Let's face it, the 2012 edition of the NO Saints defense has been more painful to watch than season three of Treme. Each week it breaks an NFL record for futility. Can't stop the run. Can't stop the pass. Can't create turnovers. Can't get off the field. I haven't seen a defense this bad since Buddy D did his sportscast with a bag on his head. As Saints fans across the world bear witness to the unfolding of the worst defense in the history of the NFL, a concensus is growing that the problem is not coaching, it's personnel.
Don't count me among that number. Sure the Saints lack the playmakers needed to build a solid defense, but the coaches have let them down by forcing a scheme that doesn't match the personnel..
Which brings me to defensive coordinator Steve Spagnoulo. I'm sure a fine man and a good coach. That's what we were all told upon his hire. He did take an underachieving Giants defense ranked 28th in the NFL in 2006 and lead them to the 7th ranked total defense and #1 in sacks in 2007 en route to a Super Bowl victory. As head coach of the Rams, after three seasons his defense ranked a mediocre 22nd. Just two spots better than the Saints of that year.
There's no doubt, Spagnoulo knows how to build a defense. But to build a defense in New Orleans it will take multiple successful drafts and free agent pick ups. Something a newly hired head coach would want from a DC. That's not what the Saints situation calls for. What they need is a proven turnaround specialist.
Bum Phillips ounce said a good coach can "take his'n and beat your'n then take your'n and beat his'n". When it comes to coaching defense, Bum's son Wade is that coach. With Wade Phillips, your defense is better the instant he steps into the building. At every stop as defensive coordinator, he has turned that defense around immediately. Why? See above quote. Houston is a prime example. In 2010, the Texans defense ranked 30th in the NFL. Gary Kubiak was in the verge of being fired. Mario Williams was being called a bust. Desperate and given one last chance, Kubiak hired Wade Phillips for the 2011 season. He took that team's talent, moved Williams to OLB. Result? The Texans improved from #30 to #2 in the league in total defense! Williams got paid! He signed a huge free agent contract with Buffalo. As of this point he's back to being called a bust again. As for Phillips, from New Orleans in the early 80's to Houston now, his'n is consistently in the upper echelon in the NFL.
Vic Fangio is another one. Currently the DC of the 49ers, he took the players on hand from #13 to #4 and lead that team to the NFC chanpionship game. Ask Pierre Thomas about that D.
The Ryan twins, Jack Del Rio and Dom Capers. All turnaround DC's. All are able to create quality defenses using mostly players they already have.
Saints fans have seen such a coach. Gregg Williams, 2009. The further removed from that defense the more remarkable that feat appears. He did it with a bunch of unknowns, castoffs and has-beens. Scott Fujita was once buried in Dallas's dept chart. Jonathon Vilma was cast off from the Jets. Darren Sharper was written off. These three fed off Williams' personality and brought it to the field, younger players followed suit and for the only time in the Payton/Brees era, fans went to games to see how much choas the defense would create. Thus creating a season for the ages.
However, Williams could never recreate that magic. But with the explosive Saints offense, you can believe other potential defensive turnaround specialist would love to try.
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