Coaching Tally

Six head coaching changes isn't bad in this era of disposable coaches. Here's what we've got so far:

Oakland:  In: Dennis Allen-former Broncos defensive coordinator
                Out: Hue Jackson
Denver's defense deserved at least as much credit as Tim Tebow for their surprising season. The defense made the comebacks possible and set the tone. My concern is that Detroit and New England exploded on Allen's defense.

St. Louis:  In: Jeff Fisher-relaxing
                Out: Steve Spagnuolo
It must feel strange for Fisher to be coaching the team that beat his team in the Super Bowl. Fisher's a terrific coach. I think that both the Rams and the Saints are happy about this coaching change.

Indianapolis:  In: Chuck Pagano-Ravens defensive coordinator
                     Out: Jim Caldwell
From the coaches on up this is no longer the team that Bill Polian and Tony Dungy built. No longer the team that dominated the past decade. I still see Peyton Manning coming back. That might be because I can't see him in any other jersey. Despite being a defensive coordinator for only one year, Pagano looks like a coach that's ready to be in charge. Mike Tomlin did the same thing.

Jacksonville:  In: Mike Mularkey-Falcons offensive coordinator
                     Out: Jack Del Rio
One former Vikings player replacing another. If Mularkey doesn't work out, Mike Tice is likely next. I've always liked Mularkey. He was a very creative play-caller in Pittsburgh. Fired quickly as Buffalo's head coach. Rebuilt his offensive reputation in Atlanta.

Miami:  In: Joe Philbin-Packers offensive coordinator
            Out: Tony Sparano
Philbin sounds like a solid coach working his way through the college and professional ranks. The Packers offense was certainly explosive. Having Aaron Rodgers throwing the ball is a boost. Ravens center Matt Birk played for him at Harvard and raves about his coaching and character. Dolphins owner Stephen Ross seems a little nutty. He goes so hard after the "hot" that anyone else seems like a distant fallback. He went after Jim Harbaugh last year while Sparano was still his coach.

Tampa Bay:  In: Greg Schiano-former Rutgers head coach
                    Out: Raheem Morris
I'll forever be puzzled as to what happened in Tampa Bay this past season. Something was just wrong. Schiano is an awesome hire by Tampa Bay. Bill Belichick has spoken very highly of him. Recommendations don't come much higher. Tampa Bay has some talent despite their pathetic performance. Jim Harbaugh showed that its possible to jump from college and succeed early.