At this point from our perspective, we don’t know what exactly Andy Reid and the Philadelphia Eagles are doing with regards to their defensive staff. We do know that Reid fired cornerback coach Johnny Lynn on Saturday.
The remaining members of the defensive staff, defensive coordinator Juan Castillo, defensive line coach Jim Washburn, linebackers coach Mike Caldwell, are safeties coach Mike Zordich are still there, but nobody knows for how long.
We don’t know whether they’re beating down the door of the recently fired St. Louis Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo, but somebody is. Spags who had been a linebacker for coach for the Eagles under Reid, was interviewed by Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post Dispatch last week and he’s not sure that he’s definitely going to resume coaching immediately.
Spags was getting ready to get away for a few days with his wife Marie, who just happens to be from South Philadelphia. Check out the former coach’s response to questions about what he’s going to be doing in the near future.
“In all honesty, I don’t know,” he said. “I was let go on Monday, and today’s Friday and I am very blessed in this way. The phone has been ringing. There has been contact [from several teams], but I have asked that everyone respect the fact that I need some time to figure out what I want to do next, and so far, everyone has.”
If I were guessing I think Spags will be a defensive coordinator or position coach for an NFL team next season.
“There are two extremes for what I’d ultimately like to do, and a lot of possibilities in between,” he said. “The extremes are (1) sitting out a year, or (2) getting another head coaching job. One is realistic, the other probably isn’t very realistic. No one has asked me to be a head coach yet and I’m not saying that is going to happen. But everything in between – like being a coordinator again, or maybe a position coach – yeah, those are both realistic possibilities. Would I think about a college job? No. I love this league too much.”
I would guess that Reid is one of the callers, but we do know that the Vikings Leslie Frazier, who had coached with Spags during his days as the Eagles secondary coach is talking the former Rams head coach about being Minnesota’s defensive coordinator.
Who would be a better defensive coordinator candidate to come in here and get the Eagles defense ready to go from day one of the 2012 regular season?
Spags wife Marie has family in the area and she was raised in South Philadelphia and loves her home town. I remember meeting her at Chickies and Pete’s during the time Spags was coaching the Eagles linebackers. She was there with some of the players’ wives during one of those Eagles shows and she’s pure Philadelphia with her opinions about everything. I could tell her husband had been teaching her quite a bit about the game.
During the Burwell interview Spags said he was even contemplating taking a year off and Marie commented on it.
“I know Steve, and I told him no way,” she said laughing. “There’s no way he will be able to sit around for a year doing nothing. … He loves coaching way too much to sit around idly for a year.”
Now, we’ve just got to hope that Marie is home sick enough to push Spags to bring her back home.
Johnny Lynn being let go is a step in the right direction. His group certainly had it’s issues this year, and it wasn’t a lack of talent. I guess if there is a move at DC, I would hope that AR let’s any new DC have input into who would be hired to replace Lynn.
I am not convinced that Spags is the best candidate available. It may may the Birds more attractive for him that his wife is from the area, but it shouldn’t matter to AR in making the choice. I actually think that Juan might survive.
My take on it is that Spags will not join the Eagles as DC with DL Coach Washburn still as the DL Coach.. Spags does not belive in the “Wide 9” Scheme and if he’s going to come in as the DC, he will want to run his scheme..
I believe Jeff Fisher will be annouced later on today as the Rams new Coach,
and perhaps there is s possibility of Fisher offering a DL/Asst Coach Position to Washburn so it would it appear as a Protmotion for Washburn to not infring of any Tampering Issues with the NFL.. If this is the Case, then Eagles would allow Washburn to move to Rams, and then HIre Spags as their DC and then make Castillo a Dl or lB Positions Coach.. Lots of moving parts going on right now.. I aslo believe the Indy COlts may hire Eagles Director of PLayer Personnel Ryan Grigson as their GM who would then Offer O/C MM a Head Coachign POsition to work with their #1 Pick in QB Andrew Luck and could also see PAgs being offered a DC postiion with th COlts.. Lots of calls and possibilities being made and right now it’s a waiting game but I have to believe if Spags wanted to Coach with the Eagles having Washburn remian as the DL line Coahc then it would probably have happened already…
Jack Del Rio could be another Candidate as DC.. Remember 1 important dynamic in the enitre Eagles Coching Staff Search.. It’s hard for a Coach who is now recognized as a “Lame Duck” Coach to go and ttract good quality Coaches who may not want to move and uproot their families on what coule be a 1 Year Win or done type of situation…
paul , our owner said the best way to get back in the tournament was to have a lame duck coach !
Greenfan – Johnny Lynn was a lurie/Reid scapegoat. As I was listening to WIP at 1:00 this morning, and he was saying that we as fans will not stop supporting our eagles but we have an owner who will keep reid around to keep the ticket sales and merchandise flowing. We’re so dedicated to our eagles and lurie knows that. Of all the crap on defense this year with JC, we fire the 2ndary coach? get the heck outta here with that reid/lurie excuse. Reid hiring JC was the stupidest (sp) thing in all of the 2011 NFL. What SB contending coach would hire a non Defensive coach like Castillo to get to a SB? Reid is the problem until he leaves and takes Juan castillo with him. Why is Johnny Lynn the scapegoat for reid and castillo’s inadequacies? Until Reid leaves, we won’t win a SB.
@ Rock- I agree completely that the Castillo hiring was the worst move in the NFL last season….OL coach who has NEVER been a coordinator at ANY level of the game, is moved to the defensive side of the ball and made a coordinator…it absolutely cost us games early in the season, which since we ended up one game out, cost us a playoff spot.
That being said, I do not believe that Lynn is the last move they will make. I will wait and see how things unfold to comment.
Aiight we’ll see.
As long as Reid is the coach we will be watching it all in January again. We had a HOF DC and we still couldn’t do it. Reid needs to go. I know that Lurie likes to reference the track record. 13 years of no rings is his track record. What makes anyone confident that he can win the Super Bowl? Maybe its more than getting rid of Reid, maybe Lurie should sell the team.
@Ozz…you can make a case that JJ was responsible for as much if not more of the Eagles success as AR. AR should recieve credit for hiring JJ, and for giving him the authority to manage everything defensively.
I disgreee that Lurie should sell the team….there are alot worse owners in the league. I believe that the guys cares about winning, but that he has developed a relationship and loyalty towards AR (much like AR has for Castillo) that will cause him to give AR multiple chances to get things turned around….based on former win / loss successes and a financially successful organization.
WHile we are talking defense – anyone else notice the #1 D (NFL.com team stats ranking) got beat by the # 20 ranked D team? If ‘Defenses’ win championships – shouldn’t the SB be San Fran verse Pitts? Could anyone else see the Super Bowl being Green Bay verse New England – whihc would place the two LOWEST ranked Ds in the NFL against each other in the Super Bowl –
now, before any of you go there – I double checked, and both teams had very competitive games they needed to come back and win – so it wasn;t like they went up 45-0 then coasted – for exmple – New England was down 21-0 to Buffalo and came back to win – New Orleans and Detriot also have pretty low ranked D
and last thought – if JJ was ‘responsible for as much or more’ then wouldn’t he also be responsible for the playoff loses? I know we love to play the blame game – but I think I remember the Eagles having the lead in the 4rth Qtr against Arizona – and Kurt Warner drinving the length of the field and then scoring the 2 pointer – now – would that make that lose JJs fault – cause Juan would get blamed for it – and Arizona was 9-7……
always fun to apply ‘standards’ to people that are both liked and not liked –
I still believe that the old “defense win championships” is the right way to build a long-standing successful team…but in a win or go home format, you can have one team match up better then others and have such results.
A strong defense helps all aspects of a team (limiting long drives, scoring points on defense, turnovers) just as a strong offense helps the defense by increased time of possession, limiting turnovers and having success in the red-zone….so it gets back to “championship” teams have to be strong in all aspects of the game (another cliche).
We have long had the question about the JJ’s lack of criticism over the AZ defensive failure. It is a real good question. Maybe we are all caught up in placing too much on the coaches and not with the players? I am actually starting to warm to Castillo staying around, feeling that he has already made a majority of the mistakes that were to be expected from a first year DC. They could go with know name guys like Morris from Tampa or Del Rio as DC’s but wonder if it is more a function of getting those defensive players to buy into what the DC is laying out and performing on the field. We have (2) corners on this team that are at or over 6’3″ and love to play bump and run…will we have a DC that will actually recognize this and match our scheme to the players we have?
“Pman-Spags does not belive in the “Wide 9″ Scheme and if he’s going to come in as the DC”. WHAT??? says who? when did you talk with him? when did you ask him? Tell your pool boy to shut it Pman.
BTW- anyone notice that the term “moving parts” is the new phrase to say? i hear it alll the time now. also add the words “at the end of the day” to the list too. Its the in fashion words of the season. lol.
as far as Marty leaving- fine by me. Bring back Chilly. i waatched him out here in MN and i will tell you 1 thing…. given the chance he would Run the ball.
Stevo
Childress is interviewing for the TB Bucs HC position today …
Some of you need to better understand the dynamics of a Coaching Staff..
Washburn runs a different scheme up front than Spags does.. It’s a fact..
Spags aspires to be a HC again in the near Future and is not about to let his
Reputation for a 1 Year Lame-Duck Coach going south and comporomise his schemes.. C’mon Stevo, your smarter than this ..Spags will not come back to Philly with DL Washburn in place and to be honest, Spags probably wouldn’t come back at all with AR still at the helm..
Navy- we do this all the time. But what else Does NE, GB, NO have that we do not? a top 5 QB.
these 3 teams can pull it off- the other 29 or so teams have to build a D as well. But since you brought it up….. Denver had a good day yesterday…. have you watched them much this year? I dont care what the stats say… their D is really really good. They can stop the run, they can stop the pass. Tebow is doing well but the D man!! Crazy.
Speaking of D…. remember the Giants a few years back? Remember how they got smashed in the SB but the high flying Pats?? i dont remember that either. They got their act together late in the season and destroyed good teams (not Miami, Dallas backups, jets, skins) PLAYOFF TEAMS and won it. by their D.
“At the end of the day”, you can point out that we dont have a top 5 qb all you want. They dont grow on trees. We didnt have an option to bring one in this year. The problem is….. Andy thinks we are one of these other 3 teams and builds this team to play with an 80 point lead. Thin, fast, uncoached. Thats our D.
Paulman and I would like you all to acknowledge that we were the only people on here who pointed out how horrible Johnny Lynne was as a coach. And the Eagles agree. Thanks Eagles. You did one thing right so far.
pman- thanks for the little shot at me. Just because i dont spew endless crap at the screen 24/7 in hopes that something sticks does not mean i dont understand coaching or the game.
1) Have you read ANYTHING that has been coming out? Did you hear about how Spags was “very interested in coming back”? Did you hear about how he “made up” with Andy?
2) As far as the ‘wide 9″ goes- it can be used at certain times. It could be used in connection with some blitzes. Spags (like JJ) wanted better pressure up front- this can give it to him.
3) The lame duck thing- crap crap crap. How many years do we have to hear you say this? Andy still calls the shots Pman….. always has….. and until he’s fired…. ALWAYS WILL. There is no reason to think the birds cant turn this around and compete. Spags could play a HUGE ROLL in it and IF they turned it around….. HE wold be the hero.
in all honesty, i dont care who they bring in….. JUST BRING IN A DC already. But i pick on you PMAN because you say things like you know…. and you clearly do not.
jbird- really? ground breaking stuff……. who would have thought that the guy who coached 3 probowlers into crap this year was worthless. I for 1 am floored. Well done boys-well done.
Rocko….Lynne was awful. Why are you whining about him? I bet I know why.
Navy….Good point on JJ. RIP he was out coached by Gruden and Charlie Weiss and Wisenhut. Against Rams and Saints he just didn’t have the personnel. Against Carolina, he did his job.
Stevo – not sure where you are going or what you want me to look at comment on – I agree with everything you say about top 5 QBs – I agree about Denver’s D –
disagree about who they beat – Miami was on a roll – they played the same Jets, the same cowboys (sorry that Babin hit Romos hand – shit happens) As a matter of fact – go back and look at the Ginats schedule and go back and look at the Eagles…. um…. we beat the skins twice – they lost twice – both beat cowboys twice – both lost to San Fron –
Giants gave up 400 points, we gave up 328…….. they had two tougher games…
no matter how you cut it – Birds should have won the Div – and didn’t – I disagree on your comments about the defense – try not turning the ball over 40 times in a season…… that might help you win one or two of those games and get in the playoffs.. to me – defense has a lot of promise – lot of young talent, lot of depth..
Stevo….just pointing out that no one talked about it and his track record spoke for itself before he got here. The guy is a failure. Hopefully his coaching days in the NFL are over.
Navy….I am not seeing promise you see. Safeties and LBs are mediocre and that needs to be fixed. Pass rush is great and I think the corners will be good if we hire a good secondary coach.
more on lynch……
actually… forget him…. more on his roster spot (i mean coaching spot), seems to me that getting rid of him was more about slide Juan there. You cant slide juan back to Oline for 2 reasons 1) um… mudd is there and he’s better. 2) new schemes for blocking and such. so….. now Juan has a new spot and they just need to land a DC.
jbird – loved JJ as much as the next guy – just get tired of people taking a TEAM game and trying to find blame on one and ‘elevate’ the other – I don;t know who is more pissed in the office today – the Steeler fan or the Bronco fan – the Bronco fan HATES Tebow and is furious Tebow is getting credit for the win –
and the Steeler fan – I confirmed this – stated she could give a shit about any year but this year – she just pulls out the how many Sbs they have when people dare try to mock them for losing…..
your right Jbird- i should spend more time talking about the teams assistant coaches. I feel like i DID actually call him out early in the season when i said…. “fire the entire D staff NOT nammed Washburn”. so in all fairness….. i called it first.
Jbird – hopefully that is the off season plan the Eagles have right there – I am not as down on the Safeties – I think Coleman and Allen made strides as the year went on – the Navy off season plan – depends on 2 things – Asante and Djax –
assume both are gone – needs S, LB, DT, OL and WR – need a guy dedicated to returning kicks and punts..
Navy…. I bitterly hate the Steelers. Bring up the SB they stole and tell her to suck it. I was elated by what happened yesterday. Now if the Giants can get put out I can sleep at night.
LOL rev on the Lynn predictions!!
Navy, im with you. I was not a HUGE jj guy the last 3 years he was here. He was VERY predictable. i was tired of his plan. I was very glad when they moved away from the “send the house” crap…. but now….. im just begging for a plan. i’d rather go with Cicil or whatever but ill take just about any DC at this point.
Navy, also with you on the plan. I like our safties but i still think we need 1 vet in there to start. overall we need more Vets to provide leadership. Our D needs like group building or something.
Stevo….we are just having fun. Stop being a fucking Douche. All I was saying is that not many people talked about Lynne. You don’t have to try to piss on me because I sided with Paulman on Lynne or because I stated that others didn’t talk about it. No you are right Stevo. You are the smartest guy on here. Feel better now??
btw- i would like thank my lord and savior Jesus Christ for my last post.
speaking of assistant defensive coaches….this was Caldwell’s first year as a full time assistant LB coach…combined with it having been Juan’s first year, that was some place that we needed some experience. If Casstillo is staying, I would also like to see a LB coach brought in to improve our situation there.
stevo just pulled a tebow
in all seriousness- as a Christian man who teaches the faith…. im blown away by Tebow…. but i also wish more focus would be put where it belongs… coaching and D.
greenfan, im with you 100%- the entire idea on D was bad. I mean really- say it aloud…… Gunna move the Oline coach to the DC spot. Gunna surround him with first time coaches….. gunna grab a great DL coach FROM ANOTHER TEAM, his DLsystem will put lots of pressure on our young crappy LB’s, gunna start a runt MLB, gunna have like 5 new starters on D…dont worry….like 3 will be rookies AND…. guna do it all with little or no off season.
wow- Lynn really screwed us. lol.
@stevo…because of your “day-job” I was wondering…with respect to all of the criticism Tebow gets in much of the media, do you see a difference with the way they covered Reggie White who had similar views? Is it more a function of more media outlets these days…or maybe Reggie had a better sense of humor!! Just wondering your thoughts.
jbird- relax man, its monday. Great…. now ive turned into NAVY. Please forgive me jbird. Im on your side.
great q. heres my take…..
1. Reggie was the best at his spot. Tebow is not.
The fans and everyone know that this will not last. He clearly cannot be the starter there forever. The WR’s are buying into it and blocking. The Line is smashing….. its the only way they can win this year. But its not a long term plan. The world is just waiting for this to fail.
2. The idea that God cares what team wins is crap. In fact…. i (as a minister) dont even believe that God causes alot of what we do. I think he loves us and guides us… but i dont think he MAKES things happen day in and day out. TEBOW dances with that thought…. and it bothers people….. it bothers me. PLUS…. i think people cram him in with all other “believers” and assume he’s this or that.
forgive me if i came off as preaching. I do believe that our God is for us. and loves us. i was only answering a q so please dont shoot me.
hold on here – jbird – did you just tell Stevo he was the smartest on here – no – that’s my title – I will feel inferior if not given constant reinforcement –
Nope – can’t be me Stevo -alreay got Greenfan with a man crush on me –
Stevo – serious question – are you a ‘Chaps’ – could you answer GFs question above about Tebow? I think any dude that can do what he does as gracefully as he does it, articualte, well spoken, no drugs, not paying support to 5 baby mommas (I think it was Cromartie in San Deigo that had like 7?) a role model as a person and student – THAT BASTARD – I hate him – can I introduce you to my daughter?
thanks for that response – very well written (clap, clap, clap)
I am a youth minister lutheran church.Been doing YM fornearly 15 years. Also going to sem so i will prolly be a full blown pastor someday. I LOVE what Tebow is doing. He’s using his 1 chance (prolly a short chance) to point to the Love of God. Its funny to watch how some people trully hate him for what he believes. Crazy right?
Good for you – I have the utmost of respect for people that give time and effort to help kids out today – not enough role models (like Tebow or that hoop player from BYU) – . Parents acting like crazy nuts getting hyper involved in sports and school but then letting them do crazy things like drink and party.. now I’m preaching –
good luck in Sem…
yeah Stevo..thanks for the response. I agree that God does not have “any time” for helping one team win over another…it doesn’t mean a thing in His grand scheme.
I also agree that his window for success is probably limited….I am a fan of what he has been doing and the way he is doing it, but just the “the wildcat” from a few years ago, give it a little time an there will be a defensive answer and then what?? I think that John Elway is in a tough position…he wants his team to win deeper into the playoffs, but it makes it tougher and tougher to tie his teams future to his play.
Plain & simple! We lost because the middle of our DF (DT, LB’s, Safeties) is inferior, our QB,s are wastes of $$$, & all of you know my opinions on our coaching staff.
BTW, you all are a bunch of clowns. LOL! Navy, you are not smart, you sit by the computer, with an encyclopedia, dictionary, & use Google, like the rest of us! LMFBO!!!
agreed GF- if im Elway i still draft or bring in a QB but i give Tebow time on the field. I ove him around…. let the guy play RB/WR/QB… heck…. he’s prolly better at LB than the guys we have here. Maybe he can even be a coach…. lol. If Juan can do it… he can.
tebow at LB….lol rev!!
agree DCar…there are a bunch of idiots on this site, myself included
D – man…. not smart…… ahhhhh…. ahhhhh….. I can by memory list every president…….. oh no…… ahhhhh
our DTs were fine – what I want to know is how Landri intially got cut – all you Washburn lovers (hey I like him to) – we got lucky there. I’ll take it –
Jenkins, Landri, Patterson, Dixon and Laws and get one more and let them fight it out – I don;t care which ones – just the best ones – maybe see Jenkins play DE more (like Walker used to do) on run downs
green – you ever seen post exchanges between me and D – that is some serious ball busting….. he’s been hiding from me over the holidays.
prediction:
Spags joins the team as Asst. Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator
Juan Castillo will be moved to DB coach
navy- agree agree agree- i dont get it…. this is the stuff i was saying last week when you branded me a hater. Im lost…..