Several NFL coaches made decisions on Sunday that they’d like back. Here are the worst examples of strategic malfeasance in Week 1 of the NFL season.
NFL coaches are brilliant people who have devoted most of their lives to the beautiful game. Even the biggest alleged hacks in the business know more about football than we ever will.
That does not, however, inoculate them from the occasional situational flub. And in the first Sunday of the 2022 NFL season, there were all kinds of situations in which coaches had the opportunity to do the smart thing, and did the other thing instead.
Such brainfarts do not discriminate. In our inaugural edition of the article detailing the worst coaching decisions of the week, we have veterans with multiple playoff wins, Super Bowl coaches, and new guys on the block.
We did a poll for readers asking their opinions of the worst coaching decision of the week so far, and while the entrants were pretty well-balanced, our faithful followers also added a few examples worth discussing.
In a charting of defensive uniqueness, the Cardinals are dead-center at (0,0), the least unique spot one can be found.
Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph is entering his fourth season with the Arizona Cardinals. Throughout his tenure in the desert, his defensive unit has grown significantly each year.
Principal components for a defensive scheme are made up of box counts used, number of even and odd fronts used, coverages used, blitz and stunt rates (on neutral downs), and many other things.
Joseph’s defense was the least unique of all, finding itself dead-center at (0,0) on the chart. It is not unique in any aspect — fronts, blitzes, coverage. They also did an offensive study, citing head coach Kliff Kingsbury’s offense as the second most unique scheme in the NFL.
Having a unique scheme doesn’t necessarily produce results. Some teams in the past, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, win with personnel and physicality. Those will always remain important, but having a unique scheme can benefit, particularly early in the season before teams can adjust.
In a coverage analysis, PFF classified Joseph’s defense as a heavy man-coverage scheme, mostly utilizing Cover 1 and Cover 2 concepts. Joseph has often used exotic blitz packages, leaving his corners in press man coverage. The Cardinals defense under Joseph has been at its best using this concept, as opposed to the zone-heavy three man rush package that struggled to produce last season.
Playing man-heavy defense has been successful for the Cardinals partly due to the successes of their safety duo, Budda Baker and Jalen Thompson. With both playing at a Pro-Bowl level, Joseph can be more aggressive and feel comfortable that no one will get behind the defense.
For the Cardinals defense to take another leap in 2022, they will need a jump in production from promising cornerbacks Byron Murphy and Marco Wilson. They’ll both be extraordinarily important in ensuring Joseph can run the man-heavy scheme he likes to.
Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph was left out of PFF’s list of top defensive playcallers.
Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph was initially scrutinized by fans after the team had an abysmal defense in 2019. Part of this was due to scheme issues, but more so a lack of talent on that side of the ball.
Since then, Joseph’s defense has continuously improved until at one point last season, they were easily a top-five unit in the league. When the Cardinals had a healthy J.J. Watt paired with Chandler Jones up front, the team was elite at taking the ball away.
Joseph is highly regarded in the league circles as he received serious head coach considerations by the Miami Dolphins prior to hiring Mike McDaniel. When healthy last season, his defense was one of the best. Still, he did not make the list.
Those included in this list included Leslie Frazier, Dan Quinn, Dennis Allen, Raheem Morris, Josh Boyer and Joe Berry.
Part of the defensive improvement since Joseph’s hiring is certainly the improved personnel. This year, however, the defense lost a few key pieces and the front office has yet to replace them. Joseph’s ability to maintain continuity without the likes of Chandler Jones, Jordan Hicks and potentially Robert Alford.
Joseph’s main criticism from some fans has been his lack of using the team’s previous two first-round selections during their rookie years, those being linebackers Zaven Collins and Isaiah Simmons. In last year’s playoff game against the Rams, both were seemingly limited in playing time.
The Cardinals are going to need Joseph to help replicate the successes from last season, possibly without a No. 1 edge rusher and other question marks on the roster.
Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph had some positive feedback to give his two young inside linebackers on Wednesday.
During the 2021 NFL draft, the Arizona Cardinals made a rather unconventional decision by selecting inside linebacker Zaven Collins with their first round selection. This came as a shock to many because the club used their previous first-round pick on an inside linebacker in Isaiah Simmons.
Flash forward to 2022 and both players are slated to be the starting inside linebackers for the team. There has been some criticism surrounding the team as both players did not get much playing time during their rookie seasons. In the team’s blowout loss to the Rams in the wild card round, Collins logged only eight defensive snaps.
This season, however, it appears the team is ready to live or die by their back-to-back first-round linebackers. The team released standout Jordan Hicks this offseason, so it would seem the jobs safely belong to Simmons and Collins.
“It’s their time,” Joseph said after Wednesday’s practice at OTAs. “Isaiah is going into his third this year and Zaven is going into his second year. They are first-round picks. They have to help us.”
Joseph continued by praising the work ethics of both linebackers. Both are regular hard-workers in the building but have suffered from offseasons that were shortened due to COVID-19.
Simmons was a starter alongside Jordan Hicks last season and showed some incredible playmaking ability. Joseph is looking for that to become more consistent this year.
“Watching him last year, he made plays,” he explained. “Now he has to make consistent plays and not give up plays.”
As for Collins, Joseph stressed the importance of his position and the mental challenges to overcome from not playing last year.
“A lot is mental,” he said. “Especially for Zaven, playing the MIKE ‘backer. He’s the quarterback now. He’s got a bunch to process each play and he’s got to do it fast for his teammates and do it well. And then do the physical job, which isn’t easy.”
The Cardinals’ defense could very well sink or swim based on the production of their two young inside linebackers. Their secondary is relatively the same from last season but the loss of Chandler Jones up front makes the front seven significantly weaker.
It’ll be fun to watch Simmons and Collins’ progression into this season.
Vance Joseph appears not to be going anywhere. Will the Cardinals make any changes to the coaching staff now?
It would appear that Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph is not going to get a head-coaching position this offseason, now that he has apparently been ruled out of the vacancy with the Miami Dolphins.
That means there will not likely be any wholesale changes made to the coaching staff.
With a disappointing end to the season, the organization is unhappy. It hasn’t been enough to fire general manager Steve Keim or head coach Kliff Kingsbury, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be changes on the coaching staff.
Last year, they fired receivers coach David Raih and hired Shawn Jefferson. They promoted Cam Turner to quarterbacks coach and Sean Kugler to run-game coordinator.
Will there be changes to the staff this offseason?
Some assistants could find other opportunities elsewhere. Defensive line coach Brentson Buckner has drawn interest from big college programs.
Kingsbury and Joseph could decide they need to move on from one or some of the staff.
But now that Joseph’s immediate future seems to be with the Cardinals, we might hear some announcements or reports of changes on the staff in the next couple of weeks.
The Dolphins are reportedly focusing on only offensive candidates to be their head coach.
Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph interviewed for the vacant head coaching position for the Miami Dolphins last week. Early this week, he was believed to be one of the frontrunners, if not the favorite.
That apparently has changed.
He apparently is getting left out of the running for the job as second interviews begin.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported three candidates expected to get a second interview — Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel and Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler is now reporting that the Dolphins are focusing on offensive candidates, which leaves out Joseph, despite the strong interview he had.
If Joseph does not end up getting a head-coaching job this offseason, he would likely return as defensive coordinator in Arizona for the fourth year.
If the Dolphins hire Vance Joseph as their head coach, here are some potential candidates for the Cardinals to replace him as DC.
The Arizona Cardinals could see some changes on their coaching staff. Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has interviewed for the vacant head-coaching position for the Miami Dolphins.
There is a growing feeling that Joseph is the favorite to be hired for the job, meaning the Cardinals would need a new leader of the defense.
Joseph becomes the fourth candidate the Dolphins speak with this week, per reports.
Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph is a candidate for the head coaching vacancy the Miami Dolphins have after they fired Brian Flores, who spent three seasons as their coach.
It was reported before the Cardinals’ season ended that the Dolphins requested permission to interview him. When Joseph spoke with reporters last week leading up to the Cardinals’ playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams, he was not sure about the timeline of the interview.
The Dolphins interviewed San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore earlier in the week.
Joseph already is familiar with the Dolphins. He was defensive coordinator there in 2016 under head coach Adam Gase, so he knows the building and the front office.
If he is offered the job, it would create a hole on Arizona’s staff, as he has been DC for the Cardinals for three seasons.
Unlike some teams this offseason, the Dolphins have not announced their head coaching interviews.
Joseph has improved the Cardinals’ defense each of the last two seasons. Many feel like he is deserving of another head coaching job.
So far, it is the only interview we know of for him.
Since the Miami Dolphins fired head coach Brian Flores on the Monday following the end of the regular season, they’ve been searching for the next option to take up that role.
This week, the Dolphins are interviewing seven assistants from around the league to fill that void with varying levels of experience. Some have been head coaches before and others have years of assistant coaching under their belts.
All seven known candidates will be interviewed by the end of the week.
Since the Miami Dolphins fired head coach Brian Flores on the Monday following their Week 18 victory over the New England Patriots, they’ve conducted their search for the team’s next coach.
To this point, the interview requests that have been reported are with the Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, Bills defensive coordinators Leslie Frazier, Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, and Los Angeles Rams assistant head coach/running backs coach Thomas Brown.
We now know when these interviews will take place, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero. On Wednesday, the Dolphins are set to interview McDaniel. They have Quinn and Moore on Thursday. Joseph and Brown will interview on Friday.
Daboll and Frazier both interviewed this past Sunday, so that takes care of all of the current coaches that have been requested. If there are no surprises, the Dolphins could have this search wrapped up soon.
