New Defensive Coordinator

Spags would allow the Saints to maintain the 4-3 scheme, but then who would be our pass-rushing ends? Will Smith is in sharp decline and maybe he has played his last game as a Saint. Jordan doesn’t really strike fear in anyone as a pass rusher and Galette is still raw and his abilities against the run are still not fully proven. It’s really hard to generate pressure with a 4-3 unless there is a lot of talent at defensive end. On the other hand, pressure can be created with smoke and mirrors in the 3-4. In the 4-3 defense, if all four defensive linemen are ultimately mediocre, pressuring the quarterback will be difficult. Why not take one of those mediocre linemen off the field and add a faster linebacker into the mix?

That’s why I feel like Nolan should be the man.

Who’s going to be available?

Former DC for New England. His defenses ranked between 4 and 11 while he was there. He’s now linebackers coach for the Ravens—who are doing quite well under his tutelage—and because he’s a position coach and moving to DC is not a lateral move, I don’t think we need permission to speak to him.

Another possibility, anyway.

won’t try to change stripes now. I won’t even get into that discussion of whether our defense is what continually let us down or whether it was a superior offense. But, this, I think I am also being consistent about. The big difference in our defense the first year is so bloody obvious that I can’t imagine anyone disagreeing with me: Sharper. I really hated seeing him go and still think it had to do with personality conflict. Whether that conflict was with GW or SP seems of critical importance. If it was with GW, I surely hope that someone thinks of hiring Darren Sharper as some form of defensive coach. Maybe just coach for the corners and safeties. I guess it’s too much to ask him to come in as DC, though I think it would be great if that worked. That guy really knew what he was doing and, maybe, it didn’t fit into the defensive plan, which did not seem to want to rely on takeaways to win. I am also feeling pretty consistent in saying I LOVE takeaways and I have not seen a lot of people do it better than Darren. I also think he could bring a lot to the team as far as knowing how to stay healthy. That’s just too long for this short missive for me to expand on.

Later…

Darn, but I can’t keep my mouth shut!

Spags is going to interview with the Colts

Not very likely.

TALKED TO someone close to Steve Spagnuolo yesterday. This person said Spagnuolo is going to take his time with his decision on what comes next, that he wants to “see what develops.”

Meanwhile, Eagles coach Andy Reid was scheduled to return from vacation last night. The team’s offices are closed today for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. So Reid’s long-awaited season recap news conference, which presumably will let us know whether Juan Castillo will return as defensive coordinator, won’t happen before tomorrow, at the earliest. And frankly, if the Eagles are indeed looking to bring in Spagnuolo, it doesn’t sound as if the former Rams head coach is going to be ready to make a decision in the next few days.

“The real, real talented coaches come in all age groups and they come from all over. They come from college, they come from our league. Some have been head coaches, some haven’t. I just look back at my own experiences and someone gave me an opportunity for the first time. I think that you try to pay attention to all of those things. I think you do as much preparation and homework as you can on the candidates and spend as much time visiting with them, but I don’t think you try to profile.”

I think this means: don’t expect a decision anytime soon. And that probably means: don’t expect hitting any Spags lottery.

He was secondary coach @ TB, then Chucky bumped him up to DC (and they were very excited to have him in that role), then before Morris could even have a chance to be the DC, Chucky got fired and they gave Raheem the HC job.

Wiki sez he’s currently DB coach of Redskins….