coaches with 4 straight non winning seasons to start tenure

[rdlkgliders]

This is year 4 for Fisher in St. Louis, after 17 (16 full seasons plus the year he was interim coach) in Tennessee. Do you know how many coaches get to a fifth season if they don’t have a single winning year in the first four with a franchise? Here are the coaches since 1960 who had four straight non-winning seasons to open their tenure. I note whether they were brought back for year five (the asterisk is for those that were brought back, but fired before the completion of year five).

Yes, the last coach to not have a winning season in any of his first four full seasons, and be brought back, was . . . Jeff Fisher. (Fisher had three straight 8-8 seasons before the Super Bowl year in 1999). Since the merger, only Jeff Fisher and Walt Michaels of the Jets made it through a fifth year.

Fisher’s teams are never truly bad. They are respectable, hard-nosed. Other than a stretch when Steve McNair was in his prime, though, they’ve generally been done in by the offenses, and the coach has only six playoff appearances total. That rate, assuming the Rams miss the postseason again, is below average (6 of 16 make it each year). He is 11th all-time in games coached in the NFL, and assuming he finishes out the final 7 games, he will move into a tie for 10th with Paul Brown. His 52.2% win percentage is the lowest in that group. He’s been given a long leash for a long time, so maybe he’s fine. But if he is gone after this year, well, it’s not like he’s not been given enough time compared to his peers.

 

[rdlkgliders]

Two weeks ago, the St. Louis Rams looked poised to get into the playoff hunt in the NFC. They were coming off consecutive dominating wins at home over the Browns and 49ers, to get to 4-3. They had won at Arizona, and already beaten Seattle.

And now, after a loss at Minnesota against another playoff hopeful, followed by getting crushed at home by the Chicago Bears, it looks like another mediocre season in St. Louis. Before the meltdown against the Bears–where they allowed two 80-yard touchdown plays to Zach Miller and Jeremy Langford–the issue was offense, particularly the passing game.

The Rams are 8 of 51 on third down over the last four games, and Nick Foles’ numbers over the last five games starting with the Packers loss are 51.7% completions, 5.95 yards per attempt, and 2 TD to 5 INT. With a stellar talent in Todd Gurley the offense still cannot move the chains unless Gurley breaks a big run. Those numbers are a big part of the reason that Foles has been benched and Jeff Fisher is now taking his chances with Case Keenum.

In this week’s NFL preview podcast, we touched briefly on Jeff Fisher and whether he would be on the hot seat. The Rams are looking at back-to-back games at Cincinnati and at home against Arizona to follow. They are capable of winning any of those individually–these Rams have maybe been the most inconsistent team–but this looks like another 7-9 type season.

 

[RAGRam]

lets give credit where credit is due, this will be Fisher 6fh straight winless season.

 

[Stranger]

Tom Landry is the only one from that list worth a damn.

 

[ramsince62]

I'll be amazed if they win 7, closer to 6 IMO.

 

[Stranger]

I'll be amazed if they win 7, closer to 6 IMO.

I'd be amazed if they win another game.

 

[ramsince62]

I'd be amazed if they win another game.

There's that also...

 

[TexasRam]

I have to admit, I love having a team that knocks the crap out of you on defense and plays solid special teams. The only thing Fisher needs to change is his stubborn play it safe approach to throwing the football.

If Foles could actually go out there without fear then we would probably not be where we are today.

 

[jrry32]

Two weeks ago, the St. Louis Rams looked poised to get into the playoff hunt in the NFC. They were coming off consecutive dominating wins at home over the Browns and 49ers, to get to 4-3. They had won at Arizona, and already beaten Seattle.

And now, after a loss at Minnesota against another playoff hopeful, followed by getting crushed at home by the Chicago Bears, it looks like another mediocre season in St. Louis. Before the meltdown against the Bears–where they allowed two 80-yard touchdown plays to Zach Miller and Jeremy Langford–the issue was offense, particularly the passing game.

The Rams are 8 of 51 on third down over the last four games, and Nick Foles’ numbers over the last five games starting with the Packers loss are 51.7% completions, 5.95 yards per attempt, and 2 TD to 5 INT. With a stellar talent in Todd Gurley the offense still cannot move the chains unless Gurley breaks a big run. Those numbers are a big part of the reason that Foles has been benched and Jeff Fisher is now taking his chances with Case Keenum.

In this week’s NFL preview podcast, we touched briefly on Jeff Fisher and whether he would be on the hot seat. The Rams are looking at back-to-back games at Cincinnati and at home against Arizona to follow. They are capable of winning any of those individually–these Rams have maybe been the most inconsistent team–but this looks like another 7-9 type season.

We're not going anywhere with the QB play we have. Our only chance is if Mannion plays and surprises. But I highly doubt that happens. It's bullshit that we have to keep putting up with losing year after year.

 

[HometownBoy]

Tom Landry is the only one from that list worth a damn.

Not Weeb or Bum Phillips?

 

[nighttrain]

I'll be amazed if they win 7, closer to 6 IMO.

And now counting down to 5, we do play SF once more
train

 

[dieterbrock]

Tom Landry is the only one from that list worth a damn.

And that was an expansion team he coached

 

[dieterbrock]

Also, if you look at that list it only includes "non winning" seasons.
How about 4 straight "losing" seasons?
Fisher hasnt even gotten to .500 in St Louis where guys on that list (Fisher, Phillips, Michaels and Prothro) at least achieved that.
So by my account, the only coach in the last 50 years to keep his job after starting with 4 straight losing seasons is David Shula.
So there's that...

 

[fearsomefour]

And now counting down to 5, we do play SF once more
train

and Detroit and Tampa Bay.

 

[LesBaker]

We're not going anywhere with the QB play we have. Our only chance is if Mannion plays and surprises. But I highly doubt that happens. It's bullcrap that we have to keep putting up with losing year after year.

IF, and it's an IF, Fisher is gone after this year I expect the new HC to go all in for a new QB in the draft and for Snead to make whatever moves he has to make to get the guy the HC wants. This team and roster is good enough to get into the playoffs and make some noise with average to above average QB play. If they hit on a guy who has top 10-12 ability this immediately becomes a team nobody wants anything to do with.

IMO the OL will improve with reps and health.

The problem this team has had has been the QB and OL. IMO everything else is good enough to win with.

I would, like you, give Mannion a shot but AFTER putting Foles back in to see if the break made a difference. May as well see if he can play.

 

[rdlkgliders]

@flv
The information in the O.P
Is from S.I
Which doesn't mean much since I am pretty sure that most their online articles are by freelance writers.

 

[Athos]

They were coming off consecutive dominating wins at home over the Browns and 49ers, to get to 4-3.

Wouldn't say those were dominating. Playing those games at home, against a meh Browns team and a limping, talent loss Whiners team, we should have torched the hell out of them more than we did.