Sunday afternoon will see two groups punch their ticket to Tremendous Bowl LVIII, and if Tremendous Bowl brand shade schemes are to be trusted, they would be the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers.
However 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 tough to see any group profitable a method or one other. Clearly Baltimore and San Francisco are favored, however that is soccer the place something is feasible.
Provided that these are the ultimate 4 groups they’re clearly all superb and have expertise throughout their rosters. Right now, we’re gathered to debate actually none of that. Right now, we’re right here to debate the coaches of the teams, significantly the top honchos answerable for all of it.
Right here is my rating of the Convention Championship coaches, which I’m 100% optimistic you’ll agree fully with. We’re entering into ascending order due to drama, duh.
Quantity 4: Dan Campbell
It’s hardly a disgrace to come back in fourth in a contest of 4 coaches within the title spherical of the NFL playoffs — and extra particularly so on this specific 12 months.
That is extra about all people else than it’s about Dan Campbell as a result of Dan is clearly an extremely gifted coach. He has rallied this Detroit Lions group in just some quick years and has them one sport away from the Tremendous Bowl. Take into consideration 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 handle that later).
To be clear Dan Campbell completely guidelines. He simply has to show it slightly greater than the remainder of the sector.
Quantity 3: Kyle Shanahan
There isn’t a query that Kyle Shanahan is the most effective offensive play-caller within the NFL. However he’s not excellent.
Take into account the tip of the primary half of the final playoff sport that his group performed and received. Shanahan was working out of a lot concern of the Inexperienced Bay Packers having sufficient time to kick a subject aim that he price himself a possible landing whereas out-thinking himself. Once you lose a Tremendous Bowl after being up 28-3, these scars are arduous to do away with.
Very similar to Campbell, that is additionally about Shanahan being good/superb however simply not being on the extent of the opposite two coaches. It is a sneaky massive time second for Shanahan as whereas he has gotten his group to the NFC Championship Sport 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 By no means Was.
Quantity 2: Andy Reid
Clearly, I’m conscious that Andy Reid has probably the most {hardware} of anyone concerned (actually greater than the opposite three coaches mixed). I simply am that in on John Harbaugh proper now.
However these phrases are about Andy Reid who will sooner or later be within the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame. It’s fairly doable that the subsequent few weeks guarantee he enters with at the least three Tremendous 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’s not my intention to behave like having Mahomes is Andy’s fault as a result of he has executed an exquisite job of leaning into Patrick’s skills over time. Andy deserves all the credit score on this planet. However that clearly is the NOS increase powering the elite machine that’s Reid’s offense so he loses out on the slightest edge.
#1: John Harbaugh
The Ravens are an total machine which can be poetically purple identical to their most blatant comparability in Thanos.
Whereas John Harbaugh has robust coordinators in the way in which that Dan Campbell does and has an all-world expertise at quarterback in Lamar Jackson the way in which that Andy Reid does … we’re speaking about anyone with a critically lengthy degree of sustained excellence right here. Successful is what John Harbaugh does and he has executed it in his present publish approach longer than anyone who can be within the title sport this week.
It appears like we neglect that John Harbaugh has already received a Tremendous Bowl (I notice Andy has received two, as famous) or that the Ravens have been on the forefront of utilizing analytics of their processes earlier than it turned kind 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!
That is my record and I stand by it. Should you disagree then that’s your proper however simply know you might be mistaken. Pleased Convention Championship Weekend!
