The jobless coach has been in the NFL long enough to understand that remarks he makes one week could backfire and cost him a position the next.
It should come as no surprise that he defensively responded, “What if I want to coach again?” when I questioned if Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes could dominate Sunday’s Super Bowl LIX against the Philadelphia Eagles.
He expressed what many people think but merely discuss without giving credit since he didn’t want his name to be associated with a pick: “If I were a gambler, I would bet the house on it,” he remarked. The Chiefs have the miracle guy, and he always gets it done, even though the Eagles may be a stronger team.
It certainly appears that way. However, as a predictor, the past might be a weak ally, with all due respect to the former coach and the many experts who appear to share that opinion. It serves as a warning to all of us that relying on the past and taking it for granted can occasionally be just as risky as relying on a flimsy reed for shelter during a hurricane.
Impulsive bettors also frequently overlook the fact that a bouncing football with points on both ends is unaware of or indifferent to the spread. It follows the path of gravity.
It might ultimately come down to much more than two quarterbacks playing chicken because both teams are so evenly matched. The leaders in this 100-yard morality play should and will be Mahomes and Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts. Reggie Jackson once said, “They are the twin straws that stir the drink.”
They are the main attraction. The big money goes to them.
And they are right there, teetering on the brink of a cliff between notoriety and guilt. Whether they deserve it or not, one of them will probably be a goat and the other a hero. When the distance between the two rosters appears to be as close as an eyelash, objectively speaking, it may not be true.
The individuals who throw the ball may be overshadowed by such games. It might be a linebacker punching the ball free, a cornerback gathering in a pass off the receiver’s wrong shoulder, or a botched block on a blitzer rushing off the edge.
Mahomes is a terrific clutch player, and it’s true that Kansas City has an advantage over his much criticized rival, Nick Sirianni, thanks to the credentials of Chiefs head coach Andy Reid. Steve Spagnuolo, the unidentified participant in this battle of the brainiacs, has already won four Super Bowl rings.
To find someone who can regularly match Spagnuolo’s abilities, you’ll likely need to go all the way back to Bud Carson’s time as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Iron Curtain defense coordinator. Nevertheless, there are defensive coordinators with three rings each from New England (Bill Parcells) and Washington (Richie Petitbon). Spagnuolo has four and is by himself.
Starting at Rutgers, Spagnuolo has won two Super Bowl rings with the Chiefs and two with the Giants. He coached defense for seven professional teams in two leagues and five colleges. He was a mediocre head coach. Last but not least, we learned our lesson.
It helped him discover his own self and the things he excels at more than his peers. He possesses the essential components that make the position a perfect fit, in addition to the Xs and Os. The strategizing he has to do with his game plan isn’t the thing that outsiders value the most on game day. His defensive army is subjected to mental warnings and proddings throughout the week.
He never uses autopilot when flying. He can employ fewer secondary defenders because they are still aware of the opposition offense’s patterns. It doesn’t just happen that way.
Branch Rickey once said, “The residue of design is luck.” Planning is the key word in Spanish. Having Spag as his defensive coordinator for seven years in Philadelphia allowed Reid to become familiar with his unique talents. Reid knew where to look for his defensive coordinator when he accepted the position in Kansas City. Spags did not let us down.
With several covert safety and corner blitzes added, the Chiefs essentially play from an aggressive 4-3 foundation up front. He creates stealth bombers out of hidden blitzers.
He has six years of work experience. A new wardrobe T-shirt was adopted as the defensive unit’s uniform when the Chiefs, the reigning Super Bowl champions, arrived at preseason camp last summer. It said:
We Trust in Spags.
The trust will be put to the test once more on Sunday as the Chiefs attempt to win the Super Bowl for the third time in a row.
Jerry Izenberg is NJ Advance Media’s Emeritus Columnist. Their email address is [email protected].