Welcome to our new weekly column where we look at all things NFL from our regular NFL tipster and Rugby League raconteur Nick Tedeschi. He will look at the good, the bad and the ugly of the NFL, holding back no punches.
Ranking The Coaching Vacancies
There were seven coach sackings this NFL season. Some occurred in-season. The most recent occurred this week. Here are the rankings of those availabilities from best to worst.
- Dallas Cowboys – The Cowboys have underachieved over the last three decades but they remain America’s Team, they have elite talent on both sides of the ball, they are ready to win now and the impact on a coach’s legacy of being able to return the Cowboys to the Super Bowl is immense.
- New England Patriots – The Patriots were quick to hire Mike Vrabel and Vrabel was quick to accept. The ball club needs an image and culture overhaul but with a talented young QB the job is more enticing than most.
- Jacksonville Jaguars – Trevor Lawrence has underachieved since being the unanimous No.1 but he has received little in the way of coaching and now paired with an elite young receiver, the Jags can rise quick in a weak division.
- Chicago Bears – Caleb Williams did not live up to the hype in his rookie season but was given little hope in a dysfunctional organisation that had three offensive playcallers. He has a lot of talent though and stability at the QB position is enticing.
- New Orleans Saints – Crippled by having Derek Carr on a bad contract but there is enough there being in a poor division and with an owner not known for panicking with his coaches.
- New York Jets – A completely dysfunctional organisation with the worst owner in the NFL – and potentially all US sports – and the Aaron Rodgers situation does not help the situation.
- Las Vegas Raiders – Owner Marc Davis has no money and no idea and continually cycles through coaches. The Raiders also have a shocking QB situation, a lack of talent and a poor salary cap.
Who They Will and Who They Should
Will teams get their coaching hires right? Let’s see.
New England: The Pats were always eyeing up Mike Vrabel, They interviewed only four candidates including two to comply with the Rooney Rule. Vrabel is maybe the best available candidate this cycle and he played his career there so is the right fit.
Chicago: The Bears have failed with two straight rookie head coaches so expecting them to sign an experienced mentor this time. Pete Carroll is an interesting option that has been linked be to the job while Lions OC Ben Johnson would be the best fit but the expectation is that the conservative organisation who has a long history of hiring grizzled veterans will go with Mike McCarthy.
Dallas: Jerry Jones made a relatively late call to move on from Mike McCarthy but one senses he is in the top position. He runs a stable and highly popular organisation loaded with talent and he is as well connected in the NFL as anyone. The ‘Boys have been linked to former star Deon Sanders but keep a firm eye on Bill Bellichick, who would be an outstanding hire – and one that is shortening to happen. Bellichick recently signed with the University of North Carolina but has everyone at the school worried by not hiring a staff.
Jacksonville: The Jags have gone with three veteran head coaches on the trot – though one was a college coach with no NFL experience – so expect them to inject some youthful energy. Ben Johnson has been linked to other jobs far more than this one but he looks a great fit with the cerebral Trevor Lawrence. Robert Saleh is the man most favoured for the gig.
New Orleans: The Saints don’t change coaches often so it is hard to get a read on how they will go. They do respect their own though and Lions DC Aaron Glenn has a big fanbase in the organisation. There have been no splashy interview candidates. They will chase Mike McCarthy hard and would likely hire him if the Bears don’t get him first. Glenn would be the best call though.
New York Jets: Woody Johnson is as superficial and PR hungry as any owner in the NFL so he will look for a splashy hire. No huge name will get it though returning to veteran Pete Carroll, a renowned culture builder, would not be the worst idea. Brian Flores, a hard-nosed defensive guy, is the default Jets position so is probably favourite with Aaron Glenn right in the mix.
Las Vegas: Speaking of Carroll, of there is one organisation that fits perfectly with his ethos and needs his culture building more than anyone it is the Raiders. Carroll is all glitz and show and flair and that fits well with the Raiders. He also builds teams inside out. Tom Brady will bring some sense to the hiring process but based on recent hires someone like Kliff Kingsbury or Deion Sanders gets the job.
The Real Sam Darnold Stood Up – And Then Fell Down
Sam Darnold’s NFL career has been little outsider of underachievement, mediocrity, frustration and ineptitude. Over the course of this season – his first as a starter for the Vikings – he has enjoyed one for the books. That all came to an end in their wild card clash with the Rams where Darnold got sacked nine times, fumbled to allow a touchdown and single-handedly killed any hope the
Vikings had in a game truly for the books. Horrific.
Unreliable Kicker Watch
The three worst kicking records of remaining kickers:
- Zane Gonzalez – 71.4% FG%, 1-for-4 from 50+ Yards
- Justin Tucker – 73.3% FG%, two missed XPs, 11-for-19 from 40+ Yards
- Jake Elliott – 77.8% FG%, one missed XP, 1-for7 from 50+ Yards
Fun Fact #1
Just two original NFL teams exist – the Chicago Bears and the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals were originally located in Chicago.
Fun Fact #2
In 1934, 90 seasons ago, the receiving leader was Harry Ebding of the Lions with 264 yards.This season 171 players topped that mark.
Fun Fact #3
The waitlist for season tickets at the Green Bay Packers is 1000 years long.
Aussies With Super Bowl Dreams
Australian Jesse Williams is the only Aussie with a Super Bowl ring. And he didn’t play a snap. Three others have played in a Super Bowl. There are the Australians remaining who can make history.
- Jordan Mailata – Eagles lineman who is looking to play in his second Super Bowl
- Daniel Faalele – Ravens offensive tackle in just his third season
Read of the Week
Jim Tyrer was reportedly one of the greatest linemen of his generation. He was a surefire Hall of Famer. And then he killed himself and his wife while his two children were in the house. Mark Fainaru-Wada of ESPN writes a piece examining Tyrer’s inclusion on the Hall of Fame ballot for the first time in over 40 years as the impacts on CTE become more and more known. Read the compelling piece here.
Watch It
Super Bowl XIII was played 45 years ago and was most famous for Jackie Smith’s drop that killed the Cowboys’ hopes. Thrown by Roger Staubach, Hall of Famer Smith dropped an open catch in the endzone. Caller Verne Lunqvidst famously called him “the sickest man in America”. Watch it here.