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From DraftSharks.com (a fantasy football site)
Top 10 NFL Coaching Changes - July 20, 2007
** 1. Arizona Cardinals hired HC Ken Whisenhunt (replacing Dennis Green): The Bidwills landed the hottest candidate on the market. Whisenhunt had three productive seasons as Pittsburgh's offensive coordinator, highlighted by their Super Bowl win and Ben Roethlisberger's 98.6 QB rating that year. Whisenhunt turned down the Steelers, Dolphins, Falcons, and Raiders. Fantasy-wise, his players are aided by one of the league’s easiest fantasy schedules across several positions: QB, RB, WR, TE, and even team defense.
** 2. Miami Dolphins hired HC Cam Cameron (replacing Nick Saban): The Dolphins have nowhere to go but up after averaging 16.3 points per game in 2006, their lowest mark in 40 years. As offensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers, Cameron generated 28.5 points per game the last two years, #1 in the NFL. Signing Trent Green was a smart move if just for stability and cohesion – though paying him $6 million in 2007 might backfire if his bell gets rung again. If Ted Ginn delivers at WR this team will be a sassy little wild-card contender.
** 3. Atlanta Falcons hired HC Bobby Petrino (replacing Jim Mora Jr.): Petrino leaves the University of Louisville for his second stint in the NFL. He was QB coach/off. coordinator for the Jaguars from 1999-2001. Petrino, 45, put Louisville on the map and his offense ranked 2nd in the NCAA last year. No matter what happens at quarterback, he’ll get good production by spreading out the field and exploiting matchups. The West Coast system didn’t work for WRs Michael Jenkins and Roddy White because they’re more instinctive than cerebral. And the opposing NFC South secondaries all have their flaws these days…
** 4. Carolina Panthers hired OC Jeff Davidson (replacing Dan Henning): The antiquated Henning totally ditched the concept of short, chain-moving throws. He would have been cozy working with Al Davis lately, what with all those bombs to Steve Smith. Davidson was an offensive asst. with New England on 3 Super Bowl teams (immeasurable big-game experience) then became Cleveland’s offensive coordinator halfway through last season when Maurice Carthon was fired. He had absolutely no offensive linemen to work with but still helped manage late-season wins over Atlanta & Kansas City.
** 5. Oakland Raiders hired HC Lane Kiffin (replacing Art Shell): Kiffin, 31, is younger than Warren Sapp and Zack Crockett. But that might be what this team needs. Shell was obtuse and crotchety... Jerry Porter bad-mouthed you? So what. Deactivate him for a game or two, hit his wallet, and get over it. Don't bench him for 3 months! Anyway, Kiffin followed Norm Chow as USC's offensive coordinator and kept together the nation's #1 offense in his first year, ranking 21st in the country despite losing Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush, and LenDale White. He'll make football fun again in Oakland.
** 6. Cleveland Browns hired OC Rob Chudzinski (replacing Jeff Davidson): Chudzinski spent the past two seasons as the Chargers' tight ends coach and developed Antonio Gates into the league's best at his position. He actually served as the Browns offensive coordinator under interim coach Terry Robiskie for the last 5 games of the 2004 season. Chudzinski previously called plays for 3 years under Larry Coker at the University of Miami, where he made Browns TE Kellen Winslow and Jeremy Shockey true superstars.
** 7. San Diego Chargers hired HC Norv Turner (replacing Marty Schottenheimer): Tough one to rate because his record is deceiving. In two previous head coaching stints with Washington & Oakland - covering 9 seasons - Turner only made it to one playoff game. But as an offensive coordinator, with less responsibility, Turner's manufactured superlative attacks. He's helped develop 5 Pro Bowl QBs and his record with running backs is nothing less than spectacular: Emmitt Smith, Terry Allen, Stephen Davis, Ricky Williams, LaMont Jordan, Frank Gore, and of course, LaDainian Tomlinson in his previous OC stint with San Diego in 2001.
** 8. Pittsburgh Steelers hired HC Mike Tomlin (replacing Bill Cowher): Similar to Herman Edwards last year in Kansas City, Tomlin is keeping most of the staff intact. Don't look for much to change, especially with an outstanding core of veteran players. Tomlin was the Vikings' defensive coordinator (8th-ranked defense in the NFL) and his boys were hitting as hard as anyone in the league.
** 9. Dallas Cowboys hired HC Wade Phillips (replacing Bill Parcells): Defense, defense, defense. Phillips was the Chargers defensive coordinator and runs the same 3-4 scheme as Parcells did, only with more blitzing. San Diego also ranked top-7 in run defense every year under Phillips' guidance. Before that Phillips resurrected both Atlanta's and Buffalo's defenses -- with a little less talent than he'll have in Dallas.
** 10. Dallas Cowboys hired OC Jason Garrett (replacing ???): The Cowboys haven't had a true offensive coordinator since Maurice Carthon in 2004. As of now we're assuming Garrett's going to call all the plays -- but RB coach Tony Sparano is still on staff, and he was wonderful last year helping out with play-calling. Garrett backed up Troy Aikman during the Super Bowl years and has close ties with Jerry Jones. He’s been the Dolphins QB coach for the last two years and actually made both Gus Frerotte and Joey Harrington look superb at times.
Top 10 NFL Coaching Changes - July 20, 2007
** 1. Arizona Cardinals hired HC Ken Whisenhunt (replacing Dennis Green): The Bidwills landed the hottest candidate on the market. Whisenhunt had three productive seasons as Pittsburgh's offensive coordinator, highlighted by their Super Bowl win and Ben Roethlisberger's 98.6 QB rating that year. Whisenhunt turned down the Steelers, Dolphins, Falcons, and Raiders. Fantasy-wise, his players are aided by one of the league’s easiest fantasy schedules across several positions: QB, RB, WR, TE, and even team defense.
** 2. Miami Dolphins hired HC Cam Cameron (replacing Nick Saban): The Dolphins have nowhere to go but up after averaging 16.3 points per game in 2006, their lowest mark in 40 years. As offensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers, Cameron generated 28.5 points per game the last two years, #1 in the NFL. Signing Trent Green was a smart move if just for stability and cohesion – though paying him $6 million in 2007 might backfire if his bell gets rung again. If Ted Ginn delivers at WR this team will be a sassy little wild-card contender.
** 3. Atlanta Falcons hired HC Bobby Petrino (replacing Jim Mora Jr.): Petrino leaves the University of Louisville for his second stint in the NFL. He was QB coach/off. coordinator for the Jaguars from 1999-2001. Petrino, 45, put Louisville on the map and his offense ranked 2nd in the NCAA last year. No matter what happens at quarterback, he’ll get good production by spreading out the field and exploiting matchups. The West Coast system didn’t work for WRs Michael Jenkins and Roddy White because they’re more instinctive than cerebral. And the opposing NFC South secondaries all have their flaws these days…
** 4. Carolina Panthers hired OC Jeff Davidson (replacing Dan Henning): The antiquated Henning totally ditched the concept of short, chain-moving throws. He would have been cozy working with Al Davis lately, what with all those bombs to Steve Smith. Davidson was an offensive asst. with New England on 3 Super Bowl teams (immeasurable big-game experience) then became Cleveland’s offensive coordinator halfway through last season when Maurice Carthon was fired. He had absolutely no offensive linemen to work with but still helped manage late-season wins over Atlanta & Kansas City.
** 5. Oakland Raiders hired HC Lane Kiffin (replacing Art Shell): Kiffin, 31, is younger than Warren Sapp and Zack Crockett. But that might be what this team needs. Shell was obtuse and crotchety... Jerry Porter bad-mouthed you? So what. Deactivate him for a game or two, hit his wallet, and get over it. Don't bench him for 3 months! Anyway, Kiffin followed Norm Chow as USC's offensive coordinator and kept together the nation's #1 offense in his first year, ranking 21st in the country despite losing Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush, and LenDale White. He'll make football fun again in Oakland.
** 6. Cleveland Browns hired OC Rob Chudzinski (replacing Jeff Davidson): Chudzinski spent the past two seasons as the Chargers' tight ends coach and developed Antonio Gates into the league's best at his position. He actually served as the Browns offensive coordinator under interim coach Terry Robiskie for the last 5 games of the 2004 season. Chudzinski previously called plays for 3 years under Larry Coker at the University of Miami, where he made Browns TE Kellen Winslow and Jeremy Shockey true superstars.
** 7. San Diego Chargers hired HC Norv Turner (replacing Marty Schottenheimer): Tough one to rate because his record is deceiving. In two previous head coaching stints with Washington & Oakland - covering 9 seasons - Turner only made it to one playoff game. But as an offensive coordinator, with less responsibility, Turner's manufactured superlative attacks. He's helped develop 5 Pro Bowl QBs and his record with running backs is nothing less than spectacular: Emmitt Smith, Terry Allen, Stephen Davis, Ricky Williams, LaMont Jordan, Frank Gore, and of course, LaDainian Tomlinson in his previous OC stint with San Diego in 2001.
** 8. Pittsburgh Steelers hired HC Mike Tomlin (replacing Bill Cowher): Similar to Herman Edwards last year in Kansas City, Tomlin is keeping most of the staff intact. Don't look for much to change, especially with an outstanding core of veteran players. Tomlin was the Vikings' defensive coordinator (8th-ranked defense in the NFL) and his boys were hitting as hard as anyone in the league.
** 9. Dallas Cowboys hired HC Wade Phillips (replacing Bill Parcells): Defense, defense, defense. Phillips was the Chargers defensive coordinator and runs the same 3-4 scheme as Parcells did, only with more blitzing. San Diego also ranked top-7 in run defense every year under Phillips' guidance. Before that Phillips resurrected both Atlanta's and Buffalo's defenses -- with a little less talent than he'll have in Dallas.
** 10. Dallas Cowboys hired OC Jason Garrett (replacing ???): The Cowboys haven't had a true offensive coordinator since Maurice Carthon in 2004. As of now we're assuming Garrett's going to call all the plays -- but RB coach Tony Sparano is still on staff, and he was wonderful last year helping out with play-calling. Garrett backed up Troy Aikman during the Super Bowl years and has close ties with Jerry Jones. He’s been the Dolphins QB coach for the last two years and actually made both Gus Frerotte and Joey Harrington look superb at times.
