for display only
Big Blue Interactive The Corner Forum  
Back to the Corner

Archived Thread

This will be Spags’ 3rd SB as DC. Thoughts on the job

Big Blue '56 : 1/27/2021 11:23 am
he’s done with KC despite being overshadowed by a prolific O?
His "attack" approach  
Bubba : 1/27/2021 11:28 am : link
works well when your opponent is constantly behind.
Kudos to Reid. He knew what type of defense he needed to build  
Zeke's Alibi : 1/27/2021 11:35 am : link
and the right guy to coordinate it. Their one kyptonite is a team that can beat them upfront physically and run the ball and why the Raiders beat them once and almost a second time.
RE: His  
chuckydee9 : 1/27/2021 11:35 am : link
In comment 15135806 Bubba said:
Quote:
works well when your opponent is constantly behind.


It think it works really well as long as he has the players.. It doesn't need a great offense to work.. When you take away the talent no defensive cordinator outside of BB can make the defense work..
I think he has done an excellent job un KC.  
Section331 : 1/27/2021 11:39 am : link
I was not one of his fanboys here, I thought he did well when he had a lot of talent, but tried to too often force the issue when he didn't. I think the KC D has talent, but it isn't like the 2007 Giants D.

While playing with a lead, and behind an offense opponents know is going to score points, is a significant benefit, I still think Spags has done a terrific job here. He was prone to too many blitzes, leaving DB's on an island too often, but he seems to have found the right mix.
RE: His  
robbieballs2003 : 1/27/2021 11:40 am : link
In comment 15135806 Bubba said:
Quote:
works well when your opponent is constantly behind.


That's not true. There were a bunch of times last year where the D was the reason for the victory. KC had plenty of games last year where they started out slow offensively. Spags deserves a ton of credit.
I will always love  
rocco8112 : 1/27/2021 11:43 am : link
Spags for 2007.

Glad he has a shot to win another one.
Spags has found his level...  
bw in dc : 1/27/2021 11:49 am : link
He's a very good DC.

I don't think he does anything special or unorthodox, but I do appreciate his aggressive nature and how he forces other teams to deal with pressure to make plays.

Because there are plays to be made against his defense, especially this Chiefs D...
.  
Danny Kanell : 1/27/2021 12:12 pm : link
If talent were equal, I still much prefer Spags’ style to Graham’s style. I prefer an aggressive defense to a bend but don’t break defense every time. He’s done a good job in KC.
His defense is very precise and exacting on players...  
sb from NYT Forum : 1/27/2021 12:13 pm : link
...so that his best playmakers can make plays. If players use shit technique then his defense won't work.

I would say it's not scheme-dependent, but technique dependent. It takes time to learn and do right.

In 2007 we had consummate, intelligent pros like Strahan, Tuck, Pierce, and Osi in the front 7 and Madison and McQuarters in the backfield. Right now the Spags is working with similar players in KC.
Doing a real nice job this playoff run  
JB_in_DC : 1/27/2021 12:25 pm : link
Browns held to 17 (25.5 pts/g avg - 14th in league), Bills to 24 (31.3 pts/g avg - 2nd in league).
Happy for Spags  
Mike in NY : 1/27/2021 12:41 pm : link
His scheme is still boom or bust, especially in close games, but with the horses it can be executed. Would not be surprised if a number of the coaching staff on that D are looked at for DC positions in the future.

Brendan Daly, their DL Coach/Run Game coordinator, also coached with Judge in New England.

Sam Madison, their DB coach, requires no further explanation.
Spags is kind of a one trick pony  
Greg from LI : 1/27/2021 12:53 pm : link
But, when he has the right players, it's a really good trick. When he doesn't, he has had some really bad defenses.

He's a good DC, but not a versatile one. He isn't capable of making the kind of adjustments Belichick made in the 1990 playoff run.
Crazy career  
GiantsRage2007 : 1/27/2021 12:54 pm : link
2 SB wins, maybe a 3rd upcoming & also had a couple of the worst defenses (statistically) in the history of the NFL too.
RE: Spags is kind of a one trick pony  
chuckydee9 : 1/27/2021 1:03 pm : link
In comment 15135941 Greg from LI said:
Quote:
But, when he has the right players, it's a really good trick. When he doesn't, he has had some really bad defenses.

He's a good DC, but not a versatile one. He isn't capable of making the kind of adjustments Belichick made in the 1990 playoff run.


I get it that he is not Belichick.. but no one else is.. Spags is as good as most of the other good DCs.. the 2007 playoff run against 3 of the best offenses and we held them all down.. It was because of lot of adjustments and proper game planning..
Spags  
PaulN : 1/27/2021 1:37 pm : link
Has always been a very good defensive coordinator, when his players perform his schemes work just fine. He is not a great defensive coordinator, not in my opinion, but three rings are a lot of proof he is very good.
He has proven he is a very good, top defensive coordinator  
PatersonPlank : 1/27/2021 1:45 pm : link
the results bear that out. You can dis him on a season here or there, like any coordinator or HC, but they guy produces.
Jimmy Johnson  
PaulN : 1/27/2021 2:09 pm : link
That is where Spags defensive philosophy comes from without question. Jimmy Johnson was also a very good defensive coordinator.
Great coach  
rasbutant : 1/27/2021 2:30 pm : link
Giants were lucky to have him.
RE: Jimmy Johnson  
Big Blue '56 : 1/27/2021 2:46 pm : link
In comment 15136069 PaulN said:
Quote:
That is where Spags defensive philosophy comes from without question. Jimmy Johnson was also a very good defensive coordinator.


Yeah, Belichick, Jim Johnson and Buddy Ryan and LeBeau were 4 of the best DCs in my lifetime
Spags has coached, IIRC, 4 of the  
Section331 : 1/27/2021 3:39 pm : link
worst 6 defenses in NFL history (might be 7 after the Cowboys disaster this year). You can claim that he didn't have the talent with those teams, that is true, but he showed no ability to adapt to the personnel he had. We saw it here in 2015 and 2017. Those defenses weren't just bad, they were horrific. That has to go on his record as well.
RE: Spags has coached, IIRC, 4 of the  
Ten Ton Hammer : 1/27/2021 4:51 pm : link
In comment 15136192 Section331 said:
Quote:
worst 6 defenses in NFL history (might be 7 after the Cowboys disaster this year). You can claim that he didn't have the talent with those teams, that is true, but he showed no ability to adapt to the personnel he had. We saw it here in 2015 and 2017. Those defenses weren't just bad, they were horrific. That has to go on his record as well.


They are on his record..No one's going to look at that when he has 3 rings. Nor should they. The rings are much more significant.
RE: RE: Spags has coached, IIRC, 4 of the  
section125 : 1/27/2021 8:33 pm : link
In comment 15136290 Ten Ton Hammer said:
Quote:
In comment 15136192 Section331 said:


Quote:


worst 6 defenses in NFL history (might be 7 after the Cowboys disaster this year). You can claim that he didn't have the talent with those teams, that is true, but he showed no ability to adapt to the personnel he had. We saw it here in 2015 and 2017. Those defenses weren't just bad, they were horrific. That has to go on his record as well.



They are on his record..No one's going to look at that when he has 3 rings. Nor should they. The rings are much more significant.


They were horrific, but for some reason Andy Reid hired him. Guess he wasn't that bad..
RE: RE: RE: Spags has coached, IIRC, 4 of the  
Mike in NY : 1/27/2021 8:54 pm : link
In comment 15136474 section125 said:
Quote:
In comment 15136290 Ten Ton Hammer said:


Quote:


In comment 15136192 Section331 said:


Quote:


worst 6 defenses in NFL history (might be 7 after the Cowboys disaster this year). You can claim that he didn't have the talent with those teams, that is true, but he showed no ability to adapt to the personnel he had. We saw it here in 2015 and 2017. Those defenses weren't just bad, they were horrific. That has to go on his record as well.



They are on his record..No one's going to look at that when he has 3 rings. Nor should they. The rings are much more significant.



They were horrific, but for some reason Andy Reid hired him. Guess he wasn't that bad..


If you have the pass rushers, Spags is great. Without them the D goes to sh*t. Andy Reid knew he had the horses so Spags was a great hire. Someone like Graham is better for what the Giants currently are.
echoing the comments above -  
Del Shofner : 1/27/2021 9:32 pm : link
First, I like Spags and will always think well of him for the job he did with the Giants.

Second, I think the point made above - that Spags is great as a DC when he has the horses for his system, but not versatile enough when he doesn't - is a fair one.

Third, he's a very good DC but not head coach material.

I'm not sure whether I have any rooting interest either way in this Super Bowl but Spags would lean me towards the Chiefs. Although in a perverse way the Giants' hex on Brady makes me kinda want to root for the Bucs. In other words - we're the only ones who can stop him.
RE: echoing the comments above -  
bronxct1 : 1/28/2021 8:54 am : link
In comment 15136503 Del Shofner said:
Quote:
First, I like Spags and will always think well of him for the job he did with the Giants.

Second, I think the point made above - that Spags is great as a DC when he has the horses for his system, but not versatile enough when he doesn't - is a fair one.

Third, he's a very good DC but not head coach material.

I'm not sure whether I have any rooting interest either way in this Super Bowl but Spags would lean me towards the Chiefs. Although in a perverse way the Giants' hex on Brady makes me kinda want to root for the Bucs. In other words - we're the only ones who can stop him.


That take went out the door when Foles and the Eagles beat beat Brady
Some posit  
Daniel in MI : 1/28/2021 3:29 pm : link
and I think it's fair, the deeper you go in the playoffs, the more coaching matters because talent disparities decrease.

The question for a coach at his position is: can I win a SB with him there? He's proven 2x you can. Possibly 3 soon.
If he has the team he can win with it.

His Ds are boom/bust, but I'd rather that than safe enough to never be blamed but never win it all either.

Can he take his'n and beat your'n, then turn around and take your'n and beat his'n?* Maybe not.

But he can take his'n and beat the living shit out of your'n if he's got the players.


(*Bum Phillips quote about what a great coach can do, speaking of Bear Bryant. If you don't recognize that quote, do you even football, bro?)
RE: RE: RE: RE: Spags has coached, IIRC, 4 of the  
FStubbs : 1/28/2021 6:16 pm : link
In comment 15136486 Mike in NY said:
Quote:
In comment 15136474 section125 said:


Quote:


In comment 15136290 Ten Ton Hammer said:


Quote:


In comment 15136192 Section331 said:


Quote:


worst 6 defenses in NFL history (might be 7 after the Cowboys disaster this year). You can claim that he didn't have the talent with those teams, that is true, but he showed no ability to adapt to the personnel he had. We saw it here in 2015 and 2017. Those defenses weren't just bad, they were horrific. That has to go on his record as well.



They are on his record..No one's going to look at that when he has 3 rings. Nor should they. The rings are much more significant.



They were horrific, but for some reason Andy Reid hired him. Guess he wasn't that bad..



If you have the pass rushers, Spags is great. Without them the D goes to sh*t. Andy Reid knew he had the horses so Spags was a great hire. Someone like Graham is better for what the Giants currently are.


This. Our current roster on defense would be a horrible unit with Spags' scheme.
He's good  
Semipro Lineman : 1/28/2021 6:59 pm : link
but Perry Fewell was better at getting more from a less talented defense.
Back to the Corner