NFL Head Coach Power Rankings Heading into Week 8
Week 7 is crucial in the NFL despite not being a true season landmark. It's easy to break up each campaign into quarters. However, statistics show a team's season is likely over by Week 7 even if it's still hovering around the .500 mark.
This means those teams' head coaches will be scrambling to buck trends or just keep their jobs.
Per NFL Network, squads that start the season 4-3 have made the playoffs 47.9 percent of the time since 1990. On the flip side, teams that open their campaigns 3-4 have earned postseason berths only 19 percent of the time.
Currently, 14 teams own a 3-4 record or worse. Statistically, their odds of a playoff push are slim.
The league has yet to reach the halfway point of the 2016 campaign, and it's already over for many. Thus, the rest of the season becomes a race to the top or the bottom, while those stuck in the middle remain inconsequential.
Click through to find out which coaches need to accept their fate as told by the football gods.
32. Hue Jackson, Cleveland Browns
1 of 32
Last Week: 32
Quote of the Week: "I don't like where we are. I don't like where we are as a football team. This is my responsibility and at the end of the day, in my mind,it's my responsibility to fix it as fast as I can and the best that I can and that's what i intend to do."
Any head coach who likes to start the season 0-7 shouldn't be a head coach. Just being in charge of a team isn't good enough. The Cleveland Browns' Hue Jackson wants to win, per the Orange and Brown Report's Fred Greetham.
Everyone knew Cleveland would be a long-term rebuilding project. The Browns have been so bad for so long that the roster needed to be overturned to infuse it with the youth and talent that could offset an embedded culture of losing. The Browns entered this season as the league's youngest team, and Jackson is relying on multiple rookies and second-year players. Young teams make mistakes. The Browns have paid for those mistakes each week.
Even at 0-7, some would argue Jackson is getting the most out of a talent-deficient roster and doesn't deserve to be at the bottom of these power rankings. Regardless, it's crucial the coach continues to put his team in a position to succeed and those young players eventually experience a victory.
The goal for Jackson over the next nine weeks is to keep everything positive and make sure his team improves during the second half of the season. This approach is simple, yet could be vital to the organization's overall health.
31. Chip Kelly, San Francisco 49ers
2 of 32
Last Week: 31
Quote of the Week: "I'm not going anywhere."
San Francisco 49ers head coach Chip Kelly made that comment last week before his team lost 34-17 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, per CSNBayArea.com's Matt Maiocco. Kelly might not believe he's going anywhere, but the question of whether he should be a one-and-done coach in the Bay Area will continue to surface if he can't turn around the 1-6 49ers.
At this point, a trend is developing on different coasts. Kelly's teams have won seven out of their last 22 games. His days of top offenses and winning records in Philadelphia seem so long ago.
In San Francisco, the 49ers defense has taken a beating: It ranks 30th in total defense after surrendering 513 yards Sunday. But the 49ers coach doesn't plan to make any changes to his defensive staff despite the continued disappointment of Jim O'Neil's unit.
"We spend time together during the week," Kelly said, per Maiocco. "We carve out time in terms of how we watch film and what we do and understand the plan as we’re moving forward. ... It's not like I don't know what's going on on the defensive side of the ball.”
Kelly might know what's going on with his defense, but he's done nothing to improve it. As such, his status will continue to be questioned.
30. John Fox, Chicago Bears
3 of 32
Last Week: 29
Quote of the Week: "Nobody comes to rescue you."
No, Chicago Bears head coach John Fox isn't a fan of The Walking Dead discussing his group's fate when facing Negan. Instead, Fox is referring to the killer blows his roster suffered after multiple injuries, per the Chicago Sun-Times' Adam L. Jahns.
The latest crushing setback came Thursday during the Bears' 26-10 loss to the Green Bay Packers, when quarterback Brian Hoyer suffered a broken arm that required surgery, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Multiple changes at the game's most important position make it difficult for a team to build continuity.
"It offers a unique challenge as a coaching staff to make sure you know what your guys can do," Bears offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains said, per Jahns. "The quarterback position, obviously, is dramatic because each guy’s skill set is different. You’ve got to put those guys in position to succeed and let them do what they do well."
With Hoyer out of the lineup, the Bears must consider the return of Jay Cutler. In case anyone believes the veteran quarterback will turn around the team's misfortunes, remember what Fox said.
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29. Gus Bradley, Jacksonville Jaguars
4 of 32
Last Week: 28
Quote of the Week: "I don't think [Gus Bradley has lost the locker room]. That means I've done a poor job. I have a 'C' on my chest. That's not going to be the case because as players we're not going to allow that."
After two strong performances, the Jacksonville Jaguars fell flat against the Oakland Raiders. Despite the loss, linebacker Paul Posluszny admonished the idea the team's head coach, Gus Bradley, can't connect with his team, per ESPN.com's Mike DiRocco.
Despite Posluszny's support, something is wrong in Jacksonville. The Raiders were in control throughout Sunday's 33-16 contest. The Jaguars are now 14-40 during Bradley's tenure. Even when Jacksonville showed signs of life, it couldn't maintain any momentum when playing against a rising organization.
The dichotomy between the Jaguars and Raiders became interesting during Sunday's meeting. These two teams appeared ready to make big moves this season. The Raiders have, while the Jags haven't.
"As a professional in the NFL, that's not what it's supposed to look like by any means," Posluszny said, per the Florida Times-Union's Ryan O'Halloran. "That's what makes you mad. We need to have high standards for how we conduct ourselves at all times."
28. Todd Bowles, New York Jets
5 of 32
Last Week: 30
Quote of the Week: "When the owner stops believing in you and the GM stops believing in you and coaches stop believing in you, sometime all you have is yourself."
New York Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick is right, per MMQB's Peter King. Everyone stopped believing in him. What Fitzpatrick didn't mention is that he hasn't provided anyone with a reason to believe in him. His interception-filled performances over the course of six weeks were embarrassing.
However, when summoned after Geno Smith's injury, the veteran rose to the occasion. Fitzpatrick completed 64.2 percent of his passes for 120 yards and a touchdown in a relief role during the Jets' 24-16 victory over the Baltimore Ravens.
"The important thing is we won the game," Smith said, per the New York Post's Mike Vaccaro.
Unfortunately, the fourth-year signal-caller suffered a season-ending ACL injury, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. But head coach Todd Bowles appears comfortable returning to Fitzpatrick despite his remarks.
"If pissed off is going to stop the turnovers I'm more than happy to have him pissed off the whole time," Bowles said, per the New York Post's Brian Costello.
27. Mike Mularkey, Tennessee Titans
6 of 32
Last Week: 25
Quote of the Week: "It freaking sucks because it seems like no matter what we dial up or what we put together, no matter how close we keep the game, we just can't find a way to close it out."
The Tennessee Titans just can't get over the hump against the Indianapolis Colts. Sunday's 34-26 loss to Andrew Luck's crew became Tennessee's 10th straight loss at the hands of its division rival. Titans defensive tackle Jurrell Casey didn't pull any punches after the contest, per The Tennessean's Joe Rexrode.
"There is nothing really mentally to it," Casey added. "It's just going out there and playing the game you're supposed to. They capitalize on the plays that they make and we don't capitalize on ours that we should make."
Tennessee led 23-20 with 6:02 left in the fourth quarter. The defense then surrendered a 12-play, 70-yard touchdown drive, and quarterback Marcus Mariota lost a fumble on the ensuing possession.
"It can't happen," head coach Mike Mularkey said, per ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky. "We felt very good about our situation with the time [1:55] and our time out left. ... Again, it's one of those things we had happen to us that we've got to stop doing."
Mistakes will be made, and it's much easier saying they need to be stopped rather than actually doing it.
26. Jeff Fisher, Los Angeles Rams
7 of 32
Last Week: 22
Quote of the Week: "The quarterback's not the reason, by the way, that we lost three games. I'm staying with Case. He had a couple of tips and things like that today, not necessarily his fault, and then Brian [Quick] didn't get the audible adjustment at the end."
For some reason, Los Angeles Rams head coach Jeff Fisher believes quarterback Case Keenum puts his team in the best position to win even though this year's No. 1 overall pick, Jared Goff, is on the bench waiting for an opportunity.
Yet, Fisher's rationalization overlooks the obvious, per ESPN.com's Alden Gonzalez. Keenum might not have been the primary reason why the Rams lost 17-10 to the New York Giants in London on Sunday, but he hasn't been a big factor in the team's wins, either.
Keenum is the safe option for a coach whose job could come under fire with another mediocre-to-subpar campaign. Instead of trying to provide a spark for a 3-4 squad and a stagnant unit that ranks 30th overall in total offense, Fisher continues to fool himself into thinking this team can consistently win with Keenum behind center.
"Jared's going to play when we feel Jared's ready," the coach stated.
Goff might not be the answer to the Rams' problems, but no one will ever know until he's on the field.
25. Adam Gase, Miami Dolphins
8 of 32
Last Week: 27
Quote of the Week: "(Jay Ajayi) makes it hard to go away from the run because he gives you positive plays."
When the Miami Dolphins lost four of their first five games, head coach Adam Gase struggled to find a team identity. He's since found it with running back Jay Ajayi serving as the team's workhorse.
In the last two games, Ajayi ran for 418 yards. He became only the fourth running back in NFL history to surpass 200 rushing yards in consecutive games. The Dolphins back now ranks sixth overall in rushing after those performances—which is amazing, considering he managed only 304 yards in his previous 13 appearances.
As Gase said, per the Miami Herald's Armando Salguero, it's hard to go away from a back when he's running the ball so successfully.
"[Jay] is really a rhythm-type guy," Gase commented, per the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. "It might take a second sometimes for us to get some of these runs going, but he's popped a few earlier than I anticipated. ... I keep reminding myself to stay with him, because he seems to find the right hole and he pops it, [and it] becomes a 10-, 12-yard gain."
Eventually defenses are going to adjust to the Dolphins running game—but that could be positive if Ajayi's success opens up the rest of the offense.
24. Mike McCoy, San Diego Chargers
9 of 32
Last Week: 26
Quote of the Week: "I love this football team. All they do is show up every day and work their tails off."
The stage was set for the San Diego Chargers to suffer another heartbreaking loss. Instead, the team flipped the script with a 33-30 overtime victory against the Atlanta Falcons.
After a 1-4 start and multiple mind-boggling losses, Mike McCoy's job came into question. The head coach never doubted his team, though. After two straight victories against quality opponents, those whispers have quieted for the 3-4 Chargers.
"You have to start stacking wins up," McCoy said, per SDBoltReport.com's Michael Lombardo. "We hadn’t done that, and so it was a critical game for us."
Next week's turnaround isn't easy. The Broncos are back on the schedule after San Diego played them 12 days ago. In order to prove the Chargers' first victory wasn't a fluke, they have to beat the reigning Super Bowl champions a second time.
23. Chuck Pagano, Indianapolis Colts
10 of 32
Last Week: 24
Quote of the Week: "By any means necessary. Things would have been bleak for us had we not won."
The Indianapolis Colts' players understand the position they're in, and safety Mike Adams' quote rams it home, per ESPN.com's Mike Wells. The Colts needed Sunday's 34-26 victory against the Tennessee Titans to stay tight with the Houston Texans in the AFC South race and keep head coach Chuck Pagano's job safe.
At 3-4, the team's chances to make the postseason remain slim, but they still exist.
"We can make things a heck of a lot easier on ourselves obviously, if we just get some things cleaned up, and we have to do it," Pagano said. "We have no choice. It doesn’t get any easier, we know that."
The next two weeks could be difficult with the Kansas City Chiefs and a game in Green Bay against the Packers. Once Pagano and his squad navigate this tough stretch, they'll be rewarded with a bye week.
As long as quarterback Andrew Luck continues to perform well—he currently owns a 14-to-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio—the Colts have a chance to win each of their upcoming contests.
22. Dirk Koetter, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
11 of 32
Last Week: 23
Quote of the Week: "Hell, I want to be 6-0, but we’re not. Back-to-back wins, back-to-back wins on the road."
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers aren't 6-0, even if head coach Dirk Koetter wishes they were, per the Pewter Report's Mark Cook. But they're 3-3, and Jameis Winston once again looked like a top quarterback during the team's 34-17 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.
Winston completed 70 percent of his passes for 269 yards and three touchdowns. The young signal-caller connected with his favorite target, wide receiver Mike Evans, eight times for 96 yards and a pair of scores.
"You're seeing the best quarterback probably and the best receiver in franchise history develop something special and putting something together," wideout Russell Shepard said of Winston and Evans, per ESPN.com's Jenna Laine. "When those two guys are jelling, we're a dangerous team to go against."
Two straight victories point the Buccaneers in the right direction, but upcoming meetings with the Oakland Raiders and Atlanta Falcons will show if Koetter's squad is ready to compete against the league's better teams.
21. Ron Rivera, Carolina Panthers
12 of 32
Last Week: 20
Quote of the Week: "We've got an opportunity to do something that was done last year. A team started 1-5 and came back and put themselves in position. That’s what we’re working toward is to put ourselves in position and we’ll see what happens.
One can safely say this year hasn't quite worked out like the Carolina Panthers expected. After a 15-1 campaign and a Super Bowl appearance in 2015-16, the team didn't respond at the start of this season, falling to a 1-5 record.
Head coach Ron Rivera is drawing inspiration from last year's Kansas City Chiefs squad and his coaching mentor, Andy Reid, per the Charlotte Observer's Joseph Person. Those Chiefs opened the season 1-5 before reeling off 10 straight victories.
"Whether it's been done or not, we believe in each other and this team," linebacker Thomas Davis said. "We feel like we can do it, but it's all about winning one game. We’ve got to win the next game that we play and really just start from there."
For the Panthers to experience a similar turnaround, Rivera must find a way to sure up the league's 26th-ranked pass defense. It starts with the defensive line's ability to create pressure.
"Well, that’s probably the biggest disappointment is we haven't had the production we would have liked out of the front," Rivera said, per the Black and Blue Review's Bill Voth. "[But] we've also got to find other ways to create those opportunities for us to put pressure on the quarterback."
20. Bill O'Brien, Houston Texans
13 of 32
Last Week: 17
Quote of the Week: "As far as Brock is concerned, the guy does everything. He's prepared. He's in here early, stays late. I'm not really sure there's much more he can do off the field."
Houston Texans quarterback Brock Osweiler might be the game's most prepared quarterback, according to head coach Bill O'Brien, per the Houston Chronicle's Brian T. Smith. But there is plenty more he can do when he's on the field.
O'Brien has to be wondering what it'll take to see Osweiler perform well on a consistent basis. Maybe playing well is too ambitious. Average might be a far more achievable goal.
Osweiler attempted 41 passes against the Denver Broncos in a 27-9 loss and managed a mere 131 yards. The quarterback averaged more yards per carry (5.3) than yards per attempt (3.2). In fact, the Texans signal-caller ranks dead last among the league's starting quarterbacks at 5.72 yards per attempt.
"I looked up in the fourth quarter before that last drive, and he had like 70 yards passing," Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib said, per ESPN.com's Ian O'Connor. "And I just smiled on the inside. ... We wanted Brock to come out here and struggle, and he came out here and struggled."
Somehow or some way O'Brien needs to build his quarterback's confidence. Right now, Osweiler lacks the certainty to lead his team on a weekly basis.
19. Sean Payton, New Orleans Saints
14 of 32
Last Week: 18
Quote of the Week: "I've said this — our margin for error is different with this team. We're going to play in these close games. You're going to bat .500 if you're making the same type of mistakes, you’ll win one or two and then lose one or two."
The New Orleans Saints are competitive, but they're just not very good.
It's hard to find 18 head coaches who are better at their craft than Sean Payton, but his team is 2-4 after Sunday's 27-21 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Payton's offense remains potent, yet the defense can't seem to make a play that matters.
"Defensively, I think it was one of our better games, against a pretty good offense," the coach said, per John DeShazier of the Saints official site. "There were a couple of explosive plays in there, a third-and-long, a personal foul and yet, there were a lot of positives."
One of the Saints' "better" defensive performance simply means the team didn't surrender 400 or more yards. Instead, the unit gave up 326 yards to stay within striking distance. However, Dennis Allen's group still didn't force a turnover or register a sack.
Without any major plays from the defense, the Saints' margin for error goes from marginal to nonexistent.
18. Jim Caldwell, Detroit Lions
15 of 32
Last Week: 20
Quote of the Week: "[Matthew Stafford is] performing well, you know. Through the years he's been maligned a little bit and it hasn't been warranted. I think I've told you from the first time I came here that this guy is a really good player and he's come from behind a lot. I don't know how many he's had, but there were a lot more before we got here."
Don't look now, but the Detroit Lions are good again. It took some time for the team to regain its footing—and it's not yet out of the woods at 4-3 overall—but the season projection looks promising after Sunday's 20-17 victory over the Washington Redskins.
Quarterback Matthew Stafford played a big part in the team's recent turnaround, and head coach Jim Caldwell praised his signal-caller, per ESPN.com's Michael Rothstein.
The former No. 1 overall pick is playing the best football of his career. The Georgia product has completed a career high 68.1 percent of his passes with a 15-to-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio. In fact, the 28-year-old quarterback orchestrated his 24th comeback victory Sunday, according to Tim Twentyman of the Lions official site.
"I attribute it to the fact, No. 1, he does not back down from tough situations," Caldwell said, per the Detroit Free Press. "He relishes in them, he doesn't get nervous, and he's got a real clear and focused mind during the time when it's sometimes a little bit of chaos all around you. But he rises to the occasion time and time again."
The Lions are back in the postseason hunt, and Stafford is entering the MVP conversation.
17. Ben McAdoo, New York Giants
16 of 32
Last Week: 19
Quote of the Week: "Everything is on the table. Everybody in the building wants to win, and we have to do what’s best for the team. Whatever we have to do that’s best for the team, we’ll take a look at."
The New York Giants won Sunday in London against the Los Angeles Rams to improve to 4-3, but head coach Ben McAdoo isn't happy with the team's offensive performance. As such, he's ready to make any necessary changes to improve that side of the ball—including giving up play-calling duties, per the New York Post's Bart Hubbuch.
Quarterback Eli Manning hasn't hit his stride this season, but the team's ground attack is even more troubling.
"We need to get the run game going," McAdoo said. "With the way the game went, they tried to cover everyone up, cover the core up, use some line movement up front, and we had some big play opportunities in the run game [but didn't convert]."
Shane Vereen leads the team with 147 rushing yards. Rashad Jennings is just behind him with 142. There are 25 other running backs with more than Vereen's and Jennings' combined total.
If offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan does take over for McAdoo, his first responsibility will be jumpstarting the Giants' ground game.
16. Rex Ryan, Buffalo Bills
17 of 32
Last Week: 16
Quote of the Week: "I don't know how much more important it could be than this one. I could lie to you and say it's not important, but this is a critical game for us. There's no doubt about it. Does it break your season if you lose? I hope I don't have to worry about that. We got to find a way to win this game."
According to Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan, his team's season will be determined in Week 8 against the New England Patriots, per ESPN.com's Mike Rodak. This weekend's contest is important, but so is the following week's.
The Bills are 4-3 after Sunday's 28-25 loss to the Miami Dolphins, and they're at a crossroads.
First, Ryan's crew will host a Patriots team that now features Tom Brady, unlike the previous time these two rivals met. The Bills will then travel to the Great Northwest and attempt to tackle Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks.
"We're going to measure ourselves against the two best now," Ryan said Monday. "We're going to find out all about us. After a game like this, where we clearly never played or coached as good as we need to, the ultimate test is right in front of us."
Good luck.
15. Jay Gruden, Washington Redskins
18 of 32
Last Week: 15
Quote of the Week: "I'm very confident in our front four to get after the passer. But for some reason we got in the red zone and we went with a lot of three-man rush stuff. You can't give a quarterback like [Matthew] Stafford that kind of time in the red zone. We have to play the play that's called and make it work. I feel I dropped every time in the red zone."
It's never ideal when a player openly questions the team's play-calling, as Washington Redskins defensive linemen Chris Baker did after Sunday's 20-17 loss to the Detroit Lions, per ESPN.com's John Keim. Washington's defense didn't perform well in the red zone, though.
The Lions scored a touchdown two of the three times they managed to get the ball inside the Redskins' 20-yard line, including the game-winning touchdown with 16 seconds left.
"It was a big-time throw," Washington head coach Jay Gruden said of Stafford's touchdown toss to wide receiver Anquan Boldin. "Do I regret not rushing more than three or four on that drive? Maybe."
Unlike most coaches who wouldn't admit they made the wrong call, Gruden alluded to the possibility Washington should have been more aggressive.
But they weren't, and the team is now 4-3 after having its four-game winning streak snapped.
14. John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens
19 of 32
Last Week: 11
Quote of the Week: "Just an opportunity to be very honest with one another, which we always are, and work on the things that need to do to get better. That's what we have here, a bunch of accountable guys. We just need to find a way to become the type of football team we're capable of becoming. That's always a process and always a journey. I'm excited about that."
Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh explained why he decided to hold a film session Monday despite the team's normal operating procedure and an upcoming bye week, per the Baltimore Sun's Jeff Zrebiec.
Usually, the Ravens meet on Tuesday to hash out what went right or wrong during the previous weekend's contest. Instead, Harbaugh couldn't wait to discuss Sunday's 24-16 loss to the New York Jets.
"We believe in the things that we're doing," the coach said. "We just want to do them better—game plan them better, scheme them better, block them better, all those sorts of things. If there becomes other things we can add to the mix or some things we take out, I think that's what you do in the bye week."
His squad opened the season with three victories but since dropped four straight. Injuries continue to be an issue, but that's merely an excuse. The Ravens have an opportunity after the bye week to get back on track against two division rivals: the Pittsburgh Steelers (potentially without quarterback Ben Roethlisberger) and the winless Cleveland Browns.
13. Jack Del Rio, Oakland Raiders
20 of 32
Last Week: 14
Quote of the Week: "I think it’s really coming together and getting close to being really, really good."
The Oakland Raiders are close to being really, really good, as head coach Jack Del Rio stated, per CSNBayArea.com's Scott Bair. They're 5-2 and tied atop the AFC West with the Denver Broncos after Sunday's 33-16 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
This past weekend's contest must have been especially sweet for Del Rio after leading the Jaguars for nine seasons. More importantly, the league's worst defense is starting to show signs of life.
"We're staying together, I really see it," Del Rio said. "Throughout the staff, with the players, everybody is hanging onto the rope. Everybody is pulling the rope in the same direction."
The biggest improvement came via the team's pass rush. Oakland only sacked Blake Bortles once, but the defense harassed Jacksonville's quarterback throughout the contest.
"We feel like we've got a couple guys that can really get there," Del Rio said. "We're still looking for a little more interior push and I think as we get that, I think it'll make the entire rush look at a lot better."
If the Raiders do find an interior rush, the team will reach its goal of being really, really good.
12. Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati Bengals
21 of 32
Last Week: 13
Quote of the Week: "I think you create momentum each day and week. You create momentum from doing things correctly and attacking. It’s about being in the right spots and making good when it’s there. You can’t have negative plays that create an issue where you don’t have the opportunity to attack."
Multiple teams have solved their troubles when facing the Cleveland Browns this season. The Cincinnati Bengals are merely the latest. Marvin Lewis' squad claimed a 31-17 victory over his close friend Hue Jackson and his Browns team.
The Bengals didn't have any negative plays of note, and they easily moved the ball against the Browns' 31st-ranked defense. A.J. Green, in particular, exploded for 169 yards and snagged one of the of the greatest Hail Mary touchdowns in NFL history. Running back Jeremy Hill broke through, too, with a new career high of 168 rushing yards on only nine carries.
More importantly, Cincinnati didn't commit an offensive turnover for the fourth straight contest.
"It's huge," Lewis said, per the team's official site. "In here, I talk very little about it, but with them I talk about it a lot."
Efficient football combined with explosive plays make the Bengals a very dangerous team, even at 3-4 overall.
11. Doug Pederson, Philadelphia Eagles
22 of 32
Last Week: 12
Quote of the Week: "We think we're the No. 1 defense in this league. We think we can be that and should be that if we play how we're supposed to. We've got to go out and do that every week, but we think we can hang with any defense that is out there."
No one would have agreed with Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins after the defense surrendered 737 yards and 51 total points to the Detroit Lions and Washington Redskins in the two prior weeks. However, the group looked far different against the previously unbeaten Minnesota Vikings in Philadelphia's 21-10 victory.
Head coach Doug Pederson and his staff came prepared for their former quarterback, Sam Bradford, and frustrated him with different looks.
"We started out with just four-man pressure, like we normally do, and that got to him, and so we shocked him a couple times with some of the zone blitzes," Jenkins explained, per ESPN.com's Tim McManus. "And once you feel like something is working, you just keep going back to it."
Philadelphia's defense created three turnovers and sacked Bradford six times.
"Thats the defense we expect every week going forward," Pederson said, per CSN Philly's John Clark.
10. Jason Garrett, Dallas Cowboys
23 of 32
Last Week: 10
Quote of the Week: "It's just a day by day thing. The injury is still healing. Every report we’ve got about the healing process has been positive. He’s making strides. He's working on his overall conditioning, the conditioning of his core and he’s getting himself back to being able to play football again."
Eventually, the Dallas Cowboys' Jason Garrett is going to make the biggest decision of his coaching career. Will he bench rookie sensation Dak Prescott for veteran signal-caller Tony Romo?
Right now, Garrett and the organization are slow-playing Romo's return, per David Helman of the team's official site. There's no need to rush the process as the 36-year old quarterback recovers from his injured back.
Romo isn't expected to return this weekend against the Philadelphia Eagles.
"I think he needs to continue his rehab and things like that," quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson said. "He hasn’t done anything out on the field with the team yet, so I assume that would be the case."
As such, Garrett gets at least another week to evaluate Prescott. In the near future, he won't have that luxury.
9. Dan Quinn, Atlanta Falcons
24 of 32
Last Week: 8
Quote of the Week: "I lost sleep last night because of the outcome. I didn't lose sleep because of the decision to go for it. I can promise you that. We have one of the very best offenses in the NFL, and we're going to ride that horse. And it has not a thing to do with not having it on defense. I thought honestly if we did [fail to convert] there, we'd get the stop, and we didn't do that."
Whether or not Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn lost sleep over a 4th-and-1 call in overtime is inconsequential. He made the wrong call.
"I understand the second-guessing that goes with that," the coach said, per ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure. "That comes with the territory. But like I said, don't second-guess the decision, just the outcome."
He should. Yes, the Falcons own the league's best offense. Going for it on fourth down isn't even problematic. But Atlanta lined up to go for it on their own 45-yard line. That's troubling, and it calls Quinn's decision-making into question. The Falcons coach knew full well if his offense failed, the San Diego Chargers only needed a few yards to be in field-goal position. He still made the decision.
Devonta Freeman lost a yard. The Chargers then ran six plays for 19 yards, and kicker Josh Lambo converted the game-winning 42-yard field goal. With the 33-30 loss, the Falcons have now dropped their last two contests.
A 4-1 start made many believe in the Falcons, but another mid-season swoon will say more about Atlanta's coach than his team.
8. Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers
25 of 32
Last Week: 6
Quote of the Week: "You can't waste red zone trips, you have to come off blocks and make tackles in the run game, you can't give up explosion plays, we did. That's why we lost."
Mike Tomlin's explanation why the Pittsburgh Steelers lost 27-16 to the New England Patriots seems simple enough, per ESPN.com. Let's boil it down even further: The Steelers lost because Ben Roethlisberger didn't play.
The Steelers are a talented team, but their franchise quarterback plays a large part in their overall success. As Roethlisberger recovers from knee surgery, Pittsburgh simply isn't the same. It's OK to acknowledge this fact.
Landry Jones didn't play poorly in Roethlisberger's stead, but he can't make those around him better. His teammates indirectly admitted as much.
"I think he was making a lot of plays," left tackle Alejandro Villanueva offered, per ESPN.com's Jeremy Fowler. "As an offense, we could have done a lot more to help him out [Sunday]."
Roethlisberger's return has yet to be determined, but the Steelers now enter their bye week, which will help the situation. If Tomlin can't rely on his starting quarterback for a few more weeks, he and his coaching staff must do everything possible to make life easier for Jones.
7. Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs
26 of 32
Last Week: 9
Quote of the Week: "I’m still waiting for my win total to exceed my weight. That's going to be a couple more wins."
Self-deprecating humor is always the best, but the above Andy Reid quote, courtesy of the Kansas City Star's Terez A. Paylor, speaks to a bigger (no pun intended) issue. Reid is often overlooked as one of the league's premier coaches.
Some of this may have to do with the fact he hasn't won a Super Bowl. Maybe it's because the Chiefs aren't flashy, or because fans tend to tune out long-tenured coaches after some time.
Reid coached his 300th game Sunday and the Chiefs managed a 27-21 victory over the New Orleans Saints. Among the league's top-five longest tenured coaches, Reid holds the second-highest win percentage at .588, according to MMQB's Peter King. Only the New England Patriots' Bill Belichick has been better.
"When you can come out of the game as a head coach and have so many guys that contributed in all three phases and you can't mention just one or two, that's a good thing," Reid said Monday, per the Chiefs official site. "Again, I'm just proud of the team effort."
At 4-2, the Chiefs have an opportunity to make another midseason run. Kansas City's next four opponents hold a collective 9-16 record. The stretch should be a perfect chance for Reid to improve his win total.
6. Mike McCarthy, Green Bay Packers
27 of 32
Last Week: 7
Quote of the Week: "I have a general formula, I have basically a different equation for every game that I've ever called, on trying to create opportunities for certain players. So you try to hit those targets."
Apparently, the Green Bay Packers' formula for success is simple: Let quarterback Aaron Rodgers throw the ball ... a lot. Rodgers set a new franchise record with 39 completions in the Packers' 26-10 victory over the Chicago Bears on Thursday Night Football.
As such, opportunities were available to everyone on the offense. Davante Adams caught 13 passes for 132 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Randall Cobb added 11 receptions and a touchdown. And Ty Montgomery shifted to running back, where he ran for 60 yards and still managed 10 catches.
"You're seeing the other players get opportunities starting Week 3, but now because of injuries, it's maximized,” McCarthy said, per ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky. "They're taking full advantage of it. Ty is clearly at the front of the class."
Good coaches place their players in a position to succeed. McCarthy did so last week by taking advantage of his players' unique skill sets.
5. Bruce Arians, Arizona Cardinals
28 of 32
Last Week: 5
Quote of the Week: "Make it. This ain't high school."
These are the words of "encouragement" Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians provided to his kicker, Chandler Catanzaro, after he missed the potential game-winning field goal in Sunday's 6-6 tie with the Seattle Seahawks, per MMQB's Peter King.
"I make that kick 999,999 times out of a million," Catanzaro said after the game, per ESPN.com.
As much as Arians and Cardinals fans want to blame their kicker, the team's special teams fell apart at every level. Coaches often say that special teams are a third of the game. Too many overlook this point until a punt or field goal goes wrong. In the Cardinals' case, the team endured three special teams mishaps.
"It's a team sport," defensive back Tyrann Mathieu said, per ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss. "When the defense is playing well, the offense has to complement us, special teams has to complement everybody, [and] vice versa."
Despite these issues, the Cardinals escaped Sunday night's contest without losing, and they're playing better now than earlier in the season.
4. Pete Carroll, Seattle Seahawks
29 of 32
Last Week: 4
Quote of the Week: "We just couldn't get in sync at all."
As much as Pete Carroll wants to deny it, the Seattle Seahawks' offensive line is a problem. It continued to be a problem during Sunday's 6-6 tie against the Arizona Cardinals.
In fact, Cardinals defensive back Tyrann Mathieu even called out Seattle's front five.
"Let’s call it what it is," Mathieu said, per ESPN.com's Josh Weinfuss. "Their offensive line is not that good. So, we felt like we could get pressure on them, which we did a bunch of times."
According to Pro Football Focus, the Cardinals defense hurried the Seahawks' hobbled quarterback, Russell Wilson, 15 times. Seattle's running backs averaged three yards per carry. Without strong play up front, the quarterback can't do his job and the team's runners can't find room to do what they do best. This is why the Seahawks can't get in sync, per the Seattle Times' Bob Condotta.
Even with these problems, the Seahawks are 4-1-1 with a two-game lead in the NFC West. The entire offense should improve as it builds continuity, but the team must survive the experience first.
3. Mike Zimmer, Minnesota Vikings
30 of 32
Last Week: 2
Quote of the Week: "Embarrassing."
Mike Zimmer's one-word response to the Minnesota Vikings' performance against the Philadelphia Eagles perfectly captures their effort during the 21-10 loss, per the Minneapolis Star Tribune's Matt Vensel.
No one expected the Vikings to go undefeated this season. Too much was stacked against them due to numerous key injuries. However, the way Zimmer's team played coming out of a bye week was unacceptable. The Vikings offensive line took the brunt of the coach's wrath after surrendering six sacks.
"We didn’t block anybody," Zimmer said. "We were soft. We got overpowered."
The blockers need time to jell with a pair of backup offensive tackles now starting. However, this shouldn't excuse any linemen from playing with grit and determination.
"I want them to learn how to fight under pressure," Zimmer said. "So you know what, stay in there and fight. Get the guys to block for you and let’s go."
A 5-0 start provides plenty of leeway, but Minnesota needs to show how it will react to on-field adversity during Monday night's contest against the Chicago Bears.
2. Gary Kubiak, Denver Broncos
31 of 32
Last Week: 4
Quote of the Week: "We missed him last week, man. We really missed him. Our whole vibe during the week was off because [Kubiak] wasn’t there. We knew he was struggling, he was going through some things with his health."
Two notable returns occurred during Monday Night Football, but one was far more important than the other. Head coach Gary Kubiak is back, and the Denver Broncos are a much better team as a result. Pro Bowl cornerback Aqib Talib even admitted how much the team missed him, per ESPN.com's Jeff Legwold.
Kubiak returned after a stay in the hospital where he dealt with a "complex migraine condition that caused extreme fatigue and body weakness," according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
With their head coach back at the helm after missing the previous contest against the San Diego Chargers, the Broncos were a far more balanced team during their 27-9 victory over the Houston Texans. The players rewarded Kubiak with the game ball after their performance.
"He was super-focused this week too," Talib said. "He just deserved [the game ball]. He came back and made us have a great week of practice, and he definitely deserved it."
Meanwhile, Brock Osweiler returned to the Mile High City, and no one heaped praise on the Houston Texans quarterback for his subpar outing. Kubiak's presence overshadowed the entire performance.
1. Bill Belichick, New England Patriots
32 of 32
Last Week: 1
Quote of the Week: "So I think there are a lot of good things there, but not perfect. Still things we can improve on and work on, like there are every week."
Win or lose, New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick remains the same. His approach and attention to detail make him arguably the great coach in NFL history.
With quarterback Tom Brady returned to the lineup, there's no arguing who is the league's best team. Since the golden one's suspension ended, the Patriots have defeated their opponents by a combined score of 95-46.
But Belichick is always looking to improve his team and find areas to work on, per the team's official site. This week's project will likely be kicker Stephen Gostkowski after he missed an extra point in consecutive weeks.
"So, yeah, they are definitely different and whether it's a punter or a kicker you are talking about they have to master different skills, different kicks, different types of kicks, different things that are specific to their position, just like every other player and every other athlete for the most part has to do," Belichick said.
Getting the Patriots' kicker right might not seem like much in the grand scheme of things, but it shows the team isn't perfect and still needs to improve. It's also nice when the kicker is the biggest issue facing the organization.
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