How We Got Here - A 2014 Timeline

[panthers55]

So if Rivera is such a bad evaluator of talent then how does he take defenses and in a few years make them a top unit?  All of the units he inherited were loaded?  I could see if you were talking just about offensive talent because that might not be his forte but I don't think it applies to defense.

[davos]

Disagree. Norwell, Kalil, Turner all legit.

 

I'm sorry but we went through that phase in the rookie campaigns of far too many guys to grow this much confidence in the new ones because so much of the team sucks.  I'm typically super optimistic but people were calling Amini, Godfrey, Ricky Manning, Colbert, Marshall, Sherrard Martin, Dan Connor (too many to think of) legit after their early Panther campaigns.  

 

I know they look good in a dumpster fire but let's wait before proclaiming Bene, Norwell, and Turner to be legit.  I do like what I've seen out of Norwell though and hope it continues.  Just hope that there isn't another slow build up to thinking these guys are world beaters by season's end.  We just did that with Melvin White.     

[Jeremy Igo]

Difference being these rookies are from legit college programs.

[davos]

So if Rivera is such a bad evaluator of talent then how does he take defenses and in a few years make them a top unit?  All of the units he inherited were loaded?  I could see if you were talking just about offensive talent because that might not be his forte but I don't think it applies to defense.

 

Gotta look at the current product and what's happening this season.  It's nice he turned what remained on the 2010 squad into a top defense by 2013 but he had that 3 year trend happening in Chicago and SD on his resume as a coordinator.  It's likely a mixture of him as a DC and his ability to be just a really good defensive coach.  

[KillerKat]

The whole fan base saw our problems except for the coaches and GM. That worries me. I can only hope Gettleman learns from all of this, first by firing the entire coaching staff.

[grimesgoat]

I think gettleman gets too much heat for all this.

 

We went 12-4 because our defense pressured the qb, consistently gave the offense good field position, and the offense had long sustained drives keeping the d fresh. A symbiotic relationship.

 

He tried to repeat the formula on a shoestring budget by tagging hardy, letting Steve smith and his 750 yds go (instead of committing 13 mil for him), replacing mitchell, Ginn, and munerlyn for half what they were paid elsewhere, replace your 35-year-old left tackle with some younger guys and let them gel, and still try to carry over a little cash for cam's new contract.I think what happened to derail his plans were primarily beyond his control

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jeremy Igo]

So if Rivera is such a bad evaluator of talent then how does he take defenses and in a few years make them a top unit? All of the units he inherited were loaded? I could see if you were talking just about offensive talent because that might not be his forte but I don't think it applies to defense.

Are you under the impression he was in charge of defensive personell as a DC?

Mike Shula was a good QB coach, bad OC.

It's possible Rivera is a good DC, bad HC.

Everyone has their limitations.

[Nick_81]

The whole fan base saw our problems except for the coaches and GM. That worries me. I can only hope Gettleman learns from all of this, first by firing the entire coaching staff.

Lol, wut?

[panthers55]

Are you under the impression he was in charge of defensive personell as a DC?

Mike Shula was a good QB coach, bad OC.

It's possible Rivera is a good DC, bad HC.

Everyone has their limitations.

That is the question.  How much control did he have over the defensive personnel at any of his last places or even here?  Was Rivera okay with letting Mitchell and Munnerlyn go and did he have any say on who replaced them or is Gettleman pulling the strings.  Sure everyone says it is collaborative effort but the reality may be just that r something different.

 

And yes he could be a bad HC just like Shula could be a bad OC.  Still it is easier to believe that if after last year's success we had essential personnel and had these results this year.  But when you gut the team of talent like Gettleman did by intent or not it is hard to pin the blame all on the coaches.

 

Do you think that Fox was a bad coach because his 2010 team went 2-14 after they dumped al the veterans and he was a lame duck.  Or might other circumstances account for the poor record.

[WUnderhill]

DE wasn't exactly an area of need when we drafted it because we still had Hardy this year and Alexander still looked to have potential for the future. But yeah, just a horrible job by our FO this season.

[Mr. Scot]

This is good. I was about to look at the 2015 OL FAs. Admittedly I don't know enough about most of them to have an intelligent thought of who would be a good target, but I'm interested in hearing your take....well, some yours 

 

Granted I'm going off just a cursory look, but I'd say it's not that great a list

[Mr. Scot]

Are you under the impression he was in charge of defensive personell as a DC?

Mike Shula was a good QB coach, bad OC.

It's possible Rivera is a good DC, bad HC.

Everyone has their limitations.

 

Rivera is absolutely one of the best Xs and Os guys out there.  He's phenomenal at being able to see what makes an opposing offense effective and figuring out how to take that away.  It's one of the things that made him such a great DC.

 

His head coaching skill set though...

[Captain Morgan]

where are these reports that RR is losing the team?  google is not helping me here

[ZeroZeroSeven]

No, Ron absolutely didn't see it. He isn't much of a talent evaluator, as seen by Norwell staying inactive most of the season. How do I see that Norwell is a player and the coaching staff doesn't?

 

 

Been saying that for a while now.  Nice to have some inside confirmation.

 

Rivera has always championed guys who gave a load of effort, but seems completely unaware that most of the guys he talks up are, in reality, trying harder because they're just not very good.

 

He's just not good at evaluating talent when it comes to players and coaches.

 

A head coach has to be able to do those things to succeed in that position.  Sadly, Rivera has demonstrated that he can't.

 

 

I've been wondering how much of this is a direct result of the lax practices.  The high effort guys with limited ability would look better than if the practices were more intense.  Just my 2 cents.