We know that the Commanders have interviewed at least three names for their head coaching gig, and will bring back Dan Quinn and Raheem Morris for second, in-person interviews this week.
We also know, however, that they can’t do anything in-person with their rumored top candidate, Lions OC Ben Johnson, as well as DC Aaron Glenn or anyone on the Ravens, Niners, or Chiefs staffs until at least next week, once the conference championship games are over.
That may actually be of benefit to Ravens DC Mike MacDonald, though, as our official Ravens insider/Sports Junkies producer Valdez believes his team is going all the way to the Lombardi…and will give MacDonald, and associate head coach/defensive line coach Anthony Weaver, two more chances to show how they can stifle a top offense and move themselves up potential hiring boards.
“No. 1 defense, and they’ve shut down Kyle Shanahan and Bobby Slowik twice; in two games, he hasn't scored a touchdown against the Ravens,” Valdez said. “He's manhandled Ben Johnson and shut down Mike McDaniel’s high-flying offense – I think Sean McVay was the only real coordinator to have any kind of success against him.”
This past weekend, the Ravens D didn’t have a sack or a turnover, but also did not allow an offensive touchdown, or even a trip into the red zone for Houston’s offense.
“What he's doing is almost genius-level; I'm trying to not be speaking hyperbole here, but what he's doing on the defensive side of the ball is a master class,” Valdez said. “He’s disguising defenses, dropping linemen back into coverage as he's blitzing off the edge…it’s a master class. He’s forcing the quarterback to do things that make the quarterback uncomfortable, and I think that's a big reason for his success. I was worried because I feel like Slowik is a good coach and he would go watch the tape and he would adjust, but it seems like MacDonald had all the adjustments ready for Slowik.”
Great for Baltimore, but bad because it may mean he’s more in demand for had coaching jobs.
“I know a lot of people don't want to see him go, but I think Ravens fans are preparing themselves with life without Mike MacDonald,” Valdez said. “They may have an in-house replacement, but there are so many good coaches out there now where I think Ravens fans are kind of hoping that you can get him for another year; maybe he'll do the Ben Johnson route, where he wants to stay another year and maybe kind of hand-pick where he wants to end up.”
Whether it’s MacDonald or someone else, though, Valdez, despite being a Ravens fan, hopes the Commanders get their guy, and it’s the right one.
“I’ve been working with the Junkies for 14 years and I’ve never really seen any success here, and I know it’s got to eat at Commanders fans to see an organization like an hour away thriving like this,” Valdez said. “I don’t think it needs to be offensive or defensive; I think you want a head coach that can relate to the players, someone who can teach someone and is able to talk to them. I think you need more of a CEO-type, someone to run the team and organization, be the face of the franchise, be good with the media. I think the Xs and Os of it is a side piece to it; it's great to have it, but first and foremost, I feel like you need a leader like a Dan Campbell, a John Harbaugh, or a Mike Tomlin.”
And yeah, BMitch agrees.
“Look at the last four coaches left – they have their strengths, but have other guys coaching up the right players,” he said. “It’s not necessarily about the offensive coach getting the quarterback ready, it's the best leader you can get for your team, and whoever is going to be working directly with that quarterback needs to be a good guy. If you go with a defensive coach, you make damn sure that that offensive coordinator has some level of expertise to be able to handle that quarterback. It doesn't have to be the head coach.”
