Pete Carroll and Bill Belichick: Seahawks clearly have the better coach
Pete Carroll is clearly the better coach
Peter Edward Carroll hasn't had the most stellar career without Russell Wilson under center, but compared to Belichick, he's a genius. Before coming to the Seahawks in 2010, Carroll coached four years in the NFL. He went 6-10 with the Jets as a rookie head coach; Boomer Esiason was his QB. What was he supposed to do with that?
He got his second shot at the league in 1997 with the Patriots. Carroll went 10-6, 9-7, and 8-8 there before he decided to go win some NCAA titles at USC. Drew Bledsoe was Carroll's QB with the Pats. He's an upgrade from Esiason for sure, but no one confuses the guy with Tom Brady - or Rick Mirer, who was drafted immediately behind him, for that matter. Man, 93 was an awful year for quarterbacks.
Carroll went 7-9 in each of his first two seasons in Seattle, first with Matt Hasselbeck and then Tavaris Jackson. So Pete's NFL record without the Artist Formerly Known as DangeRuss is 65-67. Not exactly Hall of Fame quality, but then again, what are you supposed to do with those QBs? Carroll still had three winning seasons, one tie, and could have a fourth winning record after next week. He may also have another losing season to add to his current total of four. Regardless, he's never had a year as bad as that guy in New England the national media used to love.
Compare that to Bill Belichick, and you might rethink your disappointment with Carroll. Maybe not rethink it, but at least this should give you some perspective. Belichick took over from Carroll at New England, as most of you know. He totally justified the move as he took Pete's 8-8 squad and brought them in three games under, at 5-11. Coach Hoodie turned it around the next season though as the Pats went 11-5. Odds are the sixth-round pick from Michigan had more to do with that than Belichick. With Brady under center, Belichick's Patriots went an amazing 251-82. Without TB12, the ray of sunshine has been a bit less successful.