|
||
WHO'S THE COACH OF THE HALF-YEAR? By CHARLES JAY, Editor/Publisher, TotalAction.com November 3, 2000 Last week, we profiled some of the NFL coaches who might be in a little trouble. Just to be fair, and just to prove we're not all negative around here, we're going to talk about the coaches who have done the BEST job this season, at least as far as the traditional standards one would normally associate with the "Coach of the Year" award. Since we're at the midway point of the NFL season, consider this the "Coach of the Half-Year" award. Here is the list of the front-runners, with my own odds on winning the award at season's end (all information is for news matter only): JIM HASLETT, New Orleans (5/2) -- I've got to have Haslett as the #1 guy right now, because he has basically taken a situation that was sick, and that some felt was headed only toward disaster, and created something hopeful out of it, while at the same time positioning his team to challenge for a playoff spot. Under Haslett, the Saints have become a power team - emphasizing defense and the ground game. They run the football with aplomb, rush the passer, snuff the opposing team's running game, and seem to be playing with a more assertive attitude. True, Haslett's installation of the West Coast offense has been met with slower progress than was hoped, and they haven't beaten a lot of good teams, but one mark of success is to beat the teams you're SUPPOSED to beat, and Saints are doing just that. Ricky Williams, the focus of so much criticism, is becoming a dominating running back. Does that mean Mike Ditka deserves honorable mention? BILL COWHER, Pittsburgh (4/1) -- Here's a guy who, at this moment, is getting a little vindication. Cowher and his team were given up for dead at the outset of the season (by me too), but to his credit, he's kept the formula in place - running the ball, keeping turnovers down, and playing solid defense. The result - Jerome Bettis has over 700 yards on the ground, the QB's have thrown only two interceptions, and the Steelers haven't given up a touchdown in the last four games. And it's somewhat remarkable that they've become a major threat in the AFC Central despite the fact that they don't have what might be termed a "major league" quarterback. DENNIS GREEN, Minnesota (5/1) -- Green gets points because no one expected that much from his team, and most questioned his decision to bypass Jeff George and Randall Cunningham, and insert Daunte Culpepper as the starting quarterback, despite the fact that he had really no NFL experience. Now Culpepper, in a tribute to Green and his staff, is on his way to legitimate Pro Bowl consideration, and the Vikings are 7-1 at the halfway point. Well done. DAVE WANNSTEDT, Miami (7/1) -- A lot of people were down on the Dolphins with the elevation of the much-maligned Wannstedt to the head coaching post. But Wannstedt has earned his stripes already. Not only are the Dolphins at or near the high level of defensive play they displayed last year, but a number of key head coaching decisions can be directly linked to this team's success - namely the hiring of offensive coordinator Chan Gailey, the insertion of Jay Fiedler as starting quarterback over Damon Huard, and the use of Lamar Smith as the featured back. After years of lip service being paid to "establishing the run", Wannstedt and his staff are finally doing it. JON GRUDEN, Oakland (9/1) -- The Raiders have some of that same old attitude back. No, I don't mean the attitude that constantly brought them into a December swoon in recent years, but the attitude that won championships for John Madden and Tom Flores. Part of the difference - Oakland is now winning the close games rather than losing them. Gruden, a progressive thinker who, if I'm not mistaken, is still the youngest coach in the NFL, has done a great job of gaining the respect of his players, not an easy thing for a guy so young. AL GROH, New York Jets (10/1) -- Actually, Groh has kind of picked up where the Jets left off - the team had played very well over the second half of last season, despite all their injury problems. Groh got back a healthier Vinny Testaverde, among others. What Groh caught hell for was his support of the Keyshawn Johnson trade, but some of his draft choices look like the real thing, including pass rusher John Abraham (recently injured). The Jets look like the real thing too. Kudos to this Bill Parcells disciple for keeping the team steered in the right direction. GUNTHER CUNNINGHAM, Kansas City (12/1) -- Interestingly enough, Cunningham's philosophy is to run the football, but the Chiefs have met with success in spite of the fact that they haven't run the ball particularly well thus far. But they've become a big-play offense, as Elvis Grbac has thrown 19 touchdown passes. Chiefs are mentally tough - they could have folded after losing a couple of tough decisions at the start, but Cunningham, after some emotional moments early on, has recovered and so has his team. JIM FASSEL, New York Giants (15/1) -- He gets credit for sticking with his philosophy and sticking with his personnel. Kerry Collins is serviceable as a quarterback, and the Ron Dayne-Tiki Barber combo has a chance to create a dominating running game. Can they produce with great consistency down the stretch? If they can, Fassel heads closer to the playoffs and solidifies his candidacy. STEVE MARIUCCI, San Francisco (20/1) -- Yes that's right - Steve Mariucci. If there was ever a team and a coach who were left for dead at the start of the season, it was Mariucci and the Niners, who looked in danger of being exiled to NFL Europe. But with all the young players and all the salary cap problems, San Francisco has emerged as a dangerous team that is rarely out of a game. The development of Jeff Garcia (23 TD's, five INT's) has been nothing short of astounding. And the 49ers can move the ball on just about anybody. Now, if they can only play some defense............... Am I forgetting anybody? Let me know - charlesjay@totalaction.com |
||
|
|
||
| COPYRIGHT 2006 TOTAL ACTION INC. |
