So we spent a lot of time yesterday talking about how it made sense for Jim Washburn to leave for the Eagles because they could offer him stability that the Titans couldn't. Washburn is 61 years old and probably won't coach much longer. At this point he needs some stability in his job. Well it turns out that probably isn't the reason that Wash left. We got the first hint yesterday when Washburn referred to the Eagles as a "top-flight" organization and Andy Reid as a "premier" coach. Today two different articles make reference to the fact that Wash wasn't happy with the direction of the defense. The first comes from this Jim Wyatt article:
Inside Baptist Sports Park the 61-year-old coach had made it known he would be looking for another job because he wanted more long-term security and was dissatisfied with some facets of the Titans' defense.
The second from Yahoo's team report:
Though no one would admit such on the record, the other variable at play in the matter was the Titans' slumping defense the past couple of seasons and Washburn's growing frustration with the status of the defense.
It doesn't take a whole lot of reading between the lines here to realize that Jim Washburn wasn't happy working under Chuck Cecil, and who can blame him? Even the guys that play for Cecil have said that no in-game adjustments were being made, and you know that had to drive a guy like Washburn crazy with all of the time he has spent in the league around competent coaches.
It has become clear that Jeff Fisher isn't willing to move on from Cecil. Though there still hasn't been any kind of public statement about Cecil's future with the team, it is pretty clear that he is going to be back. We have talked a thousand times about Fisher's loyalty to bad players, but now we are seeing his loyalty to bad coaches cost him one of the best assistants in the entire NFL. It sounds to me like Wash would have left even if Fisher's contract was extended past 2011.It is unbelievable to me that Bud Adams is willing to just sit there and watch this happen. It is also unbelievable to me that there are still people out there that support Fisher when it is obvious that he is too dang stubborn to do what is best for the team. I can't remember a time where it has been more challenging to be a Titans fan.