22 replies to this topic

[PickFoles]

There's always been a debate about how much coaching can really impact a team. How can a team composed of players that were absolute studs for the teams they came from (DRC, Nnamdi, Ryans, etc.) just suddenly become one of the worst teams in the league?

Above all else, the reason the Eagles suck this year is because there are too many gimmicky-scheme coaches on one team.

Jim Washburn

The Eagles defense prior to Jim Washburn was never this bad. So why did we need to completely change our system to a scheme that every coach in the league knows how to gameplan against? Why would we adopt a system that exasperates what was already our biggest weakness on defense (linebackers) and simultaneously eliminates our biggest strength (defensive end) by forcing offenses to leave more guys on the line to block. Teams now know that if they focus all of their energy on stopping our defensive ends (the reason why Babin and Cole can't even get within spitting distance of a QB), our entire scheme becomes worthless.

The only reason Jim Washburn's wide-9 gimmick worked in Tennessee is because for most of his tenure, their entire offense was Chris Johnson (which meant the defense wasn't on the field very long each game). We pass as much as they ran, so it shouldn't be a surprise that increased defensive playing time has exposed his scheme.

Howard Mudd

The Eagles offensive line was never close to being best in the league, but it definitely didn't need a complete change of scheme. We brought in a guy whose previous job was protecting possibly one of the smartest quarterbacks in the history of the game (in other words, he really didn't have to do anything at all). Manning looks as good as ever with the Broncos, and he's always been good at getting rid of the ball quick. Of course we don't (and won't ever) have a generational quarterback, so his skinny/fast guy gimmick is useless. On top of all that, everyone already knows this team is pass happy. We need big guys that are just difficult to get around.

When you have to read every week about how another player is having trouble learning the scheme, it's time to change the scheme.  There's no reason to use some stupid gimmick that's hard even for proven NFL starters to learn when you currently have 3 backups playing.

Bobby April

This guy has coached 6 different NFL teams in his career. If he's the special teams genius everyone claims he is, why did 5 other teams decide re-hiring him was not a priority? I don't really know what Bobby April's gimmick is, but all I heard this summer was that he was using all kinds of props and special drills in practice. I read that the players basically started to consider his practices a bit of a joke. Whatever he was doing, it actually made our special teams worse. The fact that his son, who had no NFL experience, became the defensive quality control coach at the same time is an embarrassment.

Marty Mornhinweg

No dead horse has ever been beaten as much as Mornhinweg's awful playcalling. Too much passing, not enough running, and almost 0 diversity in play types. There is only one situation where Mornhinweg decides it's time to try something new, and that's during the rare occasion when his original gameplan is already working, the team has a ton of momentum, and there is NO reason to change. Passing 3 consecutive times on the goal line after McCoy just got them there, running on 3rd and 16 when the defense is clearly bringing pressure, going deep on 3rd and short; this is the stuff that happens every game.

There's no excuse for a team that refuses to fire Marty Mornhinweg.

Andy Reid

Some consider Andy the puppet master to Mornhinweg's playcalling, but the playcalling isn't even the worst thing about the Andy Reid era. This season alone he's already managed to waste on average 1.5 timeouts (meaning he called a timeout with more than 5 minutes remaining in the 1st half/game and the team was not in good field position) PER GAME. Not once has he ever decided to try and score before the half if there is less than 1:30 left, even when the team is already down by multiple touchdowns and the other team is going to receive the kickoff in the 3rd quarter. But he'll gladly do something like an onside kick when it's not even needed.

For the last 13 years he's been "evaluating the situation" and trying to "get better." It never happens though, this guy is just incapable of learning.

Scouts/Front Office

The NFL is probably the hardest league to draft in. The number of first round picks that actually become star players is much lower than the NBA or NHL, but possibly higher than in the MLB. The problem is that not only do we reach for players, we reach for players that aren't even at positions we need. Then when they become busts, we can't even trade them to fill those needs. When we do draft players in positions we need, it seems like our scouts choose whichever players have been in the headlines for some stupid reason (Casey Mathews for being related to Clay, Danny Watkins for the whole "Canadian firefighter attends NFL draft" nonsense).

If a team can't draft they better be able to make magic happen through free agency, but this team hasn't even sniffed at some of the solid linebacker/safety options available over the last two years, despite having the money and cap space to make something happen. We had 3 former pro-bowl cornerbacks on the same team in one season and not a single good linebacker. This year we kept 4 running backs and didn't even make an attempt to trade the two RBs that we never use, or the one that gets no more than 1-2 carries per game.

How can you even consider blaming the players when they're being instructed by this coaching monstrosity?

[SinCityEaglesFan]

no arguements here.... spot on

[JRoy]

Washburn: no comment
Mudd: no comment
April: no comment
Mornhinweg: I can't find the negative wording necessarry to describe my opinion.
Reid: For all of his positives it is his fewer negatives that outshine his positives.
Scouts: no comment

[deevo82]

I think the Reid love affair with Washburn is the reason this team has collapsed. He must had had problems scheming against Washburn in the past (failure to deal with pressure -  a Reid offense! - surely not!). He knew to court Washburn he needed Mudd as well but he already had a decent O line coach in Castillo. Juan was essentially going to be fired/moved sideways to random position but Reid could not find a D co-ordinator that either wanted to use the wide 9 or deal with Washburn. His hands were tied and the only person he could put in that role was the guy moved out of the O line position so the Eagles got possibly the worst D co-ordinator in their history, or at least the most inexperiened.

Washburn's wide 9 have been impotent this year which made all of the above totally pointless. We fired a decent man after he was put in an awkward position by Reid. His defense was no where near as bad as the offense where the playcalling has been atrocious and the O line play has been abysmal. Unexpectedly, we were worse last week on D without Castillo. (I don't think he should have ever been in charge of the D but he has been treated badly.)

If Reid stays next season then he needs to clear house. Washburn and Mudd need to go. Bobby April as well - no reasoning why we are so bad on special teams so can only think it is the coaching. Morningwhig needs to go also but will never happen. His playcalling is awful.

If the season turns around, I have a feeling it is because the players will pull together to get things done, not because of the coaching.

[GoBirds2010]

Drafting is what is hurting this team.

[GroundAttack]

GoBirds2010, on 04 November 2012 - 05:11 AM, said:

Drafting is what is hurting this team.

From 2011-2012? Or since Reid was here?

[bobbywizdum]

here we go again. And you wonder why people call vick the coach killer? Let me guess you want to fire all of the coaches, bring in new coaches next year and keep vick right?

[joegus]

Couldn't agree more with the starter of this thread. It hasn't been only this season. You could apply the same reasons to the various staff that have been here.

Jim Johnson kept this team from looking like total idiots for many years.

[Phila.:chip]

Washburn: his scheme isn't as effective with out Haynesworth either. When you have a tackle reeking havoc inside, it makes the DEs much better also.
Howard Mudd: totally overrated as an Oline coach. Our Oline is worse, not better, as a result of him being here.
Bobby April: F Bobby April !
Marty M. : He's an extension of Reid. If Reid took over play calling without telling the media, none of us would be able to tell the difference.
Reid: He's an above average coach that benefited from a weak NFC and NFC East for half of the 2000's. Now the division has caught up with him. He can't get this team to play consistently. For the last two years he can't get them to play at all. We've only cleared 10 wins twice in the last eight years.
Front office: Reid is part of this problem too. Reid loves Roseman as GM because that gives him more power. He's the only football guy at the top.  This regime cannot draft at all on the defensive side of the ball. Besides Cole, Lito and Brown, what draft pick has made a significant contribution in the Reid Era ? It makes sense when you think about. Reid is the defacto GM; he's got the final say in personnel, but his entire background is on the offensive side of the ball. What's he really know about defense ?

Much of Reids success in the early 2000s should be attributed to Jim Johnson and the players from the Ray Rhodes Era.

[PickFoles]

bobbywizdum, on 04 November 2012 - 06:53 AM, said:

here we go again. And you wonder why people call vick the coach killer? Let me guess you want to fire all of the coaches, bring in new coaches next year and keep vick right?

You should probably post something intelligent for once.

[Vex]

I think Manning made the Colts O-line look a lot better than it was, and in turn made Mudd look better.

At the same time, O-line was a strength of ours last year for once. And how much can you expect when the best LT in football is out, and two other starters (Kelce, Watkins) are out also?

[time2rock]

GoBirds2010, on 04 November 2012 - 05:11 AM, said:

Drafting is what is hurting this team.

The drafting is part of it ... sure.  But it is all the bone-headed decisions made by Reid overall that is killing this franchise (which obviously includes his decisions on who to draft) - hiring Castillo as DC, signing Vick long-term for franchise QB type money, etc.

[H-field Hero]

Decent read, but the timeouts thing gets blown way out of proportion.  Every single time Reid uses a time out people in the PBP thread moan and groan.  This isn't the Madden video game where the only function of a timeout is so you can run a bunch of plays when there's 30 seconds to go in the half and the 4th.  If the Eagles have to burn a timeout with 9 minutes to go in the second quarter it's okay.  There could be many reasons why they feel they need to talk something over before running the next play.

[TravelerVic]

You are preaching to the choir brother! I  have been arguing for over a year that we have a collection of bozos for coaching stuff.

[PickFoles]

H-field Hero, on 04 November 2012 - 02:55 PM, said:

There could be many reasons why they feel they need to talk something over before running the next play.

The main reason is that they're incompetent at reading defenses and calling appropriate plays.

[NOTW]

Lurie needs to clean house.  New coach needs to put all players on notice they need to change the attitude and egos and work to keep their jobs.

[pgcd3]

time2rock, on 04 November 2012 - 02:44 PM, said:

The drafting is part of it ... sure.  But it is all the bone-headed decisions made by Reid overall that is killing this franchise (which obviously includes his decisions on who to draft) - hiring Castillo as DC, signing Vick long-term for franchise QB type money, etc.

Exactly and hiring Washburn before hiring a DC. That essentially forced his hand to Castillo. Though Ray Horton had shown interest and they didn't wait for some ridiculous reason. How Reid still has a job is anybody's guess at this point? Lurie erred on the side of inaction this offseason

[PickFoles]

Wasted timeout.

[PhillyBirds5_36_86]

Yep another wasted timeout. Rack up another game lol

[blackskimmer]

Andy Reid brought in all this crap without having the personnel to do it.

1)Washburn, no Linebackers.  The wide 9 without some very good talent at LB leads to gashing runs.  We have one talented LB one good rookie who needs time and we still need another.

2) Mudd  We had ALL big lineman, all our back ups were big lineman, we drafted a few more agile guys but in the later rounds, we drafted a LT in the first round, and put him at RG where he looks lost. And now all our back ups are ALL big lineman again.  And well they are all starting now.

3)April-we put him in here and then took away his super return guy and never gave him a decent replacement.

4)Marty is just a idiot.  His vertical big play only offense is now a dying breed.  You have to be smart when you run this.  Mike Martz in Chicago had this same system and it dam near killed Cutler, this year?  No more big play vertical offense and they are beating the daylights out of teams.


  Andy ANDY ANDY ANDY ANDY.  ALL of these changes are done by ANDY.  There was no pre-thought to this, Andy biggest mistake as a coach has always been trying to force players into a scheme that didnt fit them.

[michaels maniacs]

start foles

start foles

[sstoyota]

I am going to go one step further on this topic.  Not only are we witnessing a tragic collapse in the coaching, but name me the "leader(s)" on this team.  We have none!  There are a bunch of players that all think they are superstars that are owed something.  When the game is on the line, or the team has to face some adversity, they collapse every time......every time.  Reid, Vick, and a few others need to go and they need to be replaced with leaders and winners.

[inhumanehuman]

Absolutely agree. The coaching staff is making studs stale. At this very moment I'm watching an NFL QB outcoach Andy Reid. This is uncalled for, regardless of how good Brees is.