Five Carolina Panthers Coaching Candidates were on display during the Divisional Round. How did their performances stack up?
With only four games this past weekend, Carolina Panthers fans could focus on assessing the five coaching candidates still in the playoffs. In a weekend packed with action, one candidate shined among the rest.
5. Dave Canales, Buccaneers Offensive Coordinator
There was a moment where Dave Canales nearly had the best performance of the Panthers coaching candidates. At the end of the third quarter, the Detroit Lions blitzed on a third-down red-zone attempt. Canales responded by calling a screenplay, a classic blitz beater, that led to a Rachaad White 12-yard touchdown. It was a stroke of genius.
However, as the fourth quarter progressed, the Buccaneers offense lacked creativity. Additionally, Canales seemingly refused to unleash Tampa Bay’s fastest receiver in Trey Palmer to threaten the Lions’ secondary. Canales’ Sunday performance had highs and lows, ending in an eventual loss for the Buccaneers.
4. Bobby Slowick, Texans Offensive Coordinator
The Houston Texans have been playing with house money for much of the season. Unfortunately, their Cinderella story came crashing down on Saturday. As the lowest remaining seed in the AFC, they faced the top-seeded Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens have a historic defense and an elite offense. It is no shock that the Texans struggled.
In particular, the Texans struggled in pass protection. Their inability to run the ball made them one-dimensional, making them predictable and beatable. Bobby Slowick deserves a lot of credit for how far he took this offense given all of the injuries they faced. And yet, it is hard to rank him higher when the Texans only put up 10 points. For what the Panthers need, he is still a top-three coaching candidate. But unfortunately, he did not shine on Saturday.
3. Ben Johnson, Lions Offensive Coordinator
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense came ready to take it to the Detroit Lions. As such, the Lions had a slow start on Sunday, but Ben Johnson played the long game. Sunday’s game displayed Johnson’s offensive creativity and strategic prowess. He excelled at creating tendencies early in the game and then counteracting them at the opportune moment. The only reason Johnson does not rank higher on this list is because the Baltimore Ravens exist. That said, Johnson’s performance against a division rival makes him an enticing Carolina Panthers coaching candidate.
2. Todd Monken, Ravens Offensive Coordinator
The Baltimore Ravens offense was excellent on Saturday despite a slow start. Going into halftime, the game was tied at 10 points. But the Ravens offense made halftime adjustments to put up 24 points in the second half. Much of that credit goes to the elite performance of the presumptive MVP in Lamar Jackson.
That said, this game demonstrated Todd Monken’s ability to set up Jackson for success. Jackson always had answers available when the Texans blitzed. Additionally, the Ravens’ offense remained unpredictable. They were so unpredictable, that the Texans failed to contemplate that Jackson might run the ball on a couple of occasions. Getting defenses to fail to account for Jackson’s leg may be the greatest accomplishment of all time.
1. Mike Macdonald, Ravens Defensive Coordinator
It warrants attention when a defense does not allow a single touchdown during a playoff game. That’s right, the Baltimore Ravens defense prevented the Texans from getting into the endzone on Saturday. Mike Macdonald continued his masterclass in defensive disguises. It was too much to handle for rookie quarterback CJ Stroud.
The biggest outstanding question about Macdonald is how he will oversee the offensive side of the ball as a defensive-minded head coach. A Macdonald hire would require an intentional choice at offensive coordinator. But having a defensive mind like Macdonald could benefit Bryce Young, who could learn how to read defenses from one of the best in the business.
Three Carolina Panthers coaching candidates remain in the playoff race. Who will put their final stamp on their application during Championship Weekend?
Main Photo: [Bob Donnan] – USA Today Sports
