If there’s a new trend that’s undermining this year’s slate of Thursday Night Football games, look no farther than the fact that the last three blowouts have all come at the expense of new coaching staffs.
From Tampa’s 56-14 trouncing in Week Three to Washington’s 45-14 whitewash in Week Four to Minnesota’s 42-10 moonlight Marmalard, all three defeats were inflicted on new coaching staffs.
If that’s the reason for these blowout losses, take the Colts and give the points next Thursday night, when the Texans and new coach Bill O’Brien host Indy.
With limited practice time in the offseason, training camp, and the preseason, maybe new coaching staffs simply can’t get their teams ready as effectively as veteran staffs can. And maybe that’s why the early-season Thursday night games have been so bad.
The theory will get tested a few more times later this year, when Cleveland and new coach Mike Pettine face the Bengals on November 6, the Lions and new coach Jim Caldwell face the Bears on November 27, and the Titans and new coach Ken Whisenhunt square off against the Jaguars on December 18.
Last year, new coaching staffs were 4-3 on Thursday Night Football. Two of the wins came early in the season, against other first-year coaching staffs (Chiefs over Eagles on September 19 and Browns over Bills on October 3). The Bears beat the Giants on October 10, and the Chargers beat the Broncos on December 12.