Kliff Kingsbury's got a busy few days ahead. The Washington Commanders' offensive coordinator did his chances of getting a head coaching job no harm with a first-half play-calling masterclass at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kingsbury's restored his reputation since joining the Commanders this offseason. He spent a year working alongside Caleb Williams at USC before taking an opportunity in the pros after he was fired by the Arizona Cardinals. It was a shrewd piece of business by Washington — one that represents a mutually beneficial arrangement that's brought significant improvements.
This was the biggest test for Kingsbury so far. The Commanders gained 12 wins and reached the playoffs in Year 1 under head coach Dan Quinn. Keeping this momentum going in the Wild Card round on the road was a different challenge entirely.
Todd Bowles' squad threw everything at the Commanders early. The Buccaneers' exotic blitz packages and disguised coverages looked to make things difficult. But unlike their first meeting in Week 1, Kingsbury had his offense humming from the first drive.
Kliff Kingsbury had the Commanders' offense humming at the Buccaneers
The Commanders were in complete control over the first half. They dictated the tempo through a balanced, up-tempo scheme that left the Buccaneers searching for answers. They got a little bit of luck with penalties in key moments, but this was better than even the brightest optimist envisaged.
Kingsbury deserves endless praise. He settled everyone down, allowed rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels to get into a rhythm, and didn't go away from the run. The play-caller permitted his signal-caller a sense of freedom to be creative when things weren't developing as expected. There's a genuine trust between the two that's spearheaded Washington's renaissance.
This won't be going unnoticed by teams who are looking to fill their head coaching vacancy in the coming weeks. The New Orleans Saints and Chicago Bears have formally asked to speak with Kingsbury. Whether he'll accept their interview requests remains to be seen, but his stock is only going up.
Losing Kingsbury would be a big blow to the Commanders. He's the perfect match for Daniels and the current personnel. One can only imagine how much things would improve when general manager Adam Peters gets to work on enhancing the supporting cast throughout the recruitment period.
That's for the future. For now, fans can relax safe in the knowledge Kingsbury knows how to put his offense in position to excel in the most hostile environments. They also know he's got a quarterback capable of executing the strategy with supreme conviction.
There was a long way to go, but Kingsbury's hot start won't exactly put teams off that's for sure.