New NFL Head Coaches in 2009-10 and what to expect
By:Jeff Hochman
We have 11 new NFL HC's this season. There has never been this many changes over 1 season. Here is a rundown along with my take on what you can expect this season.
Kansas City Chiefs: Todd Haley
Todd Haley capitalizes on Arizona’s Super Bowl run with a promotion to Herm Edwards’ old job in Kansas Cit. But unless Dwayne Bowe is Larry Fitzgerald and Matt Cassel is Kurt Warner, Haley and holdover OC Chan Gailey have their work cut out for them. This team will be better with QB Matt Cassel behind center. How much better remains to be seen. Todd Haley is a "clone" of Bill Parcells whom he worked for in Dallas so expect attention to detail for the Chiefs this year.
Oakland Raiders: Tom Cable
Though Tom Cable has been coaching the Raiders since about a month into the 2008 season, in the off-season he officially removed the “interim” tag from his title. Additionally, there was enough turnover on Cable’s support staff that the Oakland situation at least warranted a look-see. This hire was baffling to me but that's AL Davis at his best. I don't see this team any better than .500 at best.
NY Jets: Rex Ryan
Rex Ryan flies from the Ravens to the Jets and brings a handful of key defensive players with him. Offensively, Brian Schottenheimer is a holdover from the Eric Mangini administration but he’ll be working with an offense headed by Matt Sanchez instead of Brett Favre. If Mark Sanchez is Matt Ryan of last year this team will make a Playoff run.
San Francisco: Mike Singletary
Mike starts his first full season as the head man in SF. Defensively the team scrapped the hybrid 3-4 when Mike Nolan was let go, and Greg Manusky’s more aggressive “pure” 3-4 showed signs of working as the 49's held four of their final five opponents to 16 points or less. If this team can score 20+ per game, they will win most of them and won't be caught with their pants down.
St. Louis Rams: Steve Spagnuolo
Former Giants’ defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is tasked with turning around the Rams, who of late have been far from the Greatest Show on Turf. This team is slow and undersized. Not a good combo in the NFL. And because Spagnuolo’s experience and expertise lie on the defensive side of the ball—where the Rams, who finished 28th in yards allowed and 31st in points allowed, need plenty of help—he’s entrusting the offense to first-time coordinator Pat Shurmur. Lots of struggles this year for the Rams.
Tampa Bay Bucs: Raheem Morris
What? No Chucky! Don't worry folks Chucky can be seen on MNF starting in August. Ex-Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden was known for collecting quarterbacks, so when Tampa Bay showed him the door and turned the team over to defensive coordinator Raheem Morris it was assumed the team was heading in a different direction. Morris does have a relationship with top pick QB Josh Freeman from their time together at Kansas State, but the key to Freeman’s development will be Morris’ hire of Jeff Jagodzinski as his offensive coordinator. This team will rely on a power running game and strong defense.
Detroit Lions: Jim Schwartz
Sure seems like the Lions have a new coach every season or two. Jim Schwartz has nowhere to go but up in Detroit. The longtime Titans’ defensive coordinator now gets his first NFL head coaching gig. He hired a veteran coaching staff and has Calvin Johnson and Matthew Stafford as building blocks. Schwartz is well-respected in the league. “He’s one of the smartest people I’ve ever been around,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said in a published report. “He’s one of those guys who can be working on 10 different things at the same time and if you gave him another one, it wouldn’t faze him. He’s a multi-task guy who is very bright.”
Cleveland Browns: Eric Mangini
If Mangini turns the Browns into playoff contenders than he is definitely Mangenious. Eric Mangini flies from the Jets to the Browns, where he inherits a team that in many ways resembles the club he just left. The Browns finished the 2007 season 10–6, barely missing the playoffs on tie-breaker rules. However, inconsistent play and key injuries led to a disappointing 4-12 record in 2008-- including 6 straight losses. This team could double their win total of last year.
Denver Broncos: Josh McDaniels
It will be strange the first time I don't see Mike Shanahan roaming the sidelines this year. He lasted 14 years in the Mile High city. (I believe he will be coaching the Dallas Cowboys next season!) The NFL’s youngest head coach this year and fifth-youngest ever roared into town ready to create Patriots West. What owner Pat Bowlen may not have bargained for is that the new regime would result in the team’s Pro Bowl quarterback leaving town and their top wide-out asking to follow suit. Tough times ahead in Bronco land.
Indianapolis Colts: Jim Caldwell
It will also be strange not seeing Tony Dungy on the Colts' sidelines. The transition from Tony Dungy to Jim Caldwell was expected to go without a hitch but that was before the Colts lost both coordinators and the offensive line coach as well. When you have Peyton Manning at QB your chances of winning increase by a substantial amount. This team will be no worse than 9-7.
Seattle Seahawks: Jim Mora
This is one of my Top Sleeper teams in 2009-10. You will read more about that when my NFL Top 3 Sleeper teams Article is released. Jim Mora’s succession of Mike Holmgren was in place prior to last season. The former Falcons head coach has spent the past two seasons coaching Seattle’s secondary. No team suffered more injuries than Seattle did last season. This team is too talented to go 4-12. But, in the NFL your only a key injury away from being a bad team. Matt Hasselbeck went through a vigorous off-season training program and is feeling 110% to start training camp. He has some added weapons around him. He must stay healthy this season.