Cincy Jungle
Some names you know and others you might not.
It should surprise no one that Lou Anarumo is still this team’s defensive coordinator. Al Golden left for Notre Dame a few seasons ago, and Robert Livingston is now working with Coach Prime in Colorado. Firing Anarumo in the middle of the season doesn’t make the Bengals any better.
Still, it looks as though that day is coming. For all of the epic game plans that the magician has concocted, this unit just isn’t getting any better. Week in and week out, it is the same mistakes. Poor tackling and missed assignments cannot be a problem in December.
So, if the job were to open up as the season draws to an end, who could make this defense better? Here are seven names I’d consider.
Robert Saleh - Former Head Coach - New York Jets
Saleh’s defenses in San Francisco were known for generating pressure and creating turnovers. That is exactly the kind of defense the Bengals need.
Saleh is a well-respected coach who could attract some excellent free agents. He would be a huge addition and could be exactly what this team needs to get back on a winning track.
Matt Eberflus - Former Head Coach - Chicago Bears
First off, the defensive coordinator doesn’t call timeouts (and neither does Eberflus *ba dum tsss).
Seriously, though, don’t worry about what he is as a head coach. Think back to what he was as a coordinator. In Indianapolis, Eberflus instilled a culture of accountability. He was known for making the scheme easy for players to understand and expecting maximum effort. His defenses were disciplined and never outworked. This sounds like exactly what the Bengals need.
Eberflus has learned from some of the best defensive minds in football, including Monte Kiffin, Rob Ryan, Dean Pees, and Rod Marinelli.
Mike Pettine - Assistant Head Coach/Outside Linebackers Coach - Minnesota Vikings
Pettine came up under Rex Ryan in Baltimore. He followed him to New York and was entrusted with running the Jets' defense. He was also the defensive coordinator in Buffalo and Green Bay with a stop as the Browns head coach in between (hey, nobody’s perfect). Now he is working under Brian Flores in Minnesota where he has provided guidance for the young head coach.
Pettine has a long track record of success and has coached some excellent defenses. He would be a fantastic hire.
Steve Clinkscale - Defensive Backs Coach - Los Angeles Chargers
With all of the hype being given to Jesse Minter, it’s surprising that Clinkscale isn’t getting more attention. Clinkscale served as the defensive backs coach and co-coordinator at Michigan before following Jim Harbaugh and Minter to the NFL. Prior to that, he coached at Kentucky, Cincinnati, Illinois, Toledo, Western Carolina, and Ashland.
The Youngstown native was given the co-coordinator title in his second season at Michigan and was part of the Chargers' impressive defensive display this season. He could...
