11-26-2020, 07:55 PM
As opinions go this might not be too popular....but screw it its late and I'm deep into the scotch bottle 
This thread is not on the original decision to hire ZT - that clearly is on the Front Office.
However, when ZT was hired there was a view that as rookie head coach gigs go actually he was in a good spot.
1. Ownership that was loyal - to a fault
2. Cupboard not bare with talent left over from playoff teams - Atkins, Green, Mixon, Dunlap, Boyd, Dunlap, Bates, Eifert, Gio, Hubbard
3. Capable , proven starting QB in Dalton
4. Inherited a stable locker room culture which consistently played hard under Marv even in tough times
5. Was backed by Front office to bring in 'his guys' onto coaching staff...believe only Simmons was a requested carryover
6. Loosened the purse strings and actually been somewhat active in Free agency
7. Low expectation/pressure from a smaller market franchise and media
Even when his team failed miserably in year 1...
7. Sucked so bad that we got #1 pick in the year a franchise QB/Joe Burrow was consensus first pick
With all the above and with the atrocious 2 year record we are heading towards I really do put this squarely on ZT's door step.
I know its easy to lay out the usual F/O blame and say 30 years of Mike Brown , Tobin's historical draft record , tight with spending, etc ,etc and normally I would be sympathetic but this is sooo bad and actually ZT was in a decent spot for an unproven rookie and he has just completely squandered the opportunity to date.
This thread is not on the original decision to hire ZT - that clearly is on the Front Office.
However, when ZT was hired there was a view that as rookie head coach gigs go actually he was in a good spot.
1. Ownership that was loyal - to a fault
2. Cupboard not bare with talent left over from playoff teams - Atkins, Green, Mixon, Dunlap, Boyd, Dunlap, Bates, Eifert, Gio, Hubbard
3. Capable , proven starting QB in Dalton
4. Inherited a stable locker room culture which consistently played hard under Marv even in tough times
5. Was backed by Front office to bring in 'his guys' onto coaching staff...believe only Simmons was a requested carryover
6. Loosened the purse strings and actually been somewhat active in Free agency
7. Low expectation/pressure from a smaller market franchise and media
Even when his team failed miserably in year 1...
7. Sucked so bad that we got #1 pick in the year a franchise QB/Joe Burrow was consensus first pick
With all the above and with the atrocious 2 year record we are heading towards I really do put this squarely on ZT's door step.
I know its easy to lay out the usual F/O blame and say 30 years of Mike Brown , Tobin's historical draft record , tight with spending, etc ,etc and normally I would be sympathetic but this is sooo bad and actually ZT was in a decent spot for an unproven rookie and he has just completely squandered the opportunity to date.
