I Fully Expect Josh McDaniels to End Up as HC of the LAC

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I thought this might be the one January where New England wouldn't get hit by Winter Storm Josh. That this once the region would be spared the reports that link Josh McDaniels to every head coaching vacancy in the league. And that maybe, just maybe, downtrodden franchises would come up with some other plan besides hiring anyone who's ever so much as emptied the wastebaskets in conference room where Bill Belichick was conducting a meeting. And that maybe in 2021 the Brain Drain would be limited to just QB coach Jedd Fisch leaving for the U. of Arizona job and we could get on with the offseason. 

I also assumed that McDaniels wasn't the commodity he was when he left the Colts crying at the altar in 2018.

Where this year, coming off the worst season for the Patriots offense in recorded history (meaning since 2000), team owners and football ops departments would look elsewhere and figure out some other way to get respectability other than trying to transplant one of Belichick's vestigial organs into their own bodies.

That was, until yesterday. 

This is a game changer. 

Situations like the Chargers job come up once in a lifetime. Both for the team and for prospective coaches. How often do you see a franchise fire their head coach right after they'd discovered they have a generational talent at quarterback? Whether or not Anthony Lynn didn't do enough to help the Chargers win, Justin Herbert established himself as the most promising rookie in football on his watch. Coaches with that on their resume typically don't get fired. Jobs like this don't become available. And when they do, anyone who doesn't want the gig doesn't belong in coaching.

In 15 games, Herbert finished 4th in the NFL in completions, attempts, and yards per game. And Top 12 in touchdowns, yards, interception % and passer rating. In March he turns 23. Any coach who isn't willing to go full Walder Frey on his competition probably isn't worth hiring.

It seems logical that Eric Bienemy's time to get a head coach job has come. In fact, it's a miracle Andy Reid has kept his staff in place as long as he has. Bill's OC Brian Daboll is no doubt going to draw interest. Oddsmakers have Panthers OC Joe Brady as 5/2 favorites to get the Chargers job. All of them are solid choices. 

But none of them have what McDaniels has. Which is Justin Herbert. 

Last year, the Patriots were sitting on the 23rd pick. Meaning there was a 0.0% chance Herbert would fall to them or that they'd be able to move up to take him. But still, McDaniels met with him at the Combine. And here's how Herbert described his experience in Indy to Peter King:

FMIA: Who’d you meet at the combine who was impressive, or who you really wanted to meet?

Herbert: “Coach McDaniels with the Patriots. [Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.] That’s a guy I’ve always watched, always looked up to. I love their offense.”

And the last time the two saw each other was one month ago tomorrow, when the Patriots played their most complete game of the season, beating the Chargers 45-0. Yes, there were a couple of special teams scores in that one. But McDaniels got three TDs out of Cam Newton (two of them rushing) and a 38-yard TD pass from Jarrett Stidham. You have to think somewhere in the back of Herbert's mind he was wondering what McDaniels could do for his career. 

I get that the NFL isn't the NBA. In football, going to your players like they're Lebron asking them who they'd love to play for is usually death. They need someone they'll respect, not someone who they think will be fun. But there are exceptions. And this is one. Having a 23-year-old phenom at quarterback is like finding the cheat code to put you in God Mode. You give that guy whatever he wants. Once you've matched him up with the right coach whom he trusts and who can maximize his talent, you've built your structure. Everything else is just finish carpentry. 

Just so we're clear, this isn't me predicting McDaniels will get offered the job. I have no idea if the Chargers in charge have the brains to make the right move. Just that pairing Josh McDaniels and Justin Herbert is the right move. And there's no way he wouldn't take the job the way he turned down the Colts. Frankly I hope they don't and he stays in New England to turn this team around. But my best guess is he's heading to LA.