The Divisional Round saw some great head coaches secure strong statement victories over their opponents, as their teams head into championship weekend with a Super Bowl appearance on their minds. Other coaches saw their championship hopes collapse, as their teams lost in heartbreaking fashion, at home or on the road, marking an end to some incredible seasons.
Here are the grades for all NFL team’s head coaches that competed in the Divisional Round:
Baltimore Ravens: John Harbaugh: A- (last week: playoff bye week)
John Harbaugh’s Ravens dominated the Houston Texans, as the road to the Super Bowl runs through Baltimore. Lamar Jackson played an incredible game, as he threw two touchdowns and scored an additional two rushing touchdowns. Isaiah Likely and Nelson Agholor both scored touchdowns while Zay Flowers caught four receptions for 41 yards and Justice Hill rushed for 66 yards on 13 carries. Harbaugh’s defense may not have gotten a sack all game, but they did keep the Texans out of the endzone, in the second half. An impressive win for Harbaugh, as the team awaits the Kansas City Chiefs, for the AFC Championship game.
Buffalo Bills: Sean McDermott: B- (Last week B+)
Sean McDermott’s Bills played a very close and intense neck-and-neck battle against the Kansas City Chiefs, but ended up losing 24-27, thanks to Tyler Bass missing a very crucial game-tying kick in the fourth quarter. Josh Allen played a strong game with a touchdown pass and two rushing touchdowns on the ground. James Cook rushed for 61 yards on the night while Dalton Kincad had 45 receiving yards. The Bills’ defense, which usually can make some noise, had no sacks or interceptions, as they couldn’t stop Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs’ offense from taking over western New York. The Bills head into the offseason looking to patch the wagon, and have a stronger 2024 regular season.
Detroit Lions: Dan Campbell: A- (Last week B+)
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Dan Campbell’s winning ways continued, as the Lions secured a 31-23 Divisional Round victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Jared Goff threw two touchdowns against no interceptions in the game. Jahmyr Gibbs and Craig Reynolds both scored rushing touchdowns and Josh Reynolds and Amon-Ra St. Brown scored receiving touchdowns. The Lions’ defense led by defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn had four sacks against Baker Mayfield, and forced two interceptions. A strong afternoon for Campbell’s Lions, as they travel west, on the road, for the NFC Championship game against the San Francisco 49ers.
Green Bay Packers: Matt LaFleur: C+ (Last week A-)
Matt LaFleur’s Packers fought an intense battle with the San Francisco 49ers and came very close, but ultimately fell short, in their 21-24 Divisional Round loss. Jordan Love threw two touchdowns against two interceptions in the loss while Aaron Jones had a solid night on the ground. LaFleur does have his new quarterback, in Love, along with a decent defense and a solid running game led by Jones. They will certainly lead the Packers back to the playoffs, for a good number of years to come.
Houston Texans: DeMeco Ryans: C (Last week A)
DeMeco Ryans’ Texans had a decent first half against the Baltimore Ravens, but were kept out of the endzone in the second half, and were sent home from the playoffs 10-34. C.J. Stroud didn’t throw any touchdowns or interceptions but the defense sacked Jackson three times. The future remains very bright in Houston, as Stroud and Ryans lead the way- potentially for years to come.
Kansas City Chiefs: Andy Reid: A- (Last week A-)
Andy Reid’s squad traveled on the road to western New York, and won an intense 27-24 battle against a very strong Buffalo Bills team. Patrick Mahomes threw two touchdowns to Travis Kelce on the night. Isiah Pacheco rushed for 97 yards and scored a touchdown on the ground. The Chiefs’ defense led by defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo may not have had a sack or interception, but did put up a fight against the Bills’ offense. Nick Bolton led the team with 11 tackles. Reid’s Chiefs prepare themselves for an AFC Championship showdown with the Baltimore Ravens- with a second straight Super Bowl appearance on the line.
San Francisco 49ers: Kyle Shanahan: A- (Last week playoff bye week)
Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers played a neck-and-neck matchup with the Green Bay Packers and came out victorious in their 24-21 victory. Brock Purdy threw a touchdown against an interception, as Shanahan continued to show he’s a quarterback guru, with his coaching talent. Christian McCaffrey scored two rushing touchdowns and George Kittle hauled in a receiving touchdown. Shanahan’s team now has their sights on defending home turf against the Detroit Lions in the NFC Championship game.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Todd Bowles: C (Last week B+)
Todd Bowles’ Buccaneers played fair game, but could’ve played better, in their 23-31 Divisional round loss to the Detroit Lions. Baker Mayfield threw three touchdowns against two interceptions in the afternoon. Rachaad White, Mike Evans, and Cade Otton all scored touchdowns in the loss. The Bucs’ defense sacked Jared Goff twice, but couldn’t force a defensive turnover. Despite the loss, Bowles is going to stick around Tampa, for a good while as he and the Bucs need to fix the team up this coming offseason for a stronger 2024 season.
