Daily News in a recent article selecting the Giants all-time Super Bowl team said of Thompson, “David Tyree is a magician on punt coverage but if you had to pick one, then Thompson was one of the best in NFL history running under kicks.”

“Special teams will probably always be made up of guys with one foot in the real world and the other in the insane asylum,” said Thompson. “But there is room for guys who aren’t like that. I don’t play with emotional peaks and valleys. I never said I wanted to be the best in the NFL. It was just my only opportunity on the field. I play the game for one reason—to make big plays.”

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Bill Parcells Is The Best Football Mind Of The NFL Modern Era

In Bill Parcells, Dallas Cowboys, National Football League, New England Patriots, New York Giants on November 25, 2008 at 7:38 pm
Bill Parcells, now heading football operations in Miami, is one tough SOB and the most brilliant football mind of the NFL's modern era.

Bill Parcells, now heading football operations in Miami, is one tough SOB and the most brilliant football mind of the NFL's modern era.

Bill Parcells is one of the best football minds in National Football League history. He ranks alongside legendary coaches like Chuck Noll, Tom Landry, Don Shula, and Bill Walsh.

In the modern era, however, his accomplishments are unrivaled.

Parcells is a tough, blue-collar guy from New Jersey. Known for speaking his mind, his former players and coaches either love him or hate him, but all will say that he brought out the best out of each and every one of them.

He knows which buttons to push and when. He wasn’t a locker room speech motivator. Parcells was a psychological master who developed some of the great NFL players of the past 30 years. He antagonized players, believing that adversity forges toughness and character.

Parcells is simply proficient with building winning teams.

He won two Super Bowls with the New York Giants, retired, returned to lead the New England Patriots to a Super Bowl before building the New York Jets into a contender, retired for another two years, then led the Dallas Cowboys, where he became the only coach in NFL history to take four different teams to the playoffs.

He is now in charge of football operations for the Miami Dolphins.

Coaching Tree

Walsh has a more extensive coaching tree, but Parcells’ is more impressive.

Sean Payton, Romeo Crennel, Eric Mangini, and Tony Sparano are head coaches in the NFL. Charlie Weiss coaches at Notre Dame. Bill Belichick and Tom Coughlin competed against each other in the last Super Bowl.

Pro Bowl Players

Parcells’ notable draft selections with the Giants include defensive back Terry Kinard and defensive tackle Leonard Marshall (‘83); linebacker Carl Banks, guard William Roberts, and quarterback Jeff Hostetler (‘84); linebacker Pepper Johnson (‘86); left tackle Jumbo Elliott (‘88); running back Dave Meggett (‘89); running back Rodney Hampton and kicker Matt Stover (‘90).

For the Patriots, his draft picks included quarterback Drew Bledsoe, linebacker Chris Slade, and wide receiver Troy Brown (‘93); linebacker Willie McGinest (‘94); defensive back Ty Law, running back Curtis Martin, and place kicker Adam Vinateri (‘95); strong safety Lawyer Milloy and linebacker Tedy Bruschi (‘96).

With the Jets, he selected linebacker James Farrior (‘97).

Parcells’ selections with the Cowboys include defensive back Terrence Newman, tight end Jason Whitten, and quarterback Tony Romo (undrafted) (‘03); linebacker DeMarcus Ware and running back Marion Barber (‘05).

New York Giants

Parcells took over a team with only one winning season in the previous decade. He won three games in his first year. He recognized the talent of linebacker Lawrence Taylor, maximizing his pass rushing skills by changing from a typical 4-3 defensive formation to a 3-4.

The Giants’ record improved in the next two years, earning the team consecutive playoff appearances since the early ’60s.

Parcells led the 14-2 Giants to its first Super Bowl title in ‘86 and the first of three division titles. He helped build one of the most dominate defenses in NFL history.

He led the injury-riddled Giants to a second Super Bowl in ‘90. The Giants began the season 10-0, but lost quarterback Phil Simms. With backup Hostetler and 12-year running back Ottis Anderson, Parcells led a dramatic playoff run. The Giants beat a San Francisco 49ers team going for a third consecutive Super Bowl on a last-minute field goal, and edged the high-scoring Buffalo Bills after they missed a last-second field goal attempt.

The pressure of football and poor nutrition and sleep habits forced Parcells to retire.

New England Patriots

Parcells returned to the NFL to coach the Patriots in ‘93. In two years, he led the team to its first playoff game in eight years. He guided the Patriots to a Super Bowl, losing to Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers.

At New England, Parcells solidified his reputation as a mentor. He developed the talented but erratic Bledsoe into a Pro Bowl quarterback and took mid-level picks on defense and honed their skills.

Parcells left the Patriots over a dispute with owner Robert Kraft about player personnel decisions.

New York Jets

In possibly his greatest achievement as head coach, Parcells transformed the Jets into instant winners. In his first year with the Jets, the team just missed the playoffs. In ‘98, the 12-4 Jets lost to John Elway and the Super Bowl-champion Denver Broncos in the AFC championship game.

The following season, quarterback Vinny Testaverde ruptured his Achilles tendon in the home opening game crippling the team’s title hopes.

Parcells would once again take time off over health concerns.

Dallas Cowboys

After three straight five-win seasons, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones hired Parcells as head coach. In his first year, he led the team to the playoffs, losing to the NFC champion Carolina Panthers.

The following season, quarterback Quincy Carter was terminated for alleged drug use. Parcells brought in 40-year old Testaverde, but he proved ineffective. The Cowboys finished with six wins. They would also miss the playoffs by a game in ‘05.

The Cowboys would lose to the Seattle Seahawks in the playoffs the following year on a botched hold from Romo on a field-goal attempt.

Parcells retired for the third time over disagreements with Jones on decision-making. While detractors say he didn’t deliver a playoff victory, Parcells left the Cowboys better than he found them and achieved as much, if not more, with the team then the current roster that includes 12 Pro Bowl players.

Miami Dolphins

Parcells’ legacy is far from over. He still has work to do in Miami.

The Dolphins are currently tied for second place in their division and are in playoff contention after a 1-15 campaign only one season ago.

Coaching Legacy

Parcells retired from coaching with the ninth most wins in NFL history and a 183-138-1 record. The teams he’s led had losing records before he arrived, but all were in the playoffs by his second season. Parcells coached for 19 seasons with only four losing campaigns, including the ‘87 strike year.

His teams always play the game the right way—they commit few penalties and mental mistakes. Opponents must beat his teams because they don’t beat themselves.

He’s a master of convincing players that winning is the top priority and not individual stats. His teams dominate the line of scrimmage on offense and defense. They run the ball efficiently, especially in the fourth quarter when the game’s on the line.

Parcells’ teams are built on solid role players over star players. This is his blueprint.

Does it still work in today’s NFL?

Ask Bill Belichick and Tom Coughlin.