With the offense as completely clueless as has been demonstrated the past couple of weeks, the next three weeks are starting to look like losses.
Would that be enough to get Mularkey fired?
If so, would I be a bad fan to consider rooting for that?
Robiskie, but I don't know on Mularkey.
8-8 isn't bad in the context of that they've been worst in the NFL recently.
During previous seasons (and as far as I know, every one) the hc, oc, and dc met for planning meetings and sometimes the whole staff did. At some point during this season, Mularkey stopped doing this.
I jump to "He didn't like Lebeau telling him what's wrong with his O and Lebeau is legendary at breaking down offenses" but that's all my guess.
Curiously this is what did Fassel in in NY and ultimately they had huge issues with a team divided. There were many articles and coach quotes and all that, that it was an elementary mistake and Fassel should have known better. Fassel was so attached to the offense that he took it personally when the D staff criticized it. The HC is supposed to be objective and more manager than coach. He shouldn't be involved in the O (some are but that's not the system) more than the D or ST. He should be more of an overseer.
Mularkey rrrrrrrrrrreally seems like he's copying Fassel's blueprint which would be so stupid. Fassel was a bright young coach that took his team to the Supe and gonna have a long career. That all quickly ended with 2-3 bad seasons.
Mularkey IS having an entire staff meeting this week and a meeting with Lebeau and Robiskie. It will be the first time in several weeks that the entire game plan is done by the whole staff.
He is allowed to mess up and we'll never be happy if we insist on a perfect coach. Some guys on the radio have wisely pointed this out.
Development is poor on offense. It's not just rookies. Conklin is not having a good year, neither is Spain. Tajae is on IR but he was supposedly a key piece a year ago and didn't look like it in preseason. Mariota's off year is obviously a huge concern. On defense, no matter how you spell things out, Lebeau made it work. He found a way.
We don't know if JRob insisted on the ST trio making the team or any of that. To add Adoree (already one of the better return men) and three supposed gems and have special teams only marginally improved could be the end for their ST coach. Their long snapper, punter, and kicker all have excellent qualities. 6 of 11 are "best of" players and it's probably not good enough that their ST struggles.
We don't know what happened with Sylvester and Woods. JRob was literally on the sled the day Woods was announced the starter. After an impressive preseason game by Woods and a poor one by Sylvester, Sylvester became the starter. Did JRob get flack or his pride hurt seeing Woods not Sylvester play well? Did Strunk call and say why'd we spend 7 mil on a backup? We don't know what happened but it's been curious all season. We don't know if JRob and Mularkey or just Mularkey is behind the odd fascination with Dodd. Avery has had some issues this year and was recently the top rated LB by PFF for week 13. They lost Cyprien and think more highly of him than I do. Lebeau has made it work no matter what happened.
When you compare O and D and ST it's pretty brutal how much better Lebeau runs his ship than the other two.
We know they had an emergency meeting to discuss fan attendance being poor and that the next game attendance was way up. As I said then, Strunk and Moustache have to be aware of profit and loss. The NFL is based largely on it's star players. The Titans have done a fantastic job at getting "good guys" on the roster, being charitable, and involved in the community. I think it's Murray's struggles, not switching to Henry, and Mariota's struggles. They have not given the fans a guy to root for. Delanie has made a few comments that indicate his fan base has been higher than ever. I think this is also because there is no QB or RB for the fans to adore. Die hard fans don't like when it's widdled down to QB and RB play but my goodness it's true. The far larger group of fans that casually watch the team are fascinated by the QB and RB. On D probably some DB that intercepts or someone that gets sacks. The game is real simple for them.
I think Henry/Murray issues will fix itself next year and Henry will beat him out. His offseason was fantastic this year and it seems reasonable for this to happen.
In a zillion different ways, getting Mariota fixed is the solution- to the O, to the fans in seats, to the fans buying stuff, wins and losses....everything. JRob does an end of season interview with all staff members as many GMs do. I think Mularkey (and others) had better have the right answer as to how to fix Mariota. Every other mistake may be tolerable or viewed as just a mistake by JRob and Strunk but Mariota is the whole key.
I keep saying it but-Helfrich visited the facility before and after his interview with U of Tennessee. He visited in the spring and during camp. Mariota paid airfare and hotel (but he wouldn't accept payment for his time) for Helfrich to be near Oregon with him and in Hawaii for weeks with him. Surely JRob and Mularkey first met him like "hey thanks for working with our boy. You love Marcus, we love Marcus too!" Surely the camp visit was to just see how he progressed. I'm dying to know though what it was like when he visited a few weeks ago. The landscape changed with Marcus' struggles and the O struggling. Did JRob see him and think here's a guy that can fix MM8 and had him humming in college and this past offseason? Four visits from a former college coach is not normal but the visits can all be explained with the broken leg rehab and coaching interview. It could be nothing related to the Titans staff, but it is very hmmmmm