Detroit Lions Fans Should Wait And See On Jim Caldwell

Dec 22, 2013; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions fans hold up a sad sign during third quarter against the New York Giants at Ford Field. Giants beat the Lions 23-20. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

Seroka’s Extra Point

Fans Should Wait And See About Jim Caldwell

I have been listening to talk radio over the last couple of days and every time they talk about the Detroit Lions choice of Jim Caldwell as Head Coach comes up someone always rips it.  Now I have no issue with fans voicing their displeasure on their teams decisions but we should have some patience with this one.

Jim Caldwell went to a Super Bowl with the Indianapolis Colts as a Head Coach and helped the Baltimore Ravens win a Super Bowl as Offensive Coordinator. Some of the callers have been pointing out that the Baltimore Ravens offense suffered this year under Caldwell’s tutelage.  My answer to that is the reason Baltimore Ravens struggles lie at the feet of their general manager.

In one of the most bone headed moves of all time, decided that Joe Flacco was an elite Quarterback and paid him 100 million dollars and trade their best Wide Receiver in Anquan Boldin for a sixth round pick.

Flacco’s contract hit to the salary cap cut into the Ravens depth and the departure of Boldin hurt the Ravens ability to get the ball downfield.

If you watched the playoffs at all last year, which I know is always cruel and unusual punishment for Detroit Lions fans, you know that Boldin saved Flacco’s butt time and time again.  If the Denver Bronco’s defense had not played horribly on that game winning drive Baltimore would have been done in the divisional round last year.

However, none of this means anything as soon as Caldwell signed the contract to be the Detroit Lions Head Coach.  His challenges here are way more complicated than most NFL head coach positions.  Detroit is in the unique position of having to change the losing culture and get the players and fans to believe it has changed.  While I admit that Ken Whisenhunt and Lovie Smith were my top two choices, Jim Caldwell was by far the best choice of the second tier choices.

The thing that makes me most excited about this choice is that Tony Dungy, Peyton Manning, and Dwight Freeney all endorsed this decision.  Therefore I am going to give Jim Caldwell the benefit of the doubt and take a wait and see what happens attitude before I totally destroy the choice.

Detroit Lions fans deserve a winner and I believe that Caldwell has a chance to be the Coach we have been waiting a long time for.