NFL Power Rankings Week 10: Which Coaches Are Earning Their Paycheck?
NFL Power Rankings Week 10: Coaches Edition.
We finally had our first NFL head coaching casualty today, with Wade Phillips being canned and Jason Garrett taking over.
That might be the only mid-season coaching change that takes place in 2010, but then again, you never know what can happen in the second half of the season.
Either way, after nine weeks, it's safe to say that some coaches are getting it done, while others aren't.
Check out this list to find if your team's skipper made the grade.
The Failures
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No. 32: Wade Phillips/Jason Garrett, Dallas Cowboys (1-7)
Quite obviously, Phillips didn't succeed this season so his spot at No. 32 is secure. But the case of Garrett is more interesting. He is a real unknown commodity and would seem to have plenty of support from the owner, general manager and team president (of course that's all the same person, Jerry Jones).
Still, he has a tough job ahead of him, with the Eagles (twice), Colts, Saints and Giants still on the Dallas schedule. There's a good chance that Garrett's tenure with Dallas will last just as long (eight games) as Phillips's 2010 season did.
No. 31: Josh McDaniels, Denver Broncos (2-6)
As a rookie head coach in 2009, McDaniels deserves a pass for the team's collapse after a 6-0 start to the season. He has no such excuse this year.
Sure, the Denver passing game is fantastic. But the running game has actually regressed since the beginning of the year. And although they've only played the Raiders once and have yet to battle Kansas City until this Sunday, Denver's run defense is better than just one team: the winless Bills.
No. 30: Mike Shanahan, Washington Redskins (4-4)
Sure Shanahan has done a good job with a pretty limited talent pool in Washington. He had the team in contention for the NFC East earlier this season, and they are just two games back of the Giants right now, one game behind the Eagles, whom they defeated once already.
But the way he has handled this Donovan McNabb situation was a big topic of debate on the Sunday morning pregame shows. Mike Ditka probably said it best on ESPN: (paraphrasing) If Donovan McNabb, a successful, veteran quarterback, doesn't know the system for the two minute drill, then it's the head coaches fault.
No. 29: Mike Singletary, San Francisco 49ers (2-6)
Just because they have won two of three games, and the rest of their division is a mess (look what Seattle and Arizona did on Sunday), doesn't mean the 49ers' head coach is doing a stellar job.
For one, defeating the Broncos by just eight points should only warrant a half-victory. Although they did beat their Bay Area rival, the Raiders, just before Oakland's incredible surge.
If owner John York's prediction turns out to be true, and the 49ers win the NFC West, it would certainly get Singletary out of the "failure" category. But he won't be a success either: eight wins might claim the division title.
The Not So Bad
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No. 28: Chan Gailey, Buffalo Bills (0-8)
Nine times out of 10, a team that is winless in November deserves to be on the "failure" heap. But Gailey has done an admirable job this season. He has turned unheralded Ryan Fitzpatrick into a respectable passer, has put together a respectable pass defense (always important in today's NFL), and has lost each of the past three games by just a field goal.
Nevertheless, at 0-8, it's hard to say he's doing a good job, no matter how long he's been there.
No. 27: John Fox, Carolina Panthers (1-7)
Given the loss of Julius Peppers, the forced cutting of Dwayne Jarrett, and the many injuries that Carolina has suffered in 2010, Fox is doing a fairly decent job.
He has a win to his credit, which is important. And he's kept the Panthers in a few games they probably should have been blown out in: New Orleans and St. Louis on the road, to be exact.
Still, it's probably not enough to save his job: the Panthers should just start from scratch and get a cheaper head coach.
No. 26: Brad Childress, Minnesota Vikings (3-5)
It's hard to argue that Childress is doing a better job than Fox or Gailey: He has far more talent, yet has just two more wins than Fox, three more than Gailey.
And the Vikings probably won on Sunday in spite of Childress and his catastrophic handling of the team last week, leading up to their comeback win over Arizona. But this is the same head coach that was one Brett Favre interception away from the Super Bowl last season.
You don't forget how to be a good coach overnight.
No. 25: Pete Carroll, Seattle Seahawks (4-4)
One blowout loss doesn't land you on this list, but two in as many weeks can. The Seahawks lost 33-3 last week against Oakland and were absolutely embarrassed on Sunday, at home against the Giants.
Falling behind so fast (four touchdowns in the opening 21 minutes) at home makes you wonder how prepared the Seahawks were on gameday.
And although they still share the lead in the NFC West, their last month has not been very impressive: Aside from the two losses, they have victories over the mediocre Bears and Cardinals, along with a pretty sizable loss to the young St. Louis Rams.
The Hanging In There
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No. 24: Ken Wisenhunt, Arizona Cardinals (3-5)
In any other division, the Cardinals' late fourth quarter collapse might have cost them any hopes of a division title. But not in the NFC West.
Wisenhunt has hardly done a masterful job this season: The club is 3-5, have lost three straight and are at the bottom half of the rankings in just about every major offensive and defensive statistic.
Still, to keep the team respectable with the quarterback woes (it's not his fault Kurt Warner retired) deserves some praise.
No. 23: Jim Schwartz, Detroit Lions (2-6)
The Lions really gave away the game last week against the Jets, but the only reason it was a "collapse" and not a "beatdown" is because Detroit had a 10-point lead late in the game.
Losing Matthew Stafford (for a third time in one and a half seasons) is a major blow, and that type of morale killer had to be a factor in Sunday's loss. That's not something Schwartz could have controlled.
No. 22: Lovie Smith, Chicago Bears (5-3)
You have to give Lovie Smith and the Bears credit for winning on Sunday. The Bills looked ripe for a win and the Bears ripe for a loss. But in the fourth quarter, the Bears offense made the plays necessary to retake the lead, and the defense made enough plays to protect the lead at the end.
Chicago is not one of the elite teams in the NFL, but there are only a handful with five victories, and that can't be overlooked.
No. 21: Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati Bengals (2-5)
The Bengals have been pretty awful the last month of the season, losing four in a row. But don't declare them dead just yet.
Let's see how they handle the Steelers tonight on Monday Night Football.
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No. 20: Steve Spagnuolo, St. Louis Rams (4-4)
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Why He Earned His Paycheck
On offense, he has a rookie quarterback, lost his best receiver for the season and is averaging just over 100 yards per game on the ground. That alone would be enough to earn his paycheck, but because the defense is ranked 10th in the NFL in total yards allowed, he should get a bonus.
How He Could Blow It
As shocking as it sounds, because the Seahawks have been so awful the last two weeks, the Rams have to be considered the favorite to win the NFC West at this point. If the Seahawks came back to win the West, it wouldn't be catastrophic, but if the previously 1-6 49ers did, it would be—remember, they play the Rams twice in the next seven weeks.
Potential Potholes
At some point, the wear and tear to Steven Jackson (he has 99 carries the past four games) could greatly hamper the team's options. Without him, Sam Bradford will see a whole lot more pressure.
No. 19: Jack Del Rio, Jacksonville Jaguars (4-4)
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Why He Earned His Paycheck
The AFC South is still wide open and the Jags have four divisional games remaining on the schedule. For a franchise that was not expected to compete in 2010, that's promising news.
How He Could Blow It
Del Rio seems to have built this team completely around David Garrard. When Garrard plays, they are a balanced team on offense and can keep the mediocre defense on the sidelines. When he doesn't play, they are in major trouble (see the Tennessee and Kansas City games). If that formula stops working, Del Rio might again find himself on the hot seat.
Potential Potholes
The Jags defense is 28th in total yards allowed per game: in a division that has Peyton Manning, Andre Johnson, and Chris Johnson paired with Randy Moss, they need to shape up in a hurry.
No. 18: Norv Turner, San Diego Chargers (4-5)
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Why He Earned His Paycheck
After another typically terrible start to the season, the Chargers have two very impressive wins in the past two weeks, over Tennessee and Houston. For now, that has saved Turner's always tenuous job.
How He Could Blow It
By getting in Phillip Rivers's way? Rivers has been fantastic this season, despite all the team's problems. He is a serious MVP candidate and the Charger coaching staff needs to continue to do whatever Rivers wants.
Potential Potholes
The running game has posted middle of the road numbers (14th in the NFL), but they have yet to be able to consistently run the ball late in games. A power struggle between Ryan Matthews and Mike Tolbert might be on the horizon.
No. 17: Gary Kubiak, Houston Texans (4-4)
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Why He Earned His Paycheck
Despite dropping three of the past four games, the Texans are still in the hunt for the AFC South. For a franchise that has yet to play in a playoff game, that's enough for the head coach to earn his paycheck.
How He Could Blow It
Houston split with the top dog in the AFC South, Indianapolis, but they still have two games with the Jaguars and Titans. Anything less than a split with those two division rivals will almost certainly prevent them from reaching the postseason.
Potential Potholes
With two contests against Randy Moss and the Titans as well as games against Philadelphia, Denver and Baltimore, the Texans' worst-ranked pass defense could be their undoing.
No. 16: Eric Mangini, Cleveland Browns (3-5)
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Why He Earned His Paycheck
The Browns probably aren't in contention for the playoffs (although they aren't mathematically eliminated just yet), but wins against the Saints and Patriots certainly has the media reusing "The Man-genius" nickname.
How He Could Blow It
The Browns are playing with house money at this point in the season. The only way Mangini can blow that type of good credit is by taking Colt McCoy off the field and replacing him with one of the two veterans who went winless to start the season.
Potential Potholes
Mangini still has to play the Steelers and Ravens again, and he has another "personal" war this Sunday against the Jets. Three losses there will greatly sap some of this mid-season credibility.
No. 15: Tony Sparano, Miami Dolphins (4-4)
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Why He Earned His Paycheck
With two powerhouses above him (New England and the Jets), Sparano has done a good job keeping the Dolphins relevant in the AFC East. And even if they can't overtake the Pats or New York, Miami is still in contention for a wild card.
How He Could Blow It
The Dolphins may have been "road warriors" by winning four straight away from South Florida before last Sunday, but at 4-4, that means they are not getting the job done at home. They've played Pittsburgh and the Jets tough at Sun Life Stadium and gave the Pats a good first half, but to contend in the AFC, you have to be able to win at home.
Potential Potholes
Although the yardage totals are very respectable, the Dolphins offense has had to settle for way too many field goals this season. In November and December, they need to score more touchdowns than they did in October and September.
Or they'll be spending January at home.
No. 14: Jeff Fisher, Tennessee Titans (5-3)
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Why He Earned His Paycheck
At the halfway point, Tennessee shares the AFC South lead. Considering the presence of Peyton Manning, a scrappy Jaguars team and an explosive Houston offense, that is impressive.
How He Could Blow It
Two words: Randy Moss. Fisher obviously approved the acquisition of the troubled wide receiver. It could backfire if his play isn't up to par.
Potential Potholes
Penalties have been a problem for the Titans this year. With the addition of the temperamental Moss, that probably won't get any better.
No. 13: Sean Payton, New Orleans Saints (6-3)
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Why He Earned His Paycheck
Since the embarrassing home loss to the Browns (although it looks less embarrassing after Cleveland trounced the Patriots on Sunday), the Saints seem to be back to form, with wins over the Steelers and Panthers.
How He Could Blow It
New Orleans' passing game was the main reason the Saints won Super Bowl XLIV, but at least there was some semblance of a ground attack. When Reggie Bush and/or Pierre Thomas return, the Saints need to get back to running the ball, even if it is just to keep the opposition on its toes.
Potential Potholes
The last month of the regular season could be very tricky for the champs: After a visit from the Rams, who should still be in contention for the NFC West, the Saints close out 2010 with games against Tampa, Atlanta and Baltimore.
No. 12: Todd Haley, Kansas City Chiefs (5-3)
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Why He Earned His Paycheck
No one expected the Chiefs to be in contention for the AFC West, and although they've hit a bit of a rough stretch (2-3 in the last five games), they have a leg up on the Chargers and still have a home game against Oakland in the final week of the season.
How He Could Blow It
The Chiefs have two games remaining this season against rival Denver, who has fallen on hard times this year. Although the Mile High city is a tough place to play, KC really needs to sweep the Broncos in order to win the AFC West.
Potential Potholes
Kansas City may have one of the two best running attacks in the NFL, but they must improve on their third down efficiency: In the past two weeks, they are 7-for-27 in converting third down attempts.
No. 11: Raheem Morris, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-3)
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Why He Earned His Paycheck
Not only did the Bucs find themselves in a meaningful divisional game against Atlanta last week, but after falling behind by 27-14 in the fourth quarter, the team did not give up and had a good chance of taking the lead late in the game.
How He Could Blow It
Although they have a very impressive record and have been the "darlings" of the NFC thus far, Tampa has yet to defeat a quality opponent: They've lost to Pittsburgh, New Orleans and now Atlanta. With the Falcons, Saints and Ravens still on the schedule, the Bucs are going to have to win one at least one of those games if they hope to return to the postseason.
Potential Potholes
LeGarrette Blout may have had a great day against Arizona, but he hardly proved to be a feature back last week against the Falcons. With the injuries to Carnell Williams and Earnest Graham, if Blount can't carry the load, Josh Freeman won't be able to make as many plays downfield.
No. 10: Tom Cable, Oakland Raiders (5-4)
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Why He Earned His Paycheck
As surprising at the Chiefs and Buccaneers have been in 2010, the Raiders are still the biggest shock Cinderella. Not because they lacked talent, but because the front office has seen so many problems, and a year ago, Tom Cable was answering questions about punching one of his assistants.
Turning it around this fast earns him all the kudos Al Davis can shower upon him.
How He Could Blow It
The Raiders have won three straight. Now they're not going to win the next seven games; the schedule is too tough. Aside from Denver, they play a playoff contender for the remainder of the season. Cable can only "blow it" if they aren't competitive in half of those tough games.
Potential Potholes
Injuries have to be a concern for the Raiders. Neither the quarterback, running back or wide receiver position has been immune. They've been fortunate thus far, but if any one of those injuries to Darren McFadden or Louis Murphy or Jason Campbell become chronic, it could ruin their playoff hopes.
No. 9: Rex Ryan, New York Jets (6-2)
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Why He Earned His Paycheck
Ryan has the Jets in position to win the AFC East, but the way he has managed all the side stories regarding the Jets (Braylon Edwards's DUI, Darrelle Revis's injury, the return of Brett Favre, etc) earns him a little more praise.
How He Could Blow It
The Jets have shown signs of flaws the past two weeks. They haven't been very good on offense (aside from a blown coverage, 77-yard touchdown pass against the Lions, they have exactly one offensive touchdown in two weeks) and if that continues, the Jets will slip in the race with the Patriots.
Potential Potholes
Mark Sanchez has not progressed as much as he probably should have from his first year in the league to his second year. If the problem is an increased responsibility in the offense, reducing his workload might limit what the team can do in the stretch run.
No. 8: Bill Belichick, New England Patriots (6-2)
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Why He Earned His Paycheck
The Patriots still are tied for the best record in the NFL, no matter what happened last week against the Browns. With all the changes to the team, especially on offense, the fact that New England can still win the AFC East is fairly astonishing.
How He Could Blow It
Belichick doesn't overreact and never panics. So if the Patriots fold in the second half, it will be because he just doesn't have the talent on the defensive side of the ball.
Potential Potholes
Peyton Hillis's hard running on Sunday exposed a lack of depth and size up front in the New England front seven. Aside from the Colts, virtually all of the AFC's contenders have very physical running games. That is a very real concern for New England.
No. 7: Andy Reid, Philadelphia Eagles (5-3)
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Why He Earned His Paycheck
It seems easy when you see the throwing arm and his fast feet, but Reid had a very tough decision to make back in September when he decided to stick with Michael Vick. And not just because of Vick's past mistakes: Kevin Kolb spent the entire offseason as the starter.
Making a swap like that in Week 3 of the season took major gall. And it has paid off.
How He Could Blow It
If Michael Vick suffers another injury and is unable to play the bulk of the second half, it might crush the Eagles' playoff hopes. Kolb is a very good replacement, but a fourth change at the helm might be too much for the Eagles to overcome: They need consistency at the quarterback position to remain in the hunt.
Potential Potholes
The Eagles defense has not been quite as good as it was under Jim Johnson a few years back. They have given up too many big plays, which could be costly when they face teams like the Giants (twice), Vikings and Texans.
No. 6: John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens
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Why He Earned His Paycheck
The Ravens remain atop the AFC North despite the absence of Ed Reed for most of the season and a nagging injury to running back Ray Rice. And because they already defeated Pittsburgh at Heinz Field, they now have a chance to sweep the series from the Steelers. That would almost clinch the division.
How He Could Blow It
The Ravens have played down to their competition a few times this season: Cleveland, Buffalo, Denver, Cincinnati. With games still to play against the Browns, Bengals and Panthers, Harbaugh better keep his players focused on each week's opponent.
Potential Potholes
The Ravens have two huge games on short weeks. They play the Falcons at the Georgia Dome this Thursday night, and a month later, they play the Saints after a Monday night game in Houston. Given the short week and unfamiliarity of NFC opponents, they are at a slight disadvantage in those two matchups.
No. 5: Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers
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Why He Earned His Paycheck
Tomlin earned his paycheck in the first four weeks of the regular season: He led the Steelers to a 3-1 mark despite Ben Roethlisberger's suspension.
How He Could Blow It
Despite the great play without their quarterback, Tomlin can still "blow it" if the Steelers don't improve their fourth quarter defense. That was a major killer last season, and they reverted back to their 2009 form a week ago against New Orleans.
Potential Potholes
For a fourth straight season, the Steelers' greatest concern is their offensive line. Injuries have already cost them several starts across the board and with a rookie at center, they cannot afford another. If they cannot protect Roethlisberger, they will not be able to win the division.
No. 4: Mike Smith, Atlanta Falcons (6-2)
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Why He Earned His Paycheck
Atlanta might be the most balanced team in the NFC. Everyone knows about their offensive firepower, but the defense has continually come up with huge plays late in ballgames. That is a credit to Mike Smith.
How He Could Blow It
The Falcons are currently in the middle of a long home stand. Of course that means later in the season, they have a few tough road tests. Atlanta has to travel to Tampa, Seattle and St. Louis. Those are all potential playoff teams, but all very winnable games. If they don't take two of those three, it might cost them positioning in the NFC playoffs.
Potential Potholes
Atlanta's special teams have not been particularly good this year. They don't have an explosive returner and they already had one punt blocked and recovered for a touchdown. Down the stretch those can be terribly costly.
No. 3: Jim Caldwell, Indianapolis Colts (5-3)
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Why He Earned His Paycheck
The Colts have been so beset by injuries this season (on both sides of the ball), that it's borderline miraculous that this team is still sharing a piece of the division lead.
How He Could Blow It
He may have Peyton Manning, but Caldwell and his staff need to find a way to get more production out of the running game. Averaging 92 yards per game is not enough—they don't have to put up the same type of numbers as the Raiders or Chiefs, but even a slight improvement to the per-game totals could be the difference between a 10-6 record and a 12-4 record.
Potential Potholes
Although it is Week 10, the Colts have yet to play their greatest division rival, the Tennessee Titans. And since the Titans just added Randy Moss, that should make those two matchups very interesting. If the Colts secondary cannot defend Vince Young, Randy Moss and Chris Johnson, they won't get the split they need to claim another AFC South title.
No. 2: Tom Coughlin, New York Giants (5-3)
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Why He Earned His Paycheck
After the media was speculating that he'd be fired following the two-game losing streak in early September, all Coughlin's Giants have done is win five straight and become the prohibitive favorite to win the NFC.
How He Could Blow It
Although the Giants have a great record at the midway point of the season, they have only played one divisional game. With five more on the schedule, they have to come away with at least a split against Philadelphia and Washington and another win over the hapless Cowboys, considering it's in East Rutherford. If they don't do that, it probably will cost them the NFC East.
Potential Potholes
There do not seem to be too many flaws with the Giants right now, but in the second half they could use a few more turnovers. The defense has just 10 on the season.
No. 1: Mike McCarthy, Green Bay Packers (6-3)
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Why He Earned His Paycheck
Not collapsing in the face of a freakishly high number of injuries suffered by his team was one thing. But rebounding to take control of the division means McCarthy is doing arguably the best job of coaching of anyone in the NFL.
How He Could Blow It
The only way McCarthy can "blow it" would be at the hands of a familiar face. If Brett Favre and the Vikings somehow manage to reenter the NFC North race (they have a rematch in the Metrodome in two weeks), it could be a nightmare for the Packers.
Potential Potholes
The running game still isn't as good as it was when Ryan Grant was healthy, but the schedule should be the Packers' biggest worry: They have to play the Lions again (who nearly defeated them at Lambeau), the Giants, the Vikings, the Falcons and the Patriots. There is a very real chance of five losses there.
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