Are top GMs / head coaches ducking Belichick in the AFC East? (1 Viewer)

[Fensalk]

Every year, it seems like the Patriots have an easy schedule. Is a soft division schedule a part of it? Are top GMs and heado coaches afraid to compete with Belichick?

Here is a list of head coaches in the AFC East since Belichick took over in New England in 2000.

Dolphins:

Mike Wannstedt

Jim Bates

Nick Saban (possible exception, but then again, he turned tail and fled back to the college ranks in two seasons)

Cam Cameron

Tony Sparano

Todd Bowles

Joe Philbin

Jets:

Al Groh

Herman Edwards

Eric Mangini

Rex Ryan

Bills:

Gregg Williams

Mike Mularkey

**** Jauron

Perry Fewell

Chan Gailey

When I look at this list, the only real big move made in the AFC East was in 2001, when the Bills signed ex-Steelers GM Tom Donahoe and Titans DC Gregg Williams to coach them. Of course, in 2001, the Belichick Patriots were not THE PATRIOTS yet. Once that aura of invincibility surrounded the Patriots, all the top tier candidates have been staying away from the AFC East (apart from Saban, who again fled after 2 years)

So here's my question. Does Belichick's reputation scare away top head coaches and GMs from trying to compete in the AFC East? And does that, in turn, feed Belichick an easy schedule every season, making it easier for him to maintain that aura?

 

[BigSteelThrill]

Ducking Tom Brady.

 

[Donsmith753]

I think it's more to do with the teams theyd take over than the teams they'd face.

 

[Casting Couch]

I think it's more to do with the teams theyd take over than the teams they'd face.

this.

 

[Matt Bitonti]

Every year, it seems like the Patriots have an easy schedule. Is a soft division schedule a part of it?

the division plays the Pats tight recently. the Bills were one of only 3 teams to beat them last year in the regular season. the Jets beat them in week 2 and again at foxboro during the 2010 playoffsthe Dolphins and Jets both beat the Pats in 2009. the Patriots are a really good team but it seems the division plays them tougher than the non division.

 

[Koya]

I think it's more to do with the teams theyd take over than the teams they'd face.

Specifically, the ownership / management of those teams, which may also explain why poor GM / Coaching choices are made in the first place.Now, Buffalo finally seems to be going in the right direction, buy they've been awful. The fins have been a mess for a while, really. Some ok years not too long ago, but haven't been really competitive since what, Marino?And the Jets area circus. More focused on the Pats and getting the back page than building a football team wisely - with a coach that hardly seems to back down, even if he should shut up.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

Buffalo wouldn't pay the price for a decent coach.

 

[Fensalk]

Buffalo wouldn't pay the price for a decent coach.

Ah, but if Belichick wasn't in the AFC East, the risk/reward ratio would be more appealing, and perhaps appealing enough for the Bills to change their philosophy.

 

[Jercules]

Buffalo wouldn't pay the price for a decent coach.

Ah, but if Belichick wasn't in the AFC East, the risk/reward ratio would be more appealing, and perhaps appealing enough for the Bills to change their philosophy.

Your original post is an interesting idea. What I'd like to know is, what list of hires would there have to be for you to change your tune? There certainly haven't been any great hires in the AFC East for a long time, but is it really that different from elsewhere around the league?

 

[Boston]

It all starts with ownership...the Pats have one of the best owners in the business...Miami's owner has a really bad rep and it appears high quality coaches aren't looking to deal with him...Buffalo is making strides and appears to be on the right track but regardless of the division they are in it's not a "destination" location for high-profile candidates...as for the Jets they are a team that has made the AFC Championship game two of the last three years and have played the Pats very tough so I don't know why they would be considered an easy team even though there is a circus atmosphere with them of late...I don't think anyone is ducking the Pats they have just been by far the most stable franchise in the AFC East during the BB era from ownership on down and it pays off with results on the field...

 

[HellToupee]

Preposterous

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

Buffalo wouldn't pay the price for a decent coach.

Ah, but if Belichick wasn't in the AFC East, the risk/reward ratio would be more appealing, and perhaps appealing enough for the Bills to change their philosophy.

If true, I think it's Brady more than Belichick that people don't want to deal with in the division...or at least the combination of the two.

 

[David Yudkin]

I would wonder what a "top head coach or GM" would translate to in the first place. It seems like most teams nowadays want new head coaches with no head coaching experience over a retread unless he is one of a handpicked few. If we looked across the divisions as a whole (or across the entire NFL), how many "top head coaches or GMs" were hired to begin with?

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

I don't even remotely think anyone in the NFL is or could ever be "ducking" another team, coach or GM in terms of who they select as their own coach or GM (or in terms of which jobs a coaching/GM candidate might choose (how many chances to you think you get to be a head coach or GM anyway?))...

...but I DO think your post goes a long way to explaining the Pats' flirtation with dynasty status since 2000, and that is because their divisional opponents' poor choices in coaching and GM's has made for an easier road for the Pats through their own division has helped lead to season momentum, playoff home field advantage and making the playoffs in the first place on a nearly perennial basis.

 

[Fensalk]

I don't even remotely think anyone in the NFL is or could ever be "ducking" another team, coach or GM in terms of who they select as their own coach or GM (or in terms of which jobs a coaching/GM candidate might choose (how many chances to you think you get to be a head coach or GM anyway?))...

...but I DO think your post goes a long way to explaining the Pats' flirtation with dynasty status since 2000, and that is because their divisional opponents' poor choices in coaching and GM's has made for an easier road for the Pats through their own division has helped lead to season momentum, playoff home field advantage and making the playoffs in the first place on a nearly perennial basis.

We've got coaches desperate enough to put bounty's on players to try to win. Why wouldn't they duck Belichick when searching for a gig?

 

[menobrown]

I don't even remotely think anyone in the NFL is or could ever be "ducking" another team, coach or GM in terms of who they select as their own coach or GM (or in terms of which jobs a coaching/GM candidate might choose (how many chances to you think you get to be a head coach or GM anyway?))...

...but I DO think your post goes a long way to explaining the Pats' flirtation with dynasty status since 2000, and that is because their divisional opponents' poor choices in coaching and GM's has made for an easier road for the Pats through their own division has helped lead to season momentum, playoff home field advantage and making the playoffs in the first place on a nearly perennial basis.

We've got coaches desperate enough to put bounty's on players to try to win. Why wouldn't they duck Belichick when searching for a gig?

This whole premise is preposterous. I feel fairly confident that no coaches are afraid of Belichick. They have not even won a SB since 2005. Mike Tomlin's team has won twice since than but I think the same amount of coaches are ducking him as Belichick. That number would be zero.

 

[Fensalk]

I don't even remotely think anyone in the NFL is or could ever be "ducking" another team, coach or GM in terms of who they select as their own coach or GM (or in terms of which jobs a coaching/GM candidate might choose (how many chances to you think you get to be a head coach or GM anyway?))...

...but I DO think your post goes a long way to explaining the Pats' flirtation with dynasty status since 2000, and that is because their divisional opponents' poor choices in coaching and GM's has made for an easier road for the Pats through their own division has helped lead to season momentum, playoff home field advantage and making the playoffs in the first place on a nearly perennial basis.

We've got coaches desperate enough to put bounty's on players to try to win. Why wouldn't they duck Belichick when searching for a gig?

This whole premise is preposterous. I feel fairly confident that no coaches are afraid of Belichick. They have not even won a SB since 2005. Mike Tomlin's team has won twice since than but I think the same amount of coaches are ducking him as Belichick. That number would be zero.

hasn't won it but has been to 2 of them since and been dominant.

 

[Sabertooth]

Buffalo wouldn't pay the price for a decent coach.

Gailey is in the top half of coaches currently employed. **** Jauron was better than people think as well.

 

[GroveDiesel]

Can we start with a list of the top 10 coaches/GMs to change teams over the last decade?

As part of that, can we also list their new teams' cumulative records so we can get a good idea of how successful those "top" coaches and GMs have been with their new teams?

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

I don't even remotely think anyone in the NFL is or could ever be "ducking" another team, coach or GM in terms of who they select as their own coach or GM (or in terms of which jobs a coaching/GM candidate might choose (how many chances to you think you get to be a head coach or GM anyway?))...

...but I DO think your post goes a long way to explaining the Pats' flirtation with dynasty status since 2000, and that is because their divisional opponents' poor choices in coaching and GM's has made for an easier road for the Pats through their own division has helped lead to season momentum, playoff home field advantage and making the playoffs in the first place on a nearly perennial basis.

We've got coaches desperate enough to put bounty's on players to try to win. Why wouldn't they duck Belichick when searching for a gig?

Because a guy like Gregg Williams head-coached for the Bills - he was desperate enough to run a bounty "system" [allegedly] but he wasn't desperate enough to duck Belichick?Makes no sense that whole line of thought.

 

[Vector]

Preposterous

OP is