AFC West Watch – Week 8 – Coaching Staff

When it comes to coaching staffs in the AFC West, there is one team that is far and away the best of the group. The importance of a great coaching staff cannot be overstated – while I’m a fan of the theory that a coach is only as good as his quarterback, I still believe the vice versa is true. Without Tom Brady, would the league be in love with Bill Bellichick? Without Brady, would Bill have won a single Super Bowl?

This chicken-or-the-egg game makes it difficult for fans to determine who’s really responsible for the most credit for a team’s success. In the end the QB is the one executing the offense, but there wouldn’t be an offense without a head coach and his staff to implement it in practices… wow, I’m getting a headache already. Let’s just say both are pretty damn important and RANK EM!

1. Denver Broncos

Head Coach: Mike Shanahan. 131-81-0 (regular season). 8-5 (postseason).
Assistants: Jim Bates (Assistant Head Coach/Defense), Mike Heimerdinger (Assistant Head Coach/Quarterbacks), Bob Slowik (Defensive Coordinator), Rick Dennison (Offensive Coordinator), Scott O’Brien (Special Teams Coordinator)

The Denver Broncos feature the best head coach in the division – period. There really is no discussing the matter. As much as my little introductory debate may have made sense, it almost seems that Coach Shanahan serves as an exemption to that rule. While he hasn’t found the postseason success he had since Elway retired, he still finds ways to win with a plethora of signal callers over the years. Dubbed “The Mastermind” by the fans, Shanahan’s zone-blocking West Coast Offense that he and Alex Gibbs implemented in the 90’s still remains one of the most lethal offensive schemes in the leagues (just ask the Patriots about that one). He’s the winningest coach in Denver Broncos history, and his 131 wins rank him 11th all-time among coaches with one team.

His assistants boast impressive resumes as well, particularly Jim Bates and Scott O’Brien, each of whom have been called gurus of their particular field. Bates has molded successful, agressive defenses around every turn, and many argue that current Defensive MVP Jason Taylor developed his current game to a large degree from the tutelage of Bates early on. Aaron Kampman of the Packers has also benefited from Bates’ coaching. Meanwhile, O’Brien has led many special teams units to great success and Pro Bowls, a tradition Broncos fans hope continues in Mile High.

2. Kansas City Chiefs

Head Coach: Herm Edwards 48-48-0 (regular season). 2-4 (postseason).
Assistants: Gunther Cunningham (Defensive Coordinator), Mike Solari (Offensive Coordinator), Mike Priefer (Special Teams Coordinator), Dick Curl (Assistant Head Coach/Quarterbacks).

I am really, really not a Herm Edwards fan. Which means I couldn’t have been more thrilled when I heard that Carl Peterson made all the moves he could to sign the then-current Jets coach. It didn’t take long for Edwards to break this team down… consider that (if my memory serves me correctly) the Chiefs were the #1 ranked offense in 2005. A year later, they head into their first playoff game in years against the worst rush defense in the league. And then put up probably the worst two quarters of postseason offensive football in the Super Bowl Era when they failed to earn a first down in the first half. While injuries and retirement played a part, I can’t get this simple word out of my head: Pathetic!

That being said, Edwards finished this season at .500 for his career, almost like a clean slate. He’s been able to coach up a bunch of teams with an unfavorable quarterback situation and still find a way into the postseason. “The Preacher” knows it’s all about playing to win the game, but I just can’t see the Chiefs ever going far under the coaching of Edwards. As assistants he has a decent enough squad, although Mike Solari isn’t Al Saunders, Kansas City fans.

3. San Diego Chargers

Head Coach: Norv Turner 58-82-1 (regular season). 0-1 (postseason).
Assistants: Clarence Shelmon (Offensive Coordinator), Ted Cottrell (Defensive Coordinator), Steve Crosby (Special Teams Coordinator), Ron Rivera (Inside Linebackers)

I was this close to ranking this squad of coaches ahead of the Chiefs, but when you consider that Norv Turner has more losses than Shanahan, and less than half as many wins… well, things become a bit more clear for you. After spending two years in the AFC West as the Raiders coach in 2004-05, Turner returns to the division with the same hopes from his club as last time, but probably with twice the expectations. Inheriting a 14-2 team is a rare thing in the National Football League, and Turner will be under tighter scrutiny because of it. He never had the success he’s enjoyed as an offensive coordinator in the league, but he hopes that having a truly talented team will be just what the doctor ordered. I don’t think it’ll be a raving success this year for the Chargers, but they’ll definitely be competitive with Ladainian Tomlinson and Shawne Merriman dominating the field.

But behind Turner, the Chargers have congregated a nice bunch of talent at the assistant coaching positions. Ron Rivera comes from the Super Bowl Bears, where he was interviewing for head coaching jobs one week and losing his job the next. I can still remember the awkward Sirius NFL Radio interview from a year ago, as current Defensive Coordinator Ted Cottrell found himself without a job. His resume was impressive, and I remember feeling bad for the guy… he’ll have a second chance in San Diego. Steve Crosby, their Special Teams coach, sent 3 of his players to the Pro Bowl last year and a fourth as an alternate – none too shabby. If Turner can keep this talent running smoothly, it’ll be another great year to watch the AFC West.

4. Oakland Raiders

Head Coach: Lane Kiffin 0-0-0 (regular season). 0-0 (postseason).
Assistants: Greg Knapp (Offensive Coordinator), Rob Ryan (Defensive Coordinator), Brian Schneider (Special Teams Coordinator), Tom Cable (Offensive Line)

I don’t know what to think of Lane Kiffin, other than he could potentially be a good coach. And potential he’s got plenty of – I’m hearing news of players buying into the system and working hard under their new 31-year-old coach. He’s bottom of the list because he hasn’t shown anything yet, and I’m not about to rank him above a losing coach who took a team to the playoffs once – at least not based on potential alone.

But he did make one very shrewd move in keeping Rob Ryan as his defensive coordinator. If Al Davis wasn’t so intent on hiring a young, offensive mind, Ryan would have had his shot as Raiders coach. This whole crew is mostly a mystery otherwise, having various experiences in Atlanta and the likes, but they’ll hope to show their worth in Kiffin’s first year.

Average Rank

1. Denver Broncos – 1.75
2. San Diego Chargers – 1.88
3. Kansas City Chiefs – 3.12
4. Oakland Raiders – 3.25

The Broncos pull ahead in this final installment of AFC West Watch. On Monday I’ll pick the winner of the division based on all these factors and more.