NFL Head Coach Power Rankings Heading into Week 9
Winning NFL games isn't easy, but some teams make it look much easier than others. It's not a coincidence those franchises feature the league's best head coaches.
Currently, nine teams have a winning percentage over 60 percent. Bill Belichick, Pete Carroll, Gary Kubiak and Andy Reid are prominently featured among those franchises. Three of the four have Super Bowl victories on their resume, while Reid is one of the league's longest-tenured coaches.
Jack Del Rio, Mike Zimmer, Jason Garrett, Bill O'Brien and Dan Quinn are the next five trying to break into the same stratosphere. Each of these coaches have already showed an ability to make adjustments this season even when faced with curveballs like quarterback injuries, poor quarterback play or just disappointing defensive performances.
The little things separate the best from the rest. In the NFL, the ability to make in-game adjustments define top coaches, because no one knows exactly how a person will respond when placed into the pressure cooker that is an NFL game.
Every coaching staff faces injuries, disappointments and ball calls. It's how coaches react in those situations that help tilt games into their favor. Those who consistently do so make winning NFL games look easier than it really is.
Click through to find out which coaches make the best adjustments while others continue to struggle.
32. Hue Jackson, Cleveland Browns
1 of 32
Last Week: 32
Quote of the Week: "It's no magic. We have to finish it. We're 0-8. We own the record, and we have to play better. We have to get the monkey off our back. It's just that simple.''
The Cleveland Browns remain the league's only winless team after Sunday's 31-28 loss to the New York Jets. There are stretches when the Browns look competent before everything falls apart.
For example, the Browns led 20-7 at halftime but could not stop New York's offense in the second half. The league's worst defense can't close the door and finish, as head coach Hue Jackson stated, per the Plain Dealer's Mary Kay Cabot.
Prior to Sunday, the Jets were 0-69 in franchise history when trailing by 13 or more points at halftime on the road, according to the New York Post's Bart Hubbuch. Obviously, that all changed with their comeback victory.
"Oh my lord,'' Jackson said, per Cabot. "We had the chance to make plays."
But the Browns didn't. They're now 0-8 and staring at a potential 0-16 campaign.
31. Chip Kelly, San Francisco 49ers
2 of 32
Last Week: 31
Quote: "I don't think we're playing fast right now. So if someone said, 'How are you playing offensively?' I don’t think we're playing fast offensively. I think we're just not going back (to huddle). We’re saving seven yards of run time for our offensive line because they don’t have to run back in the huddle, get a play called and then do it."
When Chip Kelly first became an NFL head coach, everyone thought he'd revolutionize the game. No one could argue with his early success, either. Kelly's NFL career started fast and furious when the Philadelphia Eagles finished second overall in total offense during the 2013 campaign.
But defenses adjusted. Kelly didn't. A trend started as the Eagles offense worsened with each subsequent season until the organization decided to fire the coach last year.
Yet, the San Francisco 49ers still decided to hire Kelly this offseason. Where does his offense currently rank? Dead last.
Will there be any changes to Kelly's approach? Even operating at a slower pace than Kelly likes, it doesn't sound like there will be an offensive overhaul.
"I think that's what fits with this group of guys we have on the offensive side of the ball," the coach said last week, per CSN Bay Area's Matt Maiocco.
After a 1-6 start, the 49ers aren't poised to be much better coming out of their bye week.
30. Gus Bradley, Jacksonville Jaguars
3 of 32
Last Week: 29
Quote of the Week: "Actions speak louder than words. Very little for me to say."
Shad Khan is the NFL's most patient owner. He said actions speak louder than words, per SI.com, but his actions continue to support Gus Bradley as the Jacksonville Jaguars head coach.
Why? No one is exactly sure.
Bradley now owns a 14-41 overall record after Thursday's 36-22 loss to the Tennessee Titans. Despite the embarrassing display on a national stage, Khan stated he wouldn't fire Bradley, per the Florida Times-Union's Ryan O'Halloran.
Instead, Bradley dismissed the team's offensive coordinator, Greg Olson, on Saturday in a last-ditch attempt to save face.
"Gus said he was talking about doing this and he talked to Shad about it and Shad said, 'Hey, sleep on it and see how you feel about it,'" general manager Dave Caldwell said, per O'Halloran. "Like I told Gus, he had to make sure this was a decision he felt was going to make us better. He felt that was the case so this [is] the direction he went."
If the Jaguars don't get better over the next nine weeks, Khan's patience will be tested.
29. Jeff Fisher, Los Angeles Rams
4 of 32
Last Week: 26
Quote of the Week: "I've not changed my mindset with respect to (the QBs)."
A week ago, Los Angeles Rams head coach Jeff Fisher doubled down on Case Keenum being the team's starting quarterback, per the team's Twitter feed.
This is just mind-boggling considering Keenum's four-interception performance in the Rams' 17-10 loss to the New York Giants in London.
Were all the mistakes his fault? Of course not. Quarterbacks take too much credit or blame for the team's actions. However, Keenum hasn't displayed the ability to lift up the offense and make those around him better. He's a competent quarterback in a pinch, not the team's long-term starter.
Yet, Fisher hasn't reached the point where he's ready to name this year's No. 1 overall pick, Jared Goff, the team's starting quarterback.
"Jared's going to play when we feel Jared's ready," Fisher said, per Pro Football Talk's Michael David Smith.
Goff's time should be coming soon since he took first-team reps during the bye week, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.
28. John Fox, Chicago Bears
5 of 32
Last Week: 30
Quote of the Week: "He doesn't have a choice, I guess, at this point."
Just when everything appeared to be falling apart, Chicago Bears head coach John Fox pulled his team together for an impressive 20-10 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football.
More surprisingly, quarterback Jay Cutler rose to the occasion and led his team to the victory after it appeared he and his coach could barely tolerate each other. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport a day before Monday's victory, Bears brass were evaluating the entire organization with the help of an outside consultant.
Cutler played well during the Bears' second win. The quarterback completed 64.5 percent of his passes for 252 yards and a touchdown. More importantly, Cutler showed he could lead his team with a strong message during his pregame speech.
"It was about inspiration," Cutler said, per ESPN.com's Jeff Dickerson. "Everyone in there is from different backgrounds, different cultures, societies, family lives and schools. Whatever it takes to find that inspiration because motivation usually wears off at some point during the game. Those guys played inspired football, so it was fun to be a part of."
27. Todd Bowles, New York Jets
6 of 32
Last Week: 28
Quote of the Week: "You don't barely squeak by a winless team. When you win, you win. When you lose, you lose. We don't complain when we lose, and we ain't gonna bitch about it when we win."
Teams can only play those opponents placed before them by the league. They won't complain when any victory is achieved. New York Jets head coach Todd Bowles certainly didn't when his team captured a 31-28 win over the 0-8 Cleveland Browns, per ESPN.com's Rich Cimini.
The Jets aren't good enough to be disappointed when they barely beat a bad team—especially since New York needed to play a near-flawless second half to capture the victory.
Bowles' squad trailed 20-7 at halftime before the coach tore into his team during the intermission, according to Cimini. Subsequently, the Jets orchestrated the biggest second-half road comeback in the franchise's history to improve to 3-5 overall.
"We showed a lot of character," cornerback Darrelle Revis said, per Cimini. "We have a lot of potential. We have to dial into our potential with what we have as a team."
26. Mike Mularkey, Tennessee Titans
7 of 32
Last Week: 27
Quote of the Week: "There's a pack here right now at this stage of the year with a lot of teams around [the same] with wins and losses. And we're going to try to stay in it and come out of this pack at some point. We need to stay in it and we did that."
Maybe the Tennessee Titans are a little better than most expected entering this season. At 4-4, Mike Mularkey's squad is just one game behind the Houston Texans in the AFC South. But the goal is to be even better.
"Our goals are a little bit more than .500," running DeMarco Murray said, per ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky.
The possibility of being a little bit more than .500 exists based on the Titans' upcoming schedule. Their next four opponents have combined for an 12-19 record.
The Titans are quite balanced, too. They're ranked ninth overall in total offense and defense. But quarterback Marcus Mariota steers this team.
In all four Titans victories, Mariota completed at least 69 percent of his passes with a 10-to-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio. In the four losses, the quarterback completed 61 percent or less of his passes with four touchdowns and four interceptions.
"That's the type of guy he is, he's a team-first guy, he doesn't care about his stats or his anything," Murray told Kuharsky.
25. Adam Gase, Miami Dolphins
8 of 32
Last Week: 25
Quote of the Week: "The one thing I kept telling our defensive players, especially at the beginning of the season, was listen, you guys are fine. I haven't come through for you. I'm going to get the offense rolling."
Early in the season, Adam Gase's frustrations with the Miami Dolphins offense became blatantly obvious. He didn't even try to hide it when he met with the media or his team, per the MMQB's Albert Breer.
Prior to the bye week, Gase connected with his players and got his offense rolling.
"Love him, love everything about him from his competitive spirit to his swagger," wide receiver Jarvis Landry said of his head coach, per Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio. "He has a swagger, he"s a young coach and a lot of times we find ourselves having talks about the game and telling each other stories."
As the Dolphins headed into their bye week, their offensive line and running back Jay Ajayi established themselves. Miami is ranked seventh overall in rushing offense after Ajayi carried the ball 53 times and amassed 418 rushing yards during the previous two games.
Gase must now strike a balance between establishing Ajayi and not overworking him.
"Obviously, I'll need to be aware of where he is carries-wise," the coach said, per the Sun-Sentinel. "We'll have to be smart about it if we're going to give him that many carries. At the same time, we don't want to be overly cautious."
24. Mike McCoy, San Diego Chargers
9 of 32
Last Week: 24
Quote of the Week: "We called the plays we did. Didn't score. Didn't work."
Earlier this season, all of the discussion surrounding the San Diego Chargers centered on the new and imaginative ways the team found ways to lose.
Against the Denver Broncos, the Chargers realized they're just not good enough at this point to beat a top team. This became evident in the fourth quarter of the 27-19 loss when Mike McCoy's team trailed by a eight points and couldn't get the ball into the end zone from the 2-yard line on four tries.
The biggest question is why the team decided to throw it four times instead of handing the ball to running back Melvin Gordon, who is tied for second in the league with eight rushing touchdown. McCoy didn't provide a direct response when questioned about these specific play-calls, per the San Diego Union-Tribune's Michael Gehlken.
"(We) had too many mistakes and missed opportunities in all three phases," McCoy added, per ESPN.com's Eric D. Williams. "We didn't capitalize on some things they did, so we put ourselves in some bad situations."
As a result, the Chargers are 3-5 and the only team in the AFC West without a .500 or better record.
23. Chuck Pagano, Indianapolis Colts
10 of 32
Last Week: 23
Quote of the Week: "The same common things keep coming up, over and over and over and over. And we've gotta find a way to fix them."
A coach at any level or sport couldn't spout a more damning phrase than the one the Indianapolis Colts' Chuck Pagano did, per the Indianapolis Star's Zak Keefer.
When the same things continually happen, there's only one person to blame: the head coach.
Obviously, he's done nothing to effectively change those issues despite numerous attempts to do so. No one is going to believe he or his staff will miraculously find a new solution to the same things that have plagued the team for some time.
Like a good soldier, quarterback Andrew Luck took his share of the blame, too.
"It feels like we're making progress (one week) and then we step backward, and we're sick of it," Luck said, per Keefer. "It's on us. No one else to blame. It's on us."
There's always someone to blame in Indianapolis when legitimate solutions aren't being applied. The Colts continue to struggle with pass protection, running the football and stopping any opponents. If not for Luck's outstanding play, the Colts would be considered one of the league's worst rosters, and Pagano hasn't done anything to improve the situation.
22. Dirk Koetter, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
11 of 32
Last Week: 22
Quote of the Week: "We've got a quick turnaround. That's lucky for us."
As quarterback Jameis Winston intimated, per ESPN.com's Jenna Laine, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers want to quickly forget everything that happened during the team's 30-24 overtime loss to the Oakland Raiders.
Everything went wrong for Dirk Koetter's squad. Winston missed throws. The Raiders set an NFL record with 23 penalties, yet continued to move the ball on the Buccaneers defense. Rookie kicker Roberto Aguayo missed another extra point. And Tampa Bay's secondary missed two tackles, which allowed Seth Roberts to scamper 41 yards for the game-winning score.
Of course, the 3-4 Buccaneers can't wait to get back on the field as soon as possible.
"We thought we had it won, and they snuck it from us," wide receiver Mike Evans said, per Laine. "Great game by them, but it hurts really, really bad. We are going to take our 12 hours and then move on to Atlanta, and we're real familiar with Atlanta."
Whether a team wins or loses during the previous weekend, a head coach's job is to have his players mentally prepared for Thursday Night Football. As poorly as the Buccaneers played against the Raiders, Koetter shouldn't have any problems doing so.
21. Jim Caldwell, Detroit Lions
12 of 32
Last Week: 18
Quote of the Week: "We do try and make certain we correct all of our mistakes, from top to bottom, coaches, players alike, every single week. We do a complete debrief, we do a complete assessment of where we are from a personnel standpoint, to schematic standpoint, to you name it, we go through it. But it's not for public consumption."
Jim Caldwell's response came after a line of questioning regarding a couple questionable decisions from the Detroit Lions head coach, per MLive.com's Kyle Meinke.
A failed onside kick and an earlier choice not to throw the challenge flag after a potential fumble appeared to be the turning points during the Lions' 20-13 loss to the Houston Texans.
Caldwell explained both decisions but didn't regret either.
"I'll tell you it's just like anything else in our game, there's and ebb and flow sometimes and sometimes things are going well for you, sometimes not so well," the coach said, per Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site.
After winning three straight, the Lions regressed and fell to 4-4 at the halfway mark.
"We went from a team (that) first quarter we were 1-3, to 3-1," Caldwell said, per Twentyman. "Right now we're going to see how we do in this next quarter and we just take them one at a time, focus in on those teams and see what happens at the end of the quarter."
20. Rex Ryan, Buffalo Bills
13 of 32
Last Week: 16
Quote of the Week: "I think it's unrealistic to think you're going to win your division … How many games are they up now? Three? That team is three games up on us and at the halfway point they've lost one game. And No. 12 is back. So yeah, I don't see that happening."
For all of the goodwill Rex Ryan and his Buffalo Bills built winning four straight games, it's all been dashed in recent weeks. When a coach concedes the division at the halfway point in the season—as Ryan did after the Bills' 41-25 loss to the New England Patriots, per MMQB.com's Peter King—he and his team are no longer in a good position.
Yes, quarterback Tom Brady was in the Patriots lineup this time, but these teams split the season series. There's no reason to concede defeat after one loss when anything could happen during the second half. A key injury or string of wins could put the Bills right back into the playoff conversation.
Ryan has always oversold his situation—whether he's talking about Super Bowls or being deflated after a big loss. At 4-4, his team is good enough to compete on a weekly basis and not approach the rest of the season with a defeatist attitude.
"We're mediocre," linebacker Preston Brown said, per the Buffalo News' Jerry Sullivan. "We're 2-2 in both halves. That's not what you want to do. We know we can only drop about two more games if we want to get into the playoffs."
19. Ron Rivera, Carolina Panthers
14 of 32
Last Week: 21
Quote of the Week: "Cam is correct. I support him 100 percent in this."
A head coach should always support his franchise quarterback—especially when said quarterback is Cam Newton, the reigning MVP who led the Carolina Panthers to the Super Bowl earlier this year.
Newton complained of taking several shots during the Panthers' 30-20 victory over the Arizona Cardinals, yet no penalties were called. This has become a trend throughout the season.
"I think he gets a little bit of the Shaquille O'Neal treatment," Panthers coach Ron Rivera said, per the Charlotte Observer's Jourdan Rodrigue. He's a bigger guy for that position as opposed to some of the smaller quarterbacks of stature. When they get hit, they roll around to the ground. When he gets it, he absorbs them and it doesn’t look as bad."
According to ESPN's Ed Werder, Rivera spoke with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Monday about the situation.
Of course, Newton is going to take more hits than a typical quarterback because of how much he's involved in the Panthers running game. However, his coach should always try to protect him—whether it's from actual hits or a perceived bias. Rivera has done just that.
18. Bill O'Brien, Houston Texans
15 of 32
Last Week: 20
Quote of the Week: "I don't remember that one bit."
At first, Houston Texans head coach Bill O'Brien played coy with the media when asked about his sideline outburst during the team's 20-13 victory over the Detroit Lions, per the Houston Chronicle's Aaron Wilson.
Eventually, the coach discussed why he blew up on special teams coordinator Larry Izzo after his team only had 10 players on the field for the second-half kickoff, per Wilson:
"Things happen on the sideline. We have an intense staff. We had a basketball court outside of the bubble. We were playing for a while and things got intense out there. The next time we showed up out there, the basketball hoop was gone.
I don't know where they get it from. I'm not that intense. Things happen. It's just the nature of the game. It's a competitive game. We all want to win. We've moved on from that, and it won't happen again.
"
While an organization never wants to see its head coach berating one of his assistant in front of a national audience, O'Brien showed some legitimate fire and passion with his eruption.
Houston is now 5-3 and sits atop the NFC South. O'Brien plans to play nice with others, but the Texans shouldn't.
17. Ben McAdoo, New York Giants
16 of 32
Last Week: 17
Quote of the Week: "I don’t feel like I've been spread thin at all. It helps me stay dialed in to the locker room, to the offense and dictating the game."
Apparently, New York Giants head coach Ben McAdoo isn't going to relinquish his play-calling duties anytime soon. The first-year coach doesn't seemed to be overwhelmed by running the team and still handling the offense.
Results indicate something different. The Giants are 19th in total offense and average nearly 27 fewer yards per game than a year ago when McAdoo served as the offensive coordinator.
"I think we have a variety of areas we can grow in and improve in," the coach said, per BigBlueView.com's Chris Pflum. "I think we're just scratching the surface and everything is correctable."
The team's ground game is where the most help is needed. The Giants rank dead last in rushing yards.
"First thing we need is more plays," McAdoo admitted, per Pflum. "If we have more plays then we can run the ball more. The better we run the ball the more runs we'll call, the more plays we'll get."
A commitment to the run seems like a good first step as the Giants emerge from their bye week.
16. Sean Payton, New Orleans Saints
17 of 32
Last Week: 19
Quote of the Week: "It doesn't really have to be aesthetically pleasing to be effective. The key is winning."
Don't look now, but the New Orleans Saints have won three of their last four games after Sunday's 25-20 victory over the Seattle Seahawks.
As Saints head coach Sean Payton stated after the game, per ESPN.com, it doesn't need to be pretty. A coach will take an ugly win over a well-played loss every day of the week.
A large part of the team's recent success is the improved play of a much-maligned defense. The Saints allowed only one offensive touchdown to the struggling Seahawks. More importantly, Dennis Allen's group didn't surrender a late-game touchdown with Seattle only 10 yards away from paydirt.
"It means so much to the defense, just standing up, that resiliency to keep them out of the end zone the last drive," defensive end Cameron Jordan said, per ESPN.com's Mike Triplett.
Everyone knows the Saints offense is going to rack up yards and points. The defense doesn't even need to be very good. As long as it keeps an opponent out of the end zone a few times each week, New Orleans has a chance to win ugly.
15. Jay Gruden, Washington Redskins
18 of 32
Last Week: 15
Quote of the Week: "If you had told me before the season we'd be 4-3-1 and last place in the division, I'd have said you're crazy."
Nope. No one is crazy. The Washington Redskins are 4-3-1 and located in NFC East's cellar. Head coach Jay Gruden must face reality, per the Richmond Times-Dispatch's Michael Phillips.
The season is far from over, but it seems Washington is already playing for a wild-card spot instead of competing for the division since the 6-1 Dallas Cowboys are playing so well. Sunday's 27-27 tie against the Cincinnati Bengals in London could prove to be a positive or negative as the season continues.
"I don't know what to say after the game," Gruden remarked, per ESPN.com's John Keim. "Should I be upset or happy or whatever?"
In one hand, the Redskins avoided a loss. However, the tie could have an effect on their postseason eligibility depending on how well Washington and other teams around the league play down the stretch.
After a loss and a tie in their last two contests, Washington must get back in the win column before it can even consider its future prospects.
14. John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens
19 of 32
Last Week: 14
Quote of the Week: "Our goal is certainly going to be to win the division. That's in front of us."
A team can dream, can't it?
Amazingly, the 3-4 Baltimore Ravens are still in the thick of the AFC North despite losing their last four contests. As such, head coach John Harbaugh continues to push his team toward trying to win the division, per CSN Mid-Atlantic.
The possibility is even plausible with the Ravens' upcoming schedule. Three of Baltimore's next four games are against division foes, including Sunday's meeting with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who might still be without the services of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
Before the Ravens could set their sights on a division crown, the team needed to take a hard look at itself.
"I told one of the guys in the meeting (last week), 'I love you, but I despise you right now on that play.' And guys get it," Harbaugh said, per the Baltimore Sun's Jeff Zrebiec. "They're OK. It's all about just pushing them and coaching them and trying to just teach better football—really is where we're at."
These are hard truths, but they needed to be said for the Ravens to achieve their stated goal.
13. Doug Pederson, Philadelphia Eagles
20 of 32
Last Week: 11
Quote of the Week: "Everybody is mad and disappointed and angry after tough losses like we just came through, and cooler heads prevail. We just have to bite our lip sometimes and just suck it up and get to work."
Doug Pederson's comments came after Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Nelson Agholor decided to lash out when asked about a drop during the team's 29-23 overtime loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
"I don't give a damn, man, that (stuff) is nothing," Agholor said when pressed, per ESPN.com's Tim McManus. No one is perfect. I don't look at no drops, or that type of (stuff). I'm tired of hearing that (stuff). It's just stupid."
It's not really stupid when a player is asked why he isn't adequately doing his job. Agholor caught three passes for 25 yards and provided minimal impact. His coach obviously wasn't happy with the receiver's response.
"Any time you drop the ball is a problem," Pederson said, per McManus. "Everybody has to do their job. I talk about it every week with the team: You have to do your job, do your assignment, no excuses, and you have to own up to them."
That includes Pederson, who wants to become more aggressive in the coming weeks.
"I think just, for me, staying aggressive, (is) No. 1," the coach said, per CSN Philly's Dave Zangaro.
12. Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati Bengals
21 of 32
Last Week: 12
Quote of the Week: "Obviously not winning the game is disappointing. We had opportunities on both sides of the ball to win it."
Just when everyone thought the NFL provided a good game for the fans in London, the Cincinnati Bengals and Washington Redskins played to a 27-27 tie. Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis merely stated the obvious when he said the final result was disappointing, per ESPN.com.
Some of Lewis' players didn't even know how to react after the game.
"It's not an L, that's all that matters," wide receiver A.J. Green said, per ESPN.com's Katherine Terrell. "I don’t even know how you describe it. It's just, blah."
Quarterback Andy Dalton added: "It’s obviously the weird feeling of we didn’t lose, but we didn’t win. Feels more like a loss than anything."
These feelings will linger, too. The Bengals enter their bye week with a 3-4-1 record and 1.5 games behind the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North.
"We’ve got to come back strong," defensive tackle Domata Peko said, per Terrell. "We’ve got a bye week now, get everyone healthy, we’ve got eight games to go, our division is wide open, so we’ll be all right."
11. Jack Del Rio, Oakland Raiders
22 of 32
Last Week: 13
Quote of the Week: "It comes down to finding a way to win, whatever it takes."
The Oakland Raiders needed a historic performance from quarterback Derek Carr to secure a 30-24 overtime victory Sunday over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That's what it took this past weekend since the Raiders set a new NFL record with 23 penalties.
"We can't be a championship team like that, so we have to clean it up, definitely," wide receiver Amari Cooper said, per the San Francisco Chronicle's Vic Tafur.
Cooper caught 12 passes for 173 yards as he helped contribute to Carr's record-shattering performance. The quarterback threw for 513 yards, which is now the most in Raiders history.
"I am not even kidding you," Carr told MMQB.com's Peter King. "Someone mentioned that to me after the game, and I almost started crying. That is crazy."
Carr and Cooper keep the Raiders in every game. They're a big reason why the Raiders started 5-0 on the road for the first time since 1977. If head coach Jack Del Rio can get the defense to perform slightly better and have his team play with more discipline, the 6-2 Raiders will develop into something more than just a nice story.
10. Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers
23 of 32
Last Week: 8
Quote of the Week: "Ben looked really good. Ben is a competitor. Never count him out. We're optimistic where he stands right now. As far as him being healthy, 100 percent, that's where I want him to be. Seeing that is very encouraging."
With each passing day, the Pittsburgh Steelers are becoming a better football team.
Why? Because quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is getting healthy after having MCL surgery, and right tackle Marcus Gilbert liked what he saw of his signal-caller when he practiced with the first team earlier this week, per ESPN.com's Jeremy Fowler.
Roethlisberger still might not be ready for Sunday's contest against the Baltimore Ravens, so the Steelers must find a way to remain competitive with Landry Jones behind center.
"We'd have to dig a little deeper," Gilbert said, per Fowler. "You can't replace Ben Roethlisberger. He's one of the greatest."
Without the team's franchise quarterback, head coach Mike Tomlin and his staff must prepare their squad for a division rival or risk falling behind in the AFC North until he returns. Roethlisberger makes everyone's life easier, but this Steelers team needs to show some resiliency if its quarterback can't be in the lineup.
9. Mike McCarthy, Green Bay Packers
24 of 32
Last Week: 6
Quote of the Week: "We're not going to make a living with Aaron Rodgers running the football. Let's make that clear right now. We're going to throw the ball, but we need to get our run game going because we're not going back to last year. We're going to run the football, we're going to play-action pass game. We're going to play to our quarterback."
Sometimes a team has to do whatever it takes to remain competitive.
For example, the Green Bay Packers didn't have a better running threat than their quarterback during Sunday's 33-32 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Aaron Rodgers led the Packers with six carries for 60 yards. The rest of the team's backs carried the ball 13 times for 48 yards.
This won't always be the case, but Eddie Lacy needed ankle surgery, while the recent backfield discovery of Ty Montgomery became a surprise scratch due to a kidney-related ailment, according to a statement from his agent, Damarius Bilbo, per ESPN's Josina Anderson.
With both out of the lineup, the Packers really didn't have any effective options.
"We're a different offense than we were last year," head coach Mike McCarthy said, per ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky. "That’s the reality of it. ... (Rodgers) controls those changes as well as anybody I've been around."
Basically, Green Bay's quarterback shoulders a lot of responsibility. If and when he's asked to do things out of his comfort zone, he's willing to do so. But the Packers aren't necessarily a better team because he can.
8. Jason Garrett, Dallas Cowboys
25 of 32
Last Week: 10
Quote of the Week: "Those are just situations we're trying to help our team win the game. We try to instill belief in our team in everything that we do each and every day."
This year's Dallas Cowboys season is turning into something special. All one has to do is look at the team's 29-23 overtime victory over the rival Philadelphia Eagles to realize this Cowboys team is different than previous incarnations under head coach Jason Garrett.
Garrett's squad is now 6-1 with a two-game lead in the NFC East. More importantly, a growing trust is building between the coach and his team. So much so, Garrett is taking more chances with this group.
In Sunday's contest, the Cowboys converted a fake punt from their side of the field and an overtime fourth-down attempt.
"What you're trying to do is give your team the best chance to win the ballgame, and typically, being aggressive, staying on the attack, those are the things that can help you win," Garrett said, per the Star-Telegram's Charean Williams. "You judge each situation as it comes, and you try to put your team in the best situation to win the ballgame."
This year, Garrett has continually put his team in the best situation to win ballgames.
7. Dan Quinn, Atlanta Falcons
26 of 32
Last Week: 9
Quote of the Week: "I think those scars make a difference and as you go through those experiences, they’re tough on you. You have to learn from them, and we have. Knowing that when we get in this scenario again, and it’s time to go shut the door, whether it’s offensively or defensively and we had the opportunity to do that. We’ve certainly talked about it a bunch and had the uncomfortable conversations, knowing that the league we play in, most of these games are going to come down to this kind of finish. We relished that chance to be finishers."
As the Atlanta Falcons entered November a year ago, they were about to embark on a six-game losing streak after starting 6-1.
Dan Quinn's squad hit a little bit of a snag earlier this season when it lost the previous two contests against the Seattle Seahawks and San Diego Chargers before righting the ship Sunday against the Green Bay Packers with a 33-32 victory.
The ability to close out a game instead of staring at another long skid became vitally important to the organization, its coaching staff and the players.
"The last two weeks have been extremely hard on us as some finishes went," Quinn said after the game, per the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's D. Orlando Ledbetter. "We're a resilient group and as a coach honestly we wanted that opportunity to come back and do that again."
With the Falcons scoring late to secure the victory, Quinn must make sure his team is emotionally ready to respond after a short week of practice for Thursday Night Football against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
6. Bruce Arians, Arizona Cardinals
27 of 32
Last Week: 5
Quote of the Week: "There is a lot of football left. We are at the halfway mark. We have been on rolls before and we've won a whole bunch of games in a row. Looking forward, there are a bunch of winnable games and really tough games and really tough road games but we'll stick together and we'll fight."
The Arizona Cardinals' bye week couldn't have come at a better time. The team will be ready two weekends from now when the San Francisco 49ers come to the desert, as quarterback Carson Palmer stated, per ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss.
After the Sunday's 30-20 loss to the Carolina Panthers, the Cardinals are beat up and need time to recover after their 3-4-1 start.
According to Darren Urban of the team's official site, Arians won't have his team practice during the bye week so his players can recover from numerous injuries and dings.
"The silver lining is that we are a game out of first place with Seattle's loss (to the New Orleans Saints)," Palmer said. "When you go into a bye week you can't go different ways. We have to stick together. We know that we are a good football team. People on the outside may not think that but we believe in each other."
5. Pete Carroll, Seattle Seahawks
28 of 32
Last Week: 4
Quote of the Week: "The explosive plays just aren’t happening. Those numbers are down. We really have typically been a very explosive team, and we’re not getting those plays, so the field isn't shifting."
At this point, it's easy to blame the Seattle Seahawks offensive line for its problems, but the unit's issues extend beyond the front five.
As head coach Pete Carroll noted, per John Boyle of the team's official site, the offense lacks explosive plays. As such, the Seahawks aren't moving the ball well, which places a lot of stress on the defense to continually shut down opposing offenses.
Despite the Seahawks' issues, they're still 4-2-1 after Sunday's 25-20 loss to the New Orleans Saints and atop the NFC West.
"Where we are, we're very fortunate seven games in and here we are in the division and all that, and we're not even close to playing as good as we're going to play," Carroll said, per Boyle.
Help should be on the way in the coming weeks as running back Thomas Rawls works his way back from an ankle injury.
"I think he'll be running full-go during the course of this week is what we’re hoping," the coach said, per Boyle. "He was ground-based running a little bit last week, so I don't think he'd be that far along yet (to play Monday night against the Buffalo Bills). ... We'll wait until he's fully healthy and ready to go."
4. Mike Zimmer, Minnesota Vikings
29 of 32
Last Week: 3
Quote of the Week: "You just can’t explain the way we haven't played well these last two weeks. This doesn't get easier for us. It's a struggle obviously to keep your confidence and stay with what you're doing but the reality is we’ve got a lot of games left."
A lot changes when a team starts to lose multiple games. Veteran linebacker Chad Greenway discussed a sense of desperation after the Minnesota Vikings lost 20-10 on Monday to the Chicago Bears, per the St. Paul Pioneer Press' Brian Murphy.
The fact the Vikings offensive line and offense struggled comes as no surprise. But the defense continued to create very little impact after dominating games earlier in the season.
Bears rookie running back Jordan Howard ran for 153 yards on 26 carries.
"That's inexcusable," Greenway said, per Murphy. "That's what we pride ourselves on, run defense, and have for a long time."
After a 5-0 start, the Vikings appear to have lost their mojo, and head coach Mike Zimmer better find a way to inspire his squad or this could quickly spiral out of control with upcoming contests against the Detroit Lions, Washington Redskins and Arizona Cardinals.
3. Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs
30 of 32
Last Week: 7
Quote of the Week: "He has a pretty good feel for the offense. He's been in it before. He's been a Pro Bowl player before. He's pretty good."
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid isn't talking about his starting quarterback, Alex Smith. Instead, his comments dealt with backup signal-caller Nick Foles after Smith was forced to leave Sunday's 30-14 victory over the Indianapolis Colts, per ESPN.com. In Smith's absence, Foles threw for 223 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
The Chiefs are now 5-2 and trying to maintain pace with the 6-2 Oakland Raiders and Denver Broncos. Smith's status for the upcoming contest against the Jacksonville Jaguars remains undetermined after being treated twice for a potential concussion.
"He is asymptomatic right now," Chiefs head athletic trainer Rick Burkholder said Monday, per BJ Kissel of the Chiefs' official site.
However, Smith will continue through the concussion protocol and meet with an independent neurologist this week. If he isn't ready for this weekend, Foles will be.
"I get to watch Alex Smith practice every single day and watch him, the way he studies, the way he [plays] the game, the way he practices, the way he does everything," Foles said, per ESPN.com's Adam Teicher. "I've built a database right there where I get to watch one of the best in the game do it every single day."
2. Gary Kubiak, Denver Broncos
31 of 32
Last Week: 2
Quote of the Week: "I'm disappointed. I know we were missing CJ, but we have to improve."
Denver Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak isn't happy with his team's run game, per 104.3 The Fan's Cecil Lammey. The Broncos managed a 27-19 victory over the San Diego Chargers on Sunday even though the offense managed a meager 2.3 yards per rush.
C.J. Anderson's absence due to a season-ending knee surgery certainly hurts the team's ability to run the football, but a strong ground game is necessary in Kubiak's offense. Trevor Siemian can't handle the offense like Peyton Manning once did. The second-year signal-caller needs to work within the scheme and benefit from the play-action passing game.
Fortunately, Denver's defense is talented enough to take over games. If not, the Broncos might not be 6-2 right now.
"We made enough mistakes probably to lose two or three games, in all honesty," Kubiak said, per ESPN.com's Jeff Legwold. "We were challenged."
As long as the Broncos continue to win, Kubiak will deal with being "challenged." But those same problems develop into flaws opponents can exploit. The run game needs to be fixed with Devontae Booker or Kapri Bibbs providing a legit presence in the backfield.
1. Bill Belichick, New England Patriots
32 of 32
Last Week: 1
Quote of the Week: "I think overall we had our ups and downs. At times we played well defensively, and other times not so well. It was good enough to win. It was good at times and then other times, I think we're all disappointed. We just need to do a better job."
What makes Bill Belichick arguably the great head coach in NFL history? The above quote says it all, per ESPN.com's Mike Reiss. Belichick is a perfectionist. He never believes his team is as good as everyone else does even after a dominating 41-25 victory over the Bills in Buffalo.
Can the Patriots defense play better? Sure. It's ranked 14th overall in total defense. There's certainly room for improvement on that side of the ball, and Belichick understands what a championship defense should look like.
However, New England rolled teams since quarterback Tom Brady returned from four-game suspension. The Patriots won all four of those games by at least 11 points.
"He's our leader, a great player," running back James White said, per Reiss. "We all follow his lead and you want to play well for a guy like that."
With Brady leading the charge as Belichick fine-tunes the defense, the Patriots remain the league's best.
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