Why does this have to be the case? Stefanski is the head coach, not the offensive coordinator. The guys coaching horribly in the other 2 phases of the game are not his peers. No, I’m not willing to throw my hands up and say, “aw shucks we need new ones.”
The head coach, or for a better description, the leader of the organization, has the ability to force adjustments. This team has been built according to Stefanski’s vision, all the way up to hiring the GM. Even he himself has admitted that he’s responsible for this, so why should we decide to give him a pass?
Mid season improvement is *absolutely* possible. Every year there are teams who get better in the second half and/or turn their season around after a difficult start.
The offense has been legitimately great. This year was chalked up as a lost one after the 11 game suspension because the offense was expected to be mediocre or worse. If you had told us here what the Browns’ offense metrics would look like 10 games in despite Watson’s suspension, we’d have said they could contend for the Super Bowl when he gets back because the Browns have the talent everywhere else on the roster to contend.
The head coach is not blameless when it comes to defense and special teams just because he calls plays. His hands off approach to those areas has failed, and as far as we know so far, he’s yet to change it. We’re grilling Woods for the same stubbornness when it comes to X’s and O’s, so I think it’s absolutely fair to be disappointed in Stefanski’s stubbornness to change from a managerial standpoint. It’s clear that the defensive locker room has been seriously damaged as a result, and some of that blame also lies on Kevin.
Excellent comment.
I don't think the defense is impossible to fix. I see teams lining up 10 guys within 5 yards of the line of scrimmage against us all the damn time, and when they read pass the right guys drop off and defend the pass. When they read run, all ten guys are up there trying to stuff it.
I don't see us doing that, ever. Do Stefanski and Woods ever watch game film to see how our opponents are fucking over our superb running game? Do they not know how to copy what works against us? With our supposedly excellent defensive backs we should be able to recover and defend even play action attacks. I just don't see us trying that, ever. I don't see us doing run blitzes to stuff gaps either, the way teams do against us. Very little blitzing at all, even though a talented defensive backfield should give you latitude to try to shake up the offense when they're cramming it down your throat.
And maybe in a particular game against a particular opponent that isn't the right approach. Then, you are paid to recognize that and make real time adjustments, and to have your players ready to execute those adjustments. But we don't adjust for shit on either side of the ball.
I don't see how it would have any negative effect if they shitcanned Woods right now, or I guess after the Tampa game. It would send a message to players who are lacking in focus and intensity. It would reflect directly on the players to haver their defensive coordinator fired during the season, and if that doesn't make them smell the coffee then nothing will, and you purge those guys from the roster.
But Stefanski is nothing if not a nice guy. He might just be the nicest guy ever. No way he would want to embarrass his buddy Joe Woods, would he? Or Priefer either? No, that's not his style. Stefanski could get in somebody's face (Woods and Priefer both) and demand they make adjustments that work. Maybe he has, but if so then those guys failed to produce results over and over again.
Does KS being an offensive minded head coach prohibit him from sitting and watching film with Woods, making recommendations and even demands for improvement? In my opinion that's right up there in his job description. If one of your reports is failing it makes you look bad and it's your responsibility as the head guy to assure effective corrective actions are being implemented. Has KS done that? I would say no. If he has even tried, then he has failed. If he hasn't tried then that's on him.
At some point Stefanski owns this shit show. For me that point happened after we lost about the third game that we should have won. For some of you I guess it's perfectly alright to continue to flush this season. Me, I want to see them try to win out, until any playoff hope is mathematically eliminated. One more loss and I think we're there. For a bunch of you I think you all gave up about 3 or 4 games ago. You do you.