Are We Critiquing the Wrong Coaches?

I think it's a bit lame to keep blaming Gibbs. Don't get me wrong, he is definitely the one that is ultimately responsible and he is always the first to admit that.

But, the guys under him are very experienced and 3 of them have been head coaches in this league at some point. It's certainly fair to point some fingers at the guys below him. Gibbs has delegated a lot of responsibility to them and I don't think we can say that they have come through with their end of the deal.

Again, everything does ultimately fall back on the head guy. But that certainly doesn't absolve everyone else from sharing in the blame. Coaches and players alike.

Does anyone think that it might be time for Bugel to hang up the whistle? He's been in the NFL for over 30 years now and he's accomplished great things in that time, but what does he add to the team anymore? The same goes for Don Breaux, Jack Burns, & Rennie Simmons. All these are great guys and I'm sure they add something to the team, but do they see eye to eye with Al Saunders?
When Saunders was brought in, how many of 'his guys' actually came with him? I would think he would have wanted to bring in a staff more familiar with his system to help ease the learning process. It seems like the only people who came over with Saunders were Todd Collins and Al's son, Bob.

I might be reaching here but this is just something I was thinking about the other day.

Does anyone think that it might be time for Bugel to hang up the whistle? He's been in the NFL for over 30 years now and he's accomplished great things in that time, but what does he add to the team anymore? The same goes for Don Breaux, Jack Burns, & Rennie Simmons. All these are great guys and I'm sure they add something to the team, but do they see eye to eye with Al Saunders?
When Saunders was brought in, how many of 'his guys' actually came with him? I would think he would have wanted to bring in a staff more familiar with his system to help ease the learning process. It seems like the only people who came over with Saunders were Todd Collins and Al's son, Bob.

I might be reaching here but this is just something I was thinking about the other day.

4 words - Cut Blocking & Zone Blocking
An article last week (can't remember it exactly but think it was a washpost article about the o-line) had a quote from Buges saying something like "I don't like cut blocking but it's almost necessary in today's game."
This shows that Buges changed his ways before the carolina game & had the o-linemen block differently. The old HOg days where the o-line could just dominate by sheer force are over. Every team has speed & size on D.
This could be the result of some interesting exchanges between Saunders & Buges, maybe the result of Saunders showing him film of teams that have big run #s. Notice the last 2 weeks our run game has been awesome. If we'd had it early in the year...

I really don't see Bugel as a problem. The line has played well most of this year, not great but well. A lot of the blitz pickup problems seem to come from the backs or ends and even the scheme at times.

Does anyone think that it might be time for Bugel to hang up the whistle?

I think Buges has done an ok job preparing his linemen. They were clicking right along last season before Thomas went down, and they haven't really done too bad of a job this season...at least in run blocking. I think it just goes back to having more athletic linemen in offenses that tend to be "high powered." For example, you definitely want athletic, quick linemen in Indy and not big guys who are more tailored for smashmouth football. I think Buges has had them ready for a true Joe Gibbs type of offense, but he too is having to adjust his guys to the new system.

I think Buges has done an ok job preparing his linemen. They were clicking right along last season before Thomas went down, and they haven't really done too bad of a job this season...at least in run blocking. I think it just goes back to having more athletic linemen in offenses that tend to be "high powered." For example, you definitely want athletic, quick linemen in Indy and not big guys who are more tailored for smashmouth football. I think Buges has had them ready for a true Joe Gibbs type of offense, but he too is having to adjust his guys to the new system.

Good point, bugel is definitely a gibbs guy and not a saunders guy, but maybe in the end it will give Buges some valuable experience.

4 words - Cut Blocking & Zone Blocking
An article last week (can't remember it exactly but think it was a washpost article about the o-line) had a quote from Buges saying something like "I don't like cut blocking but it's almost necessary in today's game."
This shows that Buges changed his ways before the carolina game & had the o-linemen block differently. The old HOg days where the o-line could just dominate by sheer force are over. Every team has speed & size on D.
This could be the result of some interesting exchanges between Saunders & Buges, maybe the result of Saunders showing him film of teams that have big run #s. Notice the last 2 weeks our run game has been awesome. If we'd had it early in the year...
I must have missed that article, but it's good to hear that he's not afraid to adjust his style to fit Saunders'.

I really don't see Bugel as a problem. The line has played well most of this year, not great but well. A lot of the blitz pickup problems seem to come from the backs or ends and even the scheme at times.
That's probably has a lot to do with Portis being hurt/out all of the season.

It was a really good article, I'll try to find it and post a link.

Here it is

For Line, 'Crease' Is The Word - washingtonpost.com (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/01/AR2006120101479.html)