I have written a lot about the current state of Mike Munchak's job status and his tenure as the head coach of the Tennessee Titans. Clearly this is a key year for Munchak who suffered through a disappointing 6-10 season with the Titans in 2012 that was topped off by embarrassing losses to the Minnesota Vikings (30-7), Chicago Bears (51-20) and Green Bay Packers (55-7). They say time heals all wounds but that last one was particularly bad since I had the pleasure (or maybe misfortune) to see it in person.
Recently, I began to think about Munchak's status and whether *I* have unfairly criticized him and whether the 'hot seat" status I have placed on him is unfair. To be fair, I do think Munchak simply has to produce better in 2013. Munchak is signed through 2014 but the lesser of two evils beyond firing is to be on "lame duck" status. I'm certain Munchak would prefer to have the type of season that owner Bud Adams views extension worthy. The definition of what season justifies an extension might be debatable but clearly being in the playoff hunt is mandatory.
Part of the genesis of this blog arose out of my look at the last 3 years of the Titans draft picks under former head coach Jeff Fisher and my comparison of the 2011 and 2012 drafts under current coach Mike Munchak. Then I considered the circumstances leading up to Munchak's ascension to the head coaching position and questions arose. I truly do try to be as fair as possible and I now wonder if perhaps i have been unfair.
PULL MY FINGER I DARE YOU
Munchak, who had never been more than offensive line coach for the Titans, was elevated to head coach on February 7, 2011. The Titans had parted ways with former head coach Jeff Fisher on January 27, 2011 after what can only be described as a turbulent offseason that also led to the departure of former first round pick and Bud Adams' "golden boy" Vince Young on January 5, 2011. Adams had only recently committed to Fisher coaching out the final year of his contract after apparently winning out an internal battle between Fisher and Young. I won't go into the details of their troubled relationship as they are readily available and widely known.
My point is that Munchak essentially took over a franchise that was clearly fractured, in disarray and in badly need of a makeover. Munchak himself apparently believed change was necessary in his first presser. The new regime took over just two months away from the 2011 draft with no franchise quarterback and badly in need of a plan. The harsh reality is that change rarely happens overnight and Munchak inherited a team with a lot of issues. The Titans would select Jake Locker with the #8 overall selection and sign veteran Matt Hasselbeck. They also added safety Jordan Babineaux. Otherwise, the free agent signings had very little impact. Amazingly, that team would finish 9-7 in what can only be considered an overachieving year characterized by excellent play overall from quarterback Matt Hasselbeck.
The 2012 offseason was dominated by the competition between incumbent quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and 2011 first round draft pick Jake Locker. The Titans were looking to improve on 2011 and added another solid draft class. They also signed defensive end Kamerion Wimbley and left guard Steve Hutchinson. The other free agent signings during the 2012 offseason had very little impact. The Titans would finish 2012 with a 6 and 10 record.
Look, I am not going to excuse the Titans performance in 2012 and I have discussed a lot of the reasons why the team under-performed elsewhere but geez Louise if it go could wrong it did for the Titans. An offensive line that has been long overrated (at least in the interior) was decimated by injuries and the safety position was a hot mess caused in large part by the coaching staff. On top of that quarterback Jake Locker hurt his left and non-throwing shoulder in the first game and would later suffer re-injury to the same shoulder and miss the bulk of the middle of the season. On his return, he was faced with a patchwork offensive line that left him in large part running for his life.
Having said that, that overrated offensive line was a product of Mike Munchak and offensive line coach Bruce Matthews. While Rome wasn't built in a day the free agent signings to date haven't made a big impact, and the players Munchak has played since taking over as head coach have largely been draft picks and players from the Fisher era. How long should it take to do a complete team makeover? That is the question I am currently pondering.
You often hear the media and fans talk about letting college football coaches "build a roster" suited to their style before judging their performance. The average seems to be between 3 to 5 years. The extent to which that happens in reality is debatable for certain but the concept is surely there. Here is some more reality in that most teams that are fractured the way the Titans were rarely recover quickly and usually it takes exceptional circumstances for it to happen.
Look, we know the NFL is a results driven league. However, Munchak is entering his 3rd year as head coach of the Tennessee Titans and generally speaking the first year you expect a coach to field a team with the majority of his hand picked players. While certainly a key year for Munchak and the Titans, should this year make or break his tenure as head coach? This is the question I am currently pondering.
This blog was inspired by a tweet from Gene Frenette who covers the Jacksonville Jaguars and who tweeted about the last 3 years of former General Manager Gene Smith and their number of draft picks still on the roster (half of them are gone). So I decided to take a look at the last 3 drafts under former head coach Jeff Fisher.
Of the 2008 Tennessee Titans draft picks, only 2 remain and those are running back Chris Johnson and tight end Craig Stevens. Jason Jones, William Hayes and Cary Williams are still in the league and Hayes plays for Fisher now in St. Louis, Jones for former Titans defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz in Detroit, and Williams for Philadelphia. Hawkins was cut by the Titans last month and signed a 2 year deal with the Patriots. Keglar is a free agent.
Like the 2008 Titans draft, only 2 remain and they are Kenny Britt and Jason McCourty. Britt's issues are well known. McCourty is a good corner and the Titans signed him to an extension on August 23, 2012. Cook now plays for Fisher in St. Louis and Marks signed a one year deal with the Jackonsville Jaguars. Kropog is a reserve lineman for the Vikings and Durand is a reserve lineman for the Kansas City Chiefs. The remainder are currently free agents.
Of the 2010 Titans draft class, Derrick Morgan, Damien Williams, Alterraun Verner, Robert Johnson, Rusty Smith and Marc Mariani remain. Morgan had a very good 2012 season and Verner has been a solid starter since his rookie year. Williams has played well with limited rotation at the receiver position. Mariani made an impact his rookie year as a returner on special teams and made the Pro Bowl. Mariani suffered a devastating injury during the 2012 preseason, breaking both his tibia and fibula and missed the season. Johnson and Smith are still on the roster but Johnson received very bad reviews on his performance in 2012. None have received contract extensions and there has been no word of any negotiations. Curran, Rolle and Howard are out of the league.
In case you missed it, and are interested, I took at a look at the 2011 and 2012 drafts under the new regime here:
I think its safe to say the jury is still out on the 2010 class and that the 2013 season will be big for those seeking to earn roster spots and/or extensions. I view the 2008 with mixed emotions. I was very disappointed the Titans let Jason Jones walk but he and Hayes have been rotational defensive linemen since leaving the Titans. Cary Williams had injury problems with the Titans but turned into a solid starter for the Ravens. The 2009 draft has to be labeled a disappointment in my opinion.
The Titans are considering hiring currently suspended former coach Gregg Williams as Assistant Head Coach. Yes, THAT Gregg Williams. The face of Bountygate. The coach who at the heart of the Bountygate scandal For a good take you can read this article by Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports: Vitt: Williams Promised Reward for Injuring Opposing Coaches. For a complete list of the factual findings from Paul Tagliabue go here: Paul Tagliabue Order.
If you follow me on twitter you probably know how I feel about this move. I am against it. Totally. I think Williams represents everything that is reprehensible about the underbelly of the sport. He may not be the only coach to employ some sort of bounty system, but let's face it he is the face of it. In case you missed it, here is the "Bountygate" video in all its sickening glory:
Everything you read about the situation indicates his players like Williams and like playing for him. Interestingly enough, everyone who has spoken publicly on the issue says you have to discount some of what he says. He is known to be a motivator. Certainly, he has a reputation as a good defensive minded coach. How accurate is THAT reputation? Let's take a look.
Williams started his career with the Houston Oilers and has a long history with owner Bud Adams. He became the Tennessee Oilers defensive coordinator in 1997, upon their move to Tennessee, after coaching the linebackers and coached under head coach Jeff Fisher.
The 1997 Tennessee Oilers went 8-8 but the defense played well. The unit, led by Pro Bowl safety Blaine Bishop, finished the year with 35 sacks, 14 interceptions, 4 defensive touchdowns and 32 fumble recoveries.
The 1998 Tennessee Oilers likewise went 8-8 under head coach Jeff Fisher. That unit finished the year with 30 sacks, 12 interceptions, 4 defensive touchdowns, and 22 fumble recoveries.
Well, what can you say about the 1999 Tennessee Titans? That team was filled with talent on both sides of the ball and the defense was led by exciting young rookie defensive end Jevon "The Freak" Kearse. That defense was amazing but of course its easy to be amazing when you have one of the best defensive players in the game. Kearse finished the year with 14.5 sacks and was named All Pro and made the Pro Bowl. As a unit, the Titans finished the season with 54 sacks, 16 interceptions, 32 fumble recoveries and 3 defensive touchdowns. This is the year Jim Schwartz also became defensive assistant. The team reached the Super Bowl and came within one yard of tying the game at the end. Such an exciting team to watch.
The 2000 Titans 13-3 and reached the playoffs, losing to arch rival the Baltimore Ravens in the divisional finals 24 to 10. Once again the roster was loaded with talent and the defense played very well, finishing the year with 55 sacks, 17 interceptions, 5 defensive touchdowns, and 23 fumble recoveries.
Following the 2000 season, Williams left the Titans to coach the Buffalo Bills. Current Titans defensive coordinator Jerry Gray was his defensive coordinator. The 2001 Bills finished 3-13 and the defense was pretty mediocre. The defense finished with 34 sacks, 11 interceptions, 20 fumble recoveries and 3 defensive touchdowns.
The 2002 Bills had their best record under Williams and went 8-8. Still, the defense under Williams and Gray remained bottom of the league. That team didn't have a bad roster either. That defense finished with 30 sacks, 10 interceptions, 22 fumble recoveries, and 2 defensive touchdowns.
In his last year as head coach of the Bills, Williams' 2003 team finished 6 and 10. The defense was pretty good and had some really good defensive players with London Fletcher, Pat Williams, Takeo Spikes, and Lawyer Milloy, amongst others. That defense finished with 37 sacks, 10 interceptions, 26 fumble recoveries, and 3 defensive touchdowns.
Williams was hired by Joe Gibbs to be the Redskins assistant head coach and defensive coordinator in 2004. That team went 6 and 10 but was loaded with talent on defense which actually played pretty well. That defense included LaVar Arrington, Sean Taylor, Ryan Clark, and Fred Smoot to name a few. That unit finished with 40 sacks, 18 interceptions, 18 fumble recoveries but only 1 defensive touchdown.
The 2005 Redskins finished 10 and 6 and made the playoffs, losing in the divisional round 20 to 10 to the Seattle Seahawks. The 2005 Redskins unit finished the year with 32 sacks, 16 interceptions, 22 fumble recoveries, and 2 defensive touchdowns.
The 2006 Redskins finished 5 and 11 with that defense playing pretty poorly. The defense finished with 19 sacks, 6 interceptions, 14 fumble recoveries and no defensive touchdowns.
The 2007 Redskins finished 9 and 7 and made the playoffs, losing in the wildcard round 35 to 21 to the Seattle Seahawks. The defense was pretty good, finishing the year with 33 sacks, 14 interceptions and 2 defensive touchdowns. They also added 2 safeties.
Williams left the Redskins to coach for one season in Jacksonville under head coach Jack Del Rio as defensive coordinator. The 2008 Jaguars finished 5 and 11 and the defense wasn't very good. In all fairness the roster was pretty average at best. The unit finished with 29 sacks, 13 interceptions, 14 fumble recoveries, and 3 defensive touchdowns.
Williams tenure as defensive coordinator with the Saints began in 2009 and of course that team won the Superbowl. Unfortunately for all concerned, these years will forever be associated with the "Bountygate" scandal. In all truth, the 2009 Saints defense wasn't all that spectacular except as it relates to the takeaway ratio. It was an opportunistic defense which isn't a bad thing. The unit finished with 35 sacks, 26 interceptions 19 fumble recoveries, and 7 defensive touchdowns. It also added one safety.
The 2010 Saints finished 11 and 5 and went to the playoffs, losing in the wildcard game 36 to 41 to the Seattle Seahawks. This defense was pretty good in points allowed, but didn't generate the turnovers like the 2009 unit. It finished with 33 sacks, 9 interceptions, 28 fumble recoveries and 2 defensive touchdowns.
The 2011 Saints went 13 and 3 and made the playoffs, losing in the divisional round to the Niners 36 to 32. In Williams final year with the Saints, his defense was 13th in points allowed but 19th in turnover ratio. The unit finished the year with 33 sacks, 9 interceptions, 8 fumble recoveries, and 3 defensive touchdowns.
So there you have it. This is Williams' career since he became a defensive coordinator. Did he coach some good defenses? Yes he did. His best defense was either in 1999 or 2000, depending on how you grade it. He also was coaching his best defensive rosters and he had the benefit of coaching "The Freak." Not surprisingly, when his teams had good talent, he fared better. When the opposite was true the results were fairly mediocre.
Having sat down and analyzed his career, do I believe Williams is a good defensive coordinator? Yes, yes I do. Do I think he is great? No I don't. He is probably better than most and that certainly weighs in his favor when you sit down to look at the issue of whether a team, and more specifically, whether the Titans should hire him.
I certainly don't believe the numbers from Buffalo suggest that the duo of Gregg Williams and Jerry Gray can be the "dynamic duo." The Titans defense probably has better talent than the talent on those Buffalo rosters (although that may be debatable). The talent on the Titans' roster didn't play to its potential in 2012.
I believe in second chances and collectively the National
Football League has shown it is forgiving of troubled souls,
at least when that soul is good at their occupation. The crux here, and
the Achilles heel for the league, is that it has tied its boat to the
safety issue. The current message emanating from the NFL is that it
wants to make the game safer for its players. Gregg Williams represents
the antithesis of that message.
I respect that some of his former players like Williams and like playing for him. I think that speaks well of both him and them that he has the ability to inspire that loyalty. On the other side of the equation are those like Sean Payton and Joe Vitt, who either have little to say about him, or in the case of Vitt seem to carry some animosity toward him. I personally do not know Gregg Williams, but the perception of him isn't very good. The old saying goes perception is reality.
I think at some point Williams will have served his penance and earned the right to coach again. Has he reached that point? I think that is debatable. As for me, I think he should be able to coach again. I'm not sure we have reached that time but its not my decision to make. That decision is up to Roger Goodell.
As for whether the Titans should hire Gregg Williams, I have no hesitation on my answer. I believe the answer is resoundingly "No." One of the more common arguments you hear for hiring Williams is that he can motivate players. On the flip side, you hear players talk about having to discount a lot of Williams'rhetoric, particularly as it related to intentionally injuring other coaches and players. Particularly concerning are Joe Vitt's comments on the issue where he states Williams advocated committing crimes. More rhetoric? Maybe so.
So this argument is a wash as far as i'm concerned. Further, I just don't subscribe to the notion that the motivational factor alone should govern the decision. The only question is whether Williams as a coach is worth associating yourself with the face of "Bountygate."
There are no halfway measures here. Once you link yourself with the bounty scandal, it is written in stone. Sure, memories will fade and the taint will dissipate. Still, you won't ever rid yourself of it completely. The stench will forever linger.
