Decision to fire Castillo a "miscalculation"
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Decision to fire Castillo a "miscalculation"
Jeff McLane
NEW ORLEANS -- It may sound like an obvious statement after the last two games, but the Eagles' decision to fire Juan Castillo over the bye week was labeled as a "miscalculation" by one of the team's decision-makers following a 28-13 loss to the Saints on Monday night.
In an attempt to shake-up the team following a disastrous overtime loss to the Lions on Oct. 14, Eagles coach Andy Reid fired Castillo as defensive coordinator and replaced him with defensive backs coach Todd Bowles.
Bowles had never been a coordinator in the NFL. He was hired in January after a stint with the Miami that ended with him as interim head coach for three games in 2011.
Castillo was promoted from offensive line coach in Jan. 2011, a move that was criticized by many at the time. Castillo struggled in his first year as coordinator, but his defense showed improvement in 2012.
But back-to-back fourth quarter collapses against Pittsburgh and Detroit led to his firing.
Bowles hasn't had the opportunity to blow any fourth quarter leads because his defense has put the Eagles behind in the last two games. The Falcons scored on their first six possessions in their 30-17 win over the Eagles on Oct. 28.
The defense showed marginal improvement against the Saints, but could not keep the Eagles in the game after Michael Vick threw a pick six that spotted New Orleans a 7-0 lead. The Saints offense gained 371 yards and scored 21 points as the Eagles missed many tackles and were poor on third down and in the red zone.
Comments (58)
Hmm one of the teams decision makers. We know Reid didn't say it. We know Lurie doesn't make any decisions because he is a weakling who lets Reid run the show. That leaves Baby Howie who allegedly got his job by being a backstabbing weasel. Good to see he is in survival mode and leaking anti-Andy stuff to the media. Man this organization really is the gift that keeps on giving.— Scope33- Lurie thinks Roseman is doing a great job because they are 20 mill under the salary cap!!! — oyoyer
- Castillo is sitting at home in his recliner having two good laughs. The offensive line and the defense are worse without him.— Penfold18
- Very ominous quote. If I were Lurie, I would fire Reid today. We have 8 games to go. We're still in it, at least mathematically. We have to explore the possibility that the defense is just demoralized, and not playing to their capacity like they did earlier this season.
If Reid was fired, and a credible or interim coach untainted by Reid replaced him, could this fire up the defense? We have to try it and see if we can turn what looks to be a wasted season into something that could portend some good things for next season.— wilmington - OL is one of Andy's specialties, right? He's famous for developing OLmen & QB's. Hows that workin out for ya, Andy??? We will never win a SB with AR in charge. After the game, Reid said (yea, I know it's the same BS we've heard for 14 years) it's his responsibility. So if I made mistakes at work as bad as Reid over the past 3 years, I'd have been fired long ago! FIRE ANDY! LURIE MUST BE BLIND (his account statements are in braille) SELL THE TEAM!!— desjones
- ". . . labeled a 'miscalculation' by one of the one of the team's decicion-makers . . ."
What does that mean? Who is this "team decision-maker."
This was a stupid blog.
— wordsword - As long as the fans keep packing the stadium, why should the Gold Standard really care about performance? Lurie knows that only one team can win it all, and that the odds are stacked against his team. Do you really think he gives a fat rat's backside about the team's record or the fans?— Boru
- The problem wasn't all Castillo's. Its Reid insisting on this wide 9 nonsense and taking the line play out of Castillo's hands.— Justaschmuck
- It's Washburn that's the problem. Reid hired Washburn and his ridiculous Wide 9 to run the defense... until he didn't want to run the defense, just the line. So now Reid was stuck trying to find a coordinator who would work with him. Not surprisingly, all the qualified candidates told Reid to pound sand. Reid should have told him "either you're the coordinator or you're nothing." The entire organization from the top down needs to be purged anyway. But apparently Roseman got an extension?!? And is leaking stories to the media, allegedly. Great, a weasel for a GM. Future sure looks bright! — oyoyer
- What a dummy. Washburn never wanted to run the defense. He was hired strictly for the D-line. He said so himself. Look it up.
The Wide 9 D-line formation works fine (other teams use it too), IF you have the right LBs/safeties in the system, which the Eagles clearly do not.
Bottom line, it's the players on the field (and Reid and Roseman for putting them there). Not Washburn, who has a pretty good track record as a D-line (not DC) coach.— phillychaos - The Eagles defense gave up 21 pts to a team that scpres 30++ against everyone so I don't think it could be considered a bad week for them.— UncleStosh
- When you actually look at it, Bowles is just as inexperienced as was Juan when Reid promoted him. Reid never learns from his own mistakes. His insistence on QBs that are fleet afoot and slow abrain has cost him a super bowl, and now his job.— Kioto
- Rowdy, couldn't agree more. We're just dragging dead weight around with Reid and Vick. Let's see what Foles can do before we head into next year, so we know what we have in him. Let's see if he can at least inspire these players. Let's see if the players respond well to someone else at the head. Do they not believe in their leadership or themselves anymore?
The last thing I want is to go into next year with a new coach and THEN trying to fix the issues.— MFPhils - The o line stinks, ravaged by injuries like it never has been in the Reid era. The defensive line is bad as well, but they have no excuse.— sore richard
- Boru, couldn't disagree more. Boycotting is ridiculous. Why would an owner allow a fanbase to have that much control? Once that worked, then what? They want a new RB so they miss a game?
The logic behind owners of sports being happy with simply the fans showing up is ridiculous. Owners want their fans to support their product. To spend massive amounts of money during and after the game. They know fans are going to spend a lot less with a bad product. More importantly, they will spend more for a good product.
I guarantee you, there is no owner in any sport thinking that running their team into the ground is a good thing. At the same time, they can't act as irrational as a fan. As bad things are, they could get MUCH worse.— MFPhils - The mis-calculation was measuring the toughness, heart and character of the defensive players. Wheher it was JJ, Juan or Todd Bowles, this group of defensive players are not up to the ferocious play necessary in the NFL.— psubrian
- Fire Reid. But... Last night was not at all his fault. Anyone who thinks it was is just a hater. Nice tackling! Should have traded Babin that baby... Sad when Graham and Sims are the two best players.— fman727
- How u cant put blame on A. Reid, In GM management the worst in the league or coaching career. Watch Seattle vs Green Bay game and learn from it, Rodgers was been kill in the 1st half, 8 sacks coach McCarthy made a adjustment went to a Max Protection for the rest of the GM. Rodgers did not get touch. so how come the O line missing 3 starters, Vick is getting kill and you do not go into Max protection... Well see you next years..... — T.K.O
- It will be very interesting to see the home crowd's reaction this coming Sunday if and when the Eagles lay an egg the size of the ones over the past two weeks. They'll tear the place down.— mportik
- Washburn and Mudd are not what they have been hyped up to be. Bowles is just plain clueless, you can see it on his face as he hides behind the players. You can fix some of the O line by bringing back Castillo and J. Jackson. As others have said the wide line is only good for leaving big holes to run through.— schlippg
- I think we should can reid,washburn and mudd and name Howie interim coach.— euell
- The overly proud city of fickle fans are finally getting a dose of... you reap what you sow. All the negative media, all the negative fan talk has finally caught up. The city is now over whelmed in the flood of negative minds of the city. It really doesn't matter who the Phillies go out and get, or who the Sixers bring in and what level of talented players the Eagles bring in, the city is going to get the same results.
Hope everyone has prepared themselves for the storm coming that way this week and the cold front to follow.
Rayzoe :^)
— rayzoe - rayzoe,
don't you have a hole or a sewer to crawl back into?— oyoyer - The fact that Castillo's firing was a miscalculation is not news. We knew this then. Even though the defense blew two fourth quarter leads, the offense stunk, the special teams stunk. Too many turnovers, bad offensive line players etc. None of which was Juan's fault. All of which is Andy Reid's fault.
Now who's he gonna blame? Who's he gonna fire?— thegoldman - This is the ugliest team / year I have ever seen. It is embarrassing to be a fan of them.— RealizticFan
- Fire Reid. Time's yours.
- This whole team is a series of miscalculations!— fanup
- The real "miscalculation" was not firing Reid last January.— Phront_Runner
- Just a reminded; under Juan Castillo defense was rank 3rd on 3rd down, and 4th in the Red zone %. offense 31 in the red zone, and first in turnover, A. Reid play calling and in gm adjustment are the worst. I saw Seattle play green bay, and in the 1st half they had 8 sacks killing Rogers, but Coach made a adjustment and came out in the second half with Max protection, Seattle Defense did not touch Rogers for the rest of the GM. Can anyone tell me why there was no Max protection giving to Vick when off line just was not getting it done.— T.K.O
- Reid's done, Howie should be out of here too. I don't what else to say, other than this team is done. Period. We may not see the playoffs for a while, but this has to be nuked. It's like the house in the movie Money Pit. Looks great on the outside and rotten on the inside.— bbohannon
- Firing Reid is not going to do much in the short run. The organization needs to be restructured with people who know what a good football player looks like. A good football player does not look like a goood football player, he is one (for example, the real Clay Mathews and not his other brother, Darrel). This will take some time. It will take an exceptional coach to pull this team together to win immediately. By immediately I mean next year. Knute Rockne would not win with this offensive line. We need a good football GM or VP, someone like a Polian or Jerry Reese. They are not easy to find but that is your job Jeffrey Lurie, if yo choose to keep the team. Ours is to be fans. You are making our job as difficult as it is to play QB behind this Oline.
Speaking of QB, any organization where a Marcus Vick can be allowed to hang around is an organization with culture and character issues. This mess can only be cleared up by a good GM with a large broom and excellent personnel skills. Now, fire Andy, please. It will help us fans do our job for a little longer.— johnny eagle - CASTILLO FOR HEAD COACH!!!! ANYONE IN '13 BUT ANDY!— desjones
- Fire Mudd and bring Juan back for the O-line!!!! The line was aweful. Who drafts and selects these guys?
Play Foles from here on out too— connorjr - You dummies seem to forget that the O-line actually played well last season and Mudd was praised endlessly (deservedly so or not). Injuries have decimated the line this season. Is that Mudd's fault? Playing players that he didn't draft or sign, is that his fault too? Right now, save for Mathis, there's a bunch of scrubs out there who probably have no business starting in the NFL. You can't make chicken salad out of chicken sh*t. — phillychaos
- Its uncanny how Reid somehow always makes the wrong decision. If he took the last 50 key decisions and did just the opposite, he would likely have an Eagles SB ring. Coaching decisions, draft decisions, QB decisions, game strategy.....— Lets Eat
- Yeah - regardless what you think about Reid, he has to go. He needed to go years ago. It started with his game-day coaching. Now, you can look at his draft picks, the leadership void, the Vick debacle, and almost everything else outside of Shady and find reasons to fire him now. After they do it, they should figure out how to spend some of that $21M they are under the cap on an offensive lineman or three.— Copper34
- Let me be the first to say it: The Eagles next head coach will be...
JUAN CASTILLO.— Spaceman Eddie - Not so much a miscalculation, but more an indictment of the players. Very similar circumstances as we see in Dallas with the problem being the group of core players. Dallas' core has shredded two HC coaches with a 3rd one possibly on the horizon unless the players get changed this time. Seems this group of core players for the Eagles are always looking to blame someone other than themselves, might be time to turn over the core too if the coach is out the door. Anyone think Nnamdi is suddenly going to become a leader on the field with his play?— MidGreen
- AR looked like a deer in the headlights both on the sideline and at the post game presser. The man looks lost. Put him out to pasture now. The whole group, from Roseman down, has to go. Get a REAL GM in here, let that person assist in the coaching hire and move forward.— delcorules
- AR looked like a deer in the headlights both on the sideline and at the post game presser. The man looks lost. Put him out to pasture now. The whole group, from Roseman down, has to go. Get a REAL GM in here, let that person assist in the coaching hire and move forward.— delcorules
- You can't put Foles behind that line.— p-diddy
- Firing Reid now accomoplishes nothing. They should pay Sean Payton whatever it takes as soon as it is permitted by the League rules. I suspect that is sometime after the season is over. It will take at least $7M per year guaranteed for five years to get him - probably more.
I have never been a Roseman fan and always thought Reid would have benefited from a strong GM. However, since Roseman apparently has been extended the issue is moot for now. Payton will insist on total control and if he finds Roseman inadequate I think he can deal with it.— joephilly - Lurie hedged slightly when he said "8-8 due to an excess of injuries might be different," but then he added he expects one player in particular to stay healthy... (vick is still healthy and the o line has an excess of injuries they will all be back next year lol)— defroe
- MFPhils "I guarantee you, there is no owner in any sport thinking that running their team into the ground is a good thing"
You forgot about Bramen he wouldn't spend a nickle on the Eagles.
Oh I love hindsite - everyone was screemminggggg to rid our selfs of Jaun an now its maybe we shouldn't have. Do u really think it matters. Year after year a top draft on D line latest Cox. They all suck, I don't think I heard Coxs name mentioned once monday nite. They are all AR picks. You can't change AR now who would you let run this circus. Let the year play out an say thanks for the good years Andy an good luck In San Diego. Just sayin.....................— Del/inFla - @lets eat maybe AR should follow the previous Eagles Head coaches Oh! That’s right they didn’t win an SuperBowl neither. Go root for another team.— TrueEaglesFan
- @lets eat maybe AR should follow the previous Eagles Head coaches Oh! That’s right they didn’t win an SuperBowl neither. Go root for another team.— TrueEaglesFan
- as i mentioned 6 weeks ago,juan castillo was ready to take over the team as interim coach,BIG RED fired juan because he knew juan was a possible replacement coach,,marty morningday should have been fired first,then BIG RED and mike conVick needs to be cut with-in the next 2-4 weeks,,jon Gruden is the perfect coach to go after.....GO MITT!!— wolf 4
- STOP IT....he had to go and it is of no consequence....talent selection of players and coaches (mudd and washburn and april and MM) doomed this club......thank YOU AR and Howie.......Note to Jeffery....You now know you should have fired him at the end of last year when you said things were "unacceptable"....so just do it and get it over with....— nuggett
- Hiring a DL coach that runs a gimmick scheme before hiring a DC was a miscalculation.
Naming an OL coach as the DC was a miscalculation.
Bringing in a new OL coach with a totally different system so intricate that the OL coach needs "his guys" to run it was a miscalculation.
Giving a QB that had a history of being average at best a $100M contract based on 10 games was a miscalculation.
Naming a lawyer with no football background whatsoever the GM was a miscalculation.
This entire franchise is a frickin joke.— Only in Philly... - Give me a break. There isn't one reporter in a 100 mile radius of Phila an any reporter for any other sports radio or newspaer that said Juan shouldn't be fired. But now we have Jeff Mclane sayin this was a miscalculation. get real clown you an all the other bozo experts along with Obozo himself wanted Juan gone an now u say a miscalculation - hindsite is great as a reporter isn't it Jeff.— Del/inFla
- Learn to read (and spell). One of the team's "decision makers" called firing Castillo a "miscalculation", not McLane.
Nice that you threw an unrelated, political cheapshot in there too. Classy.— phillychaos - How many bad decisions is this coach going to be allowed to make? Pleas fire him already.— krautmef
- The firing of Coach Castillo was a Big Mistake. It's a done deal. The only way the eagles will win a game is if #1, Coach Castillo shows up to the game and sits the the Fans and cheers the team up. #2. Says a prayer for the Defense and the team...I don't think so. #3 Has a couple of beers and gives some cold ones to his ex players, maybe they will fall down and make it look like a good tackle. Eagles will only win 2 more games. It's sad but you need to start blaming the players. It's not a game for these guys, its always been about how much money Can I Make. its a job that pays them too much money. I am joining Coach Castillo 's team. I quit. no more Eagles— sidelines2012
- The firing of Coach Castillo was a Big Mistake. It's a done deal. The only way the eagles will win a game is if #1, Coach Castillo shows up to the game and sits the the Fans and cheers the team up. #2. Says a prayer for the Defense and the team...I don't think so. #3 Has a couple of beers and gives some cold ones to his ex players, maybe they will fall down and make it look like a good tackle. Eagles will only win 2 more games. It's sad but you need to start blaming the players. It's not a game for these guys, its always been about how much money Can I Make. its a job that pays them too much money. I am joining Coach Castillo 's team. I quit. no more Eagles— sidelines2012
- Foles can't run and he can't hide. How will he do better with no O line?
The Eagles should hire the Marines to guard the QB. Let Vick line up behind center in an armored personnel carrier.— C. S. Liston - you have to blame reid for this mess.i dont know how reid convinced lurie to hire him as coach and give him complete control. reid did not have any experience as a head coach ,offensive coord. etc... this is his baby and it needs to be aborted— swgaston
- The last few years were a miscalculation. This was just one of them.— dlivesay
- Castillo was just a scape-goat. When you need to fix anything you should follow the 80/20 rule first. 80% of your problems should be addressed by the first 20% of your effort. The defense was NOT the biggest problem even though they have failed to get the sacks and turnovers. Over the first 6 games the defense allowed an average of 20.8 points but the offense managed only 17 points. The league average is 23 ppg so clearly the problem with the Eagles has more to do with with the offense underperforming than the defense.— cleansports
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