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Jim Caldwell?s extension gives guarantee through 2018 now signs w/ dolphins

I'm hoping for the 9-7, 10-6 finish and no wild cards so Quinn can say good job finishing out. Here's your extension on your extension.
 
I think the question of what Caldwell brings over an average coach is a great one. Obviously there are the things we can't really see as fans: do players like/trust him, does he motivate people, does he have a great eye in the film room. But, where does Caldwell rank in the things we can assess?

Does the team come prepared for every game? Do they appear to know the opponent's tendencies and adjust their tactics to squeeze out advantages? ... No, clearly not.

Does he manage the clock well, giving the team time when it needs and chewing up clock when the other team needs it? ... Jeez, Caldwell might literally be the worst time manager in the game right now.

Does he challenge well? That is, does he throw the flag when it's likely to go his way and does he hold the flag when it won't? Does he throw the flag when a play really matters, or just to get 3rd and 2 instead of 3rd and 1? ... Caldwell is actually pretty good with winning challenges, consistently winning half or better of his red flags.

Does he bring a positive identity to the team, consistently bringing out the best in a specific group or area of play? ... Given the wildly inconsistent play on both sides of the field, and the relatively invisible upgrades (not related to getting better players) to any groups, I can't think of what identity he might bring.

So basically, Caldwell is good at calling challenges, bad at managing time, and makes no discernible difference anywhere else. If we consider him at fault for the poor starts to games and his choice of coordinators (JBC), he only falls below average. I wouldn't be terribly upset if they kept him until they could opt out, but I really don't see anything about his tenure that screams "keep this guy." Caldwell seems like the poster boy for coaches who won't kill your team, but won't make them any better either.
 
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I think the question of what Caldwell brings over an average coach is a great one. Obviously there are the things we can't really see as fans: do players like/trust him, does he motivate people, does he have a great eye in the film room. But, where does Caldwell rank in the things we can assess?

Does the team come prepared for every game? Do they appear to know the opponent's tendencies and adjust their tactics to squeeze out advantages? ... No, clearly not.

Does he manage the clock well, giving the team time when it needs and chewing up clock when the other team needs it? ... Jeez, Caldwell might literally be the worst time manager in the game right now.

Does he challenge well? That is, does he throw the flag when it's likely to go his way and does he hold the flag when it won't? Does he throw the flag when a play really matters, or just to get 3rd and 2 instead of 3rd and 1? ... Caldwell is actually pretty good with winning challenges, consistently winning half or better of his red flags.

Does he bring a positive identity to the team, consistently bringing out the best in a specific group or area of play? ... Given the wildly inconsistent play on both sides of the field, and the relatively invisible upgrades (not related to getting better players) to any groups, I can't think of what identity he might bring.

So basically, Caldwell is good at calling challenges, bad at managing time, and makes no discernible difference anywhere else. If we consider him at fault for the poor starts to games and his choice of coordinators (JBC), he only falls below average. I wouldn't be terribly upset if they kept him until they could opt out, but I really don't see anything about his tenure that screams "keep this guy." Caldwell seems like the poster boy for coaches who won't kill your team, but won't make them any better either.

Who cares if the players like him? Players always like their coaches. One or two players maybe not but when do we ever see or hear about a team of players hating their coach. The guy can't coach. And he's the one that keeps selecting these piss poor OC. That's on him as well. The only way he stays is if Quinn and Martha decide being mediocre is okay.
 
Who cares if the players like him? Players always like their coaches. One or two players maybe not but when do we ever see or hear about a team of players hating their coach. The guy can't coach. And he's the one that keeps selecting these piss poor OC. That's on him as well. The only way he stays is if Quinn and Martha decide being mediocre is okay.

Being liked by the players isn't about touchy-feely kumbaya playing. It's just a question of motivation. If you like a coach, you're likely to play harder for him. That doesn't really seem to be the case, but players probably like that he's willing to take the blame all the time. We can't really know how that one plays out behind the scenes anyway, so it wasn't really a factor in the first place.

I think the team can do better. But at the same time, Martha has been around a long time. She, better than most, probably understands that mediocre is way above average for the Lions. We can bemoan it all day, but reality is that the Lions are still in the midst of growing up from league laughingstock to forgettably average. This is NOT a contender, much less a perennial contender that everybody takes notice of. I can absolutely understand how management might see a mediocre coach as something comfortably stable. We haven't even been average long enough (consistently enough) to say this all won't blow up with someone worse.
 
Being liked by the players isn't about touchy-feely kumbaya playing. It's just a question of motivation. If you like a coach, you're likely to play harder for him.

How's that working out. Players seem to like Hue Jackson as well. Players are probably the worse to ask opinions of when it comes to coaches..
 
Only 6 or 7 teams would be able to say they made playoffs 3 of last four years this year. If Detroit makes it, Caldwell would be coaching one of those teams. Win out
 
The thing that cracks me up about Caldwell is that whenever anyone describes him, they usually literally every adjective in the book other than saying, "he's a good coach."

Leader of men, calm, etc...
 
I think Caldwell is a guy every team would love to have in their organization.....but not as a head coach. Some kind of assistant head coaching position that has no responsibilities.

He is a good man. Guys do love him. You want people like that in your locker room. But he's a terrible head coach. Just, really bad.
 
I think Caldwell is a guy every team would love to have in their organization.....but not as a head coach. Some kind of assistant head coaching position that has no responsibilities.

He is a good man. Guys do love him. You want people like that in your locker room. But he's a terrible head coach. Just, really bad.

He would be fine as a figurehead if he had people under him. But instead he has no one... were on our 2nd oc who has never called plays or have his own playbook. Being a good man obviously isnt enough.
 
Only 6 or 7 teams would be able to say they made playoffs 3 of last four years this year. If Detroit makes it, Caldwell would be coaching one of those teams. Win out

Yeah, they're doing it in spite of him. It is not because of him. Just like you wouldn't attribute Baltimore's SB win to Trent Dilfer.
 
Only 6 or 7 teams would be able to say they made playoffs 3 of last four years this year. If Detroit makes it, Caldwell would be coaching one of those teams. Win out

How many of those teams have won a playoff game. Th problem with this org. is the playoffs are apparently good enough.
 
How many of those teams have won a playoff game. Th problem with this org. is the playoffs are apparently good enough.

Not many teams are consistently making the playoffs. Making the playoffs is difficult. And winning in playoffs almost impossible if injuries and refs are really against you
 
Caldwell should stay here until he passes away. When that happens the Lions should put up a statue with all of his playoff appearances engraved on it.
 
Not many teams are consistently making the playoffs. Making the playoffs is difficult. And winning in playoffs almost impossible if injuries and refs are really against you

Haha. Consistently making the playoffs. Guess we forgot about the last two decades?
 
Caldwell should stay here until he passes away. When that happens the Lions should put up a statue with all of his playoff appearances engraved on it.

Loosely related

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...ns-realize-they-shouldnt-have-playoff-banners

I didn?t know the Lions took down their playoff appearance banners this past off-season. At least they finally realized how pointless it is, highlighting their lack of any real success. It?s sad when occasional 6th seed/first round fodder seasons are considered a high point for this franchise.
 
One or two players maybe not but when do we ever see or hear about a team of players hating their coach.

Smith: "What does a coach have to do to get fired around here?"

Ross: "I don't coach that kind of football!!"
 
Decided to look into recent playoff history from 2011-2016, here's some general info and where the Lions stand (3 appearances, no wins):

Playoff Appearances
7 teams have more appearances (GB/NE-6, Cincinnati/Denver/Seattle-5, Houston/Pittsburgh-4)
14 teams have the same or more appearances
24 teams have at least one appearance
8 teams never made the playoffs (Chicago, TB, LA/St. Louis, NY Jets, Buffalo, Cleveland, Tennessee, Jacksonville) <- A couple of those might make it this year

Division Wins
20 teams have at least one division title
4 teams never won a division title but made the playoffs at least once (Detroit-3, Miami/Oakland/San Diego-1)

Playoff Wins
17 teams won at least one playoff game
7 teams made the playoffs at least once but never won a game (Cincinnati, Washington, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Detroit, Miami, Oakland)
2 teams won more playoff games in that period than the Lions have in their entire franchise history (New England-11, Seattle-8)
 
Good stats. But we are talking for Caldwell specifically not Schwartz/2012/2013 issues. Caldwell has a shot for 3 of 4 years if they make it this year. And only 7 teams have done that. So Caldwell should stay then. You could make a case for injuries to keep him at 8-8 or 9-7 too. We shall see. He deserves one more year. 8th most cap room and another Quinn draft coming.
 
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