Here’s what I have learned in the divisional games… The HC only matters a little bit. (40 Viewers)

[3ParStillDriver]

I think this is an astute observation that many of us are overlooking...myself included. The best coaches in the NFL right now have reputations as "QB gurus" or "QB whisperers". They seem to know what the right ratio of underlying factors might portend to greatness at the position.

CSP has a track record for rejuvenating flailing QBs to All-Pro seasons, or identifying and polishing UDFA gems into All-Pros. Not just once...several times. Andy Reid has a track record that looks very similar....Donovan McNabb, resurrecting Mike Vick's career, make Kevin Kolb look All-Pro for the Eagles; and propping up Alex Smith before he hit the jackpot with Mahomes. Again....multiple times. After this season, I think I would consider Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell to be of a similar mold. Dude has elevated QB play everywhere he has coached, whether inherited or whether chosen. I think we can put McCarthy in this group also. Going back to his days as OC for the Saints under Haslett....he brought Aaron Brooks over from the Packers, who was buried at #3 on the depth chart behind Favre and Hasselbeck(?), and started to develop him. But before we saw any of that, McCarthy had polished up Jeff Blake (Bengals cast off), who was playing the best football of his career before injury took him down. Brooks stepped into the starting role and actually played BETTER than Blake...the future was bright at QB. Until Brooks' inconsistencies started to show. And Delhomme was developing nicely behind him, but left in FA for the Panthers starting gig because it was obvious to all that he wasn't going to get a fair chance at the starting job under the Haslett regime. Delhomme took the Panthers to the SB his first season. McCarthy's fingerprints are on that, IMO. McCarthy goes to Green Bay and works with Brett Favre. But while Favre still has juice, the organization has the foresight to draft Aaron Rogers. McCarthy ends up in Dallas, where Dak seems to be maxed out, but he's got Cooper Rush's QB game elevated (I'm not talking All-Pro starting caliber QB....I'm impressed he's coaxed enough out of a 2nd-3rd string option to win games and keep the season from tanking). I can't give McCarthy credit for Favre or Prescott, but absolutely for Blake, Brooks, Delhomme, and Rogers. QB guru...

Point of all this observation....even though McCarthy doesn't thrill me, and he's not my 1st choice (yet?), maybe he SHOULD be? The Saints have many things to fix, but perhaps the biggest obstacle is the QB dilemma. Saints can fix everything BUT the QB dilemma, and I think the ceiling is a purgatory of repeated seasons of middling 7-10 to 10-7 records. OR Saints can find QB solution and fix some of the issues, and I think the ceiling is higher with the potential to break through as a contender. But we need a QB guru to solve that, otherwise we're just relying on LUCK. Of all the coaches available right now, McCarthy looks like the most viable, with a PROVEN history of QB development. If McCarthy isn't the pick, I hope we get the guy who is absolutely the young version of Payton/Reid/O'Connell/McCarthy/Gruden....but just hasn't done it yet because he hasn't had the opportunity. Whomever that guy is....here's your opportunity...show us what you can do!

This is exactly why I'm calling for Joe Brady or Ben Johnson, and Johnson doesn't seem to want anything to do with us.

Which means its Joe Brady or bust imo.

 

[No2DC]

Yeah Brock has dudded out

Brock is nothing without his weapons and people forget Goff was a # 1 pick that did go to a super bowl.

 

[Hedon James]

This is exactly why I'm calling for Joe Brady or Ben Johnson, and Johnson doesn't seem to want anything to do with us.

Which means its Joe Brady or bust imo.

I like what I see from and what I think I know about Brady.

Here's what I don't like:

• i don't know if he can build from scratch. not saying he can't, but his successes that put him on the radar to promotion both involve taking a "good" situation and tweaking it to "great". he's proven he can make improvements, maybe even ELITE improvements; but can he build from nothing, or elevate "average" to great. his one chance to demonstrate this was the Panthers, but he was fired before we could learn whether he is capable. the question remains unanswered.
• similarly, I don't know if he can sustain what he's built. he's parlayed his success into promotions elsewhere, so he hasn't been able to demonstrate an ability to duplicate his success in a repeatable fashion over more than 1 season. again, not saying he can't, but haven't seen that he can either. this question remains unanswered.

With all that said, I'm not opposed to Brady. He MIGHT fit that "QB guru" profile that I think is necessary for elite HC status in today's NFL. But the 2 questions above keep me from saying for certain.....maybe it's too soon for him? Or maybe we'll be the first to see it, before the entire league recognizes it? I see him as the "swing for the bleacher seats" candidate that will result in a grand slam homerun, or a complete strikeout. the ultimate boom/bust candidate. If he booms, it's a genius hire (like CSP was). If he busts, we'll be hiring again in 2-3 seasons and the signs were there.

 

[3ParStillDriver]

I don't mean to pick apart your post but its the only way I can answer your question, or at least address em to some marginal degree.

• i don't know if he can build from scratch. not saying he can't, but his successes that put him on the radar to promotion both involve taking a "good" situation and tweaking it to "great". he's proven he can make improvements, maybe even ELITE improvements; but can he build from nothing, or elevate "average" to great. his one chance to demonstrate this was the Panthers, but he was fired before we could learn whether he is capable. the question remains unanswered.

This wasn't completely answered with the Panthers, but in his first year Teddy Bridgewater and Mike Davis both had career years, which indicate that its more likely then not.

similarly, I don't know if he can sustain what he's built. he's parlayed his success into promotions elsewhere, so he hasn't been able to demonstrate an ability to duplicate his success in a repeatable fashion over more than 1 season. again, not saying he can't, but haven't seen that he can either. this question remains unanswered.

Joe brady took over the Bills offense starting December in 2023 and the Bills won 4 straight because of their offense. This gave coaches 4 games worth of game film over the offseason to look back on. But Brady kept that offense not just performing well, but consistantly good.

Again, not a large sample size to say with confidence, but it lends to the leaning of a bit more likely then not and hints at the capability.

Brady certainly has a low floor. But he and Ben Johnson are the only two coaching candidates that I can see with a very high ceiling. All the other coaching candidates from McCarthy, Kafka, Glenn.... All low to average floors, but also all low to average ceilings. I just have zero interest in shooting for average.

 

[jasonsw]

Brock is nothing without his weapons and people forget Goff was a # 1 pick that did go to a super bowl.

Yes. Goff has a good track record

 

[Hedon James]

I don't mean to pick apart your post but its the only way I can answer your question, or at least address em to some marginal degree.


This wasn't completely answered with the Panthers, but in his first year Teddy Bridgewater and Mike Davis both had career years, which indicate that its more likely then not.


Joe brady took over the Bills offense starting December in 2023 and the Bills won 4 straight because of their offense. This gave coaches 4 games worth of game film over the offseason to look back on. But Brady kept that offense not just performing well, but consistantly good.

Again, not a large sample size to say with confidence, but it lends to the leaning of a bit more likely then not and hints at the capability.

Brady certainly has a low floor. But he and Ben Johnson are the only two coaching candidates that I can see with a very high ceiling. All the other coaching candidates from McCarthy, Kafka, Glenn.... All low to average floors, but also all low to average ceilings. I just have zero interest in shooting for average.

No worries 3Par. I don't disagree with anything you said. I'm not against Brady. I just haven't seen enough to endorse him either. If Saints hire him, i’ll salute the ”swing for the bleachers" effort and fully support THAT. I definitely believe in "aspire to greatness". I want winning seasons, and I want playoff appearances, but those aren't the goal. They're the means to the end. The goal is Lombardi! And our moves should reflect THAT!

 

[BreesusSaves]

Wild seeing a Saints fan of all say the HC only matters a little bit.

 

[sfidc3]

18 interceptions in 2023 to just 6 in 2024. Yes. Brady fixed that. Again, saying random stuff. It's almost as if you never watch football.

And saying LOL in every post doesn't help your point any.

Yup, anyone who doesn't recognize above as a huge improvement really doesn't know football.....it's not the shiny, flashy object that yards and TD's are but limiting mistakes is just as important in winning games....

You know what I think the most important stat for JD is this playoffs (and why the Commanders are even there)? 0 turnovers thus far.....

 

[sfidc3]

I like what I see from and what I think I know about Brady.

Here's what I don't like:

• i don't know if he can build from scratch. not saying he can't, but his successes that put him on the radar to promotion both involve taking a "good" situation and tweaking it to "great". he's proven he can make improvements, maybe even ELITE improvements; but can he build from nothing, or elevate "average" to great. his one chance to demonstrate this was the Panthers, but he was fired before we could learn whether he is capable. the question remains unanswered.
• similarly, I don't know if he can sustain what he's built. he's parlayed his success into promotions elsewhere, so he hasn't been able to demonstrate an ability to duplicate his success in a repeatable fashion over more than 1 season. again, not saying he can't, but haven't seen that he can either. this question remains unanswered.

With all that said, I'm not opposed to Brady. He MIGHT fit that "QB guru" profile that I think is necessary for elite HC status in today's NFL. But the 2 questions above keep me from saying for certain.....maybe it's too soon for him? Or maybe we'll be the first to see it, before the entire league recognizes it? I see him as the "swing for the bleacher seats" candidate that will result in a grand slam homerun, or a complete strikeout. the ultimate boom/bust candidate. If he booms, it's a genius hire (like CSP was). If he busts, we'll be hiring again in 2-3 seasons and the signs were there.

I don't disagree, same issues you could list for an 1st time NFL HC....it is a risk, no question....But, at this point I think it's worth it to find out....

 

[No2DC]

Yes. Goff has a good track record

I wouldn't go that far, but he not some mid-round pick with no talent. We have to look closer at the talent level of all the potential coaches we are looking at. Payton turned Romo into a respectable QB

 

[Paul]

The HC matters a great deal; however, you need the players to make it work. You can have a great head coach and a great QB, which we did for a long time, and it yielded us one Super Bowl - which I am very grateful for by the way. I’m just saying that there’s more to it. Your defense better stop somebody. Your kicker will need to be $$$$$ to get you over the inevitable close game at the end. Your coach better not botch up the clock management. Hopefully, your starters, especially your great players, stay healthy.

We had 3 straight 7-9 seasons with a healthy Brees and Payton running the show - both regarded as great. Early playoff exits with both at the top of their game. Again, I don’t disagree that the combo of a great HC and QB put you well ahead of the pack, but it takes more than that.