Grade Jim Schwartz - February 2011

Bumped Schwartz to an A in my book.

…and has, is doing exactly what he said he will. Building for long term success. Not trying to be successful right away.

I wish there was a B+ option but this is how I see it: I like the calm & plan-driven mindset of Schwartz. He’s right, we have way too often, over-reacted and jumped ship. He must have had something to do with our team finally stopping the shooting of the foot as the second half of the season witnessed much less penalties and bone headed mistakes. We actually played pretty solid football and went toe-to-toe (beside the 4th Qtr with NE), often looking like the more disciplines team near the end of the season. That was a remarkable sight to see, given how young this team is and where we started the season out at…however, Schwartz is also responsible for a 2-14 record and now a 6-10 record. That said, if Staff was playing for most of the year, I think 80%+ of us would be seeing A’s for Schwartz…

I cannot give any coach an A rating until they produce a winning season. He is making the right decisions and moves, but until I see that 10-6 or even 8-8 record I cannot give him an A

The man is doing pretty good with what he has been given. Now if the glass cannon can finally stay healthy we can do something. We were winning games with 2nd and 3rd string qb’s, to me that says a lot about what kinf of job he’s doing not to mention that unlike our lions teams of old we were competetive all year.

unlike certain people on here, I will take into consideration that he had to use three different QBs, no KVB for 5 games, no Jason Hanson for a long stretch, a whole bunch of corners, most em that dont even deserve to be on a NFL roster.

I thought this was a 5-11 team if healthy. Obvious, the Lions were not that healthy this season. Schwartz got 6 wins with backups and cast offs. Not to mention a win against the Super Bowl Champs near the end of the season.

It is pretty rare when a team can accomplish across the board improvement in virtually every part of the team; offence, defence, and special teams while continually slotting in new and inexperienced players in every unit.

I look at the Packers and they lost both games where Rodgers did not play the majority of snaps. Philadelphia lost four of six games without Vick taking most of the snaps, and that is with Kevin Kolb at QB. Jacksonville lost all three games, very badly by the way, that David Garrard did not take most of the snaps. I think HOW the Lions played throughout all the adversity bodes very well for the future.

I will give Mayhew, Linehan, Gunny, Crossman, the other coaches and the players a lot of the credit too, because overall success or failure is never on one person’s head.

Because I feel giving him an A is saying he couldn’t have done anything better, and that is just not true… However, I am very happy with the direction we’re going and what he has done so far. Hopefully we continue making good offseason decisions and I will expect at least 9 wins next year. That is assuming we’re healthier than we were last season.

things have gotten much better. While I gave him a A going into the season expectaions mean tougher grading. I say a B is solid for what he has done but I don’t think he can oficially get an A anymore until we contend for a playofff run. Stafford is the key to that but 6-10 is not 9-7 no matter who the QB is. Besides that giving him an A means he got it
%100 right and not even Mike McCarthy got that in GB. Schwartz period of inheriting a 0-16 team as an excuse has passed. Going into 2011 I think he now has to be graded on the same scale as the other 31 HCs. Still like Schwartz I don’t want to replace him I just think it is time to expect more and me a little tougher on him just as if he was Sean Payton or Norv Turner.

It does not take just one season to destroy a team to the point where they go 0-16. It will not take just one season to change this team into a winner. The foundation is there, the past is the past, and they are learning to win. “B”

Taking a team from 2 to 6 wins is a good effort, not an “A” coaching job. Next year, 6 wins would merit a grade of D or F. I fully expect the Lions to win 9-12 games next year (assuming a decent draft/fa signings/trades). I am more concerned about them playing in a dominant division then their non-conference schedule (note: I don’t recall everyone they play next year). Divisional play is where Schwartz should be judged the most next year. Finally, I think he has put them in a good position to meet those challenges, and be a contender at the end of the year.

It’s the coaches job to put players in POSTION to WIN games. ultimately it’s up to the players to win those games. He inherited the WORST TEAM in NFL HISTORY. A team with no leadership,depth,talent,pride or direction
In 09 2-14, in ’10 6-10 a 4win increase, if we have a +4 increase in ’11 we are 10-6 w/ PLAYOFFS in our grasp.
The hottest fires forge the toughest steel. And thats what we are about to see with this team.

I stuck with the B. There are some legitimate areas that I think he can improve in, so I don’t want to give too much credit to his coaching acumen just yet. But I think he has a solid plan and has really got this team believing in themselves and confident for once. That is what coaching is all about. It’s the X’s and O’s as well for sure, but it’s about selling the dream to the players that they can win and win big. It’s about believe in the common purpose.

I think Schwartz… with the proper talent, can win the Super Bowl in Detroit. That’s something I was never able to say with Marinelli, nor Mooch or Mornhinweg either. He is a smart, enthusiastic coach that will do great things with a little more talent and a little luck.

He did a solid job, especially in keeping the boys up and ready to play the games, especially at the end of the season when it matters least. He can still improve, and next season should be his breakout, but so far, a very solid B seem reasonable to me.

….if voting on ability to keep the team moving in the right direction, despite youth, despite injuries, despite the 2-ton Gorilla on their back that most of the players didn’t have much to do with.

“A” if voting from the perspective of relativity. I mean, just look at the previous decade of inept coaching and mis-management.

“C” if voting from a “right here, right now” mind set. Ignoring the history of the franchise, the depths of hell they’re trying to crawl out of, and if just being a little harsh.

“D” if you’re just a moron who thinks your team should win the Super Bowl every year.

“E or F” if you’re a moron beyond the idiocy of the morons who voted “D”, and I’m impressed that your fat fingers could even hit the correct key considering their relative proximity to “D”. Or maybe if you’re a monkey that just learned how to type…either way, you’d have to be one cousin fucking away from pure “better off dead” stupidity.