AFC East coaching tiers: Can Robert Saleh and the Jets change the narrative?

While much of the country spent the summer debating whether "Oppenheimer" or "Barbie" was the blockbuster of the year, Yardbarker NFL writers reviewed the work of the league's 32 head coaches and assigned each of these leading men to a tier. 

In sticking with the spirit of cinema, we named the tiers after either a movie title, genre or actor to help rationalize if each coach is producing an Academy Award- or a Razzie-level performance. Here's how the AFC East stacked up:

1: "OPPENHEIMER'/'BARBIE" TIER | Blockbusters

BILL BELICHICK | NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (Regular season: 298-152/Playoffs: 31-13) —  Post-Tom Brady, the world has changed for the Belichick-led Patriots, but 7-9, 10-7 and 8-9 records the past three seasons don't diminish the future Hall of Famer's legacy. The 71-year-old has won six of his eight Super Bowls appearances as New England's coach and ranks second all time in wins, including playoffs (329). However, with Mac Jones instead of Brady at QB, this "Lord of the Rings" may not coach in a Super Bowl any time soon.

In fact, 2023 could be the worst season of the Belichick era, as the Patriots are projected to win 7.5 games. New England hasn't won fewer than seven games since 2000, the first year Belichick took over when it finished 5-11. Should Andy Reid and the Chiefs win their third Super Bowl in five seasons and the Patriots have another dreadful year, the debate over who is the greatest coach in NFL history will dominate next offseason's discourse.

2: "THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION" TIER | Almost an Oscar

SEAN McDERMOTT | BUFFALO BILLS (Regular season: 62-35/Playoffs: 4-5) — The Buffalo faithful are experiencing similar highs to the late 1980s and early 1990s teams thanks to the hard-nosed culture McDermott has implemented. (Think Kurt Russell in "Miracle.") McDermott was hired in 2017 and immediately helped the Bills snap a 17-year playoff drought. Since 2019, Buffalo has been a perennial contender. The Bills' 47 wins over the past four seasons trail only Kansas City.

McDermott may have led the Bills to their third consecutive AFC East title, but last year's narrow wild-card win and embarrassing divisional-round loss damaged their perception as a Super Bowl contender. Because of this, Buffalo hasn't gotten as much attention throughout the offseason as it used to. Though perhaps lessened expectations are just what this team needs to get over the hump.

4: WESTERNS TIER | A little sizzle but no steak...yet

MIKE McDANIEL | MIAMI DOLPHINS (Regular season: 9-8/Playoffs: 0-1) — Beyond his razor-sharp wit and self-deprecating humor, McDaniel has quickly earned a reputation as having "A Beautiful Mind" for designing and calling plays. In McDaniel's first season as a head coach, Miami survived a late-season skid to clinch a postseason berth and nearly upset the AFC East champion Bills with a third-string quarterback. As long as starting QB Tua Tagovailoa's health holds up, Miami's offense should continue to be one of the most explosive in the league under McDaniel.

In 2022, the Dolphins were 8-3 with Tagovailoa, excluding the two games he exited early from, and averaged 27 points per game, which would've ranked fifth among teams if they maintained that pace over the entire season. Assuming Miami replicates that offensive success and exceeds its projected win total of 9.5 games, McDaniel should garner Coach of the Year votes. According to OddsChecker, the 40-year-old has the eighth-best odds to win the award (+2000). 

6: 'WATERWORLD' TIER | Sinking into...oblivion?

ROBERT SALEH | NEW YORK JETS (Regular season: 11-23/Playoffs: 0-0) — Although the former 49ers defensive coordinator has been instrumental in transforming New York's defense into a top-five unit, his record is cause for concern. The honeymoon phase with new quarterback Aaron Rodgers may be in full swing, but if the Jets falter in the early going, tensions could escalate — just like in "A Nightmare on Elm Street" — and Saleh could pay. 

If Saleh's analogies and expletive-filled performances in "Hard Knocks" were any indication, he's well aware of what's at stake this season. With the amount of Super Bowl buzz surrounding the team, it'll be interesting to see what the NFL scriptwriters have in store for Gang Green this season.