So far Mike Zimmer has most impressed me as far as Coordinators go, he is over 50 with a long history of Defensive coordinator experience.
We are now hearing that the Bucs would like to talk to Perry Fewell, Defensive Coordinator with the New York Giants once the Gmen’s season is over. They play in the NFC Championship game tomorrow at San Francsico.
Immediate reaction to the Bucs interest is skeptical at best, but what do we really know about the man and his abilities?
Fewell actually has some head coaching experience, although its only as an interim coach; he was promoted to the job when the Buffalo Bills fired Dick Jauron. He led Buffalo to a 3-4 finish. He was Buffalo’s defensive coordinator, and in 2008 actually had Buffalo with a respectable defense. They were the No.2 team in the AFC in negative yardage plays caused that year, and finished 4th in red zone defense with a 41.8% conversion rating. The Bucs were one of the worst red zone defensive teams in 2011. Only 14 TD passes were given up by Buffalo that year, which is not surprising because like Raheem Morris, Fewell started out as a defensive backs coach with the Jacksonville Jaguars from 1998-2002, when the Jags had a good defense.
He left to go do the same job with the St.Louis Rams from 2003-2004, and then jumped to the Chicago Bears where he worked for Lovie Smith for one year as Da Bears DB coach.
In 2006 he made the leap to Defensive Coordinator where he served under Buffalo Bills Dick Jauron until 2010. It was then he took the Job as defensive coordinator for the New York Giants, replacing Steve Spagnulo.
2008 Buffalo (Fewell) #14 NY Giants (Spagnulo) #5
2009 Buffalo ” #19 NY Giants ” #13
2010 Buffalo new #24 NY Giants (Fewell) #7
2011 Buffalo new #26 NY Giants (Fewell) #27
Of course, The New England Patriots are also in the CHampionship round like the Giants, and they have the 31st ranked Defense, just above the 32nd ranked Packers, but the Giants held Atlanta’s offense to ZERO points, and effectively slowed down the powerful Packers offense. Now, Fewell is a hot commodity.
But would he make a good head coach? Would he make a good head coach HERE in Tampa Bay? Zimmer would, he has the ‘tude. Schottenheimer would too. He’s freaking Marty man. But what about Fewell?
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