The New York Jets have made the decision to fire head coach Robert Saleh, and The Athletic is providing live coverage of the team’s coaching situation. Meanwhile, Aaron Rodgers, although not a coach himself, had previously advocated for more control during his time with the Green Bay Packers. However, despite having that control with the Jets, their offense has been struggling.
On the other hand, the Baltimore Ravens have managed to improve their offensive performance and currently lead the league in yards per play. This success can be attributed to running back Derrick Henry and the fear he instills in opposing defenses.
In Week 5, Cincinnati Bengals coach Zac Taylor displayed both aggressive and conservative decision-making. His offensive aggressiveness during regulation resulted in 38 points for his team. However, his conservativeness in overtime ultimately led to a loss.
One positive aspect of Week 5 was seen in the Ravens’ heavy personnel grouping strategy. By utilizing multiple tight ends and/or multiple backs on 63 percent of their snaps, they were able to present a strong running threat while also creating opportunities for explosive pass plays.
Conversely, one negative aspect was observed in Aaron Rodgers’ offense with the Jets. Despite having more control over personnel and schematic choices compared to his time with Green Bay’s Matt LaFleur-led offense where he won two MVPs, Rodgers has struggled to give the Jets an advantage on offense. The team ranks low in motion usage and play-action usage.
Zac Taylor’s coaching decisions also drew attention during Week 5. While he made an aggressive call that resulted in a touchdown against the Ravens just before halftime by going for an end zone play instead of settling for a field goal attempt; his conservative approach later cost them when they failed to convert a long field goal attempt that could have won them the game.
these best and worst coaching decisions from Week 5 highlight both successful strategies employed by teams like Baltimore as well as areas where improvement is needed such as Rodgers’ offense with New York or Taylor’s decision-making under pressure.