Cottage Grove sentinel., January 31, 2018, Page pg 11, Image 33

BIG GAME PREVIEW | COACHES
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Pederson vs. Belichick
L
ook no further than the head coaches of the Philadelphia Eagles and New
England Patriots for main catalysts in their teams’ respective success.
Both coaches led their teams
through up-and-down seasons
that featured injuries, controver-
sies and close wins.
While Doug Pederson and Bill
Belichick have traveled different
roads throughout their careers,
both coaches have extensive
backgrounds in the National
Football League.
Let’s take a closer look at how
each coach has reached this point
in his career and how the experi-
ence of each coach could make
the difference in Super Bowl LII.
HE’S BACK:
BILL BELICHICK
Belichick has built a reputation
for consistency and excellence,
compiling only one losing season
with the Patriots — his first cam-
paign as head coach in 2000.
After entering the professional
coaching ranks with the
Baltimore Colts in 1975, Belichick
moved on to the Giants for a
12-year stint that included two
Super Bowl victories with him as
defensive coordinator.
Belichick then served as head
coach of the Cleveland Browns
from 1991 to 1995, finishing with
a 36-44 record and making the
playoffs only once.
He joined the New England
Patriots in 1996 under Bill
Parcells before eventually taking
Pederson’s offensive play-call-
ing has been a big factor in the
A COACHING UP-AND
Eagles making the Super Bowl.
He has simplified the offense on
COMER: DAN QUINN
Pederson’s football bloodlines
the fly for new quarterback Nick
are rich, as he served as the
Foles while still allowing him to
offensive coordinator of the
make some deep throws.
Kansas City Chiefs from 2013 to
The Eagles use a run-pass-op-
2015 and spent most of his play- tion series of plays that allows
ing career as a backup behind
Foles to make a split-second
Brett Favre for the Green Bay
decision to hand the ball off or
Packers.
throw it downfield. Foles has
He was part of the Super Bowl
embraced the approach, and the
XXXI team that beat New England results have been clear. With the
in the Super Bowl. He also was a
Patriots ranked near the bottom
backup to Dan Marino as a mem- of the league in terms of defense,
ber of the Miami Dolphins, and a it might be Pederson’s creative
starting quarterback for the
play-calling that makes the differ-
Eagles and Cleveland Browns.
ence in Super Bowl LII.
over as head coach in 2000.
2018 BIG GAME pg 11