I was looking for a good place to put this, and this seemed the best place atm without starting a new thread.
Kubiak knows how fast HC's can be hired in fired in this leauge, everyone knows from the fans to the waterboys. I doubt he loses his job this year even if the team doesnt win another game, but IMO anything less than a 7-9 season moves him from the hot seat to the fire next year. Mandating a 9+ win 09 season to keep his job. Another 8-8 or better season this year would at least give him another year of buffer.
I have officially jumped on the fire Richard Smith bandwagon, and I would be suprised to see him back next year. That said the biggest reason I believe that he will not lose his job midseason is the turnover margin. Yes the def needs to take away the ball more, yes they need to play better red zone def, and for the love of god they need to play all 60 minutes of the game.
Even so going into last weeks game the def was ranked 17th overall, middle of the pack not great but its been worse. Although the off was ranked 4th (I think that is what I saw) the turnovers should have made them much lower. When the off is turning the ball over that much, with quite a few in our own territory, it is hard for the def to get out there and make that many plays.
How do you fire a man when all you have done most of the year is set him up for failure? High scoring games? How many of those scores are def scores, how many are the def giving up points from a turnover that left the opponent in the red zone, and how many are just the def giving up points like most defs do?
I have said this before and I am going to say it again. Smith cannot be blamed for all of the def issues. Kubiak is the HC and no matter where he spends his time and effort the def is still part of his job. This D has no identity besides getting beat up though, they arent tough and unmovable, they aren fast and swarmig, they loosey goosey tacklers that just happen to be in the right place every 6 plays or so.
It could be the play calling by Smith, piss poor position coaching, bad scheme, bad personel, or just flat our bad coaching all around.
My point is unless the Off stops handing the ball to the opposing team with a kiss and a pat on the butt saying "go ahead and score big fellas we love you", Richard Smith will be the DC of this team until the season ends or right up against it when there is nothing to play for but maybe the pride they finally decided to pull out of their lockers and dust off.
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