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They can't all be winners, and Week 1 proved it.The NFL has 10 new head coaches this season, and five of them are rookies. While there's usually a bit of a learning curve, most rookie head coaches who made their debuts in Week 1 were on the winning end of things.Matt Eberflus (Bears), Brian Daboll (Giants), Mike McDaniel (Dolphins) and Kevin O'Connell (Vikings) all helped guide their squads to winning performances in the opening <a href="https://www.justpisteelers.com/joe-greene-jerseys">Joe Greene Jersey</a> weekend of the NFL season. To make matters more interesting, all of their wins came against teams that made the playoffs last season.Unfortunately for the Broncos, on "Monday Night Football," as his late-game decision-making came under the microscope in the lo s to Seattle. Well, not that anyone really needed a microscope to see where things went wrong.MORE: Of the five rookies, it's pretty hard to decide who had the best opening weekend, and who didn't. But here's how they ranked:Result:17-16 lo s to the Seahawks.The head coach doesn't cause players to fumble on the goal line (twice), but he does bear a brunt of the blame forfailing to course correct in the closing minutes of <a href="https://www.justpisteelers.com/markus-wheaton-jerseys">Markus Wheaton Jersey</a> the game.Through it all, Hackett had the Broncos in position to beat the Seahawks on "Monday Night Football." With more than four minutes left and all three timeouts, though, the Hackett-led Broncos opted to play for the field goal rather than attack the Seahawks defense and put the ball in their new QB's hands.Instead, Brandon McManus hooked a 64-yard attempt just wide, and the rookie head coach caught all sorts of (deserved) heat for the baffling way the last four minutes of the game unfolded. Hackett is a distant fifth on this list.MORE: Result:19-10 win over the 49ers.Eberflus and the Bears defended a water-logged Soldier Field, taking the fight to the NFC champion-hopeful 49ers in the win.It certainly feels like competence has returned to Chicago, at least for a week. The Bears' defense looked strong, while Luke Getsy did very well to accommodate Justin Fields' skill set with apparent second-half adjustments something he'll have to continue to do throughout 2022 <a href="https://www.justpisteelers.com/tre-norwood-jerseys">Tre Norwood Jersey</a> with Chicago's limited skill position cast.Result:20-7 win over the Patriots.McDaniel has a tough task in South Beach: He has to push the Dolphins' playoff-ready roster to prominence in 2022, and he got off to a good start in doing just that with a win over Bill Belichick and the Patriots. Some of that came with riskygame-management situations that earned the trust and respect of Hill, among others.McDaniel will have to get most he can out of a loaded skill position group that features both Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill out wide and also quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.The gameplan didn't always go as desired, and Tagovailoa <a href="https://www.justpisteelers.com/joe-haeg-jerseys">Joe Haeg Jersey</a> left plays on the field for Miami throughout the game, so that will be McDaniel's next big mountain to climb. But, downing a division rival in Week 1 in a pretty emphatic way in front of the home fans is a good start to the McDaniel era.WEEK 2 PREDICTIONS: Result:21-20 win over the Titans.In Week 1, Giants fans were shown everything that they were mi sing from a modern-day NFL head coach: a creative offensive game plan (Saquon Barkley, welcome back), a dash of charisma and a heavy serving of guts.Gone are the days of back-to-back quarterback sneaks, lame football cliches and Bill Belichick impersonators. A brutal late-game interception by Daniel Jones would have doomed the Giants of yesteryear, but a fiery Daboll kept Jones and the Giants on track.Daniel Jones getting chewed out by Brian Daboll alex (@highlghtheaven) They would score a touchdown on an ensuing po se sion, and Daboll would decide to go for two to give the Giants the lead.Even if Randy Bullock bangs through the kick that would have given the Titans the win, the early signs of competency and gall returning to the Giants sideline should be a refreshing feeling for Big Blue fans.Result:23-7 win over the Packers.What better way to ingratiate yourself to Vikings fans than knocking off the King in the North?Vikings fans sat through years of uninspiring, .500 football under Mike Zimmer, wasting good Kirk Cousins performances through the years. Sunday's game was not that.With Cousins turning in one of those excellent performances and , O'Connell did much to affirm his reputation as the next <a href="https://www.justpisteelers.com/jerome-bettis-jerseys">Jerome Bettis Jersey</a> good Sean McVay prodigy.Through at least one game, that reputation looks to be promising: With , the Vikings punched the NFC North stalwarts and Super Bowl hopefuls square in the mouth.That's a hell of a way to make your debut. |
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