Jim Caldwell Is So Boring, I Missed He Got Hired By The Lions

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Angry Ram

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http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/01/14/lions-hire-jim-caldwell-as-head-coach/

Lions hire Jim Caldwell as head coach
Posted by Darin Gantt on January 14, 2014, 12:30 PM EST
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AP
And now we’re down to two (head coaching vacancies).

The Lions filled theirs Tuesday, hiring Ravens offensive coordinator Jim Caldwell as their next head coach, a league source confirms to PFT. The team has quickly announced the move, as well.

Caldwell brings a stability the Lions needed, and has the kind of offensive credentials to work with the impressive collection of parts on hand.

They clearly were looking for someone to add some maturity to a team that flashed talent, but often showed its immaturity during the Jim Schwartz era. Caldwell had the endorsement of his old boss Tony Dungy, and has the same kind of calm demeanor which the Lions could use.

I'm not gonna say he's a bad or good hire, b/c coaches don't play. But if I'm a Lions fan, I'd be very "meh."
 

Warner4Prez

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No joke, hard to get excited about the 'Lame Duck' head coach that went in the tank after Peyton got hurt. I'd have a hard time being excited if they were to hire the likes of Whisenhunt either though, who was reportedly who they wanted.
 

Ram_of_Old

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He did well at the Colts until Peyton's neck issue. But really....who wanted to live in Detroit?
 

A55VA6

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I have a couple friends that are Lions fans and they're kind of neutral on the hire. I personally think it's a downgrade from Schwartz.
 

Lesson

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I have a couple friends that are Lions fans and they're kind of neutral on the hire. I personally think it's a downgrade from Schwartz.

Schwartz, IMO, didn't control his player well enough, both on and off the field. I don't remember hearing those problems with Caldwell in Indy.

I recognize that hasn't always been the case with Fisher in St. Louis, but most of the guys that Fisher's drafted that have had an incident or incidents prior to being drafted by the Rams off the field have usually been good off the field as well.
 

kurtfaulk

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brokeu91

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I don't think it was a horrible hire, it wasn't a great hire. The question is why did other coaches pass on the job? I know there's a report that Wisenhut was offered more in Tennessee
 

Angry Ram

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  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
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this is the guy that transformed the Ravens offense, mid season, from blah to good enough to win the superbowl a couple of seasons ago. Maybe that's what the Lions are looking for, some direction.

.

He was also the guy that was questioned about his offense being too predictiable on a prime time game (I think it was a SNF game) about every 1st down being a run. But again, coaches don't play so I'm not gonna worry too much about this. It's just he's so..so...ZZZZZZZZZZZ.
 

Blue and Gold

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http://www.detroitlions.com/news/li...Caldwell/1e4c1bdf-47e9-4dcd-a774-a1737e0bdb7f

Tony Dungy: "Matthew Stafford will blossom under Jim Caldwell"
Posted 22 hours ago

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Tim TwentymanSenior WriterFollow Tim on Twitter Follow Tim on Google+

Peyton Manning has credited new Lions head coach Jim Caldwell with taking his game to another level and Tony Dungy thinks he'll do the same thing for Matthew Stafford
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Photo: Gavin Smith/Detroit Lions
It's no secret former Super Bowl-winning head coach Tony Dungy has lobbied for his former associate head coach and successor at Indianapolis, Jim Caldwell, to get the Detroit Lions head coaching job.

One of the big reasons why is because Dungy saw firsthand what Caldwell was able to do with a young Peyton Manning and an offense in Indianapolis chalk-full of weapons.

"Detroit has a very, very talented team that is ready to roll," Dungy told detroitlions.com in a phone interview Tuesday night. "This isn't a situation where you have to have a coach grow. You need to have someone ready to hit the ground running.

"I also think this team, very much like our team in Indianapolis, there was so many offensive weapons in place that you want a system that can maximize that. I think what Jim believes in, in terms of offense, is just going to fall in line with the skill set of the players there. You have a young quarterback to develop in Matthew Stafford and it reminds me of when we (got to Indianapolis).

"Peyton Manning had put up a lot of numbers in Indianapolis his first three years in the league, but his career really started to take off after Caldwell became the quarterbacks coach."

Manning set then-career highs in completions (379), completions percentage (67) and yards (4,267) in his second season under Caldwell's guidance. He threw 49 touchdowns with 10 interceptions the following year.

"Jim Caldwell worked with him in getting him to kind of understand the way we wanted to play and helping him prepare," Dungy said. "I know Peyton talked to Martin Mayhew and Mr. Ford about that too."

There are some similarities between what Caldwell walked into offensively with the Colts with Manning, receivers Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne and running back Edgerrin James and what he'll have with Stafford, Calvin Johnson, Reggie Bush and Joique Bell.

"I just think you have a lot of weaponry that Jim Caldwell will know how to work with," Dungy said. "But more than anything, it's the preparation and accountability that he's going to bring. I think those players are going to love playing for him, but they are going to know what's expected in no uncertain terms. They are going to know how to win at the end of the day."

Stafford had a breakout year in 2011 with 5,038 yards and 41 touchdowns to help lead the Lions to their first playoff appearance in 12 years.

He's fallen short of those numbers the last two years, however, and had a rough second half to this season when the Lions collapsed from a 6-3 start to finish 7-9.



Dungy thinks Stafford will benefit more than any other player from Caldwell's presence in Detroit.


"I know what we talked about when we got to Indianapolis is they had a very, very explosive offense and we talked about keeping that explosiveness but not being a high-risk team and taking care of the football and knowing how to manage the end of the game," Dungy said.

"Once Peyton (Manning) really understood what Jim was trying to do, he went from a very explosive player to a guy in 2004 who threw 49 touchdowns and (10 interceptions) and that's what I think you're going to see from Matthew.

"You're going to see him learn that you can be explosive and not be high risk and that there are times when you manage the game and win the game, by not only what you do, but by what you don't do. I just think for a young quarterback, he'll really blossom under Jim."