Cardinals Likely To Retain Jonathan Gannon
Earlier this week, Jonathan Gannon was viewed as being on a hotter seat compared to GM Monti Ossenfort. Despite the Cardinals taking a major step back from last season, it appears ownership is planning to stick with both power brokers.
With no real buzz about Ossenfort losing his job surfacing, a few Gannon reports have come out. Gannon is likely to see a fourth season on the job, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero note. A chance for Gannon and Ossenfort to nab their own quarterback — as a split with Steve Keim/Kliff Kingsbury-era addition Kyler Murray is widely expected — is on track to come with a fourth season. Two years remain on both contracts, SI.com’s Albert Breer adds.
[RELATED: Gannon Expects To Keep Job For 2026]
Michael Bidwill has generally given coaches a bit more time. Kingsbury received four years, though it is worth noting Bidwill fired him months after extending him. Bruce Arians retired after five, while Ken Whisenhunt was on for six seasons.
Though, it is worth mentioning Kingsbury and Whisenhunt had made playoff berths by Year 3. Bidwill, who took over as the Cardinals’ controlling owner in 2007, did fire Steve Wilks after one season. Gannon finishing (at best) with two 4-13 seasons in his first three seasons and making it to Year 4 would be rare, but Breer adds Bidwill still likes his HC and believes a turnaround can happen.
The much-criticized owner not wanting to pay three coaches also plays into this decision, according to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones. Kingsbury signed a through-2027 extension in 2022, with Gannon also under contract through 2027. Offset language regularly exists in these deals, but Kingsbury’s Commanders salary is south of where his Cardinals HC AAV. An offense dealing with injuries also could save Gannon, per Jones, despite the HC’s primary unit regressing. Gannon and DC Nick Rallis have overseen a production drop on defense, with that group ranking 29th in scoring and 26th in yardage after placing 15th and 21st in those categories last year.
Arizona’s offense has played most of the season without Murray, though some of that portion is due to an organizational choice to shut down a player no longer in the long-term plan, with James Conner and Marvin Harrison Jr. suffering injuries as well. Next year will be crucial for the Cardinals’ power duo, as a Murray trade (or release) will precede a true investment in a replacement. Gannon and Ossenfort had offered consistent praise for Murray for years, but the seventh-year passer wore out his welcome in 2025.
Staff changes should be expected, Breer adds. This could mean OC Drew Petzing is elsewhere. It would be interesting if Gannon fired Rallis, who came over from Philadelphia with him in 2023, and Petzing’s unit ranks higher (23rd points, 19th yards). Petzing came over from the Browns in 2023, but HCs on hot seats regularly turn to coordinator firings. It would seem Gannon staying would mean at least one of these two staffers will be out.
Falcons Leaning Toward Retaining Raheem Morris, Firing GM Terry Fontenot
10:25am: Morris is indeed expected to receive another year on the job, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The three-game win streak has helped a coach that was once viewed as on the way out, though Schefter points to staff changes taking place if/once Morris’ second stint with the organization is given a third season.
8:11am: The Falcons have an odd role to play in determining the NFC South champion today, with their result of their Saints matchup deciding if the Buccaneers or Panthers will book the conference’s No. 4 seed. A win, however, will not move Atlanta into the playoffs. This will run the franchise’s postseason drought to eight years.
Terry Fontenot has been the GM for five of those years, and the Falcons have not completed a winning season. Arthur Blank has been evaluating his staff, most notably tabbing consultants to provide information about whether the current operation is effective. The writing may be on the wall for Fontenot.
[RELATED: How Will Falcons Proceed With Fontenot, Raheem Morris?]
As it stands, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports many around the NFL expect the Falcons to move on from Fontenot but retain Morris. The Falcons have won three consecutive games down the stretch in Morris’ second season as the team’s full-time HC, but they are still falling short of expectations. That said, Morris is responsible for an 8-9 2024 season — the organization’s best record since 2017 — and could follow that up with another.
While that may not go down as a substantial victory for Morris — whom the Falcons employed as their interim HC in 2020 — back-to-back eight-win seasons would make for a hard-luck firing given the organizational struggles in the years prior to his return. He is still viewed as being on the hot seat entering Week 18, but the winning streak has certainly helped his prospects.
For Fontenot, however, two straight eight-win campaigns would make it look like the team has hit a wall — especially considering Arthur Smith‘s three 7-10 seasons to begin the GM’s tenure. The Falcons’ team-building approach is under scrutiny amid Blank’s decision to bring in consultants, per Russini.
Prior to the Falcons’ historically unusual decision to sign a quarterback to a big-ticket contract only to draft his successor six weeks later, the team used three consecutive top-10 picks on skill-position players. Fontenot has seen the Kirk Cousins signing help Drake London and Kyle Pitts, — albeit while his QB2 salary (for 2025, at least) ate into the team’s ability to built out its roster this year — while Morris consistently touts Bijan Robinson as the NFL’s best player, but the moves have not made a considerable difference in the win column.
The Falcons also struggled for years to find a pass rusher, memorably choosing Michael Penix Jr. eighth overall last year and tabling the need. But the team did rectify that in this year’s draft, adding Jalon Walker and James Pearce. The Falcons enter Week 18 second in the NFL with 53 sacks. Penix, though, was erratic in his second season.
To obtain that Walker and Pearce, Fontenot traded the Falcons’ 2026 first-round pick. A team has sacrificed a future first-rounder for a pass rusher on draft weekend only a handful of times over the past 30 years, and the Rams are positioned to hold a high draft choice as a result. Blank greenlighting that move only to fire Fontenot a year later will be an interesting decision, but the Falcons’ struggles turning the corner has certainly tested the owner’s patience.
The Penix move also came a year after the Falcons sat on their hands at quarterback, refraining from pursuing an upgrade and handing the job to 2022 third-round pick Desmond Ridder. The Ridder development helped lead to Smith’s ouster. Fontenot was also believed to have played a role, alongside team president Rich McKay, in dissuading Blank from hiring Bill Belichick to replace Smith in 2024. The coach that did land the job would be expected to make changes if he retains it, but Morris could see this late winning streak spare him.
While staff changes would undoubtedly come if the Falcons retain Morris, how their organizational structure looks if/once Fontenot is fired will be something to monitor. The Falcons are believed to have increased Fontenot’s responsibilities upon moving McKay away from a day-to-day role in 2024. McKay has been with the franchise since 2003. McKay played a central role in Atlanta’s 2024 HC search and had remained close with Morris from their days in Tampa. He and Morris may be left to pick up the pieces while Fontenot — hired from the Saints — lands elsewhere south of the GM tier.
Kliff Kingsbury On Titans’ HC Radar; Commanders Not Certain To Retain OC?
Kliff Kingsbury stayed off the 2025 HC carousel, preferring to ride the momentum he built for steering Jayden Daniels‘ Offensive Rookie of the Year season. A year later, the Commanders have nosedived. Changes are expected.
As we have discussed a few times, this year’s HC talent pool features more defense-based candidates. That should give Kingsbury an opportunity to potentially return to the HC level despite being tied to a losing team. The Titans are believed to be interested in Kingsbury, whom JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington believes has a “real shot” of landing that job.
But Kingsbury also may find himself in a highly unusual position: a candidate for HC jobs elsewhere but not certain to retain his own position. A disconnect has developed between Kingsbury and Commanders GM Adam Peters, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini.
Although the Commanders are still expected to retain Kingsbury — in the event he does not land a top coaching job elsewhere — that is certainly notable as a rough season concludes. This comes as rather surprising given the push the Commanders made to dissuade Kingsbury from taking the Raiders’ OC job in 2024.
The 2024 Commanders made one of the most surprising trips to the conference championship game in NFL history. Daniels flashed superstar potential as a rookie, and Kingsbury — who has spoken of wanting another HC shot — was content to stay paired with the rising talent. A three-injury 2025 season for Daniels stonewalled the Commanders’ momentum, and an aging roster will require many changes. It would surprise if the Commanders greenlit a play-caller change considering how much Daniels achieved when last healthy for an extended stretch, but any friction between Kingsbury and the front office could make him more eager to explore opportunities this year.
The Titans have been closely connected to Matt Nagy, who joins Kingsbury as a second-chance candidate with an offensive background. Nagy also worked with Titans GM Mike Borgonzi. Kingsbury has no such tie, but he did appear on many teams’ HC radars after Washington ranked fifth in scoring an seventh total yardage in 2024. With Daniels largely out of the mix this season, the Commanders have sunk to 25th and 21st in those categories. Kingsbury, 46, did not conduct any HC interviews last year. That might change in 2026, as he has also been tied to the Giants’ HC position.
Elsewhere on the Commanders’ staff, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero note Joe Whitt Jr. is likely to be removed from this DC post. We heard last month this was the expected course of action. With Dan Quinn stripping his longtime coworker of play-calling duties, it appeared Whitt — as is the case with Lions OC John Morton after he lost his call sheet — was a clear firing candidate at season’s end.
Browns ‘Expected’ To Move On From HC Kevin Stefanski
11:00pm: The growing sentiment around the league is that the Browns moving on from Stefanski is now “expected” to happen, per Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports. NFL insider Jordan Schultz adds that “the league-wide expectation” is that changes are likely in Cleveland, and the “hottest seat” in the building appears to be Stefanski’s. As mentioned below, Schultz claims the unlikely trade route may be attempted here, but if the Browns can’t make that happen, he’s expected to be let go.
1:01pm: Kevin Stefanski is a game away from wrapping up his sixth season in Cleveland. It appears Sunday’s meeting with the Bengals will be Stefanski’s last with the Browns. The team is “leaning toward” making a coaching change, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com passes along similar information.
Meanwhile, backing up a previous report, Russini, Cabot and Albert Breer of SI.com all expect general manager Andrew Berry to keep his job. The Browns have discussed shifting Berry to a president of football operations-type position, per Breer, but that’s unlikely to happen. Regardless, Berry’s “heavily involved” in deciding Stefanski’s fate, Cabot writes.
If Stefanski is indeed on the way out, it’s unclear whether the Browns plan to simply fire him or attempt to pull off a rare trade involving a head coach. Although odds are against it, there’s “smoke” behind a potential trade, an industry source told Conor Orr of SI.com.
[RELATED: Myles Garrett Not Interested In Rebuild]
Considering Stefanski is a two-time Coach of the Year, someone may be willing to surrender draft compensation for him. At his best, the 43-year-old has guided the Browns to 11 wins and the postseason in two different campaigns (2020 and ’23). However, success has been elusive otherwise.
Unable to find a long-term answer at quarterback, the Browns have gone just 44-56 under Stefanski. They’re a woeful 7-26 since 2024, including 4-12 this year, which could spell doom for their current head coach.
If there’s hope for Stefanski to stay on, it’s that owners Jimmy Haslam and Dee Haslam are fans, Breer notes. The Haslams also like Stefanski’s working relationship with Berry. If the team cuts the cord on Stefanski, though, it would put Berry in position to make his first head coaching hire. Flashing back to January 2020, the Haslams brought in Stefanski two weeks before Berry left Philadelphia’s front office to become Cleveland’s GM. Berry, previously a Browns executive from 2016-18, is in his second stint with the franchise.
Berry and the Browns have already gathered information on potential replacements for Stefanski, per Russini. Ultimately, they could promote from within and hand the job to defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. He’d “undoubtedly” emerge as a candidate, according to Cabot.
Schwartz finished an ugly 29-51 as Detroit’s head coach from 2009-13, but he has long been one of the game’s best defensive assistants. The 59-year-old is currently at the helm of the league’s second-ranked defense. The face of the franchise, defensive end Myles Garrett, made it clear on Friday that he wants to win and not rebuild. Garrett also made his affinity for Schwartz known.
“Would I like to play under Jim? Would I like to keep the team and for us to improve? Absolutely,” Garrett said.
A solid relationship with Garrett doesn’t mean the Browns will promote Schwartz, but it should help the coach’s chances of taking over for Stefanski. That’s assuming the Browns wave goodbye to Stefanski, which could happen as early as Sunday.
Raiders Expected To Fire HC Pete Carroll
A clear majority of PFR’s readers believe Pete Carroll will be a one-and-done head coach in Vegas. Signs continue to point in that direction. 
Carroll is expected to be dismissed following Week 18, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports. A departure could still come in the form of retirement, NFL insider Jordan Schultz adds. In any case, yet another Raiders coaching search appears to be forthcoming.
Owner Mark Davis has not yet stated which way he is leaning to anyone in the organization, according to Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Their report nevertheless confirms Carroll is set to be replaced this offseason. With Vegas on track to secure the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft, meanwhile, a major reset will likely be in store over the coming months.
Carroll has been “fighting for another year” at the helm of the Raiders, per the NFLN report. The 2025 season has been messy to say the least, however, with two coordinators being fired in the middle of the campaign. Vegas’ offense has struggled throughout the season, and selecting a rookie at the top of the draft could allow for the team to move in a new direction for 2026 and beyond. At the age of 74, Carroll naturally does not profile as a candidate regarding a long-term overhaul.
A win-now campaign (or at least something close to it) was the goal with Carroll, first-year general manager John Spytek, minority owner Tom Brady and veteran quarterback Geno Smith being brought in last offseason. The reunion between Carroll and Smith has not yielded the desired results, and Vegas enters tomorrow’s action with 14 losses – including 10 in a row. Widespread evaluations of coaching and quarterback options will become a central priority provided the Raiders do indeed make a change on the sidelines.
Jones, Schultz and Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer note Brady is set to play a leading role in not only the HC search but also the process of evaluating quarterback options. The seven-time Super Bowl champion is known to be a central voice in the Raiders’ decision-making, and that should be expected to remain the case for the foreseeable future. As Michael Silver of The Athletic writes (subscription required), Davis has treated Brady as the “de facto boss” of the team with respect to football matters. Per Silver, even some inside the organization are unsure of who is behind certain decisions given the Davis-Brady dynamic.
Stability in the front office over an extended period would of course be welcomed in the Raiders’ case considering the changes which have been commonplace on that front over time. A long-running cycle of moves on the sidelines has defined the franchise as well, and it seems as though another reset in that regard is imminent.
NFL Mailbag: Jackson, Young, Broncos, Steelers, OL
This week's edition of the PFR mailbag looks at questions tied to both sides of Sunday's go-or-go-home Ravens-Steelers matchup, Bryce Young's Panthers future, the Broncos' playoff outlook and more.
Mitchell asks:
Do you think the Ravens should explore trading Lamar Jackson? If he really becomes available at 29, what do you think the team could get?
Some of the revelations from this summer’s NFL-NFLPA collusion case included details on the nature of negotiations between Jackson and the Ravens leading up to his extension. That process certainly wasn’t perfect, but the arbitrator’s findings confirmed a departure was never really imminent in that case.
Jets To Retain HC Aaron Glenn
Aaron Glenn‘s first year as an NFL head coach has certainly not gone according to plan. He is set to remain in place for 2026, however. 
The Jets will retain Glenn for next season, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network write. His job security has been a talking point for several weeks, but the most recent indications have been that Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey will be safe. CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones adds owner Woody Johnson wants to evaluate the current HC-GM tandem with a better quarterback situation in place.
The Justin Fields signing proved to be a misstep leading up to the decision to bench him. Fields’ time in New York is likely nearing an end, and the Jets have already done homework on some of the top quarterback prospects for 2026. With five first-round picks across the next two years, acquiring a new passer will certainly be feasible.
The Jets have undergone plenty of changes in recent years, but Dianna Russini of The Athletic writes (subscription required) Johnson is still “committed” to Glenn’s organizational plan at this point. Improvements in 2026 will be sought out, though the current decision-making group will remain intact. Certain changes – including a full-time replacement for Steve Wilks at the defensive coordinator spot – will become the focus of the hiring cycle as it plays out.
After a four-year run guiding the Lions’ defense, Glenn took his first head coaching gig by joining the Jets. Entering Sunday’s action, the team sits at 3-13 amidst struggles on multiple fronts. Drafting a passer along with making moves to replace Quinnen Williams and Sauce Gardner – who were both traded away at the deadline – will be key priorities over the course of the spring. As Gary Myers of 880 ESPN New York notes, Glenn has another four years remaining on his contract at a rate of $10MM per year. Nonetheless, a notable step forward will no doubt be expected during his second season at the helm to avoid further talks of a dismissal.
Johnson has drawn criticism on a number of fronts during his tenure. That includes the selection process for many of his coaching and GM hires, although he has consulted outside voices on many occasions. An interview with two NFL executives and one local insider from Tony Pauline of Essentially Sports reveals that Johnson received a recommendation from Peyton Manning to hire Adam Gase in 2019. During last year’s interview process, ex-Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum was among those sought out as contributors. Johnson is positioned to rely on the status quo in that capacity for 2026, however.
Coaching Notes: Chiefs, Lions, Udinski, Leonhard, Idzik, Brown, Bears, Pitcher, Scheelhaase, Godsey
Matt Nagy looms as one of the top head coaching candidates with an offensive background in this year’s hiring cycle. A departure for a second HC opportunity (or at least a play-calling offensive coordinator role) is something to watch for over the coming days.
In the event Nagy were to head elsewhere, the Chiefs would find themselves in need of an OC replacement. The team could look to familiar options in such a scenario. Kansas City would “welcome back” Mike Kafka or Eric Bieniemy, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network report.
Bieniemy, 56, worked under Andy Reid from 2013-22. That span included five years in the offensive coordinator role. Bieniemy led Washington’s offense for one season before doing the same at UCLA. He is currently serving as the Bears‘ running backs coach. Kafka, meanwhile, was with the Chiefs for five years, operating as quarterbacks coach and pass-game coordinator along the way. As the interim head coach of the Giants, the 38-year-old’s future is currently unclear.
With Black Monday approaching, here are some other coaching notes from around the NFL:
- Lions head coach Dan Campbell recently hinted at staffing changes. It would comes as little surprise if OC John Morton were to be among those let go, seeing as he was stripped of play-calling duties midway through the campaign. Morton said (via Rapoport and Pelissero) “I’d like to be here” when asked about the possibility of remaining in Detroit. Taking on a lesser role for next season could thus be something to watch for as Campbell looks into his coordinator options.
- Overall, the pool of head coaching candidates for 2026 is not seen as being as strong as last year. A large number of firings over the next few days may not be forthcoming as a result. On the other hand, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini notes (subscription required) this winter could be busier than usual in terms of coordinator changes. Jaguars OC Grant Udinski, Broncos secondary coach Jim Leonhard, Panthers offensive coordinator Brad Idzik and Patriots pass-game coordinator Thomas Brown are among the staffers she identifies among those who have drawn strong reviews for their work this season.
- Ben Johnson has impressed during his debut season in Chicago. He could be in line to lose a number of key assistants soon, however. Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports names Bieniemy as a candidate to depart this winter with his stock having received a boost. In addition, offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, pass-game coordinator Press Taylor and quarterbacks coach J.T. Barrett have each generated buzz regarding interest around the league. Johnson may have multiple vacancies to fill in the near future in the wake of Chicago’s successful campaign.
- Dan Pitcher has been with the Bengals since 2016. Over that time, he has worked his way up to quarterbacks coach, a role he has had for six seasons and counting. The 38-year-old finds himself as an interview candidate for OC positions, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Losing Pitcher would deal another blow to the stability Zac Taylor enjoyed on his offensive staff until Brian Callahan‘s departure in 2025.
- Fowler also points to Nate Scheelhaase as a “sleeper” with respect to offensive coordinator interviews. Scheelhaase, 35, served in many positions at the college level before joining the Rams in 2024; he currently serves as the team’s pass-game coordinator. Many Sean McVay assistants have gone on to land notable gigs elsewhere in the NFL, and along with D-coordinator Chris Shula Scheelhaase could soon become the latest to do so.
- Since 2022, George Godsey has served as the Ravens’ tight ends coach. That tenure is nearing an end, however, Godsey is finalizing a deal to become the next offensive coordinator at Georgia Tech, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reports. By returning to his alma mater, Godsey will end a run of NFL coaching positions which dates back to 2011.
Falcons Owner Arthur Blank To Evaluate Atlanta’s Football Ops For Rest Of Season
JANUARY 3: As part of his evaluation process, Blank has brought in the consulting firm Sportsology (which has worked with NFL teams in the past). Dianna Russini of The Athletic notes (subscription required) Rick Smith has played a role in Sportsology’s ongoing Falcons audit. The former Texans GM was among those who interviewed for Atlanta’s most recent vacancy before Fontenot was ultimately hired.
DECEMBER 13: After another disappointing year from the Falcons, major changes could be coming in Atlanta this offseason.
Owner and chairman Arthur Blank will spend the rest of the season evaluating the team’s football operations, including head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The Falcons were already eliminated from the playoffs before their Kyle Pitts-driven win over the Buccaneers on Thursday night. However, their Week 14 loss to the Seahawks locked in their eighth losing season in a row. Atlanta finished with an 8-9 record in 2024, their first year under Morris, but the team’s lack of improvements this year have raised doubt about his future. The same is true of Fontenot, who is in his fifth year as GM without much year-to-year progress.
Of the two, Fontenot feels more likely to leave Atlanta this offseason. He has struggled to find starters in the draft and does not have a strong record outside of the first round, though he has built a strong offensive line over the years. Fontenot also drove the Falcons’ controversial quarterback moves in the 2024 offseason. He signed Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $160MM deal with $90MM fully guaranteed and drafted Michael Penix with the eighth overall pick less than two months later.
Individually, both decisions were questionable, but together, they set up a difficult dynamic in Atlanta. Cousins was surprised by the Penix pick, which immediately put a clock on his time with the Falcons. The veteran quarterback played well to start the 2024 season, but a rough stretch of five games in the second half inspired an earlier-than-expected transition to the rookie. Penix showed some flashes in his three starts and entered 2025 as the clear starter while Cousins attempted to force an offseason move out of Atlanta.
Fontenot then made another controversial decision in the 2025 draft by trading up from the second round to select edge rusher James Pearce Jr. with the 26th overall pick despite already adding Jalon Walker at No. 15 overall. He gave up a bevy of picks in the deal, including second- and third-rounders in 2025 and a first in 2026, which could be a top-10 pick.
Morris has not led the Falcons to the immediate success for which Blank was likely hoping, but his team has been decimated by injuries this season, especially on offense. Right tackle Kaleb McGary suffered a leg injury in training camp that knocked out the left-handed Penix’s blind side blocker for the entire season. Penix then went down with a season-ending injury after nine starts, and Drake London has missed multiple games, too.
The Falcons had a decent start to the year with a 3-2 record on the back of a defense that didn’t allow more than 300 yards of total offense in that five-game span. Atlanta then lost five straight, a stretch that included some rough defensive showings and ended with Penix’s injury. The result was a season that fell well short of Blank’s expectations and will spur plenty of conversations in Atlanta about the futures of Morris and Fontenot. Giving Morris another year to see what he can do with a healthier roster makes sense, but Blank may be running out of patience with Fontenot’s inability to build a competitive roster.
No Indication Ravens HC John Harbaugh Is On Hot Seat
JANUARY 3: CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones confirms Harbaugh is believed to be safe even in the event of a Ravens loss tomorrow. While other staff changes could be coming, a move at the head coach spot would be seen as a surprise.
JANUARY 2: Though the Ravens still can make the playoffs with a win over the Steelers on Sunday night, their 2025 season has been undeniably disappointing.
Removing head coach John Harbaugh, however, is not an expected outcome of the season, even if his team loses in Pittsburgh this weekend.
“I do not have any indication right now that John Harbaugh is in danger of being fired,” NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero said on the Rich Eisen Show. “That would really surprise me. There is a reason that Steve Bisciotti has stuck with him for 18 seasons and running now.”
Baltimore is currently 8-8 after a rollercoaster of a year. Injuries to Lamar Jackson, Roquan Smith, and several other key players resulted in a 1-5 start. The team’s fortunes turned around after their Week 7 bye with a Tyler Huntley-led win over the Bears in Week 8 preceding Jackson’s return to the field for a spectacular win in Miami in their next game. The Ravens’ win streak extended to five games to get to 6-5 before three losses in four weeks dropped them back below .500.
A dominant Week 16 win in Green Bay – plus the Browns’ upset of the Steelers – has renewed hope around the team’s fortunes in the playoffs, should they qualify. Jackson just completed his first full week of practice since Week 10 and is liable to take over a game at any moment. Derrick Henry, as he demonstrated last week, his capable of doing the same.
But the Ravens’ defense, which has been a hallmark of Harbaugh’s tenure in Baltimore, has been unusually porous this season. Last year, defensive coordinator Zach Orr turned his unit around after a slow start. He was not able to do so this year. And despite the talent on the roster, the offense under Todd Monken has disappointed as well. While one could argue the buck stops with the head coach – especially with issues on both sides of the ball – recent reporting indicate that Baltimore’s coordinators are in danger of being removed.