12/21/24
January 04, 2012
Reid, Turner, Smith Not Fired: Andy Reid, Norv Turner and Lovie Smith are still employed by the Philadelpha Eagles, San Diego Chargers and Chicago Bears. "While other owners have had twitchy trigger-fingers following the end of the regular season, the execs in Philadelphia, San Diego and Chicago are content with the status quo," reports USA Today.
The Bears kept Smith but axed the GM, which may make it a bit harder for them to move forward with a new GM.
I can understand the sentiment for Reid to be let go, but I can also understand team ownership not wanting to do so. He wasn't a primary git'im gone candidate to me.
I think the Chargers are just going to have to be ceded to the Mexican peninsular drug lords.
However, it could be that the team reached out to various coaching candidates and found out that none of them wanted to work for the Spanos family and/or under Smith, if he were being retained.
Still, I feel that the Chargers would have cut Turner loose if he had gone 7-9 instead of 8-8. It killed me that they won their final game and saved his job. With that said, I would like to echo what that little kid on the couch screamed on YouTube: "I hate the Raiders!"
posted by beaverboard at 11:23 AM on January 04, 2012
No mention of Coughlin? Is his job dependent on beating the Falcons? Seems like every year except when he wins a Super Bowl the knives are out for Tom but every year he lives again.
posted by billsaysthis at 11:56 AM on January 04, 2012
I think the Bears made the right move sticking with Smith. I doubt there is a coach in the league who could have had some semblance of success with Caleb Hanie at quarterback, especially after Forte injured his knee. Their 10-3 defeat to a Palko-lead Chiefs may have been the worst football game I watched this season.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 01:11 PM on January 04, 2012
Agreed with YYM on Lovie Smith. The reality that the options for the Bears at QB after Cutler went down were execrable falls on the GM, not on the coach. Should the Bears have finished better than 1-5 even after losing Cutler and (later) Forte? Perhaps, but it is really hard to fault the coach for a lack of even replacement-level depth at a key position (unless Smith clearly thought Hanie was the answer at backup, to the exclusion of other alternatives).
posted by holden at 01:31 PM on January 04, 2012
I don't really get the Bears firing their QB coach. If there's nothing for him to coach, how much can he accomplish?
posted by yerfatma at 02:41 PM on January 04, 2012
I thought Cutler looked pretty good this year too. That is, once Martz realized that they should probably give Forte from time to time.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 02:59 PM on January 04, 2012
He could have coached Cutler to not tackle with his thumbs extended.
posted by fabulon7 at 03:03 PM on January 04, 2012
Actually the problem wasn't with the way Cutler tackles, if you don't turn the ball over, as a QB you won't be needing to tackle anybody.
posted by Atheist at 03:43 PM on January 04, 2012
I don't believe firing Reid would have been the answer in Philly. The Eagles put their money on Vick. Vick had to have time to jell with the offense and vice versa. Perhaps they did start to come together toward the end of the season.
Reid and Vick are both on the hot seat next season. By now they've both had time to get their respective acts together.
Reid is banking on Vick. If next season proves another bad one for the Eagles, look for Reid and/or Vick to catch some major heat.
posted by roberts at 05:44 PM on January 04, 2012
Has Philadelphia fired their defensive coordinator?
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 06:17 PM on January 04, 2012
They have a defensive coordinator?
posted by tahoemoj at 07:25 PM on January 04, 2012
I heard an odd rumor that San Diego kept Turner because they really want Reid. They're hoping Reid becomes available next year (a decent probability) and decided to stick it out with Turner in the interim. Like I said, a very odd rumor.
posted by DudeDykstra at 02:18 AM on January 05, 2012
I think Reid's job should have been gone due to his handling of the team while Vick was out with injury. Allowing a game plan that had Vince Young throwing the football like he was Drew Brees was idiotic. Lesean McCoy in the backfield, yet they had Young going dowfield as much as they did? He is a mediocre head coach, and the Eagles are obviously fine with that.
posted by dyams at 05:39 AM on January 05, 2012
I feel bad for both franchises SD and Philadelphia. Worse for San Diego. Turner is a consistent underachiever. I have never seen a coach take so much talent and produce so little with possibly the exception of Mike Singletary in San Francisco last year. Of course at least the SF ownership knew how to cut him loose quickly and we can see the results. I can't understand why San Diego won't learn.
At least Reid has a history of delivering teams to the playoffs. I believe he is just loosing effectiveness.
The Bears lack overall talent, and were decimated by injuries, in addition to having to compete in a division with the Packers and a decent Lions team. Smith really can't be blamed, IMO.