EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- It was after midnight, early yesterday morning and Romeo Crennel was encircled by a swarm of reporters in a dank Giants Stadium hallway. Carry-on luggage sat by the feet of the Patriots defensive coordinator and a tired smile creased his face.
Less than 30 minutes before, rookie Patriots safety Eugene Wilson had twisted the knife one last time in the belly of the New York Jets, intercepting the celebrated Chad Pennington for the fifth time. It was a remarkable total for a remarkable defense and it served as a referendum on Crennel's head-coaching candidacy.
Now Crennel was surrounded. Just as he'd commanded that Pennington be. But Crennel stood taller in the pocket than Chad did. Especially when asked if there was any way he'd say no to a head-coaching job, if one was offered, and remain with the Patriots.
"A head coaching job?" he asked with a smile. "In this profession -- whatever profession -- everyone wants to rise to the top. I'm no different than anybody else. I'd definitely like the opportunity to be a head coach and run my own program. If that opportunity arises and I'm able to do that, I will be elated. But I have a good job now and I'm enjoying this good job that I have."
Saturday's game with the Bills will be Crennel's final regular-season game working with Bill Belichick.
There are going to be too many head-coaching jobs open. He's too good at what he does. Someone will hire him. The same may be true of offensive coordinator Charlie Weis. He, like Crennel, covets the chance to test himself at the highest coaching level.
"I could give you politically correct answers, but yeah, I'd be excited (to get a head job)," Weis acknowledged. "For me. For my family. I look at someone like Bill (Belichick) who's gotten to the height of his sport and you'd like to see what it would be like if you were in that seat."
Saturday night, Ernie Accorsi sat in the Giants Stadium press box to watch the sideline manner of both men and the on-field execution of their groups. Crennel's defense was a bear. Confusing. Relentless. Opportunistic. The two touchdowns it allowed were hard-earned. The first came at the end of a drive when outstanding individual plays were needed to extend it. The second came at the end of a drive extended by a fluke completion on third-and-22. And the defense scored a touchdown on an interception return.
Weis' offense was more sporadic. It struck quickly for two scores -- one on a drive of some length, the other on a one-play bomb. But it also bogged down at times and Weis made a curious late-game call when he asked wide receiver David Givens to throw a reverse pass with the Pats running the ball well and quarterback Tom Brady throwing efficiently.
How did Weis, who knows he's being evaluated, react on the sidelines?
"He really just said blow it off," said Givens. "He said, 'We got to stay in the game and keep moving the ball down the field.' "
Both coordinators are going to be under unusual scrutiny over the coming weeks. The notion that they are in line for jobs is out there relatively early and -- with the Patriots being such a schematically compelling team -- both men are going to be discussed at length as the season progresses. Will they coach any differently? Will either -- Weis in particular -- treat the final games as an audition, whether consciously or subconsciously?
Hard to say. Yesterday morning, Weis was asked if being in line for a head job is a distraction.
"It's not a distraction because how we play is part of me," he explained. "When we play an efficient game and win that's part of your reputation. Right now, the most important thing is week-by-week. We're so focused on that. The games are so important it keeps (the distraction) in the distance."
Gimmick plays notwithstanding, Weis' genius is getting the most from a relatively pedestrian group of offensive players. He calls a game to fit their strengths, deploys the right personnel -- Antowain Smith or Kevin Faulk? -- to fit the situation.
Crennel's strength is less mad scientist, more facilitator.
"He understands his players," said linebacker Mike Vrabel. "He never gets too high or too low. That's important if you want to be a head coach in this league. He's a smart man. He does a good job of trying to understand where his players are coming from. He really wants to understand how a guy's doing. If he's struggling, he wants to put a finger on it and work with a guy and get him through it."
It's a weird business, the NFL. If a player loves his coordinator, he wants him to leave. Because they live the same dynamic. If a player's a backup, he wants to start. If he starts, he wants to be a Pro Bowler. If you coordinate, you want to be the head coach. And the players -- though they know a loss can weaken the team and plunge them into some uncertainty -- understand it.
"Romeo's been in this league a long time and he's been successful and coached some good players," said Vrabel. "He'll do a good job and deserves to be a head coach."
More than anyone, though, this situation is a hard spot for Belichick. He wants to do right by his coordinators and give them every chance to get where they want to go after years of loyal service. But he cannot let himself, his players or his employers down by letting either Weis or Crennel get distracted by the likelihood that a professional goal may soon be realized. That's a tough line to toe because Belichick's been there himself.
It's really up to Weis and Crennel to manage that. Will they?
"We'll keep it (head-coaching opportunities)in the distance for now and when we're all done, let's open up the platter," he laughed. "We'll make it a buffet."
