2021 NFL Season Thread

[Kyyle23]

I will not be surprised one bit if the Bears lack of interest caused Harbaugh to get a lot more interested in coming back to the NFL

[southsider2k5]

Now it's getting interesting 

 

[StrangeSox]

An intentional tanking scandal breaking out so shortly after the NFL fully embraced gambling is pretty funny

[Quin]

God bless the internet.

[bmags]

Even though I think the Bears especially needed a Harbaugh to break out of the doldrums, I really, really like Poles and Eberflus. Maybe I like them more just because the response has been really rude. These aren't bizarre out there candidates, they deserve their roles and they hit that spot I've wanted to see was people that aren't assured they know the right plays or schemes, but that they don't know everything and will bring in smart people and play to their strengths behind a general team identity. I hope it works, it's what I've wanted absent a true genius being out there. And I think Patrick Graham may be that eventually, and McDaniels may be that, but I think this is sustainable.

[bmags]

Boo

I wonder if they tried to make him WR coach + Passing Coordinator or if a college team just giving him OC rules was more appealing (I swear to god if he ends up in Minnesota lol)

[Tony]

On 1/31/2022 at 5:57 PM, bmags said:

I really hope the Bears land Joe Brady for QB. His vertical passing concepts will be an awesome addition

 

[The Beast]

22 hours ago, bmags said:

I take it back that pro football network draft simulator is still too much fun.

So much fun and addicting!

21 hours ago, bmags said:

This situation sucks. I get that Flores may not be the best people manager, but it really does seem like he was set in a poisonous situation. It is crazy to me that a guy like Raheem Morris just can't find his way back despite the very interesting background of now having been a former head coach, coaching a dominant defense, and having been an offensive coach (WRs).

And Flores turning chicken crap into a real football team, only to have the toxic relationship likely put upon him as a reason he can't be hired just sucks. I wish Bears would have given him a stronger look. I don't know re: Giants, but if they were putting out rumors that they were leaning into him because of Brookly ties just to cover that up it sucks, but the Rooney Rule will set some of this awkwardness up.

There is not a doubt in my mind that this white man’s owner’s club is widespread across the league. Some owners have taken some steps towards being equitable, like how McCaskey involves minorities in the hiring process and hired the first black GM. Others have not and have abused the Rooney rule with bringing in a minority candidate for a check the box interview. Given the amount of black players in the league there has to be a way for them to be able to own, coach and work for a team at the higher levels of an organization. Hopefully what Flores has brought forward will bring some meaningful reform.

2 hours ago, bmags said:

Even though I think the Bears especially needed a Harbaugh to break out of the doldrums, I really, really like Poles and Eberflus. Maybe I like them more just because the response has been really rude. These aren't bizarre out there candidates, they deserve their roles and they hit that spot I've wanted to see was people that aren't assured they know the right plays or schemes, but that they don't know everything and will bring in smart people and play to their strengths behind a general team identity. I hope it works, it's what I've wanted absent a true genius being out there. And I think Patrick Graham may be that eventually, and McDaniels may be that, but I think this is sustainable.

Agreed, especially the bolded.

[pcq]

21 hours ago, Chisoxfn said:

I mean - I am not surprised. It just seems like the anatomy of a rumor.  Teams usually go through the interview process and probably have a lean. I bet if you checked the Bears candidates phones there might have been people who said the same thing. Bears may have hired that candidate - may not have.  Poor Bill B though - he probably was like oh crap.  He was just trying to reach out to one of his former coaches (in this case they both are).  

Many NFL fans dislike the Rooney rule but it requires good faith. No the player profiles do not  demonstrate good faith. 

[bmags]

So Chris Morgan is the OL coach. 

I thought it was going to be an interesting decision. It's hard in our position to know really much about coaches that don't get spotlighted for excellent work, but one thing I've been batting around in my head is what happened with Fangio, as I know I'm repetitive.

But there is Zero doubt Mike Munchak is a great O Line coach, as there was zero doubt Harry Hiestand is. But they were hired under offensive coaches that wanted to run an outside zone scheme that wasn't their specialty (this is my understanding - could be wrong). 

After 1 year, Fangio dumped Scarangelo (Shanahans QB coach), and went to Shurmur. He chose the Oline coach, basically. Nagy ditched Hiestand and got Castillo.

Morgan worked under Shanahan in 15-17 in ATL all the way through 2020. He was in Pitt last year as an asst oline coach and took over the last 3 games as they tried to move to an outside zone based scheme.

And last summer I read this article which was excellent

https://www.si.com/nfl/2021/08/16/why-its-hard-to-copycat-the-shanahan-style-offense-daily-coverhttps://www.si.com/nfl/2021/08/16/why-its-hard-to-copycat-the-shanahan-style-offense-daily-cover

So it's good to have now OC and OL coach on the same page. We'll see how they continue to move.

[pcq]

6 hours ago, southsider2k5 said:

Now it's getting interesting 

 

One reason why I have lost respect for the NFL. The Belichick text is hilarious. 

[CentralChamps21]

1 hour ago, bmags said:

But there is Zero doubt Mike Munchak is a great O Line coach, as there was zero doubt Harry Hiestand is. But they were hired under offensive coaches that wanted to run an outside zone scheme that wasn't their specialty (this is my understanding - could be wrong). 

 

The biggest problem with Munchak and Heistand is that they had shitty offensive linemen. No amount of excellent coaching could have overcome that.

[SoxAce]

Hue Jackson is going IN right now on Sportscenter on the Browns.

[Chisoxfn]

Damn - Champ Kelly got hired away by the Bears (going to the Raiders) to be the Asst GM. Good for Champ but a loss for the Bears (although I totally get why Champ is making the move).  Additionally - Bears hired the Giants WR coach to be their new WR coach and passing game coordinator. This was a real good hire. Giants Wideouts sucked this past year - but outside of that fact, has 19 year track record and was widely respected.  Seems like a very good, experienced hire.

I also like the oline coach. More than anything it seems like his style aligns with what the OC wants to do and that alignment is important.  He also got the interim main job with Steelers at end of the season and has experience with oline. 

Sucks that Brady ended up in Buffalo - but as nice as his name is - I sometimes think the QB coach job is so much more nuanced you want an ex QB doing it or someone really set for the role (Brady may not be that guy). I saw at least someone tweet Caldwell's name and I would reiterate that would be a STELLAR hire for the Bears (make him the highest paid QB coach in the league if that is what it takes).  Also positions you nicely if Getsy were to leave as you would have a lieutenant in waiting.  

[SoxAce]

58 minutes ago, Chisoxfn said:

Damn - Champ Kelly got hired away by the Bears (going to the Raiders) to be the Asst GM. Good for Champ but a loss for the Bears (although I totally get why Champ is making the move). 

Its a big loss. Not only did the Raiders hire him away from us but they made him assistant GM not the actual GM so Bears can't get draft picks because of it (if Kelly was named the GM, Bears would've gotten 2 3rd round picks). It sucks.

[bmags]

I don’t get why Champ Kelly is a big loss?

Also congrats @Brian

[SoxAce]

 

[Texsox]

32 minutes ago, SoxAce said:

 

My guess is whatever he was asking for was a quick and easy no from Minny and probably would have been a quick no from the Bears. 

[maloney.adam]

 

[Brian]

12 hours ago, bmags said:

I don’t get why Champ Kelly is a big loss?

Also congrats @Brian

The last 3 days were dedicated to the fact everyone thought he was gone and everything built from last year was poof.

But nope!

a lot of the Michigan fan base are still pissed at JH but they’ll get over it.

[Brian]

12 hours ago, Texsox said:

My guess is whatever he was asking for was a quick and easy no from Minny and probably would have been a quick no from the Bears. 

There was a rumor on the boards that the Bears inquired but Harbaugh wanted 100M, so it didn’t go anywhere.

Not sure that’s true or not.

[Balta1701]

49 minutes ago, Brian said:

There was a rumor on the boards that the Bears inquired but Harbaugh wanted 100M, so it didn’t go anywhere.

Not sure that’s true or not.

Wouldn’t be surprising at all compared to college coach salaries, and it’s exactly what Gruden got.

[Balta1701]

19 hours ago, pcq said:

Many NFL fans dislike the Rooney rule but it requires good faith. No the player profiles do not  demonstrate good faith. 

So at what point do we drop the name Willie Harris in the context of bad faith interviews to satisfy a rule built to improve minority hiring?

[Kyyle23]

27 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

Wouldn’t be surprising at all compared to college coach salaries, and it’s exactly what Gruden got.

Gruden is the reason he asked for that amount and also most likely the reason they were like "um no"

[Texsox]

Let's say for a moment that Harbaugh (or anyone) was a team's dream head coach heading into the off season. Owners were all in. Front office was all in. The fan base was all in. Most importantly Harbaugh was all in. 

Why interview anyone else? 

While I am 100% for the goal, I believe it is what's best for society and the NFL, the sham interview isn't getting us there because there are times that good people would be set on a non POC for their head coach or GM from the beginning for sound football and business reasons.  I don't have a better solution that can be mandated, I think if there was one it would have already been implemented. And we all know that great coaches are being looked over which is insulting to fans as well as potential coaches. We just need to find a better way to achieve that goal.