NFL Head Coach Power Rankings Heading into Week 11
Even the mighty New England Patriots with quarterback Tom Brady at the helm aren't unbeatable.
Just when everyone seemed ready to hand Bill Belichick and his crew the Lombardi Trophy, Pete Carroll's Seattle Seahawks flew across the country and toppled the league's best.
This just proves there aren't any dominant NFL teams this year.
Everything comes down to matchups and how coaches exploit those. For example, Carroll and quarterback Russell Wilson finally used slot receiver Doug Baldwin to his fullest against a suspect Patriots defense. Baldwin caught three touchdown passes. Meanwhile, Brady couldn't connect with tight end Rob Gronkowski with 11 seconds left in an attempt to tie the game.
Right now, this is all that separates the NFL's best coach from the rest.
Click through the slideshow to see who follows this week's new top-ranked head coach.
32. Hue Jackson, Cleveland Browns
1 of 32
Last Week: 32
Quote of the Week: "I have total faith and confidence in (Cleveland Browns ownership) and the vision that we've created. No one wants to be sitting here in the position that we're in, but they've been outstanding to me. I feel very comfortable with where we are—not where we are as far as our record—I feel very comfortable as far as where we are in my relationship with them and how they feel about where we are headed."
Amazingly, the topic of whether another Cleveland Browns head coach could be prematurely fired after the season needed to be broached, per Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot. After an embarrassing 28-7 loss on Thursday Night Football against the "rival" Baltimore Ravens, questioning Hue Jackson about his status during a 10-game losing streak isn't out of line.
No one outside of the Browns facilities expected the team to be any good this year, though. However, the team should be competitive. It's not. In recent weeks, Cleveland fell flat, and the league's youngest team hasn't developed at the expected rate.
Despite these issues, Jackson's status shouldn't be questioned. He's in the first year of a strip-it-to-the-studs rebuild trying to lead a talent-deficient roster. What's important is how the organization builds over the long haul—which includes Jackson.
31. Chip Kelly, San Francisco 49ers
2 of 32
Last Week: 31
Quote of the Week: "They're not handing out participation trophies in the National Football League."
San Francisco 49ers head coach Chip Kelly proved to be rather succinct with his team assessment after narrowly losing 23-20 to the Arizona Cardinals, per CSNBayArea.com's Matt Maiocco.
Despite Kelly's comment, the 49ers looked much improved. Quarterback Colin Kaepernick continued to play better. The defense didn't let Cardinals running back David Johnson run wild and created four turnovers. Only a 34-yard field goal from Chandler Catanzaro prevented an opportunity to extend the contest into overtime.
"I thought our defense did a really good job, now the emphasis has to be on the offense having to capitalize when the defense creates that many turnovers for you," Kelly told Maiocco.
At this point, baby steps in the right direction are far better than taking massive steps backwards. Sunday's performance proved to be more promising than anything the team experienced in the previous seven losses.
30. Gus Bradley, Jacksonville Jaguars
3 of 32
Last Week: 30
Quote of the Week: "I think we're a talented team, but talent alone isn't enough."
If the above quote isn't an indictment of a coach, what is? What makes the quote even worse is Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley said it after Sunday's 24-21 loss to the Houston Texans, per John Oehser of the team's official site.
Of course, Bradley is likely referring to the players' attitude, effort and approach. Even if he is, as the head coach, the comment still directly reflects on him.
The Jaguars have progressively gotten worse after managing two wins at the start of October. Since that point, the team lost four straight by a total of 39 points.
Blake Bortles' regression headlines the team's problems. Since the start of the team's slide, the former third overall pick averaged a meager 5.88 yards per attempt.
"It's on us," the quarterback said, per Oehser. "It's on me to go out and go play. ... There's nothing to do but put your head down and keep working."
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29. John Fox, Chicago Bears
4 of 32
Last Week: 27
Quote of the Week: "You know, basically, we'll hang together, and we'll go back to the drawing board, and you know, we've got to get better."
Those aren't exactly inspiring words from Chicago Bears head coach John Fox after Sunday's 36-10 throttling at the hands of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, per the Chicago Sun-Times' Adam L. Jahns.
"I didn't see this coming," wide receiver Alshon Jeffery said. "Hats off to those guys. I thought we would come in here and handle our business."
Obviously, the Bears didn't handle their business on their way to a seventh loss. Tampa Bay managed 330 yards on offense, while the Bears handed the Buccaneers eight points with a pick-six and safety.
"(Fox) challenged us," quarterback Jay Cutler said after the game. "Obviously, we weren't good, and he made that point. He just kind of challenged everyone man-to-man. There's a lot of football left. We’re looking for guys that aren't going to quit."
At this point, the Bears are searching for those players who will form the foundation of next season's squad.
28. Todd Bowles, New York Jets
5 of 32
Last Week: 28
Quote of the Week: "I'm trying to play the best player right now and win ballgames. If it's Bryce (Petty), it's Bryce. If it's (Ryan Fitzpatrick), it's Fitz."
New York Jets head coach Todd Bowles is staring into the abyss without any answers to his current quarterback predicament.
The fact he won't commit to either veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick or second-year signal-caller Bryce Petty, per ESPN.com's Rich Cimini, is problematic.
Fitzpatrick isn't the answer. Meanwhile, Petty wasn't awful in his first career start. He completed 59.4 percent of his passes for 163 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Yes, the Baylor product needs to improve in certain areas, but that should happen naturally with more playing experience.
"He made some good throws," said Bowles, per Cimini. "He's got some growing pains. Just being out there from a composure standpoint, he was fine."
As such, which Jets quarterback starts next week shouldn't be too difficult of a decision.
27. Jeff Fisher, Los Angeles Rams
6 of 32
Last Week: 29
Quote of the Week: "It's like If we can get a win this way, just imagine if we did the stuff right."
Nothing encapsulates Jeff Fisher's approach as the head coach of the Los Angeles Rams more than the above quote from running back Todd Gurley, per a tweet from the Los Angeles Times' Gary Klein.
The Rams defeated the New York Jets 9-6 Sunday. It's the second time this season Los Angeles won a game without scoring a touchdown. In doing so, Fisher's stubborn approach continues to be rewarded instead of illuminating the team's offensive problems.
"Well," Fisher said, per Klein, "a win's a win."
No one can argue with his logic, but wins shouldn't be this hard to achieve. The 4-5 Rams rank 31st overall in total offense and barely average over 300 yards per game. Some type of change is needed on that side of the ball.
"We have to … turn it on, turn us loose and be a force in the offense just as much as the defense," right tackle Rob Havenstein said.
26. Rex Ryan, Buffalo Bills
7 of 32
Last Week: 24
Quote of the Week: "I think this team is built a certain way. I think this team is built to run the football. We're not going to have as many pass attempts as most people. I just don't think that's our formula."
Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn understands why head coach Rex Ryan hired him to replace Greg Roman. However, three days after Lynn made the above comment, per ESPN.com's Mike Rodak, the Bills lost to the Seattle Seahawks before heading into the team's bye week.
It's much easier to understand a team's identity than actually establish it.
If the Bills are going to surrender 31 points, a run-first approach can only be so effective. As such, Ryan and Lynn must find ways to establish the league's second-ranked ground game early in contests to dictate play.
This could prove to be difficult in the coming weeks when two of the team's next three opponents, the Cincinnati Bengals and Oakland Raiders, own run defenses ranked among the league's best. For the 4-5 Bills, these meetings should develop into contests of wills and dictate Buffalo's season.
25. Dirk Koetter, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
8 of 32
Last Week: 26
Quote of the Week: "It was just a different vibe. Everybody was hungry, running, everybody was there making plays on balls, so the energy was there and we brought it out here to the game and that’s how we need to do it from now on."
To put it nicely, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense hasn't been very good this season. However, the unit's performance during Sunday's 36-10 victory over the Chicago Bears definitely has the group pointed in the right direction.
Linebacker Kwon Alexander explained to ESPN.com's Jenna Laine how everything felt different. It should feel different when a defense plays well. There's a level of accountability that starts to permeate throughout all three levels.
As a team, Tampa Bay surrendered 283 yards, which is a 103-yard improvement from its season average. The Buccaneers defense created four takeaways and sacked quarterback Jay Cutler four times. The Bears aren't a good team, but this effort proved to be a confidence-builder for Dirk Koetter's squad.
"We talked about adding on quicker on our blitzes, hugging up more with our linebackers and our safeties," Koetter said. "It paid off in a big way. I thought (defensive coordinator Mike) 'Smitty' (Smith) called a great game, and I thought our players executed very well."
24. Mike McCoy, San Diego Chargers
9 of 32
Last Week: 22
Quote of the Week: "(There were) too many missed opportunities throughout the entire game."
A coach can't always overcome his players' mistakes. As good as quarterback Philip Rivers has been over his career, four interceptions, including an inexplicable pick-six late in the fourth quarter, led to the San Diego Chargers' 31-24 loss to the Miami Dolphins.
When head coach Mike McCoy talked about missed opportunities, per Hayley Elwood of the Chargers official site, he knew the team let another potential victory slip from its grasp.
"I can't remember (a game) quite like this," Rivers said. "I hate it for the guys in there. There were plenty of opportunities and I know they count on me to make those, and I do as well. I just didn’t get it done (Sunday)."
Of course, Rivers isn't entirely to blame for San Diego's latest downfall, but the quarterback's mistakes add to the franchise's current predicament. The 4-6 Chargers are the only AFC West organization without seven wins. From this point, the Chargers need to go on a run or just serve as a spoiler, because they've missed far too many opportunities through the first 10 weeks.
23. Mike Mularkey, Tennessee Titans
10 of 32
Last Week: 25
Quote of the Week: "When that time comes, he can lead us to the promised land. We can be a Super Bowl team."
Tight end Delanie Walker paid his quarterback, Marcus Mariota, the ultimate compliment by stating the Tennessee Titans can be a Super Bowl contender once he fully matures, per ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky.
"Is it this year? We'll see," Walker continued. "We've got to keep playing hard and win these games. ... It’s a promise that Marcus can take us there."
The second-year signal-caller threw four touchdowns during the Titans' 47-25 victory over the Green Bay Packers. Walker benefited with nine receptions for 124 yards and a score.
"(Mariota is) playing well for us right now," head coach Mike Mularkey said, per the Titans official site. "He knows the things we can't do with the turnovers, but he's the reason we have a chance to put the points up. He's the reason why we can move the football as effectively as we can, throwing it or running."
Mularkey's offense is on a roll. Tennessee averaged 33.7 points per game during the last six contests. As a result, the Titans own a 4-2 record during that span.
22. Adam Gase, Miami Dolphins
11 of 32
Last Week: 23
Quote of the Week: "The guy is a beast."
Miami Dolphins head coach Adam Gase wasn't referring to Ndamukong Suh, Cameron Wake, Jay Ajayi or any of his offensive linemen. He reserved the "beast" label for his quarterback, Ryan Tannehill, per the Palm Beach Post's Joe Schad.
Tannehill became the forgotten man due to everyone's recent fascination with the Dolphins ground game and Ajayi's production. But the former first-round pick delivered during Miami's 31-24 victory Sunday over the San Diego Chargers.
With Ajayi only gaining 42 yards, the Dolphins needed their quarterback to make plays, and Tannehill did. The Texas A&M wide receiver-conversion product showed poise, toughness in the pocket and an ability to create when everything else broke down around him. Tannehill completed 17-of-24 passes for 240 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
"He just has some kind of toughness where he is just going to stand in there," Gase said.
More importantly, Tannehill didn't throw an interception for the fourth straight game. It's not a coincidence the Dolphins won all four of those contests.
21. Chuck Pagano, Indianapolis Colts
12 of 32
Last Week: 21
Quote of the Week: "We always talk about their resiliency and their resolve. When our backs are against the wall, I don’t think there is anybody better. We don’t need to be there and that’s our own doing so hopefully we have learned from everything that we have been through until this point. We can grow from there and continue to get better, but I think you have to go through some stuff, fight through adversity and obstacles to get to where you want to get to."
Theoretically, a team can still lose even during its bye week. Sure, the Indianapolis Colts didn't play this past weekend, yet they still fell another half game behind the Houston Texans since Bill O'Brien's squad secured a victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The 4-5 Colts are now a two full games behind the Texans with seven left to play. As such, Indianapolis head coach Chuck Pagano must talk about resiliency and resolve, per ESPN.com's Mike Wells. Why? Because their backs are against the proverbial wall.
Fortunately, Indianapolis is getting healthy at the right time.
According to Wells, safety Mike Adams, defensive end Henry Anderson and offensive linemen Joe Reitz and Jack Mewhort were on the field Monday for practice.
"I'm cautiously optimistic about this week," Mewhort said. "I was back doing team reps and everything. Felt good. We'll see where it goes from here."
20. Ron Rivera, Carolina Panthers
13 of 32
Last Week: 16
Quote of the Week: "One thing we knew is they tend to play soft in those types of situations initially because they don't want to give up a big play. They want to try to keep you in front of them, and you can get a couple big chunk plays and then who knows? Somebody makes a play and then you're in field goal position."
Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera played for the win Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs and got burned. Rivera explained his thought process, per the Black and Blue Review's Bill Voth.
Unfortunately, Riverboat Ron's gamble backfired when an opportunistic Chiefs defense forced a turnover.
"The thing that concerned me is he had three timeouts, and our kicker had to be our punter," the coach offered. "They have a pretty good return game; we know that, and we saw them break one. So being backed up, the thought was if we can get ourselves in position, who knows?"
Once Kansas City cornerback Marcus Peters recovered a Kelvin Benjamin fumble, the Chiefs were already in field-goal position. Four plays later, Cairo Santos kicked the game-winning 37-yard field goal as time expired.
All of the momentum Rivera's squad built after the bye week with two straight victories is now gone after falling to 3-6 overall.
19. Doug Pederson, Philadelphia Eagles
14 of 32
Last Week: 19
Quote of the Week: "Can't let it effect us, obviously. I need to probably be a little more cooler in those situations. But you're also looking out and protecting your player, too."
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Doug Pederson lost his cool Sunday when he believed wide receiver Jordan Matthews experienced helmet-to-helmet contact from Atlanta Falcons safety Keanu Neal. The officials never made the call.
"We talk about player safety and player safety being the No. 1 importance," Pederson said, per ESPN.com's Tim McManus. "I'm not going to get into a bunch of it here, but defenseless receiver trying to make a play. And it happens so fast."
Despite the outburst, the Eagles coach should have been quite happy with the 24-15 outcome. The Falcons own an explosive offense, yet Jim Schwartz's defense held quarterback Matt Ryan and Co. to 303 offensive yards—which was 113 fewer than the team's season average.
"We have to stay patient on offense, stingy on defense, aggressive on special teams," Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins told ESPN's Sal Paolantonio (via McManus).
18. Bill O'Brien, Houston Texans
15 of 32
Last Week: 20
Quote of the Week: "We have to play the game the way we see it playing out. We don't worry about stats. I think everyone needs to understand that in the National Football League it’s all about winning. It's about winning. Whatever it takes to win that is what we try to do. We're trying to win these games the way we think they need to be won."
The Houston Texans continue to win behind the strength of the NFL's fourth-ranked defense and the woebegone 30th-ranked offense.
Head coach Bill O'Brien is OK with this setup as long as the Texans remain victorious, per ESPN.com's Sarah Barshop. The team is now 6-3 and alone atop the AFC South standings.
"(The defense) hung in there," O'Brien said. "They battled. I thought they came up with some big stops when they had to."
However, Brock Osweiler's performances continue to underwhelm.
While Houston's defense held the Jacksonville Jaguars in check during the Texans' 24-21 victory, Osweiler threw for a measly 99 yards on 27 attempts. Fortunately, the quarterback benefited from a ground game that managed 181 yards. He also connected with DeAndre Hopkins for a touchdown to seal the victory.
"As long as there is a win on the end of that (stat line), sign me up every single week," Osweiler echoed, per Barshop.
17. Jay Gruden, Washington Redskins
16 of 32
Last Week: 18
Quote of the Week: "The schedule makers did us no favors."
Everyone will find out how good the 5-3-1 Washington Redskins really are, because the next four weeks will define their season. Head coach Jay Gruden was right when he said the schedule-makers didn't do his team any favors, per the Washington Post's Master Tesfatsion.
First, Washington hosts the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night Football only to experience a quick turnaround with a Thanksgiving Day meeting against the Dallas Cowboys. Furthermore, the holiday contest is the first of three straight road contests.
In order to remain in the playoff picture, quarterback Kirk Cousins must play his best football. This rough patch can determine if Cousins really is the team's franchise signal-caller.
"I mean, I think it's pretty obvious at this point," said center Spencer Long, per the Post's Dan Steinberg. "People thinking they’re (bleeping) experts, it doesn’t surprise me at all. I think the smart ones know, they see it, what he’s doing, his production. They know how good he is."
16. Jim Caldwell, Detroit Lions
17 of 32
Last Week: 17
Quote of the Week: "I mean you don't have one point in time in this league where you can ever say, 'You know what, we’re going to take the governor off just a little bit this week,' It doesn’t happen. This is a different ballgame. This is a different league. It’s hard to win one game in this league, so no. I don’t sense it and if I did, I’d be awfully disappointed. I really would be."
Detroit Lions head coach Jim Caldwell must be the happiest man in the NFL after Week 10. His team enjoyed a bye week and still found itself tied for first place in the NFC North after yet another Minnesota Vikings loss.
Caldwell expects his team to play with a renewed vigor once it returns to the field instead of experiencing a letdown after its 22-16 overtime victory over the Vikings, per the Detroit Free Press' Carlos Monarrez.
"Every game to us is vital. Every game requires every bit of intensity that you have," the coach continued.
This is especially true of the Lions, who have had to come back late to secure all five of the team's wins. As the Vikings trend in the wrong direction, the Lions can't let an opportunity to take control of the division slip through their grasp.
15. Sean Payton, New Orleans Saints
18 of 32
Last Week: 14
Quote of the Week: "Obviously you can't see a clear enough picture on the sideline, or it appears that you can't. I know there’s a handful of pictures after the fact."
Most NFL head coaches would have blown a gasket after what appeared to be a missed call during the game-defining extra point block that led to the Denver Broncos' 25-23 victory over the New Orleans Saints.
Sean Payton didn't, though. He understood the difficulty of the call, per ESPN.com's Mike Triplett.
While it appeared Broncos safety Will Parks caught a piece of the sideline as he raced toward the end zone, the officials couldn't overturn the call due to inconclusive replays. Anyone who watched the game without a rooting interest likely agreed with the assessment.
The fact the Saints allowed a defender to jump over the team's line is a bigger issue at this point.
"We've just got to be better in that situation of recognizing a jumper and being able to see it," Payton said. "Because it's an easy penalty to draw if you just come up at all (and initiate contact with the jumper)."
It's something so simple, yet a breakdown in protection led to the final result.
14. Mike McCarthy, Green Bay Packers
19 of 32
Last Week: 11
Quote of the Week: "Let's just state the facts: I'm a highly successful NFL coach. With that, I've never looked at the ride to this point as smooth."
If we're stating facts, the Green Bay Packers are 4-5 overall, and they've lost their last three games. Head coach Mike McCarthy has been successful, per the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Michael Cohen, but even the league's best coaches reach a point where they're no longer effective.
The question becomes: Is McCarthy still highly successful or is he reaching the point where his team no longer responds to him?
During the Packers' three-game losing streak, the defense surrendered 111 points.
"We have not played well enough," the coach said, per ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky. "We're dialed into how it happened and why it happened."
How this team responds during the next four weeks with the Washington Redskins, Philadelphia Eagles, Houston Texans and Seattle Seahawks on the docket will determine how successful McCarthy remains at this point in his career.
13. Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers
20 of 32
Last Week: 12
Quote of the Week: "Is it players? Is it coaches? I don't know, but we need to get there quick."
If at first you don't succeed, try, try, try and try again. This appeared to be Mike Tomlin's approach when the Pittsburgh Steelers' head coach decided his offense would attempt four two-point conversions only to fail each time. Pittsburgh eventually lost 35-30 to the Dallas Cowboys after a 32-yard Ezekiel Elliott rushing touchdown with nine seconds left in the game.
After the contest, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger questioned the lack of accountability found throughout the organization, per ESPN.com's Jeremy Fowler. Clearly, Roethlisberger and the team are frustrated after their fourth straight loss.
The biggest issues fall on the defensive side of the ball where Pittsburgh ranks 25th in total defense. The combination of poor secondary play coupled with an anemic pass rush have led the Steelers to a 4-5 record.
"You've got to do what you've got to do if you're going to be a good defense," Tomlin said.
The defense isn't good, and the offense hasn't been good enough to offset those deficiencies. As such, the quarterback and coach put everyone on blast.
12. Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati Bengals
21 of 32
Last Week: 13
Quote of the Week: "We just needed one play to get us going and we never got it."
The 3-5-1 Cincinnati Bengals can't seem to get out of neutral this season, which puts their five-year playoff streak at risk. This was a team coming off its bye week to face the New York Giants on Monday Night Football, yet never got it going, as quarterback Andy Dalton stated, per the Associated Press, via ESPN.com.
Dalton threw for a season-low 204 yards, and the running game never materialized. While the team experienced very little turnover this past offseason, this group isn't coming together to make plays when needed.
"It's frustrating because it’s getting to that nitty-gritty time," wide receiver A.J. Green said, per the Cincinnati Enquirer's Paul Dehner Jr. "The division is wide open and we are just letting it slip away. We are not finishing these games. Tying one, losing by one. It's tough."
The Bengals are still alive in the AFC North because the entire division is mediocre, but this may be a team seeing its window close if it can't turn it around in the coming weeks.
11. Ben McAdoo, New York Giants
22 of 32
Last Week: 15
Quote of the Week: "We knew it was going to take touchdowns to beat this team. It's a good football team, and we felt like we needed to score touchdowns."
When coaches gamble, they're called brilliant if it works out in their favor. The alternative isn't pleasant, but the reward can be quite sweet.
New York Giants head coach Ben McAdoo gambled when he decided to go for it on fourth down early in the fourth quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football. The result? New York ultimately scored the game-winning touchdown when quarterback Eli Manning connected with rookie wide receiver Sterling Shepard.
The coach felt his team needed to take the risk and couldn't play it conservatively, per ESPN.com's Jordan Raanan.
"We had kind of addressed it at the beginning of that drive," center Weston Richburg said. "We were going to have to use all four downs."
By using an aggressive approach, the Giants secured a 21-20 victory. As a result, McAdoo and his crew are firmly entrenched in the playoff mix.
10. Mike Zimmer, Minnesota Vikings
23 of 32
Last Week: 7
Quote of the Week: "Hey, my dad told me a long time ago if you make it through the downs, the ups will take care of itself. We’re going to continue doing what we do. Get backed up into a corner, we’re going to come out fighting."
A month ago, the Minnesota Vikings were counted among the NFL's elite. After four straight losses, head coach Mike Zimmer is giving the old "backed into a corner" speech, per VikingUpdate.com's Tim Yotter.
No matter what the team did this season, the offense was expected to struggle due to the multiple injuries sustained at key positions. The team's defense, however, wasn't supposed to take its foot off the gas at any point. It has.
The defense surrendered 22.3 points per game over the last four after giving up only 12.6 through the first five. As such, the coaching staff appeared a little desperate during the team's 26-22 loss to the Washington Redskins with its increased pressure packages.
"I mean, hey, we lost three games in a row," Zimmer said. "You're going to shoot all your bullets out of your gun if you can. Sometimes it backfires and sometimes it doesn't."
It didn't. Now, the Vikings need to rediscover who they are on both sides of the ball during crucial upcoming contests against the Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys.
9. John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens
24 of 32
Last Week: 10
Quote of the Week: "I do; I think we're in a building process with our team, but most certainly with our offense, which has the furthest distance to go, probably. We had some success in the second half, and that was really important for us to do that. Hopefully, we’ll all look back at this at the end of the season and say this was a turning point for the offense."
A meeting with the Cleveland Browns makes every team feel better about itself. The Baltimore Ravens left Thursday's meeting with a 28-7 victory. The meeting became a confidence-builder and a potential turning point for the team, according to head coach John Harbaugh, per Ryan Mink of the Ravens official site.
Baltimore should feel good about itself after its latest triumph. Sure, the Browns have yet to win a game, but the 5-4 Ravens sit alone atop the AFC North standings.
Plus, quarterback Joe Flacco pulled out of his funk with a strong second-half performance. The nine-year pro completed 73.2 percent of his passes, including three touchdown tosses.
"You don't live on what you did the previous week," Flacco said. "I think it does give guys confidence, and it can be a big plus, but it still comes down to how we go out there and respond to it."
8. Dan Quinn, Atlanta Falcons
25 of 32
Last Week: 6
Quote of the Week: "You have to get rest this week and have a mindset that we’re not preparing for the last six games of the season, but the mindset to play nine or 10 more. That’s what you have to prepare for, and that’s why you have to take advantage of these opportunities where you can get some rest and be fresh. That’ll be my message to everybody. Keep moving, but let your body and mind get right."
After Sunday's 24-15 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Atlanta Falcons need to reset their season during the upcoming bye week.
It's a time for the team to rest and prepare mentally for the stretch run, as quarterback Matt Ryan discussed, per ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure.
Despite losing three of their last five contests, the Falcons still lead the NFC South by a game and a half. The team's division lead could even increase if the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers falter during their next games.
But the Falcons can't give in and collapse like they did a year ago. Panic cannot set in with six games left to play.
"First and foremost, it's not panic time," defensive end Dwight Freeney said. "People want to panic because maybe we lost a game that we probably shouldn't have lost from a stat standpoint in terms of records of teams. ... Sometimes you lose games. Sometimes you don't have great games."
7. Jack Del Rio, Oakland Raiders
26 of 32
Last Week: 9
Quote of the Week: "Coach (Jack) Del Rio has done a great job of giving us a vision and a format of how that looks, because he’s been there. He’s done those things. It’s also us making it up in our mind, obviously, as players, but it takes a vision and a plan laid out by our leader. I think it’s just a perfect mesh of both."
Two years ago, the Raiders were 0-10 with rookie quarterback Derek Carr at the helm and interim head coach Tony Sparano already six weeks into his tenure. Two months later, the organization hired Jack Del Rio to be its head coach. Carr credited his current coach for the team's newfound winning ways, per CSN Bay Area's Scott Bair.
After a 7-9 campaign, the Raiders are now 7-2 and tied atop the AFC West with the Kansas City Chiefs (although Kansas City currently holds the tiebreaker).
"I can't wait to see where it's going to go next," veteran left tackle Donald Penn said. "I'm excited about the future, because we're building something special here. There's a lot of work ahead of us, and when we come together, that's what I'm excited to see."
The Raiders own one of the league's most potent offenses, and the defense continues to improve. This is a young team ready for bigger and better things after years of futility.
6. Bruce Arians, Arizona Cardinals
27 of 32
Last Week: 8
Quote of the Week: "1-0 on the new season. I trust our guys and they came thru! Solid team win. Onto the next one!"
Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians doesn't tweet often, but he made sure to fire off the above message after Sunday's 23-20 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.
A win is a win, but the Cardinals barely slipped past the 1-8 San Francisco 49ers. Arians' squad required a 34-yard Chandler Catanzaro field goal as time expired to secure the team's fourth win.
"It was a game where I thought we had it in hand," Arians said, per ESPN.com, "and gave it back and then weathered a storm and won it."
After their bye week, the Cardinals should have played better. However, the team can be proud it reached the .500 plateau with another winnable contest against the Minnesota Vikings on the horizon.
Despite Arizona's 4-4-1 start, it's still very much in the mix for a potential wild-card playoff berth. A strong finish over the next seven weeks will then be traced back to Arians' message after the team's Week 10 performance.
5. Gary Kubiak, Denver Broncos
28 of 32
Last Week: 5
Quote of the Week: "There are defining moments in your season, and that's a big one. That's a big win for us this season."
Coaches often offer cliches about how teams approach their seasons on a weekly basis or a previous result is only one game until a much-needed victory occurs.
For the Denver Broncos, Sunday's 25-23 triumph over the New Orleans Saints became a season-defining moment, according to head coach Gary Kubiak, per ESPN.com's Jeff Legwold.
After three losses in the previous five contests—including the previous week's 30-20 lapse against the Oakland Raiders—the Broncos appeared to be trending in the wrong direction. Instead, Sunday's result provided a 7-3 record, which places Denver only a half game behind the division-leading Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs.
"We showed we still have that attitude," Broncos safety T.J. Ward said of Denver's defense. "I've been saying we can get right, we can get ourselves back to where we need to be. We know what we're capable of."
This year's team is as good as last year's Super Bowl-winning squad. The players just needed to realize it.
4. Jason Garrett, Dallas Cowboys
29 of 32
Last Week: 4
Quote of the Week: "They lost the gap, the O-line picked it up perfectly and it parted like the Red Sea. All I had to do was run."
All Ezekiel Elliott continues to do is run unabated and toward a record-setting rookie campaign.
As good as the phenom is, the Dallas Cowboys offensive line is even better. The group—which consists of left tackle Tyron Smith, left guard Ronald Leary, center Travis Frederick, right guard Zack Martin and right tackle Doug Free—deserves Elliott's praise, per ESPN.com's Todd Archer.
The front five continues to dominate at the point of attack as Elliott racks up chunks of yards, including the game-winning 32-yard touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Mike Tomlin's squad tried to load the box against Elliott, but the league's leading rusher still managed 114 yards.
"We grind guys down," Elliott said, per David Helman of the Cowboys official site. "We know that if we keep grinding, keep running forward like that, a couple are going to pop. And two popped at the perfect time."
With Sunday's 35-30 victory, the Cowboys are now the league's best team with an 8-1 record.
3. Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs
30 of 32
Last Week: 2
Quote of the Week: "We just try to focus in on doing our job. Is it always pretty? No, but neither are Picasso's, but you find beauty with it."
The Kansas City Chiefs continue to win with very little fanfare. Some may not realize this, but Andy Reid's squad has won an impressive 17 of its last 19 regular-season contests.
The Chiefs aren't the league's most dynamic team. They don't have many household names. They're not running up the score. Yet there is true beauty in what they've accomplished since Week 7 of the 2015 campaign, as head coach Andy Reid intimated, per BJ Kissel of the team's official site.
The AFC West is the league's best division, and the 7-2 Chiefs sit atop the standings since they own the tiebreaker against the Oakland Raiders. Kansas City needed a comeback 20-17 victory Sunday over the Carolina Panthers to be in this position, though.
"It's easy in this league to pop the balloon and deflate," Reid said, per Kissel. "This crew here has got some character. Does that mean you win every game? No, but you're going to give yourself an opportunity to do that with that kind of character."
2. Bill Belichick, New England Patriots
31 of 32
Last Week: 1
Quote of the Week: "It’s not easy to make plays against them. We made a lot of them. They made a couple more so give them credit. They deserve it tonight."
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is a man of few words, but he became downright verbose when discussing the Seattle Seahawks after Sunday's 31-24 loss, per SI.com's Greg Bedard.
"They're very well-coached," he said. "They're tough. They compete on every play. They have a lot of good players."
Those words were just the tip of the proverbial iceberg, but it shows the respect Belichick has for the Seahawks and head coach Pete Carroll.
While a coach will argue a loss is never a good thing, Belichick will use this as an opportunity to show the Patriots can and should be much better in multiple areas. The defense, in particular, hasn't performed well, and the message the coach supposedly sent when he traded Jamie Collins didn't resonate.
The 7-2 Patriots are good, but they're far from a great team.
1. Pete Carroll, Seattle Seahawks
32 of 32
Last Week: 3
Quote of the Week: "As we make the turn here, I think our guys are really ready to push and see how far we can take this season."
While Sunday night's 31-24 victory over the New England Patriots might not remove the specters of Pete Carroll's past or erase Malcolm Butler's Super Bowl interception, the Seattle Seahawks and their head coach are back where they're supposed to be: atop the NFL as one of the league's best teams.
This is the point Carroll has been waiting for, per ESPN.com's Sheil Kapadia. Quarterback Russell Wilson is finally healthy, and his play hides some of the team's deficiencies.
"We had been waiting," Carroll said. "We really had been in waiting to get healthy. Maybe we waited a couple weeks too long, but we were waiting on Russ to be right and kicked it in last week, and you saw the change."
Wilson threw for 348 yards and three touchdowns against the Patriots. As long as he stays healthy and the defense continues to play at expected levels, the Seahawks are as good or better than any team.
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