79-84-1

[JBUCK66]

And now in the Lewis cringeworthy stat that makes him the Susan Lucci of NFL head coaches (Lewis’ own words, not mine) — he will overtake Norm Van Brocklin for second next year on most games coached without a playoff victory. Jim Mora leads with 237 followed by Van Brocklin (173) and Lewis (164). Mora was 0-6 in the postseason (0-4 Saints, 0-2 Colts). Van Brocklin never coached a team that made the playoffs.

However, Lewis will overtake Mora for most games coached with one team without a playoff win. Mora coached 171 games with the Saints and was 93-78 in 10-plus seasons with New Orleans. Lewis will enter his 11th year at 79-84-1. Van Brocklin’s career mark was 66-100-7.


it is what it is

 

[cincygrad]

 

[CrashDavisSports]

3 out of 4 years.

 

[bengaldoug]

3 out of 4 years.

What's the point of being in the playoffs if you NEVER advance? They need to improve drastically to compete with the top of the conference.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

What's the point of being in the playoffs if you NEVER advance? They need to improve drastically to compete with the top of the conference.

Means they are competitive during the season and able to win games, now they just have to figure out a way to get over the hump in the playoffs. Not facing the Texans would be a good start. I think playing in front of the home crowd scares the hell out of Dalton more than he admits.

 

[bengaldoug]

Means they are competitive during the season and able to win games, now they just have to figure out a way to get over the hump in the playoffs. Not facing the Texans would be a good start. I think playing in front of the home crowd scares the hell out of Dalton more than he admits.

I think Dalton panics when he's under pressure, and his decision making mechanism freezes.....I'm not sure he can ever conquer that, but he has two years left on his contract to show us if he can....

 

[flamingrey]

It means that outside of 2 teams, the AFC just really really sucks right now.

There are probably 4 AFC playoff teams that would not even sniff the playoffs had they been playing in the NFC.

 

[cincygrad]

It means that outside of 2 teams, the AFC just really really sucks right now.

There are probably 4 AFC playoff teams that would not even sniff the playoffs had they been playing in the NFC.

I think the league has a few very good teams and a handful of very bad teams. I think this is true of both the NFC and AFC. I didn't think the Redskins or Minnesota were all that great or much different than the Bengals and Colts.

 

[flamingrey]

1. I would put Denver, NE, SF, GB among the top.

2. Very close behind are probably Seattle, Atlanta, Washington, Minnesota, and maybe Houston.

3. Then Baltimore, Indianapolis, Dallas.

4. Then teams like Cincinnati, New Orleans, Giants.

Minnesota is in a tough division and they beat some of the best teams, and hung in well in the ones they lost. The Redskins I could see dropping a tier lower. I might argue bumping Seattle and Atlanta both up one. And even Indianapolis I could see dropping a tier lower.

But in the end, you count the teams in the top 2 tiers and it's full of NFC teams. And the teams in the lower tiers, the NFC is still evenly matched up with the AFC.

I see very good parity in the NFC and pretty good parity in the AFC. But between the two, imo the NFC blows the AFC away.

 

[DanBengalfan]

Seattle and Atlanta might be hard to evaluate, they are improving.

The Saints have the ability to launch back to the top, Brees is good enough, but the rest of the team needs to recover from everything.

 

[flamingrey]

Seattle and Atlanta might be hard to evaluate, they are improving.

The Saints have the ability to launch back to the top, Brees is good enough, but the rest of the team needs to recover from everything.

I agree, but I was looking at the teams as a whole this year. I do still think they're one of the better teams in the league, but were unfortunate to have so many distractions. They'll be back next season.

 

[cincygrad]

The Saints need to fix that defense. Brees really started pressing this year and who could blame him with the way his defense gave up yards/points.

I think the NFC clearly has some of the better young talent for the future. The Niners, Seahawks and Packers are all built for now and for the next few years. I'm not sure you could say the same about the Patriots, Steelers, and Ravens though the Patriots are young in a lot of places. It will be interesting to see how the traditional powers re-tool their rosters and how long the franchise quarterbacks continue playing at a high level. Given all the protection quarterbacks get these days, it's plausible that they'll all continue playing at an all-pro level well into their late thirties.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

The Saints need to fix that defense. Brees really started pressing this year and who could blame him with the way his defense gave up yards/points.

I think the NFC clearly has some of the better young talent for the future. The Niners, Seahawks and Packers are all built for now and for the next few years. I'm not sure you could say the same about the Patriots, Steelers, and Ravens though the Patriots are young in a lot of places. It will be interesting to see how the traditional powers re-tool their rosters and how long the franchise quarterbacks continue playing at a high level. Given all the protection quarterbacks get these days, it's plausible that they'll all continue playing at an all-pro level well into their late thirties.

That entire Patroits team changes once Brady retires, kinda like what the Colts did without Peyton Manning last year when he was hurt. Everyone may praise the BB system, but I think it is more Brady than it is BB. That Patroits team was very average when Bledsoe was QB.

 

[cincygrad]

That entire Patroits team changes once Brady retires, kinda like what the Colts did without Peyton Manning last year when he was hurt. Everyone may praise the BB system, but I think it is more Brady than it is BB. That Patroits team was very average when Bledsoe was QB.

They went 11-5 with Matt Fucking Cassel.

I don't discount Tom Brady -- One of the best of our generation and probably one of the best of all-time. But don't discount BB.

I'm just not sure it's a given that either will be there in another 3 seasons.

 

[flamingrey]

With Gronk, Hernandez, and an improving running game, I think they'll be fine when Brady is ready to hand over the reigns (probably not for a while).

 

[JBUCK66]

BB will just go find the next Brady...just like Indy did.

just like I suggested Cinci do. remember:

'one year suck, then draft luck'.........this concept is so simple yet because we live in a 'now' society, most teams won't do it or don't get it.

 

[Tubbs1518]

With Gronk, Hernandez, and an improving running game, I think they'll be fine when Brady is ready to hand over the reigns (probably not for a while).

What do you think they do with Mallett? Keep him there until Brady retires? Trade him for some picks soon, try and trade Brady before he completely falls off and bring in a kings ransom?

 

[Tubbs1518]

BB will just go find the next Brady...just like Indy did.

just like I suggested Cinci do. remember:

'one year suck, then draft luck'.........this concept is so simple yet because we live in a 'now' society, most teams won't do it or don't get it.

There is very rarely a Luck or a Griffin in the draft.

 

[DanBengalfan]

New England will still do well with Mallet. They're bringing him along the right way. Tom Brady is good, but its only a matter of time before he goes down with an injury, this is football.

 

[flamingrey]

What do you think they do with Mallett? Keep him there until Brady retires? Trade him for some picks soon, try and trade Brady before he completely falls off and bring in a kings ransom?

Mallet will never start for the Patriots. That's my opinion. Brady has too many very good years left - let alone 2 - for Mallet to ever get that chance. I think they may attempt to trade him before he walks away on his own, but they won't get much for him given that - unlike Kolb, Flynn, Cassel, etc - he hasn't had a real opportunity to showcase himself to give him any real value.

If Brady and the Patriots weren't perennial SB contenders, then I'd advocate they trade him in 2 years and hand the reigns to Mallet as he becomes a FA, assuming obviously they like what they see in him. But given Brady makes them legitimate contenders year after year to win the whole thing, it would never happen, nor should it imo.

Edit: I just realized Brady will be 36 years old by the time the season starts. In that case, I'd give myself 2 years of trying to win another one with Brady and then just allowing him to walk (contract runs out at the same time Mallet would have to be re-upped). Anything they might get in a trade in a year wouldn't be worth giving up trying one more year to win it all.