Four rookie NFL head coaches, 16 games, one tie, zero wins

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For the first time in NFL history, four rookie head coaches are winless through their team’s first four games.

Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury does have a tie, against the Lions, but the Broncos’ Vic Fangio, Bengals’ Zac Taylor and Dolphins’ Brian Flores have yet to get in either the tie or win column.

Here’s a closer look at the foursome:

Was he the right choice for the franchise? Looking only at the Cardinals’ 0-3-1 record, one might say Kliff Kingsbury wasn’t the right choice. But he’s a good fit for quarterback Kyler Murray, whom the Cardinals drafted first overall. Kingsbury is running essentially the same scheme Murray has run since the eighth grade and he’s known Murray since he was 15, so there’s a personal connection. Kingsbury will help Murray make the adjustment to the NFL better than any other coach in the league. It’ll take a year or two for Kingsbury to acquire the perfect personnel for his offense. And he’s also learning how to coach in the NFL, from a strategic, personnel and locker room standpoint. There’ll be a lot of bumps in Year 1, but as long as the Cardinals are committed to Murray, Kingsbury was the right choice.

Why haven’t the Cardinals won yet? It’s a combination of the offense not being able to score in the red zone — which, yes, can be largely pinned on Kingsbury — and the defense not being able to contain the run. Arizona has given up 586 rushing yards this season, the fifth most in the NFL. That means every team the Cardinals have played has rushed for more than 100 yards against them. That won’t win games. And in the red zone, Arizona has thrown 23 times, completing 13, both the fourth most in the NFL. That’s one area where Kingsbury’s passing mentality has been a detriment. Instead of pounding the ball in the red zone — the Cardinals have run the ball twice inside the 5, ranked 28th in the league — the Cardinals opt for the high-risk throw.

What’s been good, if anything? The Cardinals have been one of the best offenses in the NFL when they’re trailing in the fourth quarter. Under those conditions, the Cardinals are ranked third with 379 yards, second with four touchdowns, first with 28 first downs and seventh with 6.08 yards per rush. It’s not an achievement the Cardinals can be proud of because it means they haven’t entered the fourth quarter with a lead yet. Murray is third in pass attempts and 13th in passing yards, while wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald is ranked in the top 25 in receptions and receiving yards.

Predicted record: 2-13-1. There just simply aren’t many winnable games left on the Cardinals’ schedule. Of the 12 remaining games, the Cardinals’ best chances of winning are Sunday at Cincinnati, Week 6 against Atlanta and Week 14 against Pittsburgh — and that’s including a trip to the New York Giants in Week 7. Unless the Cardinals can flip a switch offensively and start scoring in the red zone — they have five touchdowns this season, ranked 25th in the NFL — they’ll continue on their current pace. If they can start closing out drives with touchdowns, they can win five or six games, maybe more. — Josh Weinfuss


Was he the right choice for the franchise? It’s still too early to tell if the Bengals made the right decision by hiring Taylor. Not only are the Bengals only four weeks into the season, but it’s hard to figure out how much blame should be placed on his shoulders. Taylor admitted he has to be better as a playcaller to help the offense maximize its potential. However, it’s clear Taylor has only so much to work with. The Bengals’ offensive line has given up the second-most sacks in the NFL. Defensively, Cincinnati is 30th in the NFL in yards allowed per play. The holes in the roster can’t be addressed until the offseason, at the earliest.



Source : ESPN