Sunday afternoon will see two groups punch their ticket to Super Bowl LVIII, and if Super Bowl emblem shade schemes are to be trusted, they would be the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers.
But shade schemes don’t play the video games, soccer groups do! This 12 months’s title video games are nice as a result of it doesn’t really feel like we’ve to stretch that arduous to see any staff profitable a technique or one other. Obviously Baltimore and San Francisco are favored, however that is soccer the place something is feasible.
Given that these are the ultimate 4 groups they’re clearly all excellent and have expertise throughout their rosters. Today, we’re gathered to debate actually none of that. Today, we’re right here to debate the coaches of the teams, significantly the pinnacle honchos in control of all of it.
Here is my rating of the Conference Championship coaches, which I’m 100% optimistic you’ll agree totally with. We are entering into ascending order due to drama, duh.
Number 4: Dan Campbell
It is hardly a disgrace to return in fourth in a contest of 4 coaches within the title spherical of the NFL playoffs — and extra particularly so on this explicit 12 months.
This is extra about everyone else than it’s about Dan Campbell as a result of Dan is clearly an extremely gifted coach. He has rallied this Detroit Lions staff in only a few brief years and has them one recreation away from the Super Bowl. Think about that.
Digging a bit deeper … Campbell doesn’t precisely have a specialty that he’s bringing to the group. His coordinators deal with play-calling on each side of the ball and in an train the place we’re rating the coaches, that serves as a little bit of a tiebreaker (that is clearly an relevant mindset to John Harbaugh as effectively, however I’ll tackle that later).
To be clear Dan Campbell completely guidelines. He simply has to show it a bit greater than the remainder of the sector.
Number 3: Kyle Shanahan
There isn’t any query that Kyle Shanahan is the perfect offensive play-caller within the NFL. But he’s not excellent.
Consider the top of the primary half of the final playoff recreation that his staff performed and received. Shanahan was working out of a lot worry of the Green Bay Packers having sufficient time to kick a subject purpose that he price himself a possible landing whereas out-thinking himself. When you lose a Super Bowl after being up 28-3, these scars are laborious to do away with.
Much like Campbell, that is additionally about Shanahan being good/excellent however simply not being on the extent of the opposite two coaches. This is a sneaky huge time second for Shanahan as whereas he has gotten his staff to the NFC Championship Game three years in a row (additionally 4 out of the final 5) however he has zero rings to indicate for it. Legacies want that and he’s on the verge of authoring one of many worst issues in sports activities … The Dynasty That Never Was.
Number 2: Andy Reid
Obviously, I’m conscious that Andy Reid has essentially the most {hardware} of anyone concerned (actually greater than the opposite three coaches mixed). I simply am that in on John Harbaugh proper now.
But these phrases are about Andy Reid who will at some point be within the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It is kind of doable that the subsequent few weeks guarantee he enters with a minimum of three Super Bowl trophies at his again, clearly extra are doable when Patrick Mahomes is your quarterback, however that’s the factor about Andy on this second. Patrick Mahomes is his quarterback.
It isn’t my intention to behave like having Mahomes is Andy’s fault as a result of he has completed a beautiful job of leaning into Patrick’s abilities through the years. Andy deserves all the credit score on the earth. But that clearly is the NOS increase powering the elite machine that’s Reid’s offense so he loses out on the slightest edge.
Number 1: John Harbaugh
The Ravens are an total machine which can be poetically purple similar to their most evident comparability in Thanos.
While John Harbaugh has sturdy coordinators in the best way that Dan Campbell does and has an all-world expertise at quarterback in Lamar Jackson the best way that Andy Reid does … we’re speaking about anyone with a severely lengthy stage of sustained excellence right here. Winning is what John Harbaugh does and he has completed it in his present put up manner longer than anyone who can be within the title recreation this week.
It seems like we neglect that John Harbaugh has already received a Super Bowl (I notice Andy has received two, as famous) or that the Ravens had been on the forefront of utilizing analytics of their processes earlier than it turned type of vogue to take action throughout the league. I’d nearly go so far as to say that John Harbaugh and the kind of machine/tradition he has constructed are underrated. In truth, I’ll say it. He’s underrated!
This is my checklist and I stand by it. If you disagree then that’s your proper however simply know you’re mistaken. Happy Conference Championship Weekend!