With the 2026 NFL season officially underway, several new head coaches have had their first chances to show what they could bring to their new teams. From learning and implementing new offensive and defensive schemes to play-calling and game management, the first two weeks gave us the first real look at how these coaches could impact their teams.
Jesse Minter: B
Saying Jesse Minter owned Week 1 would be an understatement. Minter had one of the best debuts as an NFL coach in recent memory.
In his first start as head coach, Minter led the Ravens to a 41-23 win against the Colts, with his team posting 324 passing yards, 202 rushing yards and four total touchdowns.
The offense used motion and pulling guards to throw off the defense and create confusion with assignments. Baltimore consistently created opportunities by moving defenders before the snap and using its offensive line to open running lanes.
But it wasn’t just the offense that played well. The defense also played at a high level, forcing two turnovers: an interception by Roquan Smith and a forced fumble by Marlon Humphrey.
After thriving as the Chargers’ defensive coordinator, Jesse Minter finally got his chance and took advantage of it.
Week 2
After an impressive debut, Minter and the Ravens faced a major setback in Week 2, falling 24-17 to the Saints in a surprising upset. After Baltimore scored 41 points in Week 1, the offense couldn’t produce at the same level against New Orleans.
New Orleans neutralized what was once a strong rushing attack with Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry. This loss gives Minter an early opportunity to show how he can adjust after facing adversity for the first time as a head coach.
Todd Monken: C-
It was clear early on that this would be a long game for the Browns. By halftime, Cleveland trailed 24-0. The Browns’ offense struggled to sustain drives, while the defense failed to limit the Jaguars’ passing attack.
The question is whether Monken’s coaching and scheme were the main issues or whether the struggles came from the players executing the game plan. That will become clearer as the season progresses.
On a more positive note, rookie wide receivers KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston fit extremely well into the offense and had very promising debuts. The two receivers were heavily involved in the passing game, with nearly half of Deshaun Watson‘s 22 pass attempts going their way.
The Browns also used a mix of man and zone coverage defensively. However, the defense struggled to slow Jacksonville’s passing attack.
Since the Browns used a mix of both man and zone coverage; it is difficult to make a definitive conclusion on whether the problem came from the defensive scheme or player execution.
Week 2
Todd Monken bounced back in Week 2, leading the Browns to a 23-19 upset over Tampa Bay despite a weather delay.
After struggling to generate consistent offense in Week 1, Cleveland put together enough production to secure the victory, largely thanks to a huge game from Watson and Boston.
The win gives Monken a much-needed confidence boost after a difficult debut.
Joe Brady: A
If Week 1 was a preview of a future playoff matchup, and if history repeats itself, Bills fans will not be disappointed. Joe Brady ran a very similar offense to last year, but the addition of D.J. Moore took the offense to another level.
Moore gives Brady another weapon to stretch the field with quarterback Josh Allen, something that was largely missing last season. His ability to threaten defenses vertically opened up more opportunities for the rest of the offense.
However, he did not have many answers for DeMeco Ryans‘ offense. Over the course of four quarters, the Texans recorded 274 passing yards, 124 rushing yards and four total touchdowns.
At the end of the day, however, all that matters is getting the win, and that’s exactly what Brady got. A late fourth-quarter touchdown from receiver Josh Palmer put the Bills ahead, and the defense did the rest by forcing a fumble from C.J. Stroud.
Week 2
Joe Brady continued his strong start to the season in Week 2, leading the Bills to a 41-31 victory over a high-powered Lions offense.
Despite putting up 36 points in Week 1, Buffalo bounced back to put up 41 points. Brady’s offense took another step forward in Week 2 against a struggling Lions secondary.
These back-to-back performances give Brady and the Bills more momentum as they continue to develop around former MVP Josh Allen.
On a sad note, Moore suffered an AC joint sprain in his left shoulder, although there’s hope the Pro Bowl receiver will be back in time for Week 3 against the Chargers.
Mike LaFleur: B
The Cardinals secured a huge first win of the season after upsetting the Los Angeles Chargers 26-14. Mike LaFleur’s pass-first, spread offense played a major role in picking apart the Chargers’ defense.
The scheme allowed the Cardinals to attack the field vertically by spreading out their playmakers and trusting quarterback Jacoby Brissett to make the right reads.
The Cardinals were able to use the space created by the spread formation to consistently attack the Chargers’ defense.
The only real problem from this game came from the number of missed tackles by the Cardinals’ defense. While the defense generally held its responsibilities well, its tackling left a lot to be desired and gave the Chargers opportunities to extend plays.
Overall, the Cardinals were able to execute Mike LaFleur’s offense to a ‘T’ and secure the upset win over the Chargers.
Week 2
Mike LaFleur faced a much tougher challenge in Week 2 after a huge upset win in Week 1 against the Chargers, as the Cardinals suffered a 31-7 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
After executing his spread offense flawlessly in Week 1, Arizona struggled to find the same success against the defending Super Bowl champions.
This loss gives LaFleur an early look at what adjustments are needed as he faces defenses just as good as Seattle’s in later weeks.
Klint Kubiak: A+
Coming off a 2025 Super Bowl win as the Seahawks’ OC, Klint Kubiak’s start was one of the most hyped for the 2026 season. But after winning his first game with the Raiders, it appears Las Vegas is finally leaving the dark ages.
Kubiak executed his game plan extremely well against the Dolphins, totaling 160 passing yards, 130 rushing yards and three total touchdowns in the Raiders’ 27-13 victory.
Kubiak ran an offense very similar to what he did in Seattle, featuring a power-run single-back system with 12 personnel. The key to the scheme was using the run to set up the play-action pass. The Raiders stayed balanced while creating opportunities through play-action.
The defense also played a major role in the victory. The Raiders used fronts ranging from four to seven defenders, while stunts and blitzes consistently created problems for the Dolphins’ offensive line. Las Vegas finished with five sacks and seven tackles for loss.
Overall, Kubiak’s ability to establish the run and use it to set up the play-action passing game gave the Raiders a balanced offense, while the defensive front consistently created problems for Miami. The addition of Kubiak could be what Vegas was missing all along.
Week 2
Klint Kubiak carried the momentum from his impressive Week 1 debut into Week 2, leading the Raiders to a 26-14 victory over the Chargers.
After using a strong rushing attack and play-action passing game to defeat Miami, Kubiak’s offense took a much different approach against the Chargers after quarterback Kirk Cousins threw for 253 yards and three touchdowns.
The back-to-back victories give Kubiak and the Raiders a strong start as they continue to establish their offensive identity after a rocky 2025 season.
Jeff Hafley: D
Jeff Hafley’s debut as a head coach was rather underwhelming, losing 27-13 to the Las Vegas raiders. In what was supposed to be a tight battle of first year head coaches turned into a tough watch for Dolphins fans with Miami only recording 220 passing yards and 74 rushing yards.
Since the Dolphins aren’t built to win right now, it is far too early to tell if the loss falls on Hafley or on the roster.
However, in 2026, Hafley and newly hired Offensive Coordinator Bobby Slowik rolled out a brand-new scheme to the dolphins, displaying a 21 personnel veer and shoot style offense to better compliment recently acquired Malik Willis and veteran De’von Achane.
Despite being a defensive-minded coach, Jeff Hafley really struggled to contain the Raiders, with Kirk Cousins piecing up their zone-heavy defense.
The front seven also struggled throughout the game, consistently missing gaps and assignments while allowing Ashton Jeanty to rack up over 100 rushing yards, 65 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns.
On a more positive note, the defense was still able to record two interceptions, seven tackles for loss and five pass deflections.
Week 2
Sadly, Jeff Hafley and the dolphins didn’t find much success in Week 2 losing 35-13 to the 49ers.
Hafley’s defense again struggled to slow down anything the opposing offense was throwing at them allowing a near perfect completion percentage and passer rating from Brock Purdy.
If Hafley doesn’t adjust for weeks ahead, it will once again be a long season for Dolphins fans.
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