Kevin O'Connell has won 12 games, clinched a division title, made Kirk Cousins an .800 quarterback, weathered a bottom-five scoring defense and is now just showing off by solving the woes of a wayward kicker.
NFL's rookie head coaches have had their ups and downs
On The NFL: The Vikings' Kevin O'Connell leads the first-year pack in victories.
December 28, 2022 at 12:10AM
But how does he measure up to the other nine head coaches who were hired by their respective teams before this season? That matters because the newbies tend to get special attention when AP voters are considering NFL Coach of the Year.
Seven of the 10 head into Week 17 under .500. Three have been eliminated from the playoff race, including Denver's Nathaniel Hackett, who also got eliminated from his job this week.
O'Connell, the Giants' Brian Daboll and Jacksonville's Doug Pederson are leading the way with each having four more wins than the teams they inherited. Pederson, 7-8 and leading the AFC South, has more than doubled the win total from the Jaguars' league-worst 3-14 record in 2021.
Here's a look at each of the 10 newbies of 2022:
Matt Eberflus, Bears
Record: 3-12. Last year: 6-11.
The Good: Beat the 49ers 19-10 in a monsoon to open the season at Soldier Field.
The Bad: 0-4 in the NFC North.
The Ugly: Three losses by 20 or more points, including a 35-13 loss to the Bills at home last week.
One-score games: 1-7.
Looking forward: Justin Fields is a legitimate franchise QB, a la Jalen Hurts, in the making.
Nathaniel Hackett, Broncos (fired)
Record: 4-11. Last year: 7-10.
The Good: Beating the 49ers 11-10 in a weird prime-time game to start the year 2-1.
The Bad: One game into the Russell Wilson era, Hackett chose a 64-yard field goal attempt over Wilson being able to convert fourth-and-5 with 24 seconds left in what became a season-opening loss to Seattle, Wilson's former team. Hackett never lived that one down, and rightfully so, since Denver traded three players and five draft picks — two of them first-rounders — and then gave Wilson a five-year, $245 million contract.
The Ugly: A, getting fired after 15 games; B, averaging 14.5 points a game, Denver's lowest total since 1971; and C, being replaced by Jerry Rosburg, the guy Hackett hired in-season as a game management director.
One-score games: 3-8.
Looking forward: Denver still has a top-5 defense in yards and points allowed.
Lovie Smith, Texans
Record: 2-12-1. Last year: 4-13.
The Good: Beating then-AFC South leader Tennessee 19-14 last Saturday.
The Bad: Failing to reach 20 points nine times.
The Ugly: Davis Mills as your starting quarterback.
One-score games: 2-7-1.
Looking forward: Houston will need yet another reboot at head coach and quarterback.
Doug Pederson, Jaguars
Record: 7-8. Last year: 3-14.
The Good: Currently leading the AFC South and holding the AFC's fourth seed.
The Bad: A five-game losing streak that included games against Houston, Indianapolis and Denver.
The Ugly: Starting December by getting thrashed 40-14 in Detroit.
One-score games: 3-6.
Looking forward: Pederson is erasing all memories of Urban Meyer and building around Trevor Lawrence.
Josh McDaniels, Raiders
Record: 6-9. Last year: 10-7 playoff team.
The Good: Beating former boss Bill Belichick in the wackiest, most boneheaded finish of any game this season.
The Bad: Taking over a playoff team and opening 0-3.
The Ugly: Derek Carr ranking 25th in passer rating with Davante Adams on the roster.
One-score games: 4-8.
Looking forward: Time to turn the page on Carr and find another QB.
Mike McDaniel, Dolphins
Record: 8-7. Last year: 9-8.
The Good: Beating Baltimore and Buffalo back-to-back to start 3-0.
The Bad: Losing four straight after a five-game winning streak produced an 8-3 record.
The Ugly: Failing to protect QB Tua Tagovailoa, who suffered two head injuries four days apart earlier this season and who was placed in concussion protocol a day after playing the entire game against the Packers on Sunday.
One-score games: 5-4.
Looking forward: Holding the seventh seed in the AFC, does McDaniel do the right thing and shut Tagovailoa down for the season?
Dennis Allen, Saints
Record: 6-9. Last year: 9-8.
The Good: Posting back-to-back wins the past two weeks to stay in the NFC South race.
The Bad: Being shut out — 13-0 vs. the 49ers — for the first time since 2001.
The Ugly: Blowing a 16-3 lead in the closing minutes of a loss to Tom Brady and the Bucs three weeks ago.
One-score games: 5-5.
Looking forward: Andy Dalton and/or Jameis Winston aren't the long-term answer at quarterback.
Brian Daboll, Giants
Record: 8-6-1. Last year: 4-13.
The Good: Doubling last year's win total and assuring the Giants won't have a sixth straight losing season.
The Bad: Going 1-4-1 in the last six games.
The Ugly: Surrendering 48 points to Philadelphia while going 1-3-1 in the division.
One-score games: 8-3-1.
Looking forward: Despite the recent slump, the future looks good considering Daboll got more out of Daniel Jones than anyone expected.
Todd Bowles, Buccaneers
Record: 7-8. Last year: 13-4 playoff team.
The Good: Opening up with a 19-3 win over the Cowboys.
The Bad: Brady's first three-game losing streak in 302 consecutive starts.
The Ugly: Brady losing 35-7 at San Francisco in rookie quarterback Brock Purdy's NFL starting debut.
One-score games: 5-4.
Looking forward: Will Brady retire for good this time? His first attempt lasted only 40 days back in the spring.
Kevin O'Connell, Vikings
Record: 12-3. Last year: 8-9.
The Good: Punishing Aaron Rodgers in a Week 1 beatdown at home and outscoring Josh Allen by a field goal in overtime in Buffalo in the NFL's game of the season.
The Bad: Ranking 28th in points allowed and 31st in yards allowed.
The Ugly: Losing to NFC elites Philadelphia and Dallas by a combined score of 64-10.
One-score games: 11-0 (NFL record).
Looking forward: A postseason that will decide whether the non-believers are wise or just worrisome for no reason.
Mike Conley was in Minneapolis, where he sounded the Gjallarhorn at the Vikings game, on Sunday during the robbery.
