Will/should Bowles name a DC?

[King Bootz]

The defense wasn't really a problem when healthy. But health was a concern all season. But anyway, Bowles was defacto DC last year with Rodgers & Foote splitting game planning responsibilities.

With all of the coaching staff changes, it stands to reason that Bowles might opt to have an official DC to handle defensive game planning and perhaps playcalling responsibilities.


What do yall think?

[Doctor]

In his final PC he talked about having them try calling plays in the preseason so I don't think so. If it does happen I think it may be something that happens more gradually midseason if things are going well.

[Cheb]

I think he should name a DC, who has more power than just the name.

Speaking from experience, it's difficult to give both sides of the ball their due diligence if you are still gameplanning and calling plays for one side of the ball.

I've seen great teams do it both ways. On the teams I was on that didn't suck out loud, one had a "CEO" type head coach and the other ran his side of the ball. Both were successful.

Reasonable people can disagree, but maybe having Bowles offer some offensive criticism instead of standing there like an Easter Island statue might be valuable.

[Doctor]

It only makes sense to do if we think there is actually someone that can actually do the job just as good if not better.

Would the team stand to benefit from Bowles paying more attention to the offense? Maybe. Maybe not. There are many ways to successfully HC in the NFL, some more delegatory some more involved. Sometimes having a HC know what he's good at and sticking to it is best- see BB. The Pats ran best when he stuck to defense and let the GOAT and OC take care of the other side. More often than not when BB got out of his lane and put his fingerprints on the offense it ended up being a bust.

You can win with a Harbaugh type, you can win with a Gurden type.

I think Bowles is more of a Reid or Arians type but on defense (Flores?). If they find someone who they feel can call plays as they call plays, they'll pass the stick. At the same time, they do need/prefer to have someone on their level managing the other side who they can trust to mostly leave to their own devices.

[Selmon Rules]

Seems to me that any good DC knows how his defense can be attacked in every way possible so why wouldn't the defensive head coach's input be useful in offensive game planning and especially during the game when the offense is getting schooled???

[Doctor]

..... because his offense isn't playing his own defense on gameday?

[13F11B]

Seems to me that any good DC knows how his defense can be attacked in every way possible so why wouldn't the defensive head coach's input be useful in offensive game planning and especially during the game when the offense is getting schooled???

In the case of Bowles his defense was getting schooled far too often as well.

[Doctor]

The defense was built to be the Yang to Bruce Arians Ying. It was built for putting away teams when you get a lead (hence Grave Diggers). This is why the words "start fast" were said ad nauseam over the last 3 years. There was a ripple effect to doing so. Likewise, the opposite is true. To put it in oversimplistic terms, it's still really good at defending the run while playing the pass but not great at defending the pass when playing the run. So when teams get up on us and our offense isn't responding, it makes for a bad day.

[Selmon Rules]

..... because his offense isn't playing his own defense on gameday?

Point being he can see what is happening and what the other defense is doing and can tell the OC how to counter what the defense is doing as it was apparent the OC wasn't doing it.

He is also the HC

[Doctor]

The defenses we were playing weren't "doing" anything particularly novel. I would dare to guess that defenses perhaps did disguise and bait Brady a little bit better than usual (I don't know if the tape backs this up), but really defenses were just beating us at our own game and when they weren't we were beating ourselves.

[MJW]

Every head coach should have both an OC and a DC.

NEARLY every head coach should let their OC and DC call the plays. There are a few who can multitask at that level. But many more who simply think they can.

And no, Bowles will not do this, because according to Bowles, the only thing wrong with this team is that we weren't doing football good enough.

[Doctor]

I mean if someone wants to try make a case for someone else clearly being able to our DC Bowles, I'd love to hear it.

[MJW]

I mean if someone wants to try make a case for someone else clearly being able to our DC Bowles, I'd love to hear it.

You're missing the point.

The point is not whether or not Bowles is capable of being a good DC while he's doing head coach things.

The point is whether or not he can be a good head coach while he's doing DC things.

Do you feel like he was a good head coach this year?

[Doctor]

If we're crucifying Bowled for regression on the offense because "he's the top guy", I can't imagine what we'd do to him if the defense was worse next year.

Do you think the defense will be better or worse with someone else calling the plays?

[Moozician]

He should name a DC. If only to get fresh ideas... Two head are better, and all that.

Also, I would think that he would perform better as a HC if he wasn't having to worry about defensive scheming all game.

[King Bootz]

He should name a DC. If only to get fresh ideas... Two head are better, and all that.

Also, I would think that he would perform better as a HC if he wasn't having to worry about defensive scheming all game.

Not sure you'd want many "fresh ideas" on defense. The best defenses in football are always the most simple. They just execute better than everyone else. Rush as few guys as you can to get to the QB, have defenders who can keep gap integrity and make tackles, have guys who can cover, throw in a wrinkle every once in a while. That should be the goal of every defense.

[Big Irv]

Ring back Raheem Morris! We will need to be YOUNGRY this year with Trask at the helm.

[mdb1958]

Whatever DC that would be picked would also have position experience that is his bread and butter. Bowles has decided to still keep some position loyalties around him.

[mdb1958]

Note: We made teams punt more than anyone else.
Bad news: Those punters put us inside the 20 more than anyone else.

This tells me we had trouble with the quick three and out - instead we let them get up to mid field more than I'd like.