Falcons Rumors: 5 dark horse Arthur Smith replacements if he's fired

3. Bobby Slowik, Offensive Coordinator, Houston Texans

It's not every year you see a first-time offensive coordinator make the jump to head coach the following season, so talking about Bobby Slowik as a candidate seems a little premature. But, the Houston Texans offensive coordinator has done a marvelous job this season with rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud and the rest of that unit.

Houston is currently second in the league in passing yards per game, just behind the high-flying Miami Dolphins. Stroud not only looks like a Pro Bowl quarterback, but a potential MVP. He's got the Texans in the playoff hunt in a season that was supposed to be merely a building year.

Slowik has done a great job with Stroud, but has also found ways to utilize the young receivers like Tank Dell and Nico Collins. Running back Devin Singletary has even seen some career days in Slowik's offense this year. Overall, Houston has been a big surprise.

Hiring Slowik would be a risk, but he comes from the Shanahan coaching tree, having spent a few years in San Francisco prior to joining Houston. That's a heck of a tree to pick from.