Now that the Kansas City vs. Buffalo meeting is in the books and the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs is a wrap, it is time for reflection. Which coaches thrived under the pressure? Who choked? Let’s take a look around the NFL and rank how every team’s head coach fared.
8. Buffalo Bills Sean McDermott (Last Week #5)
While Sean McDermott deserves some credit for the job that he did turning the Bills around this season after a brutal start to the year, he really blew it this week against the Chiefs. It wasn’t the gameplan… That was honestly fine, but the fact that they tried to run that fake punt to Damar Hamlin rather than just letting his offense that had been pounding the interior of the Chiefs defensive line for the better part of the game was insane.
He did get bailed out by the Mecole Hardman fumble on the subsequent Chiefs drive, but that decision alone (along with the loss) is enough to put him dead last in this week’s rankings.
7. Houston Texans DeMeco Ryans (Last Week #3)
What a rookie campaign for Texans head coach, DeMeco Ryans, who led the Texans not just a division crown, but also a playoff win in his first season at the reins. This week, however, he left much to be desired as his shift in strategy against the Baltimore Ravens seemed to backfire. He has typically been known for a more conservative approach, but Ryan’s significantly increased the team’s blitz rate in the first half to an aggressive 72%, a departure from their regular season average.
Granted, Baltimore did struggle a bit in the first half, as the Texans were able to record 3 sacks, 5 quarterback hits, and limited the Ravens to just 52 passing yards and 10 points, but Ryans failed to counter their counter! The Ravens quickly shifted gears by deploying a quick passing attack, which turned the Texans’ early defensive success into a forgotten memory, as they finished the game with 34 points.
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All in all, his team just sort of seemed to run out of gas and was ultimately overmatched.
6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Todd Bowles (Last Week #8)
Todd Bowles has done a lot for himself reputation-wise with the way he turned the Buccaneers around mid-year and succeeded in the Baker Mayfield reclamation project and you know what? Even though they lost this week, it is hard to pin it on him, as he had Tampa Bay in the game all afternoon against a Detroit Lions team that largely outclassed them.
I mean, they went into the half with a tie and had a chance to even it back up on their last possession of the game. The only thing you would’ve liked to see was that Bucs defense hang tougher in the second half, but considering how well Jared Goff was playing, it is hard to put that blame squarely on them.
5. Green Bay Packers Matt LaFleur (Last Week #4)
All the credit in the world to Matt LaFleur for the job the he has done with the Packers in what was meant to be a rebuilding year, but unfortunately it seems that his team ran into its match this week against his longtime friend Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers.
Coaching against Shanahan was a clear step up in degree of difficulty compared to what he went up against last week in Dallas Cowboys head coach, Mike McCarthy.
Unfortunately for the Cheeseheads in Wisconsin, they ran out of gas in the second half after a great start to the game and were ultimately overtaken on the road. What was particularly impressive from LaFleur was the way that he was able to rally the team despite a challenging showing from Jordan Love, who threw two interceptions and was clearly not at the top of his game.
He does, however, need to key his team in on the mental side of the game a little bit more for when the big moments come back around because they fell victim to the turnover bug late in the game, which you simply cannot do.
4. San Francisco 49ers, Kyle Shanahan (Last Week Bye)
Kyle Shanahan has done an unbelievable job as the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers. Though they didn’t necessarily show it to the highest degree this go around, his offense has firepower like nobody’s business—and his defense showed up in a big way against Green Bay, leading his team to a 24-21 victory in a rainy Divisional Round game. Shanahan’s strategic approach and in-game decisions were pivotal in securing this win, as he navigated the team through challenging weather conditions. His post-game analysis focused on areas of improvement heading into the NFC Championship Game and rightfully so, considering the Niners barely squeaked by the Packers after a tough start to the game.
That said, he made a clear statement that he is still one of the best coaches in the league with the way that he kept his team together on Saturday.
3. Kansas City Chiefs Andy Reid (Last Week #2)
Andy Reid continues to impress during his tenure as the Kansas City Chiefs head coach, he is clearly one of the best coaches in the league… Maybe—the best! It isn’t always pretty, but he always finds a way to put his team in a position to win. Granted, there were a couple of hiccups, like burning that timeout early in the second half, which might’ve been useful during the final stretch of the game, but alas, he still has Patrick Mahomes at his disposal, not to mention his fiery defense.
What more is there to say about him and the Chiefs at this point? Yet another AFC Championship game appearance… Simply absurd!
2. Baltimore Ravens, John Harbaugh (Last Week Bye)
John Harbaugh’s coaching performance against the Texans on Sunday was a poignant reminder of his strategic approach and adaptability, as he did a phenomenal job adjusting to the blitz-heavy defensive gameplan that DeMeco Ryans and the Houston Texans had success with early on.
Harbaugh’s influence on the team was undeniable, as his ability to motivate players and adapt his strategy based on the opponent’s strengths to make critical decisions in high-pressure situations was on full display—as was his leadership. When all was said and done, Harbaugh led the Ravens to a dominant 34-10 victory over the Texans, largely thanks to the fact that they were nearly unstoppable in the second half, and are now headed back to the AFC Championship game for the first time since 2013 to face the Kansas City Chiefs.
1. Detroit Lions Dan Campbell (Last Week #1)
Dan Campbell has done an unbelievable job turning around the Detroit Lions over the last couple of seasons and this week was no exception, as he led his team to a significant 31-23 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2024 Divisional Round.
Campbell’s coaching was crucial in securing the win, as his young team came out a little bit flat in the first half, presumably, as the result of some nerves. Based on how the Lions played, it was clear that he placed an emphasis on aggressive defense and steady, but efficient offensive effort. The Lions continued to improve all game, especially in the second half of the game, which included a stretch in which they scored touchdowns on three straight possessions.
All things considered, Campbell deserves a ton of credit for the way that he prepared his team for such a high-stakes game and his effective game management throughout. His decisions, particularly in the second half, enabled the Lions to build and maintain their lead against the Buccaneer and ultimately lift the Lions to the NFC Championship Game for the first time in 32 years.
