Don't Blame "Moneyball" for Bad Coaching

As I've been pointing out ad nauseum, this is an extremely young, rebuilding team.  

But I read this article, and it just made sense.  Vinnie Lyer is blaming Hue Jackson.

Usually when I read this stuff, it's garbage, but Vinnie backed it up.

I won't rehash what Vinnie wrote here.  Instead, I'll make my own anti-Hue case (most of which will sound familiar):

Wait: Hue Jackson does not have Corey Coleman or a quarterback.  He just lost Joe Thomas.  Some of this is not his fault.  It's not all black and white.

1:  Not accepting that penalty was really dumb.

2: Penalties, penalties, penalties.

3: Very little zone-blocking for Isaiah Crowell.

4: Hue doesn't seem to want DeValve and Njoku on the field at the same time.  These are two huge, reliable, dangerous targets, but instead of adjusting his offense to his personnel, he insists on using two "official" wide receivers most of the time.

4a: The first of these wide receivers is Kenny Britt.  No madder wudd.

5: I knew that one week off wouldn't fix Kizer.  I knew that one game does not define Hogan.  But he just had to start Kizer, and there ya go.

*Putting Kessler in most recently wasn't a bad move.  And Cody was moving up and down the field til Big Joe went down.  Don't blame Kessler for Drango's being overmatched.  Joe Thomases don't grow on trees*

Well I think that's all I got.  Hue Jackson isn't an idiot, but he has absolutely not adapted his offense to his personnel.  Where did that reputation come from?  I bought it hook/line/sinker!

If Hue Jackson were truly innovative and adaptable, he would have demoted Kenny Britt.  And when Corey Coleman went down, he would have run more two and even three tight end sets.

I get the theory: You have to have at least one guy who can take the lid off the defense, or else the safety can come down and mess up the short stuff.

But gimme a break:  If those "other" recievers are bigger and taller than some of your linebackers, they are going to come down with well-thrown balls!  

Head Coaches tend to be blockheads.  Even some of the better ones.  Not dumb.  Just "set in their ways".  That's what Hue looks like to me.

Consider this:  Who do people call a rookie quarterback's "best friend?"  A pass-catching tight end.  A "big target".  No need to overthink this!

A truly out-of-the box thinker would have the balls to invent a new offense!  How do you stop three tight ends, when two of them can run and catch like wide receivers and the other one aint chopped liver himself?

Come ON, man, how do you cover all these always open all the time giants?  You can't!  You CAN'T, and it doesn't matter who you put on them, or how many.  Five yards, 12 yards, 22 yards who cares?  Yeah bring that deep safety up in here we got sumpin for him!

And maybe DeValve and Njoku aint ready to push defensive ends around, but isn't it nice to think about them smashing defensive backs downfield for Duke or Crow? 

Guys like this are precious, because (when lined up in-line), they can "chip" a defensive end (ie eliminate his edge-rush and let the big slow tackle get his mitts on him and defend a smaller area) and still get downfield for a pass.

Jeez, how does a defense cover all these big guys without leaving your one wide receiver single-covered, and Hue?  Why the HELL can't that guy be Kasen Williams or Ricardo Louis!?

Oh yeah.  Eggzzbeereeunzz.

Listen, Hue:  Luke Kuekles don't grow on trees either.  Williams has Jamie Collins, and look what opposing tight ends do to him!  What have you got to lose?

LET YOUR BEST PLAYERS PLAY.  BENCH THE GUYS WHO SCREW UP.  PERIOD.

Anyway, Vinnie Lyer is pointing right at the elephant in the room, and telling you the Emperor is nekkid.  The "moneyball" guys are building a talented team from the ground up.

Gregg Williams is exploiting that talent.  Hue Jackson is not.

I hope that as Hue grows more desperate for wins, he will, in his desperation, consider some of the outlandish (yet obvious) stuff like this, because I really like him, and know he's got genius stuffed in a box labelled "break glass in case of emergency" or something.

It's anybody's guess who starts at quarterback this week, but it's early and in London, so maybe for once he'll let his best players play, bench his bad players, and give the to-be-named quarterback a CHANCE for once dammit...

Hue? Please, just let your best players play, regardless of experience, reputation, or salary, or even position.  Dare to be different.

Start Kevin Hogan in London, run 2 and 3 tight end sets, zone-block, read/option, and bench Britt.  Get tf out of that fkng box.

But I digress: Everybody is trying to burn Sashi and DePodesta at the stake, but Vinnie and I think with our brains.  Hue Jackson has enough talent to win.  He hasn't used it right.

The Emperor has no clothes.  Deal with it.