Rams will interview Giants' Lewis today

[RamWraith]

By Jim Thomas
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
01/08/2006


Michael Strahan was as blunt as could be on the topic: He hopes to part ways with defensive coordinator Tim Lewis next season. But it's not what you think.

"He's going to be a great head coach," said Strahan, the Pro Bowl defensive end for the New York Giants. "I would really be surprised if he doesn't get a job somewhere.

"I think he's done very well with this unit. He's made it exciting. He's made me want to go out there and play like I was young again. Trust me, that means a lot.

"So I'm proud to play for Tim. You know what? Unselfishly, I hope I'm not playing for him next year."

In other words, Strahan hopes Lewis is working as a head coach somewhere in the NFL next season. That place could be St. Louis. Lewis is scheduled to interview with the Rams today as the search continues to replace the ousted Mike Martz.

Lewis could have done a better job displaying his resume based on what happened in Sunday's 23-0 wild-card loss to Carolina at Giants Stadium. DeShaun Foster rushed for 151 yards for Carolina, which controlled the clock for a whopping 42 minutes 45 seconds.

Despite finishing third in the NFL in takeaways during the regular season, the Giants' defense couldn't come up with a turnover Sunday. But there were extenuating circumstances, not the least of which was a Giants linebacking corps that has been decimated by injuries.

Lewis and the Giants' defenders patched over the injuries as much as they could over the course of the season, but ...

"Eventually, it's just going to show itself," said Nick Greisen, the only one of the Giants' regular linebackers still standing. "And I guess it did (Sunday)."

Despite the disappointing effort against the Panthers, Lewis' overall body of work is impressive. Although he was fired in Pittsburgh after the 2003 campaign, the Steelers finished among the NFL's top teams in total defense all four seasons in which Lewis ran their defense for Bill Cowher.

Following his surprise dismissal in Pittsburgh, Lewis was quickly hired by Tom Coughlin to run the Giants' defense. It's an aggressive style of defense that likes to disguise coverages and fronts to confuse opponents.

No less an authority on the subject than Green Bay's Brett Favre once said Lewis' Giants defense was confusing because it seemed to lack "rhyme or reason."

On the practice field and in the meeting room, Lewis can be very personable. But he isn't exactly what you'd call a players' coach.

"He's very hard on his players," Giants strong safety Gibril Wilson said. "He wants things done precisely, and done his way."

There were complaints by some Giants players last season about the way things were done in the new Coughlin regime. Not all of those complaints were directed at Coughlin. Strahan, for example, wasn't thrilled with the altered role he had under Lewis. But Strahan and other Giants defenders have come around.

"He sways you onto his side eventually," said free safety Brent Alexander, who has played for Lewis the past six seasons in New York and Pittsburgh. "He has his way that he's going to force on the guys, and he knows it can be successful."

And what, exactly, is Lewis' "way?"

"He's an aggressive-natured coach," Alexander said. "An attacking coach. And he wants his players to play in that particular fashion. He doesn't want players backing down.

"Sometimes that's a mentality. It's not always just the type of player that you pick. But you have to mold and teach the guys, and coach the guys to play in that particular fashion."

The Rams' interview isn't Lewis' first go-around as a head-coaching candidate. Last season, he was a finalist for the San Francisco job. He also was interviewed for the head-coaching job at Syracuse University, but didn't exactly score points by saying his ultimate goal as a football coach was to win the Super Bowl.

Lewis also was a finalist two years ago in Atlanta. So sooner or later, it looks like someone will take a chance on Lewis as head coach. Will it be the Rams?

[NY RAMFAN]

Sounds like they want to get rid of a crappy DC that ranked 24th in total D.
Just remeber 3 games, SD, Redskins and ours (I still believe that we got them until we fumbled in their 10 yards, anyway we scored 20+ points).
Nonetheless, when he was hired strahan was already there, so its easier to play with that kind of talent.

[jkramsfan]

i dont like this guy as our new coach,i think there are better canidates, the giants defense is nothing to write home about.

[Leics_Ram]

Please no, not this guy.

[majorram]

you know guys i was thinking the same, I don't want to see this guy near the Rams, there are plenty of better prospects than lewis...


steve:clanram:

[laram0]

I couldn't agree more Mr. Lewis go away.:clanram:

[AvengerRam]

Well, if he's not hired within a few days, I think you can presume he won't be, given that he's available now (with the Giants eliminated) and given that other teams are after him as well.

[general counsel]

The giants defense was decimated by injuries and this guy held it together. Go check out the eagles defensive ranking this year and tell me whether you think it means that all of a sudden jimmy johnson cant coach defense.

It never ceases to amaze me how much people judge only results, rather than circumstances. Talent guys, coaching is an issue at the margain.

Its the same thing with guys that focus on won lost records for pitchers in baseball without considering run support and era. Or why the argument that ken dorsey from the univ of miami should have been a high draft choice because he was a "winner" and only lost once at the college level.

There are lots of factors. I am not suggesting that lewis is my first choice, only that to consider him unworthy because the giants ranked 24th in defense doesnt make sense to me.

ramming speed to all

general counsel

[NY RAMFAN]

The giants defense was decimated by injuries and this guy held it together. Go check out the eagles defensive ranking this year and tell me whether you think it means that all of a sudden jimmy johnson cant coach defense.

I'm sorry GC, but I'm affraid I have to dissent with you in this one, the giants played against SD with all their stars and SD score 40+ points,, LT had rushing TD, receiveing TD and passing TD, I even believe that o'neal had a good yardage too. Their whole game is based in Tiki barber in offense and strahan and unmeiora (whatever it spells). Their CB and SS are horribles. We were ranked better than them and we sucked!!! (25-23).
I'm sory GC but I don't think lewis is a good coach, the same way I know coughlin is not a good coach. I'd rather have Rivera or Zimmer

[ramsbruce]

The giants defense was decimated by injuries and this guy held it together. Go check out the eagles defensive ranking this year and tell me whether you think it means that all of a sudden jimmy johnson cant coach defense.

It never ceases to amaze me how much people judge only results, rather than circumstances. Talent guys, coaching is an issue at the margain.

GC hit the nail on the head. I have said the same thing about Jerry Gray in a few threads. His D was bad this year but he was #2 in D the last two years before this season, and improved the D each year when he started in Buf. One bad year shouldn't kill all of his accomplishments, and not make him a candidate for a head coaching position.

Jim Johnson is another great example, he's been a great D coordinator for a while, but this season the Eagles did poorly. Did Gray and Johnson forget how to coach? Of course not, there are many more factors involved in why they had a poor D this season.

[rampete]

all i remember about lewis is that when he was the DC of the steelers four seasons ago the steelers were pedestrian and on the decline...as soon as he left for ny two seasons ago the steelers defense got alot better...of course having big ben reguvenate the offense had alot to do with it too, but maddox didn't stink up the o either...

i'm just not convinced tim lewis will be able to motivate the pedestrian rams defenders to play their hearts out...he sounds just like another x's and o's guy...

[jkramsfan]

we judge results because thats what gets you to a super bowl,good results, not whinning about all the reasons why you didnt, go ahead and hire this guy and next year this time we can all post reasons why our defense still sucks.

[ramsbruce]

we judge results because thats what gets you to a super bowl,good results, not whinning about all the reasons why you didnt, go ahead and hire this guy and next year this time we can all post reasons why our defense still sucks.

Who's whining? Also no one in this thread has said that they want Lewis as our next coach.

[Fat Pang]

GC hit the nail on the head. I have said the same thing about Jerry Gray in a few threads. His D was bad this year but he was #2 in D the last two years before this season, and improved the D each year when he started in Buf. One bad year shouldn't kill all of his accomplishments, and not make him a candidate for a head coaching position.

Jim Johnson is another great example, he's been a great D coordinator for a while, but this season the Eagles did poorly. Did Gray and Johnson forget how to coach? Of course not, there are many more factors involved in why they had a poor D this season.

Things look as if they've got pretty heated round here since I last posted...............

I have agreed with ramsbruce and GC on this issue across several threads with what was becoming monotonous regularity.

However I think the point at stake here, namely, whether or not to Judge coaching candidates on one season or across their careers is an important one when the man who's decision it is (Shaw) is going to do just that.

I am of the belief that you have to evaluate coaches and talent across many seasons rather than just one because it allows you to build up a picture of a candidate outside of how many injuries he had that season, whether his son died, whether he had a heart infection,or whether he just had bad talent.

Your record and statistics paint a picture of where you end up, that is undeniable, but they don't tell you how you got there. So to look at Lewis in 2003 or Gray this year is to ignore their previous accomplishments which may speak far more eloquently as to their ability to lead this franchise than one bum season.

Look at Chuck Noll...................

Anyway, as ramsbruce pointed out, those who plead for the long view on talent and candidates have advocated neither candidate but don't discount them out of hand either.

For me it's a balanced approach and the right one to take.

[jkramsfan]

ok, whinning is maybe a bad choice of words,how about making excuses for the guy, being from ny and having the giants every move shoved down your throat, i am telling you this guy should have never been interviewed,he would not be a good head coach for us.