NFL · 11 months ago

Ranking the 12 NFL Head Coaches on Wild Card Weekend

TJ Inman

Host · Writer

1. Sean McVay - Los Angeles Rams
The top coach this weekend is Los Angeles Rams offensive genius Sean McVay. The Rams do not have the same level of talent or depth teams as the Bills, Ravens, or Eagles, but McVay finds a way to manufacture points every season with innovative schemes often mimicked elsewhere. McVay has already won a Super Bowl, two NFC titles, and four NFC West crowns during his tenure. His playoff record is an exceptional 7-4, and despite injuries to key pieces, the Rams are back in the playoffs and hosting the Vikings on Monday night.

Minnesota Vikings (-1.5) at Los Angeles Rams

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12. DeMeco Ryans - Houston Texans
DeMeco Ryans deserves credit for his two playoff berths, but the Texans have won the dreadful AFC South largely thanks to the ineptitude of the Tennessee Titans, Indianapolis Colts, and Jacksonville Jaguars. However, Ryan is only 20-14 in his tenure. The offense has taken a step back in his second season in charge, and he has yet to prove that he can navigate his team through a competent division.

LA Chargers (-2.5) at Houston Texans

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11. Todd Bowles - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Todd Bowles is a coach the players love, as evidenced by his potentially risky decision to throw it deep to Mike Evans to earn his star wideout another 1,000-yard milestone and the raucous reception that he has earned. Bowles has won a trio of NFC South titles and three playoff berths, but the division is terrible. He’s ranked 11th because of a pedestrian 27-24 record with Tampa Bay, a poor 53-65 record overall, and a losing tally in the playoffs.

Washington Commanders (+3) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
10. Nick Sirianni - Philadelphia Eagles
Nick Sirianni has a strong record (48-20) and a pair of NFC East Championships to his name, but doubts persist about the Philadelphia Eagles head coach. In fact, there was a realistic chance Sirianni was on the verge of being fired earlier this season before his team turned things around. Sirianni is just 2-3 in the playoffs and faces a ton of pressure in a first-round matchup at home with the Green Bay Packers.

Green Bay Packers at Philadelphia Eagles (-4.5)
9. Dan Quinn - Washington Commanders
The Washington Commanders surprised many this season, performing admirably in Jayden Daniels’s rookie campaign and earning a trip to the playoffs in Dan Quinn's first season in charge of the squad. Quinn steered the young team to a 12-5 record, and he’s known as a strong defensive mind and one of the better defensive coordinators in the NFL. In total, Quinn is just 55-47 as an NFL head coach, which drops him to ninth on this list.

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8. Kevin O'Connell - Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings hired Kevin O’Connell in 2022 and has led the franchise to a 34-17 record. This season marks his second playoff appearance, and he was able to orchestrate a potent offense with journeyman quarterback Sam Darnold. O’Connell has a strong offensive background, but his ranking is at least a bit dampened by a costly loss at home in the season finale in Detroit. That game saw O’Connell’s offense shut down and befuddled by a Lions defense that injuries have decimated. Will “KOC” be able to snag his first playoff win?

Minnesota Vikings (-1.5) at Los Angeles Rams
7. Matt LaFleur - Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur is primarily seen as one of the brighter offensive minds in the NFL, and he has been a terrific young leader for the Cheeseheads, going 67-33 since taking over. His tenure includes three NFC North Championships and now five playoff berths. The offense has not been as potent as many expected, with Jordan Love continually battling injuries. However, the Packers still made the playoffs and will have the chance to upset the Eagles on Sunday afternoon.

Green Bay Packers (+4.5) at Philadelphia Eagles
6. Mike Tomlin - Pittsburgh Steelers
The longest-tenured head coach in the NFL is Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin. He has been in charge of the Steelers since 2007 and has amassed a record of 183-107 with an impressive 12 playoff appearances, seven AFC North titles, and one Super Bowl win. The Steelers don’t rule the North anymore, and it is fair to criticize Tomlin for a consistent inability to finish out the offensive side of the ball. Still, Tomlin is as well-respected as any coach in the league, and it’s a near guarantee that his team will be in the mix for a playoff spot every year.

Pittsburgh Steelers (+9.5) at Baltimore Ravens

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5. Sean Payton - Denver Broncos
Sean Payton was a longtime staple as the innovative leader of the New Orleans Saints before stepping away from coaching. Payton returned before last season, taking the Denver Broncos head coaching position and making many bold statements about the job done by the previous regime in Denver. Payton then hitched his wagon to quarterback Bo Nix in the NFL Draft and led the Broncos to the playoffs for the first time since their Super Bowl 50 win. Not just Payton’s offensive prowess stood out on the sidelines; Denver led the league with 63 sacks. Payton is brash, but the man is a winner, amassing a record of 170-105 plus a 9-8 playoff tally.

Denver Broncos (+8.5) at Buffalo Bills
4. Sean McDermott - Buffalo Bills
Sean McDermott got off to a rocky start in Buffalo, but his tenure is now tied to Josh Allen, and a franchise quarterback like that tends to cover whatever warts may have been present. McDermott has been with Buffalo since 2017 and has gone 86-45 with seven playoff appearances. McDermott has helped the Bills seize complete control of the AFC East, winning the division five times, including this season. Pressure is on to break through and reach the Super Bowl.
3. Jim Harbaugh - Los Angeles Chargers
Jim Harbaugh has proven it everywhere he has gone, and he is one of the world's best culture-setters and football coaches. Harbaugh led the San Francisco 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance before being “called home” to coach the Michigan Wolverines. He led his alma mater to a national title. Then he bolted back to the NFL this past offseason, taking over the Los Angeles Chargers and immediately turning the franchise around. The Chargers went 11-6 and made the playoffs, and Harbaugh now has a 57-28-1 record in the NFL (a win percentage of nearly 67%).
2. John Harbaugh - Baltimore Ravens
John Harbaugh is just ahead of his brother for one reason: John’s Baltimore Ravens beat Jim’s 49ers in the Super Bowl. That carries a ton of weight, perhaps too much, but that’s the goal for every franchise, and John Harbaugh has earned his place in this ranking. He is the second-longest tenured coach in the NFL (behind only Mike Tomlin by one season), and the Baltimore Ravens have won in various ways during his tenure. Harbaugh has a record of 172-104 with the Ravens and has now won six AFC North titles, taking control of the division from Tomlin’s Steelers.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens (-9.5)
1. Sean McVay - Los Angeles Rams
The top coach this weekend is Los Angeles Rams offensive genius Sean McVay. The Rams do not have the same level of talent or depth teams as the Bills, Ravens, or Eagles, but McVay finds a way to manufacture points every season with innovative schemes often mimicked elsewhere. McVay has already won a Super Bowl, two NFC titles, and four NFC West crowns during his tenure. His playoff record is an exceptional 7-4, and despite injuries to key pieces, the Rams are back in the playoffs and hosting the Vikings on Monday night.

Minnesota Vikings (-1.5) at Los Angeles Rams

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12. DeMeco Ryans - Houston Texans
DeMeco Ryans deserves credit for his two playoff berths, but the Texans have won the dreadful AFC South largely thanks to the ineptitude of the Tennessee Titans, Indianapolis Colts, and Jacksonville Jaguars. However, Ryan is only 20-14 in his tenure. The offense has taken a step back in his second season in charge, and he has yet to prove that he can navigate his team through a competent division.

LA Chargers (-2.5) at Houston Texans

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Ranking the 12 NFL Head Coaches on Wild Card Weekend

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