NFL Week 18 Overreactions
Sports Seriously’s Mackenzie Salmon breaks down the final common season video games of Week 18.
It did not take lengthy for the NFL’s “Black Monday” to formally begin.
Just after midnight jap time, the Atlanta Falcons fired coach Arthur Smith, dismissing him simply hours after a blowout loss to the New Orleans Saints capped his three-year run with the franchise.
And that was simply the beginning of the motion. Early Monday morning, the Washington Commanders moved on from coach Ron Rivera.
The day marks an annual reckoning for teaching staffs and entrance places of work all through the league. More strikes are certain to return – though some won’t be accomplished till later within the week – so follow USA TODAY Sports for all of the strikes on firings and resignations.
Todd Monken was employed by the Baltimore Ravens to overtake the crew’s offense and maximize QB Lamar Jackson’s expertise. Good selection. The Ravens enter a bye week because the AFC’s top-seeded playoff crew, whereas Jackson is the presumptive favourite to win his second league MVP award.
And Monken stands to profit, now a head-coach candidate due to his work in 2023. According to a number of experiences, each the Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Chargers have requested to talk with him for his or her vacancies.
Prior to becoming a member of the Ravens, Monken received back-to-back nationwide championships with Georgia on the school degree because the Bulldogs’ offensive coordinator.
Baltimore ranked fourth in scoring and yards per play on prime of getting the most effective dashing attack within the league (156.5 yards per recreation).
Earlier within the day, per NFL Media, the Washington Commanders requested to interview Monken’s colleague, Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald.
The Jacksonville Jaguars, following a late-season collapse by which they squandered away the AFC South lead and missed the playoffs totally, have made vital adjustments to their teaching employees. According to NFL Media, defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell and his subordinates have been fired.
Caldwell completed his second season main a unit that had a robust begin to 2023 however faltered down the stretch. He was beforehand the within linebackers coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and was a part of the employees that received the Super Bowl 55.
The different members of the employees who at the moment are with no job are: DL coach Brenston Buckner; OLB coach Bill Shuey; ILB coach Tony Gilbert; safeties coach Cody Grimm; passing recreation coordinator/CBs coach Deshea Townsend; assistant DL coach Rory Segrest; defensive high quality management assistants Patrick Reilly, Sean Cullina and Tee Mitchell; and senior defensive assistant Bob Sutton.
A month and a half after firing Frank Reich, the Carolina Panthers are eyeing candidates for his or her teaching emptiness.
The Panthers requested an interview with Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan, in response to a number of experiences.
Callahan doesn’t name performs for the Bengals, however he has performed a key position underneath coach Zac Taylor within the growth of Joe Burrow and Cincinnati’s offense. He interviewed with the Arizona Cardinals and Indianapolis Colts final offseason in addition to the Denver Broncos the earlier 12 months.
Carolina can also be lining up candidates for common supervisor after firing Scott Fitterer on Monday. The Panthers requested interviews with Tampa Bay Buccaneers assistant common supervisor Mike Greenberg, New York Giants assistant common supervisor Brandon Brown and Kansas City Chiefs vp of soccer operations Brandt Tilis, in response to NFL Network’s
Hours after saying he anticipated his offensive and defensive coordinators to stay with the crew, Brian Daboll is going through extra teaching employees adjustments with the New York Giants.
Defensive coordinator Wink Martindale is resigning, in response to a number of experiences.
Martindale, 60, was Daboll’s option to run the protection when the pinnacle coach took over in 2022.
Amid struggles that led to the protection rating simply twenty seventh in yards allowed and 26 in scoring, experiences of a rift between Daboll and Martindale emerged late within the 12 months. Daboll brushed any notion of an issue apart, saying in December, “The greatest argument that Wink and I’ve had is who has the final piece of pizza.”
Martindale stated in December he nonetheless hoped to return to the franchise.
Earlier on Monday, the Giants fired particular groups coordinator Thomas McGaughey and offensive line coach Bobby Johnson, in response to a number of experiences.
Among the semi-surprising potential teaching adjustments is Mike Vrabel’s undetermined standing with the Tennessee Titans, whose 6-11, last-place season comes two years after the they had been the AFC’s No. 1 playoff seed. (They went one and performed within the 2021 playoffs, shedding at home to the eventual AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals.)
Since then, it is appeared the Titans have tried to toe the road between remaining aggressive and rebuilding on the fly, buying and selling WR A.J. Brown in the course of the 2022 draft whereas QB Ryan Tannehill and RB Derrick Henry performed out their contracts Sunday. Former GM Jon Robinson was changed by Ran Carthon throughout that stretch. And whereas rookie QB Will Levis performed extensively this season, Tennessee appears to be probably the most unsettled crew behind heart in an AFC South all of a sudden loaded with succesful young passers elsewhere.
ESPN not too long ago reported organizational adjustments could possibly be coming and that Vrabel was even open to being traded.
“Of course I wish to be right here,” he stated final week. “I wish to be right here so long as we are able to win and so long as we are able to do that factor. It’s been nice. But it’s additionally been irritating this 12 months. Nobody desires to be the place we’re at.”
As of Monday afternoon, no additional indicators of the place the Titans are at pertaining to Vrabel’s future, both.
The Las Vegas Raiders are starting to go searching for at the very least one among their vacancies.
The Raiders requested to interview Indianapolis Colts assistant common supervisor Ed Dodds and San Francisco 49ers assistant common supervisor Adam Peters for his or her common supervisor position, in response to a number of experiences. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported the crew additionally sought to talk with Cincinnati Bengals senior personnel govt Trey Brown and Buffalo Bills director of participant personnel Terrance Gray.
Interim common supervisor Champ Kelly is predicted to be thought of for the position, however the Raiders should nonetheless adjust to the Rooney Rule with a full search course of. Kelly is also a candidate for different openings.
Though “Black Monday” has traditionally been the time NFL coaches are fired en masse the day after the season ends, it is hardly unprecedented for them to be terminated after a disappointing postseason efficiency.
Which leads us to Mike McCarthy. By most any account, the Dallas Cowboys have had a stellar 2023 season. Regular season. “America’s Team” received the NFC East for the second time in three years with a 12-5 document underneath HC Mike McCarthy and completed because the convention’s No. 2 playoff seed – that means probably as much as three extra home video games at AT&T Stadium, the place the crew has received 16 in a row.
Yet no crew has a brighter highlight on it than Dallas, which hasn’t reached the Super Bowl – and even NFC title spherical – because the 1995 season, a lot to the chagrin of proprietor Jerry Jones. And regardless of scoring probably the most factors within the league in 2023, on prime of every part else, it is value questioning how safe McCarthy is after the Cowboys misplaced to the San Francisco 49ers, the NFC’s prime seed this 12 months, within the wild-card and divisional rounds the previous two postseasons, respectively.
Jones hardly clarified his position Sunday, when the Cowboys locked up the division with a decisive win at Washington.
“I just think his record speaks for itself,” Jones stated of McCarthy following the sport.
“I think of what he’s done and that we’ve put ourselves in this position over these last three years, I think that does speak for itself. We’ve got a lot of football left and no small part thanks to Mike.
“We’ll see how each game goes.”
So — good job, Mike McCarthy. But “we’ll see” … so, keep tuned.
The Washington Commanders are losing no time in beginning their search to search out their subsequent coach after firing Ron Rivera.
Washington requested permission to interview Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, Baltimore Ravens affiliate head coach/defensive position coach Anthony Weaver, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn for its opening, in response to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Morris was Washington’s defensive backs coach from 2012-14. After serving to information the Rams’ young protection this season, Morris could possibly be a fixture on the teaching interview circuit as he seeks his second job main a franchise.
Johnson is predicted to be one of the crucial extremely sought head-coaching candidates after serving to Detroit end within the prime 5 in each yards per recreation and scoring in every of the final two seasons.
Washington additionally requested an interview with Cleveland Browns assistant common supervisor Glenn Cook and Chicago Bears assistant common supervisor Ian Cunningham for his or her prime soccer operations job, in response to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones. Schefter additionally reported that the crew requested to talk with San Francisco 49ers assistant common supervisor Adam Peters and Kansas City Chiefs assistant common supervisor Mike Borgonzi, whereas NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported the crew requested to interview Philadelphia Eagles assistant common supervisor Alec Halaby.
Robert Saleh knew he was secure for subsequent season after receiving an endorsement from Jets proprietor Woody Johnson. Now, the coach is extending that very same safety to the remainder of his employees.
Saleh stated Monday he expects to have all three coordinators again for 2024.
The coach additionally stated he doesn’t anticipate to make any vital adjustments to the teaching employees for subsequent season.
The New England Patriots’ future with Bill Belichick stays murky, however the coach lastly addressed his standing with crew on Monday.
Asked about the potential of giving up personnel management to stay with crew, Belichick did not shut the door on the hypothetical.
“Look, I’m for no matter we resolve collectively as an organization is the most effective factor to assist our soccer crew,” Belichick stated. “I’ve a number of roles in that, and I depend on lots of people to assist me in these duties. Somebody’s obtained to have the ultimate say. I’ve it. I depend on a number of different folks to assist. Whatever that course of is, I’m solely a part of it.”
Belichick didn’t present a definitive reply, nevertheless, on whether or not he would wish to coach one other crew if he doesn’t stay with the Patriots.
Shane Steichen seems to be standing pat getting into Year 2 with the Indianapolis Colts.
Asked Monday about any potential adjustments to his employees, Steichen stated, “I consider in continuity.”
Steichen reiterated the purpose when requested about defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, who led a unit that ranked twenty fourth in yards allowed with 349.8.
The one transfer everybody anticipated on Monday is now official.
The Commanders determined to maneuver on from Rivera after 4 seasons, the crew introduced.
Rivera’s destiny appeared to have been sealed a while in the past, however Washington ended the season on a league-worst eight-game shedding streak to complete at 4-13.
New proprietor Josh Harris will now embark on his first teaching search with the franchise, with former Golden State Warriors common supervisor Bob Myers and former Minnesota Vikings common supervisor Rick Spielman employed to help within the course of, in response to ESPN.
Whoever takes over ought to have a main alternative to flip the roster. The Commanders personal the No. 2 decide within the 2024 NFL draft and at the moment path solely the Tennessee Titans in efficient cap house for subsequent season.
The Carolina Panthers belatedly completed cleansing home Monday morning, firing GM Scott Fitterer six weeks after head coach Frank Reich was relieved of his duties.
“As we transfer ahead with the brand new path for our franchise, I’ve made the choice that Scott Fitterer will now not function our common supervisor,” proprietor David Tepper stated in an announcement. “I recognize Scott’s efforts and need the most effective for him and his household.”
Despite buying the No. 1 total decide of the 2023 draft and choosing Alabama QB Bryce Young, the Panthers completed with a league-worst 2-15 document. However they received’t be choosing first on this 12 months’s draft as a result of Fitterer traded that selection, together with WR DJ Moore and different capital, to the Chicago Bears within the transaction to acquire Young.
Carolina went 14-37 in three seasons with Fitterer making strikes, fairly just a few which haven’t panned out – together with trades for gamers like QBs Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold and CB C.J. Henderson. Including Young, high-end draft picks made by Fitterer – together with CB Jaycee Horn, WR Terrace Marshall Jr., LT Ickey Ekwonu and WR Jonathan Mingo – have but to mature into foundational gamers.
The New York Giants are making adjustments to their teaching employees, although not on the prime.
The crew fired particular groups coordinator Thomas McGaughey and offensive line coach Bobby Johnson, in response to a number of experiences.
McGaughey had been with the crew for six seasons.
Giants coach Brian Daboll stated earlier Monday morning that he expects to retain offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and defensive coordinator Wink Martindale.
The Falcons did not wait lengthy to half with Arthur Smith after a season-ending debacle towards the New Orleans Saints.
Smith was fired simply after midnight, with crew proprietor Arthur Blank making clear his intention to show the web page after three straight 7-10 seasons.
Blank didn’t difficulty any particular mandate to Smith getting into Year 3, however he did clarify he anticipated to see progress within the win column. Instead, the Falcons fell in need of their first successful season since 2017.
