Every season ends with at least one coach being fired. This is a given, especially because the league's now turning into a win now type of league. But I feel as if this season will effect the ranks for a time to come though. More and more teams are hiring untested coaches without experience and coupling this with the young talent there already in place these some of the hirings could be devastating.
I'll start with what I think will change a division right away and years to come. In the NFC South there is really two teams at the top each year. The Falcons and the Saint's. The Panther's haven't really been competitive since the Delhomme days and the Bucs haven't been since Gruden was fired. Now the Bucs have gone out and hired Greg Schiano. A college coach. Not just that but he's bringing some of his own guys with him. Extremely bad idea with known young players and quitters on the offensive side of the ball like Josh Freeman. This is all bad people let's not sugar coat this one. Nothing says we're confused like hiring a guy who's never done the job and putting him in the same position the last guy was in. Maybe if they'd made a point to go offense or defense with the hiring process. But neither just college experience. Apparently they think that's enough in a division full of explosive QB's and good defenses. Realistically it's probably the worst decision made this offseason so far.
Within the same division is another team needing a big time coach to get over the hump. The Falcons have Matt Ryan yet still he's yet to put together a playoff win. Personally I'm a firm believer that the faults to fall at the feet of head coach Mike Smith. He's got a great regular season record and as a team they always look strong going into the post season. Usually what happens is they either have homefield and really because of the type of team they are it doesn't matter. Though the fans of the Falcons are great. Its hard for fans to stay loud through drives that always include at least two 2 yard gains by Michael Turner and then a 3rd and short in which you hope Roddy White or Tony Gonzalez are open because they'll actually male a catch. And after a half of this the scores either close or the Falcons are down big and they can't play form behind. This year I believe will be Smith's last year with the team. He was given the opportunity to fire his coordinators and bring in ones he wanted. After ownership does that you know what the next option is if you don't succeed. If and when the Falcons get that new coach and more aggressive coordinator they'll push the envelope. Remember because of the way they lost to the Packers in the playoffs two years ago they got more weapons for Ryan with Julio Jones and Jacquizz Rodgers. Bur there used in less effective ways by the staff in place now. Using Jones on reverses is not better than putting him in the slot against a safety or linebacker. Period.
Within the same division the Saint's have just lost the one person I believe is not credited enough for the super bowl they won. Gregg Williams. A defensive genius of sorts. He's figured out how to pressure the best QB's in football. He's now with the team that cost New Orleans the chance at homefield in the Rams. They're young fast and really with Jeff Fisher there I bet they get much better extremely quick.
Indy just hired Chuck Pagano. A defensive coordinator from Baltimore and really that's not really a good trend to be under. Rex Ryan, Marvin Lewis, Mike Singletary. They were all defensive coaches for Baltimore of some sort and non have really panned out. Ryan's not that bad of a coach but when your saying your going to win the championship every year and fail then your a failure. Pagano will be in a tight spot they do have the #1 pick and it will be Andrew Luck. But the offense wasn't the problem the defense was. Losing someone like Robert Mathis most definitely wont help and inheriting a team set up to play Tampa 2 based defense. Angerer is probably the only linebacker that can play in the 3-4 and none of there lineman are really athletic enough to male the switch but Dwight Freeney. And he won't be all game for that either. With a handful of free agents on the offensive side of the ball I don't see them competing at a high level for at least a couple years.
Now in the AFC West the Chiefs and Raiders both made coaching changes and while the Chiefs keeping Romeo Cernell looks good the Raiders hire doesn't. There too unstable for a coach without a rep to step in and fix them. It'll take picks they don't have and personnel they can't afford to get them back in the hunt and unfortunately the Bronco's used both of those things to improve bunches over the years. Now both Oakland and Kansas City are playing catch up and I'm not sure if they can. Is Tebow that good right now, no. But he will be its in him to be that. Some players have and some don't. But he definitely does. With a stable coach and a front office that makes good moves Denver should have that division wrapped for years to come.
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