Survey results!!
In this week’s Reacts survey, we asked fans to express their ideas about the next head coach of the Washington Commanders.
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Anyone who reads Hogs Haven regularly will be unsurprised that a majority of this site’s members perceive the key decision to be identifying the right GM, who will then be empowered and entrusted with selecting the right head coach.
Still, around 45% of those responding to the survey expressed opinions about the background they prefer to see in the next head coach of the Commanders. The majority of these respondents are looking for an offensive-minded head coach, with a about twice as many people wanting a first-time head coach promoted from a coordinator’s job as compared to a candidate with previous head coaching experience.
Of course, nothing’s unanimous, and 15% of those voting are in favor of a candidate with head coaching experience. It seems to be a clear hard ‘no’ from most of the fan base on Bill Belichick, but other younger guys have gotten some support. In the survey article, I talked about Dan Quinn and Steve Wilks in particular.
With the strong focus on the GM hire, unless something more timely arises over the weekend, next week’s poll will focus on what it means to get that GM hire right.
Fan Confidence
Confidence numbers lifted slightly with the bye week as Washington’s draft position was solidified by several 4-win teams picking up a 5th win, leaving the Commanders, as the only 4-9 team, with the 4th overall pick based on current standings.
The Arizona Cardinals currently have 3 wins, but with a trip to Chicago in Week 17, they have a chance at adding a 4th win. Because Arizona’s strength of schedule is currently .557 vs Washington’s .529, identical end-of-season records would likely see the Commanders move ahead of the Cardinals in the draft order. There’s not much else to hope for between now and the 8th of January.
The roughly 50/50 split in fans who feel confident vs those who don’t basically seems to come down to a split between those who feel good because the team is under new ownership and no longer under the dark cloud that took up long-term residence in 1999, and those who won’t feel confident in the team’s direction until Josh Harris and his partners earn it by making substantial forward progress.
Sunday football
The Commanders head out west to Los Angeles to take on the Rams at SoFi Stadium. Because it is a left-coast game, the start time is 4:05 pm.
The 6-7 Rams, who are competing for an NFC wildcard spot, are favored by 6.5 points; the over/under is set at 50.5 points.
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