In agriculture, a plowshare (or ploughshare) is a component of a plow (plough). It is the cutting or leading edge of a moldboard which closely follows the coulter (one or more ground-breaking spikes) when plowing (ploughing).

The plowshare itself is often a hardened bladedressed into an integral mouldboard (by the blacksmith) so making a unified combination of plowshare and moldboard, the whole being responsible for entering the cleft in the earth (made by the coulter's first cutting-through) and turning the earth over.

In well-tilled terrain the plowshare may do duty without a preceding coulter.

In modern ploughs both coulter and plowshare are detachable for easy replacement when worn or broken.

The Biblical version of the opposite of this comparison is to 'turn your swords into plowshares', to make something peaceful and meaningful rather than make something meant to harm or destroy. In this analogy I want to take it for a spin in the other direction. I want to reach down in that stream bed, just as David did when he picked up 5 smooth stones for his sling to face the Giant, Goliath. Even though David only used one of the five stones to slay the Giant, but he chose enough to get the job done if necessary.

The predecessor to Josh McDaniels laid the plow to the fertile soils of the green with white striped and numbered football arena many times in his 14 year tenure. Shanahan placed his hands upon that plow to dig rows of victorious furrows which were heaved to the surface of preparation to inculcate and infuse a value of greatness  upon this team. The plow would labor day and night making sure the rows were straight and neat so that every seed would have a chance to grow in strength and wisdom. These seeds would grow out of the ground towards the sky to make a predetermined crop of individuals playing as a singular group. The crop grew and became a driving force in the NFL that every team learned to respect and fear. When Shanahan's crop was harvested and brought to town, all the MSM stood in awe. They wrote, this agriculturalist (coach) is becoming the top 'Farmer' of the NFL, he does great things with his plowshare (system) and his produce (Team) is one of the best anywhere around.

Two years in a row this Great Farmer took top honors (Lombardi Trophy) at the World's Fair (Super Bowl) of National Football. A fete that no one had ever accomplished, and the MSM declared Shanahan a Master Tiller of the soil (player development). His agrarian concepts and ideas were embraced by many across the land who tried to emulate his farming techniques. For they too wanted a great crop to bring to market. Some had success and some didn't,  because his planting strategy (system) was difficult and intricate to formulate. They were never quite sure what type of fertilizer went with what, and irrigating was important as well to make sure the nutriments were distributed in the proper manner.

After those two great years of production the horses, old and worn out from plowing the rows for so long, had to be retired to pasture. New ones were acquired to pull that now famous plow and they began to struggle under the load of past greatness. The Great Farmer not to be detracted from his fame took the plow mouldboard to the blacksmith to sharpen and hone it, thinking it would bring forth the furrowed rows of geatness back in form. Surely this new crop will be great, he said, as his hands held firmly the grips of the newly sharpened plow. The horses pulled straight and keen, making the rows neatly spread across the field of play. Then the drought (non-production) came, then the pestilence (injuries) came, and these lasted for several years dwindling all hopes of returning to the greatness the Great Farmer so wanted to achieve. The once proud plowshare that had turned the earth of so many wonderful rows of happy moments was now decrepit and broken. 

The proud owner of this once great field (the Team) feeling it was time for a change, decided to let this Great Farmer go. The MSM decried the firing, saying it is unjustified to let the Great Farmer go, look what crops he has produced over the years. That should be enough alone to let him try one more time to bring in a great crop and the Blue Ribbon back to the Farm. Not listening to their lambasting, the owner hired a new horticulturist for the job. This new man's resume displayed a different 'system', a new method to the original farmer. The fans and MSM shouted, are you crazy, that method already works and shouldn't be tampered with, he can't grow the type of crops we need to grow to get back to the top, hire someone who has the knowledge to plant the side of the field that needs replanting.

This new farmer filled with new desire and fortitude to plant a special kind of crop of intellectual, smart, tough, team first seeds, changed the whole program that the MSM was used to. He fired almost all of the old blacksmiths (coaches) and brought in new ones. This new farmer took all of the old plowshares to the blacksmiths and told them to take the old Mouldboards (old system) off the plow and beat them into "Swords" for battle. When you have tempered these swords and honed them to a fine Sharp edge, then they will be worthy of going to war. We are going to plant the seed of fear into the NFL, we are going to sow hate and discontent amongst the MSM, we are going to reap the winds of the four corners of the football world. Yes, beat your plowshares into swords, and we will develop warriors that are worthy to carry these swords into battle to be victorious. Take the Sword into your hands warriors, and behead the dragon of naysayers, who spew fiery words of distasteful journalism. Thrust your swords 'O warriors into the criticism of doubt. No more will we plant seeds that grow spindly and whether at the first sign of discouragement and defeat. They will hold their swords high and be proud. McDaniels has beaten that "Plowshare" into a "Sword", though tempering and sharpening has taken on some shape, the sword will be a formidable weapon when finished, and he intends to wield it to victory real soon.