The 10 Biggest Coaching Decisions For 2010
You need more than just Xs and Os To be a successful coach in the National Football League.
While strategy and tactics are very important parts of a coach's arsenal, other qualities are needed to make a complete football coach.
You need characteristics like persistence, confidence and—perhaps most important of all—decisiveness.
The ability to make quick decisions, and the confidence to stand by them, are the main differences between players' success and failure on the field.
Making the right decisions regarding personnel is right up there with play-calling and goes a long way in determining the success or failure of an organization.
With training camps looming on the horizon, we're going to take a look at the 10 toughest decisions some coaches are facing heading into 2010.
10. Who Will Be the Starting QB in Buffalo?
New Bills coach Chan Gailey wants to make an impressive start in Buffalo.
The problem is: who will lead this team in 2010?
Gailey has Trent Edwards, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Brian Brohm to choose from, and the choices don't have Buffalo fans all that excited.
Edwards is the most NFL-ready of the bunch, but inconsistency and injuries have derailed his career.
Fitzpatrick is a gritty quarterback who performs better as a backup than a starter.
Brohm was drafted by the Packers in the second round in 2008, and despite a lot of hype coming out of college, hasn't shown much value in the NFL.
Gailey's new so he'll be given time even if the Bills struggle out of the gate. Look for the experience of Edwards to win the job in the end.
9. Who Will Win the Right Guard Battle in Pittsburgh?
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has two important decisions to make, and both are on this list.
The first involves the three-headed battle for the starting right guard spot.
Incumbent Trai Essex will try and fend off top draft pick Maurkice Pouncey, and second-year pro Ramon Foster for the job.
This is a very big decision for Tomlin.
Only the Rams have given up more sacks over the last three seasons than Pittsburgh. The interior of the offensive line has been inconsistent in both run and pass blocking.
Protecting the quarterback is of critical importance. Even more so now that the league is so pass happy.
Look for Pouncey to win the job. He's big, strong, intelligent and very athletic for his size. He has all the intangibles to be a star.
8. How Will Bill Belichick Fix the Tom Brady Situation?
Tom Brady has been very vocal this offseason.
Which is very surprising in and of itself, and not good news for New England.
Brady is a private guy, cut from the same cloth as Bill Belichick, so when he emerged this offseason criticizing some of his teammates, it made headlines.
Brady called out some of the younger guys on the team, saying they didn't listen to Belichick and were mentally lazy.
Word around New England mini-camp is that Brady isn't happy anymore and has become disillusioned with the Patriots organization.
How Belichick can heal this rift could be more important than anything he does all season.
Brady is the heart and soul of the Patriots team, and if he's unhappy, New England could be in trouble in 2010.
7. What Team Will Pull the Trigger and Sign Terrell Owens?
Which coach will ask management to make the move and sign Terrell Owens?
We all know it's going to happen, we just don't know who it's going to be.
T.O. is on the downward side of his career, but the guy can still be a very effective number two receiver.
The problem is, he still thinks he's a number one.
He'll also be a huge distraction to the team that does get him.
Owens behaved himself in Buffalo last year. Maybe now he realizes he won't get the big multi-million dollar deal anymore and will sign soon.
Trust me on this.
Some coach, maybe Pete Carroll in Seattle, will roll the dice and give Owens another opportunity.
6. Are the Cowboys Comfortable with Doug Free at LT?
The Dallas Cowboys are positioning themselves for another Super Bowl run.
With the addition of rookie wideout Dez Bryant, the Cowboys have a plethora of talent at the skill positions.
Add a defense that is one of the best in the business, and it's easy to see why Cowboys fans are smiling as 2010 approaches.
But (and it's a big but), there is one position that should have Cowboy fans apprehensive—left tackle.
Dallas let veteran Flozell Adams go in the offseason, and will go with Doug Free.
This is a huge gamble that may come back and bite Jerry Jones.
Adams is 35 and starting to wear down, but even at his advanced football age, he is one of the best left tackles in the NFC.
Flozell is still unsigned and there is a possibility he returns to the Lone Star State.
Free is an unknown commodity, and Wade Phillips is counting on him to protect Tony Romo?
5. Who Starts at QB for Carolina?
John Fox is on thin ice in Carolina, despite leading the team to a Super Bowl and becoming the most successful coach in franchise history.
The decision on who will be his starting quarterback this season, and how the team performs, will determine whether he stays or goes.
Jake Delhomme has gone to Cleveland, leaving Matt Moore as the favorite heading into training camp.
He's not guaranteed a job by any means though, especially after Carolina drafted Jimmy Clausen in the second round.
Moore goes into camp as the starter, but Clausen will be given every opportunity to win the job.
If Fox chooses wrong, it could mean the end fo his career in Carolina.
4. Who Will the Steelers Start in Place of Ben Roethlisberger?
The Steelers missed the playoffs last season after winning the Super Bowl the year before.
It was a very unhappy time for the Steel City.
Just when Pittsburgh fans thought it couldn't get any worse, the Big Ben Show caused a huge problem in the spring when he was accused of another sexual assault and suspended 4-6 games by commissioner Roger Goodell.
The Steelers quickly picked up Byron Leftwich from Tampa Bay, and now it looks as if he'll be the man to replace Roethlisberger for at least four games.
This is a big decision for Mike Tomlin. Maybe even a career decision.
He has only one year left on his current deal and management is not even considering an extension.
Nothing is guaranteed right now.
Tomlin says the position is open, with Leftwich, Dennis Dixon and Charlie Batch in the mix.
In reality it's between Leftwich and Dixon, with the veteran clearly in the front.
It's a decision that will not only impact the Steelers in 2010, but could decide Tomlin's future with the franchise.
If the Steelers start out in a funk, the season could be over before Big Ben gets back.
3. Will the Rams Start Sam Bradford or A.J. Feeley at QB?
The Rams were 1-15 in Steve Spagnuolo's first season.
Not a good way to start, but also not unexpected.
Spagnuolo inherited a team without much talent, and when the injury bug bit hard last season, the results were obvious.
With the first pick in the draft, St. Louis selected QB Sam Bradford, who they hope will be the franchise quarterback that they've longed for since Kurt Warner left town.
The debate began almost immediately after the draft: should Spagnuolo start him or sit him his rookie season?
The Rams brought in veteran A.J. Feeley, and he's been working with the first team all through OTAs.
This is a decision the Rams coaching staff needs to address in training camp.
Bradford has been working with the second squad during mini-camp and OTAs.
The Rams fan base is already frustrated, and fans are staying away from the Ed Jones Dome. The ownership situation is in flux and the fans need something to cling to.
Keeping Bradford on the bench doesn't make much sense to me. He would immediately ramp up attendance and inspire hope, something the city of St. Louis desperately needs.
2. Who Comes Out On Top In the Cardinals QB Race?
The Cardinals franchise has lived through two of their best seasons in its history: two playoff appearances and the first Super Bowl berth in Arizona history.
The offseason has been anything but rosy for Bill Bidwell's bunch.
First, Kurt Warner retires. Then, Anquan Boldin gets traded, and the Cardinals lose a ton of quality in free agency.
Now coach Ken Whisenhunt must make a decision that will decide the future course of this team: who will replace Warner at quarterback?
The battle is between Matt Leinert, a first-round disappointment so far, and Derek Anderson, an inconsistent performer at best.
Look for free agent Marc Bulger to be considered if Leinert and Anderson struggle in preseason.
Good luck picking a starter from that group coach.
1. What Will the Redskins Do with Albert Haynesworth?
Albert Haynesworth signed a huge deal to come to the Redskins last season and all he's done is under perform and act like a two-year-old.
Washington, and new coach Mike Shanahan, must find a way to deal with this problem before it gets any worse.
It's already become a major headache and distraction for the franchise.
Haynesworth feels underappreciated, despite that fact the Redskins guaranteed him $28 million dollars.
Haynesworth's actions have alienated him from the coaching staff and his teammates. The unmitigated selfishness Haynesworth has displayed is appalling.
Coach Shanahan, if you're listening, get rid of this idiot, and do it now.
New England Patriots: Cracks Forming in Belichick-Brady Dynasty
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady isn't one to be outspoken in the media.
Brady is cut from the same cloth as his coach, Bill Belichick. Speak as little as possible to the guys with the tape recorders, cameras and microphones, giving away nothing.
To the surprise of everyone, especially the Patriots organization, the normally reticent Brady has uncharacteristically been very forthright and candid lately.
In an interview with Peter King of Sports Illustrated, the three-time Super Bowl winner had this to say:
"We've got to start listening more to coach Belichick. "We've got young kids who are good players. We've got the best football coach of all time. He's got the answers. We as a team have to take the teaching and the coaching we're being given.''
Brady went on to say that, "last year was pretty disappointing in a lot of ways, obviously. Losing to Baltimore the way we lost in the playoffs, losing leads late, losing on the road. Every year is so different, and the way we approach this year will be extremely important. We need to see the toughness. We need to see the commitment. Can we take the coaching?
And if that wasn't enough, Brady was even more candid in an interview with radio station WEEI in Boston this morning:
"Coach always used the words 'mentally tough' to us. I always agree with him. When the going got tough, we didn't get going. We weren't really a mentally tough team last year. I think that's been a big point of emphasis this offseason."
When asked about team chemistry, Brady had this to say:
"Playing with a bunch of guys that you really don't enjoy spending time with, that doesn't last very long.
Calling your teammates out like that won't create good vibes once training camp rolls around.
I don't think Brady cares about that. Obviously he's sending a wake-up call to certain team members to get their act together.
Two points from Brady's statements stand out.
One, Belichick is starting to lose control of this team.
When you've been with a franchise as long as he has, the honeymoon is bound to end sometime. That time appears to be closing in fast.
For Brady to accuse the young guys of not listening to Belichick is a pretty powerful statement that the team tuned out the head ball coach last season.
Furthermore, Brady's statement regarding a lack of mental toughness on the team speaks volumes about the situation in New England.
Could it be that Belichick, a master of the draft process, has started to slip even in that area?
Lack of mental toughness on a football team is a recipe for disaster. If the Patriots don't have it, and according to Brady they don't, a change could be in order.
One can't help but wonder if Belichick is losing some of his effectiveness as a leader.
Second, Brady publicly coming out and admitting he didn't like playing with the guys on the team last season is a real mind-blower.
Considering most of his teammates are back again this season, it makes for an intriguing storyline to watch as training camp and the regular season unfolds.
Where was Brady when all of this was going on?
It's a question that needs answering.
He's the face of the franchise. The leader of the organization. If he saw teammates being lazy, both mentally and physically; if he knew players weren't listening to the coach, then why didn't he show real leadership and speak up?
That's exactly the time when a leader is supposed to be heard and not just seen. If there were problems in the locker room last season, it's not only Belichick's fault, but Brady's as well.
The New England Patriots have been the model franchise over the last nine or ten years. Super Bowls, undefeated regular seasons, and the like have been the norm. Success has been sweet, but maintaining it is the most difficult part of accomplishment.
Success can lead to complacency if you let it. The Patriots may have done just that.
No matter how you look at it or from what angle you examine Brady's comments, it sounds like cracks are finally forming in the dynasty Belichick and Brady built.