Mangini May Need to Part With Daboll, To Keep His Job

As you look around the NFL, head coaches have varied rolls within their coaching staffs. Some are orchestrators who leave the running of their offenses and defenses to their respective coordinators (i.e. Bill Belichik). Some take on the play calling duties of the offense (i.e. Brad Childress). Others take on the play calling duties of their defense (i.e. Rex Ryan). Being cut from the Belichik tree, Eric Mangini allows his coordinators to call their plays and run their respective shows. However, it’s that faith in his coordinators…..namely offensive coordinator Brian Daboll…..that could prove to be Mangini’s undoing.

Now that the Cleveland Browns have rattled off three straight wins, the general opinion among many so-called experts is that Eric Mangini deserves another year to prove that his system is going to bring the desired results……a perennial playoff contender. There is no question that the Browns have earned each victory they have had over the past few weeks. There were no fluke plays, no bad calls that determined the outcome of the game in the Browns favor, and no complete implosions of any of their last three opponents that would make one believe that the Browns won the game in spite of themselves.

However, there has been one constant during the last few weeks that should still give Mangini cause for concern about his future as the Browns head coach…..their offense. In the win against Pittsburgh, it was the Browns defense that rose to the occasion. In the win over Kansas City, the Browns simply needed to hand the ball off to Jerome Harrison and watch Josh Cribbs return kicks to the end zone. This past week, against Oakland, it was Harrison and the defense who once again carried the Browns to a win. What has not happened during this winning streak is the Browns passing attack doing much at all. Of course there was the nice quick throw from Derek Anderson to Mohamed Massaquoi on Sunday that brought a quick TD, but overall the numbers don’t lie. In two of the last three games, the Browns failed to pass for more than 100 yards (90 yards against Pittsburgh, 66 yards against Kansas City). The one game where the Browns DID exceed 100 yards, was this past Sunday when Derek Anderson threw for 121 yards.

In a league where 300 yards passing is merely a good day, and 250 yards an average one, there is nothing good that can be said about the Browns passing game. One could argue that the Browns lack an experienced quarterback and are sorely lacking offensive playmakers. However, then you look at Tampa Bay, who is starting a rookie quarterback and has no more playmakers than the Browns do. During the same period, the Buccaneers have thrown for 93, 205 and 271 yards. In fact over the past eight games, including the first start for their rookie QB (Josh Freeman), the Buccaneers are averaging over 220 yards through the air. Keep in mind as well that the Bucs also have a head coach and coordinator in their first season in Tampa, so it’s not as if they are building off momentum from previous seasons.

New Browns president, Mike Holmgren, has stated that he will be evaluating Mangini and his staff’s complete “body of work” and that he will sit down with Mangini to discuss his future sometime next week. Holmgren has had more than his share of success as a coach and as a the guy running an offense. With the lack of a passing game (which IS vital to have a consistently successful NFL team), I think it could very well involve Holmgren seeing just how committed Mangini is to Brian Daboll, and that Mangini staying on as head coach, could hinge on his willingness to make a change at offensive coordinator. Mangini may still be the Browns head coach in 2010. If he is, don’t expect Brian Daboll to be a part of his staff.

Tags: Brian Daboll, Eric Mangini, Mike Holmgren