Thoughts on DeFilippo so far?

[PrplChilPill]

2 hours ago, swede700 said:

Yes.

Instead of expecting him to fail (which is what you're doing by going the "What if he fails" route), how about letting the process play out.  Sure, it might not pan out, but calling for his head now does nothing except create a self-fulfilling prophecy for you that you won't be pleased unless he's a top-5 OC. 

I always go back to the Tarvaris situation in times like these, where people were calling for his head 10-12 games into his tenure as a starting QB.  I had doubts too (especially after that Colts game), but was looking for some progress by the end of his 2nd season.  When that progress didn't come, that's when I jumped off the wagon.  DeFilippo should be given that same consideration.  If it's mid-year next year (if he hasn't gotten a HC job) and he still hasn't shown signs of any consistent progress as an OC, that's when you consider pulling the plug...not 12 games into his 1st season...or even his first full season. 

The team isn't going from 13-3 to 3-13, which probably would be a fireable offense.  They are likely to still have a winning record despite the upheaval with the OC, QB, RB and offensive line...and less consistent play from the defense as well (especially to start the season) which may be due to the rules changes, as well as injuries (and Everson's situation).  

They have the time to be patient...this isn't 2010 with a 40-year old QB on his last legs and half of the starting roster age 30+.  Cousins' contract isn't running out tomorrow...and most of their key players are still in their prime and will be so for the next 2-3 years.  In fact, it wouldn't be until 2021 where that same situation would occur.  So, there's time...and no need to panic.

 

This was supposed to be a SB contender,  with two of the best WRs in the game, and a $35MM per year FA QB.....not "maybe have a winning record". 

Have you seen any improvement during the year? If not, how long will you wait? Another year?

[SemperFeist]

If the offense was slowly showing signs of improvement, I might be more inclined to stay the course with DeFilippo, but our offense has seemingly gotten worse the deeper we get into the season. Certainly more erratic. And from watching them, it does seem to be a coaching issue more than anything else. 

But the biggest reason that I’m more inclined to move on from DeFilippo, is that I don’t believe that hoping for a better year next year is worth the likely loss of Stefanski. Especially considering that a good year from DeFilippo likely means an exit via a head coaching job. 

[Vikes_Bolts1228]

3 hours ago, PrplChilPill said:

This was supposed to be a SB contender,  with two of the best WRs in the game, and a $35MM per year FA QB.....not "maybe have a winning record". 

Have you seen any improvement during the year? If not, how long will you wait? Another year?

Quote

If the offense was slowly showing signs of improvement, I might be more inclined to stay the course with DeFilippo, but our offense has seemingly gotten worse the deeper we get into the season. Certainly more erratic. And from watching them, it does seem to be a coaching issue more than anything else. 

But the biggest reason that I’m more inclined to move on from DeFilippo, is that I don’t believe that hoping for a better year next year is worth the likely loss of Stefanski. Especially considering that a good year from DeFilippo likely means an exit via a head coaching job.

 

Exactly.

This team came off a 13-3 season and now we're going to struggle to hit .500 and there's a chance we miss out on the playoffs. Our offensive, despite being improved, is performing very inconsistently. Are we supposed to be fine with a "barely .500?" 

The play calling is getting worse and more and more questionable by the week. Are we supposed to be encouraged with a lack of improvement from JDF? What has he done to say "OK, he'll be better in 2019." If he was showing improvement, sure! Give him another year but he's yet to show any improvement 13 games into the season.

Like I said, what if he just isn't the guy and he sucks in 2019 as well? Are we supposed to burn another half season on this guy and "hope" he gets it? What if he doesn't? Then we have to fire him mid-season which is not only a half season too late but now we're putting a new coordinator in there still running JDF's playbook and then it'll be another season wasted. Then in 2020, we'll be installing another new offense and we're just a season behind where we could be.

Besides, he was supposed to be a "one and done" anyways. What's the harm if we get rid of him and move on to Stefanski like everyone thinks is the plan?

 

 

[dc_vikingfan]

I don't believe JDF has a feel on calling a balance game plan yet. Earlier in the year when the Oline was horrible and couldn't run at all. It simplified things for JDF. Passing with quick short to medium throws was the only way the offense could function.    Which is why he gives up on the run so easily and play-calling is so hot and cold during games. I'm hoping he figure it out like Kyle Shannhan in ATl and not become another Steve Sarkisian.

[Uncle Buck]

I'm not a big fan of switching out the offensive coordinators all the time.  Even if we found someone who was marginally better, the players would have to learn a whole new system, and that alone would take away from any slight improvement you got with a new OC.  Unless the guy is just a total dud, I think continuity will pay dividends.  I say give him another year, fix the offensive line, and then see what we have in him.

[vikingsrule]

11 minutes ago, Uncle Buck said:

I'm not a big fan of switching out the offensive coordinators all the time.  Even if we found someone who was marginally better, the players would have to learn a whole new system, and that alone would take away from any slight improvement you got with a new OC.  Unless the guy is just a total dud, I think continuity will pay dividends.  I say give him another year, fix the offensive line, and then see what we have in him.

I think JDF is showing to be a complete dud. He's had chances to improve through the course of the season and hasn't seemed to pick up what he needs to do to be effective. It's easy to blame the OL but I'd think a decent OC and $80+ million dollar QB could overcome it.

[Uncle Buck]

2 minutes ago, vikingsrule said:

I think JDF is showing to be a complete dud. He's had chances to improve through the course of the season and hasn't seemed to pick up what he needs to do to be effective. It's easy to blame the OL but I'd think a decent OC and $80+ million dollar QB could overcome it.

If that's the case, dump him.    Regarding the OL, you have to admit that we have played some pretty formidable D-lines this season to go along with our weak OL.

[dc_vikingfan]

2 minutes ago, vikingsrule said:

I think JDF is showing to be a complete dud. He's had chances to improve through the course of the season and hasn't seemed to pick up what he needs to do to be effective. It's easy to blame the OL but I'd think a decent OC and $80+ million dollar QB could overcome it.

While I won't say it's a complete dud I do agree with everything else. Also tired of the OLine excuse, most of the NFL has poor OL's play. Shumur didn't have good OL play last year.  

[swede700]

16 hours ago, PrplChilPill said:

This was supposed to be a SB contender,  with two of the best WRs in the game, and a $35MM per year FA QB.....not "maybe have a winning record". 

Have you seen any improvement during the year? If not, how long will you wait? Another year?

You need to read my entire post, as I pretty much explained that they will still have a winning record in the first year despite the challenges that they've had, which were not small challenges and I also indicated how long I'd wait...I said by the middle of next year.  

[Vikes_Bolts1228]

2 hours ago, swede700 said:

You need to read my entire post, as I pretty much explained that they will still have a winning record in the first year despite the challenges that they've had, which were not small challenges and I also indicated how long I'd wait...I said by the middle of next year.  

#1. Nobody should be fine with "a winning record" when they went all in to win the next 3 years. Why are we suddenly OK with "Well we might finish above .500! Wahoooo!!!!!" Going from 13-3 and the NFCCG to struggling to stay around .500? We're not the G-D Cleveland Browns. 

#2. Like I said, why risk wasting half of next season as well? If they fire him half way through next season, that means we're probably struggling yet again. And if you fire him, the interim OC is still running off his scheme/playbook because it's what was installed the past off-season. Now you have an OC who can't switch up the offense too much and then you'll be starting from scratch anyways in 2020 which is Kirk's last season under contract. Congrats, you just wasted 2 of Kirk's 3 seasons.

#3. Are you willing to lose Stefanski to keep JDF around? Remember, JDF was brought in under the impression that he's one & done. So why not keep that schedule regardless of what he does? If he was performing well as OC, then he'd more than likely get hired away. Now that he's NOT performing well, he may not get a HC job. 

There's literally no point to keep JDF around for 2019. He's not improving...he's regressing. He's showing zero signs of being able to figure it out. And if he does figure it out in 2019, then he'll just leave at the end of 2019 and we're right where we could have been a year earlier except the heir apparent Stefanski is probably gone as well.

[Klomp]

34 minutes ago, Vikes_Bolts1228 said:

#1. Nobody should be fine with "a winning record" when they went all in to win the next 3 years. Why are we suddenly OK with "Well we might finish above .500! Wahoooo!!!!!" Going from 13-3 and the NFCCG to struggling to stay around .500? We're not the G-D Cleveland Browns. 

Key words: THE NEXT THREE YEARS. One year struggling to pass .500 doesn't mean that is the ceiling for this team. There is still time to get this turned around within the same window, so there's no need to panic.

[Vikes_Bolts1228]

32 minutes ago, Klomp said:

Key words: THE NEXT THREE YEARS. One year struggling to pass .500 doesn't mean that is the ceiling for this team. There is still time to get this turned around within the same window, so there's no need to panic.

Sure they do. Not worried about it in the least. We're too talented. Also, we've already wasted one of those 3 seasons. We're going to be down to 2 years in a month or so.

I just don't think JDF will turn it around and become a viable OC to lead us to a deep playoff run or Super Bowl. He's shown me nothing that he can do it and is getting worse instead of showing signs of improvement. I want to roll the dice with Stefanski who's more vested in the team than JDF is who is using this as a stepping stone for bigger/better jobs.

What if we waste half or more 2019 with JDF and more inept, pointless offense? Then that 3 years window with Kirk is all of a sudden down to 1 year. 

[swede700]

1 hour ago, Vikes_Bolts1228 said:

Sure they do. Not worried about it in the least. We're too talented. Also, we've already wasted one of those 3 seasons. We're going to be down to 2 years in a month or so.

I just don't think JDF will turn it around and become a viable OC to lead us to a deep playoff run or Super Bowl. He's shown me nothing that he can do it and is getting worse instead of showing signs of improvement. I want to roll the dice with Stefanski who's more vested in the team than JDF is who is using this as a stepping stone for bigger/better jobs.

What if we waste half or more 2019 with JDF and more inept, pointless offense? Then that 3 years window with Kirk is all of a sudden down to 1 year. 

I don't understand the thought that this year is "wasted".  They still have a more than 70% chance of making the playoffs.  If that's considered wasted, then I feel sad about what happened when you got a B or a C in a class in school..."Aw crap, I just wasted my entire year in school...I should just quit"

[Vikes_Bolts1228]

24 minutes ago, swede700 said:

I don't understand the thought that this year is "wasted".  They still have a more than 70% chance of making the playoffs.  If that's considered wasted, then I feel sad about what happened when you got a B or a C in a class in school..."Aw crap, I just wasted my entire year in school...I should just quit"

Well when I was a straight A student a year ago and now I'm battling to get C's, of course I'm going to be thinking that something is going on with me and that I need to fix something because obviously what I'm doing isn't working.

I was predicted to be the class valedictorian now I'm struggling to keep a C average.

 

[Cearbhall]

5 hours ago, swede700 said:

They still have a more than 70% chance of making the playoffs.

I am not sure the source of that stat. I buy into the 538 model which currently says they have a 60% chance of making the playoffs. It also says that with a win this coming weekend they'll have an 85% chance, with a loss their chances will be 44%, and with a tie their chances of making the playoffs will be 69%.

It seems to me that a win this weekend would give the team the best chance of making the playoffs. Couple that with a Rams win and it gives the Vikings a 50% chance of winning the division too. Sounds good to me. I'll root for the Rams and the Vikings.

Add in a Giants and Dallas win and it gives the Vikings 94% chance of making the playoffs and 50% chance of winning the division. Since I don't like rooting for the 'boys I'll be happy with the 92%/50% it gives with only victories by the Vikings, Rams, and Giants.