Head Coach Ranking

Key Third Down Failure by Seattle Seahawks in Green Bay Packers Loss Reflects Poorly on Pete Carroll’s Defensive Staff

By HCR Staff | Jan. 14, 2020

One of the main jobs for Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll this offseason will be re-tooling his defense. He’ll need to add personnel, on the front and back end, but he also may have to contemplate a change at defensive coordinator, currently occupied by Ken Norton.

Norton and Carroll have a long association, and they’ve had a lot of success, but that’s in the past. One play in particular from last weekend’s loss to the Green Bay Packers reveals that change may be necessary in the present.

Trailing 28-23, the Seahawks had the Packers in a favorable 3rd and 8 situation, on the Packers’ 22-yard line, with the clock still north of the two minute warning. A stop here by the Seahawks would give quarterback Russell Wilson plenty of time to engineer a game-winning touchdown drive.

To this point, the Packer who had inflicted the most damage on the Seahawks was wide receiver Davante Adams. Adams is the Packers’ best WR, and Packers QB Aaron Rodgers’ most dependable target.

It would have made a lot of sense for Carroll and Norton to anticipate double teaming Adams, and force another lesser Packers player to step up and make a play. 

The Packers smartly lined up Adams in the slot–giving him a “2 way go”–all the more reason Carroll and Norton should have been ready with a double team.

But this isn’t what the Seahawks did. Instead, the Seahawks had Adams singled up with rookie fourth round draft pick Ugochukwu Amadi, who is 5’9 and 199 lbs. 

Rodgers quickly realized the mismatch. Adams, who is 6’2, 215 lbs, easily beat Amadi off the snap, and it was an easy pitch and catch conversion for Rodgers to keep the game-clinching drive alive.

Carroll and Norton are too good to not have diagnosed this. A good defensive staff simply can’t give up such an easy mismatch to a Hall of Fame caliber QB on the key play of the game.

This was an egregious mistake, and it’s one reason why we suspect there will be big changes coming to the defensive side of the ball for the Seahawks.

Pete Carroll’s Coin Toss Decision Helps Lead to Seattle Seahawks Defeat Against Green Bay Packers

By HCR Staff | Jan. 13, 2020

You hear coaches say it all the time: winning in the NFL is hard. One reason why is that head coaches are confronted with so many decisions and choices that can affect the outcome of the game.  

And those decisions start with the coin toss. 

We think Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll may have lost the game at the toss, which Seattle won.

We know that may sound odd, but hear us out.

After winning the coin toss, Seattle elected to defer…meaning they were electing to give the ball to the Packers to start the game.

The Packers are one of the best front-running teams in the NFL during the Aaron Rodgers era–he plays with a bigger playbook with the lead and he knows how to close out games.

So giving him the ball first, at home, is a mistake in our view.  

We felt the better decision by Carroll would have been to let Russell Wilson have the ball first, and the first chance to score, and if he does that, that helps take the crowd out of the game early. The Packers generally don’t play well from behind–in losses this year to the Los Angeles Chargers and San Francisco 49ers, for example, they got behind early and their effort level was extremely poor for the rest of the game.

Carroll didn’t agree with us. He was comfortable giving Rodgers the ball first. Essentially, Carroll gave away a potential advantage. 

Like the Hall of Famer that he’ll be, Rodgers scored first, the crowd got loud, and the Seahawks played from behind the entire game and never were able to catch up.

It seems as if the coin toss shouldn’t be a big deal right? But it is, and in our view, Carroll lost this game at that point.

What To Watch For in the Seattle Seahawks vs. Green Bay Packers Divisional Game

By HCR Staff | Jan. 12, 2020

Green Bay Packers secondary versus Seattle Seahawks wide receiver group. On paper, this matchup should favor Green Bay, as the Seattle group is somewhat underwhelming. However, after a strong start to the season, the Packers secondary has been inconsistent.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ ability to stay patient. Throughout his career, Rodgers hasn’t really been one for 11, 12, 13 play drives. He prefers daggers off improvisation. However, he’s now operating in a different offense, and it’s one that requires him to be a lot more patient. This, combined with Seattle head coach Pete Carroll’s particular brand of defense–where they try to keep everything in front of them–will test Rodgers’ patience.

Seattle linebackers K.J. Wright or Bobby Wagner in coverage vs running back Aaron Jones. Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur has used Jones pretty effectively out of the backfield this year as a receiver. He’s just too elusive for linebackers to cover. Seattle linebackers Wright and Wagner have struggled at times during this season in coverage against backs. We expect to see Jones highlighted as a receiver.

Head Coach Rankings Update After NFL Week 10

By HCR Staff | Nov. 12, 2019

Similarly to last week, this week’s top head coach is also this week’s biggest mover. Dan Quinn’s Atlanta Falcons pulled off THE upset of the season so far, when his 1-7 Falcons defeated the 7-1 New Orleans Saints in New Orleans. The Falcons have struggled in the run game on offense and getting to the quarterback on defense, but both lines showed up on Sunday. The Falcons were able to gain 143 yards on the ground behind their offensive line and sacked quarterback Drew Brees six times keeping the Saints potent offense out of the endzone. Any given Sunday right?

A lot of credit should be given to Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin for adjusting to his team and changing the way he calls games. Since this adjustment, the Steelers have played solid complementary football on their four-game winning streak. Tomlin is accomplishing more by simply not asking his team to do too much.

Another head coach that won a key game relying on the run was Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer. In the Vikings win over the Dallas Cowboys, fans were able to see the effect a fullback can have in a game. Running backs Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison enjoyed the holes FB C.J. Ham opened up for them and the Vikings snatched a big road win.

John Harbaugh’s Baltimore Ravens took care of business against the Cincinnati Bengals. And Pete Carroll’s Seattle Seahawks handed the San Francisco 49ers their first loss in a Monday night overtime thriller.

Here are HCR’s Top 10 head coaches for Week 10:


1. Dan Quinn–8.6
T2. Mike Tomlin–8.2
T2. Mike Zimmer–8.2
T4. John Harbaugh–8.0
T4. Pete Carroll–8.0
T6. Brian Flores–7.6
T6. Jon Gruden–7.6
T6. Kliff Kingsbury–7.6
T6. Mike Vrabel–7.6
T10. Adam Gase–7.2
T10. Bruce Arians–7.2
T10. Matt LaFleur–7.2

Click here for YTD Head Coach Rankings after Week 10

Head Coach Rankings Update After NFL Week 9

By HCR Staff | Nov. 5, 2019

The head coach tied for the top spot this week also is this week’s biggest mover. Los Angeles Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn earned a huge win at home against a one-loss Green Bay Packers team. Lynn’s game plan to keep the ball out of quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ hands was immediately echoed by his team after an eight-minute drive to open the game. The defense also performed well as they held them to a field goal through the first three quarters.

Houston Texans head coach Bill O’Brien had another solid week, which earned him a tie for the top spot. The Texans are playing complementary football under O’Brien and behind MVP candidate QB DeShaun Watson. O’Brien has been one of the most consistent head coaches this season.

John Harbaugh’s Baltimore Ravens came off their bye week and handed the New England Patriots their first loss of the season. Andy Reid’s Kansas City Chiefs escaped the Minnesota Vikings on a game-winning field goal. Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks came from behind to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a shootout.

Here are HCR’s Top 10 head coaches for Week 9:

T1. Anthony Lynn–8.4
T1. Bill O’Brien–8.4
T3. John Harbaugh–8.2
T3. Andy Reid–8.2
T3. Pete Carroll–8.2
6. Bruce Arians–7.8
T7. Jon Gruden–7.6
T7. Mike Zimmer–7.6
T9. Kyle Shanahan–7.4
T9. Mike Tomlin–7.4

Click here for YTD Head Coach Rankings after Week 9