Ravens Fire Fassel, Ex-Coach Of Giants; Billick To Call Plays
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OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Jim Fassel was fired as offensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens yesterday, a move designed by coach Brian Billick to get more firepower from the league’s 28th-ranked attack.
The Ravens scored only 10 offensive touchdowns in their first six games and were held to 16 points or fewer three times. Even though Baltimore sits atop the AFC North, Billick felt a change in the team’s offensive philosophy was imperative.
“Clearly, in order for us to expand on our 4–2 start, we have to have more offensive productivity,” Billick said at a news conference at the Ravens’ headquarters. “It was my opinion going forward, in order to bring about the level of production that we need offensively, to get where we want to go, that I needed to step back in on a day-to-day basis.”
Billick said he will assume the duties of offensive coordinator, which includes calling plays on game days.
Billick, a close friend of the former New York Giants coach, called the dismissal of Fassel “one of the most difficult decisions I’ve had to make.
“I have an obligation to this organization to do what I think is in the best interests of this team, regardless of how difficult those decisions are,” he said. “Jim Fassel has been a valuable and loyal coach to me.”
But Billick could no longer tolerate his team’s sputtering offense, which had brought about some grousing in the locker room.
Wide receiver Derrick Mason said “the (heck) with football” after going without a catch in Sunday’s 23–21 loss to Carolina, and Jamal Lewis complained about being forced to share time in the backfield with Musa Smith and Mike Anderson.
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TEMPE, Ariz. — Frustrated Arizona Cardinals coach Dennis Green fired offensive coordinator Keith Rowen yesterday and replaced him with quarterbacks coach Mike Kruczek.
The move came hours after the Cardinals blew a 20-point lead and lost to the Chicago Bears 24–23 on Monday night.
“I’ve known Keith for a long time. I have the utmost respect for him,” Green said.”We are not scoring enough points.”
Kruczek becomes Green’s third offensive coordinator in the coach’s 2 1/2 seasons in Arizona. Rowen took the job after Alex Wood was fired following the 2004 season.
“I don’t hesitate to make changes. That’s just who I am,” Green said. “I like things to go a certain way, and if they don’t, I normally do something about it.”
Green said he was talking with Rowen about taking another position on the staff.