Is firing a head coach midseason a good idea?

[Bluestang]

He would probably be one the best pass rushing 3 -4 ends. I would be concerned about the NT if we stay in the 3 -4. Igor may be okay but I don't think he has any experience there. For the life of me, I do not understand why we did not try to get a 350 pound NT to clog up the middle to either give Rat a break or to free him up to play the 3 - 4 end.

He does have experience that's why I think it's worth a try. Plus it's so hard to find a "sloppy" NT that is athletic enough to play that position.

 

[Beast_from_East]

The short and sweet answer is NO.

No team in NFL history has ever fired their head coach in midseason and made the playoffs............none.


So firing Wade right now pretty much means throwing the season in the crapper. Face it boys, we are stuck with Wade so lets try to make the best of it.

 

[BrassCowboy]

I am not sure it would be a good idea for us just because, and believe me when I say JUST, we would lose a def. coordinator as well as a head coach. A new HC would have to bring in a DC (one who is not active in NFL right now or that would be tampering short of getting permission) and one who is a 3-4 defense.

HC, he barks and yells, he can probably work himself in with better luck, but a coordinator - he is the x's and o's guy. Players and him would have to readjust.

Only if all is lost would replacing Wade be a good idea although Wade is just bad IMO.

 

[SDogo]

Is firing a head coach midseason a good idea?

Only if his name is Wade Phillips

 

[dbair1967]

I am not sure it would be a good idea for us just because, and believe me when I say JUST, we would lose a def. coordinator as well as a head coach. A new HC would have to bring in a DC (one who is not active in NFL right now or that would be tampering short of getting permission) and one who is a 3-4 defense.

HC, he barks and yells, he can probably work himself in with better luck, but a coordinator - he is the x's and o's guy. Players and him would have to readjust.

Only if all is lost would replacing Wade be a good idea although Wade is just bad IMO.

But right now Wade is doing a terrible job as DC, and IMO brings basically nothing to the table as a HC. Now the defense might come around and if so, he shouldnt be fired during the season. However if they look hopeless on defense and we lose again tonight, getting rid of him would be the right thing to do IMO. Somebody on the current staff (Grantham, Herring or even Campo) could serve as DC for the remainder of the year.

 

[SDogo]

But right now Wade is doing a terrible job as DC, and IMO brings basically nothing to the table as a HC. Now the defense might come around and if so, he shouldnt be fired during the season. However if they look hopeless on defense and we lose again tonight, getting rid of him would be the right thing to do IMO. Somebody on the current staff (Grantham, Herring or even Campo) could serve as DC for the remainder of the year.

I agree, if Dallas folds tonight and the defense is a major part of that Wade must go.

If this continues we are at risk of losing this team not only for this year but the near future. Losing and a losing attitude gets into the blood and can take a long time to get out.

 

[dbair1967]

We don't have a DE for the 4-3 worth a damn on the team. Ratliff isn't a DE although I think he'd be ok there. He's a better DT. Bowen and Hatcher are our only DEs. Ware's too small IMO although he'd be a great situational rusher.

We're built for the 3-4.

I dont think they'd have much problem moving to the 4-3 at all. A couple of LB's might need to be changed, but Ware can definitely be a great 4-3 RDE (he played that in college) and there are guys in the league smaller than he is playing DE now. He plays with good leverage and can beat anybody 1 on 1.

Ratliff would be a holy terror as a 4-3 DT IMO. Spears was a 4-3 DE in college and I think his best fit would be as a LDE in the 4-3, and at worst you could move him inside to DT. Bowen could probably play DT in the 4-3 as well.

Spencer would be no more than a situational pass rusher, but I'm pretty sure he played as a down DE at Purdue in college. James could either play MLB or possibly strong OLB. Jason Williams and Hodge (next yr) both could be 4-3 OLB's.

 

[dbair1967]

The short and sweet answer is NO.

No team in NFL history has ever fired their head coach in midseason and made the playoffs............none.


So firing Wade right now pretty much means throwing the season in the crapper. Face it boys, we are stuck with Wade so lets try to make the best of it.

I'd like to see the list of teams who fired the coach during the season and see what their before and after records are, and examine how they played in general before and after the change. The most recent example I can find is the Rams last yr, who canned Linehan after an 0-4 start in which they were blown out of every game. Haslett did get that team to play harder, they won the first two games he coached and were involved in a number of other close losses the rest of the yr. (5 by less than a TD)

Just because none of them made the playoffs doesnt mean it wouldnt work. As someone else noted usually when it happens its a poor team with lesser talent, and that doesnt apply here.

 

[Cowboys79]

I think thats a bad idea but if he doesn't win a playoff game or two this year I think he will be done. That being said if we didn't have four turnovers we would have won that game by double digits I think. We out played them just made too many mistakes by players not so much phillips that game.

 

[cml750]

I dont think they'd have much problem moving to the 4-3 at all. A couple of LB's might need to be changed, but Ware can definitely be a great 4-3 RDE (he played that in college) and there are guys in the league smaller than he is playing DE now. He plays with good leverage and can beat anybody 1 on 1.

Ratliff would be a holy terror as a 4-3 DT IMO. Spears was a 4-3 DE in college and I think his best fit would be as a LDE in the 4-3, and at worst you could move him inside to DT. Bowen could probably play DT in the 4-3 as well.

Spencer would be no more than a situational pass rusher, but I'm pretty sure he played as a down DE at Purdue in college. James could either play MLB or possibly strong OLB. Jason Williams and Hodge (next yr) both could be 4-3 OLB's.

Imagine Ratliff at RDT and Ware at RDE. That side would create all kinds of chaos.

 

[Yeagermeister]

I dont think they'd have much problem moving to the 4-3 at all. A couple of LB's might need to be changed, but Ware can definitely be a great 4-3 RDE (he played that in college) and there are guys in the league smaller than he is playing DE now. He plays with good leverage and can beat anybody 1 on 1.

Ratliff would be a holy terror as a 4-3 DT IMO. Spears was a 4-3 DE in college and I think his best fit would be as a LDE in the 4-3, and at worst you could move him inside to DT. Bowen could probably play DT in the 4-3 as well.

Spencer would be no more than a situational pass rusher, but I'm pretty sure he played as a down DE at Purdue in college. James could either play MLB or possibly strong OLB. Jason Williams and Hodge (next yr) both could be 4-3 OLB's.

You should go back and watch some tape of James before we switch to the 3-4. He was terrible.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

Really? I do recall WP taking the blame last yr for losses and citing that it was his fault for not preparing the team enough.

So what? Big deal.

He took the blame.... and he is still providing the same results. Unprepares, undisciplined players.

I think thats a bad idea but if he doesn't win a playoff game or two this year I think he will be done. That being said if we didn't have four turnovers we would have won that game by double digits I think. We out played them just made too many mistakes by players not so much phillips that game.

Agreed. But if you have an OC that is an OC/Head Coaching Assistant that is calling the shots instead of a HC saying, lets run on them and control the clock, its lose-lose. Wade is HC in the loosest of terms.

Jerry and Garrett split the higher percentage of the pie(control/HC'ing) leaving Wade with about 25%.

 

[dbair1967]

You should go back and watch some tape of James before we switch to the 3-4. He was terrible.

He's a different player now, much quicker, not as heavy.

 

[Doomsday101]

hey guys, I am just curious as to what your thoughts are on firing a head coach midseason. Obviously we see success stories of franchises in other sports like the MLB, NHL, and NBA where they fire their headcoach and the team does a complete 180. However, I do not recall any of these success stories in the NFL. I am really not sure how I feel on the topic but I figured it is something I probably should have an opinion on.

Unless the coach you are hiring is going to be the coach for the next few years then no I don't think you fire a coach mid-season and put in place a coach you know that will not be here the following season.

 

[jobberone]

Yes. But Im talking about versatility. Ware-Rat-Spears-Spencer on the D-Line on occasion. With Rat as a situational DE and Spears-Igor @ DT. Guys like Rat and Ware fit in any scheme really.

Spencers also not lighting it up at OLB

A keep em guessing sort of thing.

???? Remember the guy that wore #94 back in the glory days? He was a 3-4 outside linebacker who was converted to a 4-3 defensive end. Ware is very similar to Haley in every way except for the craziness. Also Ratliff would make an excellent DT. Line him and Ware up on the same side. Who do you double team?

You guys want to take the best pass rusher in the NFL and make him a 4-3 DE??? He's not big enough to take on LTs consistently. It's a mismatch. He has a DE covering for him now. Take that away and he's not going to do well an entire game.

Ratliff has been tried at the 3-4 DE. That's heads up with the tackle. They moved him back inside for a reason. I think you'd negate some of his quickness and penetration. People still need to stay in their lanes for the most part unless there's a designed stunt. We played that way last year and the run game suffered against running teams.

Peppers can play the 4-3 DE or the 3-4 OLB. He's bigger than Ware though. I'd love to have two of him here.

 

[Smith22]

The quickest way to a QB is a straight line, which is exactly where Ratliff is coming from as a 3-4 NT. Leave him there.

Our biggest problem with running the 3-4 defense is that our LB core is average to below average once Ware is out of the equation. James at times (last year) is on fire, then he just disappears. Carpenter stinks, Brooking is solid but at the end of the road and not getting better, and Spencer is talented but nothing more than a question mark at this point.

 

[Smith22]

I think that could scare some good coaches away if an Owner did that. I'd advise against it.

What he said.

It sends a bad message IMO and it would make more experienced coaches think twice about coming to the Cowboys.

That being said, I don't see Zorn making it the entire year in DC.

 

[DaBoys4Life]

Really, you think 2 years is enough time to decide whether or not a coach can take us to a playoff victory?

So, after Bill Cowher went 11-5 and 9-7 and had no playoff wins in his first two years, you would have sent him away?

If Mike Holmgren came in and started his tenure in Dallas as he did in Seattle, going 9-7 and 6-10, you'd send him packing?

Is Shannahan was named the next coach and he started at 8-8 and 13-3, with no playoff wins, you'd say he couldn't get the job done?

Axeing those guys all would have been a mistake. But, but, Wade has never won a playoff game! He's been to 4 playoff games and was a "miracle play" and a Crayton drop away from having 2 notches on his belt. You really think the fact that Wade's Bills gave up the Music City Miracle is evidence that he can't win a playoff game? If you can win regular season games against quality opponents, then you can also win in the playoffs.

When quality teams face each other, there's about a 50/50 chance of either team winning. Let's say that was the case in all 4 of Wade's postseason losses. Saying that he lost is evidence that he can't win is like flipping a coin 4 times and getting heads each time and then saying that you can't flip tails.

I don't think so however, Wade's whole philosophy of being a player friendly coach and we're a family. Is a big drag. Take for instance Romo's past performance he threw three picks. No one wants to blame him for the lost but that **** can't be happening. Wade Phillips has to be able to say that TO win and lose games and our QB can't be responsible for 3 if we want to win. Our defense needs to start forcing turnovers. Instead Wade says Romo's good look at what he's done in the past. Look at Mark Sanchez post game interview. That's the type of mindset we need to have we don't have that Romo doesn't have that and Wade doesn't demand that. So getting rid of Wade after 2 season would of been ideal and to compare him to some great coaches is just silly because Wade isn't even close to any of those coaches.

 

[chinch]

it's really never a good idea unless the new coach has serious credentials. and no real coach would take on new team mid-season. catch-22.

that said i'm 100% in favor of FIRING WADE ASAP, even if you bring TECHMO on as interim head coach he'd have a ~12 game audition to prove without a doubt jerry needs a real HC, not project.

Unfortunately without a DC this is very unlikely. Our football-stupid GM placed all his eggs in a broken coaching basket.

hey guys, I am just curious as to what your thoughts are on firing a head coach midseason. Obviously we see success stories of franchises in other sports like the MLB, NHL, and NBA where they fire their headcoach and the team does a complete 180. However, I do not recall any of these success stories in the NFL. I am really not sure how I feel on the topic but I figured it is something I probably should have an opinion on.

 

[Fmart322]

hey guys, I am just curious as to what your thoughts are on firing a head coach midseason. Obviously we see success stories of franchises in other sports like the MLB, NHL, and NBA where they fire their headcoach and the team does a complete 180. However, I do not recall any of these success stories in the NFL. I am really not sure how I feel on the topic but I figured it is something I probably should have an opinion on.

In the case of the Cowboys then yeas, it's a great idea. Just look at San Fran to see an answer to your question.