On Carroll:
PC his harder to figure out than Russ. You really cant argue with the results till recently. When he was hired I saw him as an older Jim Mora, rah rah college guy fleeing a scandal plagued program for the big bucks. His first season started out with some decent results then the team started getting blown out. I was not impressed and nobody on this board was either. Hass was on his last legs physically. Whitehurst squeaked out the season ender as the 7-9 sea chickens won the NFC Worst .
Then my son and I attended Beastquake. Tickets were dirt cheap and we were on the 50 4 rows off the field for the game and at exact camera angle for the historic run. That was the day the PC era began, the day I realized how great a coach he was, the optimism, the enthusiasm, ability to motivate. And the sharp football mind.
Their drafting early was ridiculous and they suffer now in comparison despite having some nice pieces on this team that they stole. You cant predict injury. Adams was an awful decision obviously. They have missed badly on picks but hit on some player many teams would covet which if he stays healthy and keeps putting up big plays for 2 more weeks will include Penney. Still not the value obviously but clearly the talent evaluation was there.
Its not quite Russ and 21 stiffs. Id say they are mid pack on talent overall with some standouts and some below average players. With the injuries to the secondary they displayed some excellent depth. This is a defense that should be better next year.
My knocks on PC are being wishy washy when dealing with players and coaches, Pete speak, afraid to offend anyone. The guy with the most rings will call out anyone. I remember him yanking Tom Brady out of a blowout loss at Arrowhead and I've never seen Brady much angrier and I think they stopped Seattle on the 1 that year. I know it was a super bowl winning year.
The Rah Rah has worn off with PC. As the SI piece points out players began to believe there was favoritism with certain players, high draft picks such as Ifedi that were penalty machines, sack machines playing ahead of better players. Ill be done saying it but the finger episode was the last straw in his loosie goosy approach. It hurt the team and had to have made Russell's recovery harder possibly losing us close games the next 2 weeks. Coaches like any boss need to have some balls.
I would put Marshawn Lynch in the category during the 2015 season. His mom was tweeting crap about Wilson. Then he gets a hernia and disappears to California to rehab for 8 weeks. When he returns hes handed the starting job in the WC, took first team snaps all week and refused to get on the bus for the 50 below game in Minny. Christine Michael battled his tail off, outplayed AP and Lynch gets the start vs Carolina where he and Russ immediately hook up a pick 6 to Keuchly. He was completely ineffective and was irrelevant by Halftime in a 31-0 game. Again LOVE ME SOME BEAST. He should have sat. It couldn't have been worse.
Hasslebeck was more critical of the defense than the offense for a lack of teamwork and intensity. He said he saw things on the field the PC he played for wouldnt put up with. He cited the strip fumble recovered by the Bears and pointed out we had 1 guy dive for the ball and several others standing and watching. He referred to the defensive backs standing around such as the Bears first drive where the guy is laying on his back and Wags tiptoes in and missed him and the DBs were just watching as he picked up a first down. He said PC had a saying "pigpile" Its not the same.
My last issue with PC with his in game management and clock management. I can hardly remember a game we didn't burn a timeout to save a penalty. This season alone i can think of numerous times we stalled well across midfield and he passed up mid 50 yard FG attempts and had Dixon punt rather than go on 4th. A lack of faith in your team and your QB not to mention the kicker. Hes been bad but distance isn't his problem and if your gonna let him miss from 40 why not 55?
I've heard PC critics say the game has passed him by. I dont think that's true at all. Hes just always had a tendency to outthink himself at critical moments sometimes. From going for it on 4th and 2 vs Texas with Reggie Bush on the sidelines to multiple 4th down attempts in chip shot FG distance in a playoff loss by a FG to Atlanta in the 2012 divisional where rookie Russ broke the rookie playoff passing record set by Sammy Baugh in 1937 by 50 yards, 377 yards. Burnt timeouts prevented a possible TD before the half. An ice TO saved Atlanta on a missed kick
49
Does Russ want another year here? If he doesn't does PC want another year? He doesn't sound like hes ready to retire.
Id replace both. They are 2 of my all time favorite Hawks, the best ever at their position in team history. I think Pete's energy level is slipping, his standards are slipping. Hes too risk averse in todays analytical NFL. As much as his talent level helped there was a smash mouth hustling efficient unit on both sides of the ball when we were winning all the time . I dont trust him to start over cause hes not the guy that took over any more than Russell is.
I think Russ wants out. I dont think hes really too close to his teammates. Their body language shows frustration. My guess is hes angry about the criticism and booing.
I think something is slipping and it wont get better. Besides there is no talk of an extension so do you keep a guy with significant value now into his contract year when he may fall off a cliff? Even if hes playing well if you think hes a 500 lb. gorilla now just wait till hes got a new coach to break it.If he wants to go let him go. Get the haul now, spend it wisely.
I think its time. If nothing change's I hope I'm wrong about all of i because I dont want to watch another year like this.
