Mike Martz To Take A Year Off?

[Anthony]

There is a growing possibility that recently-fired St. Louis Rams head coach Mike Martz may sit out the 2006 season altogether.

Perhaps he is waiting to see what head-coaching jobs open up in 2007?

[Billy D]

It was widely speculated that Martz would land an O-coordinator job if he didn't get a head job, and i can't say i'm shocked that he hasn't. I think many head coaches would feel overshadowed by Martz-- he's just so dang cocky, especially now that he's had the taste of being in charge. I am semi-surprised that the Saints chose Payton over him, being that Payton is another technician Xs and Os type, but not as good at that.

(That link was missing a slash-- here's the real thing: http://www.nfl.com/news/story/9179790 )

[MountaineerDave]

I think Billy's right on regarding Martz's personality and his inability to go back to being a lowly OC.

Unfortunate, because Martz is much more well-suited to being an OC. He can focus on play calls, continue to ignore defense and defensive personnel (something a successful HC can't do, but he did), and not worry about the clock, which he never, ever, will understand.

Could also be that his health is worse than he admits, and no owner wants to take a risk on him.

[doublee]

His health could be an issue or maybe some owners are smarter than we give them credit for and realize the guy is nothing special as a head coach. He was a more than capable OC under Vermeil but the Rams steadily declined from being an elite team to being a bad to mediocre team under Martz. Other than being a good offensive mind what did he do in his tenure in St. Louis to warrant another head coaching gig in the league?

Mike Martz = George Seifert. Give him the talent to win and he will, but ask him to build a team into a winner and he won't.

[blackdogsong]

Martz should run the offense for the Chiefs or Raiders. He needs weapons for the type of plays he draws up. Teams like Washington will pay him head coach type money to be the offensive coordinator. I wouldn't worry about landing highly paid job if I were Martz in 06 as long as he is healthy enough to do it.

[doublee]

The Raiders, Lions, or Vikings would probably be the best fit for a guy like Martz. They have the wideouts to run the style of offense that he likes to run. Given Martz' love of razzle dazzle offense I am surprised the Raiders have not had him in for a visit.

[Anthony]

Some interesting head-coaching vacancies may open up next year, most notably Arizona, Baltimore, Philadelphia and Tennessee - and Mike Martz would be the perfect cure for what ails the Eagles.

If I were Martz I'd sit out the 2006 season too - except for Arizona, these are pretty good jobs he might be able to land.

[Pimpbot]

Originally Posted by blackdogsong

Martz should run the offense for the Chiefs or Raiders. He needs weapons for the type of plays he draws up. Teams like Washington will pay him head coach type money to be the offensive coordinator. I wouldn't worry about landing highly paid job if I were Martz in 06 as long as he is healthy enough to do it.

Well the Skins just paid Al Saunders of the Chiefs big money to take over the offensive playbook in DC. Al was born in London by the way.

[Pimpbot]

Anothere little tidbit you might not know, is that New Orleans headcoach Sean Payton played football in the UK briefly for the Leicester Panthers, who were at the time one of the premier teams in the UK and Europe. He played QB and I think I caught one of his games when my local team had to travel to Leicester.

[boston_aloha]

Originally Posted by doublee

The Raiders, Lions, or Vikings would probably be the best fit for a guy like Martz. They have the wideouts to run the style of offense that he likes to run. Given Martz' love of razzle dazzle offense I am surprised the Raiders have not had him in for a visit.

Two things.... Martz should take more than a year off IMO if he's not gonna be an OC. He sux as a HC. And 2nd... doublee - I haven't heard "razzle dazzle" since the days Dennis Miller was on MNF! God what a mistake that was!

[Billy D]

Originally Posted by doublee

The Raiders, Lions, or Vikings would probably be the best fit for a guy like Martz. They have the wideouts to run the style of offense that he likes to run. Given Martz' love of razzle dazzle offense I am surprised the Raiders have not had him in for a visit.

Not to pick on you Doublee, but this logic is wack. I've actually heard it plenty in the media and read it on these boards. But it is not correct.

Martz is the guy you want if you have small receivers and no QB (hopefully because you've been spending all your money on defense). He EXCELS at developing late round QBs who are considered too small for the NFL and don't have great arms-- what would he do with Culpepper or Collins or Andrew Walter? Answer: Everyone involved would go crazy. His receivers must run precise routes, but don't need to be 6'4"-- Randy Moss and Troy Williamson and Roy Williams are the EXACT OPPOSITE of those characteristics. Martz does not need big receivers or big QBs for his brand of football. He needs speed, precision, and passion. At least the Lions could use his QB development skills. But there are other teams that would be much better fits for Martz than the Lions, Raiders, and Vikes. If Buffalo is ready to give up on JP Losman, that could work... oh yeah, except for the snow. But somewhere else definitely

[Anthony]

Just as Franklin D. Roosevelt was exactly the kind of President the country needed after Herbert Hoover got us into the Depression, Mike Martz would be exactly the kind of head coach that the Eagles in general - and Donovan McNabb in particular - need to clean up the colossal mess that Andy Reid (with a big assist from Joe Banner) has so foolishly created in Philadelphia.

And you know? It just might happen in 2007.

[boston_aloha]

Anthony are saying Martz is a better coach than Reid or you believe he would do a better job in Philly?

[Anthony]

What I'm saying is that right now the Eagles need to be pulled in exactly the opposite direction in which they are headed - and Mike Martz would be the most obvious candidate to accomplish that goal.

But now that you mention it, one can make a good argument for Martz being a better head coach than Reid, in that Martz's best season was 14-2 and a Super Bowl loss to Reid's 13-3 and a Super Bowl loss.

[boston_aloha]

Well if your just gonna take the 2 seasons they both got to SB's then I'd argue in Reid's defense that a 14-2 season & SB loss as 14 point favorites is worse than 13-3 season & SB loss as underdogs...
Reid is better than Martz IMO. Both had/have great talent. Reid took his team to the NCF Champ 3 times and a SB. Martz took his team to the SB once, and lets not forget the famous 2OT game against Carolina due to his poor play calling.