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Two-thirds of the season gone and a month since the last RealFootball365.com NFL coaches power poll - facts not lost on those for whom 2007 is becoming a very long season indeed. Here we're talking Andy Reid, John Fox, Eric Mangini, Scott Linehan ...
Onto the poll! (Last month's ranking in parentheses.)
1. (4) Bill Belichick, New England Patriots. Now that the Pats have had a couple of close calls, we understand why Belichick is running his team full throttle 24/7 this season; though graced with fortuitously panicky play-calling from his counterpart late in the Philadelphia game, Belichick and Tom Brady have shown they can still create and engineer the no-nonsense, mistake-free fourth-quarter comeback drive always a hallmark of the New England dynasty.
2. (2) Mike McCarthy, Green Bay Packers. The NFL's head coach of the year, no question. Excepting the secondary and QB, McCarthy and staff have essentially entirely remade a squad that within two seasons is among the league's elite. And they're probably here to stay, Favre departure or no. (Even with a loss to the Cowboys.)
3. (3) Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers. The NFL's rookie head coach of the year.
4. (1) Tony Dungy, Indianapolis Colts. Hitting their traditional bumpy patch right around the two-thirds mark, a slack Colt loss shows Dungy's system isn't quite 100 percent impervious to injury.
5. (5) Wade Phillips, Dallas Cowboys. Sure, it was mostly Bill Parcells who assembled this team, but Phillips made things better.
6. (10) Jack Del Rio, Jacksonville Jaguars. The surprise team of the NFL is exhibiting mastery of fundamentals in limiting turnovers (the Jags sport a plus-8 turnover differential) and employing proper clock management (good for sixth-best in the NFL at 31:10 possession time per game). Plus you've gotta love Del Rio's gutsy fourth-down play-calling. At 26 attempts, the Jags' nearest competitor in the category is the Saints, with 16; nasty-repped New England, incidentally, has gone for it 15 times.
7. (11) Jon Gruden, Tampa Bay Buccaneers. From the What A Difference A Year Makes Department: Playing most of the game, Bruce Gradkowski goes 9-of-19 for 106 yards and zero TDs while the Bucs manage not a single point in the first half. They win anyway, 19-13. Last year, they would have lost, what, 37-7? Gruden is leading this year's proof of mind over matter in NFL football.
8. (13) Sean Peyton, New Orleans Saints. Turns out burning mementos of last season may have been the right thing to do. Considering no particular NFC team looks like a certainty to take either wild-card spot, Peyton might yet pull his guys out of that early season hole they done dug themselves.
9. (7) Mike Holmgren, Seattle Seahawks. One step forward, one step back ... Holmgren is getting much out of little here, but the 'Hawks have yet to beat a true playoff contender. On the other hand, the five remaining games on the slate should produce four wins and an 11-5 record at least; in any event, Holmgren should net his 15th winning season in 17 years as NFL head coach - not too shabby, regardless of schedule.
10. (20) Romeo Crennel, Cleveland Browns. Romeo Crennel in the top 10? Surely a sign of the apocalypse.
11. (6) Jeff Fisher, Tennessee Titans. But that's a shaky No. 11 ranking, too. Seemingly a lock for the playoffs in early November based on Fisher's ingenious game plans alone, the Titans enter December stumbling and regretting their brutal offseason.
12. (18) Lane Kiffin, Oakland Raiders. How long before someone at The Worldwide Leader in [American] Sports proclaims Kiffin the Greatest 3-8 Rookie Coach Ever? Not long, say we.
13. (15) Mike Shanahan, Denver Broncos. If anyone can make sense of Shanahan's inability to call a scoring play on third down this season , please write c/o RealFootball365.com.
14. (T24) Brad Childress, Minnesota Vikings. Since realizing that Adrian Peterson may in fact be a No. 1 halfback, the Vikes are beating the teams they should. Maybe they're on the way to an 8-8 finish, but Childress appears to be creating something nice here ...
15. (8) Tom Coughlin, New York Giants. Now begins the swoon: The Giants are now 10-17 in the second half since Coughlin took over as head coach.
16. (16) Herm Edwards, Kansas City Chiefs. Perhaps it's time for another quarterback controversy in K.C.
17. (21) Gary Kubiak, Houston Texans. How long before Kubiak is hired to help San Francisco turn things around? Or maybe Carolina ...
18. (29) Dick Jauron, Buffalo Bills. After waking up for a four-game winning streak against also-rans, Jauron seems to have fallen asleep again. Good thing: He didn't have to witness a pair of exercises in demolitions wherein the Bills were outscored 92-24 by proper playoff teams.
19. (17) Rod Marinelli, Detroit Lions. Through pure vim, vigor and enthusiasm, the Lions have been winning despite the single most inconsistent play-calling in the NFL. Marinelli and Mike Martz's true colors are about to be blatantly revealed down the stretch with the hardest five-game slate of any team.
20. (14) John Fox, Carolina Panthers. Five weeks ago, the Panthers were finally appearing to live up to expectations at 4-2. Now, they're in the throes of a five-game losing streak and Fox' seat is white hot.
21. (30) Norv Turner, San Diego Chargers. By default only, let me tell you. If the Chargers don't do better than 9-7, how does Turner keep his job? But he will.
22. (9) Brian Billick, Baltimore Ravens. The miraclette is over and word now has it that Billick may be out after the season.
23. (12) Joe Gibbs, Washington. Last month's power poll: "The old guy's still got some life in him after all." This month's: "No he doesn't."
24. (19) Andy Reid, Philadelphia Eagles. Simply put, this is not Reid's year. The only question now is whether front-office management will let him stick around for the seemingly imminent rebuilding process.
25. (23) Lovie Smith, Chicago Bears. Let's see ... three-plus seasons with Chicago, seven different QBs used, one losing campaign already and 2007 to be the second. Is it me or is the Super Bowl XLI appearance looking a little like lightning in a bottle? Wait 'til next year! Right, Lovie?
26. (T24) Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati Bengals. While good for 25.5 points per game, Lewis has his guys at 4-7. Isn't he supposed to be a defensive master? What a waste of a potent offense ...
27. (22) Eric Mangini, New York Jets. Funny how you don't hear that "Man Genius" moniker thrown around too much anymore...
28. (T26) Bobby Petrino, Atlanta Falcons. Grade: Incomplete.
29. (T26) Scott Linehan, St. Louis Rams. Grade: Incomplete.
30. (31) Mike Nolan, San Francisco 49ers. So they beat the Cardinals twice; you've gotta figure that Nolan's leash is about six inches long right now after the disaster conjured up by The Bay this season.
31. (28) Ken Whisenhunt, Arizona Cardinals. Yeah, I know Whisenhunt has the Cardinals at 5-6, a miracle season by Arizona football "standards," but it's as though they're simulating a season in Madden '08 out there and he has a good wave in the algorithm. The bizarre QB rotation thing aside Whisenhunt has blown three games with play-calling ranging from dubious to insane - at Baltimore, at Washington, at Tampa Bay - and three times this season have Cards players been called for unsportsmanlike conduct after fourth-quarter scores. So they beat Pittsburgh; Whisenhunt needs insider information against the league's other 30 teams if he ever wants to bring winning football to Glendale. Otherwise, the franchise could save a lot of money by just hiring CPU.
32. (32) Cam Cameron, Miami Dolphins. Still chasing that first victory...
__________________
for more updates visit http://gryphononcowboys.blogspot.com/
Two-thirds of the season gone and a month since the last RealFootball365.com NFL coaches power poll - facts not lost on those for whom 2007 is becoming a very long season indeed. Here we're talking Andy Reid, John Fox, Eric Mangini, Scott Linehan ...
Onto the poll! (Last month's ranking in parentheses.)
1. (4) Bill Belichick, New England Patriots. Now that the Pats have had a couple of close calls, we understand why Belichick is running his team full throttle 24/7 this season; though graced with fortuitously panicky play-calling from his counterpart late in the Philadelphia game, Belichick and Tom Brady have shown they can still create and engineer the no-nonsense, mistake-free fourth-quarter comeback drive always a hallmark of the New England dynasty.
2. (2) Mike McCarthy, Green Bay Packers. The NFL's head coach of the year, no question. Excepting the secondary and QB, McCarthy and staff have essentially entirely remade a squad that within two seasons is among the league's elite. And they're probably here to stay, Favre departure or no. (Even with a loss to the Cowboys.)
3. (3) Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers. The NFL's rookie head coach of the year.
4. (1) Tony Dungy, Indianapolis Colts. Hitting their traditional bumpy patch right around the two-thirds mark, a slack Colt loss shows Dungy's system isn't quite 100 percent impervious to injury.
5. (5) Wade Phillips, Dallas Cowboys. Sure, it was mostly Bill Parcells who assembled this team, but Phillips made things better.
6. (10) Jack Del Rio, Jacksonville Jaguars. The surprise team of the NFL is exhibiting mastery of fundamentals in limiting turnovers (the Jags sport a plus-8 turnover differential) and employing proper clock management (good for sixth-best in the NFL at 31:10 possession time per game). Plus you've gotta love Del Rio's gutsy fourth-down play-calling. At 26 attempts, the Jags' nearest competitor in the category is the Saints, with 16; nasty-repped New England, incidentally, has gone for it 15 times.
7. (11) Jon Gruden, Tampa Bay Buccaneers. From the What A Difference A Year Makes Department: Playing most of the game, Bruce Gradkowski goes 9-of-19 for 106 yards and zero TDs while the Bucs manage not a single point in the first half. They win anyway, 19-13. Last year, they would have lost, what, 37-7? Gruden is leading this year's proof of mind over matter in NFL football.
8. (13) Sean Peyton, New Orleans Saints. Turns out burning mementos of last season may have been the right thing to do. Considering no particular NFC team looks like a certainty to take either wild-card spot, Peyton might yet pull his guys out of that early season hole they done dug themselves.
9. (7) Mike Holmgren, Seattle Seahawks. One step forward, one step back ... Holmgren is getting much out of little here, but the 'Hawks have yet to beat a true playoff contender. On the other hand, the five remaining games on the slate should produce four wins and an 11-5 record at least; in any event, Holmgren should net his 15th winning season in 17 years as NFL head coach - not too shabby, regardless of schedule.
10. (20) Romeo Crennel, Cleveland Browns. Romeo Crennel in the top 10? Surely a sign of the apocalypse.
11. (6) Jeff Fisher, Tennessee Titans. But that's a shaky No. 11 ranking, too. Seemingly a lock for the playoffs in early November based on Fisher's ingenious game plans alone, the Titans enter December stumbling and regretting their brutal offseason.
12. (18) Lane Kiffin, Oakland Raiders. How long before someone at The Worldwide Leader in [American] Sports proclaims Kiffin the Greatest 3-8 Rookie Coach Ever? Not long, say we.
13. (15) Mike Shanahan, Denver Broncos. If anyone can make sense of Shanahan's inability to call a scoring play on third down this season , please write c/o RealFootball365.com.
14. (T24) Brad Childress, Minnesota Vikings. Since realizing that Adrian Peterson may in fact be a No. 1 halfback, the Vikes are beating the teams they should. Maybe they're on the way to an 8-8 finish, but Childress appears to be creating something nice here ...
15. (8) Tom Coughlin, New York Giants. Now begins the swoon: The Giants are now 10-17 in the second half since Coughlin took over as head coach.
16. (16) Herm Edwards, Kansas City Chiefs. Perhaps it's time for another quarterback controversy in K.C.
17. (21) Gary Kubiak, Houston Texans. How long before Kubiak is hired to help San Francisco turn things around? Or maybe Carolina ...
18. (29) Dick Jauron, Buffalo Bills. After waking up for a four-game winning streak against also-rans, Jauron seems to have fallen asleep again. Good thing: He didn't have to witness a pair of exercises in demolitions wherein the Bills were outscored 92-24 by proper playoff teams.
19. (17) Rod Marinelli, Detroit Lions. Through pure vim, vigor and enthusiasm, the Lions have been winning despite the single most inconsistent play-calling in the NFL. Marinelli and Mike Martz's true colors are about to be blatantly revealed down the stretch with the hardest five-game slate of any team.
20. (14) John Fox, Carolina Panthers. Five weeks ago, the Panthers were finally appearing to live up to expectations at 4-2. Now, they're in the throes of a five-game losing streak and Fox' seat is white hot.
21. (30) Norv Turner, San Diego Chargers. By default only, let me tell you. If the Chargers don't do better than 9-7, how does Turner keep his job? But he will.
22. (9) Brian Billick, Baltimore Ravens. The miraclette is over and word now has it that Billick may be out after the season.
23. (12) Joe Gibbs, Washington. Last month's power poll: "The old guy's still got some life in him after all." This month's: "No he doesn't."
24. (19) Andy Reid, Philadelphia Eagles. Simply put, this is not Reid's year. The only question now is whether front-office management will let him stick around for the seemingly imminent rebuilding process.
25. (23) Lovie Smith, Chicago Bears. Let's see ... three-plus seasons with Chicago, seven different QBs used, one losing campaign already and 2007 to be the second. Is it me or is the Super Bowl XLI appearance looking a little like lightning in a bottle? Wait 'til next year! Right, Lovie?
26. (T24) Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati Bengals. While good for 25.5 points per game, Lewis has his guys at 4-7. Isn't he supposed to be a defensive master? What a waste of a potent offense ...
27. (22) Eric Mangini, New York Jets. Funny how you don't hear that "Man Genius" moniker thrown around too much anymore...
28. (T26) Bobby Petrino, Atlanta Falcons. Grade: Incomplete.
29. (T26) Scott Linehan, St. Louis Rams. Grade: Incomplete.
30. (31) Mike Nolan, San Francisco 49ers. So they beat the Cardinals twice; you've gotta figure that Nolan's leash is about six inches long right now after the disaster conjured up by The Bay this season.
31. (28) Ken Whisenhunt, Arizona Cardinals. Yeah, I know Whisenhunt has the Cardinals at 5-6, a miracle season by Arizona football "standards," but it's as though they're simulating a season in Madden '08 out there and he has a good wave in the algorithm. The bizarre QB rotation thing aside Whisenhunt has blown three games with play-calling ranging from dubious to insane - at Baltimore, at Washington, at Tampa Bay - and three times this season have Cards players been called for unsportsmanlike conduct after fourth-quarter scores. So they beat Pittsburgh; Whisenhunt needs insider information against the league's other 30 teams if he ever wants to bring winning football to Glendale. Otherwise, the franchise could save a lot of money by just hiring CPU.
32. (32) Cam Cameron, Miami Dolphins. Still chasing that first victory...
__________________
for more updates visit http://gryphononcowboys.blogspot.com/
