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NFL Coach Power Rankings: Where Jay Gruden fits in among the 32 coaches

By Jacob Camenker

BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 29: Head coach Jay Gruden of the Washington Redskins talks with quarterback Kirk Cousins #8 of the Washington Redskins in the fourth quarter of a preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on August 29, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Matt Hazlett/ Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 29: Head coach Jay Gruden of the Washington Redskins talks with quarterback Kirk Cousins #8 of the Washington Redskins in the fourth quarter of a preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on August 29, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Matt Hazlett/ Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 31: Head coach Sean McVay of the Los Angeles Rams greets quarterback Sean Mannion #14 of the Los Angeles Rams throws the football during pre game warms up against San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 31, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 31: Head coach Sean McVay of the Los Angeles Rams greets quarterback Sean Mannion #14 of the Los Angeles Rams throws the football during pre game warms up against San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 31, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /

51. . Head Coach. Los Angeles Rams. Sean McVay. 5. player

There’s no question that Sean McVay was the best hire of the first-year coaches from last season. The former Redskins offensive coordinator turned around a woeful Rams team and made them into a legitimate contender. And he did all of this at the age of 32.

McVay’s first job as the Rams head coach was to revamp their offense. He had to turn Todd Gurley into the workhorse he looked like as a rookie, and transform Jared Goff into a quality NFL quarterback. This was after Goff had gone 0-7 completing 54 percent of his passes with a 5-to-7 TD-to-INT ratio. It was a tall order, but McVay delivered.

Gurley was arguably the Rams MVP, and he rushed for a career high 1,305 yards and 13 touchdowns. Even more impressive, Goff looked like a quality starter, and posted an 11-4 record while completing 62 percent of his passes for 3,804 yards and a whopping 28 touchdowns, all while throwing seven interceptions, the same amount he had thrown in the previous season.

This was thanks largely to McVay’s influence. His offensive system paid major dividends that are going to help the Rams to stay relevant in the NFC West for years to come. And it’s worth noting that the system was successful in Washington as well, where the Redskins finished with a top three offense in his final year with the team, despite the ineffective play of Kirk Cousins in the red zone.

Beyond the offensive success, McVay ensured that he was going to have a very strong defense as well. And how did he do that? By hiring Wade Phillips. The venerable Phillips has transformed the Rams defense into one of the best units in the league, and they only got stronger this offseason. As long as Phillips is at the helm, the Rams should be in good shape on defense.

McVay has a strong staff that he assembled, and is an excellent play caller with a strong offensive resume behind him. So, is there any weakness with him? Possibly.

In the event that the multitude of personalities in the Rams locker room clash, a la the Eagles “Dream Team” of 2011, the Rams could fail to live up to their lofty expectations. And McVay has to make sure that doesn’t happen, which will be a test for him. Of course, this is merely a hypothetical problem and McVay has lived up to expectations so far. So, why wouldn’t he be able to lead the team through that?

McVay has upside, youth, a strong staff, and a strong roster. He’s also one of the best offensive minds in the NFL. The 2017 Coach of the Year belongs in the top five, and barring an unexpected decline, he should remain near the top for years to come.

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