Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA TODAY Thu, October 22, 2026 at 12:02 PM UTC · 13 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Through six weeks , the NFL hasn't had a firing at the top coaching levels.
That period of quiet, however, might not extend much longer.
As the league approaches its midseason point, several head coaches find themselves firmly on the hot seat . But with many teams still harboring hopes of mounting a push that will put them right back into the playoff hunt, immediate action to topple an entire power structure might not be imminent.
Yet it could be a different story at the coordinator level, where teams typically are less reserved about making a change during the season. And while there haven't been any full dismissals yet, two coordinators – the Houston Texans' Matt Burke (defense) and Denver Broncos' Davis Webb (offense) – have already had their respective head coaches strip them of their play-calling duties.
Regardless of whether their jobs are in jeopardy, here are 13 NFL coordinators under the most pressure to reverse their early-season trend lines:
See some of the season's most notable touchdown celebrations from around the NFL. Above, Deebo Samuel Sr. #19 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter of the NFL football game against Los Angeles Rams at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 11, 2026 in Melbourne, Australia. (Quinn Rooney, Getty Images) Parker Washington of the Jacksonville Jaguars celebrates scoring his teams first touchdown during the 2026 NFL London Games match between Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 11, 2026 in London, England. (Ryan Pierse, Getty Images) Parker Washington of the Jacksonville Jaguars celebrates scoring his teams first touchdown with teammates during the 2026 NFL London Games match between Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 11, 2026 in London, England. (Ryan Pierse, Getty Images) J.K. Dobbins #27 of the Denver Broncos runs for a rushing touchdown during the first quarter of the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on October 11, 2026 in Inglewood, California. (Katelyn Mulcahy, Getty Images) Christian McCaffrey #23 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates with Dominick Puni #77 after his rushing touchdown against the Seattle Seahawks during the second quarter at Lumen Field on October 11, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Steph Chambers, Getty Images) Jordan Love #10 of the Green Bay Packers celebrates a touchdown pass against the Chicago Bears during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field on October 11, 2026 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Michael Reaves, Getty Images) Pat Freiermuth #88 of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates after catching a 17-yard touchdown pass against the Indianapolis Colts in the second half at Acrisure Stadium on October 11, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Justin K. Aller, Getty Images) C.J. Stroud #7 of the Houston Texans celebrates with Nico Collins #12 after scoring a touchdown during the third quarter of the game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on October 11, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Justin Ford, Getty Images) Marshawn Lloyd #32 of the Green Bay Packers leaps into the stands after a touchdown against the Chicago Bears during the second quarter at Lambeau Field on October 11, 2026 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Daniel Bartel, Getty Images) Pat Freiermuth #88 of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates his touchdown with Darnell Washington #80 during the second quarter against the Indianapolis Colts at Acrisure Stadium on October 11, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Joe Sargent, Getty Images) Myles Price #4 of the Minnesota Vikings celebrates his punt return for a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half at Raymond James Stadium on September 27, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Mike Carlson, Getty Images) Amon-Ra St. Brown #14 of the Detroit Lions celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills during the third quarter of the game at Highmark Stadium on September 17, 2026 in Orchard Park, New York. (Bryan M. Bennett, Getty Images) Christian Watson #9 of the Green Bay Packers celebrates with fans after scoring a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons during the first quarter of the game at Lambeau Field on September 24, 2026 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Geoff Stellfox, Getty Images) Mike Gesicki #88 of the Cincinnati Bengals celebrate after scoring a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first quarter of the game at Paycor Stadium on September 13, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Michael Hickey, Getty Images) Dawson Knox #88 of the Buffalo Bills celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Detroit Lions during the second quarter of the game at Highmark Stadium on September 17, 2026 in Orchard Park, New York. (Bryan M. Bennett, Getty Images) Zay Flowers #4 of the Baltimore Ravens celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the second quarter of the game against the Tennessee Titans at M&T Bank Stadium on October 04, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Patrick Smith, Getty Images) Tyler Shough #6 of the New Orleans Saints celebrates a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons during the second quarter of the game at Caesars Superdome on October 05, 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Chris Graythen, Getty Images) Tetairoa McMillan #4 of the Carolina Panthers celebrates a second quarter touchdown against the Detroit Lions at Bank of America Stadium on October 04, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (David Jensen, Getty Images) Deshaun Watson #4 of the Cleveland Browns celebrates a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second quarter of the game at Huntington Bank Field on October 01, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Jason Miller, Getty Images) George Kittle #85 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates scoring a touchdown on a 56 yard pass play against the Denver Broncos in the fourth quarter at Levi's Stadium on October 04, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. (Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images) Kenneth Walker III #9 of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates with Patrick Mahomes #15 after scoring a touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders during the fourth quarter at Allegiant Stadium on October 04, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Chris Unger, Getty Images) Ceedee Lamb #88 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Houston Texans during the fourth quarter at NRG Stadium on October 04, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Alex Slitz, Getty Images) Cam Skattebo #44 of the New York Giants runs for a touchdown as Isaiah Likely #9 of the New York Giants celebrates during the first quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium on September 13, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Evan Bernstein, Getty Images) Derrick Henry #22 of the Baltimore Ravens celebrates after scoring a touchdown with Lamar Jackson #8 against the New Orleans Saints during the first quarter of the game at M&T Bank Stadium on September 20, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Patrick Smith, Getty Images) Jonathan Taylor #28 and Keenan Allen #10 of the Indianapolis Colts celebrate after a touchdown during the first half of the game against the Houston Texans at Lucas Oil Stadium on September 27, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Johnnie Izquierdo, Getty Images) Kyren Williams #23 of the Los Angeles Rams celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter of the NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 11, 2026 in Melbourne, Australia. (Quinn Rooney, Getty Images) Garrett Wilson #5 of the New York Jets celebrates after scoring a touchdown with Kenyon Sadiq #16 against the Green Bay Packers during the third quarter of the game at MetLife Stadium on September 20, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Al Bello, Getty Images) Jahmyr Gibbs #0 of the Detroit Lions celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the New Orleans Saints of the game at Ford Field on September 13, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Gregory Shamus, Getty Images) Aaron Jones Sr. #33 of the Minnesota Vikings celebrates with fans after his rushing touchdown against the Green Bay Packers in the fourth quarter of a game at U.S. Bank Stadium on September 13, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Stephen Maturen, Getty Images) Ja'marr Chase #1 of the Cincinnati Bengals celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Houston Texans during the second quarter of the game at NRG Stadium on September 20, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Tim Warner, Getty Images) Terrance Ferguson #18 of the Los Angeles Rams celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the New York Giants during the fourth quarter of the game at SoFi Stadium on September 21, 2026 in Inglewood, California. (Harry How, Getty Images) Jonathan Taylor #28 of the Indianapolis Colts celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens during the second quarter of the game at Lucas Oil Stadium on September 13, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Andy Lyons, Getty Images) James Cook III #4 of the Buffalo Bills celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown against the Detroit Lions during the fourth quarter of the game at Highmark Stadium on September 17, 2026 in Orchard Park, New York. (Timothy T Ludwig, Getty Images) Demarcus Robinson #11 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter of the NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 11, 2026 in Melbourne, Australia. (Quinn Rooney, Getty Images) Caleb Williams #18 of the Chicago Bears celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers during the first half of the game at Bank of America Stadium on September 13, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Jared C. Tilton, Getty Images) Dallas Goedert #88 of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates after his receiving touchdown against the Washington Commanders in the second quarter of a game at Lincoln Financial Field on September 13, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Emilee Chinn, Getty Images) Evan Engram #1 of the Denver Broncos celebrates with Quinn Meinerz #77 after scoring a 19 yard touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first quarter in the game at Arrowhead Stadium on September 14, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Jamie Squire, Getty Images) Kirk Cousins #8 of the Las Vegas Raiders celebrates after throwing a touchdown pass during the second quarter against the New Orleans Saints at Caesars Superdome on September 27, 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Chris Graythen, Getty Images) Jaxon Smith-Njigba #11 of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates after scoring a 45 yard touchdown against the New England Patriots during the fourth quarter in the game at Lumen Field on September 09, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Steph Chambers, Getty Images) Case Keenum #11 of the Chicago Bears celebrates after a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first quarter of the game at Soldier Field on September 28, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Michael Reaves, Getty Images) Cody White #82 of the Las Vegas Raiders celebrates his third quarter touchdown against the Los Angeles Chargers with Ashton Jeanty #2 at SoFi Stadium on September 20, 2026 in Inglewood, California. (Harry How, Getty Images) Bijan Robinson #7 of the Atlanta Falcons celebrates with Chris Lindstrom #63 after scoring a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter of the game at Lambeau Field on September 24, 2026 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Geoff Stellfox, Getty Images) George Kittle #85 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after his team's touchdown against the Miami Dolphins in the third quarter of a game at Levi's Stadium on September 20, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. (Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images) Trey McBride #85 of the Arizona Cardinals celebrates his touchdown with Paris Johnson Jr. #70 during the first quarter of the game against the Seattle Seahawks at State Farm Stadium on September 20, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Christian Petersen, Getty Images) Baltimore Ravens' running back #22 Derrick Henry celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the NFL match between the Dallas Cowboys and the Baltimore Ravens at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on September 27, 2026. (MAURO PIMENTEL, AFP via Getty Images) Ceedee Lamb #88 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates a touchdown during the second quarter against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on September 13, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Evan Bernstein, Getty Images) Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates a touchdown against the Washington Commanders during the fourth quarter at AT&T Stadium on September 20, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Stacy Revere, Getty Images) Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the second quarter against the Houston Texans of the game at NRG Stadium on September 13, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Alex Slitz, Getty Images) Kyle Juszczyk #44 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after his receiving touchdown against the Miami Dolphins in the third quarter of a game at Levi's Stadium on September 20, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. (Ezra Shaw, Getty Images) Trey McBride #85 of the Arizona Cardinals celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown, to take a 23-14 lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers, during the fourth quarter at SoFi Stadium on September 13, 2026 in Inglewood, California. (Harry How, Getty Images) Aaron Rodgers #8 of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates a touchdown against the Cleveland Browns during the first quarter of the game at Huntington Bank Field on October 01, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Gregory Shamus, Getty Images) Emeka Egbuka #2 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrates after scoring a touchdown with Cade Otton #88 against the Cleveland Browns during the third quarter of the game at Raymond James Stadium on September 20, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Parker S. Freedman, Getty Images) Braelon Allen #0 of the New York Jets celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Tennessee Titans during the third quarter of the game at Nissan Stadium on September 13, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Chris Carter, Getty Images) Marshawn Lloyd #32 of the Green Bay Packers celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the New York Jets with Skyy Moore #23 and Kitan Oladapo #27 during the second quarter of the game at MetLife Stadium on September 20, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Al Bello, Getty Images) 1 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season See some of the season's most notable touchdown celebrations from around the NFL. Above, Deebo Samuel Sr. #19 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter of the NFL football game against Los Angeles Rams at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 11, 2026 in Melbourne, Australia. (Quinn Rooney, Getty Images) 1 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season See some of the season's most notable touchdown celebrations from around the NFL. Above, Deebo Samuel Sr. #19 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter of the NFL football game against Los Angeles Rams at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 11, 2026 in Melbourne, Australia. (Quinn Rooney, Getty Images) 2 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Parker Washington of the Jacksonville Jaguars celebrates scoring his teams first touchdown during the 2026 NFL London Games match between Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 11, 2026 in London, England. (Ryan Pierse, Getty Images) 3 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Parker Washington of the Jacksonville Jaguars celebrates scoring his teams first touchdown with teammates during the 2026 NFL London Games match between Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 11, 2026 in London, England. (Ryan Pierse, Getty Images) 4 / 54 NFL Week 5 highlights, standout performances and reactions J.K. Dobbins #27 of the Denver Broncos runs for a rushing touchdown during the first quarter of the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on October 11, 2026 in Inglewood, California. (Katelyn Mulcahy, Getty Images) 5 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Christian McCaffrey #23 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates with Dominick Puni #77 after his rushing touchdown against the Seattle Seahawks during the second quarter at Lumen Field on October 11, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Steph Chambers, Getty Images) 6 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Jordan Love #10 of the Green Bay Packers celebrates a touchdown pass against the Chicago Bears during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field on October 11, 2026 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Michael Reaves, Getty Images) 7 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Pat Freiermuth #88 of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates after catching a 17-yard touchdown pass against the Indianapolis Colts in the second half at Acrisure Stadium on October 11, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Justin K. Aller, Getty Images) 8 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season C.J. Stroud #7 of the Houston Texans celebrates with Nico Collins #12 after scoring a touchdown during the third quarter of the game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on October 11, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Justin Ford, Getty Images) 9 / 54 NFL Week 5 highlights, standout performances and reactions Marshawn Lloyd #32 of the Green Bay Packers leaps into the stands after a touchdown against the Chicago Bears during the second quarter at Lambeau Field on October 11, 2026 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Daniel Bartel, Getty Images) 10 / 54 NFL Week 5 highlights, standout performances and reactions Pat Freiermuth #88 of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates his touchdown with Darnell Washington #80 during the second quarter against the Indianapolis Colts at Acrisure Stadium on October 11, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Joe Sargent, Getty Images) 11 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Myles Price #4 of the Minnesota Vikings celebrates his punt return for a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half at Raymond James Stadium on September 27, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Mike Carlson, Getty Images) 12 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Amon-Ra St. Brown #14 of the Detroit Lions celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills during the third quarter of the game at Highmark Stadium on September 17, 2026 in Orchard Park, New York. (Bryan M. Bennett, Getty Images) 13 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Christian Watson #9 of the Green Bay Packers celebrates with fans after scoring a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons during the first quarter of the game at Lambeau Field on September 24, 2026 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Geoff Stellfox, Getty Images) 14 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Mike Gesicki #88 of the Cincinnati Bengals celebrate after scoring a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first quarter of the game at Paycor Stadium on September 13, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Michael Hickey, Getty Images) 15 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Dawson Knox #88 of the Buffalo Bills celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Detroit Lions during the second quarter of the game at Highmark Stadium on September 17, 2026 in Orchard Park, New York. (Bryan M. Bennett, Getty Images) 16 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Zay Flowers #4 of the Baltimore Ravens celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the second quarter of the game against the Tennessee Titans at M&T Bank Stadium on October 04, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Patrick Smith, Getty Images) 17 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Tyler Shough #6 of the New Orleans Saints celebrates a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons during the second quarter of the game at Caesars Superdome on October 05, 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Chris Graythen, Getty Images) 18 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Tetairoa McMillan #4 of the Carolina Panthers celebrates a second quarter touchdown against the Detroit Lions at Bank of America Stadium on October 04, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (David Jensen, Getty Images) 19 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Deshaun Watson #4 of the Cleveland Browns celebrates a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second quarter of the game at Huntington Bank Field on October 01, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Jason Miller, Getty Images) 20 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season George Kittle #85 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates scoring a touchdown on a 56 yard pass play against the Denver Broncos in the fourth quarter at Levi's Stadium on October 04, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. (Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images) 21 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Kenneth Walker III #9 of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates with Patrick Mahomes #15 after scoring a touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders during the fourth quarter at Allegiant Stadium on October 04, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Chris Unger, Getty Images) 22 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Ceedee Lamb #88 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Houston Texans during the fourth quarter at NRG Stadium on October 04, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Alex Slitz, Getty Images) 23 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Cam Skattebo #44 of the New York Giants runs for a touchdown as Isaiah Likely #9 of the New York Giants celebrates during the first quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium on September 13, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Evan Bernstein, Getty Images) 24 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Derrick Henry #22 of the Baltimore Ravens celebrates after scoring a touchdown with Lamar Jackson #8 against the New Orleans Saints during the first quarter of the game at M&T Bank Stadium on September 20, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Patrick Smith, Getty Images) 25 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Jonathan Taylor #28 and Keenan Allen #10 of the Indianapolis Colts celebrate after a touchdown during the first half of the game against the Houston Texans at Lucas Oil Stadium on September 27, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Johnnie Izquierdo, Getty Images) 26 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Kyren Williams #23 of the Los Angeles Rams celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter of the NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 11, 2026 in Melbourne, Australia. (Quinn Rooney, Getty Images) 27 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Garrett Wilson #5 of the New York Jets celebrates after scoring a touchdown with Kenyon Sadiq #16 against the Green Bay Packers during the third quarter of the game at MetLife Stadium on September 20, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Al Bello, Getty Images) 28 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Jahmyr Gibbs #0 of the Detroit Lions celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the New Orleans Saints of the game at Ford Field on September 13, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Gregory Shamus, Getty Images) 29 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Aaron Jones Sr. #33 of the Minnesota Vikings celebrates with fans after his rushing touchdown against the Green Bay Packers in the fourth quarter of a game at U.S. Bank Stadium on September 13, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Stephen Maturen, Getty Images) 30 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Ja'marr Chase #1 of the Cincinnati Bengals celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Houston Texans during the second quarter of the game at NRG Stadium on September 20, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Tim Warner, Getty Images) 31 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Terrance Ferguson #18 of the Los Angeles Rams celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the New York Giants during the fourth quarter of the game at SoFi Stadium on September 21, 2026 in Inglewood, California. (Harry How, Getty Images) 32 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Jonathan Taylor #28 of the Indianapolis Colts celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens during the second quarter of the game at Lucas Oil Stadium on September 13, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Andy Lyons, Getty Images) 33 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season James Cook III #4 of the Buffalo Bills celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown against the Detroit Lions during the fourth quarter of the game at Highmark Stadium on September 17, 2026 in Orchard Park, New York. (Timothy T Ludwig, Getty Images) 34 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Demarcus Robinson #11 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter of the NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 11, 2026 in Melbourne, Australia. (Quinn Rooney, Getty Images) 35 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Caleb Williams #18 of the Chicago Bears celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers during the first half of the game at Bank of America Stadium on September 13, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Jared C. Tilton, Getty Images) 36 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Dallas Goedert #88 of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates after his receiving touchdown against the Washington Commanders in the second quarter of a game at Lincoln Financial Field on September 13, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Emilee Chinn, Getty Images) 37 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Evan Engram #1 of the Denver Broncos celebrates with Quinn Meinerz #77 after scoring a 19 yard touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first quarter in the game at Arrowhead Stadium on September 14, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Jamie Squire, Getty Images) 38 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Kirk Cousins #8 of the Las Vegas Raiders celebrates after throwing a touchdown pass during the second quarter against the New Orleans Saints at Caesars Superdome on September 27, 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Chris Graythen, Getty Images) 39 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Jaxon Smith-Njigba #11 of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates after scoring a 45 yard touchdown against the New England Patriots during the fourth quarter in the game at Lumen Field on September 09, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Steph Chambers, Getty Images) 40 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Case Keenum #11 of the Chicago Bears celebrates after a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first quarter of the game at Soldier Field on September 28, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Michael Reaves, Getty Images) 41 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Cody White #82 of the Las Vegas Raiders celebrates his third quarter touchdown against the Los Angeles Chargers with Ashton Jeanty #2 at SoFi Stadium on September 20, 2026 in Inglewood, California. (Harry How, Getty Images) 42 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Bijan Robinson #7 of the Atlanta Falcons celebrates with Chris Lindstrom #63 after scoring a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter of the game at Lambeau Field on September 24, 2026 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Geoff Stellfox, Getty Images) 43 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season George Kittle #85 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after his team's touchdown against the Miami Dolphins in the third quarter of a game at Levi's Stadium on September 20, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. (Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images) 44 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Trey McBride #85 of the Arizona Cardinals celebrates his touchdown with Paris Johnson Jr. #70 during the first quarter of the game against the Seattle Seahawks at State Farm Stadium on September 20, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Christian Petersen, Getty Images) 45 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Baltimore Ravens' running back #22 Derrick Henry celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the NFL match between the Dallas Cowboys and the Baltimore Ravens at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on September 27, 2026. (MAURO PIMENTEL, AFP via Getty Images) 46 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Ceedee Lamb #88 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates a touchdown during the second quarter against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on September 13, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Evan Bernstein, Getty Images) 47 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates a touchdown against the Washington Commanders during the fourth quarter at AT&T Stadium on September 20, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Stacy Revere, Getty Images) 48 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the second quarter against the Houston Texans of the game at NRG Stadium on September 13, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Alex Slitz, Getty Images) 49 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Kyle Juszczyk #44 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after his receiving touchdown against the Miami Dolphins in the third quarter of a game at Levi's Stadium on September 20, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. (Ezra Shaw, Getty Images) 50 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Trey McBride #85 of the Arizona Cardinals celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown, to take a 23-14 lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers, during the fourth quarter at SoFi Stadium on September 13, 2026 in Inglewood, California. (Harry How, Getty Images) 51 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Aaron Rodgers #8 of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates a touchdown against the Cleveland Browns during the first quarter of the game at Huntington Bank Field on October 01, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Gregory Shamus, Getty Images) 52 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Emeka Egbuka #2 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrates after scoring a touchdown with Cade Otton #88 against the Cleveland Browns during the third quarter of the game at Raymond James Stadium on September 20, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Parker S. Freedman, Getty Images) 53 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Braelon Allen #0 of the New York Jets celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Tennessee Titans during the third quarter of the game at Nissan Stadium on September 13, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Chris Carter, Getty Images) 54 / 54 Best touchdown celebrations NFL fans won't forget from the 2026 season Marshawn Lloyd #32 of the Green Bay Packers celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the New York Jets with Skyy Moore #23 and Kitan Oladapo #27 during the second quarter of the game at MetLife Stadium on September 20, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Al Bello, Getty Images) Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Nick Rallis A stark turnaround in an 18-16 win over the Rams likely lowered the temperature on Rallis considerably. Still, the holdover from Jonathan Gannon's coaching staff can't let that performance be an outlier. No other team has allowed more points per game than Arizona (29.7), which also has ranked among the league's least efficient units in generating pressure. But Rallis wisely pivoted from his previous reliance on four-man rushes and unleashed a bevy of blitzes against the Rams to great effect. A similar approach might be required to prop up a group that's still short on top talent on that side of the ball.
Unlike some others on this list, Leonhard probably isn't facing questions of job security as he oversees a fairly significant shift in adapting former coach Sean McDermott's defense to a radically different scheme. But with Buffalo otherwise looking capable of competing for its first title, he's hardly off the hook.
The Bills have raced to a 5-1 start despite giving up 29 or more points in all but one of their first six games. Weekly shootouts surely aren't what was envisioned by Leonhard, who came over after helping the Denver Broncos become one of the league's most stifling units the last two years. But with the defense liable to give up big gains whenever edge rusher Greg Rousseau or defensive tackle Deone Walker don't create sufficient disruption, Buffalo's defense has made for a wild ride. There might be only so much that Leonhard can do to cover for a glaring problem at corner and other holes, but this might be the greatest impediment to a Josh Allen Super Bowl run if left unaddressed.
With Brian Schottenheimer's offense weighing Dallas down the last two weeks, Parker is no longer the sole target of scorn on the Cowboys' coaching staff. Still, things seem mighty unsettled for a defensive play-caller who only needed to bring about modest progress to be considered successful in Year 1.
It's easy to see why Jerry Jones and Co. sought to bring Mike Pettine out of retirement as additional support for Parker. Dallas ranks 31st in defensive EPA per play (+0.12) while sitting last for defensive EPA per dropback (+0.28) and rushing yards per game (149.8). At least the move to bring on Pettine seems like a sincere attempt to aid Parker rather than a warning shot to him. And with the Cowboys having a healthier roster than any of its NFC East foes and a schedule that serves up five teams with losing records in the next six contests, there's reason to believe that better days are ahead. But if Dallas can't box in a severely shorthanded Eagles attack, things could get dire in a hurry.
There's nowhere to hide for a Detroit defense that, even after a promising performance against the Cardinals, ranks last in yards allowed per game (404.4, nearly 20 more than the next closest team) and defensive EPA/play (+0.13). A good portion of the Lions' woes can be attributed to personnel shortcomings, particularly in a woefully undermanned secondary. Still, even though Sheppard said it was insulting to suggest his unit was being carried by the offense, how else would you explain the Lions' results this season besides pointing to the disparity between the two groups?
Lions coach Dan Campbell has tried to take the focus away from the defense, saying that all parts of the operation can stand to improve. Even if he ends up being given a good deal more grace than others on this list, Sheppard has to start conjuring solutions for a team at risk of squandering a fifth consecutive season with a top-five offense in both yardage and scoring. Bracketing Cardinals tight end Trey McBride and wide receiver Michael Wilson to keep both in check was a good first step. Still, ultra-versatile safety Brian Branch's season debut comes at a critical time, with Detroit challenged to slow down the Green Bay Packers' explosive downfield passing attack.
While Colts coach Shane Steichen appears safe for the time, owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon put everyone in Indianapolis on notice this week with the firing of general manager Chris Ballard . Change is afoot for an organization that earlier this year seemed committed to the status quo, and it's hard to imagine the upheaval will stop at Ballard's dismissal.
One year after Anarumo's complex coverages and simulated pressures had opponents turned around, the Colts' defense now only seems to be confounding itself. Missed tackles have become a fixture of the unit, with its vulnerabilities at the second level and over the middle becoming even more pronounced. Indianapolis ranks last in rushing EPA/play allowed (+0.05), per Next Gen Stats. And with a league-worst pressure rate of 24.4% and just three takeaways, the defense has been just as bad at generating splash plays as it has been at preventing them. Defensive tackle and team captain DeForest Buckner's declaration that he was "sick and tired of the same song and dance every year" after a loss to the Titans was a rough look for the team. But it's likely that sentiment is shared by some decision-makers who probably will try to take corrective action on that trajectory.
Week 5: The mascot of the Arizona Cardinals, Big Red, performs before the game against the Detroit Lions at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. (Christian Petersen, Getty Images) Week 5: New England Patriots cheerleaders perform during the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Gillette Stadium. (David Butler II, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) Week 5: San Francisco 49ers fans cheer as Brock Purdy #13 leaves the field after defeating the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on October 11, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Steph Chambers, Getty Images) Week 5: A Seattle Seahawks fan cheers during the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on October 11, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Steph Chambers, Getty Images) Week 5: Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson does a Lambeau Leap after scoring a touchdown against the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field. The Packers defeated the Bears, 31-7 . (Sarah Kloepping, Green Bay Press-Gazette) Week 5: Fans look on from the stands during the game between the New York Giants and Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland. The game ended in a 27-27 tie . (Patrick Smith, Getty Images) Week 5: The mascot of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Jaxson de Ville, performs before the game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Jaguars at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. The Jaguars won the game, 19-17 . (Nathan Ray Seebeck, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) Week 5: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders perform before the "Thursday Night Football" game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at AT&T Stadium on October 8, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Ron Jenkins, Getty Images) Week 5: Singer and songwriter Lainey Wilson dances with members of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders before the "Thursday Night Football" game between the Cowboys and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at AT&T Stadium. (Ron Jenkins, Getty Images) Week 4: The San Francisco 49ers Gold Rush cheerleaders take the field before a game against the Denver Broncos at Levi's Stadium. (Darren Yamashita, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) Week 4: Seattle Seahawks fans hold cutouts of quarterback Sam Darnold prior to the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Lumen Field. (Joe Nicholson, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) Week 4: Houston Texans mascot Toro and Superfan pose for a photo prior to the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Reliant Stadium. (Thomas Shea, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) Week 4: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers cheerleaders perform before the game against the Green Bay Packers at Raymond James Stadium. (Jonathan Dyer, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) Week 4: A young fan of the Baltimore Ravens looks on before the start of the game against the Tennessee Titans at M&T Bank Stadium. (Tommy Gilligan, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) Week 4: Washington Commanders mascot Major Tuddy holds a camera during the second quarter of the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England. (Kirby Lee, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) Week 3: Denver Broncos cheerleaders perform during the "Sunday Night Football" game against the Los Angeles Rams at Empower Field at Mile High.
Week 3: The Maracanã Stadium gets set to host the International Series game between the Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Week 3: Corgi dog competitions take place during halftime of the game between the Detroit Lions and New York Jets at Ford Field.
Week 3: A fan looks on during warmups prior to the game between the Cleveland Browns and Carolina Panthers at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland, Ohio.
Week 2: Singer Taylor Swift watches the game between the Indianapolis Colts and Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.
Week 2: The Canadian and U.S. anthems are sung during a pregame ceremony before the "Thursday Night Football" game between Detroit Lions and Buffalo Bills at new Highmark Stadium.
Week 1: Singer Taylor Swift and actor Tom Cruise attend the "Monday Night Football" game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos at Arrowhead Stadium.
Week 1: Fans arrive ahead of the NFL game between the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (in Melbourne, Australia. The 49ers won the first NFL game played in Australia, 27-7 .
Week 1: Kim Thayil of Soundgarden and Mike McCready of Pearl Jam perform during halftime of the 2026 NFL Kickoff Game between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots at Lumen Field.
1 / 37 Cheerleaders, celebrities, fans and mascots at NFL games during 2026 season Week 5: The mascot of the Arizona Cardinals, Big Red, performs before the game against the Detroit Lions at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. (Christian Petersen, Getty Images) 1 / 37 Cheerleaders, celebrities, fans and mascots at NFL games during 2026 season Week 5: The mascot of the Arizona Cardinals, Big Red, performs before the game against the Detroit Lions at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. (Christian Petersen, Getty Images) 2 / 37 Cheerleaders, celebrities, fans and mascots at NFL games during 2026 season Week 5: New England Patriots cheerleaders perform during the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Gillette Stadium. (David Butler II, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) 3 / 37 Cheerleaders, celebrities, fans and mascots at NFL games during 2026 season Week 5: San Francisco 49ers fans cheer as Brock Purdy #13 leaves the field after defeating the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on October 11, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Steph Chambers, Getty Images) 4 / 37 Cheerleaders, celebrities, fans and mascots at NFL games during 2026 season Week 5: A Seattle Seahawks fan cheers during the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on October 11, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Steph Chambers, Getty Images) 5 / 37 Cheerleaders, celebrities, fans and mascots at NFL games during 2026 season Week 5: Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson does a Lambeau Leap after scoring a touchdown against the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field. The Packers defeated the Bears, 31-7 . (Sarah Kloepping, Green Bay Press-Gazette) 6 / 37 Cheerleaders, celebrities, fans and mascots at NFL games during 2026 season Week 5: Fans look on from the stands during the game between the New York Giants and Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland. The game ended in a 27-27 tie . (Patrick Smith, Getty Images) 7 / 37 Cheerleaders, celebrities, fans and mascots at NFL games during 2026 season Week 5: The mascot of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Jaxson de Ville, performs before the game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Jaguars at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. The Jaguars won the game, 19-17 . (Nathan Ray Seebeck, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) 8 / 37 NFL Week 5 highlights, standout performances and reactions Week 5: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders perform before the "Thursday Night Football" game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at AT&T Stadium on October 8, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Ron Jenkins, Getty Images) 9 / 37 Cheerleaders, celebrities, fans and mascots at NFL games during 2026 season Week 5: Singer and songwriter Lainey Wilson dances with members of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders before the "Thursday Night Football" game between the Cowboys and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at AT&T Stadium. (Ron Jenkins, Getty Images) 10 / 37 Cheerleaders, celebrities, fans and mascots at NFL games during 2026 season Week 4: The San Francisco 49ers Gold Rush cheerleaders take the field before a game against the Denver Broncos at Levi's Stadium. (Darren Yamashita, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) 11 / 37 Cheerleaders, celebrities, fans and mascots at NFL games during 2026 season Week 4: Seattle Seahawks fans hold cutouts of quarterback Sam Darnold prior to the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Lumen Field. (Joe Nicholson, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) 12 / 37 Cheerleaders, celebrities, fans and mascots at NFL games during 2026 season Week 4: Houston Texans mascot Toro and Superfan pose for a photo prior to the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Reliant Stadium. (Thomas Shea, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) 13 / 37 Cheerleaders, celebrities, fans and mascots at NFL games during 2026 season Week 4: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers cheerleaders perform before the game against the Green Bay Packers at Raymond James Stadium. (Jonathan Dyer, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) 14 / 37 Cheerleaders, celebrities, fans and mascots at NFL games during 2026 season Week 4: A young fan of the Baltimore Ravens looks on before the start of the game against the Tennessee Titans at M&T Bank Stadium. (Tommy Gilligan, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) 15 / 37 Cheerleaders, celebrities, fans and mascots at NFL games during 2026 season Week 4: Washington Commanders mascot Major Tuddy holds a camera during the second quarter of the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England. (Kirby Lee, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect) 16 / 37 Cheerleaders, celebrities, fans and mascots at NFL games during 2026 season Week 3: Denver Broncos cheerleaders perform during the "Sunday Night Football" game against the Los Angeles Rams at Empower Field at Mile High.
Week 3: The Maracanã Stadium gets set to host the International Series game between the Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Week 3: Corgi dog competitions take place during halftime of the game between the Detroit Lions and New York Jets at Ford Field.
Week 3: A fan looks on during warmups prior to the game between the Cleveland Browns and Carolina Panthers at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland, Ohio.
Week 2: Singer Taylor Swift watches the game between the Indianapolis Colts and Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.
Week 2: The Canadian and U.S. anthems are sung during a pregame ceremony before the "Thursday Night Football" game between Detroit Lions and Buffalo Bills at new Highmark Stadium.
Week 1: Singer Taylor Swift and actor Tom Cruise attend the "Monday Night Football" game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos at Arrowhead Stadium.
Week 1: Fans arrive ahead of the NFL game between the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (in Melbourne, Australia. The 49ers won the first NFL game played in Australia, 27-7 .
Week 1: Kim Thayil of Soundgarden and Mike McCready of Pearl Jam perform during halftime of the 2026 NFL Kickoff Game between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots at Lumen Field.
What's left to say about an outfit that rapidly separated itself as the biggest disappointment in the league? The Charges are dead last in EPA per play (-0.26), while Justin Herbert has thrown a league-worst eight interceptions.
At this point, it's almost impossible to envision the Bolts becoming the scintillating scoring machine many foresaw when McDaniel was first hired. The search for mere functionality might point Jim Harbaugh toward streamlining what's long been understood as a fairly intricate scheme that can require extensive time to click. But Harbaugh's shifting tone, from backing McDaniel without reservation after Week 4 to saying he would "evaluate every part of what we're doing," underscores the depths of the Chargers' discontent. Cleaning up the incessant penalties and stabilizing the protection should be the short-term priorities, but a fundamentally broken operation might not be fixable on the fly.
Amid yet another special teams meltdown, Sean McVay made explicit that he wouldn't jettison Ventrone, saying last week that he has "a lot of confidence" in the coordinator and that "there's no changes that are gonna be made there." Given that last December's firing of special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn did little to stop a late-season downturn, staying the course with the staff might be a necessary step for an otherwise volatile unit. After Harrison Mevis was cut and replacement Blake Grupe suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his first game with the team, Los Angeles is looking to Brandon McManus to stem its kicking woes .
Ventrone might not bear responsibility for the injury to Grupe that necessitated a third kicker in as many weeks, but he is culpable for a unit that has converted a league-worst 60% of its field goals. And the Rams' struggles to handle their own kickoff coverage as well as create a spark on their own returns have reflected poorly on Ventrone, with the team ranking 29th in average starting field position and 30th in opponents' average starting field position. There's still plenty of time for repairs, but this underperforming cohort can't afford many more slip-ups on this front.
Typically reserved team owner Gayle Benson took everyone within the organization to task last week, saying fans were "right to expect more than we have delivered." Staley's defense responded by New York Giants backup quarterback J.J. McCarthy to engineer three fourth-quarter scoring drives, bringing his team to the precipice of a nearly unfathomable comeback before falling just short in a 34-27 New Orleans victory. At least the first three quarters of that game should give some confidence to a group that, after exceeding expectations in Staley's inaugural season at the helm, has come unglued at times in 2026. With no consistent top performers outside of edge rusher Chase Young, New Orleans' defense sits tied for last in points allowed per game (29.7). Just as the offense needs more splash plays, Staley's crew also might have to count on big swings after four takeaways proved integral to the win over the Giants. Failing that, however, New Orleans might continue to have difficulty generating consistent stops.
The 64-year-old didn't make it to the end of the season in either of his previous two pro coaching posts. Seems fair to question whether that trend will hold yet again.
Aaron Glenn issued the obligatory vote of confidence last week for Reich, who has helped the offense avoid the rampant setbacks that plagued last year's unit. Yet any sense of efficiency has been consistently undermined by an inability to deliver in crunch time, particularly in the red zone, where the Jets rank last in touchdown rate, and in two-minute scenarios. A light schedule the next two weeks – at home against the Dolphins and Raiders – should provide an opportunity to pick things up before midseason, but there don't seem like many sources capable of pushing this unit forward.
There might not be a play-caller throughout the NFL in a deeper early-season hole than the one Mannion finds himself in. Between an all-new backfield and front that featured three fill-ins, the offensive lineup that the Eagles trotted out against the Carolina Panthers in Week 6 was almost unrecognizable from the one that the coordinator first envisioned carrying out his scheme.
But with Tanner McKee in line to hold down the rest of the season in place of Jalen Hurts , Mannion appears to be an impasse. A scheme rooted in being under center and emphasizing play-action looks doesn't suit the fourth-year signal-caller's skill set. That could prompt Mannion to abandon much of what he was counting on to resuscitate this attack. But doing so would essentially leave him with no proof of concept for how this offense should operate under better circumstances. Getting Saquon Barkley back from a hamstring injury should at least boost a ground game that has seen rushing attempts stuffed at or behind the line of scrimmage on nearly a quarter of the team's carries, according to Next Gen Stats. That's about the only reason for optimism to be found for Philadelphia's offense, though.
Following in Klint Kubiak's footsteps was always going to be an exceedingly difficult task, even as Fleury maintained he intended to maintain as much of his predecessor's framework as possible. In his first season as a play-caller, however, Fleury is experiencing many of the challenges Kubiak encountered while having far fewer avenues for relief.
The inefficiency of the run game is once again the primary culprit for Seattle's problems. But while Sam Darnold picked up the slack early last year to keep things afloat until the rushing attack took off late in the regular season and into the playoffs, the quarterback has come unglued this fall, throwing seven interceptions in his four games since returning from a glute injury. The issue came to a head last week, when Darnold's two late interceptions doomed the team in a 17-14 overtime loss to the Denver Broncos. With Zach Charbonnet on track to make his season debut after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in January and first-round rookie Jadarian Price potentially joining him with a return in the near future, Seattle could finally strike the offensive balance necessary to create some sense of harmony. But Darnold also has to be more decisive and attack the intermediate area more efficiently to avoid the sacks and interceptions that are proving insurmountable for the unit.
Having an undrafted free agent take over at quarterback might typically buy an offensive coordinator a reprieve. But outside of a surprising outing against the Cowboys that scored the team its lone win so far, Robinson hasn't done much with either Jalon Daniels or Baker Mayfield to help his own cause.
While Bucky Irving has enjoyed a resurgent campaign, Tampa Bay's offense can't claim to do many things well consistently. Turnovers have compounded the team's troubles with holding onto late leads, with Daniels' two fourth-quarter interceptions factoring heavily into a 26-19 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. With Bowles seemingly on the hot seat himself in his fifth year, executing a midseason change might be difficult unless things truly reach a breaking point. Regardless, unless Robinson can coax high-level play out of Mayfield upon the quarterback's return, don't expect much stability from a franchise that's now on its fifth different play-caller of Bowles' tenure.
Notching their first win of the season might have spared the Titans from scrutiny for a week, but even the 26-20 victory over the Colts didn't reflect well on Daboll or his offense. Tennessee netted just 186 yards on a day in which its defense and special teams did most of the heavy lifting.
Nearly all of the numbers are foreboding for the Titans, who rank last in yards per game (236.3) and are tied for 31st in scoring (14 points per game). Yet in Year 1 of Robert Saleh's reset, the development of 2025 No. 1 pick Cam Ward might be the better reflection of Daboll's value rather than the overall health of the offense. The early returns haven't been favorable to either the coordinator or the quarterback, the latter of whom has largely looked erratic and unsettled. While Ward's supporting cast hasn't equipped him with nearly enough help, both the quarterback and Daboll still have work to do to demonstrate they deserve to be seen as long-term solutions for the franchise.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 13 NFL coordinators under most pressure to turn things around
Source: Sports
