There is a singular pressure on every NFL team as the 2023 NFL season is set to begin. When the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions kick off the season September 7, every team will have aspirations of a successful season.
Some teams will carry championship hopes, while others might be hoping to avoid a season with double-digit losses. Prior to the start of the season, the greatest pressure was largely on the general managers who put together the rosters.
But once the season starts, that pressure will transfer to the 32 head coaches in the league. The credit will be there to be earned for coaches who win and exceed expectations, and the blame will be assigned to those who lose early games and fail to deliver on those early hopes.
This season, three coaches will face the most pressure based on expectations from ownership, the fan base and the talent level.
The Cowboys have a tall order once again this season as they have to compete with the Philadelphia Eagles, the best team in the NFC. Since they reside in the same division, a fast start is needed so they can put significant pressure on their opponent.
Both teams have explosive talent and depth, but the Cowboys need quarterback Dak Prescott to avoid the turnovers – 15 interceptions last season — that marked his play last year. He is competing with Jalen Hurts, who goes into the current season as a legitimate MVP candidate.
Prescott and McCarthy are tied together, and there is a belief that wide receivers CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup and Brandin Cooks along with running back Tony Pollard give Prescott more than enough talent to be successful.
The defense appears to be unquestionably great. There are many reasons, but the most important is the presence of edge rusher Micah Parsons (13.5 sacks in 2022). He is the best defensive player in the league and will carry the Dallas defense on his shoulders.
McCarthy is starting his fourth season with the Cowboys, and the fan base has not been happy with him since Jerry Jones hired him. It may take a division championship and a long run in the NFL playoffs – meaning a Super Bowl appearance – for McCarthy to hold onto his job.
The Bills have been on the edge of greatness for the last three seasons. McDermott has been at the helm for the last six years, and his first three seasons were fantastic as he took a perennial loser and turned it into a winning team that made two playoff appearances.
The drought of playoff appearance had ended, and by the start of the 2020 season, the Bills were included as one of the elite teams in the AFC. They bypassed the New England Patriots in the AFC East after the departure of Tom Brady, and they had a legitimate chance to earn championship status in the AFC.
They have not been able to get by the Kansas City Chiefs or Cincinnati Bengals, and those challenges remain formidable for McDermott and quarterback Josh Allen. This year, they are also going to have to hold off the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins within the division.
Yes, the Bills have another opportunity for greatness in 2023, but if they can’t reach the heights this season, the end may be at hand for McDermott.
Make no mistake about it, the Chargers are all in this season and the heat is on Staley to deliver a team that can exchange punches with the Kansas City Chiefs and somehow come out on top.
After blowing a 27-point lead to the Jacksonville Jaguars in last year’s Wild Card game and the subsequent firing of offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi, Staley is out of excuses and do-overs.
Kellen Moore is the new offensive coordinator, and he has a brilliant quarterback in Justin Herbert at the helm of the offense. The Chargers are going all in on a passing game that features Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and rookie Quentin Johnston as well as superb running back Austin Ekeler.
This year’s version of the Chargers has a chance to finish as a top-3 offense in the league. If this team stays healthy, they may be able to reach a level that no Chargers team has ever seen before.
However, if this team squeaks into the playoffs and goes out in the first round, Staley will be on the outside looking in next year.