From The Fan Posts: The Book On Sean McDermott
by JasonB on Jan 16, 2011 9:28 PM MST
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PrintI run the Eagles blog here on SBNation, I've seen every game Sean McDermott has ever coached... here are my impressions.
The last two years have seen a serious decline in the Eagles defense under McDermott. Now, how much of that is fault and how much is on the personnel is certainly up for debate. He has dealt with some injuries, not as many as people seem to suggest, and the fact is that a lot of the defensive personnel just isn't very good. Part of that could be on his inability to develop them, but then again you can't expect the guy to spin yarn into gold. Some players are what they are.
So this makes it hard to evaluate McDermott. There's really very little evidence to suggest that he can do a good job, but that's not necessarily proof that he's bad. I sure would have liked to see what he would have done with a better secondary...
I think what the Eagles didn't like was the way he handled the adversity on the defensive side of the ball. He would get overly cautious at times, his blitz timing was questionable, and he was constantly shuffling the lineup and trying different combinations. The shuffling never bothered me because I was ok with him trying to find something that worked, but I can imagine how players would be frustrated when there's a new starting linebacking corps every week(that was literally the case in 2009).
My biggest problem this past season was the inconsistency in his play calling. We all expected him to be an aggressive, blitz heavy kind of guy and he wasn't always that. There were times when he seemed to go into a shell. Maybe he was afraid of exposing his sub-par secondary, which is a fair concern, but it's not as if the passive approach was working either.
His defenses did get turnovers(like they always did under Jim Johnson), but having Asante Samuel leading the NFL in picks year after year certainly helps that. Also, I hated his stubborn philosophy of not matching up your best corner on the other teams' best WR. McDermott has his corners play a side of the field and let's the offense dictate the matchups. That's ok when you've got a few good corners, but when you let the offense pick on a guy... that makes no sense to me.
The Eagles allowed a franchise record 31 TDs passes this season and had the worst red zone defense of any team in 20 years. I think that in the end, those were the two stats that killed McDermott. Like I said, personnel was a part of that... but you don't get to be historically as bad as they were this year without ineptitude at all levels.
The book on him is not closed by any means. This is still a guy without much experience as a coordinator. There are notable personnel issues with the Philly defense. Basically, he hasn't proved that he can be a good defensive coordinator, but I can't say as though he's proven he can't yet. The reports are that Reid actually fired McDermott back on Wednesday, but has been trying to help get him a job this week before letting everyone know he's been released. He still likes McDermott and thinks he can be a good coach, but seems to feel the Eagles are in win now mode and can't wait for a young DC to learn on the job.
This is a Fan-Created Comment on MileHighReport.com. The opinion here is not necessarily shared by the editorial staff of MHR
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I agree with you
Obviously he could come here and change things, but he sure wasn’t doing an amazing job in Philly, hence why he wasn’t brought back.
I am a bear of very little brains and big words bother me.
He's young, he trained under the late, great Jim Johnson
and he can improve. Will he is the question, but I know he’s young, and a new start sometimes does wonders for the soul.
"When Tim Tebow does pushups, he's not pushing himself up, he's pushing the world down."
on the job training
sounds like if he comes to denver he would be the defensive cord. and fox would keep a heavy hand in running the defense.
For sure… If anything I think McDermott could stand to have a little more ego… I think he’d be perfectly happy to learn under Fox.
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sounds good, thanks for your input, much appreciated
by Clompy on Jan 16, 2011 7:16 PM MST up reply actions 1 recs
+1
Character may be manifested in the great moments but it is made in the small ones -- Philip Brooks
My ship finally came in, but it was the Kobayashi Maru.
Follow me on Twitter @MHR_KaptainKirk
Great insight! Much appreciated.
However I love getting him if it happens as he will now know what does not work and what he has to improve and get better at,and he has a much better defensive coach in Fox to develop and help him, Fox is also not a micromanager like Reid (mike Shanahan). Carolina is also hot on him and Rivera knows D so I like this.
2/3 of the earth is covered by water the other 1/3 is covered by Champ Bailey!
THIS IS BRONCOS COUNTRY!!!
by The 3 Amigos on Jan 16, 2011 1:43 PM MST via mobile reply actions
This is the first I’ve heard Reid called a micromanager. In reality, he’s always been quite hands off with the defense.
As for Rivera… Both he and McDermott were assistants under Jim Johnson with the Eagles, so they know each other.
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I heard from other fans he is a micomanager
I will take your word he is not as you would know you obviously have great insight.
2/3 of the earth is covered by water the other 1/3 is covered by Champ Bailey!
THIS IS BRONCOS COUNTRY!!!
by The 3 Amigos on Jan 16, 2011 3:07 PM MST via mobile up reply actions
Well reasoned analysis...
I can’t argue with any of your logic. I have two responses to your post.
First, is it possible that John Fox, who is purportedly “defensive minded” will bring him on as a “weak” defensive coordinator whose responsibilities are limited? In other words, a defensive coordinator in name only.
Second, at this point, are there better, more proven alternatives to him out there?
I dunno. McDermott was an assistant to Jim Johnson for almost a decade so I’m sure he has no problem learning from a more experienced guy.
As for more proven experience alternatives, I’m surprised Dave Wannstedt hasn’t gotten more play. I know he’s spoken with the Bills and could interview in Carolina, but you’d think he’d be a hotter commodity than say… McDermott or Mora.
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probably because he's been out of football for so long.
Tim Tebow wears 3WM and drinks Tuscan whole milk.
by BroncoMath101 on Jan 16, 2011 5:08 PM MST up reply actions
Where has he been coaching? The NFL game has changed quite a bit since he was last coaching in it.
Tim Tebow wears 3WM and drinks Tuscan whole milk.
by BroncoMath101 on Jan 16, 2011 5:41 PM MST up reply actions
Wannstadt
was the HC at Pitt
Character may be manifested in the great moments but it is made in the small ones -- Philip Brooks
My ship finally came in, but it was the Kobayashi Maru.
Follow me on Twitter @MHR_KaptainKirk
John Marshall (Raiders' DC) is on his way out.
"All credibility, all good conscience, all evidence of truth come only from the senses." Friedrich Nietzsche
"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great." Mark Twain
"If people never did silly things nothing intelligent would ever get done." Wittgenstein
Basically he is still young enough to learn and in a city like Philly the fans can be very harsh on anybody...
Seasoned? Doesn’t sound like it, but a new venue could be McD’s ticket to paradise…Oh…That’s another McD, sorry…
He's got years of experience working defenses
Here’s his recent resume:
2001: Defensive Assistant
2002-2003: Assistant Defensive Backs Coach
2004-2006: Secondary Coach/Safeties
2007: Linebackers Coach
2008: Secondary Coach
2009-2010: Defensive Coordinator
Also looked it up, the squad he coached each season, so for example, he took over DC in 2009, during which the defense regressed to 19th from 4th and then in 2010 regressed to 21st. The linebackers in 2007 had fewer interceptions, sacks and tackles, the secondary was a similar story. He’s got lots of experience, but most of it doesn’t look good.
I am a bear of very little brains and big words bother me.
And after 10 years under Johnson
You would hope he would have learned enough to be a successful D-coordinator…
- Nick
"Know the enemy, know yourself, and victory is never in doubt, not in a hundred battles."
- Sun Tzu
"And I mean that in the most professional way possible."
- Brandon Lloyd
I'm hoping he can be
And I’m excited for our defense next season, I’m just saying his history isn’t inspiring.
I am a bear of very little brains and big words bother me.
Sorry, I didn't articulate well.
Because I actually agree with you. I have high hopes, and I hope a change of scenery will let him step out of the shadow of the late, great Johnson. Maybe it’s a little like the shadow Elway cast over numerous QBs that came after he retired. What I meant to say was, the talk that “he needs to be mentored by a strong HC with D-coordinator experience” is talk that concerns me. If 10 years apprenticing to Johnson didn’t prepare him for the role, what will?
- Nick
"Know the enemy, know yourself, and victory is never in doubt, not in a hundred battles."
- Sun Tzu
"And I mean that in the most professional way possible."
- Brandon Lloyd
Dear JasonB
Thank you for the local perspective on McDermott, we’ll see what comes of his situation here? He may or may not get the job but I think you Philly guys would’ve been a lot happier had he operated under the direction of a defensive minded HC….
Looking at the total #’s on Def, you guys werent too bad! You may have a different take had you been ranked at the bottom of almost every category in the NFL as we in Denver were:(, I think you guys also have a lot of sentimental attchment to Jim Johnson but you also had a more consistent offense back them as well, so def stats may be somewhat distorted.
I hope you boys have taken a long hard look at Jim Mora Jr’s defensive record over the years… After reviewing them, McDermott might look much better to you? Good luck!
"Attitude reflects Leadership" Hogblog...aka KSM
Whether or not you think the defense was “too bad” I suppose is a matter of opinion. But I think what worried/angered a lot of Eagles fans was the downward trend. Things kept getting worse and worse. If we were ranked #21 this year with the worst red zone D in 20 years, how bad was it going to get next year?
Again, I don’t think it’s fair to put all that McDermott and some personnel upgrades could certainly reverse that trend…. but he has to share at least some of the blame. In some ways you could definitely see the Eagles firing him as using him as somewhat of a scapegoat.
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One man's garbage is another's treasure.
I think its hard to judge a guy who is following in the footsteps of one of the greatest defensive minds in NFL History. It was only a matter of time before the wheels on that defense would fly off without his guidance. I thought the defense would play inspired immediately following his untimely death, but would seriously degrade within two years. I hope, for my team, that McD learned enough to settle in under the guidance of John Fox.
Verbose in style, dispersion of thought, procrastination in life.
The artist formerly known as ZAPPA
by Tim Lynch on Jan 16, 2011 2:50 PM MST reply actions 1 recs
I hope he can get us back to a solid defense
He’s not exactly the best guy out there, but like you said, one man’s garbage is another man’s treasure.
I am a bear of very little brains and big words bother me.
Ahhhhh!
Don’t say “McD”!!!!
For Gods sake if you do it three times in a row he might come back!!!
If Warren Sapp is so damn smart, let him take the snaps.
by TheMastermind on Jan 17, 2011 11:06 AM MST via mobile up reply actions
Rec #10
Thanks for stopping by. Insight like this is priceless. As Tim said above, though, one man’s garbage is another man’s treasure. Sometimes all it takes is a change of scenery for a guy to come into his own. Plus, John Fox is going to have his thumb on this defense. McDermott will have plenty of guidance.
I think whether he does to Denver under Fox or Carolina under Rivera, it will be a good move for him. He may have been in a little bit over his head running the show in Philly, so having an experienced defensive coach to mentor him can’t be a bad thing.
Speaking objectively, Carolina is probably the best fit because he and Ron Rivera were both assistants to Jim Johnson. So he’d be working in the same system under a really good defensive coach. But Jon Fox obviously knows what he’s doing as well…
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I like the hire of him if it happens. People have to remember the Eagles have had many injuries the last couple of years, plus were starting like 3 rookies in the secondary down the stretch of this season and really none of those rookies were high draft choices either. In fact, they played all last year without their MLB Bradley and he got hurt towards the end of this year too. Bradley is a free agent by the way who would look good for the Broncos, especially if they go back to a 4-3 which I think they should and will.
They were starting one rookie in the secondary at the end of the year, which is the same amount they were starting at the beginning of the year.
Bradley’s loss was major last year because they ended up starting like 8 different guys at middle linebacker. This year, it wasn’t as big a deal because they actually got solid production in his absence.
Bradley is going to be an interesting decision for the Eagles this offseason. He is a good player, but he’s been injury prone since his college days. Like you said, he’s been injured for the past two seasons. So if he stays healthy, there’s no doubt he’s a good player… but that seems to be a bigger “if” every single year. I would like to see him come back.
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Philly had little depth on defense, so that can’t be blamed on McDermott of course. Bradley got a fluke injury late this year, so I wouldn’t label him injury prone just yet. Philly needs to get more depth on defense, especially in their secondary.
What was fluke about it? He missed all of last year with a knee injury(I believe he also had a knee reconstruction in college). He was injured early this year with a concussion and missed games. He was lost at the end of the year with an elbow injury. There all pretty much run of the mill football injuries.
He’s been unlucky for sure. I won’t deny that. I suppose “unlucky” is just the optimistic word for “injury prone.”
I really like the guy though, I certainly hope his luck/health changes. He’s a talented player and really great guy.
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I believe I stated his injury “late this year was a fluke” since landing wrong on his arm coming on a blitz is not a common injury. I said nothing about last year being a fluke. He plays all out and does not give up on plays, so I suppose that also puts him in position to suffer more injuries than some.
He's not a prior HC
And that is a good thing! I want this team to run a Fox D. Bringing in a prior HC might set the stage for a clash of wills between Fox and Mora, Weinstadt…! I’ll take someone with experience at DC and willingness to implement Fox plan!!
by BronxBlues on Jan 16, 2011 6:41 PM MST via mobile reply actions
Might help if I read the posts above me before I say the exact same thing, eh?
So regarding BronxBlues post <——— What he said.
by charlesnelsonreilly on Jan 16, 2011 8:35 PM MST up reply actions
JasonB, thanks for the thoughts....
My thought is that one reason to pursue this guy is that he seems to be a DC in training, but probably comes from a really good school of defense.
Given that Fox is a defensive minded coach, it wouldn’t seem to be a good fit to bring in a strong presence at DC like a Wannstedt or a Mora. Those guys were HC’s before, seems like a recipe for some head butting.
So bringing in a guy who will be a lieutenant of sorts for the real defensive general (Fox) might not be a bad fit for our situation here.
by charlesnelsonreilly on Jan 16, 2011 8:32 PM MST reply actions
ranking
Eagles and McDermott ranked 12th in total D for the regular season. Denver and Wink ranked 32. The Eagles are dead last in Tackles for 2010. Denver is dead last in a lot of categories. Not sure if this is the “upgrade” in coaching we were hoping for on D. IMO
I'm so optimistic I'd go after Moby Dick in a row boat and take the tartar sauce with me.~Zig Ziglar
Tackles isn't a good stat to have a lot of necessarily
Generally if you’re on the field more often, you’ll get more tackles. In other words, bad defenses can’t get off the field and thus get lots of tackles.
Sound familiar?
The worst red zone defense since 2009 has belonged to the Eagles. A big part of that is a lack of a linebacker core.
The Eagles seemed to improve this year until a big injury of Stewart Bradley; Ernie Sims was supposed to be a big addition, but it was not enough. The Eagles cannot rely on injury-prone Bradley as the core of the defense.
The Broncos weren’t alone, the Eagales were biten by the injury bug themselvs and still made the playoffs with a 10-6 season…Seems their bigest frustration is, that they haven’t ever won a Super Bowl and as the years roll on by the pain doesn’t get any easier…Sean McDermott was thrown into the fray when Jimmie Johnson passed away. Maybe he was ready for the tall task, maybe he was, but it seems as though he isn’t immune to the things that hurt a defense (injuries) and struggles to adjust…Lossing the last 2 games of the season and losing in the playoffs to the Packers.
by bfree2bronc on Jan 17, 2011 12:25 AM MST up reply actions
The Bills were ranked #1 in tackles. We all know how there season went..
I'm so optimistic I'd go after Moby Dick in a row boat and take the tartar sauce with me.~Zig Ziglar
Thanks for the insight
Welcome to the throw your DC under the bus club, we are the founding members. :)
I like the fact that Fox and McDermott come from different style defenses so they could complement each other. McDermott would get better guidance under Fox than he got under Reid, since Fox is more of a defensive guy. I’d rather get a young guy with DC experience (even with mixed success) than a postion coach moving up for the first time.
Oh yeah, maybe Eagles shouldn't have traded Joe Mays away to us for JJ Arrington? Just sayin?
"Attitude reflects Leadership" Hogblog...aka KSM
If John Bena were to post at another NFL team's blog and talk about the negatives of a DC candidate like Wink Martindale, should the readers there take him seriously? I say that it would be better if they did, wouldn't you?
So why on earth are some of you here not paying more attention to what JasonB is really telling us? He’s clearly not throwing McDermott under the proverbial bus, and he’s been about as fair to McDermott as anyone can be, but read between the lines…McDermott might not actually be the best choice for DC of the Denver Broncos…at this time.
Do we want the philosophy “anyone’s gotta’ be better than Wink” to drive in a new DC that’s only marginally better, or should the Broncos be looking for a candidate who is significantly better? Isn’t that a question which some of you should have thought about before giving an opinion? Sure it is. Otherwise, why would you want or hope for a guy who wasn’t all that much better than the guy we had last season?
We’re looking for continuity now, but five different DCs in as many years isn’t continuity. If we don’t get the right guy for DC (and someone only marginally better probably isn’t the right guy), then how long before we start searching for another DC, and how much further back would our defense be then?
Good points
Last thing we need is a 1 year stop gap DC….I mean we’ve already had like 30 in the last 5 years.
not saying McDermott would only last a year
Just saying I want whoever they hire to be here for a long time (doing a good job the entire time)
Thanks for taking the time to drop by
Appreciate the Eagle fan perspective. And of course none of us know for sure how he’ll pan out if he ends up in Denver, or where he ends up, no matter what we’ve seen or not seen. However, here are a few more pieces on him that I think give some further perspective that is worth adding. (Sorry if this is redundant and I missed the links to these.)
From the Philly Inquirer:
http://articles.philly.com/2011-01-16/sports/27031965_1_andy-reid-eagles-jump-scapegoat
(Says McDermott was an unfair scapegoat)
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/columnists/john_gonzalez/20110117_Gonzo___Reid_s_killer_shtick.html
McDermott gets a bit more blame here:
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/sports/20110117_Clock_was_ticking_on_McDermott_since_2009.html
Just some additional thoughts on him. Hope people read it. No coach brought in for that position will be perfect, and I hope people are patient with whoever it is, which may be hard to be given how bad the defense has been for 3 or 4 years in a row now.
There's no need to fear, Underdog is here! / Broncos/Dodgers/Lakers fan in Niners/Raiders/Giants/Warriors country, and damned proud of it.
PS: Thanks both to MHR and IAOFM for the links above
There's no need to fear, Underdog is here! / Broncos/Dodgers/Lakers fan in Niners/Raiders/Giants/Warriors country, and damned proud of it.
My own opinion is that
McDermott would be a good fit for what Denver needs now, which is a more aggressive style of defensive playcalling, someone young enough too to learn and adapt, but who can also me more creative than we’ve seen. The Broncos will have better personnel for blitzing and rushing next season (esp with both Dumervil and Ayers on the field together for once) and McDermott seems the right kind of coach for the group they’ll have.
There's no need to fear, Underdog is here! / Broncos/Dodgers/Lakers fan in Niners/Raiders/Giants/Warriors country, and damned proud of it.
Just 2 thoughts on this ...
1) Following Jim Johnson is like following John Elway — good luck pal.
2) This is John Fox’s defense.. so what Denver needs in a DC is a good #2 guy, and McDermott might be better suited for this, then a big voice like Jim Mora Jr for example.
that's probably exactly why Fox likes McDermott.
He has previous DC experience, which is good, but he’s going to be very willing to run the D the way that Fox wants it run, unlike Mike Nolan was for McD.
by black_knight101 on Jan 17, 2011 11:05 AM MST up reply actions
Good point
Besides, this exchange of opinion is good reading but in the end it is all either conjecture or regurgitation of someone elses conjecture.
Those who know the guy or have worked with him and who sit with him in interviews will have more insight.
Maybe a change of locale and a new relationship with a new. Coach will bear fruit for the guy.
Then again, with the circus we’ve endured in Devnver in recent years, particularly on defense, who can blame us for being anxious?
If Warren Sapp is so damn smart, let him take the snaps.
by TheMastermind on Jan 17, 2011 11:11 AM MST via mobile up reply actions
Show me a good coach...I'll show you great players
BOOM.
When will the NCAA admit that it is a business with the sole purpose for making money off of student athletes?
Mark 16:15-18
He will bring the blitz back to our defense .. Something thats been missing over the last couple of years
See what a blitzing jets defense did to tom brady yesterday .. I am all for it..
by broncosfaninphilly on Jan 17, 2011 1:25 PM MST reply actions
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