MichiganCardinal

I do agree that McDaniel probably wouldn't sign as an OC until all the head coaching positions filled, or told him he wasn't a finalist.

I think he will need a few years away first. He's not Urban Meyer or Hue Jackson who will never see an NFL sideline again. But the culture in Miami was a big problem. They were soft and he lacked control. It's why I think coming to Detroit and learning from Campbell could be a win-win for both sides.

My Revised Tier List Ideal 1. Mike McDaniel 2. Kevin Stefanski 3. Kliff Kingsbury 4. Todd Monken Strong 5. Pete Carmichael Jr. 6. Mike Kafka 7. Brian Dabboll Okay 8. Marcus Brady 9. Nate Scheelhaase 10. David Blough 11. Davis Webb Nervous 12. Mike LaFleur 13. Internal Promotion 14. Jake Peetz Don't Like 15. Eric Bienemy 16. Declan Doyle 17. Greg Olson 18. Tommy Rees 19. Zac Robinson 20. Thomas Brown

More thoughts... I also think it would do McDaniel a lot of good to work with Campbell for 2-3 years before his next opportunity in a way that is not the case for Stefanski. Stefanski likely gets a gig this offseason. A quarter of the jobs in the NFL are open and there aren't that many exciting candidates. Stefanski is a two-time COTY. The [Dolphins, Falcons, Titans, Raiders...] could do a lot worse than hiring Stefanski. McDaniel's team was Charmin Soft in 2023, and it's why they were a one-and-done despite having a top-ten offense and defense. They went into Kansas City and scored 7 points in the coldest game ever played in Arrowhead. Then he nearly lost his locker room this season. I don't think he'll get another head job right away, but I could be wrong. I'm not worried about those problems permeating the Lions with adding McDaniel. Campbell is the leader of men, Holmes infuses talent that exudes that mentality, they'll be fine. But it would do McDaniel a lot of good to learn how to be a tougher, more physical, head football coach from Dan Campbell.

Speaking of the offensive line...

I think McDaniel would be a perfect fit as OC. Zac Taylor probably would have been perfecter. But McDaniel is instantly my #1 choice, over Kingsbury and Stefanski. Kingsbury is brilliant, but has worked primarily with mobile quarterbacks in an Air Raid system. I'm not sure how well it would translate, and I've probably shifted on him to being my #3 choice behind McDaniel and Stefanski. Stefanski is more of a ground-and-pound offense with heavy-set lines. He'd love Montgomery, and would love Skipper too (if he doesn't retire). His system is definitely compatible with the Lions, but it's also a little bit closer to the "three yards and a cloud of dust" philosophy of yesteryear. The Lions have a lot of speed that would need to be molded to fit that system. He's also never worked with a QB quite like Goff. And candidly, I don't love that his offense has come in dead last and second-to-last in points scored the last two years, his 5th and 6th years with the organization. I know he had basically nothing in the way of offensive talent, but you would hope that a really good OC would make something out of nothing. McDaniel though comes from the Shanahan philosophy of "let your playmakers make plays." I think he would do a masterful job with Goff, ASB, Jamo, and Gibbs. He uses pre-snap motion and play action to get guys open in space and let them do what they do best. Comparing Stefanski to McDaniel numbers-to-numbers, McDaniel was 22nd and 25th in points scored the last two years, despite not having much more talent than the Browns on that side of the ball. Back in 2023, Tagovailoa's last full season, he was 2nd in points scored. You'd still need to fix the offensive line, but I think we would see ASB put up similar numbers he has been, while Ferraris like Gibbs and Jamo have career years with prime Tyreek Hill like numbers.

Mike McCarthy is worse than vanilla ice cream.

The Giants are a prime candidate to be the next Washington: a quick turnaround with an easy schedule that makes the incoming coach look like a mastermind and a great hire… Followed by a revelation of a lot of problems under the surface not easily patched. I suspect Chicago will be in this category next season too.

The thread continues. What stops him from just dropping out of UW and enrolling at LSU? He contractually can't enter the "transfer portal" but a pre-med student at Mott Community College who wants to transfer to Michigan State doesn't have to enter the portal either. if he's officially a student at LSU, is the toothless 2026 version of the NCAA going to stop him from playing at LSU? I doubt it. And LSU will find a way to get him his money. No one cares if he's getting it directly from the school or LSU gives Raising Canes $6MM and Raising Canes gives him $6MM for appearing in a single commercial. There are no adults in the room and it's showing.

Speaking of zealous advocacy, Harbaugh's agent told reporters that seven NFL teams called him within 45 minutes of the news breaking. Assuming he's being truthful, and assuming all six other open jobs are included (Titans, Giants, Cardinals, Raiders, Browns, Falcons), that would mean that at least one NFL team reached out who still has a coach employed. My best guess is that it is the Bucs. But I wouldn't be surprised if it was the Bengals or Dolphins. There is the Stephen Ross-Harbaugh infatuation in Miami... The Steelers would be far and away the funniest outcome though.

As a note of context, teams can only block "lateral" interviews. They cannot block "promotional" interviews. And the NFL treats their coaches in three tiers: Head Coaches / OC & DC / All Other Coordinators and Position Coaches. So the Commanders could have blocked Blough from interviewing for the Lions (presumably soon-to-be open) Passing Game Coordinator role, but could not block him from interviewing for the OC role.

I would love it - not because I didn't like the ending, but because it would be the greatest TV moment in modern memory. But it can't possibly be true. All those people went to theaters to watch a fake finale?? And you kept THIS big of a secret for THIS long?? I think it's effectively impossible to make a series finale that everyone likes. Kill off one character, everyone is upset. Kill off another, everyone else is upset. Kill off no one, the stakes weren't high enough. Make it ambiguous, people clamor for finality. So everyone complains and the internet conspires with fake news. The kind of knee-jerk reactions to call this finale just speak for me more to how phenomenal shows like Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul were, where no one really complained when it ended. Though the Duffers haven't helped themselves in post-finale interviews. You can't just say I don't know" to plot holes and unanswered questions! It's YOUR fantasy! YOUR world! YOU wrote it! Write an answer!!

Kingsbury's agent is Erik Burkhardt, one of the most aggressive personalities on the planet when it comes to protecting and elevating his clients. Kingsbury's name is dropped as a leading candidate for every job under the sun. I'm surprised there aren't rumors of a presidential run in 2028, but don't give Burkhardt ideas. And when he faded because the Cardinals fired him, it's conveniently leaked that he's doing fine in life, may not return to coaching at all, and is enjoying travels in Southeast Asia. Guess who was back shortly thereafter. If you even just Google Kingsbury's names, a half dozen fluff pieces have been written about how good he is in the last like 12 hours. No doubt Burkhardt's work. I think Kingsbury is a fantastic OC (he's my #1 pick). He has elevated every offense he has been involved with, and is a creative analytical thinker. He has run a bit of a different style with Arizona and Washington though than Campbell may like. I also think he was a mediocre head coach on a good day. But I don't put weight into any of the rumors linking him to any job until ink is on paper.

If David Blough is 2022 Ben Johnson, isn't that good enough? I think this is just agent fodder from Blough's camp and won't materialize, but I'm not "hell no" on it. There are plenty of guys worse than a well-respected up-and-coming 30-year-old. I think he is much more likely to come in as the Passing Game Coordinator under an experienced play caller. Maybe become the OC in waiting.

I think Harbaugh ultimately takes a year off. Maybe takes a do-nothing analyst gig with his brother in LA. I don't think he's done forever, but he'll want something ideal, and he'll have his pick when it happens. Maybe it's Andy Reid retiring or Sean McVay taking a gazillion dollar deal with Amazon or the Eagles firing Sirianni after he punches a fan. But I think he knows better than to be the next legacy ruined by the Raiders organization, even if they write him a blank check.

I'll admit it was a bizarre experience, seeing the stadium across the street and my buddy being like "oh no, we need to walk the opposite direction, down, around, through a tunnel, through a park, and up a ramp to get there." I'm glad I went before they move, whenever that may be, but I don't think I will be back until they move, whenever that may be.

He's been there 18 years and has finished with fewer than 8 wins one time. He would have been to the playoffs for the 7th time in 8 years this year, despite a slew of injuries, if his rookie kicker made a 44-yard field goal. He deserved autonomy over staff decisions. It takes some gall for the Ravens to fire him. I think they will regret this decision. Who will they even replace him with? Stefanski? Minter? Try to be the smartest guy in the room and grab a coordinator on no one's radar? This has all the elements of a decision that blows up in their face in three years when they haven't gone better than 8-9 and are trying to hire someone another replacement.

Only downfall is you don’t want it getting out that you’re shopping. Schwartz is the Harbaugh of DCs. He can have his pick of open jobs. Last thing you want to do is reach out to Schwartz’s agent, have the agent leak to the press that the Lions are interested, have Schwartz go to the Giants (with Harbaugh?) and then you stick with Shep, who has an implied vote of no confidence.

What would be really funny is if the Steelers part ways with Tomlin after they lose to the Texans and then Harbaugh goes to Pittsburgh.

I would expect him to follow Harbaugh if Harbaugh doesn't take time off or just call it quits. Harbaugh is 63 and has seen what staying around too long does to Pete Carroll and Bill Belichick. He may call it a career. If Harbaugh still has the itch though he will likely have his pick of jobs, but none of them really jump off the page as great opportunities. New York is probably the best with Dart, Skattebo, and the #5 pick. If he's available I would probably put Monken in my "Good Candidates" bucket.

This Harbaugh hasn't seen a college sideline in nearly 30 years. Though it would have been very funny to see the NCAA's reaction. I think it's very likely he's hired by another NFL team within two weeks. My money would be on the Giants or Falcons.

On the other side of the ball, I think Campbell declining to provide Sheppard with a vote of confidence on 97.1 was telling. I think he will ultimately be back, but I don't think it's guaranteed, if there are better options that present themselves. Most notably, I think you have to call Jim Schwartz. If Schwartz isn't retained by the new Browns coach, I would gauge his interest in a reunion. If you follow his track record, the guy is legitimately one of the best DCs in NFL history. Everywhere he goes, he makes the defense a top unit in the NFL. I think he could get Hutch to break Garrett's record. Other guys I may have some interest in are Brian Flores, Jonathan Gannon, and Todd Bowles. But I wouldn't get too risky with it, I think you can do a lot worse than bringing Sheppard back.

My OC Tier List Top Three 1. Kliff Kingsbury, Free Agent: Probably my top choice at the moment, though I think it would be polarizing and many would hate it. On the surface, his background is in college and he's failed in both Arizona and Washington. But he's a very good OC. He's why Washington went as far as they did last year, a large reason why Jayden Daniels won OROY, and it's not as if he's the reason the Commies lost this year. I see a lot of Washington fans confused why he is leaving and wondering if he was fired or just quit. That said, it's not as if there are no potential drawbacks. Kyler Murray and Jayden Daniels are different quarterbacks than Jared Goff. He would need to adapt his offense to suit the type of talent Detroit has. 2. Kevin Stefanski, Free Agent: I think this is the most logical move if he doesn't get a head coaching gig. He'd be a good hire. But, it also feels like he's a very short-term solution. Either he's good and he bolts for a head coaching gig next offseason, or he's bad and he's the OC version of Matt Eberflus in Dallas, fired after one season. Naturally, anyone you hire for OC will hope to one day leave for a HC position. But ideally you could get at least a few years out of a good candidate before you go back to the drawing board. Stefanski likely won't stop being a hot candidate for open jobs unless he sucks as a coordinator. 3. Pete Carmichael Jr., Broncos Senior Offensive Assistant: This would be a little John Morton 2.0, which makes me nervous, but at least Carmichael has had tangible success as an OC, unlike Morton. If the goal is to replicate the Saints' offensive success with Drew Brees, there's no better man to do it than one of its architects. During the Saints run, Payton and Carmichael actually traded play calling back and forth, which may be something that intrigues Campbell... Now, Carmichael got worse and ultimately fired when Brees and Payton left town. But, it's not as if he had much to work with, trotting out Jameis Winston, Andy Dalton, and Derek Carr while suffering from the cap hell his old bosses put him in. His last year in New Orleans they still finished 9th in scoring and 14th in offensive yards despite starting Derek Carr. When they ditched him for Kubiak, they dropped to 24th and 21st, respectively. Good Candidates 4. Mike Kafka, Giants OC and Interim Head Coach: Kafka is young and a sharp offensive mind. The Giants development of Dart and Skattebo is in no small part thanks to him. He's also not that far removed from a lot of head coaching interest, and he might get interviews this cycle. But he's also not really proven himself as a play caller like some of the above names. I do like him more than his former boss though. 5. Brian Dabboll, Free Agent: It's easy to remember why Dabboll got hired in New York for his work with the Patriots and Bills and forget that he had previously been fired by the Jets, Browns, Dolphins, and Chiefs. Is he a good OC? I think he is. But I'm not sure if he's the chicken or the egg based on the successes of Tom Brady in New England and Josh Allen in Buffalo. I won't hate this if it's the direction Campbell goes. But I won't be surprised by any which direction it goes. Less Enthusiastic 6. Marcus Brady, Chargers Passing Game Coordinator: Brady was the OC for the Colts from 2021 to 2022, where he was pretty good in 2021 with Carson Wentz and then very bad in 2022 with Matt Ryan, getting fired in November. Reich called the plays in Indy though, so fair to say he was something of a scapegoat. He probably deserves another shot, and I wouldn't hate this, but I also don't think it's super likely. He's never called plays, so it would be a weird marriage. 7. Nate Scheelhaase, Rams Passing Game Coordinator: Scheelhaase is a young, up-and-coming OC candidate who has done well this year in the McVay machine and seems likely to get his chance soon as an OC. But he's also unproven, has never called plays, and is in only his second year in the NFL after working with Matt Campbell at Iowa State for five years. I don't hate the idea of finding a young up-and-comer, but it's hard to ignore the known unknowns. Wildcards 8. Mike LaFleur/Klay Kubiak/Grant Udinski, Rams/49ers/Jaguars OC: I lump these three together because I don't think any are particularly likely, but I also wouldn't be shocked by Campbell trying to poach an OC from an organization like the Rams, 49ers, or Jaguars, where their head coach calls the plays. You don't really hear about any of these guys for head coaching gigs (maybe notwithstanding Udinski this cycle), because they are overshadowed by McVay, Shanahan, and Coen. If they don't want to be stuck in coaching purgatory, it's not crazy to think one may take a jump to a play calling role in an offense with weapons like what the Lions have to offer. Though worth noting that Mike LaFleur called plays for the Jets and was terrible (kind of a recurring theme for Jets play callers). 9. David Blough, Commanders Assistant QB Coach: Already mentioned by MTB, this would be out of left field, but I don't hate it if Campbell wants someone to mold who would likely keep the role for a few years. He's very young, but the regime obviously likes him. But, he's never called plays and Campbell would presumably retain play calling duties. I like him more to join as Passing Game Coordinator assuming Shaw leaves with Morton. If they really want youth, Kafka and Scheelhaase are both in their 30s and seem like better options. Internal 10. Scottie Montgomery/Hank Fraley/Mark Brunell: All leave something to be desired. I'd like to keep all three, but frankly if they weren't the guy last cycle, what about 9-8 has set them apart this season? In addition, this would probably come with Campbell keeping play calling, which I am not a fan of. No Thanks 11. Tanner Engstrand, Jets OC: I don't think they would be interested, but I do think he would accept if they were. It could be they didn't see the experience they wanted in an OC last year, and he's now got a year under his belt. I saw nothing out of the New York Jets offense worthy of a promotion though. 12. Eric Bienemy, Bears Running Back Coach: After everyone got up in arms about Bienemy not getting a head coach gig, he's kind of proven everyone right by failing in Washington and at UCLA (though I'm not sure what success actually would look like at the latter). I think there are worse choices out there, but there are better choices too. Ultimately I don't think he will be on the Lions list and I wouldn't at all be surprised if he ends up taking his old job back in KC this offseason.

Vegas is expecting some mostly close games. Saturday 4:30pm: Rams -10 @ Panthers Saturday 8:00pm: Packers +1.5 @ Bears Sunday 1:00pm: Bills -1.5 @ Jaguars Sunday 4:30pm: 49ers +4.5 @ Eagles Sunday 8:00pm: Chargers +3.5 @ Patriots Monday 8:00pm: Steelers +3 @ Texans I'm surprised by the Eagles/49ers spread. Philly has played five playoff teams since October and gone 2-3, scoring an average of 15 points per game. Hard to win by 5+ when you can't break 20. I also think the Panthers cover. Did people forget they beat the Rams like a month ago? Bills/Jaguars is a sneaky pick to be the game of the weekend, . Rams over Panthers, 34-31 Packers over Bears, 17-13 Bills over Jaguars, 33-30 (OT) 49ers over Eagles, 20-10 Patriots over Chargers, 31-23 Texans over Steelers, 24-9

This was as big of a victory as the final score for me, being at Soldier Field. If I had to watch those bums finally get a 4000-yard passer it would have sucked. The Bears fan I went with knew all the marks Caleb needed. He only needed 108 yards to pass Kramer's (16-game) record and it still took him into the 4th quarter.