D before Wade

D Wade

Hey, I think you’re on to something. The Texans defense should be called “D-WADE”

Sounds like a champion to me.

Wade’s HC gigs didn’t exactly go as planned, but at least in the Cowboys’ case I don’t really put the weight of that on his shoulders. I thought he did a good job there, but ultimately when you’ve got an owner like JJ, your hands a bit tied and your say in things is a bit limited.

The bottom line is, to me, he coaches well – unquestionably well. The way defenses perform under his leadership puts him firmly in the top tier of the league’s defensive minds.

The only question is really his personnel moves. I’d say he could still be an HC, and a great one, but what he needs is a smart GM (NOT just an over-nosy owner) that can handle the personnel stuff. As an example, I’d give him a shot if I had a guy with a strong track record in that area – Otis Smith, Kevin Colbert, Ted Thompson – to put above him.

But he’s the kind of guy who will never want for an assistant’s job, because there he can concentrate on what he does best with X’s and O’s. And he does that part pretty darn well.

It works as a DC because its likely the HC is the one doing the churning and replacing, so Wade can continue to have that “Gomer Pyle” look.

The knowledge and experience Gary Kubiak lacks on defense, Wade Phillips seems to lack on offense. The two of them together, however, form a potent and very successful combination. The ego of Gary Kubiak might take exception to it, but for the sake of team success, having co-head coaches, one for offense and one for defense, might be an idea NFL owners ought to consider.

Thanks to Jason Garrett’s crappy offensive game plans in 2010 Wade was the fall guy. However, Wade and Jerry Jones needed better measures for discipline.

I know one thing, he did a much better job in Dallas than Garrett has done as head coach. Also, he would at least have the Bucs hovering above .500 than Mr. “Kneel Down Defense”, aka Greg Schiano!!!

As for his desire to be a Head Coach, he knows what he wants better than any of us. But, he is pulling the strings on an absolutely stacked defense – and he is doing it masterfully. At every level of the defense, there are playmakers. Even bench talent is high caliber —> watch out for when Houston takes the training wheels off Whitney Merciless.

The Texan Offense is shredded too. Foster, Schaub and Andre are the well-known players, but they are much deeper than that.

As for Wade Phillips, why not go down the Dick LeBeau path of being richly contented (and considered a legend – which he is) at DC in Houston?

Being a Head Coach, I regularly saw so much criticism levied upon Coach Phillips — and so much consternation on his face during games and post-game pressers. In Houston, he is (deservedly) deeply beloved and respected.

And if Houston keeps balling like they are, he can likely pick up some hardware — like LeBeau has.