The NFL's 5 Best Ceiling-Raising Coaches Through Week 5

0:00Welcome to the Ringer NFL Show. I'm your host Sheil Kapadia. My guest today is Mike Golic Jr. You can watch him on Golic and Golic on FanDuel Sports Network. We talked about the best coaching performances of the season through five weeks. If you've listened to me before, you know how I view this. It's all about who's doing more with less, who is maximizing their talent. So I had a list of five guys, at least one that I think will really surprise you. And we discuss what's impressed us about these coaching jobs. Fun conversation because you realize it's not just about one thing. For one guy, it's scheming.

0:33For another guy, it might be culture building. For another guy, it might be putting together a good staff. So we broke it all down. And then at the end, I had to chime in on that wild Chiefs-Jaguars Monday night football game. Chiefs put up 476 yards of offense and still lose that game. Trevor Lawrence with a big moment at the end. I'll talk about that in the hurry up. So let's take a quick break. We come back and talk about the best coaching performances of the season with Mike Golick Jr. This is the Ringer NFL show presented by FanDuel. And if you're betting on the NFL, FanDuel is the place to do it.

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3:09All right, we're back here with Mike Golick Jr. Mike, so number one on my list for this exercise was very easy. I mean, I had one coach way ahead of everybody else. I think he would easily be my coach of the year right now. And that's Shane Steichen. And we'll see if it lasts. But if we're going by what we've seen so far, I think he's done the best job. I mean, the way I always like to judge coaching is like the talent you have available. Are you maximizing that? Are you getting more from that? And what they're doing with Daniel Jones right now. I mean, it's they literally have the best offense in the NFL.

3:42I did not see this coming. So do you agree with me? Do you have Steichen as number one on this list? I do. I'm sure we'll get to a couple other games that are interesting for different reasons. But I think with Shane, you're absolutely right. This is what we expected with him coming over from Philadelphia, knowing what he had done for that offense during their best days with Jalen Hurts. And we had been thinking Anthony Richardson was the perfect candidate for it. But I guess the reason I would absolutely cosign this is we've seen quarterback reclamation projects in Sam Darnold and Geno Smith, but they've all had the benefit of time.

4:22This is the same Daniel Jones that we saw get benched in New York last year. Yeah, he had a brief rinse with Kevin O 'Connell and the Vikings where you could say maybe he picked some stuff up there. But in general, this feels all like Shane Steichen's hands on this. I'll be honest. I totally forgot about the Vikings thing until you just brought it up. What's he talking about? Oh yeah, no, he was with Kevin O 'Connell. No, that's a great point. Yeah. Cause the other guys, it's like, all right, Darnold went to Carolina and San Francisco and did, and even with Baker. All right. You know that he spent time with McVay Jones was just, I mean, he looked unplayable with, with the giants.

4:57And you wondered like, I thought the injuries had taken their toll because he was an athletic guy earlier in his career. And I thought it was kind of a bummer. He's had the injuries. We see this with NFL players all the time. And he's just not going to be the same guy. You know, I was like, what are the Colts doing? $14 million per year. This is nuts. And I have egg on my face because, you know, after week one, I'm like, let's see you do it again. Give me a break after week two. All right. It's two weeks. You know, the Saints last year and now we're five weeks in and they're just doing it week after week after week.

5:28I mean, that performance on Sunday against the Raiders, that was statistically the best offensive performance by any team this season. They punted on their first possession. Then they scored six straight touchdowns. Mike, I'm sure there are listeners of this show right now. They're like, my team hasn't scored six touchdowns in like the last three weeks. And they scored six straight there. They punt one more time. So yeah, they keep doing it and doing it every single week. And I kept waiting for it to trail off and it hasn't so far. So we're like, how all in are you on this Colts team? Are you like, they're definitely winning the AFC South?

6:01Are you like, hey, watch out. They can be a frisky playoff team. Are you in the, hey, I want to see a little bit more. How all in are you with the Steik and Daniel Jones experience? I think right now I'm at frisky playoff team, mostly because like the dominance on the ground too, right? We've seen in the NFL over the last couple of years, the Eagles are certainly the highest testament of this, but we've seen plenty of other teams that fall into this category where the way Jonathan Taylor in this ground game, this offensive line looked at a couple of years ago, maybe looked like it had missed its best window.

6:29now seems to again, even after losing some guys that were important parts of that, albeit often injured ones at the end of their career, his career and Ryan Kelly at center. But Will Fries, who's in Minnesota now too, was a guy that I don't think they wanted to lose, but ended up having a bigger market than they expected. And so I think overall, the way they've been able to win makes me say absolutely frisky playoff team. Beyond that, we'll see, like we've seen plenty of AFC turmoil already. the Ravens now don't appear to be the team that we thought we're still kind of waiting to see if the Chiefs are going to end up getting healthy enough at wide receiver to make this happen so I see no reason why the Colts can't take what this is and make it sustainable for the whole year it's the biggest surprise of the season for me when you know you make all your preseason predictions and takes and now you know usually I'm like I'm gonna hang on to him for a while before I give up on him and admit I was wrong but I did not think this was going to work out I thought people were going to get fired at the end of the season.

7:25And here they are, one of the surprise teams of the season. I mean, for what we were talking about earlier, Daniel Jones was 3-13. The Giants were 3-13 with him the last two seasons. And now they're 4-1. Your point about the offensive line, he's taken four sacks in five games this season. Every statistical, you know, you go to the old pro football reference page and you're like, wait a minute, this year looks a lot different than any other year he's played. And, you know, they went to the playoffs the one year. But yes, Stiken has been incredible. I did not see it coming. All right. Next guy on my list, Mike.

7:57Now, I made fun of Sean Payton all summer because I was like, this guy just, you know, what is this? I know listeners are sick of me referencing it now. I was like, this propaganda campaign, just telling everyone how good the Broncos are going to be. But again, he's got to be on this list. I mean, they are three and two. Both their losses were on game winning field goals. I thought even in those losses, like he was coaching. Well, I thought Bo Nix had some ups and downs. It was leaving plays on the field, but where are you with this Broncos team after that win over the Eagles on Sunday? And with what Sean Payton's done so far this season?

8:31Yeah, it's funny. I was just having a conversation with Mina Kimes over at ESPN, who was sending me some clips of some of what Sean Payton did this last week. And, you know, you mounted an incredible comeback in this game on the road at Philadelphia. it's really impressive because Bo Nix is similar to what we've seen as like a recent archetype that's honestly kind of a throwback right NFL teams drafting college quarterbacks that have played a bleep ton of games have a ton of experience come in knowing how to at least operate the machinery if they maybe don't have all the ability that you'd like of some of the more raw guys and Bo Nix is never going to blow you away ability wise he's a great runner he's got a live enough arm to do some of the deep stuff occasionally but he's not a quarterback that's going to cover up a ton of flaws.

9:16But what he's got is an offensive mind in Sean Payton and someone calling the plays who puts him in a lot of positions to succeed. They're another team. They've done a really good job along the offensive lines. Zach Streif, who was a former offensive lineman for Sean Payton, has done a phenomenal job with a group that they've invested in with draft picks and financially over the last number of years. But yeah, I've been really impressed in all the different ways he can pull the strings to get his quarterback in the best position to go out there and maximize his ability early in his career the way he has.

9:45Yeah, I mean, every week there are like three or four plays where it's just, this is a schemed up explosive. There's somehow a guy wide open downfield and it's just a matter if all the pieces work together and they make the play or not. But we've seen that really from week one. So Peyton still has his fastball. You know, I was looking at this, the last two years in the regular season, so they've played 22 games. They've lost by more than seven points once. in 20. And that was with a rookie quarterback last year. You know, they were not a finished product last year. And then this year, and they've played good, you know, they've played the Eagles, they played the chiefs twice.

10:20They played a Ravens bills. I think the Ravens were the team that got them last year, but yeah, it's been really impressive. Listen, Sean Payton, the line I always say, Mike, is that he probably thinks he's, he does think he's God's gift to football, but he's also like one of the best coaches of the last 25 years. So he walks the walk, He talks the talk, but he does walk the walk usually. And like you think about it since he's come back to the Broncos, where a couple of years ago in the midst of that Russell Wilson contract, we were questioning why of all jobs would you come back for this one, knowing that was going to be your quarterback situation.

10:51He got the best out of what we've seen from late stage, Russell Wilson post that Seattle career and is one of the other guys. Like we talked about this so much with Bill and Brady at the end of that tenure when Brady goes down and wins the championship at Tampa. and now Bill is enjoying this disaster at North Carolina of when you separate these guys, what does the picture look like? And Sean Payton was on the other side of one of those relationships with Drew Brees where in New Orleans, yeah, there was a brief time after Drew Brees' tenure, but he was most often associated with that as one of these quarterback guys.

11:21And he's come back and shown you plenty of what that success experience in New Orleans was as attributed to Sean Payton, and we're seeing that clear as day now. Yeah, that's true. And even in New Orleans, they had like those years in there where the offense was awesome, but he couldn't figure out the defense and they're winning seven games. And yeah, now he looks like he has a pretty complete team. Same question I had for you with like the Colts. I think the Broncos are maybe a tier up, but are you like, hey, they could, you know, if you were picking them as a Super Bowl sleeper in the AFC, they got a chance to be playing in the final four.

11:53Where are you with kind of what their ceiling is? Given kind of, I thought you framed the Bo Nix stuff well earlier. Yeah, I think they are definitely, with all the volatility we mentioned in the AFC, capable of getting to championship weekend, particularly because that defense, like in the last couple of weeks, especially really seems to have had the tires catch again. The end of that game, as we talk about the things that went into that, you know, comeback against Philadelphia late in the third and the fourth, the pressure that defense was able to latch up and all the different ways they can get to it.

12:22Like you had four man sacks late in that game. You had a couple of really good all out blitz looks like it's a really well-coached, confident unit that has studs at both ends. Nick Benito's looked incredible. since signing that deal. Obviously, you've got the rainy defensive player of the year, Pat Sertan, in the back end. So all of those pieces have made, usually what we see year-to-year volatility on defense is kind of par for the course, and they look like they have what it takes to buck that trend. Great adjustments, too. You know, they came out playing man coverage, and Jalen Hurts and the Eagles have crushed man coverage the last two years.

12:53His splits are crazy, and then they kind of went against what they usually do. They play more zone, to your point. They're four-man rushes. They're bringing simulated pressures. They're blitzing the corner and the ends dropping out. And Jalen Hurts was just holding the football and the Eagles offense looked like it did in the second half the previous week there. So yeah, they're in a nice spot. Three and two Jets and Giants the next two weeks. They still get the Raiders two more times this season. So they've got a chance to pile up some wins and be in the mix when we get to December. Sorry, Jets.

13:22Yeah, I've been nice to the Jets, Mike. I've been like, hey, they're not this bad. If they can cut out the turnovers and just fewer explosive plays, there actually are some good things there with the O-line, with the run game. And it's like the opposite of the Colts. And then every week I say that. And then I got them on one of my TVs here. And I'm like, oh my gosh, another red zone turnover? Come on, Jets. You're making me look bad. I'm trying to help you here. All right, let's take a break. We come back. A few more coaches to get to. Somewhere out there is a Chevy truck. And the person who drives it, well, that's a Chevy person.

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14:18This episode is brought to you by Netflix. The World Cup is finally here, and the coolest thing right now, FIFA World Cup launch edition on Netflix, a fast and fluid game where your phone is the controller and your TV is the stadium. Play as any of the 48 teams in 16 real world stadiums and it's included in your membership. Yeah. Go to the games tab on your TV and play FIFA World Cup launch edition now. Only on Netflix. All right, we're back on the Ringer NFL show. I think I'm going to surprise you with it. Maybe. I don't know. I don't know if you joined. This guy has been a punching bag for some online and I'm going to give you the caveat that I'm not sure it's going to last, but if we're judging by the first five weeks of the season, I think there's a case that Brian Schottenheimer has done one of the best jobs in the NFL.

15:07Let me give you the case here, okay? They're down four offensive linemen and CeeDee Lamb last week. They go up and down the field on the Jets in a blowout win. Dak Prescott has maintained this level of play despite all the injuries around him. It would be his, if he maintains what he's doing so far, it would statistically be the best year of his career. And remember, last year, I think people forget. It's like, oh, he was injured. They played eight games with Dak Prescott and it was ugly. They couldn't do anything. I mean, it was the worst version of Dak Prescott we'd ever seen. And now they're putting up 37 points with Ryan Flournoy.

15:40I hope I'm pronouncing that. That's the point. You know, it's like, wait, who are these guys out there? So I'm looking at all that. They're two, two and one. I'm not telling you they're a Super Bowl contender. but I if I look at a coach who it's like man they're getting more out of that group than I was expecting coming into the season I think he belongs uh on the list am I am I crazy where are you with Brian Schottenheimer I don't think you're crazy it's certain he wasn't the first name that came to mind for me I think because right wrong or indifferent I've assigned a little more of the credit in this to Dak Prescott for all the reasons that you mentioned just otherworldly consistency in the face of all this roster churn.

16:18But we hear the phrase all the time, you've got to overcome coaching at certain points. Brian Schottenheimer is the unenviable task of having to overcome his front office routinely. And in his first year as a head coach, he's had to weather this entire off-season mess surrounding Michael Parsons and everything that led to that. Obviously, there was a ton of emotion going into that game a weekend ago where they tied. So being able to manage all of those things, and it's all the EQ stuff that's a part of coaching that we never see on the outside, but get kind of a window in here because the Cowboys are such an open book in ways that are probably a negative football-wise.

16:49I do think he deserves a ton of credit for being able to keep them afloat and then, like you said, manage the mash unit that has been really both sides of the ball for them, but especially offensively. Run game's been good. You know, they've been just very, everything's working offensively. Javante Williams has been one of the stories of the young NFL season right now. Who saw that coming? So yes, 100 % to have an offensive line that lost a Hall of Famer in Zach Martin that was the last remnants of those mid-2010s offensive lines that were so great for them, and to overhaul it with all these rookies and young guys and then have injuries to them and still maintain this standard, especially in the run game.

17:28Incredible. They're a tough team to play. I mean, you got a good shot at putting 35 on them, but they got a good shot at putting 35 on you most weeks, it feels like. I said they are the offensive version of the Browns where I don't expect anything of them because one side of the ball is so atrophied, but they're so good offensively in the same way the Browns are defensively that every week they have the potential to come up and get somebody. Yeah, I like that. I mean, they tied the Packers. They lose by four to the Eagles, and these are the teams we think are the best in the NFC. So pleasant surprise if you're a Cowboys fan, you're like, hey, it's a more entertaining season than I was anticipating when we traded Micah Parsons a week before the season started here.

18:10So that was my little curve ball with Schottenheimer. All right, the next one, I'm not going to get bored with this guy. And that's Dan Campbell has to be on the list. You know, I'm not just, all right, he's gotten his praise in the past. We don't need to talk about him anymore because I like that you pointed out that the EQ is a part of being a head coach. It's not just, you know, dummies like me yelling at you for timeout management. It's like, all right, there's more to the job than that. She'll settle down. And Dan Campbell, another big part of it is filling out the coaching staff. And when guys leave, how are you going to replace them?

18:41And this was the big question with the Lions. They lose Ben Johnson. They lose Aaron Glenn. They lose in week one against the Packers. And we're all going, uh-oh, you know, this might just, they've had to go through a lot over the years. And now they're four and one. Kelvin Shepard looks like a phenomenal defensive coordinator through five weeks. The offense is still playing well. And it's, you know, I was thinking it's hard when you're a team like the Lions. We see this in sports all the time. You're climbing. You're, all right, you come up short. next season, do it again. You're climbing, you're close.

19:10All right, next season, do it again. And you don't get there. And it's the same group of core guys. And it's like, it's easy to have letdowns in the regular season when you're that type of team where the expectations are so high. And that hasn't happened. And I think Dan Campbell has been like the constant, maybe Dan Campbell and Jared Goff, you could say, and certainly a very talented roster there in Detroit. But yeah, I think he's done a great job through the first five weeks of the season. It's been incredible. You could probably argue that it should be higher. especially like after week one I don't think a lot of us were ready to feel this way based on how that went against the Packers and the way it looked offensively a lot of us were wondering about the Ben Johnson effect and Aaron Glenn leaving on defense and you're right this is as big a culture win for any team so far to start the season having that plan anytime you're not the hot play caller at head coach people are always worried about making that hire for this reason and you know so far Morton's been awesome calling the plays on offense I tell you in terms of retention One of the biggest wins for him this offseason was keeping Hank Fraley in town.

20:11Their offensive line coach got some interviews. I think the Seahawks for offensive coordinator like you turned over Frank Ragnow, who was one of the hearts and souls of your team in the middle of that offense. You got a second year guard, a rookie garden, Tate Ratledge that have been starting and have maintained the standard or really high level. Like it is, it's so impressive and it's awesome to see because again, we don't always have the tools to celebrate someone who does what Dan Campbell does in terms of filling in all the cracks in places that we can't see. I feel like this has handed us a very easy out to say, all right, what is the constant been?

20:47And now we have that chance to celebrate Dan. And with Fraley, you know, when they made that decision, like you said, he interviews for other jobs and then they have an opening and they don't promote him. They go outside and bring, I was like, like, that's tricky for a head coach. How are you managing those dynamics? Are there hurt feelings? Is a guy like, I'm out of here. You know, you say you value me, but now, so I like, I don't know how Hank Fraley feels about that. Maybe he feels some type of way about that, but I know the product on the field hasn't suffered with those coaches and they look like the best coach team on the field pretty much every game they play.

21:19has hard knocks in recent history done more for one person and one team's reputation than hard knocks with the lions, just because it gave us a window into some of those moments with Dan Campbell. So now every time something like this comes up, we go back to that conversation with him on the field with those guys saying, trust me, I'm going to take care of you and get to bank all of that capital on our heads. It's unreal. Dude. I'm so glad you said that. That is, that I've actually had this conversation with because I was the one making the kneecap jokes. Like, oh my God, they're bringing in, they're bringing in this meathead.

21:53And then, you know, what really struck me was when they brought, kept the cameras in when he was cutting players. And, you know, every coach is like, oh, this is the hardest day. And I've seen coaches. It's like, all right, this doesn't seem that hard for you. You seem to be doing okay. He seemed like genuinely like, all right, I want to have a conversation. Like it was painting him. I want to make sure this person knows I appreciate them. that's when I flipped on him. I'm like, all right, I think there's something to this guy in terms of the way he can relate to players and then the game management stuff.

22:23You know, I'm a nerd. I love when he's just like fourth down, let's go every single time. So yeah, since then I've been in on him and I think you're right. If they're trying to get teams or coaches to actually do hard knocks, they should be like, look at, you know, look at what Dan Campbell's reputation was before this. And then after that, because I'm with you, I think a lot of people changed their minds about him after they showed that. So they've got some injuries in the secondary. They're kind of used to that. You know, they've had the adversity in previous years, but he's going to be tested more, but they show up every week.

22:53And they're certainly one of the contenders in the NFC. All right. The last guy I had here, Mike, for us is Mike Vrabel. I mean, he's got to be right. I mean, this is like the Mike Vrabel week, the Drake May day after Sunday night, they're three and two. They go to Buffalo as big underdogs. you know, their two losses are week one against the Raiders. And then that game against the Steelers, they have five turnovers where it's like, all right, you know, they kind of outplayed the Steelers for a lot of that game. So I questioned the Josh McDaniels hire. I thought he's just going with somebody. He knows why didn't he kind of search far and wide for the best guy here, but they've created explosive plays.