NFL Coach of the Year - How can it not be Marvin Lewis?

In My Humble Opinion
41

Well, Priest Holmes was backing up Jamal Lewis in B-More when he went to the Chiefs. The Ravens (and us Baltimorons) knew he was good but they could only keep one of them due to the cap.

When he got to St. Lou he was instantly good.

I just don’t think Vermeil did anything with this squad. I think he took what he’d always done, layed it on top of this team, and it happened to work.

And, I think a good coach accounts for his weaknesses, and alters his schemes to best use his personnel. When a team gets worse as the season goes along with the same personnel, I think it means the coach is getting out-coached. That’s why 9-0 to 13-3 is a relevant stat. He beat 2 playoff teams, and one was at home (might I add. . .by a point, with a missed field goal by DEN, and the most blatant uncalled clip in NFL history on Hall’s TD).

Still, I’m not a Vermeil-hater. I thought what he did with STL in 99 was astounding. He is a great offensive coach, and has a great record, and has won SB’s with 2 different teams. That’s amazing.

I just don’t think what he did this year with the Chiefs is an example of it.

42

If the Ravens knew Priest Holmes was that good, they either wouldn’t have drafted Jamal Lewis or let Priest Holmes go. They would have kept Holmes and attempted to solve their QB issue.

‘I just don’t think Vermeil did anything with this squad.’

How about 13-3, that’s something. The teams who win the close games don’t cry about the refs or missed field goals. Even 9-0 to 13-3, is 4-3 which by the way, is still a better % than Cincy’s 8-8.

Lewis was badly outcoached by Butch Davis in a game they had to win. Check out the last part of the first half. And their defense let Lee Suggs run wild.

The more I think of it. Actually Fox perhaps should be second, just about everyone picked the Panthers to finish last in the NFC South. They won the division with the weakest personnel (before Vick went down) in that group. Carolina was 1-15 (with a SB coach, by the way) the year before Fox showed up.