Is Mike Shanahan one of the NFL’s top 10 coaches?
Sports Illustrated’s poll has the Washington Redskins coach tied for 10th. That seems a tad optimistic.
Shanahan has lost something since winning consecutive Super Bowls in 1997-98. He’s still a good coach, but seems overextended by his czar powers given last season upon arriving in Washington.
Shanahan is a lesser version of New England coach Bill Belichick, who was ranked first with no dissent. The Patriots’ boss hasn’t won a Super Bowl in four years despite a runner-up finish, three division titles and 51 wins. There’s no one finer in the game today, though. The top-10 list should have the next person ranked No. 4.
Belichick’s tight-fisted rule is Shanahan’s way, too. Such heavy handedness is fine when winning titles, but a 6-10 mark with Washington and too much off-field, coach-player controversy last season stained Shanahan’s reputation.
Inflexibility was his downfall. Shanahan’s main stumbles were the 3-4 defense, Albert Haynesworth and Donovan McNabb.
Washington didn’t have the defensive personnel to convert from a 4-3 scheme, so Shanahan shouldn’t have made the change. No matter Haynesworth refused to play a 3-4, which was wrong by the player. You take the money, you do whatever your told. But moving Andre Carter to outside linebacker where he was neutralized, along with fellow outside backer Rocky McIntosh not playing well in that role, was a big reason why Washington fell to No. 31 defensively.
It didn’t have to happen, but Shanahan refused to admit his decision failed. It would be acceptable if simply a one-year rebuilding of the defense, but it’s not. There’s no way Washington plugs needed holes short of two more years at best.
The Haynesworth debacle was somewhat unavoidable for Shanahan given the defensive lineman didn’t want to cooperate. That said, Shanahan should have traded Haynesworth at the end of the preseason for whatever possible. Instead, Shanahan’s stubbornness kept Haynesworth around for a turbulent three months before suspending the player. Haynesworth now has no trade value. Coaches get fired for this mismanagement alone.
Ditto for the McNabb disaster. Shanahan infuriated fans over changing stories over McNabb’s benching. The whole thing looked awful. McNabb can’t really return and has no trade value.
These are not the actions of a top-10 coach, but someone on the fringe. The top-10 list includes Baltimore’s John Harbaugh, Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin, Green Bay’s Mike McCarthy and New Orleans’ Sean Payton. Coaches that simply win without drama. Only New York Jets coach Rex Ryan produces headlines and that’s just his DNA talking. At least he wins.
Shanahan’s career 138 victories and two Super Bowl rings may one day merit Pro Football Hall of Fame consideration. However, unless Shanahan reverses last season’s management debacles, the final impression will likely deny him Canton membership.
Examiner columnist Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Read more on Twitter @Snide_Remarks or email [email protected].
