[QBall]

This from the Times:


What gives you pause about Fassel is his failed stint as the Ravens' offensive coordinator from 2004 to mid-'06, his last NFL post. Granted, anybody would have trouble trying to make chicken salad out of Kyle Boller (and a creaky Steve McNair), but it might explain why he wasn't in contention for the other head jobs that came open this year.



Then, too, with a coach, there's always the question of: How much of the success was due to him, and how much was due to the people around him (GM, assistants, players, etc.)? When Fassel went to the Super Bowl seven years ago, his offensive play-caller was Sean Payton and his defensive play-caller was John Fox. Fox, I'll just remind you, guided the Panthers to the Super Bowl in his second season, and Payton took the Saints to the NFC title game in his first try.



Coaching searches are always a crapshoot, especially if, like Snyder, you haven't grown up in the game. Dan's last hire, the sainted Gibbs, was a no-brainer. This one carries a lot more risk. So you play the percentages, pick a former coach with a decent track record — rather than a rising-star assistant who's an even bigger gamble — and hope for the best.