Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2016 15:00:08 GMT -6
Ryan Pace and the Bears Front Office are about to be faced with one of the toughest decisions they'll have to make all off season. Part of our problem as fans is that we don't know just how much say Pace actually does have in this decision but as I've said before IMHO all options in all situations should be on the table starting with this one. IMHO nothing else will matter us much as this.
These are all important facts to consider when deciding the fate of the coaching staff which I feel must be done before any other steps can be taken. Some have and will continue to disagree with me and with this article but I didn't create these facts. I'm simply reporting them as they've been written by another. Each of us can choose to accept or reject them as you will. I'm only the messenger.
Re-posted from an article by Erik Lambert/SportsMockery/12-23-2016
sportsmockery.com/2016/12/john-fox-punched-ticket-chicago/
Two arguments that most experts have fallen back on why John Fox is secure for a third season are as follows. 1) The team team continues to play hard even through the disappointment of continuing close losses. 2) There is the fact that continuity matters a lot in the NFL. Firing a second head coach after just two seasons can create a chaotic atmosphere where it's hard for young players to grow.
Steve Rosenbloom addressed the first part of this argument in a recent article for the Chicago Tribune.
"IT'S LIKE TRYING TO TALK UP A PARTICIPATION TROPHY LIKE IT'S A GOLD MEDAL."
"LOOK, IF THE BEARS PLAYERS AREN'T PREPARING LIKE THEIR JOBS AREN'T ON THE LINE AND PLAYING FOR THEIR NFL LIVES EACH GAME, THEN THE BEARS WONKS SCOUTED THEM BADLY BEFORE PUTTING THEM ON THE ROSTER AND FOX'S STAFF COACHED THEM BADLY AFTER THAT."
As to the continuity part, everyone fears they'll become the next Cleveland Browns. Tell that to the L.A. Rams and Jacksonville Jaguars. The Rams kept Jeff Fisher for almost five full seasons and went 31-45 over that span. Gus Bradley was even worse, going 14-48 in almost four seasons with the Jaguars. The thing is continuity doesn't always breed success.
Meanwhile their are plenty of reasons for the Bears to consider moving on from John Fox.
The Regression
It's not so much losing that has the Bears fans angry. Give them a little credit. The understood the state of the roster a year ago and that it would take some time and a couple of down years to fix. But at the same time they were sold a bill of goods about Fox being able to turn a team around quickly. He got a 6-10 record out of a depleted roster last year, so improvement was rightfully expected the next season from a more talented roster. Instead they got a worse record.
Not only will he finish with fewer wins than his first year, he'll also have failed to beat the Packers at least once in 2016. Everybody knows that's a big prerequisite to keeping the head job in this town. Both Ditka and Lovie were able to do so long after their Super Bowl runs. Fox is 9-22 in his first two seasons and 1-3 against the Packers. One cannot simply shrug that off.
The Lying
There are few things fans hate more than a head coach who treats everybody, including them, like they're stupid. That's what John Fox has pretty much done since day one in Chicago. He stubbornly refuses to offer any information on the status of the team, most often in regards to injuries. Everybody knows a player is hurt, and that it's fairly serious, yet Fox insists he's "day to day".
That offers the idea the player has a chance to return soon. A few weeks later the same player ends up on Injured Reserve. If he was never going to play to begin with what was the point of the deception? Getting a competitive edge on an opponent is one thing. Treating fans and the media like they have no clue what they're talking about is another. Fox seems to take a certain delight in alienating both so it's little wonder he has few fans in their ranks.
Bad Game Management
This in not something new about Fox. He's never had a reputation for being a quality coach when it comes to the actual management of games. There have been plenty of examples this season alone. However, the most recent examples offer more than enough evidence of how ill-prepared Fox can be during games. First was his decision to go for a tying FG in the fourth quarter against Green Bay.
On the surface it seems like a harmless decision. However, the conservative approach belies his overconfidence in his defense. A unit that had already allowed 27 points. He was willing to give the ball back to Aaron Rodgers with just less than two minutes to play needing only a FG to win. Going for the TD had risk, but given the Bears were 3-10 and had nothing to lose, it was worth taking.
Then, a few minutes later an injury on the field created a stoppage for the Packers. Fox had the choice of accepting a 10 second run off on the clock which would have forced Green Bay into a hurry up offense. Instead he chose to preserve the time hoping to give his offense another shot. Instead the defense was burned for a 60 yard completion and the Packers used those precious seconds to get up to the line to spike the ball.
Green Bay kicks the FG and wins the game as a direct result of these Fox decisions.
Lack of Player Discipline
Things have gotten quite loose with Fox around. Players aren't being held accountable for their mistakes like they would be on more successful teams. Chicago ranks 10th in the NFL in penalties with an average of 7.1 per game. They rank 7th in the NFL in total dropped passes with 22. They have lost two high profile players for 4 games each due to suspensions for PEDs.
One of the reasons this was referenced even last year was one of the reasons why John Fox was fired in Denver was because Team VP/GM John Elway felt Fox wasn't disciplining players enough. He was too much of a players coach trying to be their friend more than their coach. That can work with a veteran team but it often has bad results with a younger inexperienced one. Younger players need structure. They need to be pushed and have some fear of losing their jobs instilled in them.
Fox has not done that.
Non-Payton Manning Coaching History
Andrew Dannehy, a writer for DaBearsblog.com, pointed out an interesting fact about Fox in a recent article of his own. It was compelling evidence that the veteran coach may be more lucky than good at this point in his career. He showcased Fox's record for the past 10 years that didn't include seasons when Manning was his quarterback.
The numbers are pretty damning.
2006: 8-8
2007: 7-9
2008: 12-4
2009: 8-8
2010: 2-14
2011: 8-8
2015: 6-10
2016: 3-12
Total: 54-72/.429/Avg. 7-9 per season/Just one winning season
Fox has a winning record in just one out of eight non-Manning seasons. That's not very good in and off itself. However, it doesn't look much better when expanded to include his entire head coaching tenure including that without the future HOF'er.
2002: 7-9
2003: 11-5
2004: 7-9
2005: 11-5
Total: 36-28/.563/Avg. 9-7 per season/Two winning seasons
Career Totals: 90-100/.474/Avg. 7.5-8.5 per season/3 winning seasons
So in essence John Fox has produced a total of just three winning seasons in his 15 year career when he didn't have arguably the best quarterback of all time under center to say nothing of the fact that even when he did have Manning for three seasons he did not win the Super Bowl and lost in the first round of the playoffs in two others.
The Inability to Develop Young Quarterbacks
John Fox is an old school coach. He is also not a patient one. Playing rookies at any position is something he has resisted constantly. Never once has he successfully developed a rookie quarterback out of college. His only notable attempt came in 2010 with second round pick Jimmy Clausen at Carolina. In ten games as a starter he went 1-9 and managed to throw just 3 touchdown passes to 9 interceptions.
It's no secret the Bears are in the market for a new quarterback in 2017. But it's not hard to see why Fox preferred signing Brian Hoyer over drafting a rookie QB in 2016 or possibly attempting to go with a 4 year veteran like 26 year old Matt Barkley in 2017. The idea drafting a QB with a high choice and turning him into a top shelf pro passer is utterly foreign to him. Odds are he'd much rather go with the option of an experienced veteran than even risk going the draft route again even though that can often yield the best results long term.
Personal Note; I can also add to the above the John Fox was not in favor of Carolina drafting Cam Newton with it's top pick in 2011 which may also have led to his firing at Carolina.
These are all important facts to consider when deciding the fate of the coaching staff which I feel must be done before any other steps can be taken. Some have and will continue to disagree with me and with this article but I didn't create these facts. I'm simply reporting them as they've been written by another. Each of us can choose to accept or reject them as you will. I'm only the messenger.
Re-posted from an article by Erik Lambert/SportsMockery/12-23-2016
sportsmockery.com/2016/12/john-fox-punched-ticket-chicago/
Two arguments that most experts have fallen back on why John Fox is secure for a third season are as follows. 1) The team team continues to play hard even through the disappointment of continuing close losses. 2) There is the fact that continuity matters a lot in the NFL. Firing a second head coach after just two seasons can create a chaotic atmosphere where it's hard for young players to grow.
Steve Rosenbloom addressed the first part of this argument in a recent article for the Chicago Tribune.
"IT'S LIKE TRYING TO TALK UP A PARTICIPATION TROPHY LIKE IT'S A GOLD MEDAL."
"LOOK, IF THE BEARS PLAYERS AREN'T PREPARING LIKE THEIR JOBS AREN'T ON THE LINE AND PLAYING FOR THEIR NFL LIVES EACH GAME, THEN THE BEARS WONKS SCOUTED THEM BADLY BEFORE PUTTING THEM ON THE ROSTER AND FOX'S STAFF COACHED THEM BADLY AFTER THAT."
As to the continuity part, everyone fears they'll become the next Cleveland Browns. Tell that to the L.A. Rams and Jacksonville Jaguars. The Rams kept Jeff Fisher for almost five full seasons and went 31-45 over that span. Gus Bradley was even worse, going 14-48 in almost four seasons with the Jaguars. The thing is continuity doesn't always breed success.
Meanwhile their are plenty of reasons for the Bears to consider moving on from John Fox.
The Regression
It's not so much losing that has the Bears fans angry. Give them a little credit. The understood the state of the roster a year ago and that it would take some time and a couple of down years to fix. But at the same time they were sold a bill of goods about Fox being able to turn a team around quickly. He got a 6-10 record out of a depleted roster last year, so improvement was rightfully expected the next season from a more talented roster. Instead they got a worse record.
Not only will he finish with fewer wins than his first year, he'll also have failed to beat the Packers at least once in 2016. Everybody knows that's a big prerequisite to keeping the head job in this town. Both Ditka and Lovie were able to do so long after their Super Bowl runs. Fox is 9-22 in his first two seasons and 1-3 against the Packers. One cannot simply shrug that off.
The Lying
There are few things fans hate more than a head coach who treats everybody, including them, like they're stupid. That's what John Fox has pretty much done since day one in Chicago. He stubbornly refuses to offer any information on the status of the team, most often in regards to injuries. Everybody knows a player is hurt, and that it's fairly serious, yet Fox insists he's "day to day".
That offers the idea the player has a chance to return soon. A few weeks later the same player ends up on Injured Reserve. If he was never going to play to begin with what was the point of the deception? Getting a competitive edge on an opponent is one thing. Treating fans and the media like they have no clue what they're talking about is another. Fox seems to take a certain delight in alienating both so it's little wonder he has few fans in their ranks.
Bad Game Management
This in not something new about Fox. He's never had a reputation for being a quality coach when it comes to the actual management of games. There have been plenty of examples this season alone. However, the most recent examples offer more than enough evidence of how ill-prepared Fox can be during games. First was his decision to go for a tying FG in the fourth quarter against Green Bay.
On the surface it seems like a harmless decision. However, the conservative approach belies his overconfidence in his defense. A unit that had already allowed 27 points. He was willing to give the ball back to Aaron Rodgers with just less than two minutes to play needing only a FG to win. Going for the TD had risk, but given the Bears were 3-10 and had nothing to lose, it was worth taking.
Then, a few minutes later an injury on the field created a stoppage for the Packers. Fox had the choice of accepting a 10 second run off on the clock which would have forced Green Bay into a hurry up offense. Instead he chose to preserve the time hoping to give his offense another shot. Instead the defense was burned for a 60 yard completion and the Packers used those precious seconds to get up to the line to spike the ball.
Green Bay kicks the FG and wins the game as a direct result of these Fox decisions.
Lack of Player Discipline
Things have gotten quite loose with Fox around. Players aren't being held accountable for their mistakes like they would be on more successful teams. Chicago ranks 10th in the NFL in penalties with an average of 7.1 per game. They rank 7th in the NFL in total dropped passes with 22. They have lost two high profile players for 4 games each due to suspensions for PEDs.
One of the reasons this was referenced even last year was one of the reasons why John Fox was fired in Denver was because Team VP/GM John Elway felt Fox wasn't disciplining players enough. He was too much of a players coach trying to be their friend more than their coach. That can work with a veteran team but it often has bad results with a younger inexperienced one. Younger players need structure. They need to be pushed and have some fear of losing their jobs instilled in them.
Fox has not done that.
Non-Payton Manning Coaching History
Andrew Dannehy, a writer for DaBearsblog.com, pointed out an interesting fact about Fox in a recent article of his own. It was compelling evidence that the veteran coach may be more lucky than good at this point in his career. He showcased Fox's record for the past 10 years that didn't include seasons when Manning was his quarterback.
The numbers are pretty damning.
2006: 8-8
2007: 7-9
2008: 12-4
2009: 8-8
2010: 2-14
2011: 8-8
2015: 6-10
2016: 3-12
Total: 54-72/.429/Avg. 7-9 per season/Just one winning season
Fox has a winning record in just one out of eight non-Manning seasons. That's not very good in and off itself. However, it doesn't look much better when expanded to include his entire head coaching tenure including that without the future HOF'er.
2002: 7-9
2003: 11-5
2004: 7-9
2005: 11-5
Total: 36-28/.563/Avg. 9-7 per season/Two winning seasons
Career Totals: 90-100/.474/Avg. 7.5-8.5 per season/3 winning seasons
So in essence John Fox has produced a total of just three winning seasons in his 15 year career when he didn't have arguably the best quarterback of all time under center to say nothing of the fact that even when he did have Manning for three seasons he did not win the Super Bowl and lost in the first round of the playoffs in two others.
The Inability to Develop Young Quarterbacks
John Fox is an old school coach. He is also not a patient one. Playing rookies at any position is something he has resisted constantly. Never once has he successfully developed a rookie quarterback out of college. His only notable attempt came in 2010 with second round pick Jimmy Clausen at Carolina. In ten games as a starter he went 1-9 and managed to throw just 3 touchdown passes to 9 interceptions.
It's no secret the Bears are in the market for a new quarterback in 2017. But it's not hard to see why Fox preferred signing Brian Hoyer over drafting a rookie QB in 2016 or possibly attempting to go with a 4 year veteran like 26 year old Matt Barkley in 2017. The idea drafting a QB with a high choice and turning him into a top shelf pro passer is utterly foreign to him. Odds are he'd much rather go with the option of an experienced veteran than even risk going the draft route again even though that can often yield the best results long term.
Personal Note; I can also add to the above the John Fox was not in favor of Carolina drafting Cam Newton with it's top pick in 2011 which may also have led to his firing at Carolina.
