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What NFL team is most like Iowa?

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Maybe post Brady patriots but waaay too many championships and too good of qb play/too much offensive competency to be anything like Iowa in end product before last 2 years.... even though that is Kirk's model it seems. Recruiting not nearly good enough and Belichick wouldnt hire or keep around a bum like Brian as OC
You know Belichick hired Brian as offensive assistant coach and then promoted him to tight ends coach. Belichick did not fire Brian, and since Brian left after his TE gig, we will never know if Belichick would have ever considered Brian for the OC job, however Belichick was happy with Brian as a coach on his staff so your theory that Belichick would not hire or keep a BUM like Brian is highly dubious. ;).
 
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Kind of like the Cowboys. Play in a terrible division, beat the weak teams, get beat by teams with a pulse. Choke on the big stage.
It's bad enough to get this "terrible division" bullsh*t from outsiders, but from our own, also?

No other division in FBS had four 9-win teams (tied entire ACC and beat entire Big 12 & Pac-12).

The SEC West and B1G East were the only unequivocally better divisions than the B1G West in 2021. The B1G West was clearly superior to both ACC and Pac-12 divisions, and would hold their own top-to-bottom against the top-heavy Big 12 and SEC East.

But I'm ok with you saying the Cowboys suck and are choke artists, that's for sure...
 
Patriots AINEC. In fact, our entire system is designed nearly identically to theirs. The Pats had arguably the top defense and special teams this year, as they typically do. Our offense is (supposed to be) built around the run, mixed in with high percentage passes that any smart QB with a good arm can make based off of presnap reads (Mac Jones completed 67% of his passes this year as a rookie). The Patriots don’t have any big name receivers (it’s historically been their slot man - think Ragaini, Vandeberg, Easley, etc. versus Welker, Edelman, Hogan) and usually really good receiving TE’s who are very active in the passing game. Both Ferentz’ (Kirk and Brian) have spent substantial time around Belichick, widely considered a top coach ever, so this isn’t super surprising

I don’t hate the 49ers pick, but Shanahan is way more creative in his run game than anything Iowa or the Patriots will throw (or run) at you
This. Aside from one year when they brought in Moss, the Patriots have been a defense first team. They had a top 10 defense in the league all but 3 years with Brady. On the offensive side of the ball they use their TE’s and slants with their WR’s.
 
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This. Aside from one year when they brought in Moss, the Patriots have been a defense first team. They had a top 10 defense in the league all but 3 years with Brady. On the offensive side of the ball they use their TE’s and slants with their WR’s.
Probably the Steelers, they continue to play good defense, and as Ben has regressed to be a bad QB in his old age; the offense too
 
Patriots AINEC. In fact, our entire system is designed nearly identically to theirs. The Pats had arguably the top defense and special teams this year, as they typically do. Our offense is (supposed to be) built around the run, mixed in with high percentage passes that any smart QB with a good arm can make based off of presnap reads (Mac Jones completed 67% of his passes this year as a rookie). The Patriots don’t have any big name receivers (it’s historically been their slot man - think Ragaini, Vandeberg, Easley, etc. versus Welker, Edelman, Hogan) and usually really good receiving TE’s who are very active in the passing game. Both Ferentz’ (Kirk and Brian) have spent substantial time around Belichick, widely considered a top coach ever, so this isn’t super surprising

I don’t hate the 49ers pick, but Shanahan is way more creative in his run game than anything Iowa or the Patriots will throw (or run) at you
I'd like to agree with this. However, one of the Patriots' calling cards has been game planning really well for each opponent (taking away the opponent's top playmaker and tailoring their offense to attack opponent weaknesses). Outside of bowl games, i don't think Iowa does this at all. They run the same ball control offense and defensive scheme regardless of the opponent and rely on execution, opponent mistakes and solid kicking to eke out wins or keep the game close. That is how it appears to me anyway. If the staff does spend a lot of energy game planning each opponent, then they need to hire someone who can help them do it better.
 
As a bears fan, the answer is Chicago. It’s frustrated me for decades now. There is also some inverse relationship in the past 20 years where neither can be excellent at the same time, or at least that’s how it seems….meanwhile my Badger/Cheesehead friends are attending playoff games in Lambeau and watching the Badgers play in the Rose Bowl on seemingly back to back weekends.

2006 Bears to be exact. Elite level defense, 2-3 weeks a season where the offense flashed brilliance to give us false hope. Defense and special teams carried us all the way to the end but wasn't enough to over come a great qb and offensive scheme with a serviceable to solid D.
 
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As a Bears fan, I've felt Iowa and the Bears have been one in the same my whole life. Good defense, bad offense.
This fo sho. Perennial contenders for division title but usually fall short. Usually on the outside looking in for a playoff spot but reasonably close. No titles in a long long time and not close to competing for one.

Pretty similar if you ask me.
 
The Vikings. They had Zimmer as a coach and played conservative offense and wanted the defense to win.
As a Vikings fan, I can attest to this wholeheartedly. Yes, fans of other teams may see some things similar to Iowa in their teams...............but there are way too many comparisons to the Zimmer-led Vikings to go with any other team.

The only argument against the Vikings being the Iowa of the NFL is that they at least have some of the best skill position players in the league and "can" actually put up points, while conversely over the last few years, despite their reliance on their defense, it has in fact been the worse of their two units ranking at or near the bottom the past two years.

However, everything else aligns with what Iowa is....and unfortunately it's mostly the worst parts of what Iowa is.
 
Based off of last night, the Packers. They had home field like Iowa vs Purdue, a week to prepare and both laid massive turds on their fans. I just wish Iowa had a Rodgers type qb on their roster to have any sort of passing and running/scrambling game.
 
You know Belichick hired Brian as offensive assistant coach and then promoted him to tight ends coach. Belichick did not fire Brian, and since Brian left after his TE gig, we will never know if Belichick would have ever considered Brian for the OC job, however Belichick was happy with Brian as a coach on his staff so your theory that Belichick would not hire or keep a BUM like Brian is highly dubious. ;).
He was an assistant for 3 years and his highest title was that of TE babysitter (1 year) for Aaron Hernandez and Gronk. Two players notorious for not being X and O players but just physical freaks. Brian's time in NE is severely over valued by Iowa fans.

Ferentz joined the New England Patriots in 2008 as a scouting assistant; his father Kirk was the offensive line coach from 1993-95 under Bill Belichick when Belichick coached the Cleveland Browns. In 2009, Ferentz became an offensive coaching assistant. Before the 2010 season, Ferentz's title was changed to offensive assistant coach, working primarily with the Patriots' tight ends.[2] He was officially promoted to tight ends coach in 2011; that season, the Patriots' tight end duo of Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski set NFL records for receptions, yards, and touchdowns by tight ends, and Gronkowski became the first tight end in NFL history to lead the league in touchdown receptions.
 
It's bad enough to get this "terrible division" bullsh*t from outsiders, but from our own, also?

No other division in FBS had four 9-win teams (tied entire ACC and beat entire Big 12 & Pac-12).

The SEC West and B1G East were the only unequivocally better divisions than the B1G West in 2021. The B1G West was clearly superior to both ACC and Pac-12 divisions, and would hold their own top-to-bottom against the top-heavy Big 12 and SEC East.

But I'm ok with you saying the Cowboys suck and are choke artists, that's for sure...
We have no one in our division capable of winning a national championship. Your entire stance comes down to "we are better in the middle" but they actually have teams like Alabama, Georgia, oklohoma, Oregon, Ohio State, hell Clemson had a bad year and went 10-3. The b10w is the 4th worst conference in the league. Those other divisions have teams that if they win will go to the final 4. The winner of the West is the sacrificial lamb for the b10E resume builder and its not like the b10e is winning nattys left and right.
 
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last night was vintage 2021 iowa football on display. The 49ers looked and played like iowa throughout. stick to the run even when it isn't working (it will work just enough to spark hopes.) stick with a qb even when he isn't capable of carrying the offense. play tough defense. keep grinding. let the other team look much sexier. make sure that points are a premium. even while scrwing up (usually on offense) keep doing other unrelated small things right. keep at it until you carve an improbable win out of granite with a spoon.
to prove this analogy correct though niners will need to get blown next week.
 
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He was an assistant for 3 years and his highest title was that of TE babysitter (1 year) for Aaron Hernandez and Gronk. Two players notorious for not being X and O players but just physical freaks. Brian's time in NE is severely over valued by Iowa fans.

Ferentz joined the New England Patriots in 2008 as a scouting assistant; his father Kirk was the offensive line coach from 1993-95 under Bill Belichick when Belichick coached the Cleveland Browns. In 2009, Ferentz became an offensive coaching assistant. Before the 2010 season, Ferentz's title was changed to offensive assistant coach, working primarily with the Patriots' tight ends.[2] He was officially promoted to tight ends coach in 2011; that season, the Patriots' tight end duo of Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski set NFL records for receptions, yards, and touchdowns by tight ends, and Gronkowski became the first tight end in NFL history to lead the league in touchdown receptions.
Yes, Belichick would not have promoted him if he were a bum or a bad coach. ;) Yeah, lets blame Brian because he inherited Gronk. LOL
 
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Yes, Belichick would not have promoted him if he were a bum or a bad coach. ;) Yeah, lets blame Brian because he inherited Gronk. LOL
I'm not blaming anyone, we just act like the dude had some major contribution. He was a peon for 2 years and his name is attached to Gronk and Hernandez. Hernandez was a horrible person but he was a hell of a TE.
 
I'm not blaming anyone, we just act like the dude had some major contribution. He was a peon for 2 years and his name is attached to Gronk and Hernandez. Hernandez was a horrible person but he was a hell of a TE.
I agree, however Belichick would not have kept or promoted him if he did not think he was a capable coach. And I think I have seen video of him saying good things about Brian. Just because some don't consider him a good OC does not mean he is a bad coach. I would prefer he remain on staff, maybe not as the OC though.
 
We have no one in our division capable of winning a national championship. Your entire stance comes down to "we are better in the middle" but they actually have teams like Alabama, Georgia, oklohoma, Oregon, Ohio State, hell Clemson had a bad year and went 10-3. The b10w is the 4th worst conference in the league. Those other divisions have teams that if they win will go to the final 4. The winner of the West is the sacrificial lamb for the b10E resume builder and its not like the b10e is winning nattys left and right.
The B1G West doesn't have a natty contender very often, but neither do most divisions. Twice the B1G West has put an undefeated team into the BTCG and lost a heartbreaker.

As much as we all love watching Neb football suck, the fact that they are on an historically bad 10-year stretch has done the B1G West's reputation no favors. Then again, that has resulted in a lot more Iowa wins, and I'm a lot more concerned with that than I am what anyone thinks of our division.

Maybe instead of wallowing in self-pity about our division, maybe the Hawkeyes should go out there an kick some arse and represent.
 
The B1G West doesn't have a natty contender, but neither do most divisions. Twice the B1G West has put an undefeated team into the BTCG and lost a heartbreaker.

As much as we all love watching Neb football suck, the fact that they are on an historically bad 10-year stretch has done the B1G West's reputation no favors. Then again, that has resulted in a lot more Iowa wins, and I'm a lot more concerned with that than I am what anyone thinks of our division.

Maybe instead of wallowing in self-pity about our division, maybe the Hawkeyes should go out there an kick some arse and represent.


Yes. Way to much "aww shucks".
 
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I think New England's draft profile is about as similar as you can get to Iowa's recruiting. The Patriots famously avoided first round picks, drafting value guys in the second round who fit their franchise. Iowa recruits relatively value guys who fit their program.
This is extremely accurate! Extremely
 
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I think all this thread proves is everybody has issues with their coach and everybody has issues with their team…
 
Good defense, shaky Quarterback play. Traditionally good offensive line. Long tenured head coach. Never quite talented enough to get over the juggernauts. Hmmm. I would go with the Minnesota Vikings as far as historical achievements. Good team that makes deep runs every few years but loses at the end.
 
Falcons! Almost every time I watch them play, I say "Damn, I feel like I'm watching the Hawkeyes!" at least once!
 
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