"Three things:

1. I don't write headlines.

2. Just because there is a pattern doesn't mean there is an evil plot.

3. I don't believe in conspiracies.

Remember that line that you heard, oh, several thousand times last summer, about every time Wade Phillips took over as defensive coordinator that team made the playoffs that first year?

How much do you want to bet that this offseason you won't hear nearly as often the fact that each one of those teams failed to do as well the following season? And it wasn't too long after that next season (once even during it) that the head coaches of those teams were out of a job?

As the happy campers did last offseason, we'll ignore Phillips' first two jobs as defensive coordinator (New Orleans from 1981-85 and Philadelphia 1986-88), when he worked under defensive coaches in his father Bum Phillips and Buddy Ryan.

After that is when the aforementioned pattern began.

Let's start with Denver in 1989, where the Broncos went from 8-8 BP (Before Phillips) to 11-5 and the playoffs with him. They fell back to 5-11 the next season. It took Phillips two more years to get Dan Reeves fired offered his first head coaching job with the Broncos. He was the defensive coordinator for four seasons.

"I've said all along this is the best job I've ever had, and the only job better here is the head coaching job," Phillips said at the time.

Next up were the Buffalo Bills, who were 7-9 BP, but went 10-6 and won a playoff game in Year 1 AP (1995). They went 10-6 the following year, but lost in the first round of the playoffs, then went 6-10 the next season. Phillips moved quicker this time, taking over as head coach after three seasons as coordinator when Marv Levy retired in large part because of a dispute with owner Ralph Wilson over firing several assistant coaches."