OT - Lombardi new Lions Offensive Coordinator
January 21st, 2014 at 9:28 AM ^
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/01/21/lions-hire-lombardi-as-…
According to Chris Mortensen of ESPN, Caldwell has brought in Saints quarterbacks coach Joe Lombardi as his offensive coordinator.
January 21st, 2014 at 10:06 AM ^
AAARGH!
First time NFL Defensive Coordination and First Time Offensive Coordinator?!?!?! So much for the "Win Now" Lions.
Ready-made excuse for the Lions to miss the playoffs again, despite all the talent on the team. "We made some mistakes and we'll learn from them going forward. This experience in going 2-14 will help us down the road..."
Ugh.
January 21st, 2014 at 10:43 AM ^
those tested veterns worked out for us? Call me crazy, but this plan might just be crazy enough to work!
January 21st, 2014 at 1:11 PM ^
coordinator is crazy enough...TWO is insanity! Not to mention a HC with 3 years HC experience letting Manning run the team - and then he ran the team into the ground WITHOUT Manning.
Might be time to become a Browns fan. Oh wait...nevermind.
January 21st, 2014 at 1:53 PM ^
or may be coldwell is learning from HOKE. Since he doesn't know what the hell is going on, hire coordinators to run the O and the D for you. but since he has no big time friends like Mattison hehas to go with no experience coordinator. How the hell do organizations that big be so incompetent
January 21st, 2014 at 9:30 AM ^
Closest Lions will come to the Lombardi trophy.
January 21st, 2014 at 10:23 AM ^
January 21st, 2014 at 9:38 AM ^
Well Drew Brees was pretty good under him but then again Drew Brees is pretty good. I'm sure he helped him reach his peak though, to an extent. Hopefully he can work some wonders on Stafford's mechanics and not call an incompotent game. I really think the Lions are a couple of pieces away from being a great team if they can overcome being the Lions.
January 21st, 2014 at 9:55 AM ^
Golden Boy Stafford is not a reparable project. He will refuse to change his style. Any attempt to improve his mechanics and footwork will not be well received.
Hell, he ostensibly was involved in the hiring decision of the HC! Unbelievable!
January 21st, 2014 at 10:09 AM ^
He gave his input, but it's not like he really had any say in the matter. It's not exactly unheard of.
January 21st, 2014 at 10:15 AM ^
I think he knows he has issues behind the scenes but his ego won't allow him to admit it publicly. Sucks but as long as he's not stubborn with the coach as he is with the media, I'm fine.
Also, lots of QBs have input (Cutler met with Trestman for example). If the QB or the coach don't get along or see eye to eye, it's going to be a very bad situation going forward.
January 21st, 2014 at 10:19 AM ^
His mechanics aren't the real issue. Sure, there's a way that most quarterbacks throw the ball, but this works for him. The real issue is his decision making. He thinks he can fit the ball anywhere he wants. Sometimes he gets it there, sometimes he doesn't. Hopefully, all this emphasis on QB coaches will result in him taking care of the ball and fewer turnovers.
January 21st, 2014 at 10:30 AM ^
January 21st, 2014 at 3:23 PM ^
The real issue is that he has never had anyone other than Calvin Johnson to throw to and no one to hand off to. On those rare occasions when there has been a second receiving threat, Stafford has done just fine; during those games where Bush was able to help get it done, Stafford did fine. The problem is that Stafford has constantly had to do it all, all by himself and is such a gamer that he is almost able to pull it off. He knows his weaknesses, wants to improve, wants to win and seems willing to do whatever it takes to reach his goals. Stafford is not the problem. Get him at least one additional receiving threat, a TE who does not lead the league in drops and a reliable running back and then if he is not successful feel free to dump on him.
January 21st, 2014 at 2:06 PM ^
so whatever Lombardi's proclivities to doing that job, he didn't have much work background in New Orleans, regardless of how he intereacted with Brees. Brees does have an incredible work ethic and a discipline to detail in his set-up and throwing mechanics. He does this routine in both practice and pregame where he checks his progressions through vision twists and looks, that help him identify open receivers and look off defenders.
Now, I don't know if some of this is the work of Lombardi's tutelage or not. But Brees is a very detailed guy in his pregame and in-game work.
I would also point out that Carolina last year replaced their OC with Mike Shula, and he has taken some considerable criticism for the Panthers failure to score more this past season. Cam Newton took a step back in his production, but he cut down on turnovers, fumbles and picks, and the team had one of its best years ever, while their former OC who became head coach for the Browns was fired before the year was out.
So, you live and learn. I think the Lions could do with a better defense and less mistakes from the offense, and things would get a lot better.
January 21st, 2014 at 9:38 AM ^
January 21st, 2014 at 9:39 AM ^
Fucking Lions
January 21st, 2014 at 10:05 AM ^
Is that you Marques?
January 21st, 2014 at 11:05 AM ^
logged in for the sole purpose of upvote
January 21st, 2014 at 9:54 AM ^
Experimenting. Eventually, they may get lucky and catch ligtening in the a bottle. However the chances of these moves panning out are pretty slim.
January 21st, 2014 at 10:20 AM ^
with the Lions? Get serious.
January 21st, 2014 at 11:27 AM ^
DETROIT LIONS:
2013 NFC North Mid-Season Tri-Champions!!
January 21st, 2014 at 1:08 PM ^
Yeah, we know you think they suck because you chime in on every Lions thread and shit on them and their fans. You're being a fucking asshole.
January 21st, 2014 at 11:31 AM ^
January 21st, 2014 at 10:22 AM ^
At least it's not sweater vest
January 21st, 2014 at 10:27 AM ^
...NE radio and at work about how the Patriots lost this weekend and how horrible it is. These SOB's need to be Detroit fans for a year so they can appreciate what they have....Spoiled Pricks.
January 21st, 2014 at 1:31 PM ^
They were for a long time.
January 21st, 2014 at 1:38 PM ^
Not all that long. I mean, they went to the Super Bowl in the 80s. I think what skews people's perception of the Patriots as this perennially shitty team was how bad they were in Tecmo Super Bowl.
January 21st, 2014 at 11:18 AM ^
We can bring all the relatives here.
January 21st, 2014 at 11:45 AM ^
Cue the "Lombardi couldn't get this team to win" jokes.
January 21st, 2014 at 12:46 PM ^
but not for the reasons everyone else thinks. The article I saw said he played at Air Force around the time I was a student there. If anything, his time from the Academy and the Air Force I think will help with discipline issues. Say what you will about his coaching experience, but the guy will have plenty of leadership to bring to the table.
January 21st, 2014 at 1:03 PM ^
January 21st, 2014 at 1:13 PM ^
had been submitted to the league office, wasn't it? I wonder what happened. I don't know which coach would do the better job, but I like this hire 1000x more. Aside from him not being Tressel, I like the idea of bringing in a good QB coach.
January 22nd, 2014 at 1:00 AM ^
good coach or beneficiary of Drew Brees and Sean Payton?
January 21st, 2014 at 9:23 PM ^
I don't understand why this new coach gets a 5 year rebuilding plan? I thought this team was playoff ready. I've heard all the excuses before!