Great post Mitch. I also look at the things in a similar way. Whiz is a great coach, not necessary the best playcaller ever, but a great coach that gets the most out of his players, and even more importantly - at most crucial times. He has the tendency of not preparing the players best in games that don't mean much, but as soon as we have an important game, it's like the team is as prepared as it can be with the talent available. You can look at New England/Minny games two years ago and than how prepared we were once the playoffs started. Also the Pacer game in the end of the regular season last year and the one in post season.
This problem dates back to 30's. I think that's evidence enough for that it's not Whisenhunts fault, but rather the higher ranks in the organization.
He has that important skill of starting the best player. Warner was much better than Leinart, he started the best guy, and i'm sure this was not the most popular decision and Mr B was not happy about this. He did the same this year. Hall was the one playing best in offseason and he played him. He may not always be right, but he goes with the best player it seems, and not with status (draft position/size of contract). And I think that Hall was indeed the better QB than Anderson and Leinart. And Skelton was not ready, and still isn't as ready as some people still think, he was right there, kid needs alot time yet.
Ultimately, that kind of thinking will get you success. And i can sense that this kind of thinking is not very popular among the top ranks in organization. For them, it's like wasting money that they have invested in "wrong" players. They want a coach that starts the most expensive players.
I think they are looking for another coach, it's just a guess from my part, i had this feeling for quiet some time. And it's very wrong because I believe that coach Whiz is looking at things most realistically and knows very well which players are the best. Bulger would have been a great addition as an example.
There is only one area that Whiz needs to be blamed and it's the defense. He just doesn't understand the defense as good as he understand offensive football. He would never go 3-4 if that was the case , with the personel that we have. He would never gone with zone over man. He just went with the similar scheme that he knew from Pittsburgh and that was working well there. Same as when McDaniels implemented a cover 3, 3-4 in Denver because he doesn't know much about Defense, but he knew this worked fine in New England.
He needed to evaluate the personel and tailor the best scheme for the players on defense. On offense i think he has done a very good job. Many people complain of not running the ball, but that is impossible when they go heavy blitz, because you don't have a QB that can deal with pressure calls. It's been like that all year long, he wants to run it, but there is no way you can do it without a even an average QB on the team.
He needs more talent, especially at QB. You give him a good QB and i think we are division winners and going to playoffs.
