FanPost

Pagano from the Eyes of a Colts Fan


Hello all. I had started to comment, but figure it would be better just to make a post to warn you err I mean express my thoughts of Pagano, after watching every one of his head coaching snaps all 6 years.

Pagano is one of the worst head coaches I’ve ever seen. Granted I’ve only started watching football since 06’. His teams set records for being blown out more than any other team in NFL history by 28+ pts for a coach’s tenure. He ran the ball the most while behind, despite us having a crap running game. He threw coordinators under the bus to save himself. He consistently failed to develop ANY young talent. Young players started magically developing the moment he was fired.

His defensive schemes were awful. They consistently got destroyed vs any real competition not named the AFC South. His philosophy of "run the ball stop the run" is outdated and useless in this NFL. His preparation is one of the worst I’ve ever seen. Teams would come out flat unprepared and had the most double digit comebacks in the NFL for a reason. When you started every game down 10-0 in the first a few you come back due to just having Andrew Luck.

As a coordinator in Baltimore, he had Ed Reed, Ray Lewis, and Suggs in his prime and a slew of young talent. He was only a coordinator for a year. The next year their defense was still top 10, and they won a SB without him. That doesn't exactly paint him as vital to their scheme. I would attribute his defense with the Ravens to just more a systemic approach to defense that the Ravens had he was the conduit for. They had an elite defense for what seems like decades no matter who was the coordinator. But that’s judging one year of his DC job vs 6 years of watching him looking confused on the sideline so what do we know. Historically coordinators that go outside Baltimore have struggled mightily. I am not certain that Chicago has the same defensive coaching infrastructure that the Ravens have had forever, though they certainly have the history as well. They might very well and Nagy may just be such a good coach that it doesn't matter who's coordinator with his philosophy.

I have serious concerns if he will have your defense prepared for games. It can't be understated how often the Colts came out looking completely unprepared for the opponent's gameplan. I don't think we ever held Brady under 40 points. Any competent offense not from the AFC South we ran against our defense let us down. Heck the Bengals put 40+ points on us. The Steelers spanked us regularly.

As some may have said that they would expect him to be more aggressive. He statistically was the most conservative coach in the NFL for almost all 6 years he was head coach. He rarely blitzed. And if we were ever ahead our zones would get extremely soft and he would play not to lose, and they would end up coming back. That's how teams had a record number of comebacks against us last year. Aggressive would not be in the first 4,000 words I would use to describe Pagano. He coaches scared to make a mistake.

He’s great with players, they’ll love him. He’s a fantastic man and a great guy. I have serious concerns he will be a good coordinator if his coaching skills in Indy were any indicator. I do not write this with joy. I like the Bears, and I think Nagy is a great coach. I wish you the best however, and know full well Pagano may prove me wrong. I would temper your expectations. I’m just going off of what I have seen for 6 miserable years of Pagano ball.

This Fanpost was written by a Windy City Gridiron member and does not necessarily reflect the ideas or opinions of its staff or community.