One of the reasons we love the sport of football is the intricate strategy that goes into each and every play. More so than any other sport, coaching matters in the NFL. A game pitting two brilliant coaching minds can be just as fascinating to watch as a game featuring a handful of great players
With that in mind, I’ve looked over the 2020 NFL schedule and picked out the X’s and O’s matchups that I’m most looking forward.
For the purpose of this list, I’ve focused on inter-divisional matchups that we don’t already see every season. And I’m only looking at coaching matchups that pit an offensive-minded coach against a defensive minded coach, so you won’t see a matchup like Bill Belichick v. Pete Carroll on here, even if those two are considered to be two of the very best coaches this league has to offer.
So with that out of the way, let’s look at the 10 best X’s and O’s matchups on the 2020 NFL schedule.
10. Bruce Arians v. Vic Fangio, Week 3
We’ve seen these two square off in the NFC West, but this is the first time these respected minds will go head-to-head as head coaches. Fangio’s complex coverages have given even the best quarterbacks problems, but how will he will he try to slow down the NFL’s greatest quarterback ever and the league’s most intimidating receiving corps? And what designer route concepts will Arians have drawn up to mess with Denver’s coverage rules and create big plays downfield? We won’t have to wait long to find out with the Buccaneers visiting the Broncos early in the season.
9. Kellen Moore v. Don ‘Wink’ Martindale, Week 13
Wink Martindale of the Baltimore Ravens is your defensive coordinator’s favorite defensive coordinator. What makes him such a fun coach to watch? It’s his disguised coverages and exotic blitz looks, which always make it difficult to figure out what the defense is up to before the snap. To tell you the truth, it doesn’t get much easier after the snap, either. But Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore showed in his first season as a play-caller that he knows how to unlock the secrets of a defense with the help of pre-snap motions and shifts. In this matchup, the pre-snap chess matchup might be more interesting than what happens after the snap.
8. Todd Bowles v. Andy Reid, Week 12
This might be the most underrated matchup on the list. The X’s and O’s battle will be fun, but it’s the aggression with which these two call plays that has me most excited. We know Andy Reid likes to throw the ball over the field on any down and distance and Todd Bowles is his defensive equal when it comes to fearless calls. The Bucs defensive coordinator has endeared himself to Bruce Arian for a reason: You don’t need to encourage him to take risks. Bowles will blitz anywhere on the field and he’s not afraid to ask his corners to man-up on receivers with no safety help deep. We’ll see how that works out against Patrick Mahomes and that loaded receiving corps.
7. Kyle Shanahan v. Sean McDermott, Week 13
I love watching well-coached defenses, and Sean McDermott’s teams are always at the top of that list. The thing that stands out about this Bills defense is how disciplined it is, no matter what an offense throws at it. Well, that discipline is going to be put to the test by Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers offense, which is based on manipulating certain defenders. Typically, Shanahan focuses on the weak links of a defense, but take a look at the Bills’ defensive depth chart. Good luck finding a true weak link there.
6. Bill Belichick v. Greg Roman. Week 10
Last season’s Patriots game was a proving ground for Lamar Jackson and this unique Ravens offense. There were still plenty of skeptics out there before Greg Roman’s group took it to Bill Belichick’s defense in the first half before New England found its footing in the second half. The rematch will be fascinating now that Belichick has a better understanding of how Roman will attack his run fronts. We know the Patriots coach will have some new tricks for Lamar and his offensive coordinator. What will those two have in store for the greatest defensive mind in sports? We won’t find out until November.
5. Bill Belichick v. Kliff Kingsbury, Week 12
Just a warning: Belichick is going to show up a few more times on this list. He is the greatest coach in league history after all, and the 2020 season might be his greatest challenge yet.
He’ll get a brand new challenge in Week 12 when Kliff Kingsbury brings his version of the Air Raid offense to Gillette Stadium. Belichick is always on the cutting edge when it comes to defensive scheme, so he’ll be prepared for Kingsbury’s various RPO’s and option run plays. Maybe he’ll give his buddy Nick Saban a call this offseason to pick up some tips on how to better deal with a college-inspired spread. The Cardinals adding a true No. 1 receiver in DeAndre Hopkins adds another layer to what should be a tremendously fun X’s and O’s battle.
4. Kliff Kingsbury v. Sean McDermott, Week 10
Everything I said about the McDermott-Shanahan matchup applies to this one. The Bills’ defensive gameplan for the Ravens’ college-inspired scheme was one of the best of the 2019 season. The challenge will be somewhat similar for Buffalo in this one — fitting the run while still having enough numbers to defend the pass — but Kingsbury attacks defenses in a different way, using every inch of the field to put pressure on the opponent. McDermott is a coach who isn’t afraid to switch things up every week, so we should be in store for a unique gameplan from one of the NFL’s best defensive coaches.
3. Kyle Shanahan v. Bill Belichick, Week 7
The last time we saw these two great coaching minds face off, we got maybe the greatest Super Bowl ever. After Shanahan overwhelmed the Pats defense for the first 40 minutes, Belichick adjusted and helped engineer the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history. This will be the first time these two will match wits as head coaches. Shanahan’s offense has changed since then and he’s picked up a few new tricks that will test the discipline of Belichick’s team. Staying sound against the run while not being sucked in by play-action fakes will be the key to the matchup for the Pats. As always, it’ll be fascinating to see how Belichick deploys his personnel in order to strike the right balance.
2. Andy Reid v. Bill Belichick, Week 4
These two have had so many classic battles, it almost feels like this is a matchup we see every year. But we don’t know how many more of these Belichick-Reid showdowns we’ll get, so we better start appreciating them. The challenge will be the same for Belichick: How will he cover all of the weapons Reid has at his disposal? How aggressive will he be with the pass rush vs. Mahomes? And which Chiefs receiver will he look to take away on high-leverage downs? We’ll find out in Week 4.
1. Andy Reid and Steve Spagnuolo v. Sean Payton and Dennis Allen, Week 15
This game is a two-for-one with Sean Payton’s machine-like attack going up against Steve Spagnuolo’s diverse scheme and Reid’s air show taking on Dennis Allen’s defense, which has quietly become one of the most interesting units in the league. It’s always fun to watch two great offensive play-callers go back-and-forth, but Reid and Payton will get challenges from the opposing defensive coordinators. Spagnoulo will use his two star safeties (yes, I think Juan Thornhill is already a star) to try to take out Michael Thomas — good luck with that — and Allen has the players and scheme to matchup with Kansas City’s loaded receiving corps. With all that talent on the field and four smart minds on the sidelines, this is the early frontrunner for game of the year.
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