NFC East: Steve Spagnuolo
INDIANAPOLIS -- There are four days, 10 hours and 29 minutes until kickoff of Super Bowl XLVI, and I'm sure that, no matter which team on this blog you're a fan of, the thing can't get here soon enough. Personally, I'm having a fine time here and looking forward to the media availability Wednesday and Thursday with the New York Giants. Media day gets all the hype, but these are the days when we really get to do good work.
Step count: My pedometer tells me I took 16,687 steps on Tuesday, bringing my total since arriving at my downtown Indianapolis hotel Sunday afternoon to 41,380. This website I found tells me that's about 19.6 miles, and it doesn't count my treadmill time. (Haven't missed a day!) So I'm doing the legwork for you guys, in case you were worried, which I kind of don't think you were.
Too much Giants? I don't know. I mean, they're in the Super Bowl. I'll continue to monitor Eagles, Redskins and Cowboys news as it happens, but for this week, it's basically Giants. Except for the links, where all are equal and the Giants only come first because we do the links in standings order.
New York Giants
If Ian O'Connor is writing on Mark Herzlich, I'm reading it, and so should you. I'm big on guys who can tell cancer to kiss their butts.
The Super Bowl could be the last game in Giants uniforms for Osi Umenyiora and Brandon Jacobs, but as Ohm Youngmisuk writes, they're not thinking beyond Sunday just yet.
Philadelphia Eagles
Rich Hofmann wonders if the Eagles really wanted Steve Spagnuolo or if they just offered him a job out of kindness and to go through the motions, knowing he'd get better offers and not force them to figure out how to rearrange their coaching staff. Totally worthwhile question, and we may never know the answer.
Andy Reid also sort of addressed the DeSean Jackson issue, which now looms as the biggest offseason question still facing the Eagles. Jackson is supposed to be here in Indianapolis on Thursday. I'll keep you posted if I bump into him. My bet is he's played his last game as an Eagle, but what do I know?
Dallas Cowboys
Tim MacMahon has 46 reasons the Cowboys aren't in Super Bowl XLVI, and he did them in Roman Numerals, which I completely dig.
The Cowboys want Laurent Robinson back. Robinson's agent wants to see if he can get Robinson the biggest deal possible off his coming-out season in Dallas. The dance begins.
Washington Redskins
All-time Redskins great Darrell Green is not overly excited about the current state of the franchise. I feel Green's pain, to paraphrase a great fellow Hoya, but I still think, if you take the long view, you have to be encouraged about the direction.
Mike Jones writes that it's too early for the Redskins to decide if they want to pursue Peyton Manning, which is true. They need to know first that he's healthy and not going to retire. But we can be something close to 100 percent certain that he'll be released by the Colts before March 8, and if he is healthy, I still think he makes sense for the Redskins if they can address their other needs in the draft and free agency.
Step count: My pedometer tells me I took 16,687 steps on Tuesday, bringing my total since arriving at my downtown Indianapolis hotel Sunday afternoon to 41,380. This website I found tells me that's about 19.6 miles, and it doesn't count my treadmill time. (Haven't missed a day!) So I'm doing the legwork for you guys, in case you were worried, which I kind of don't think you were.
Too much Giants? I don't know. I mean, they're in the Super Bowl. I'll continue to monitor Eagles, Redskins and Cowboys news as it happens, but for this week, it's basically Giants. Except for the links, where all are equal and the Giants only come first because we do the links in standings order.
New York Giants
If Ian O'Connor is writing on Mark Herzlich, I'm reading it, and so should you. I'm big on guys who can tell cancer to kiss their butts.
The Super Bowl could be the last game in Giants uniforms for Osi Umenyiora and Brandon Jacobs, but as Ohm Youngmisuk writes, they're not thinking beyond Sunday just yet.
Philadelphia Eagles
Rich Hofmann wonders if the Eagles really wanted Steve Spagnuolo or if they just offered him a job out of kindness and to go through the motions, knowing he'd get better offers and not force them to figure out how to rearrange their coaching staff. Totally worthwhile question, and we may never know the answer.
Andy Reid also sort of addressed the DeSean Jackson issue, which now looms as the biggest offseason question still facing the Eagles. Jackson is supposed to be here in Indianapolis on Thursday. I'll keep you posted if I bump into him. My bet is he's played his last game as an Eagle, but what do I know?
Dallas Cowboys
Tim MacMahon has 46 reasons the Cowboys aren't in Super Bowl XLVI, and he did them in Roman Numerals, which I completely dig.
The Cowboys want Laurent Robinson back. Robinson's agent wants to see if he can get Robinson the biggest deal possible off his coming-out season in Dallas. The dance begins.
Washington Redskins
All-time Redskins great Darrell Green is not overly excited about the current state of the franchise. I feel Green's pain, to paraphrase a great fellow Hoya, but I still think, if you take the long view, you have to be encouraged about the direction.
Mike Jones writes that it's too early for the Redskins to decide if they want to pursue Peyton Manning, which is true. They need to know first that he's healthy and not going to retire. But we can be something close to 100 percent certain that he'll be released by the Colts before March 8, and if he is healthy, I still think he makes sense for the Redskins if they can address their other needs in the draft and free agency.
Andy Reid tried to hire Steve Spagnuolo
January, 31, 2012
Jan 31
2:33
PM ET
By
Dan Graziano | ESPN.com
INDIANAPOLIS -- So yeah, lots to report from Super Bowl media day and I'll get to it I promise. But before we get to the Giants and the Patriots, let's talk about the Philadelphia Eagles, whose head coach emerged from hiding Tuesday and addressed the local media back in the city of brotherly love on a variety of topics.
The big news to come out of Andy Reid's news conference was Reid's admission that he offered former Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo a job. It had been widely believed that the Eagles might pursue Spagnuolo for the position of defensive coordinator even though current defensive coordinator Juan Castillo had not been (and still has not been, and won't be) let go. Reid told the Philly writers that he and Spagnuolo did not discuss the specific position for which he'd be hired, but that he made it clear he had no plans to let go of Castillo. Given all of that, it's easy to see why Spagnuolo preferred to take the defensive coordinator job with the New Orleans Saints.
We've discussed this before. While lots of people were assuming Spagnuolo, a former Reid assistant, would be a natural fit, I tried to make the point that other teams would be interested in him as well and that firing Castillo a year after moving him from offensive line coach to defensive coordinator would be an act of profound unfairness. Additionally, it seems as though Reid and the Eagles want to minimize the kinds of sweeping changes they made a year ago, since part of the problem they had this season was adjusting to all that was new.
It's surprising to hear Reid admit that he tried to bring Spagnuolo back. And it's possible, especially if it had been Spagnuolo's only offer, that an arrangement could have been worked out in which Spagnuolo became defensive coordinator and Castillo remained on the staff. What seems clear is that Reid believes both Spagnuolo and Castillo are good coaches, and that the opportunity to improve the overall quality of the defensive staff was appealing.
What's also clear, however, is that Reid is really "all in" with Castillo, and if the defense flops again and they miss the playoffs in 2012, they're all going to be in big trouble. Reid has decided to stick to his original plan and show faith in his people, which is admirable. We'll see whether it works.
The big news to come out of Andy Reid's news conference was Reid's admission that he offered former Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo a job. It had been widely believed that the Eagles might pursue Spagnuolo for the position of defensive coordinator even though current defensive coordinator Juan Castillo had not been (and still has not been, and won't be) let go. Reid told the Philly writers that he and Spagnuolo did not discuss the specific position for which he'd be hired, but that he made it clear he had no plans to let go of Castillo. Given all of that, it's easy to see why Spagnuolo preferred to take the defensive coordinator job with the New Orleans Saints.
We've discussed this before. While lots of people were assuming Spagnuolo, a former Reid assistant, would be a natural fit, I tried to make the point that other teams would be interested in him as well and that firing Castillo a year after moving him from offensive line coach to defensive coordinator would be an act of profound unfairness. Additionally, it seems as though Reid and the Eagles want to minimize the kinds of sweeping changes they made a year ago, since part of the problem they had this season was adjusting to all that was new.
It's surprising to hear Reid admit that he tried to bring Spagnuolo back. And it's possible, especially if it had been Spagnuolo's only offer, that an arrangement could have been worked out in which Spagnuolo became defensive coordinator and Castillo remained on the staff. What seems clear is that Reid believes both Spagnuolo and Castillo are good coaches, and that the opportunity to improve the overall quality of the defensive staff was appealing.
What's also clear, however, is that Reid is really "all in" with Castillo, and if the defense flops again and they miss the playoffs in 2012, they're all going to be in big trouble. Reid has decided to stick to his original plan and show faith in his people, which is admirable. We'll see whether it works.
Eagles make the right call on Castillo
January, 30, 2012
Jan 30
11:15
AM ET
By
Dan Graziano | ESPN.com
Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the Philadelphia Eagles will hire Todd Bowles as their defensive backs coach and keep Juan Castillo as defensive coordinator for 2012. The decision was a long time coming, and it's widely believed the Eagles were interested in replacing Castillo with Steve Spagnuolo before Spagnuolo took the defensive coordinator's job in New Orleans. But in the end, keeping Castillo for another year was the right thing for the Eagles to do.
Part of the Eagles' problem in 2011 was coping with all of the changes they made on defense -- new coaches, new personnel and new schemes all thrown together in a short period of time in a year that didn't have a real offseason in which to install all of it. To overhaul the defense again would have invited the same kind of early-season chaos that doomed the 2011 Eagles before they got their act together late and finished eighth in the league in total defense.
And yes, there were times when Castillo looked overmatched as a playcaller. He was, after all, the offensive line coach for the previous 13 years. But if you believe, as the Eagles and head coach Andy Reid do, that Castillo is a good coach, you can make the assumption that he'll be better in Year 2 than he was in Year 1 at the parts of the job that challenged him. Eagles ownership is basically giving Reid and his staff a mulligan for this past season on the condition that they make up for it with a deep playoff run next season. If Reid truly believes that the circumstances and not the people were the problem, he should stick with what he believed all along was the right way to go.
Bringing in Spagnuolo or another established defensive coordinator would have required the Eagles to either tell that person he needed to accept the "Wide 9" scheme implemented this past year by first-year defensive line coach Jim Washburn or tell Washburn he needed to scrap it. Either would have created an uncomfortable situation for coaches and players alike, and that would have been yet another thing to overcome at a time when the Eagles need to steer as clear as possible of upheaval. And firing Castillo would have been patently unfair, considering the nearly impossible position in which Reid put him.
The only potential issue with keeping Castillo is if the players don't buy in. The defensive backs in particular chafed last year at the amount of zone coverage they were asked to play. But perhaps the addition of Bowles, a longtime defensive backs coach who most recently was the interim head coach of the Miami Dolphins, will help sell the move to Nnamdi Asomugha & Co. if that in fact needs to be done.
The Eagles believe their plan will work, given a full offseason of work and continued dedication to the schemes that were new last year but won't be new this time around. They may be right and they may be wrong. But a plan's no good unless you're willing to stick with it, and a leader's no good if he's not willing to believe in his people. To overreact to the disappointment of 2011 and make major changes again just to appease those on the outside who are upset about it would have been a mistake. The Eagles are staying the course, and this offseason that's the right thing for them to do.
[+] Enlarge
James Lang/US PresswireThe Eagles' defense struggled during Juan Castillo's first year as defensive coordinator.
James Lang/US PresswireThe Eagles' defense struggled during Juan Castillo's first year as defensive coordinator.And yes, there were times when Castillo looked overmatched as a playcaller. He was, after all, the offensive line coach for the previous 13 years. But if you believe, as the Eagles and head coach Andy Reid do, that Castillo is a good coach, you can make the assumption that he'll be better in Year 2 than he was in Year 1 at the parts of the job that challenged him. Eagles ownership is basically giving Reid and his staff a mulligan for this past season on the condition that they make up for it with a deep playoff run next season. If Reid truly believes that the circumstances and not the people were the problem, he should stick with what he believed all along was the right way to go.
Bringing in Spagnuolo or another established defensive coordinator would have required the Eagles to either tell that person he needed to accept the "Wide 9" scheme implemented this past year by first-year defensive line coach Jim Washburn or tell Washburn he needed to scrap it. Either would have created an uncomfortable situation for coaches and players alike, and that would have been yet another thing to overcome at a time when the Eagles need to steer as clear as possible of upheaval. And firing Castillo would have been patently unfair, considering the nearly impossible position in which Reid put him.
The only potential issue with keeping Castillo is if the players don't buy in. The defensive backs in particular chafed last year at the amount of zone coverage they were asked to play. But perhaps the addition of Bowles, a longtime defensive backs coach who most recently was the interim head coach of the Miami Dolphins, will help sell the move to Nnamdi Asomugha & Co. if that in fact needs to be done.
The Eagles believe their plan will work, given a full offseason of work and continued dedication to the schemes that were new last year but won't be new this time around. They may be right and they may be wrong. But a plan's no good unless you're willing to stick with it, and a leader's no good if he's not willing to believe in his people. To overreact to the disappointment of 2011 and make major changes again just to appease those on the outside who are upset about it would have been a mistake. The Eagles are staying the course, and this offseason that's the right thing for them to do.
Eagles players in the dark on Castillo, too
January, 25, 2012
Jan 25
2:45
PM ET
By
Dan Graziano | ESPN.com
It was around this time last year that Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy made the perplexing decision to take his offensive line coach, Juan Castillo, and make him his defensive coordinator. The results were ... well, they were mixed, in the end, and ultimately the Eagles' 8-8 season rendered pretty much all of their offseason moves unsuccessful by definition. The question on Castillo, though, is what if anything Reid plans to do about it. And if he's got an answer, he's not sharing it. With anybody. From Geoff Mosher of delawareonline.com:
The Castillo situation feels like the next thing the Eagles have to decide, now that they've announced that Reid will return as head coach and before they can delve into free agency and the draft. Firing Castillo feels too harsh, in part because Reid put him in a very difficult situation and in part because the Eagles did finish the season ranked eighth in the league in total defense. (And there was their mistake right there, by the way. Turns out defense was overrated this year. The two teams in the Super Bowl ranked 27th and 31st.)
But the fact that the players don't know got me wondering: What role might the players and their opinions have on Reid's ultimate decision about whether to keep Castillo in the same role, fire him or reassign him somewhere else on the staff? Castillo's impossible not to like personally, and he's therefore well liked by his players. And many of them knew him for years while he was coaching on the other side of the ball. But not everybody in the Eagles' locker room was happy with the schemes implemented in Castillo's first season as coordinator. There was talk, for instance, in the locker room that cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha wasn't thrilled with all of the zone coverage he was asked to play when his strength is in man-to-man coverage.
Asomugha is clearly a player around whom the Eagles plan to structure their defense in the coming years, or else they wouldn't have signed him to a long-term contract. Might Reid be factoring in the way his prominent defensive players feel about Castillo when making his decision?
Ultimately, it might not matter. Reports indicating that the personality and/or presence of defensive line coach Jim Washburn was one of the reasons Steve Spagnuolo didn't want the Eagles' defensive coordinator job are completely believable and legitimate. If the Eagles are committed to Washburn and his "Wide 9" defensive line formation, it's going to be hard to find an established defensive coordinator who's willing to come in and have something that significant dictated to him instead of deciding for himself how the linemen should line up.
Castillo already buys in, and the improvement the defense showed as it grew more comfortable during the season should buy him an extra season in the coordinator's spot. But so far it seems as though Reid hasn't told Castillo, his players or anyone else whether that's what's going to happen.
Received the following text message the other day from a former Eagles defensive player, which I edited only to include punctuation and make slightly more legible:
"What's the word on Juan. Is he still DC or what? One of my buddies... said he ask(ed) him about it at Senior Bowl and he said he's not sure of what his title is."[+] EnlargeJames Lang/US PresswireThe status of Eagles defensive coordinator Juan Castillo seems uncertain this offseason.
Well, there you have it.
The Castillo situation feels like the next thing the Eagles have to decide, now that they've announced that Reid will return as head coach and before they can delve into free agency and the draft. Firing Castillo feels too harsh, in part because Reid put him in a very difficult situation and in part because the Eagles did finish the season ranked eighth in the league in total defense. (And there was their mistake right there, by the way. Turns out defense was overrated this year. The two teams in the Super Bowl ranked 27th and 31st.)
But the fact that the players don't know got me wondering: What role might the players and their opinions have on Reid's ultimate decision about whether to keep Castillo in the same role, fire him or reassign him somewhere else on the staff? Castillo's impossible not to like personally, and he's therefore well liked by his players. And many of them knew him for years while he was coaching on the other side of the ball. But not everybody in the Eagles' locker room was happy with the schemes implemented in Castillo's first season as coordinator. There was talk, for instance, in the locker room that cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha wasn't thrilled with all of the zone coverage he was asked to play when his strength is in man-to-man coverage.
Asomugha is clearly a player around whom the Eagles plan to structure their defense in the coming years, or else they wouldn't have signed him to a long-term contract. Might Reid be factoring in the way his prominent defensive players feel about Castillo when making his decision?
Ultimately, it might not matter. Reports indicating that the personality and/or presence of defensive line coach Jim Washburn was one of the reasons Steve Spagnuolo didn't want the Eagles' defensive coordinator job are completely believable and legitimate. If the Eagles are committed to Washburn and his "Wide 9" defensive line formation, it's going to be hard to find an established defensive coordinator who's willing to come in and have something that significant dictated to him instead of deciding for himself how the linemen should line up.
Castillo already buys in, and the improvement the defense showed as it grew more comfortable during the season should buy him an extra season in the coordinator's spot. But so far it seems as though Reid hasn't told Castillo, his players or anyone else whether that's what's going to happen.
Friday links require no introduction.
New York Giants
What would you like to know about Giants wide receivers Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks? Elizabeth Merrill has you covered in this week's Hot Read, which details where they came from, how they got here and what they're doing to make sure and maintain their early professional success.
Dave D'Alessandro looks at the Osi Umenyiora situation, which right now is that Osi had decided not to talk about the lingering contract issue that will rear its head again once this is all over and instead focus on making plays and inspiring his defensive teammates to do the same.
Philadelphia Eagles
What are the Eagles' options at defensive coordinator now that Steve Spagnuolo has signed with the Saints? Les Bowen takes a look, though the more you read and think about this, the more you figure they're just going to stick with the guy they already have.
The Eagles' team website is doing a position-by-position breakdown of the offseason and this installment focuses on defensive tackle, where they have two strong starters in Cullen Jenkins and Mike Patterson but need to get more production out of the rotational players behind them. A healthy Antonio Dixon, for example, would be a big help.
Dallas Cowboys
Head coach Jason Garrett says sure, he could see himself giving up play-calling duties somewhere down the line. It's just not going to happen in 2012. Remember, this guy has job security. The owner has thrown his support behind him and pointed out that Garrett is "just getting started" as a head coach. Garrett doesn't have to make changes out of concern for his job, and that's actually the way it should be if you have a young head coach and you want to put him in a position to succeed.
Jean-Jacques Taylor takes his turn in ESPNDallas.com's "Fixing the Cowboys" series, and he thinks the biggest issue that needs fixing is the Cowboys' fragile psyche. Not sure how you address that, except by winning. And they did finish the two seasons prior to this one fairly strong, if I recall.
Washington Redskins
Yeah, the Redskins writers all got on the Mel Kiper Jr. conference call Thursday to ask about quarterbacks. What Mel had to offer wasn't exactly encouraging. With the Colts set to pick Andrew Luck at No. 1 and it looking increasingly likely that Washington would need to trade up to get Robert Griffin III, the possibilities include Ryan Tannehill, Nick Foles and the gigantic Brock Osweiler. You know, or Matt Flynn or Peyton Manning in free agency. Long way to go here, folks.
Of course, as Dan Steinberg writes, there's suddenly a hot Washington rumor that the Redskins have already chosen their 2012 quarterback. Though the circumstances of said rumor seem sketchy at best.
New York Giants
What would you like to know about Giants wide receivers Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks? Elizabeth Merrill has you covered in this week's Hot Read, which details where they came from, how they got here and what they're doing to make sure and maintain their early professional success.
Dave D'Alessandro looks at the Osi Umenyiora situation, which right now is that Osi had decided not to talk about the lingering contract issue that will rear its head again once this is all over and instead focus on making plays and inspiring his defensive teammates to do the same.
Philadelphia Eagles
What are the Eagles' options at defensive coordinator now that Steve Spagnuolo has signed with the Saints? Les Bowen takes a look, though the more you read and think about this, the more you figure they're just going to stick with the guy they already have.
The Eagles' team website is doing a position-by-position breakdown of the offseason and this installment focuses on defensive tackle, where they have two strong starters in Cullen Jenkins and Mike Patterson but need to get more production out of the rotational players behind them. A healthy Antonio Dixon, for example, would be a big help.
Dallas Cowboys
Head coach Jason Garrett says sure, he could see himself giving up play-calling duties somewhere down the line. It's just not going to happen in 2012. Remember, this guy has job security. The owner has thrown his support behind him and pointed out that Garrett is "just getting started" as a head coach. Garrett doesn't have to make changes out of concern for his job, and that's actually the way it should be if you have a young head coach and you want to put him in a position to succeed.
Jean-Jacques Taylor takes his turn in ESPNDallas.com's "Fixing the Cowboys" series, and he thinks the biggest issue that needs fixing is the Cowboys' fragile psyche. Not sure how you address that, except by winning. And they did finish the two seasons prior to this one fairly strong, if I recall.
Washington Redskins
Yeah, the Redskins writers all got on the Mel Kiper Jr. conference call Thursday to ask about quarterbacks. What Mel had to offer wasn't exactly encouraging. With the Colts set to pick Andrew Luck at No. 1 and it looking increasingly likely that Washington would need to trade up to get Robert Griffin III, the possibilities include Ryan Tannehill, Nick Foles and the gigantic Brock Osweiler. You know, or Matt Flynn or Peyton Manning in free agency. Long way to go here, folks.
Of course, as Dan Steinberg writes, there's suddenly a hot Washington rumor that the Redskins have already chosen their 2012 quarterback. Though the circumstances of said rumor seem sketchy at best.
Eagles should just keep Juan Castillo now
January, 19, 2012
Jan 19
8:12
PM ET
By
Dan Graziano | ESPN.com
So, former Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has a new job, and it's not with the Philadelphia Eagles. Spagnuolo has reportedly agreed to become the new defensive coordinator of the New Orleans Saints, which means Eagles fans who were hoping Andy Reid would hire him to replace Juan Castillo in that position in Philadelphia are disappointed. It also means the most sensible choice for Eagles defensive coordinator for 2012 is Castillo himself.
The most significant problem with any Eagles pursuit of Spagnuolo -- and we never actually knew for sure that they were engaged in one -- is that the position was already filled. The Eagles fired defensive backs coach Johnny Lynn a couple of weeks ago, which would have given them the flexibility to move Castillo into another job on the defensive staff if they didn't want to fire him after only one season as coordinator. But now that the top available choice is off the market, it makes sense for the Eagles to keep things the way they are.
After a tumultuous offseason in which they converted Castillo from offensive line coach to defensive coordinator, hired defensive line coach Jim Washburn and revamped their defensive scheme and personnel, the Eagles struggled on defense for the first half of the season. But they ended the season ranked eighth in the league in total defense, led the league in sacks and ended up doing a number of encouraging things that would lead one to believe they were on the right track. To overhaul the coaching staff -- and, potentially, the scheme -- for a second offseason in a row would be to invite the kind of adjustment issues they had in 2011.
It seems as though Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie is giving Reid a one-year shot to make a deep postseason run that helps erase the disappointment of this past year. If Reid really believed, a year ago, that Castillo was the man to lead his defense, why not stick with him on the basis of the improvement the team showed as the year went along? If they really believed the "Wide 9" defensive line alignment was the best way to play defense, the right move is to keep Washburn and Castillo in place and see if they were right about needing more than one season for it to take hold.
Anyway, I don't know what Reid and the Eagles are going to do. But to make a change at defensive coordinator just to do it, or just because the fans want it, would be the wrong move. Spagnuolo, an accomplished coordinator who gets a great deal of credit for the Giants' most recent Super Bowl championship, might have been worth such a change. But unless there's another, similarly strong candidate out there to replace Castillo, the best way for the Eagles to go at this point is to stay the course.
The most significant problem with any Eagles pursuit of Spagnuolo -- and we never actually knew for sure that they were engaged in one -- is that the position was already filled. The Eagles fired defensive backs coach Johnny Lynn a couple of weeks ago, which would have given them the flexibility to move Castillo into another job on the defensive staff if they didn't want to fire him after only one season as coordinator. But now that the top available choice is off the market, it makes sense for the Eagles to keep things the way they are.
After a tumultuous offseason in which they converted Castillo from offensive line coach to defensive coordinator, hired defensive line coach Jim Washburn and revamped their defensive scheme and personnel, the Eagles struggled on defense for the first half of the season. But they ended the season ranked eighth in the league in total defense, led the league in sacks and ended up doing a number of encouraging things that would lead one to believe they were on the right track. To overhaul the coaching staff -- and, potentially, the scheme -- for a second offseason in a row would be to invite the kind of adjustment issues they had in 2011.
It seems as though Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie is giving Reid a one-year shot to make a deep postseason run that helps erase the disappointment of this past year. If Reid really believed, a year ago, that Castillo was the man to lead his defense, why not stick with him on the basis of the improvement the team showed as the year went along? If they really believed the "Wide 9" defensive line alignment was the best way to play defense, the right move is to keep Washburn and Castillo in place and see if they were right about needing more than one season for it to take hold.
Anyway, I don't know what Reid and the Eagles are going to do. But to make a change at defensive coordinator just to do it, or just because the fans want it, would be the wrong move. Spagnuolo, an accomplished coordinator who gets a great deal of credit for the Giants' most recent Super Bowl championship, might have been worth such a change. But unless there's another, similarly strong candidate out there to replace Castillo, the best way for the Eagles to go at this point is to stay the course.
Morning, all. Figure I'll head over to East Rutherford today to see what's going on. I imagine I won't be the only one with this idea. Will keep you posted. Meantime, links.
New York Giants
On the morning of Dec. 24, the Giants were 7-7 and coming off a tough loss to the Redskins. The Jets were 8-6 and hoping to win their final two games against what appeared to be a couple of weak opponents and get into the playoffs. Ohm Youngmisuk writes that what happened that day at MetLife Stadium changed the fortunes of both teams as dramatically as anyone could have imagined.
Filip Bondy points out that no team has ever won the Super Bowl after posting a regular-season record as poor as the Giants' 9-7 mark. And before anyone gets upset, Filip is merely pointing out a statistical oddity, not saying the Giants don't belong here. As he says, there was no 10-6 or 9-7 team in another division that missed the playoffs because the Giants won the East. They had one of the six best records in the conference and earned their way in. To me, his column simply points up the fact that this is a team currently playing like a Super Bowl champ after not playing like one for much of its regular season.
Philadelphia Eagles
Everybody in the league seems to believe the Raiders will hire a Packers assistant -- likely Winston Moss -- to be their new head coach. But Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg is going for an interview. Mornhinweg has also come up as a possible candidate to coach the Colts, who fired head coach Jim Caldwell on Tuesday. So while fans are wondering if and when Steve Spagnuolo would be hired as defensive coordinator (a job that's not currently open in Philadelphia), it's possible they'll need to replace their offensive coordinator first.
Amid all of this, as Martin Frank writes, Eagles head coach Andy Reid has remained silent for the past two weeks, and no one knows when he'll show his face to answer any questions about the season just past or his plans for the next one.
Dallas Cowboys
Todd Archer writes that, if Laurent Robinson is serious about Dallas being the right "fit" for him, the Cowboys have a good chance to re-sign their breakout wide receiver. If Robinson just wants to cash in on the success he had in Dallas via free agency (which is, of course, his perfect right), then Todd is less optimistic about the team's chances to bring him back.
And speaking of Cowboys wide receivers, the latest Dez Bryant off-field incident -- and the fact that it's happened so soon into an offseason in which Bryant knows his every step is going to be watched and scrutinized -- has Calvin Watkins wondering if the guy is ever going to learn.
Washington Redskins
John Keim takes a look at what the Redskins need to do this offseason at defensive back. He says they need to decide what to do about LaRon Landry, need to sign a third cornerback (he throws out the name of the Giants' Terrell Thomas as a possibility) and need to add speed at free safety. The idea of using that No. 6 overall pick on a defensive player, such as LSU Morris Claiborne, hasn't really been raised much around these parts, since we all seem to agree that this year's Redskins offseason needs to be about offense. But a lot's going to depend on what they decide to do in free agency, and what needs are left when the draft rolls around. Cornerback may just be one of them.
Jason Reid is looking at the quarterbacks remaining in the playoffs and what lessons the Redskins might learn from them. The two guys left in the NFC were both picked No. 1 overall in the draft, of course, and Jason believes it's time for the Redskins to do what they can to move up to one of the top two spots and get a franchise QB this time around.
New York Giants
On the morning of Dec. 24, the Giants were 7-7 and coming off a tough loss to the Redskins. The Jets were 8-6 and hoping to win their final two games against what appeared to be a couple of weak opponents and get into the playoffs. Ohm Youngmisuk writes that what happened that day at MetLife Stadium changed the fortunes of both teams as dramatically as anyone could have imagined.
Filip Bondy points out that no team has ever won the Super Bowl after posting a regular-season record as poor as the Giants' 9-7 mark. And before anyone gets upset, Filip is merely pointing out a statistical oddity, not saying the Giants don't belong here. As he says, there was no 10-6 or 9-7 team in another division that missed the playoffs because the Giants won the East. They had one of the six best records in the conference and earned their way in. To me, his column simply points up the fact that this is a team currently playing like a Super Bowl champ after not playing like one for much of its regular season.
Philadelphia Eagles
Everybody in the league seems to believe the Raiders will hire a Packers assistant -- likely Winston Moss -- to be their new head coach. But Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg is going for an interview. Mornhinweg has also come up as a possible candidate to coach the Colts, who fired head coach Jim Caldwell on Tuesday. So while fans are wondering if and when Steve Spagnuolo would be hired as defensive coordinator (a job that's not currently open in Philadelphia), it's possible they'll need to replace their offensive coordinator first.
Amid all of this, as Martin Frank writes, Eagles head coach Andy Reid has remained silent for the past two weeks, and no one knows when he'll show his face to answer any questions about the season just past or his plans for the next one.
Dallas Cowboys
Todd Archer writes that, if Laurent Robinson is serious about Dallas being the right "fit" for him, the Cowboys have a good chance to re-sign their breakout wide receiver. If Robinson just wants to cash in on the success he had in Dallas via free agency (which is, of course, his perfect right), then Todd is less optimistic about the team's chances to bring him back.
And speaking of Cowboys wide receivers, the latest Dez Bryant off-field incident -- and the fact that it's happened so soon into an offseason in which Bryant knows his every step is going to be watched and scrutinized -- has Calvin Watkins wondering if the guy is ever going to learn.
Washington Redskins
John Keim takes a look at what the Redskins need to do this offseason at defensive back. He says they need to decide what to do about LaRon Landry, need to sign a third cornerback (he throws out the name of the Giants' Terrell Thomas as a possibility) and need to add speed at free safety. The idea of using that No. 6 overall pick on a defensive player, such as LSU Morris Claiborne, hasn't really been raised much around these parts, since we all seem to agree that this year's Redskins offseason needs to be about offense. But a lot's going to depend on what they decide to do in free agency, and what needs are left when the draft rolls around. Cornerback may just be one of them.
Jason Reid is looking at the quarterbacks remaining in the playoffs and what lessons the Redskins might learn from them. The two guys left in the NFC were both picked No. 1 overall in the draft, of course, and Jason believes it's time for the Redskins to do what they can to move up to one of the top two spots and get a franchise QB this time around.
Remember the Family Guy episode where they talk about the Emperor figuring out the secret to great Star Wars dialogue, and they cut away to him and he's going, "Something something daaark siiiide... something something complete..."? Well, I kind of feel like, if I want to do a Philadelphia Eagles post these days, I could just write, "Something something Steve Spagnuolo something something Eagles..."
To that end, as Eagles fans continue to ponder whether Spagnuolo will return to the organization and replace Juan Castillo as defensive coordinator, here is the latest:
1. Our Adam Schefter is reporting that Spagnuolo interviewed with the Indianapolis Colts on Monday for their defensive coordinator position. The Colts just fired head coach Jim Caldwell, so things are clearly in flux there, but if they interviewed a defensive coordinator candidate before firing their head coach, you'd have to think they either know who their head coach is going to be or they're not going to let him pick his own. Regardless, the Colts are a team to add to the list of teams interested in Spagnuolo.
2. You can subtract a team, too, as the Falcons have hired Mike Nolan to be their defensive coordinator. Atlanta was one of the teams reportedly interested in Spagnuolo, along with the Colts, Eagles and Saints. If Spagnuolo was their first choice (and we don't know that he was), then the Nolan hire would indicate that Spagnuolo had turned down the Falcons and decided where to go. But that's speculation, so please don't take it any other way.
3. Castillo still has the job. This is an important thing to remember. The Eagles finished eighth in the league in total defense, and a lot of things happened throughout the year to indicate dramatic improvement under Castillo in his first year as a defensive coach. It's possible the Eagles don't want to make major changes to the defensive coaching staff for the second year in a row. Jim Washburn is also still in place as defensive line coach, and his arrival a year ago prompted a change in the Eagles' defensive scheme. Assuming Washburn stays (and doesn't jump to St. Louis with his former Tennessee head coach Jeff Fisher), you wonder whether a new coordinator could overrule Washburn's belief in the "Wide 9" scheme that got so much publicity (and a certain degree of public scorn) in Philadelphia this year.
It's not as simple as just hiring Spagnuolo, even if the Eagles are the team to which he wants to go. Lot of moving parts yet. But now that Andy Reid is back from his vacation and some coaches are starting to settle into new roles around the league, things could pick up on this front soon.
To that end, as Eagles fans continue to ponder whether Spagnuolo will return to the organization and replace Juan Castillo as defensive coordinator, here is the latest:
1. Our Adam Schefter is reporting that Spagnuolo interviewed with the Indianapolis Colts on Monday for their defensive coordinator position. The Colts just fired head coach Jim Caldwell, so things are clearly in flux there, but if they interviewed a defensive coordinator candidate before firing their head coach, you'd have to think they either know who their head coach is going to be or they're not going to let him pick his own. Regardless, the Colts are a team to add to the list of teams interested in Spagnuolo.
2. You can subtract a team, too, as the Falcons have hired Mike Nolan to be their defensive coordinator. Atlanta was one of the teams reportedly interested in Spagnuolo, along with the Colts, Eagles and Saints. If Spagnuolo was their first choice (and we don't know that he was), then the Nolan hire would indicate that Spagnuolo had turned down the Falcons and decided where to go. But that's speculation, so please don't take it any other way.
3. Castillo still has the job. This is an important thing to remember. The Eagles finished eighth in the league in total defense, and a lot of things happened throughout the year to indicate dramatic improvement under Castillo in his first year as a defensive coach. It's possible the Eagles don't want to make major changes to the defensive coaching staff for the second year in a row. Jim Washburn is also still in place as defensive line coach, and his arrival a year ago prompted a change in the Eagles' defensive scheme. Assuming Washburn stays (and doesn't jump to St. Louis with his former Tennessee head coach Jeff Fisher), you wonder whether a new coordinator could overrule Washburn's belief in the "Wide 9" scheme that got so much publicity (and a certain degree of public scorn) in Philadelphia this year.
It's not as simple as just hiring Spagnuolo, even if the Eagles are the team to which he wants to go. Lot of moving parts yet. But now that Andy Reid is back from his vacation and some coaches are starting to settle into new roles around the league, things could pick up on this front soon.
Hey, so, bad news for all of you Eagles, Cowboys and Redskins fans. If you thought last week on the blog was Giants-heavy... you ain't seen nothing yet. Links.
New York Giants
Ian O'Connor points out that Eli Manning has now beaten Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers in playoff games in Green Bay, and that the only reason he didn't take out Bart Starr too is that he's too young to have had the chance. "Manning plays better than better quarterbacks," Ian writes, and while that's a nice way to put it, it seems pretty clear by now that Manning is a fairly great quarterback in his own right.
The play of Sunday's game may have been Hakeem Nicks' catch of Eli Manning's Hail Mary pass as time ran out in the second quarter. Brandon Jacobs said he saw Packers players walking to the locker room with their heads down and "pretty much knew they were done." Not sure about that, but the play had a strong whiff of significance. Kevin Seifert had just told me that the Packers specialized in scoring right before the end of the first half and then getting the ball to start the second half and scoring again. The opposite happened in this game. The Giants scored right before the end of the first half and the Packers turned the ball over on the first drive of the second. Game-changing stuff, that.
Philadelphia Eagles
The 700 Level looks at the likelihood of Steve Spagnuolo returning to the Eagles as defensive coordinator. With rumors now abounding that Gregg Williams will leave the Saints to join Jeff Fisher in St. Louis, you can add New Orleans to the list of interested Spagnuolo suitors. It won't be easy for the Eagles to get him, and there's also the troubling little fact that their defensive coordinator job is not, currently, open.
Sheil Kapadia wonders if Eagles defensive line coach Jim Washburn could go to St. Louis with Fisher, since the two had success together in Tennessee. Another reminder that the issues on the Eagles' defensive coaching staff are complicated and intertwined and don't seem to present any simple solutions.
Dallas Cowboys
Hudson Houck isn't saying the Cowboys will or should move Tyron Smith from right tackle to left tackle. But Smith's first NFL position coach, now retired, says that Smith could be "very, very good" at left tackle if such a move were made. With a new offensive coordinator and offensive line coach coming in, I imagine that decision has yet to be made. But it would seem to make a pile of sense, given Doug Free's struggles on the left side this past year.
Two weeks may be enough time to have softened some fans who were bitterly disappointed by the way the Cowboys' season ended. Blogging the Boys has a post expressing "rampant and disproportionate optimism" about the Cowboys' future and direction. Kind of refreshing, really.
Washington Redskins
Rich Tandler watched Saturday's Saints-49ers playoff game with an eye on some potential offseason targets for the Redskins, including Saints receivers Marques Colston and Robert Meachem. Mike Shanahan will definitely be looking for a No. 1 receiver this offseason, but as Rich suggests, the Saints' guys come with questions about whether they'd perform the same way in a different system.
Rick Snider ponders the idea of the Redskins bringing in Peyton Manning to play quarterback for them next year. Some say it's farfetched. I'm not sure it is. But I know they'd have to be sure he's healthy before they decided to do it, and I'm not sure how anybody's going to be able to be sure of that.
New York Giants
Ian O'Connor points out that Eli Manning has now beaten Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers in playoff games in Green Bay, and that the only reason he didn't take out Bart Starr too is that he's too young to have had the chance. "Manning plays better than better quarterbacks," Ian writes, and while that's a nice way to put it, it seems pretty clear by now that Manning is a fairly great quarterback in his own right.
The play of Sunday's game may have been Hakeem Nicks' catch of Eli Manning's Hail Mary pass as time ran out in the second quarter. Brandon Jacobs said he saw Packers players walking to the locker room with their heads down and "pretty much knew they were done." Not sure about that, but the play had a strong whiff of significance. Kevin Seifert had just told me that the Packers specialized in scoring right before the end of the first half and then getting the ball to start the second half and scoring again. The opposite happened in this game. The Giants scored right before the end of the first half and the Packers turned the ball over on the first drive of the second. Game-changing stuff, that.
Philadelphia Eagles
The 700 Level looks at the likelihood of Steve Spagnuolo returning to the Eagles as defensive coordinator. With rumors now abounding that Gregg Williams will leave the Saints to join Jeff Fisher in St. Louis, you can add New Orleans to the list of interested Spagnuolo suitors. It won't be easy for the Eagles to get him, and there's also the troubling little fact that their defensive coordinator job is not, currently, open.
Sheil Kapadia wonders if Eagles defensive line coach Jim Washburn could go to St. Louis with Fisher, since the two had success together in Tennessee. Another reminder that the issues on the Eagles' defensive coaching staff are complicated and intertwined and don't seem to present any simple solutions.
Dallas Cowboys
Hudson Houck isn't saying the Cowboys will or should move Tyron Smith from right tackle to left tackle. But Smith's first NFL position coach, now retired, says that Smith could be "very, very good" at left tackle if such a move were made. With a new offensive coordinator and offensive line coach coming in, I imagine that decision has yet to be made. But it would seem to make a pile of sense, given Doug Free's struggles on the left side this past year.
Two weeks may be enough time to have softened some fans who were bitterly disappointed by the way the Cowboys' season ended. Blogging the Boys has a post expressing "rampant and disproportionate optimism" about the Cowboys' future and direction. Kind of refreshing, really.
Washington Redskins
Rich Tandler watched Saturday's Saints-49ers playoff game with an eye on some potential offseason targets for the Redskins, including Saints receivers Marques Colston and Robert Meachem. Mike Shanahan will definitely be looking for a No. 1 receiver this offseason, but as Rich suggests, the Saints' guys come with questions about whether they'd perform the same way in a different system.
Rick Snider ponders the idea of the Redskins bringing in Peyton Manning to play quarterback for them next year. Some say it's farfetched. I'm not sure it is. But I know they'd have to be sure he's healthy before they decided to do it, and I'm not sure how anybody's going to be able to be sure of that.
Looks as though they're getting their snow early in Green Bay. A bunch will be on the ground when we arrive this weekend, but the forecast for Sunday remains clear and for a relatively balmy 24 degrees. Given what the calendar says and where they're going, the Giants will sign for that. There's a difference between Tom Coughlin's face being red and Tom Coughlin's face being dear-god-get-that-man-to-a-hospital red. Anyway, links.
New York Giants
Ian O'Connor looked back at the Lawrence Tynes kick that delivered the Giants' last playoff victory in Green Bay four years ago and talked with members of Tynes' family about the tough times they've all endured and the toughness that lives in the Giants' kicker as a result. It's a real good story. Apropos of nothing, though, did you know this Sunday's will be the first playoff game at Lambeau Field since that one? Not just for the Giants, but for the Packers too. They were a wild-card team last year. Played 'em all on the road.
More trivia: Gary Myers writes that this will be the first-ever playoff game featuring two quarterbacks who have previously won a Super Bowl MVP award. Gary takes a look at the matchup between Aaron Rodgers and Eli Manning.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles lost their player personnel director Wednesday, as Ryan Grigson went off to run the Colts. So they'll need to restructure some things in their personnel department. Once they do, they have decisions to make on their own potential free agents, and Geoff Mosher runs through the list.
Those who assume the Eagles are sure to sign Steve Spagnuolo as their defensive coordinator simply because he used to work there have consistently ignored the obvious fact that the Eagles will have competition for the man's services. The Atlanta Falcons, who actually have an opening at defensive coordinator, have emerged as a strong suitor.
Dallas Cowboys
Remember when Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan was a hot name for potential head coaching jobs? Calvin Watkins writes that the way the Dallas defense played down the stretch may have taken Ryan off some of those lists -- for this year, at least.
Todd Archer believes, as I do, that there's a real good chance the Cowboys take an offensive linemen in the first round of the draft. But if they're going to put that high a value on their interior line needs, Todd writes, might they spend what it takes in free agency to sign someone like Saints guard Carl Nicks? Intriguing.
Washington Redskins
The Redskins are hiring former Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris to coach their defensive backs, according to Mike Jones. Lots of good connections here. Morris has worked on the same staff as Washington offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan and under GM Bruce Allen before. He's 35 years old and likely still a hot coaching prospect, regardless of what happened this year in Tampa Bay. I'll be interesting to see which defensive backs stick around for Morris to coach. Safeties coach Steve Jackson and wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell won't be back, Jason Reid writes. Jackson was in Washington for eight years.
Redskins kicker Graham Gano broke two bones in his back making a tackle in the season finale. Gano is a free agent and, as he rehabs his back, he wonders what his own future holds in Washington.
New York Giants
Ian O'Connor looked back at the Lawrence Tynes kick that delivered the Giants' last playoff victory in Green Bay four years ago and talked with members of Tynes' family about the tough times they've all endured and the toughness that lives in the Giants' kicker as a result. It's a real good story. Apropos of nothing, though, did you know this Sunday's will be the first playoff game at Lambeau Field since that one? Not just for the Giants, but for the Packers too. They were a wild-card team last year. Played 'em all on the road.
More trivia: Gary Myers writes that this will be the first-ever playoff game featuring two quarterbacks who have previously won a Super Bowl MVP award. Gary takes a look at the matchup between Aaron Rodgers and Eli Manning.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles lost their player personnel director Wednesday, as Ryan Grigson went off to run the Colts. So they'll need to restructure some things in their personnel department. Once they do, they have decisions to make on their own potential free agents, and Geoff Mosher runs through the list.
Those who assume the Eagles are sure to sign Steve Spagnuolo as their defensive coordinator simply because he used to work there have consistently ignored the obvious fact that the Eagles will have competition for the man's services. The Atlanta Falcons, who actually have an opening at defensive coordinator, have emerged as a strong suitor.
Dallas Cowboys
Remember when Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan was a hot name for potential head coaching jobs? Calvin Watkins writes that the way the Dallas defense played down the stretch may have taken Ryan off some of those lists -- for this year, at least.
Todd Archer believes, as I do, that there's a real good chance the Cowboys take an offensive linemen in the first round of the draft. But if they're going to put that high a value on their interior line needs, Todd writes, might they spend what it takes in free agency to sign someone like Saints guard Carl Nicks? Intriguing.
Washington Redskins
The Redskins are hiring former Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris to coach their defensive backs, according to Mike Jones. Lots of good connections here. Morris has worked on the same staff as Washington offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan and under GM Bruce Allen before. He's 35 years old and likely still a hot coaching prospect, regardless of what happened this year in Tampa Bay. I'll be interesting to see which defensive backs stick around for Morris to coach. Safeties coach Steve Jackson and wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell won't be back, Jason Reid writes. Jackson was in Washington for eight years.
Redskins kicker Graham Gano broke two bones in his back making a tackle in the season finale. Gano is a free agent and, as he rehabs his back, he wonders what his own future holds in Washington.
Breakfast links: Giants back on the road
January, 11, 2012
Jan 11
8:00
AM ET
By
Dan Graziano | ESPN.com
Good morning. Four days until the Giants' playoff game in Green Bay. The Cowboys are shuffling their coaching staff. The Eagles and Redskins are quiet, but we all know that never lasts. Let's have some links, shall we, and talk it all over?
New York Giants
Ohm writes that this year's Giants are trying to channel some of the "road warrior" mentality that the 2007-08 Super Bowl team had -- the "us against the world" attitude that helped them win four games away from home to claim the Lombardi trophy. These Giants haven't played a game away from MetLife Stadium since their Dec. 11 victory in Dallas, and the Packers have beaten them twice in the past 13 months. But they remain confident, which is one of their greatest assets right now.
Chase Blackburn was going to be a substitute math teacher but had to put that on hold when the Giants called in November to ask him to come back and play linebacker for them, Steve Politi writes.
Philadelphia Eagles
Jeff McLane says the speculation about potential changes to the Eagles' defensive coaching staff is nothing more than that at this point, especially while Andy Reid is on vacation and hasn't spoken to the media since the season ended. Could Steve Spagnuolo return as defensive coordinator? Sure. But Jeff's sources say it's "premature" to assume it'll happen.
And while DeSean Jackson looms as perhaps the most important roster decision the Eagles need to make this offseason, Paul Domowitch posits that the Eagles' offense could survive just fine if Jackson were to go elsewhere.
Dallas Cowboys
Todd Archer writes that the coaching moves the Cowboys made Tuesday -- replacing longtime offensive line coach Hudson Houck with Bill Callahan and replacing longtime secondary coach Dave Campo with Jerome Henderson -- may have come a year too late but were wise decisions. Not to discount the significant contributions Houck and Campo made to the organization, but these are the kinds of forward-looking moves the Cowboys need to make to address and correct their weaknesses.
Jean-Jacques Taylor says the success that former Cowboys coach Wade Phillips has had this year as defensive coordinator with the Houston Texans proves that the players, and not Rob Ryan's scheme, are the problem with the Cowboys' defense. Don't think there aren't roster moves coming with these coaching changes.
Washington Redskins
Linebacker Brian Orakpo had surgery on his left shoulder, which he injured in the season finale in Philadelphia. No word on how long it will take Orakpo to recover, but his Twitter review of the surgery certainly sounded upbeat. Who knows? Could be the pain meds talking. Brian, your words are hurtful!
Rich Campbell takes a look at the personality contrast between head coach Mike Shanahan and defensive coordinator Jim Haslett -- an odd couple that came in to Washington together and seems to be working together quite nicely as the Redskins rebuild their defense.
New York Giants
Ohm writes that this year's Giants are trying to channel some of the "road warrior" mentality that the 2007-08 Super Bowl team had -- the "us against the world" attitude that helped them win four games away from home to claim the Lombardi trophy. These Giants haven't played a game away from MetLife Stadium since their Dec. 11 victory in Dallas, and the Packers have beaten them twice in the past 13 months. But they remain confident, which is one of their greatest assets right now.
Chase Blackburn was going to be a substitute math teacher but had to put that on hold when the Giants called in November to ask him to come back and play linebacker for them, Steve Politi writes.
Philadelphia Eagles
Jeff McLane says the speculation about potential changes to the Eagles' defensive coaching staff is nothing more than that at this point, especially while Andy Reid is on vacation and hasn't spoken to the media since the season ended. Could Steve Spagnuolo return as defensive coordinator? Sure. But Jeff's sources say it's "premature" to assume it'll happen.
And while DeSean Jackson looms as perhaps the most important roster decision the Eagles need to make this offseason, Paul Domowitch posits that the Eagles' offense could survive just fine if Jackson were to go elsewhere.
Dallas Cowboys
Todd Archer writes that the coaching moves the Cowboys made Tuesday -- replacing longtime offensive line coach Hudson Houck with Bill Callahan and replacing longtime secondary coach Dave Campo with Jerome Henderson -- may have come a year too late but were wise decisions. Not to discount the significant contributions Houck and Campo made to the organization, but these are the kinds of forward-looking moves the Cowboys need to make to address and correct their weaknesses.
Jean-Jacques Taylor says the success that former Cowboys coach Wade Phillips has had this year as defensive coordinator with the Houston Texans proves that the players, and not Rob Ryan's scheme, are the problem with the Cowboys' defense. Don't think there aren't roster moves coming with these coaching changes.
Washington Redskins
Linebacker Brian Orakpo had surgery on his left shoulder, which he injured in the season finale in Philadelphia. No word on how long it will take Orakpo to recover, but his Twitter review of the surgery certainly sounded upbeat. Who knows? Could be the pain meds talking. Brian, your words are hurtful!
Rich Campbell takes a look at the personality contrast between head coach Mike Shanahan and defensive coordinator Jim Haslett -- an odd couple that came in to Washington together and seems to be working together quite nicely as the Redskins rebuild their defense.
There appeared to be, at one point today, a report that suggested Steve Spagnuolo could join the Philadelphia Eagles as defensive coordinator by the end of the week. This got everyone in a tizzy, as such things do, and what has turned out to be the case is that the report actually did not intend to say that, that Andy Reid is on vacation this week anyway and that Spagnuolo-to-the-Eagles is still just something everyone in the NFL assumes will happen at some point. Reuben Frank summarized the silliness pretty well.
Look. I understand that this is 2012 and everybody wants everything to happen NOW! NOW! NOW! But it's been eight days since Spagnuolo was fired as head coach of the Rams. Even if the Eagles are interested in him, and even if he's interested in them, that's not a very long period of time in which to finalize something like this. Spagnuolo surely has received and will receive other offers, and it'd be foolish not to hang out for a while and see if something better comes along. And the Eagles, even if they've decided to pursue Spagnuolo for defensive coordinator (which we don't know that they have) still would have to figure out how to work such a move in around current coordinator Juan Castillo, current defensive line coach Jim Washburn and all of the stuff they worked to install this past year.
As Rueben points out, this move is something that may very well happen, but it's no sure thing and there's no real reason to believe it will be or should be rushed.
Look. I understand that this is 2012 and everybody wants everything to happen NOW! NOW! NOW! But it's been eight days since Spagnuolo was fired as head coach of the Rams. Even if the Eagles are interested in him, and even if he's interested in them, that's not a very long period of time in which to finalize something like this. Spagnuolo surely has received and will receive other offers, and it'd be foolish not to hang out for a while and see if something better comes along. And the Eagles, even if they've decided to pursue Spagnuolo for defensive coordinator (which we don't know that they have) still would have to figure out how to work such a move in around current coordinator Juan Castillo, current defensive line coach Jim Washburn and all of the stuff they worked to install this past year.
As Rueben points out, this move is something that may very well happen, but it's no sure thing and there's no real reason to believe it will be or should be rushed.
Man, the NFL really sets this whole thing up nicely, doesn't it? Of course the NFC East is still alive for at least one more week. Every division is. Eight playoff teams remain, and there's one from each division. Almost as if they planned it that way.
Anyway, the NFC East champs looked as good as any team that played this weekend, and they of course lead off the Monday links.
New York Giants
The Giants rushed for a season-high 172 yards in their playoff victory over Atlanta, but Ian O'Connor writes that the run that got it all started was a 14-yard scamper by a very unlikely candidate -- quarterback Eli Manning. "Unlikely" is putting it mildly, since Manning only had 15 rush yards, total, during the regular season. But Ian's point is a good one -- that Manning has a knack for making the play the Giants need him to make when they need him to make it.
The Giants' players have done a lot of talking the past few weeks, and they clearly feel more confident in themselves than they have at any point this year. That all starts early this week. Before he even left the postgame locker room, defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul guaranteed a victory over the Packers next week at Lambeau Field. Pineapples for everyone!
Philadelphia Eagles
Les Bowen has been pretty consistent about pointing out a key, oft-ignored element of the Steve Spagnuolo situation: That even if the Eagles do want to make him their defensive coordinator, they're likely to have competition for his services.
We gave you the link to the Cowboys' "Stay or Go" post from ESPNDallas.com a few days ago. Philly.com is doing the same thing for the Eagles, allowing you to go on there and vote on which players you think should be back next year and which won't. Eagles management is not offering fans the same opportunity -- just the Philly.com web site. But it's a pretty complete list. Andy Reid's on there, even though we know he's coming back. Jeffrey Lurie's on there, even though there's no indication he's stopped wanting to own the team. And Swoop, the mascot, is on there, in case you think it's all Swoop's fault.
Dallas Cowboys
Jason Garrett has begun the process of meeting with his assistant coaches, many of whom he inherited when he took over as head coach from the fired Wade Phillips. Garrett flexed some muscle last offseason in making tough decisions about players he'd inherited and didn't want, and you wonder if he might want to put his own stamp on the coaching staff now that he's got a full season under his belt.
Cowboys linebacker and Penn State alum Sean Lee issued a statement over the weekend about new Penn State coach Bill O'Brien. I mean, I guess he's saying he supports the new coach, but it's not exactly a ringing endorsement from a former player who would have liked to see one of his former coaches get a shot at the top job. Feels like a lot of Penn State people taking this perspective are missing the point.
Washington Redskins
Mike Shanahan and the Redskins' coaching staff will coach the South team in the Senior Bowl later this month in Mobile, Ala. Not every draft prospect will be there, of course, as many are juniors. But coaches generally enjoy the Senior Bowl as an opportunity to get an up-close look at some guys who might be able to help them. The Redskins have several needs on both sides of the ball, and working closely with some of the top seniors could help them turn up a mid-round gem or two.
Lots of people have asked me about Adam Carriker, who is well liked by fans and teammates and coaches and says he wants to come back to the Redskins next year. But Carriker is going to be an unrestricted free agent, and his return is therefore uncertain. I'm not sure I agree with the idea that Jarvis Jenkins is the issue, since I think they planned to use both guys in a rotation last year and could fit both into their scheme. I think the issue has more to do with London Fletcher being a top priority and the decisions that need to be made at offensive line, safety, wide receiver and several other places. They could conceivably run out of room in the budget for Carriker, is all.
Anyway, the NFC East champs looked as good as any team that played this weekend, and they of course lead off the Monday links.
New York Giants
The Giants rushed for a season-high 172 yards in their playoff victory over Atlanta, but Ian O'Connor writes that the run that got it all started was a 14-yard scamper by a very unlikely candidate -- quarterback Eli Manning. "Unlikely" is putting it mildly, since Manning only had 15 rush yards, total, during the regular season. But Ian's point is a good one -- that Manning has a knack for making the play the Giants need him to make when they need him to make it.
The Giants' players have done a lot of talking the past few weeks, and they clearly feel more confident in themselves than they have at any point this year. That all starts early this week. Before he even left the postgame locker room, defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul guaranteed a victory over the Packers next week at Lambeau Field. Pineapples for everyone!
Philadelphia Eagles
Les Bowen has been pretty consistent about pointing out a key, oft-ignored element of the Steve Spagnuolo situation: That even if the Eagles do want to make him their defensive coordinator, they're likely to have competition for his services.
We gave you the link to the Cowboys' "Stay or Go" post from ESPNDallas.com a few days ago. Philly.com is doing the same thing for the Eagles, allowing you to go on there and vote on which players you think should be back next year and which won't. Eagles management is not offering fans the same opportunity -- just the Philly.com web site. But it's a pretty complete list. Andy Reid's on there, even though we know he's coming back. Jeffrey Lurie's on there, even though there's no indication he's stopped wanting to own the team. And Swoop, the mascot, is on there, in case you think it's all Swoop's fault.
Dallas Cowboys
Jason Garrett has begun the process of meeting with his assistant coaches, many of whom he inherited when he took over as head coach from the fired Wade Phillips. Garrett flexed some muscle last offseason in making tough decisions about players he'd inherited and didn't want, and you wonder if he might want to put his own stamp on the coaching staff now that he's got a full season under his belt.
Cowboys linebacker and Penn State alum Sean Lee issued a statement over the weekend about new Penn State coach Bill O'Brien. I mean, I guess he's saying he supports the new coach, but it's not exactly a ringing endorsement from a former player who would have liked to see one of his former coaches get a shot at the top job. Feels like a lot of Penn State people taking this perspective are missing the point.
Washington Redskins
Mike Shanahan and the Redskins' coaching staff will coach the South team in the Senior Bowl later this month in Mobile, Ala. Not every draft prospect will be there, of course, as many are juniors. But coaches generally enjoy the Senior Bowl as an opportunity to get an up-close look at some guys who might be able to help them. The Redskins have several needs on both sides of the ball, and working closely with some of the top seniors could help them turn up a mid-round gem or two.
Lots of people have asked me about Adam Carriker, who is well liked by fans and teammates and coaches and says he wants to come back to the Redskins next year. But Carriker is going to be an unrestricted free agent, and his return is therefore uncertain. I'm not sure I agree with the idea that Jarvis Jenkins is the issue, since I think they planned to use both guys in a rotation last year and could fit both into their scheme. I think the issue has more to do with London Fletcher being a top priority and the decisions that need to be made at offensive line, safety, wide receiver and several other places. They could conceivably run out of room in the budget for Carriker, is all.
Eagles defensive shuffle just starting?
January, 7, 2012
Jan 7
8:55
PM ET
By
Dan Graziano | ESPN.com
The Philadelphia Eagles announced Saturday that they had "released" secondary coach Johnie Lynn, which on its face isn't a surprising move. The Eagles had a disappointing season, the defense's propensity for allowing big plays was a major reason why, and as Eagles head coach Andy Reid surveys his personnel -- coaches and players alike -- it's reasonable to expect some tinkering.
But the move with Lynn leads one to wonder what else might be coming. Former Eagles defensive assistant Steve Spagnuolo, who won a Super Bowl four years ago as the New York Giants' defensive coordinator, was just fired as head coach of the St. Louis Rams and is looking for work. The Eagles' defensive coordinator is Juan Castillo, who this time last year was their offensive line coach and did in fact look overmatched at times in his first season on the defensive side of the ball. But Castillo is a longtime member of Reid's staff, and even if they are looking to upgrade at coordinator with someone more accomplished, such as Spagnuolo, it's unlikely the Eagles would just want to fire Castillo and make him the scapegoat, considering the difficult position in which Reid put him.
It's also unlikely that they could give Castillo his old job back. He was replaced at offensive line coach by Howard Mudd, and even if Mudd decided to move back into retirement, things wouldn't be so simple. Mudd installed completely new blocking schemes and techniques that bear little resemblance to what Castillo was coaching before Mudd replaced him. The Eagles' linemen bought in completely to Mudd's teachings and performed well, and it's likely that, even if Mudd were to leave (and there's no reason to believe he would, other than his health), they'd likely want to continue to teach and practice Mudd's technique.
So if, hypothetically, the Eagles want to hire Spagnuolo (or anyone else) to replace Castillo as defensive coordinator, and if they don't want to fire Castillo, they'll need a place to put him. There is now an opening at secondary coach, so you know ... just sayin'. Worth paying attention to, especially if Reid is planning more changes down the line on his defensive staff.
But the move with Lynn leads one to wonder what else might be coming. Former Eagles defensive assistant Steve Spagnuolo, who won a Super Bowl four years ago as the New York Giants' defensive coordinator, was just fired as head coach of the St. Louis Rams and is looking for work. The Eagles' defensive coordinator is Juan Castillo, who this time last year was their offensive line coach and did in fact look overmatched at times in his first season on the defensive side of the ball. But Castillo is a longtime member of Reid's staff, and even if they are looking to upgrade at coordinator with someone more accomplished, such as Spagnuolo, it's unlikely the Eagles would just want to fire Castillo and make him the scapegoat, considering the difficult position in which Reid put him.
It's also unlikely that they could give Castillo his old job back. He was replaced at offensive line coach by Howard Mudd, and even if Mudd decided to move back into retirement, things wouldn't be so simple. Mudd installed completely new blocking schemes and techniques that bear little resemblance to what Castillo was coaching before Mudd replaced him. The Eagles' linemen bought in completely to Mudd's teachings and performed well, and it's likely that, even if Mudd were to leave (and there's no reason to believe he would, other than his health), they'd likely want to continue to teach and practice Mudd's technique.
So if, hypothetically, the Eagles want to hire Spagnuolo (or anyone else) to replace Castillo as defensive coordinator, and if they don't want to fire Castillo, they'll need a place to put him. There is now an opening at secondary coach, so you know ... just sayin'. Worth paying attention to, especially if Reid is planning more changes down the line on his defensive staff.
Breakfast links: Fewell signed through 2012
January, 5, 2012
Jan 5
8:00
AM ET
By
Dan Graziano | ESPN.com
My goodness. The NFL playoffs begin in two days. Our division's representative plays in three. Where does the time go? Links.
New York Giants
People can officially stop asking me whether the Giants will bring in Steve Spagnuolo to be their defensive coordinator. It turns out, the Giants signed current defensive coordinator Perry Fewell to a contract extension that runs through 2012. Turns out they did this last year, when Fewell was interviewing for head-coaching positions. Nothing like a little leverage, huh? The Giants like Fewell, their issues on defense were personnel-related and not scheme- or coaching-related, and there's no reason to think he's going anywhere. Unless someone hires him to be their head coach.
Also, Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul was named NFC Defensive Player of the Month for December, which isn't real surprising considering he was NFC Defensive Player of the Week twice in the month and had a 16-tackle game in one of the weeks in which he wasn't. Pierre-Paul just had his 23rd birthday on Sunday. Given his talent, his rapid learning curve and the team for which he plays, it's terrifying to imagine how good he can become.
Philadelphia Eagles
Les Bowen reports that Spagnuolo, the former Eagles defensive assistant and Giants defensive coordinator who was fired earlier this week as head coach of the Rams, is interested in coaching next year and would be interested in the defensive coordinator job with the Eagles, should that come open. The Eagles still have to decide what to do with current defensive coordinator Juan Castillo and whether they're willing to overhaul the defensive scheme under new leadership for the second year in a row.
Linebacker remains an offseason need for an Eagles team that struggled to find production out of those positions for much of the year. But Geoff Mosher writes that, at the very least, the group of linebackers the Eagles have played much better toward the end of the season. Just don't tell Jeffrey Lurie that. Remember, the way he sees it, it doesn't matter because they didn't play anybody good!
Dallas Cowboys
Jean-Jacques Taylor writes that young, talented Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant is embarking on his most dangerous time of the year -- the offseason. Jacques says Bryant needs structure in his life, and the proof lies in the off-field issues he's had involving behavior and his finances. All eyes are always on Bryant, whom the Cowboys believe can be a building-block player for them if he keeps his head on straight.
ESPNDallas.com invites you to play "Take him or trash him" with the Cowboys' roster. Go through and click on each player and decide whether you want him on next year's team or not. Something to do instead of work, which I know you're looking for.
Washington Redskins
John Keim lists five players who could help improve the Redskins' defense in 2012. Two of them -- defensive linemen Jarvis Jenkins and Barry Cofield -- are already on the roster. But a healthy return from Jenkins and continued improvement from Cofield at nose tackle would, in fact, help. The others John lists are Oakland Raiders safety Tyvon Branch, who can be a free agent, and two players who will be in this year's draft -- LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne and Oklahoma State safety Markelle Martin.
The Redskins will be working on the offensive line as well, and only the first year of right tackle Jammal Brown's five-year deal was guaranteed. In order to return in 2012, Brown is going to have to prove to the Redskins that his troublesome hip is finally really healthy. The guess here is that they look elsewhere for a tackle.
New York Giants
People can officially stop asking me whether the Giants will bring in Steve Spagnuolo to be their defensive coordinator. It turns out, the Giants signed current defensive coordinator Perry Fewell to a contract extension that runs through 2012. Turns out they did this last year, when Fewell was interviewing for head-coaching positions. Nothing like a little leverage, huh? The Giants like Fewell, their issues on defense were personnel-related and not scheme- or coaching-related, and there's no reason to think he's going anywhere. Unless someone hires him to be their head coach.
Also, Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul was named NFC Defensive Player of the Month for December, which isn't real surprising considering he was NFC Defensive Player of the Week twice in the month and had a 16-tackle game in one of the weeks in which he wasn't. Pierre-Paul just had his 23rd birthday on Sunday. Given his talent, his rapid learning curve and the team for which he plays, it's terrifying to imagine how good he can become.
Philadelphia Eagles
Les Bowen reports that Spagnuolo, the former Eagles defensive assistant and Giants defensive coordinator who was fired earlier this week as head coach of the Rams, is interested in coaching next year and would be interested in the defensive coordinator job with the Eagles, should that come open. The Eagles still have to decide what to do with current defensive coordinator Juan Castillo and whether they're willing to overhaul the defensive scheme under new leadership for the second year in a row.
Linebacker remains an offseason need for an Eagles team that struggled to find production out of those positions for much of the year. But Geoff Mosher writes that, at the very least, the group of linebackers the Eagles have played much better toward the end of the season. Just don't tell Jeffrey Lurie that. Remember, the way he sees it, it doesn't matter because they didn't play anybody good!
Dallas Cowboys
Jean-Jacques Taylor writes that young, talented Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant is embarking on his most dangerous time of the year -- the offseason. Jacques says Bryant needs structure in his life, and the proof lies in the off-field issues he's had involving behavior and his finances. All eyes are always on Bryant, whom the Cowboys believe can be a building-block player for them if he keeps his head on straight.
ESPNDallas.com invites you to play "Take him or trash him" with the Cowboys' roster. Go through and click on each player and decide whether you want him on next year's team or not. Something to do instead of work, which I know you're looking for.
Washington Redskins
John Keim lists five players who could help improve the Redskins' defense in 2012. Two of them -- defensive linemen Jarvis Jenkins and Barry Cofield -- are already on the roster. But a healthy return from Jenkins and continued improvement from Cofield at nose tackle would, in fact, help. The others John lists are Oakland Raiders safety Tyvon Branch, who can be a free agent, and two players who will be in this year's draft -- LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne and Oklahoma State safety Markelle Martin.
The Redskins will be working on the offensive line as well, and only the first year of right tackle Jammal Brown's five-year deal was guaranteed. In order to return in 2012, Brown is going to have to prove to the Redskins that his troublesome hip is finally really healthy. The guess here is that they look elsewhere for a tackle.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Dan Graziano
Graziano joined ESPN.com in 2011 after two years as a Senior NFL Writer for AOL FanHouse. He covered Major League Baseball, the Olympics and various other sports during his time at the Star-Ledger and the Palm Beach Post. A New Jersey native and author of two published novels, he now lives in Ridgewood, N.J., with his wife and two sons.
