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 This award is
modeled after Wade Phillips (left), the Buffalo Bills' coach
who looks perpetually clueless, even in victory.
Week 17: Al Groh, New York Jets
Groh did two things, one before and
during the game, to earn this honor. First, in a midweek press
conference, Groh sarcastically mocked the Baltimore Raven defense in
tones not usually used by coaches. The Ravens gave up two quick
scores, then totally stymied the Jets, forcing six turnovers
(including an interception return for a TD) and recording a safety. "Tell Al Groh his third-grade reverse psychology didn't work," defensive end Rob Burnett
told the Baltimore Sun. "Not to disrespect the Jets players, but Al Groh was the one who fueled the fire this week. He didn't believe, but he believes now."
And during the game, with the Jets down 10 and facing 4th-and-1,
Groh eschewed a gimme field goal that would have cut the lead to 7
with more than a quarter to play. The Jets were held and that was
basically all she wrote for a team that lost its last three
games to miss the playoffs.
Week 16: Mike Shanahan, Denver Broncos
Shanahan is a brilliant coach who has won two Super Bowls and was able to make the playoffs this year despite losing his quarterback for six weeks and his top two running backs. But even geniuses do dumb things once in a while. Denver was losing to Kansas City, 10-7, in the third quarter when Rod Smith caught a third-down pass that would have kept the drive alive. But the refs ruled an incomplete pass. Shanahan challenged the ruling and lost when replays showed the ball clearly hit the ground first. It was a bad challenge for several reasons: The Broncos had already used a challenge in the first half and would have none left. The ball was only at midfield. And a reversal would only have gotten Denver about six yards. Shanahan would have been smarter to save the challenge if he needed it at a more crucial time in the fourth quarter.
Week 15: George Seifert, Carolina Panthers
Seifert made a stupid call that
cost his team a great shot at winning. With Panthers trailing the
Chiefs, 15-14, and facing 3rd down and 10 at the KC 30, Carolina
called a pitchout to Brad Hoover. It was easily strung out by the
Chiefs for a yard loss. On the next play kicker Joe Nedney was
forced to try a long 48-yard field goal into a wind and pulled it
right. Seifert's QB Steve Beuerlein had been hot and easily could
have gotten the Panthers closer.
Week 14: Jon Gruden, Oakland Raiders
Losing track of what down it is should never happen to a team, but it did in a crucial situation to
the Raiders. With time running down, the Raiders losing by 1 and trying to get into field goal range,
Rich Gannon threw an incomplete swing pass on fourth-and-2. The
Raiders got ready to send the field goal team on thinking the previous play was third down. But
Gannon forget they had spiked the ball a few plays earlier. While
Gruden said later he knew it was fourth down it would have been nice
if he shared that with his QB. Game over. Steelers win, 21-20.
Week 13: Jim and Cyd, Fantasy Football coaches
The two of us, who run this site,
wound up playing Elvis Grbac at quarterback despite him being ruled
out with an injury. Why? We failed to read the rules in our league
properly and pick up a quarterback prior to the Wednesday night
deadline (imposed because of Thanksgiving). Our other QB, Brad
Johnson of the Redskins, was also out with an injury. Boneheads,
indeed.
Week 12: Gunther Cunningham, Kansas City Chiefs
Gunther is a great quote and a guy
who wears his emotions on his sleeve. But on game day he often
leaves much to be desired. The Chiefs lost to Buffalo at home,
21-17, their third loss at home this year, only the second time in
12 years they've lost that many at home. The Chiefs have a weird way
of using personnel and seem unprepared. Running back Kimble Anders gained 41 yards and
averaged 10 yards a rush on Sunday. But for some odd reason he only
carried the ball four times and was left pleading on the sidelines
to get in. But it was even worse in the second quarter when the
Chiefs used only 10 players in rushing a Buffalo punt. Jerome Woods
forgot they played with 11 men and stayed on the sidelines. The
Bills saw the mismatch and had punter Chris Mohr throw a 44-yard
pass to a wide-open Daryl Porter.
Week 11: Andy Reid, Philadelphia Eagles
While Andy Reid's Eagles may have
won their game against Pittsburgh in overtime, it never should have
gotten that far. With the game tied, Pittsburgh scored a defensive
touchdown off of a Stanley Pritchett fumble to go up, 20-13. Or, did
they? Replay clearly showed that Joey Porter, the man who scooped up
the fumble, did not get into the end zone and actually fumbled
himself. It should have been a touchback. Yet Reid did not challenge
the call. With just 13 minutes left in the game, Reid missed a huge
call that nearly cost his team the game.
Week 10: Norv Turner, Washington Redskins
Turner has $100 million in talent
and yet his team at 6-4 has a worse record than New Orleans. On
Sunday Turner's team looked unprepared in losing to crummy Arizona,
16-15. He does have a tough mandate from owner Daniel Snyder: Win
the Super Bowl or else. Performances like Sunday make the guillotine
a little sharper.
Week 9: Brian Billick, Baltimore Ravens
Billick was hailed as an offensive
genius when he left the job as Vikes' offensive coordinator to
become Baltimore coach last year. The Ravens defense is marvelous,
but Billick's offense stinks. On Sunday they failed to score a
touchdown again. That makes five games in a row without a TD. That's
stunning. The 20 quarters being kept out of the end zone is one shy
of the NFL record (Indy in 1991).
Week 8: Mike Shanahan, Denver Broncos
Any coach who loses to the Bengals,
and whose team allows 407(!) yards rushing, deserves this award.
Before Sunday, the Bengals had scored 37 points all season. They
scored 31 against Denver. Way to get your team ready, Mike.
Week 7: Mike Riley, San Diego Chargers
Hard to believe, but Riley is a three-time winner ... and we’re only in week 7.
Before the game, the Genius announced he would rotate quarterbacks Jim Harbaugh and Moses Moreno.
Fair enough. But then Harbaugh starts 6 of 6 to help give the Bolts a 3-0 lead in Buffalo.
Good to his word, Riley then brings in Moreno who had missed the past three games with an injury.
First play: A Moreno fumble.
Next drive: A Moreno fumble.
Harbaugh went back in and proceeded to lead the Chargers to three touchdowns in a game they lost in
overtime, 27-24.
‘‘Bad decision by me,’’ said Riley. Well, no duh!
Week 6: Jon Gruden, Oakland Raiders; Steve Mariucci, San Francisco
49ers
Call 'em the Bay Area Boneheads for their bizarre calls in overtime
on Sunday. First, Gruden called for a field goal on second
down and 2, with the Raiders' offensive line dominating. He then
watch shaky rookie kicker Sebastian Janikowski, who had already
missed, shank one again.
It was Mariucci's turn on the next series. The 49ers had driven to
to Raider 12 and had first down. The Niners should have run two
plays to get the ball closer or maybe score a touchdown, but Mooch
called on kicker Wade Richey on first down. Predictably, the kick
was blocked. The Raiders went on to win, 34-28, but neither coach
covered himself in glory.
Week 5: Tom Coughlin, Jacksonville Jaguars
In the span of six days, Coughlin's Jags were embarrassed twice:
43-14 on Monday night, and just as bad on Sunday, 24-13 to the
winless Steelers at home. Coughlin, who seems like he'd be miserable
to play for, simply didn't have his team ready against Pittsburgh,
who was forced to start the shaky Kordell Stewart. If the rumors are
trued about Coughlin going back to the college ranks after this
season then maybe his team's uninspired play is designed to make
this a certainty.
Week 4: Dave Campo, Dallas Cowboys
Campo, a rookie coach, made a
big mistake by starting Troy Aikman at quarterback instead of
Randall Cunningham, who led the 'Boys to 58 points in two starts
since Troy went down with a concussion. Aikman was a weak 15 for 26
with 1 TD and 1 pick as the Cowboys were rolled by previously
winless San Francisco. Campo should have let Aikman sit in favor of
Cunningham, who had a much better feel for the offense.
Week 3: Bill Cowher, Pittsburgh Steelers
Cowher had major brain-lock
in the last minute of Pittsburgh's 23-20 loss to Cleveland.
The Steelers had just got down to the Brown 15 with about 45 seconds
left and they had one timeout. The right move would be to spike the
ball and save the timeout. But Pittsburgh used its timeout and the
next three plays defied logic:
A run! up the middle that got a couple of yards but kept the
clock running.
A spike to stop the clock with 14 seconds left.
An attempted pass where QB Kent Graham froze and took the sack
instead of throwing the ball away. Time expired and Cowher should
take a remedial course in clock management.
Week 2: Mike Riley, San Diego Chargers
We didn't just ``cut and paste'' from
Week 1. Riley is 2 for 2 this season.
Sunday against New Orleans. Riley made one of the biggest head-scratching calls we've seen in years.
The situation: Chargers lead, 24-22, midway through the final period. Their ball, 4th and 1 at about the Saints' 20. Easy call--have the always reliable John Carney kick a field goal, go up by five and make the Saints beat you with a touchdown.
But not our sideline genius. Riley, with the awful Ryan Leaf at quarterback, decided to go for it.
He calls for running back Robert Chancy to ATTEMPTS A PASS! That sails over the head of the receiver.
The Saints wind up winning, 28-27. Riley forgoing the almost certain FG in this situation dooms San Diego. Week
1: Mike Riley, San Diego Chargers
We're not quite sure if Riley was aware of this or not,
but he had RYAN LEAF quarterbacking for most of this game.
That is, the Ryan Leaf who has done absolutely nothing but throw
interceptions and fumble the ball since winning the first two games
of his NFL career three seasons ago. But, when the game was on
the line, Riley went to Leaf. First, at the 5-yard-line, Riley
had Leaf drop back and fire a pass into the end zone, instead of
running the ball - it should have been intercepted as the receiver
was surrounded by three Raider jerseys. Then, at 4th and 1 and
down by 3 Riley again called for a pass from Leaf - who threw a horrible
interception to end the game. Next time, Mike, keep the ball
on the ground.
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