David Perdum of ESPN.com says the smart money was on the Chiefs.

U.S. sportsbooks capped one of their most lucrative football seasons ever with a big win on the Super Bowl.

More than $136 million was bet on the Super Bowl LV with Nevada sportsbooks. The state’s books won a net $12.6 million on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ upset of the Kansas City Chiefs, according to figures released Tuesday by the Nevada Gaming Control Board.

The $136 million wagered was down 12% from last year’s Super Bowl, in part due to occupancy restrictions at Las Vegas casinos amid the coronavirus pandemic. However, it still was the fifth most since the state began tracking the betting action on the game in 1991. Five of the six reported $1 million-plus bets on the Super Bowl were placed in Nevada.

The same is true in other states like New Jersey and Illinois with new gambling operations.

Looking ahead, the Buccaneers are not the 2021 favorite in the early odds.

Super Bowl LVI Odds

TEAM             ODDS

Chiefs              11-2

Packers            9-1

Buccaneers     11-1

Ravens            12-1

Bills                  12-1

Rams              13-1

49ers               14-1

Saints              16-1

Seahawks       18-1

Browns            20-1

Colts                25-1

Titans              28-1

Dolphins          28-1

Steelers           28-1

Cowboys         30-1

Chargers         30-1

Cardinals         40-1

Vikings             40-1

Raiders            40-1

Patriots            50-1

Bears               50-1

Eagles             50-1

Panthers          60-1

Falcons           60-1

Broncos           60-1

Washington     60-1

Jaguars           75-1

Giants              75-1

Bengals           80-1

Lions              100-1

Jets               100-1

Texans          100-1

Last year at this time, the Buccaneers were 60-1 like the Falcons, Broncos, Panthers and Washington are now.

Of those four, we kind of like WFT at 60-1 – they weren’t a bad team with Taylor Heinicke behind center in the Wild Card Week, playing the Buccaneers closer than the Saints or Chiefs did.  What if they ended up with AARON RODGERS?

NFC NORTH

MINNESOTA

Kubiak remains the name of the Vikings offensive coordinator.  Courtney Cronin ofESPN.com:

Two weeks after Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak announced his retirement, the team is replacing the veteran playcaller with his son, Klint, multiple league sources confirmed to ESPN.

Klint Kubiak, 33, will take over the position his father held for the 2020 season. NFL Network was the first to report the younger Kubiak’s promotion to offensive coordinator after he coached Minnesota’s quarterbacks for the past two years.

Minnesota’s offensive staff is set for the upcoming season with Andrew Janocko, who coached wide receivers last season, expected to become the team’s quarterbacks coach, while Keenan McCardell, who coached wide receivers in Jacksonville from 2017 to 2020, will hold the same position with the Vikings, according to league sources.

The long-expected promotion of Klint Kubiak to offensive coordinator supports Mike Zimmer’s wishes to preserve continuity on offense after the Vikings finished 7-9 and failed to reach the playoffs. Zimmer said he felt Minnesota’s offense was the most explosive he’s had in seven seasons with the Vikings and pointed toward wanting to maintain the same philosophy moving forward.

“I love the scheme that we’re running offensively, I love the wide zone offense, I love the play-action passes,” Zimmer said in January. “All those things. A coach told me one time that your offense should be what your quarterback is best at. And that’s what I feel Kirk [Cousins] is best at. Those kind of things are what makes him really good. So to me, that is really important.”

In one season with Gary Kubiak as Minnesota’s offensive coordinator, the Vikings finished fourth in total offense and 11th in scoring with quarterback Kirk Cousins rebounding from throwing 10 interceptions in his first six games to finishing with a career-high 35 touchdowns. Running back Dalvin Cook earned MVP consideration while rushing for a career-high 1,557 yards and scoring 17 total touchdowns, while Justin Jefferson broke the franchise’s record for catches and receiving yards as a rookie and is second all time with 1,400 receiving yards in a rookie season.

What Vikings can learn from Stefon Diggs experience and apply to Justin Jefferson

The 2021 season will be Klint Kubiak’s first as an offensive coordinator in the NFL. Before joining his father, offensive line coach/run game coordinator Rick Dennison and tight ends coach Brian Pariani in Minnesota in 2019, the younger Kubiak was an offensive assistant and quarterbacks coach in Denver from 2016 to 2018. He has never called plays at the college or professional level.

Nearing the completion of their staff for the 2021 season, the Vikings promoted Ryan Ficken to special-teams coordinator last week. Ficken was previously Minnesota’s assistant special-teams coach from 2013 to 2020.

Jim Souhan of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune is not happy with the development:

One problem with nepotism in the NFL is that the results sometimes work.

Kyle Shanahan is the son of Mike Shanahan, who won two Super Bowls as an NFL head coach. Shanahan coached in a Super Bowl at the age of 40. Sean McVay is the grandson of former 49ers General Manager John McVay. He coached in the Super Bowl at the age of 33.

According to the NFL’s 2020 diversity report, nine of the 32 NFL head coaches in the 2019 season were either the son or father of a current NFL head coach, coordinator or position coach, and 63 of the league’s coaches were related either biologically or through marriage, and 53 of those were white.

If you’re a coach, it’s good to have family connections. Just look at the Vikings.

Adam Zimmer, son of head coach Mike Zimmer, is a co-defensive coordinator. Adam Zimmer is 37. The team is promoting Klint Kubiak to be its offensive coordinator, the Star Tribune and others reported Monday. Kubiak, son of outgoing offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak, is 33.

The Vikings hired Klint Kubiak over Giants assistant Tyke Tolbert, 53, a Black man who has been coaching in college and the NFL for 25 years, and who was on Gary Kubiak’s Super Bowl-winning staff.

Sons produced by football families have an early start on their football educations. But the presumption that a coach’s son is deserving of the best jobs in the industry is problematic, because that presumption costs other qualified candidates a chance to prove themselves.

Take Adam Zimmer. He might be a good coach. He was hired to be an NFL coordinator at a relatively young age. He was paired with Andre Patterson, a Black man.

What did Adam Zimmer do to earn the job? He was hired by his father, then promoted by his father.

What did Patterson do to earn the job? He began coaching two years before Adam Zimmer was born, and was considered one of the NFL’s best positional coaches before finally getting a half-a-coordinator’s job at the age of 59.

Of course, Patterson and Mike Zimmer have been friends for years, so it may not be surprising that Patterson’s son, A.C., is an offensive quality control coach for the Vikings.

The Super Bowl became a cautionary tale regarding nepotistic hiring practices.

Andy Reid’s son, Britt, is a linebackers coach for the Kansas City Chiefs. He was the defensive line coach from 2016-2018 before being moved to a less important job.

Last week, Britt Reid, according to an arrest warrant, admitted to drinking before he got into a car accident that left a 5-year-old girl with brain damage. Britt Reid’s past includes charges of pointing a gun at another driver, possessing a controlled substance without registration, driving under the influence of a controlled substance, use and possession of drug paraphernalia and careless driving.

Can you imagine a nondescript coach with a different last name and that résumé getting a job with the Chiefs, or anywhere in the NFL?

On the other sideline was Bucs head coach Bruce Arians, who has a son who played football. The son is not on Arians’ staff. Instead, Arians hired three Black coordinators and two female assistants, and his staff thoroughly outcoached the Chiefs on Sunday.

None of the four Black coordinators who coached in this year’s Super Bowl was hired for NFL head coaching openings this offseason. Two white men who were hired — Dan Campbell in Detroit and Nick Sirianni in Philadelphia — couldn’t even get through their introductory news conferences without embarrassing themselves.

When the NFL instituted the Rooney Rule in 2003 over embarrassment at the lack of diversity among head coaches, there were three head coaches who fit the rule. Today, nearly 20 years later, the number is only slightly higher: Mike Tomlin, Brian Flores, Ron Rivera and two new hires in David Culley (Houston) and Robert Saleh (Jets).

C. Keith Harrison, the University of Central Florida professor who wrote the NFL’s diversity report, concluded that the league has a problem that is “talked about less than racism yet is just as detrimental to equity and inclusion: Cronyism.”

Imagine being a hardworking coach who knows that a certain percentage of the best jobs are reserved for head coaches’ family members.

Check that: You don’t have to imagine it. Just look at the Vikings’ staff.

– – –

The Vikings have also signed PK GREG JOSEPH who last had a full season with the Browns in 2018.

NFC EAST

PHILADELPHIA

The Eagles are shocked that the market does not value CARSON WENTZ, the QB they want to get rid of no matter what the cap hit, as highly as it should.  Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com:

The Eagles want a higher price to part with quarterback Carson Wentz.

Despite reports in recent days that a Wentz trade agreement is close, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports that the Eagles are still waiting for an offer that they feel is fair. So far, they haven’t gotten one.

What is fair? Some reports have indicated that the Colts or Bears may part with their first-round draft pick for Wentz, but there’s been no solid reporting about exactly what has been offered, and exactly what the Eagles are demanding.

So now we wait to see whether any team is willing to meet the Eagles’ asking price for a quarterback who was once an MVP candidate, but is now coming off a season in which he got benched. The Eagles want more than anyone has offered so far.

Michael Lombardi of The Athletic is blunt:

@mlombardiNFL

The Eagles asking price, according to one team source, was ridiculous, laughable, and not worth countering.  Until they lower their expectations, based on the uncertainty of the player and contract, their initial price will never be obtained.

It’s a far cry from four days ago when the Eagles were characterizing the offers they had received as “aggressive.”

NFC WEST

ARIZONA

A report says CB PATRICK PETERSON will play for someone else this year. FanSidedNFL.com:

After 10 years in the Valley of the Sun, it seems that Patrick Peterson will not be returning to the Arizona Cardinals in 2021.

With future Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback Patrick Peterson entering his free agency, he is not expected to return to the Arizona Cardinals for an 11th season.

Per FanSided‘s Matt Verderame, “the Arizona Cardinals and former All-Pro cornerback Patrick Peterson are parting ways barring a significant change in stances.”

Peterson was a Pro Bowler in his first eight NFL seasons out of LSU, making three All-Pro First Teams and the NFL’s All-Decade Team for the 2010s. However, he has not been that level of a player for the last two seasons.

Through 10 NFL seasons, Peterson is a lock for Canton. He has done everything outside of getting to the Super Bowl or winning NFL Defensive Player of the Year. While the latter is probably not happening for him in his early 30s, he can relocate to a proven winner or two in the last third of his illustrious career or so. However, he may not be the player he once was, so caveat emptor indeed.

The hope is Peterson can be what Richard Sherman was for the San Francisco 49ers after leaving the Seattle Seahawks in 2018. Peterson is the better all-around talent historically, but Sherman has been to three Super Bowls in his hall-of-fame career as well. Look for some team in needed of a veteran presence in the back-end to potentially pursue Peterson in his impending free agency.

Peterson leaving Arizona is just another example of the NFL being at its very core a business.

We would say that Peterson is likely to be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  Not sure that he has achieved “lock” status just yet.

Peterson is denying the tale from his side.  Nick Shook of NFL.com:

Patrick Peterson’s career-long journey with the Cardinals could be over in a month — or it could not be.

Peterson’s contract expires at the start of the new league year in March, making for a possible parting of ways. But the veteran cornerback isn’t going to allow rumblings and rumors to distort the appearance of his situation.

“There is no real update,” Peterson said about his contract status or future during a taping of his podcast with former teammate Bryant McFadden, via the Cardinals’ official website. “It is just what you said it was: A dirty rumor. … Me and the team haven’t talked about contracts, we haven’t talked about parting ways. That’s just what it is, a dirty rumor. I don’t know where (the reporter) got his insight from, but that was a dirty rumor.”

Peterson was referencing a FanSided report that asserted Peterson would be leaving Arizona unless there was a substantial change in where the two sides stood.

There’s a missing chunk of logic in the notion that Peterson would certainly be leaving Arizona if he didn’t near an agreement before March. First, yes, of course he could be leaving — that’s the freedom afforded by free agency. Arizona could prevent this by extending him, or the Cardinals could risk it and allow Peterson to see what else is out there. But there’s little reason to leak such a firm stance when the two sides could very easily come to terms on an agreement, even if they, as Peterson said, haven’t yet discussed a new contract.

The reason for this: Peterson doesn’t exactly have a ton of leverage. The 31-year-old took a visible step backward in 2020, losing some of his speed as many do with the passage of time. As a result, he posted his worst pass coverage grade since his rookie season, per Pro Football Focus, and though he recorded three interceptions, he wasn’t the elite corner he’d once been.

There might not be much of a market for him, at least not enough to lure him away from the franchise he’s called his own for his entire career. With the Cardinals on the precipice of playoff contention, he might end up wanting to stick around on a team-friendly deal. He could even take a one-year, bet-on-himself deal to try to prove he’s not yet washed up.

SAN FRANCISCO

Would this really be an upgrade on QB JIMMY GAROPPOLO?  Pat Leonhard of the New York Daily News:

It’s beginning to feel like a question of when, not if, the Jets will trade Sam Darnold.

Darnold was a trade candidate even before new head coach Robert Saleh said on Jan. 21 that it would be “premature” to call Darnold the Jets’ starting QB for 2021.

Now the Jets are receiving calls from teams expressing interest in Darnold, according to ESPN. While the Jets haven’t made a decision on Darnold yet, they aren’t turning the calls away.

In particular, San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan is “very high” on Darnold, per CBS.The Washington Football Team also would be interested if Darnold is available, per NFL Network.

The Jets are the third team in the past week reportedly receiving increased interest in their own quarterback, following the Raiders with Derek Carr (Las Vegas Journal-Review) and the Eagles with Carson Wentz (ESPN, NFL Network).

Floating a quarterback as an available commodity often helps teams create a market and bidding wars for their player, as evidenced by the Wentz drama in Philly.

SEATTLE

QB RUSSELL WILSON responds to the chatter about a possible break-up with the Seahawks, chatter his people may have started.  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

Sixteen days ago, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers lit a fuse that, two days later, he scrambled (sort of) to extinguish. On Tuesday morning, Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson took a match to a similar pyrotechnic initiating device.

Asked by Dan Patrick whether he’s available in trade, Wilson said this: “I’m not sure if I’m available or not. That’s a Seahawks question.”

At some point, it’s also a Russell Wilson question, because he has a no-trade clause. Still, before that question becomes relevant, the Seahawks have to be willing to move him. For now, that looks unlikely.

Wilson nevertheless believes that the phone has been ringing.

“I definitely believe they’ve gotten calls,” Wilson said regarding potential trade inquiries. “Any time you’re a player that tries to produce every week and has done it consistently, I think people are gonna call for sure. I think that’s part of the process.”

Another part of the process is winning. Wilson wants to do more of it.

“At the end of the day, you want to win,” Wilson said. “You play this game every day to wake up to win. You play this game to be the best in the world. You know what I hate? I hate sitting there watching other guys play the game.”

Wilson presumably prefers to win where he is. If he can’t and/or if the Seahawks won’t do enough to try, Wilson may eventually want to go somewhere else. Somewhere where his opinions on matters like personnel will be heeded.

Like in Tampa, where one of the guys he watched play the game on Sunday won the Super Bowl.

Wherever he is, he would like the role in player selection QB TOM BRADY is presumed to play with the Buccaneers.  Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com:

Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson watched Super Bowl LV from the stands after being named the Walter Payton Man of the Year for the 2020 season, but he’d prefer to be on the field for that game in the future.

He’d also like to have more of a voice in the construction of the roster that the team will try to ride to the game. During an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show Tuesday, Wilson was asked if he has much of a voice on that front right now and said “not as much” as he’d like.

Wilson said he thinks those decisions involve the legacy of the team and the player. He said players have a good feel for teammates who love the game and who they can trust, and cited the way the Buccaneers reshaped their roster once they made the move to sign Tom Brady last offseason as an example of how such an approach can work out.

“It think it helps to be involved more. I think that dialogue should happen more often,” Wilson said.

A report on Monday indicated Wilson was particularly unhappy with the team’s pass protection. He took time to compliment teammates like left tackle Duane Brown while saying that it is “important to make sure we do everything we can, including myself” to make sure that there are fewer sacks and disrupted plays because of opposing pass rushes.

The coming weeks will show whether the Seahawks give Wilson more of a voice as he heads into his 10th season. If not, there may be more talk about Wilson heading somewhere with a different way of doing business.

AFC WEST

KANSAS CITY

It appears surgery is likely for QB PATRICK MAHOMES.  Myles Simmons of ProFootballTalk.com:

After playing through a turf toe injury through the postseason, Patrick Mahomes will now be able to get back to 100 percent.

According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, Mahomes will undergo surgery on Wednesday to repair a torn plantar plate in his foot. Dr. Robert Anderson will perform the surgery.

Mahomes completed 65 percent of his passes for 850 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions during the postseason. But he was 26-of-49 for 270 yards with two picks in Super Bowl LV. He also rushed for 33 yards.

Rapoport reports Mahomes will likely be off the field for the 2021 offseason program, if there is one. But he should be ready to go for the start of the season in September.

AFC SOUTH

HOUSTON

James Campen is the new offensive line coach of the Texans.  Myles Simmons of ProFootballTalk.com.

The Texans have found another piece for head coach David Culley’s first staff in 2021.

Houston is hiring James Campen as its offensive line coach, per a report from Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Campen was most recently the Chargers offensive line coach in 2020.

Wilson reports Campen’s contract runs three years.

Campen was a longtime Packers assistant from 2004-2018, serving as the offensive line coach starting in 2007. Green Bay added run game coordinator to his title in 2018.

After the Packers fired former head coach Mike McCarthy, Campen served as the Browns’ associate head coach/offensive line coach in 2019.

Campen interviewed with the Steelers last month, but Pittsburgh decided to promote Adrian Klemm.

A former player, Campen appeared in 67 games — starting 50 — for the Saints and Packers from 1987-1993.

That’s four teams in four years.  The head coach has been fired in each of his last three seasons.

THIS AND THAT

SUPER BOWL RATINGS

Not exactly good news for CBS and the NFL.  Michael McCarthy ofFrontOfficeSports.com:

The puzzling drop in sports TV viewership continues with the Super Bowl falling to its lowest numbers in 15 years.

CBS Sports’ telecast of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ 31-9 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs averaged 91.629 million viewers, down 8% from Fox’s telecast of Chiefs-San Francisco 49ers last year. The number includes Nielsen’s new out-of-home viewership metric.

That’s the lowest TV-only audience for the Big Game since Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Seattle Seahawks averaged 90.75 million viewers on ABC in 2006.

Super Bowl 55 drew a 38.2 TV rating, also down 8% from 41.6 last year. Spanish-language coverage on ESPN Deportes averaged 647,000 viewers, according to Nielsen. That’s down 15% from 757,000 on Fox Deportes last year.

The numbers were better for overall viewing, with the Big Game recording a total audience delivery of 96.4 million viewers across all platforms — down 6% from last year.

CBS noted Bucs-Chiefs was the most live-streamed NFL game ever, averaging 5.7 million viewers per minute. That’s up 65% from last year’s game. It was the first NFL game in history to total more than 1 billion streaming minutes.

According to Nielsen, the game was viewed in an average of 46.2 million U.S. homes. Roughly 68% of homes with TV’s in use tuned in for the game.

Multiple factors may have driven down TV viewership numbers.

The game was a blowout with the Bucs’ 22-point win representing the second-biggest margin of victory over the last 18 Super Bowls, again underlying the importance of a close, well-played game to drive viewership. TV viewers don’t stick around for lop-sided contests, and Sunday’s game was practically over by the third quarter.

Fortunately for the NFL, there have been plenty of tight Super Bowls over the last 20 years. The New England Patriots’ last-second win over the Seahawks in 2015 was the most-watched in history, averaging 114.44 million viewers.

Flag-happy referees also stifled the pace and drama of this year’s game; particularly in the first half.

Further, there could be Tom Brady fatigue. Watching Brady play in his 10th Super Bowl could have been the NFL equivalent of watching Alabama or Clemson again in the College Football Playoff National Championship. 

The Super Bowl audience drops are in line with the NFL’s 8% falloff for the 2020 regular season. But the numbers still caught many sports media-watchers by surprise — particularly after the AFC/NFC Championship games drew rating increases.

The game featured two high-flying offenses and a dream QB matchup between Brady and Patrick Mahomes. There was plenty of suspense over whether Brady could claim his first title outside of the long shadow of Patriots coach Bill Belichick.

The 25-year-old Mahomes is the new face of the NFL. With Kansas City playing in their second straight Super Bowl, the Chiefs were viewed as the next dynasty. Snowstorms and blizzards across much of the U.S. should have kept tens of millions of TV viewers in front of their TV sets.

Still, the numbers fell as casual fans tuned out a lopsided game and a telecast where the often-somber commercials and Halftime Show were not as entertaining as previous years.

“As we’ve seen all year, attracting and keeping casual fans has been an issue for crown jewel events,” said Patrick Crake, the former Fox Sports executive turned media consultant. “The Super Bowl is the most causal-dependent of all mega events in media and [viewers] now have less patience, and more options than ever, to pivot to immediately. Everything from game quality to the commercial creative to the halftime show probably matter now more than they used to.”

This year’s Super Bowl viewing numbers included out-of-home viewing in bars and restaurants for the first time. But many states are still restricting indoor dining due to the pandemic, so the expected boost from out-of-home didn’t materialize for CBS. Health authorities urged fans to avoid Super Bowl parties where many fans tune in with family and friends.

MARTY SCHOTTENHEIMER

Marty Schottenheimer, one of the greatest regular season coaches in NFL history (and we mean that as a compliment) has passed away at age 77.  Michael David Smith ofProFootballTalk.com:

Marty Schottenheimer, who led NFL teams for 21 seasons and earned 200 regular season wins, has died at the age of 77.

Schottenheimer was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2014 and had been ailing for the last several years of his life.

As head coach in Cleveland, Kansas City, Washington and San Diego, Schottenheimer had just two losing seasons in his 21 years as a head coach and finished with a regular season record of 200-126-1. He was less successful in the playoffs, going 5-13 in the postseason and never reaching the Super Bowl.

Schottenheimer was known for his old-school coaching mentality, physical practices, and emphasizing a sound running game and a good defense. His style was sometimes called Martyball.

Schottenheimer grew up in Pennsylvania and played his college ball at the University of Pittsburgh. He was selected in both the NFL draft and AFL draft in 1965 and ended up playing six seasons in the AFL, first for the Bills and then for the Patriots. As a rookie he was chosen to the AFL All-Star Team. After a retirement that lasted from 1971 to 1973, Schottenheimer first got into coaching as an assistant with the Portland Storm of the World Football League in 1974.

After stints as an assistant with the Giants, Lions and Browns, Schottenheimer became interim head coach of the Browns during the 1984 season. In all four of his full seasons as the Browns’ head coach Cleveland made the playoffs, but the failure to reach the Super Bowl (thanks in part to back-to-back losses to John Elway’s Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game) led to his firing after the 1988 season.

The Chiefs hired Schottenheimer in 1989 and he again turned the team around, lasting 10 seasons in Kansas City, but the Chiefs again couldn’t get over the hump and topped out at the AFC Championship Game. In 2001 Schottenheimer spent one year in Washington but clashed with owner Dan Snyder and left after one 8-8 season. The next year Schottenheimer took over the Chargers and lasted five seasons in San Diego. In his final season he went 14-2, but a loss to the Patriots in the first game of the 2006 playoffs got him fired for the final time.

Several men who would become successful NFL head coaches, including Bruce Arians, Bill Cowher, Tony Dungy, Mike McCarthy and Herm Edwards, coached under Schottenheimer.

His survivors include his wife of 54 years, Pat, two children including longtime coach Brian Schottenheimer, and other relatives including brother and former NFL coach Kurt Schottenheimer.

Schottenheimer succeeded without ever having a generational quarterback fall into his lap – competing against people like Dan Marino and John Elway with the following collection:

Rk       Quarterback             Wins

1          Bernie Kosar             32

2          Drew Brees               30

3          Steve DeBerg           28

4          Steve Bono               21

5          Joe Montana            19

6          Philip Rivers             14

7          Dave Krieg               13

8          Rich Gannon            11

9          Elvis Grbac              10

10        Tony Banks               8

11        Gary Danielson          5

12        Doug Flutie                 3

14        Mike Pagel                 2

15        Don Strock                 2

13        Paul McDonald           2

17        Ron Jaworski              1

16        Steve Pelluer              1

18        Jeff Christensen         1

Chase Stuart of FootballPerspective.com wrote this on Schottenheimer and his postseason issues in 2013:

Schottenheimer’s playoff woes are real: based on the Las Vegas line, his team underachieved by 4.3 wins in the postseason, the most of any coach when I looked at that issue in January. But most of those losses involved bad luck rather than bad coaching.

The vast majority of Schottenheimer bashing comes from an 0-8 record in games featuring a three-point (or smaller) spread. Both The Drive and The Fumble fall into that category, as does a one-point loss in a game between Mike Pagel, the team’s third-string quarerback, and Warren Moon. He lost another game in Miami when Dan Marino threw two 4th quarter touchdowns to give Miami a 17-16 win.

Schottenheimer lost as the #1 seed in the Lin Elliot game against the Colts and repeated that feat eleven years later in the Marlon McCree game against New England. I don’t know if any coach has been as unlucky in the playoffs as Schottenheimer.

It’s true that some of the wounds were self-inflicted. Schottenheimer was criticized for coaching conservatively, and much of that criticism was appropriate. But some of that conservatism was driven by coaching against teams with better quarterbacks. Ten of his thirteen losses were to Hall of Fame quarterbacks (Tom Brady, John Elway, Jim Kelly, Marino, and Moon), a luxury rarely enjoyed by Schottenheimer.

It’s easy to rip Schottenheimer for his 5-13 record. But no coach in history has been so successful with so many different quarterbacks.

2021 DRAFT

Chad Reuter of NFL.com offers a fresh Mock Draft with the Jets trading out of number 2.

1 – Jacksonville Jaguars

Trevor Lawrence · QB

School: Clemson | Year: Junior

This is not a complicated decision for new coach Urban Meyer, as Lawrence possesses all of the characteristics you’d want in a professional quarterback. The Meyer-Lawrence Era starts now.

2  –  Carolina Panthers (projected trade with NY Jets)

Zach Wilson · QB

School: BYU | Year: Junior

Head coach Robert Saleh and offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur might believe Sam Darnold can rebound in a new system, just like Ryan Tannehill did when the Dolphins dealt the veteran to the Titans. If that’s the case, the Jets should trade out of the No. 2 pick and get maximum value in return.

For the Panthers, Wilson could be the playmaker at quarterback they need to take the offense to the next level. Carolina will likely have to give up its first-, third-, and fourth-round selections this year along with a first- and third-rounder in 2022, but Matt Rhule and new GM Scott Fitterer will have their guy.

3 – Miami Dolphins

Penei Sewell · OT

School: Oregon | Year: Junior

The Dolphins pick the top prospect on the board, building around Tua Tagovailoa. They become the first team to select offensive tackles in consecutive first rounds in a decade (Packers took Bryan Bulaga in 2010 and Derek Sherrod in ’11; Seahawks took Russell Okung in 2010 and James Carpenter in ’11). Sewell can play left or right tackle, allowing Dolphins coaches to maximize the services of second-year players Austin Jackson and Robert Hunt.

4  –  Atlanta Falcons

Justin Fields · QB

School: Ohio State | Year: Junior

Fields has the athleticism to run the play-action offense that new coach Arthur Smith operated in Tennessee with Ryan Tannehill.

5 – Cincinnati Bengals

Kyle Pitts · TE

School: Florida | Year: Junior

Pitts is the top pass catcher in the draft. With Penei Sewell off the board, Cincinnati will wait until Rounds 2 and/or 3 to get Joe Burrow some help on the offensive line. If the Bengals go with the Florida product, it would be the third time in the past 12 drafts that they selected a tight end in the first round (Jermaine Gresham in 2010, Tyler Eifert in ’13).

6  –  Philadelphia Eagles

Patrick Surtain II · CB

School: Alabama | Year: Junior

The Eagles could take a receiver here, but no team has selected first-round wideouts in consecutive drafts in 15 years, and I don’t see that streak ending with Philly. Instead, the Eagles nab a much-needed shutdown corner in Surtain, who will be the highest-rated defender on many teams’ draft boards.

7  –  Detroit Lions

Trey Lance · QB

School: North Dakota State | Year: Sophomore (RS)

After the Lions traded for Jared Goff and a bundle of draft picks, new coach Dan Campbell said the team was building toward two years from now. Well, selecting the athletic, strong-armed, but inexperienced Lance to learn for a couple of years behind Goff is in that same vein.

8  –  New York Jets (projected trade with Carolina)

Ja’Marr Chase · WR

School: LSU | Year: Junior

The Jets find another weapon for Sam Darnold in Chase, a strong deep threat who will complement Denzel Mims and Jamison Crowder in the team’s receiving corps.

9  –  Denver Broncos

Micah Parsons · LB

School: Penn State | Year: Junior

If Drew Lock is the Broncos’ starting QB again in 2021, or if the team finds a veteran to compete with Lock instead of drafting one early, then shoring up the defense with a stud like Parsons makes all kinds of sense.

10  –  Dallas Cowboys

Gregory Rousseau · Edge rusher

School: Miami | Year: Sophomore (RS)

Rousseau is just scratching the surface of his potential. His strength and length on the edge will help him become a force that the Cowboys could definitely use if soon-to-be free agents Tyrone Crawford and Aldon Smith get new addresses this spring.

11  –  New York Giants

DeVonta Smith · WR

School: Alabama | Year: Senior

Typically, GM Dave Gettleman would look to improve the front seven with this pick. But Smith’s value is too high to ignore, despite his lean frame. Gettleman’s first-round pick from two years ago, quarterback Daniel Jones, will appreciate the explosive, tough and reliable Smith.

12  –  San Francisco 49ers

Caleb Farley · CB

School: Virginia Tech | Year: Junior (RS)

Starting corners Richard Sherman and Jason Verrett will be free agents in March. Farley’s versatility would allow the 49ers to play him outside or at safety if they require help there in the future.

13  –  Los Angeles Chargers

Rashawn Slater · OT

School: Northwestern | Year: Senior

Most 6-foot-4 tackles are not chosen in the top half of the first round, but Slater could be the outlier thanks to his formidable blocking and nasty attitude. Adding a player with Slater’s ability and demeanor should help Justin Herbert continue to develop in Year 2.

14  – Washington (projected trade with Minnesota)

Mac Jones · QB

School: Alabama | Year: Junior (RS)

Alex Smith’s comeback is an amazing story, but at 36, with noticeable mobility issues, he’s no longer a quarterback Washington can confidently build around. Last time the franchise drafted a big, strong-armed passer … it didn’t work out. Maybe this time the team will take a guy who can operate an efficient offense that will give its outstanding defense a break. To beat out competitors for Jones, such as the Patriots and Saints, new GM Martin Mayhew might need to give up a second-round pick in this draft and the next to move up.

15  – Jacksonville Jaguars (projected trade with New England)

Christian Darrisaw · OT

School: Virginia Tech | Year: Junior

In a draft without a lot of pure left tackle prospects, the Jaguars swap 1s with New England and give up fourth- and fifth-round picks (they have an extra in each round due to trades) to grab a stable force on the blind side. Trevor Lawrence needs to be protected and Cam Robinson is set to become a free agent.

16  –  Arizona Cardinals

Jaylen Waddle · WR

School: Alabama | Year: Junior

The Cardinals could really use a playmaker to help Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins. Despite Waddle’s explosiveness, his size (5-foot-10, 182 pounds, per school measurements) might keep him from landing within the top dozen picks. (Tavon Austin is the only wideout selected in the top 15 overall picks who measured at 5-foot-10 or shorter at the NFL combine over the past 20 years).

17  –  Las Vegas Raiders

Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah · LB

School: Notre Dame | Year: Junior (RS)

The Raiders like “football players” from successful programs and are in need of more talent in the front seven. Picking JOK meets those criteria, as the linebacker lays waste to any ball carrier who enters his sights.

18  –  Miami Dolphins

Zaven Collins · LB

School: Tulsa | Year: Junior (RS)

Although the Dolphins will likely focus on offense in the early rounds, they shouldn’t ignore the need for young playmakers at the second level of their defense. Collins is an all-around talent too valuable to fall much lower.

19  –  Minnesota Vikings (projected trade with Washington)

Jaelan Phillips · Edge rusher

School: Miami | Year: Junior (RS)

The Vikings had one of the worst pass rushes in the league in 2020, and smartly traded Yannick Ngakoue when it was clear the season was not going as planned. Phillips possesses a nice combination of pass-rush ability and strength to hold the line of scrimmage.

20  –  Chicago Bears

Jalen Mayfield · OT

School: Michigan | Year: Sophomore (RS)

Upgrading the Bears’ offensive line will help Mitch Trubisky — or whomever is under center in Chicago — and Matt Nagy operate more efficiently in 2021. The powerful Mayfield could start at tackle or guard at the next level.

21  – Cleveland Browns  (projected trade with Indianapolis)

Nick Bolton · LB

School: Missouri | Year: Junior

The Browns will no longer be satisfied with just making the playoffs; they want to engulf the entire enchilada. Bolton is a similar interior playmaker to Devin Bush, whom the hated-rival Steelers traded up for two years ago. Cleveland will send Indy one of its two fourth-round picks and a sixth-round selection in the deal.

22  –  Tennessee Titans

Azeez Ojulari · Edge rusher

School: Georgia | Year: Sophomore (RS)

It’s tough to see Jadeveon Clowney and Tennessee re-upping on a deal this spring. Ojulari is not the tallest edge defender available (listed at 6-3), but he has the quickness to handle all assignments while possessing strong hands as a pass rusher.

23  – New York Jets

Najee Harris · RB

School: Alabama | Year: Senior

Frank Gore is an all-timer, but the Jets cannot rely on the 37-year-old to be their primary ball carrier in 2021. Harris’ combination of size, agility and toughness makes him the most likely running back to go in Round 1.

24  –  Pittsburgh Steelers

Alijah Vera-Tucker · OT

School: USC | Year: Junior (RS)

The Steelers are looking to get tougher up front. Vera-Tucker will certainly do that at left tackle, if Alejandro Villaneuva leaves as a free agent.

25  –  New England Patriots (projected trade with Jacksonville)

Jaycee Horn · CB

School: South Carolina | Year: Junior

If the Patriots can’t get the quarterback they want in the first round, they could trade back, add some assets and then probably address their defense. With Jason McCourty a free agent this year, and Stephon Gilmore potentially on the market in 2022, picking up another former Gamecock in Horn makes sense.

26  – Indianapolis Colts (projected trade with Cleveland)

Kadarius Toney · WR

School: Florida | Year: Senior

It seems unlikely the Colts will find a quarterback in the 20s who can step in and immediately replace the retired Phillip Rivers. If T.Y. Hilton hits the open market, Toney’s quickness off the line of scrimmage and elusiveness with the ball in his hands will make him a solid replacement.

27  –  Baltimore Ravens

Kwity Paye · Edge rusher

School: Michigan | Year: Senior

In typical Ravens fashion, they patiently wait for the process to play out and a player of value becomes available. Paye has the agility to play standing up and fits a major area of need for Baltimore, with Matt Judon, Yannick Ngakoue, Pernell McPhee and Tyus Bowser all set to become free agents.

28  –  New Orleans Saints

Levi Onwuzurike · DT

School: Washington | Year: Senior (RS)

Sheldon Rankins, the Saints’ first-round pick five years ago, could be replaced by another if the veteran finds greener pastures elsewhere in free agency. Onwuzurike’s clearly the top 3-technique tackle in this draft.

29  –  Green Bay Packers

Ifeatu Melifonwu · CB

School: Syracuse | Year: Junior (RS)

The Packers had one of the best offenses in the NFL despite not drafting a receiver last year, so let’s assume they stick with that approach and instead try to find a physical, long corner to replace probable free-agent loss Kevin King.

30  –  Buffalo Bills

Teven Jenkins · OT

School: Oklahoma State | Year: Senior (RS)

Tackles Daryl Williams and Ty Nsekhe are free agents, so the Bills might need a new right tackle like Jenkins to improve their ability to rush the ball and protect budding star Josh Allen.

31  –  Kansas City Chiefs

Carlos Basham Jr. · Edge rusher

School: Wake Forest | Year: Senior (RS)

Free agency could leave a large hole in the Chiefs’ defensive line. Basham’s strength and length make him a nice replacement for whichever veteran (Tanoh Kpassagnon, Alex Okafor and/or Taco Charlton) does not return.

32  –  Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Joe Tryon · Edge rusher

School: Washington | Year: Junior (RS)

Tryon’s a big-bodied edge rusher who can also move well in space for his size. The Bucs need youth in the front seven, especially if pending free agent Shaq Barrett finds a new address.