The Value of Coaching is Showing up like Never Before in the NFL

Coaching, coaching, coaching. It’s been said that coaches hold more value in football than they do in any other sport, and I don’t think this has ever been clearer than through three weeks of the 2024 NFL season.

Darnold Resurrection

There are a few teams whose seasons so far are the best examples of great coaching. I’ll start with the Minnesota Vikings. Minnesota, in the 2024 NFL draft, spent the 10^th overall pick on quarterback J.J. McCarthy, in the hopes that he’ll be their future.

Unfortunately for the Vikings, McCarthy tore his right meniscus in the preseason and was ruled out for the year. Stepping up to the plate – Sam Darnold.

Darnold, who was the third pick of the 2018 NFL draft to the New York Jets, had long been considered a bust. His career never panned out at any of his stops, whether the Jets or the Carolina Panthers. Last year, though, he was the backup for the San Francisco 49ers, where he got to spend a season being coached up by Kyle Shanahan.

Let’s fast forward to the end of Week 3. Darnold, as the Vikings quarterback, has his team at a 3-0 record. Statistically, he leads the league in passing touchdowns with eight. Why is he performing so well? Kevin O’Connell, the Vikings head coach, has put together a coaching job worthy of the upmost praise.

Sam Darnold in the red zone this season:

🎯 88.2 passing grade (1st)
🎯 14 completions (1st)
🎯 6 TDs (1st)
🎯 0 turnover worthy plays pic.twitter.com/otkDVWsJfS

— PFF (@PFF) September 25, 2024

Matt LaFleur Masterclass

There’s another team and coach in the NFC North who have dealt with a quarterback injury, perhaps more on the fly. In Week 1, the Green Bay Packers faced the Philadelphia Eagles in Brazil. On one of the final plays of the game, starter Jordan Love went down with a knee injury. It was later confirmed that he sprained his MCL. Stepping in – Malik Willis.

Willis, who the Tennessee Titans selected in the third round in 2022, was traded to the Packers a bit before the season started, and now he had to play. Well, head coach Matt LaFleur has made his life as simple as possible, allowing him to not have to worry about too much. The result is a 2-0 record in the two weeks Willis has started.

.@packers @malikwillis sent a Loud & Clear message to @Titans ….I can do this…at a very high level…2 weeks in a row…Much credit to Matt Lafleur & Staff. Built an offense around Malik's skill set in just a few weeks…you know…what great coaches do. #GoPackGo… pic.twitter.com/hlRta3d55z

— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) September 25, 2024

Falling Flat on their Face

On the opposite end of the spectrum, there are teams who haven’t had successful quarterback play, both because of injury and inability to prosper.

For the Miami Dolphins, there’s been one game since starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa went down with a concussion in Week 2. In that one game against the Seattle Seahawks, Miami sent out Skylar Thompson to be their starting quarterback. Let’s just say it didn’t go well.

Derick Hall said his eyes got "huge" when he saw that Skylar Thompson still had the ball and had no clue he was coming for him from behind. Whole stadium erupted after this big hit on sack. pic.twitter.com/XMfgoJoeKG

— Corbin K. Smith (@CorbinSmithNFL) September 23, 2024

Thompson, before going down with an injury himself, was 13/19 for 107 yards and a 8.1 quarterback rating. It wasn’t good. Maybe it’s all on him, but head coach Mike McDaniel, as the offensive play-caller, needs to put his players in better positions to succeed through adversity. Like I mentioned, look at what LaFleur has done with a quarterback like Malik Willis. He’s allowed the supporting cast to do most of the job. That’s good coaching.

We’ll see what happens moving forward and if some of these success stories last, but through three weeks, you have to give credit where it’s due.