Rivera Leads Most Strategic Coaches

[fieryprophet]

I don't know how seriously to take the "metric" in play, but he beats Belichick so I'm gonna go with infallible ;)

http://espn.go.com/nfl/insider/story/_/id/14321399/ranking-nfl-head-coaches-strategic-decision-making

Ron Rivera, Panthers: The undefeated Panthers have the league's best coach according to Strategy Score. No coach has been more aggressive this season. Riverboat Ron has gone for it all six times he has faced fourth-and-1 inside opposing territory in the first half. The rest of the league has played it safe and kicked 28 percent of the time in that situation. Cam Newton deserves some credit, enabling fourth-down aggressiveness with his rushing ability. On four of the plays, Newton kept the ball. He converted all four times.

Rivera shows that coaches can get much better at strategy. Not that long ago -- when the Panthers lost the occasional game -- Rivera was one of the least aggressive coaches in the league.

[csuncc1989]

The Buffalo game was the single best thing to happen Ron's career

[xerxes]

That Buffalo loss may go down as the best loss in Panthers history. 

Stoic Ron died that day and Riverboat Ron was born. 

[panthers55]

That Buffalo game was also a big reason Norman was benched which ultimately made him a better team player now as he stopped doing his own thing and started playing team ball.  Not trying to divert the thread just making a connected comment.