02-22-2019, 09:06 PM
From Cincinnati.com --
Here's an important question that was worth researching: Does recent history show a difference in effectiveness, or lack thereof, of a defensive coordinator in his first time at the NFL wheel?
When analyzing all the current defensive coordinators and looking back at how they performed in their first season as an NFL DC – all the way from Wade Phillips in 1981 with New Orleans to Matt Eberflus in 2018 with the Colts – the results were so inconclusive they were startling.
The average NFL rank in total yards allowed for everyone: 16.3. The average rank in points allowed: 16.1.
A sampling of coordinators shows even in the first year they fall right into line with everyone else. There’s a chance for good and a chance for bad.
There are multiple examples Bengals fans would love to see Anarumo follow.
Dan Quinn was a longtime college and NFL defensive assistant, then in his first defensive coordinator job in 2013 he led the Seattle Seahawks to the top spot in yards allowed and points allowed earning a blowout victory in the Super Bowl against Peyton Manning and the Broncos.
At age 47, Steve Spagnuolo, a longtime defensive backs coach, took over the New York Giants for his first DC gig. They finished seventh overall and his defense dethroned the undefeated Patriots in the Super Bowl.
Anarumo’s former boss in New York, James Bettcher, took his first DC job in 2015 and led the Arizona Cardinals to a top-five ranking.
In 2011, Chuck Pagano was promoted to defensive coordinator of the Ravens. They finished third in yards and points allowed and were a New England heartbreak in New England away from the Super Bowl. The next year he was named head coach of the Indianapolis Colts.
Last year, Eberflus guided the Colts to one of the most impressive defensive turnarounds in recent memory after decades spent as a defensive position coach.
On the flip side of this success, a slew of coaches struggled in their first go-round. Even some with Bengals ties like Leslie Frazier, Vance Joseph and Paul Guenther weren’t near the top of the rankings in their first foray into the coordinator world. The list is long as well.
The averages suggest a 50-50 flip and cross your fingers.
Here's an important question that was worth researching: Does recent history show a difference in effectiveness, or lack thereof, of a defensive coordinator in his first time at the NFL wheel?
When analyzing all the current defensive coordinators and looking back at how they performed in their first season as an NFL DC – all the way from Wade Phillips in 1981 with New Orleans to Matt Eberflus in 2018 with the Colts – the results were so inconclusive they were startling.
The average NFL rank in total yards allowed for everyone: 16.3. The average rank in points allowed: 16.1.
A sampling of coordinators shows even in the first year they fall right into line with everyone else. There’s a chance for good and a chance for bad.
There are multiple examples Bengals fans would love to see Anarumo follow.
Dan Quinn was a longtime college and NFL defensive assistant, then in his first defensive coordinator job in 2013 he led the Seattle Seahawks to the top spot in yards allowed and points allowed earning a blowout victory in the Super Bowl against Peyton Manning and the Broncos.
At age 47, Steve Spagnuolo, a longtime defensive backs coach, took over the New York Giants for his first DC gig. They finished seventh overall and his defense dethroned the undefeated Patriots in the Super Bowl.
Anarumo’s former boss in New York, James Bettcher, took his first DC job in 2015 and led the Arizona Cardinals to a top-five ranking.
In 2011, Chuck Pagano was promoted to defensive coordinator of the Ravens. They finished third in yards and points allowed and were a New England heartbreak in New England away from the Super Bowl. The next year he was named head coach of the Indianapolis Colts.
Last year, Eberflus guided the Colts to one of the most impressive defensive turnarounds in recent memory after decades spent as a defensive position coach.
On the flip side of this success, a slew of coaches struggled in their first go-round. Even some with Bengals ties like Leslie Frazier, Vance Joseph and Paul Guenther weren’t near the top of the rankings in their first foray into the coordinator world. The list is long as well.
The averages suggest a 50-50 flip and cross your fingers.
