Hi everyone, it’s Wednesday again. Today we are going to talk some more football. Today’s list will entail the Top 12 Football people with the most pressure on them going into 2021. This list is always set for banter and debate, so please comment either on facebook, twitter or this page. A rare week without video just my commentary, I know many of you will disagree here but I still love you all and thanks for your support.
12. John Lynch (49ers GM)
John Lynch decided to trade up to pick Trey Lance third overall. I think it was the right move but you could easily make the argument that Jimmy Garoppolo (24-8 record in his career and a Super Bowl appearance in his only full season as a starter) with some return health from other star players (stud defensive end Nick Bosa being the main culprit) would return the 49ers back into Super Bowl contention in 2021. If Trey Lance and Jimmy G both struggle this year (possible because of the situation) many will blame the GM for being the one moving up in the draft and not trusting the team he has built.
11. Baker Mayfield (Browns Quarterback)
Baker Mayfield is the best Quarterback the Browns have had since they returned to the league in 1999. Mayfield, even though he was drafted first overall was not the best QB in his draft class, but this argument correlates to a Hakeem Olajuwon/Michael Jordan or Eli Manning/Ben Roethlisberger argument. Even though he might not be the best player in that draft class if he works out and wins a ton of games, the fan base and team will have no regrets (ask Rockets or Giants fans this question). So since Baker is the best QB the new Browns have ever had why so much pressure? Baker is certainly the third (some argue Sam Darnold tears it up this year and knocks Baker down to 4th) best Quarterback in that 2018 draft class and the Browns have one of the five (probably three) best rosters in all of football. If the Browns disappoint this season (not impossible) Baker Mayfield will almost certainly be the one the pundits blame and the Browns (who haven’t committed to him long term yet) might consider starting over again at the QB position (that’s worst case scenario here).
10. Jon Gruden (Raiders Coach)
Jon Gruden is nearing the end of his honeymoon phase being back as the Raiders head coach. The Raiders have improved from 4, to 7, to 8 wins in his first three seasons back on the sideline. But the last two season the Raiders have collapsed down the stretch. Gruden with how many years and money he has left on his contract is not in danger of losing his job anytime soon but the morale of the Vegas fan base may not be as high if the Raiders fail to compete in 2021 (highly possible with some of the departures especially on the offensive line).
9. NFL Health and Safety Committee
With the rising COVID cases over the summer in the U.S with relaxed to normal restrictions in various states the NFL Health and Safety Committee has a huge responsibility on it’s hands. Every stadium will be at capacity this season and there will be around football packed houses (between NFL and College the biggest gatherings we have had since the beginning of the pandemic country wide). This is a social, political and health Question and my blog does not really tackle these subjects but what is the right route to go across the NFL for the players and it’s fans. We have already seen some action here. I’m sure with the fall (cold and flu season as well coming) we will see more changes in the coming weeks.
8. Bill Belichick (Patriots Coach)
Many will say Bill Belichick (six time Super Winning coach Bill Belichick) should not even sniff this list. Hear me out here. What if the Pats go 6-11 and Tom Brady wins another Super Bowl this year (not out of the realm of possibility). Twitter yappers will call Belichick the most overrated coach in the history of football and the Tom Brady is the only reason why Belichick ever won anything (certainly not all the truth but will have to at least acknowledge this argument). It would behoove Belichick to get his Pats back into the postseason in 2021, why I would be surprised if Cam Newton is not the Pats starter throughout THIS (not future but THIS) season.
7. Tua Tagovailoa (Dolphins Quarterback)
Ask Josh Rosen how much patience NFL Execs have on young Quarterbacks. Many will argue the Bills were patient with Josh Allen (who was terrible for his first year and a half before turning into an absolute highlight demon beginning about Week 10 2019). The difference between Josh Allen, Josh Rosen and Tua Tagovailoa is the talent and ability. Josh Allen may have the best raw skill set of any Quarterback in the history of football (Patrick Mahomes and John Elway may say hold my beer) where as Josh Rosen has the mobility of a snail and Tua’s biggest asset is his accuracy (not something scouts and execs salivate about). In today’s football everyone’s butt is on the line pretty quickly. Brian Flores is not going to hitch his wagon to Tua Tagovailoa. If Tua doesn’t win this year that may be it and it’s not fair, but the world of football is not fair, I blame myself and twitter :-).
6. Daniel Jones (Giants Quarterback)
The Giants went out and got Jones some help in the offseason getting receiver Kenny Golliday and Tight end Kyle Rudolph. The truth is that Daniel Jones regressed some in 2020 but the term Danny Dimes still applies (go watch the tape of the first half of the Week 17 game against the Cowboys last season). Daniel Jones certainly has the ability but New York fans are notorious for being impatient and if by Thanksgiving the Giants are meandering around the bottom of a winnable division with Daniel Jones still having the lack of awareness for the rush and turnover issues that have plagued him in his first two seasons it may be over for Daniel Jones as the signal caller in New Jersey.
5. Kliff Kingsbury (Cardinals Coach)
I love quoting Charlie Murphy from the Chappelle show when referring to Kliff Kingsbury as the ultimate NFL habitual linestepper (35-40 college coaching record many of these games with Patrick Mahomes as his QB, you may have heard of him, yet still got hired as an NFL head coach with no previous NFL coaching experience). Kingsbury’s Cards did improve in his second year but collapsed down the stretch to miss the playoffs. With J.J Watt, A.J Green and the rest of the Golden Girls coming to town in 2021 it’s win now or go home for Kingsbury (who may be relegated to career coordinator with a failed season).
4. Matt Stafford (Rams Quarterback)
Matt Stafford is 74-90-1 in his career and 33 years old, Jared Goff is 42-27 in his career and 26 years old. Yet Goff was the one sent with TWO first round picks included in this trade. Why is that? Coaching matters right, Stafford has been playing in a depressed organization that gave him only one 1,000 yard rusher in 12 seasons (Reggie Bush 1,006 in 2013) and never a great offensive line. Where has Jared Goff had Sean McVay, Todd Gurley (for the most part) and a great offensive line. Plus Stafford has elite arm talent where as Goff has decent arm talent. There is no pressure of Goff obviously who is now in a crappy situation where if he wins even 7 or 8 games will be applauded. But if Stafford struggles on a better roster, with an elite coach (this is possible in the toughest division in football). Matt Stafford will get labeled with the terrible o word (and no I’m not referring to an orange).
3. Vic Fangio (Broncos Coach)
If you take out the strike shortened season of 1982 the Broncos from 1973-2016 had 6 losing seasons (and half of them were 6-8 or 7-9 so even the bad wasn’t that bad). The Broncos for 43 years had you can argue the longest streak of competitive football that any team has had in the history of football (the Steelers over the past 5 decades is a great counter argument). So having 4 straight losing seasons is not normal for a pretty spoiled fan base. Vic Fangio’s Broncos regressed in year two after a promising finish to his first year in town. So safe to say in 2021 that the Broncos have to improve early or else. With a very favorable early schedule 3-0 is highly possible and I would recommend at least a 2-1 start otherwise Vic Fangio may be shown the door by Columbus Day.
2. Carson Wentz (Colts Quarterback)
Many would think I’m overreacting here since Wentz is hurt but this is the exact reason why Wentz is so high. Wentz was looking like a future hall of famer after a healthy promising rookie season in 2016 and an MVP first 12 games to 2017. But in Week 14 of that Season Wentz tore his ACL and missed what he certainly believes would have been an MVP and Super Bowl winning season for his Eagles (the Eagles still won the Super Bowl that year in case you didn’t know led by backup QB Nick Foles). Wentz fractured his back in 2018 and Nick Foles again came in and led the Eagles to the playoffs. Then in 2019 with Foles out of town (some Eagles fans contested that they should have kept Foles but Jags/Bears Nick Foles stunted that argument) Wentz led the Eagles to the divisional crown but suffered a concussion in his first ever playoff game. Then in 2020 the wheels came off and Wentz got benched after a Week 13 loss to the Packers. The Colts got Wentz in a low risk high reward trade and Wentz needs foot surgery right before training camp. Wentz is ahead of schedule and rumored to return early in the season. But with the health and now play concerns (Wentz play has been sloppier than a muddy pig recently) all of the pressure is on Carson Wentz to win now behind a team that easily has the best overall roster in the AFC South (sorry Titans fans I speak truth).
1.Matt Nagy (Bears coach)
A coach who went 25-13 with Mitch Trubisky should not be on the hot seat but what did I say in my Tua argument. Life in the World of Football is not fair. So now Matt Nagy has to win with either Andy Dalton or a rookie Quarterback or else he’s done and might not get the whole season to prove himself. This is a coach who made it into the playoffs last year with a Mitch Trubisky/Nick Foles duo and never had a losing season in his first three years in the Windy City. Bears fans don’t you remember having Dick Jauron and Dave Wannstedt as your coaches for a span of 11 years (neither were bad coaches mostly had underwhelming rosters but combined they had 8 losing seasons in 11 years, yet got 6 and 5 years respectively). Matt Nagy is in an impossible situation with a roster and QB situation almost certain to fail this season. I don’t like seeing a good coach (which I believe Nagy is) get a raw deal, so Matt Nagy is someone who I am rooting for this season. But it’s likely not to end well for the Nagy, I hope I’m wrong. Happy Wednesday everyone!