Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
Watching Bill Cowher gush about loving the battle of defenses Thursday night before, during and after the Cardinals vs. Rams telecast, if there was a shred of doubt Todd Bowles would miss out of an NFL head coaching gig in 2015, all of that doubt was removed.
Funny, but when NFL Network first showed Bowles on the sideline, with his name under him---it wasn't Bowles! It was Mike Caldwell, the Cardinals' LB coach. In a way this was fitting because Bowles is such an unassuming, under-the-radar coach.
The next time around NFL Network got it right. Someone probably called in to tell them of their initial mistake.
Bowles is an anomaly, especially as a HC candidate. He's camera shy...he's extremely soft-spoken...and he's not a glory hound. I would say he's in the Tony Dungee/Lovie Smith mold---but even those comparisons don't quite fit. Bowles is unique. Yes. He is as unique as his uber-aggressive, chameleon defenses. You never quite know what's coming---play to play and week to week.
Bowles cites Bill Parcells as having the most major influence on his coaching career. And while Bowles is nowhere near the extrovert Parcells is---there are some intriguing likenesses, such as their affinity for the players and their penchant for holding the players accountable---and perhaps, best of all, for making and keeping the game of football fun.
Speaking of Parcells, it occurs to me that Todd Bowles is a likely candidate for both the Giants and the Jets. To land in New Jersey would be a football odyssey for Bowles, as he grew up in Elizabeth and played his college ball in nearby Philly at Temple.
Others will come calling---I would imagine Bowles would be a short list candidate at Chicago, where the Bears are still smarting over picking Marc Trestman over Bruce Arians and would like to see their defense return to its long-standing tradition of prominence.
I fear that Bowles will also be considered very strongly by the Rams and the 49ers. I mean why not? The Rams have the defensive talent to be a juggernaut, as do the 49ers, and if Bowles can excite them with an offensive coordinator option in tow, he could well manage to stay in the NFC West.
This is where I wonder whether Michael Bidwill will do something unprecedented, which is to sign Bowles as the co-head coach of the Arizona Cardinals and pay Bowles head coaching money.
On the surface, pundits would be very cynical of such an unprecedented move. Two head coaches?
But---think of it for a second.
Would Bruce Arians approve?
In a heartbeat.
This would be a dream come true for Arians---and he could be assured that when he retires, Bowles would remain as the sole HC.
Would Steve Keim?
No brainer.
Would Todd Bowles?
In many ways this would be the ideal scenario for Bowles, as he could let BA handle the media as only BA knows best, and thus be able to focus on the job the way Bowles loves to do.
Seeing as both Arians and Bowles are coordinators---sharing certain aspects of the HC job would be welcome---as would be fostering the close communication they already enjoy.
Interestingly, I don't know if you saw this Thursday night, but when Rams' DC Gregg Williams offered BA a handshake after the game, BA grabbed Williams and hugged him. And at that moment it occurred to me that if Jeff Fisher is let go in St. Louis, and Bowles lands that job or another, then Gregg Williams might be a DC BA would covet.
The Rams have some major decisions to make. There were a lot of empty seats in their stadium for a Thursday Night game. Could the Rams be headed back to LA? It would be a logical move, wouldn't it? NFC West, check. Rams in LA, check.
What about Jeff Fisher? While the Rams have made progress this season in certain ways, it sure didn't help that one of Fisher's prize high-money FA additions TE Jared Cook, essentially threw Fisher under the bus Thursday night when he said, "We were outplayed and outcoached." Ouch.
Can you imagine one of BA's prize FA recruits saying that about BA?
Moreover, one has to wonder about the future of QB Sam Bradford and whether the Rams really need an offensive minded guru as HC. Because all the pundits agree that until the Rams figure out their QB situation they will continue to be stamped with the 8-8 at best stigma, which BA so candidly alluded to in his post-game presser.
One thing appears certain: Todd Bowles will be a head coach in 2015.
Thus, Steve Keim, if he is reading the writing on that wall, as most assuredly he is, will have to consider re-signing the likes of Larry Foote, Dan Williams, Tommy Kelly and Antonio Cromartie before the start of FA---for surely Todd Bowles will want to do the same.
Keim has already faced a similar challenge when Jason Licht left to become the GM of the Bucs in that Licht was coveting many of the FAs and draftees that both Keim and he were high on. Only Keim and Licht know which ones Licht beat Keim to.
Of course, if Michael Bidwill does the unprecedented and promotes Todd Bowles to co-Head Coach, then the Cardinals can keep everything in house this time.
Maybe I'm dreaming.
But is there any question that Bruce Arians and Todd Bowles is a dream team?
And as we Cardinals fans are realizing this season more than ever before, "team IS what it takes."
Funny, but when NFL Network first showed Bowles on the sideline, with his name under him---it wasn't Bowles! It was Mike Caldwell, the Cardinals' LB coach. In a way this was fitting because Bowles is such an unassuming, under-the-radar coach.
The next time around NFL Network got it right. Someone probably called in to tell them of their initial mistake.
Bowles is an anomaly, especially as a HC candidate. He's camera shy...he's extremely soft-spoken...and he's not a glory hound. I would say he's in the Tony Dungee/Lovie Smith mold---but even those comparisons don't quite fit. Bowles is unique. Yes. He is as unique as his uber-aggressive, chameleon defenses. You never quite know what's coming---play to play and week to week.
Bowles cites Bill Parcells as having the most major influence on his coaching career. And while Bowles is nowhere near the extrovert Parcells is---there are some intriguing likenesses, such as their affinity for the players and their penchant for holding the players accountable---and perhaps, best of all, for making and keeping the game of football fun.
Speaking of Parcells, it occurs to me that Todd Bowles is a likely candidate for both the Giants and the Jets. To land in New Jersey would be a football odyssey for Bowles, as he grew up in Elizabeth and played his college ball in nearby Philly at Temple.
Others will come calling---I would imagine Bowles would be a short list candidate at Chicago, where the Bears are still smarting over picking Marc Trestman over Bruce Arians and would like to see their defense return to its long-standing tradition of prominence.
I fear that Bowles will also be considered very strongly by the Rams and the 49ers. I mean why not? The Rams have the defensive talent to be a juggernaut, as do the 49ers, and if Bowles can excite them with an offensive coordinator option in tow, he could well manage to stay in the NFC West.
This is where I wonder whether Michael Bidwill will do something unprecedented, which is to sign Bowles as the co-head coach of the Arizona Cardinals and pay Bowles head coaching money.
On the surface, pundits would be very cynical of such an unprecedented move. Two head coaches?
But---think of it for a second.
Would Bruce Arians approve?
In a heartbeat.
This would be a dream come true for Arians---and he could be assured that when he retires, Bowles would remain as the sole HC.
Would Steve Keim?
No brainer.
Would Todd Bowles?
In many ways this would be the ideal scenario for Bowles, as he could let BA handle the media as only BA knows best, and thus be able to focus on the job the way Bowles loves to do.
Seeing as both Arians and Bowles are coordinators---sharing certain aspects of the HC job would be welcome---as would be fostering the close communication they already enjoy.
Interestingly, I don't know if you saw this Thursday night, but when Rams' DC Gregg Williams offered BA a handshake after the game, BA grabbed Williams and hugged him. And at that moment it occurred to me that if Jeff Fisher is let go in St. Louis, and Bowles lands that job or another, then Gregg Williams might be a DC BA would covet.
The Rams have some major decisions to make. There were a lot of empty seats in their stadium for a Thursday Night game. Could the Rams be headed back to LA? It would be a logical move, wouldn't it? NFC West, check. Rams in LA, check.
What about Jeff Fisher? While the Rams have made progress this season in certain ways, it sure didn't help that one of Fisher's prize high-money FA additions TE Jared Cook, essentially threw Fisher under the bus Thursday night when he said, "We were outplayed and outcoached." Ouch.
Can you imagine one of BA's prize FA recruits saying that about BA?
Moreover, one has to wonder about the future of QB Sam Bradford and whether the Rams really need an offensive minded guru as HC. Because all the pundits agree that until the Rams figure out their QB situation they will continue to be stamped with the 8-8 at best stigma, which BA so candidly alluded to in his post-game presser.
One thing appears certain: Todd Bowles will be a head coach in 2015.
Thus, Steve Keim, if he is reading the writing on that wall, as most assuredly he is, will have to consider re-signing the likes of Larry Foote, Dan Williams, Tommy Kelly and Antonio Cromartie before the start of FA---for surely Todd Bowles will want to do the same.
Keim has already faced a similar challenge when Jason Licht left to become the GM of the Bucs in that Licht was coveting many of the FAs and draftees that both Keim and he were high on. Only Keim and Licht know which ones Licht beat Keim to.
Of course, if Michael Bidwill does the unprecedented and promotes Todd Bowles to co-Head Coach, then the Cardinals can keep everything in house this time.
Maybe I'm dreaming.
But is there any question that Bruce Arians and Todd Bowles is a dream team?
And as we Cardinals fans are realizing this season more than ever before, "team IS what it takes."
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Especially if they get to, say, the NFC title game and fall just short of a home SB bid....
