By Mike Rifkin

As fans, we appreciate the greatness of players because they make the highlights. We don’t give enough credit to coaches who design the game plan. Over the past 20 years, we have talked about the New England Patriots’ domination and their six championships with Brady and Bellichick. Andy Reid, though, has coached two teams into hosting three straight conference championship games. He did it with the Philadelphia Eagles from 2002-2004, and now he is doing it for the third consecutive season for the Kansas City Chiefs. The knock-on Andy Reid was that he couldn’t win the big one until last year when his Chiefs beat the 49ers in the Super Bowl.

In all of their playoff games last year, the Chiefs trailed by double digits. (24-0 to the Texans, 10-0 to the Titans, and 20-10 to the 49ers) and came back to win. The Super Bowl championship is now a guarantee that one day coach Reid will go to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Andy Reid’s career record is 221-130-1. He ranks 6th all-time in wins and is six away from passing Curly Lambeau for fifth. He is also the seventh coach in history to take two different teams to the Super Bowl.

Andy Reid is not afraid to take chances, but none were more significant than in the divisional game last Sunday against Cleveland. He lost star quarterback Patrick Mahomes to a concussion in the third quarter. After the 2 minute warning on 4th and inches and backup quarterback Chad Henne in the game, instead of punting and trusting his defense, coach Reid decided to go for it, and Henne completed a sprint out pass to Tyreek Hill. The  Chiefs would run out the clock and appear in their third straight conference title game. 

Another way to appreciate Andy Reid’s greatness is that the three other coaches left in the AFC last week all coached under Andy Reid. So yes love the players you want because they make a great play, and we get enamored with the highlights like fireworks, but let’s give the coaches credit where it’s due. Andy Reid is one of the all-time great coaches in the league’s history, and let’s appreciate that we got to watch him coach. ( And yes, it’s the power of the Moustache)

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By Mike Rifkin

2018 the National Football League saw Houston Texans Quarterback Deshaun Watson get sacked 65 times. After that season, head coach and general manager Bill O’Brien decided to upgrade his offensive line. O’Brien made a trade for All-Pro left tackle Laremy Tunsil of the Miami Dolphins. The transaction involved Laremy Tunsil, Wide Receiver Kenny Stills, a 2020 fourth-round draft pick, and a 2021 sixth-round pick to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for a 2020 first-round pick ( Noah Igbinoghene), 2021 first-round pick, and a 2021 second-round pick.

The deal has not been as good for the Texans, even though 2019 saw them come one win away from the Superbowl. Even with Tunsil, Watson has been at the top of the league at getting pressured. This offseason, O’Brien struck again with an awful trade when he sent star wide receiver Deandre Hopkins to the Cardinals in exchange for running back David Johnson. The Texans started this season 0-4 and on October 5th fired O’Brien as coach and gm.

The Texans wound up with a record of 4-12 and would own the third overall pick in the upcoming draft if not for the Tunsil trade. As for the other side of the transaction, the Dolphins missed the playoffs after going 10-6, which was their best finish since 2016 when they went 10-6. This new direction with GM Chris Grier and Head Coach Brian Flores and promising rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, the team selected 5th overall in the last year’s draft.
This past week Texans hired Nick Caserio from the Patriots, the same organization that O’Brien was a part of for five seasons.

Which led Watson to put out a tweet saying, “Somethings never change.” Waston has deleted the tweet, and now multiple reports say Watson would like a trade out of Houston. Watson’s most significant issue is that he does not give his opinion on who the GM and coach are of the Texans. Watson would like the team to interview Chiefs Offensive Coordinator Eric Bieniemy for the head coach position. The Texans were the only team with a head coaching vacancy not to request an interview with the Chiefs coordinator.

Watson signed long term when he signed a four year $160 million contract with Houston. Because of the Tunsil trade, Houston doesn’t pick until the 3rd round. Of course, if you are Caserio, you want to keep Watson and build around him, but right now, why would Watson trust this organization that is not listening to its franchise quarterback?

This team needs a lot, and it’s most valuable asset is Watson. If you are Caserio, would you trade Watson to Miami in exchange for Tua, #3 overall pick, 2021 second-round pick, and either a 2022 first or second-round pick?

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