{"id":8576,"date":"2016-12-19T18:38:10","date_gmt":"2016-12-19T23:38:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonprofootball.com\/?p=8576"},"modified":"2016-12-19T18:38:10","modified_gmt":"2016-12-19T23:38:10","slug":"defense-hue-jackson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2016\/12\/19\/defense-hue-jackson\/","title":{"rendered":"In Defense of Hue Jackson"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hue Jackson<\/strong>‘s Cleveland Browns are currently 0-14 after a 33-13 beating at the hands of the Buffalo Bills. If that isn’t worrying enough, the majority of young Browns players haven’t shown much progress in their own play as rookies. But before Browns management calls for yet another coach’s head, it must realize that any coach needs time, and Jackson is no different. Barring something historically bad, Coach Hue\u2019s tenure with the Browns should last about three more years before his next evaluation. <\/span><\/p>\n

In Defense of Hue Jackson<\/span><\/h2>\n

As an NFL head coach, Jackson has compiled an 8-22 record. Those eight wins came as coach of the 2011 Raiders, where<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Carson Palmer<\/a><\/b> quarterbacked Oakland’s offense. After partially resurrecting Palmer\u2019s career, Hue has gained the reputation of a quarterback guru. In 2012, Jackson became a secondary assistant and special teams coach for the Bengals. By 2014, he moved up to the offensive coordinator job. As Cincinnati\u2019s OC, Jackson accumulated a 22-9-1 record, and left the Bengals\u2019 coaching staff after the 2015 season. The Browns hired Hue Jackson\u00a0as head coach on January 13th, and he has not won a game since January 3rd. However, many Browns fans have begun to realize that the problem lies in front office inconsistency, not coaches or players. <\/span><\/p>\n

Cleveland\u2019s Management Carousel<\/span><\/h3>\n

Since 1999, the Browns have had seven general managers, one Executive VP of Football Operations, and three owners. In addition to nine different head coaches, Browns management has been nothing if not consistently inconsistent. Clashing coaching agendas only add to the fray, as different coaches nearly always want different players. But by the time the first coach gets some of his players in, the management fires him and the GM. This becomes a vicious cycle of never having the right players. Therefore, Jackson and Executive VP of Football Operations, Sashi Brown, need time to get their \u201cguys\u201d in without being replaced. To be frank, Hue Jackson is the Browns\u2019 last shot at a reputable coach. If he is fired, Cleveland\u2019s inconsistency will likely strike too much distrust in any other \u201cbig name\u201d coach. <\/span><\/p>\n

Four is the Magic Number<\/h3>\n

If the Browns want Hue and his crew to succeed, he\u2019ll be in Cleveland until the 2019-2020 season. By that time, Hue Jackson and Sashi Brown will have had full personnel control for four full years. Hue Jackson’s will have time to ingrain his play book into veterans, and\u00a0will be in complete control of his staff. This yields a fair evaluation by the end of the season. Though most fans have come to expect the worst from the Browns, Jackson would likely need a record over .500 by 2020 to be able to stay around. Management and most fans alike would consider anything less than a complete turnaround a failure after nearly half a decade. Let’s take a look at how Hue Jackson could achieve a record like that.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Perfect Storm<\/h3>\n

When searching for the blueprint of a perfect rebuild, many fans look again to the current Oakland Raiders. After over a decade in football oblivion, the Raiders decided\u00a0to build smartly through the draft starting in 2014. Locking\u00a0up a playoff spot this Sunday after a clutch win against the Chargers, Oakland’s plan has yielded nothing but good results for the Raiders. The one striking component of the Raiders’ execution so far is their consistency. They’ve stuck with the plan of building around rising superstars\u00a0Khalil Mack<\/a><\/strong> and\u00a0Derek Carr<\/a><\/strong>, with coach\u00a0Jack Del Rio<\/a><\/strong> at the helm. Phase two of the plan has seen the\u00a0bringing in of complementary free agents such as wide receiver Michael Crabtree<\/a><\/strong>, who has more than enjoyed his time in Oakland.<\/p>\n

The Browns have the most cap space in the league by a landslide, and could use the same plan. As for stars to build around, Browns fans often turn to linebacker\u00a0Jamie Collins<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0on defense and\u00a0receiver\u00a0Terrelle Pryor<\/a><\/strong> on the offensive side. If the Browns re-sign these players at season’s end and draft well come 2017, a successful rebuild is in sight. Hue Jackson could be the guy to dig the franchise out from the ashes, and be around for the foreseeable future.<\/p>\n

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