Riggo's Rag
FanSided

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) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
32 of 33
Next
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – FEBRUARY 04: Head coach Doug Pederson of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Tropy after his teams 41-33 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium on February 4, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the New England Patriots 41-33. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – FEBRUARY 04: Head coach Doug Pederson of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Tropy after his teams 41-33 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium on February 4, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the New England Patriots 41-33. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

Head Coach. Philadelphia Eagles. Doug Pederson. 2. player. 54.

This is an astronomical climb for Doug Pederson, but he has earned it after what he did in two seasons with the Eagles. The Eagles brought in Pederson to undo the damages in the wake of the Chip Kelly era. It was expected that because he was from the Andy Reid coaching tree, he would provide stability to the franchise. Making them a perennial playoff contender wasn’t necessarily the expectation. It was more about getting them back on track.

Pederson has vastly exceeded those expectations. In his first season with the team, he led the squad to a 7-9 record despite having Carson Wentz on as a rookie quarterback. In his second year, they won the Super Bowl despite the potential MVP Wentz. Backup Nick Foles was able to lead the team to victory in what was one of the greatest games of his life. And that was partially thanks to a great game plan by Pederson and that he trusted Foles when the backup called the “Philly Special” on fourth and goal.

Pederson meticulously chose a staff full of All-Star coaches who got the young Eagles into shape and seamlessly integrated the veterans into the team. Of course, general manager Howie Roseman played a role in this, for finding quality personnel and approving coaching hires, but Pederson deserves credit for what he did as well. Notably, defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz has done well to turn the defense into one of the best units in the league. His attacking 4-3 defense with a strong defensive line helped the Eagles to shut down quality opponents.

The hallmark of Peterson’s coaching style was his aggressive nature. He was never afraid to go for it in questionable situations. He knew his team and knew what they were capable of. This aggressive style instilled confidence in the Eagles, and also helped them to pull out some wins in close games.

Also, it’s worth noting that Pederson’s offensive units were fairly balanced when comparing the running and passing games. He kept opposing teams guessing and off-balance. And that’s how the team was able to win the Super Bowl.

Pederson still has a stacked roster that should be able to compete with most on a league-wide stage. Provided that he can keep the team motivated and stay aggressive, the Eagles will be a contender for a good stretch. And that seems like something that Pederson will be able to do.

Home/Commanders News