Power Ranking NFL Coaching Staffs Heading into the 2018 Season: Top 3 and other NFC East ...
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3. Philadelphia Eagles
Head coach: Doug Pederson (20-12) | Key assistants: Offensive coordinator Mike Groh, defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz
While he'll miss departed offensive coordinator Frank Reich and quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo, Pederson is the brain behind the offense in Philadelphia. And that was the third-highest-scoring unit in football in 2017 as Pederson won the Super Bowl in his second season as a head coach.
Head Coach Ranking ranked him as the second-best game-planner and the second-best clock manager in the NFL, which is impressive considering the last team he head-coached before 2016 was a Louisiana high school squad in 2008.
His top assistant is Schwartz, who somehow didn't get hired as a head coach in the offseason after his celebrated defensive scheme played a huge role in Philly's Super Bowl run. Schwartz is widely considered one of the top defensive minds in the game, and the numbers have reflected that the last few years (the Bills also ranked fourth in football defensively during his outgoing 2014 season there).
Jury's still out on Groh, but the Pederson-Schwartz duo is one of the best in the league, and the two coaches appear to have many years ahead of them.
2. Los Angeles Rams
Head coach: Sean McVay (11-5) | Key assistants: Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, run game coordinator Aaron Kromer, pass game coordinator Shane Waldron
McVay won the Coach of the Year award as the youngest head coach in NFL history in 2017. Enough said, right? The guy crushed it at Head Coach Ranking when it came to in-game adjustments, game-planning, utilizing personnel and play-calling, which explains why the Rams had the highest-scoring offense in football.
And while McVay might miss right-hand man Matt LaFleur, Phillips is clearly his most valuable assistant. In fact, the 71-year-old has for years been one of the most valuable defensive minds in the league. His experience perfectly counterbalances McVay's freshness, and the two have become the best offensive-defensive coaching duo in the NFL.
There isn't a lot of depth beyond those two with LaFleur gone, though, which is part of the reason the Rams only have the best coaching staff in their conference, not the entire league.
1. New England Patriots
Head coach: Bill Belichick (250-118)| Key assistants: Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia
To answer the question posed in the introduction, no. Belichick is the most accomplished and one of the most heralded and respected head coaches in NFL history
He lost a key assistant in Patricia, but the return of McDaniels is more important because Belichick is ultimately the defensive coordinator anyway. And Scarnecchia has also played a huge role for much of the Belichick era.
But this is mainly about Belichick, who has won more games in the playoffs (28) than half of the coaches on this list have won in the regular season. Unsurprisingly, he crushes the field in practically every metric at Head Coach Ranking.
So mainly because of the man on top, the smallest coaching staff in professional football is also the best.
Other NFC East Coaches and Staff
• 10. Dallas Cowboys | Head coach: Jason Garrett (67-53), Key assistants: Offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli, defensive backs coach Kris Richard
• 13. Washington Redskins | Head coach: Jay Gruden (28-35-1), Key assistants: Offensive coordinator Matt Cavanaugh, defensive coordinator Greg Manusky, offensive line coach Bill Callahan, defensive line coach Jim Tomsula
• 31. New York Giants | Head coach: Pat Shurmur (10-23), Key assistants: Offensive coordinator Mike Shula, defensive coordinator James Bettcher
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- Eric L. - |
