FIRST-YEAR COACHES
BILLS: Sean McDermott is doing more with less than his predecessor Rex Ryan. Fewer than two dozen players remain from last year’s roster and the losing culture is finally fading in Buffalo. McDermott has gotten the most out of QB Tyrod Taylor and the Bills lead the NFL with a plus-11 turnover margin. The next four games are critical: road games against the Chargers and Chiefs sandwiched in between home games against the first-place Saints and Patriots. RAMS: With help from Sean McVay and a better supporting cast, former top overall draft pick Jared Goff has made a huge jump this season. After failing to win the starting QB job until halfway through his rookie season, Goff is undergoing a sophomore surge not unlike Carson Wentz’s in Philadelphia. The Rams hit the halfway point in first place in the NFC West. Down the stretch, they’ll be tested by fellow NFC division leaders Minnesota, New Orleans and Philadelphia.
JAGUARS: Having spent the previous two years as Jacksonville’s O-line coach, Doug Marrone knew exactly what he had with turnover-prone QB Blake Bortles. So he built a run-first team that could control the clock, limit Bortles’ passes and play to an alreadystout defense. Drafting RB Leonard Fournette and LT Cam Robinson beefed up the ground game, and DE Calais Campbell has proven to be the NFL’s best freeagent signing. The Jaguars looked poised for a strong finish and their best season in a decade.
49ERS: Kyle Shanahan arrived with a lot of optimism as he brought his deep offensive knowledge and playbook from Atlanta to a team in need of a change. But San Francisco got off to the worst start in franchise history. QB Brian Hoyer went from starter to the bench before getting cut when GM John Lynch acquired Tom Brady’s longtime backup Jimmy Garoppolo. The only drama down the stretch will be if they can avoid 0-16 and get a good look at Garoppolo before determining whether to draft a quarterback with a premier pick in April. CHARGERS: The relocated Chargers didn’t leave their heartbreak in San Diego when they moved to L.A. They’ve already lost four games by eight points or fewer. Mike McCoy’s last two teams in San Diego lost 17 games by that same one-score margin. They’ve once again had stretches of strong play and a string of solid victories with an undeniable collection of veteran talent. But narrow losses due to poor late-game execution and bad breaks have kept them from rising to the top of the AFC West.