Invoice Belichick and Mike Tomlin are nice coaches. This season, their groups want them greater than ever with restricted offenses within the unsuitable period to be restricted.
Look across the NFL, and spot the contenders. They’re virtually all helmed by All-World quarterbacks, who common terrific offenses. They’re additionally married to glorious teaching staffs.
Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid, Josh Allen and Sean McDermott, Lamar Jackson and John Harbaugh, Matthew Stafford and Sean McVay, Aaron Rodgers and Matt LaFleur. Then there’s the good quarterback with out the confirmed equal at coach, conditions akin to Tom Brady and Todd Bowles, Joe Burrow and Zac Taylor, Justin Herbert and Brandon Staley.
You’ll word these groups can all rating factors at will. Welcome to the fashionable NFL.
In each New England and Pittsburgh, the coaches are past reproach. As the 2 groups enter their Week 2 matchup at Acrisure Stadium, Invoice Belichick has eight Tremendous Bowl rings, six as the pinnacle man. Mike Tomlin is in his fifteenth season helming the Steelers, and hasn’t endured one shedding season whereas racking up a title and two Tremendous Bowl appearances.
But each are tied to offensive conditions that are both limiting and/or not possible to beat.
For Belichick, he’s chargeable for the mess because the de facto common supervisor.
New England has the most costly group of receivers and tight ends (by combined ’22 cap hits) and but doesn’t have a single explosive playmaker at both spot on the depth chart. Jakobi Meyers and Hunter Henry are high quality targets, however neither are conserving opposing defensive coordinators awake.
Below heart, Mac Jones had a stable rookie season however doesn’t seem to have elite upside. For a first-round choose, it’s an underwhelming future. And when Jones is paired with a former defensive coach and failed head coach in Matt Patricia as his play-caller, you may have catastrophe.
In in the present day’s quarterback-rich AFC, being well-coached isn’t sufficient. You additionally want a star beneath heart who can elevate these round him.
In Week 1, the Patriots’ offense scored as many factors — seven — because it allowed. Jones posted a league-worst 9.7 QBR. The stat is backed up on movie, with Jones lacking open receivers, throwing a nasty interception ultimately zone, and checking down most of the time.
However guilty Jones for the flop is to simplify a multi-faceted downside, headlined by receivers who can’t separate and a coordinator who has no enterprise in his position.
All of this boils right down to Belichick, who whereas maybe the best coach in NFL historical past, has flubbed drafts and spent lavishly on the unsuitable gamers in recent times.
Now, it’s on him to bail himself out with masterful scheming.
In Pittsburgh, the issue is totally different.
The Steelers even have a younger first-round quarterback in Kenny Pickett, however the rookie stays on then bench behind veteran journeyman Mitchell Trubisky. Final Sunday, Trubisky was largely terrible, throwing for five.1 yards per try whereas the offense generated solely 16 factors regardless of 5 turnovers from the Cincinnati Bengals.
Though Pittsburgh earned a miracle victory within the Queen Metropolis, Trubisky’s shortcomings and a horrid offensive line threaten to derail the Steelers within the coming months. Tomlin undoubtedly is aware of this, which makes the next query so fascinating.
If the Steelers maintain profitable — their subsequent three video games are towards the Patriots, Cleveland Browns, and New York Jets — however the offense is mired in a deep funk, does Tomlin go along with his rookie in hopes of a jolt, our does he shield him from a toughening schedule with little safety?
For Tomlin, that’s the query that would outline the season in Pittsburgh. No one doubts the Steelers have an elite offense, however Trubisky is a game-manager on his finest days, and a saboteur on his worst.
Each Belichick and Tomlin are savants on the sideline, however every is hindered by a deadly flaw beneath heart and throughout their respective offenses, albeit in several areas.
The Steelers have the potential for being saved by Pickett, whereas the Patriots should discover methods to intensify Jones’ strengths and decrease his weaknesses, one thing so masterfully achieved final yr by offensive coordinator and now Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels.
Good cash normally says Pittsburgh and New England linger within the playoff chase, with one or each even discovering their option to the postseason. Nice teaching, self-discipline, and situational soccer have that impact.
However in in the present day’s quarterback-rich AFC, being well-coached isn’t sufficient. You additionally want a star beneath heart who can elevate these round him.
For the Patriots and Steelers, they every solely have half the mixture wanted to be nice.