Adam Gase’s first season with the Jets has featured a little bit of good and a lot of bad.
New York was supposed to be on its way back to contender status under Gase. Instead, due to injuries and incompetence across the board, the Jets have sputtered to a 4-8 record.
Gase isn’t the only first-year head coach that has experienced disappointment in 2019. Likewise, there are plenty of other first-year coaches that have achieved great success throughout the year.
So, how does Gase stack up compared to other first-year head coaches? Let’s take a look.
Zac Taylor
What better way to kick things off than beginning with the coach who just defeated the Jets to pick up his first career win?
There’s not much sense in heaping praise upon Zac Taylor. It took him three months to win a game and considering who the victory came against, it’s really not all that impressive of a feat.
With that being said, Taylor inherited a roster seriously deprived of talent. His quarterbacks are over the hill Andy Dalton and Ryan Finley, who is clearly not up to the task of being an NFL quarterback despite putting together a solid career at NC State. He hasn’t had A.J. Green all year and Joe Mixon hasn’t been able to do much on the ground because of the atrocious offensive line he runs behind.
It would be unfair to paint Taylor as a bad coach considering what he’s working with. Until Cincinnati puts together an NFL-caliber roster, the verdict is still out on the former Sean McVay protege.
Brian Flores
Brian Flores also inherited an underwhelming roster, but at least he’s been able to get something out his players.
Ignore the Dolphins’ 3-9 record for a second. Miami plays hard every week, which is a reflection on the culture Flores is establishing down there. The Dolphins have had every reason to mail it in this season, but they have fought and been relatively competitive after taking their lumps early in the season.
It’s not unreasonable to believe Flores will one day achieve some sort of success in Miami. It might take a while, but Flores has the traits of a coach that can win games and get the most out of his team. He just needs a little help from his front office.
Freddie Kitchens
The Browns haven’t been quite as big of a circus as the Jets under Freddie Kitchens’ watch, but they’re getting there.
Don’t be deceived by Cleveland’s recent three-game winning streak. This is a team that was supposed to be near the top of the AFC North in 2019. Instead, they’ve been nothing short of a joke. Baker Mayfield can’t figure out when to stop talking. Odell Beckham Jr. has done nothing in his first season with the team. Myles Garrett…well, we all know his deal. Kitchens hasn’t been good, either, as his playcalling is more questionable than his decision to wear a “Pittsburgh started it” before playing the Steelers last week.
Browns’ fans are calling for Kitchens’ head less than a year into his tenure as head coach. There’s every chance that becomes a reality and Kitchens becomes the first casualty of last year’s coaching carousel.
Vic Fangio
If Vic Fangio had a quarterback and a couple of more weapons on offense, the Broncos would be competing for a playoff spot right now.
Denver’s defense has been excellent under Fangio’s watch. The offense? Well, you can only do so much when your quarterbacks have been Joe Flacco, Brandon Allen and rookie Drew Lock, who has potential but isn’t quite there yet.
The Broncos have the makings of a future contender with Fangio leading the way. They’re just a couple of pieces away.
Kliff Kingsbury
The Cardinals aren’t winning too much right now, but Kliff Kingsbury’s evaluation center around the development of Kyler Murray.
So far, so good on that front. Murray has struggled at times like most rookie quarterbacks, but he has played relatively well in Kingsbury’s system. Arizona’s defense leaves a lot to be desired, but that has more to do with the makeup of the roster more than anything else.
It’s going to take a while to figure out who Kingsbury really is as an NFL head coach. Classifying his tenure with the Cardinals to date as a mixed bag of results is a fair evaluation right now.
Bruce Arians
Is anyone surprised that Bruce Arians has things rolling in the right direction in Tampa Bay?
The NFC South isn’t exactly a gauntlet, but the Buccaneers are sitting in second place with Arians calling the shots — a far cry from where they were under Dirk Koetter. Jameis Winston is still insanely mistake-prone, but Arians has been able to find a way to win games nonetheless.
This could be the start of a fruitful stay for Arians in Tampa Bay. If he gets a couple of more impact players on defense next season, watch out for the Buccaneers.
Matt LaFleur
LaFleur is the only first-year head coach currently in possession of a playoff spot, as the Packers currently sit atop the NFC North.
Then again, he also inherited the best situation of any coach to get a job this offseason.
The former Los Angeles Rams and Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator has done well working with Aaron Rodgers to put together a 9-3 record. Working with Rodgers is no easy task and LaFleur has handled himself nicely in his first head coaching gig.
As is the case with anyone who coaches in Green Bay, LaFleur’s true evaluation will come in the postseason. If he wins, he’ll be lauded for his work. If he loses, he won’t be given much leeway moving forward.
