Coach of The Year

[maddog60]

Why does everyone love Sean Payton SO much!?!

Brees, Bush, McAllister, and Horn at the playmaker positions on offense. Colston and Henderson were great rookie picks to help levitate a pass-heavy offense. Payton was a wonderful coach to take over the Saints, but in no way was he the best coach this year.

That honor, as ESPN.com's Michael Smith points out, should belong to Jeff Fisher. Rather than rely on offseason acquisitions (such as the Saints spending spree on Bush and Brees), Fisher has developed his players. Vince Young was a godsend in the draft, negating Bush's impact, but Chris Brown/Travis Henry, Drew Bennett, and many other starters for the Titans have been coached and developed over their careers by Fisher. Fisher is the reason the Titans are in the playoff hunt. Mickey Loonis (the Saints GM) is the reason for their resurgance.

Jeff Fisher for coach of the year.

It was Payton who got Brees there. It was Payton who picked Bush and Colston. Payton also bought Fujita, and Simoneau, and Faine to NO, all who've done a good job as starters. Payton found guys to fill in the gaps so that LeCharles Bentley and Darren Howard were not missed, and neither was.

The Saints were 2-14 last year, now they're the 2nd seed with a bye, something the franchise has never accomplished before. If they're a more talented team now than they were when Payton took over, he deserves credit for that.

[buffalobillsrul2002]

It was Payton who got Brees there. It was Payton who picked Bush and Colston. Payton also bought Fujita, and Simoneau, and Faine to NO, all who've done a good job as starters. Payton found guys to fill in the gaps so that LeCharles Bentley and Darren Howard were not missed, and neither was.

The Saints were 2-14 last year, now they're the 2nd seed with a bye, something the franchise has never accomplished before. If they're a more talented team now than they were when Payton took over, he deserves credit for that.

Eh, but Loonis deserves some credit for gettign Brees. Payton didn't sign Brees himself.... Payton didn't really pick Bush, and I'm sure finding Colston had as much to do with the scouts as much as anyone. And again, GMs have as much to do with the players brougt in as coaching does. Now I do give Payton creidt for developing a lot of the young guys, and for dealing with the Duece/Bush situation.

I give it to Fisher. He's developed YOoung, and he's found a resurgent Travis Henry.

[JStein]

I give credit to four men really - Sean Payton and Eric Mangini, obviously, but also Jeff Fisher and Marty Schottenheimer. Mangini turned around a hopeless team together and built together an excellent competitive team in the JETS. Jeff Fisher did a great job developing players instead of letting other franchises do it for him. But my top two are Schottenheimer and Payton with Payton having an edge.

Don't get me wrong here - Schottenheimer and Payton had a lot of talent to work with. But look beyond that. Schottenheimer turned/developed the first-year starter in Rivers into a Pro-Bowl player. He ran the most explosive offense, allowing LT to become practically the MVP. He hired an excellent staff. And he kept the team together despite a little degree of adversity in the Merriman issue. He built a winner in San Diego and he deserves a large portion of the credit.

A lot of you argued that Payton also had a lot to work with. In order to work with talent, you have to recognize it and put it together. Everyone in the NFL has talent - it's picking the special guys and grooming them into winners tha makes a coach worthy of the title, coach of the year. Payton overthrew half the team, along with Loomis he signed and put together an impressive offense and he made a desperate and desolate team into winners. His team played through injuries and won. He is plainly a very impressive offensive playcaller. You play to win the game - and what a game he is playing in New Orleans. The Saints have played to the ocassion and are winners.

[A Fleshner Fantasy]

I give credit to four men really - Sean Payton and Eric Mangini, obviously, but also Jeff Fisher and Marty Schottenheimer. Mangini turned around a hopeless team together and built together an excellent competitive team in the JETS. Jeff Fisher did a great job developing players instead of letting other franchises do it for him. But my top two are Schottenheimer and Payton with Payton having an edge.

Don't get me wrong here - Schottenheimer and Payton had a lot of talent to work with. But look beyond that. Schottenheimer turned/developed the first-year starter in Rivers into a Pro-Bowl player. He ran the most explosive offense, allowing LT to become practically the MVP. He hired an excellent staff. And he kept the team together despite a little degree of adversity in the Merriman issue. He built a winner in San Diego and he deserves a large portion of the credit.

A lot of you argued that Payton also had a lot to work with. In order to work with talent, you have to recognize it and put it together. Everyone in the NFL has talent - it's picking the special guys and grooming them into winners tha makes a coach worthy of the title, coach of the year. Payton overthrew half the team, along with Loomis he signed and put together an impressive offense and he made a desperate and desolate team into winners. His team played through injuries and won. He is plainly a very impressive offensive playcaller. You play to win the game - and what a game he is playing in New Orleans. The Saints have played to the ocassion and are winners.

Good post, I agree with most of it, although I personally think Mangini is 2nd, Shotenheimmer 3rd.

[skinsfan]

Mangini played in a weak division. Beating the Pats was exceptional, but it's not too hard to finish above .500 and 2nd in your division when you need to top Miami and Buffalo.

I'll take Payton for putting his team improbably above Atlanta (always a contender), Carolina (NFC Runner-up) and Tampa (2006 Division Champ) is extremely impressive: Last season, those three teams were a combined 30-18 and none had a losing record, compared to 3-13 for New Orleans.

And to those citing the playmakers in New Orleans as reasons for Payton to be undeserving, Horn, McAllister, and Stallworth were all there last year. Brees is a superb QB, but his stats have been significantly padded by being forced to compensate for an awful defense, like Kurt Warner in 1999.

Also, we can play the name game in New York too: Pennington (resurgent QB), Coles (old WR...also a whole lot better than Horn at this point), Vilma (premier LB), Miller (league KR leader. He beats Hester in Average, and Hester doesn't even qualify with only 16 KR), Barton (another great LB). The fact that the playmakers of New Orleans make a highlight reel can't be an argument against his coaching job.

Others considered: Reid, Schottenheimer, Billick.

(sorry Herm and Fisher, no playoffs = no award)

[moochman]

Mangini played in a weak division. Beating the Pats was exceptional, but it's not too hard to finish above .500 and 2nd in your division when you need to top Miami and Buffalo.

I'll take Payton for putting his team improbably above Atlanta (always a contender), Carolina (NFC Runner-up) and Tampa (2006 Division Champ) is extremely impressive: Last season, those three teams were a combined 30-18 and none had a losing record, compared to 3-13 for New Orleans.

And to those citing the playmakers in New Orleans as reasons for Payton to be undeserving, Horn, McAllister, and Stallworth were all there last year. Brees is a superb QB, but his stats have been significantly padded by being forced to compensate for an awful defense, like Kurt Warner in 1999.

Also, we can play the name game in New York too: Pennington (resurgent QB), Coles (old WR...also a whole lot better than Horn at this point), Vilma (premier LB), Miller (league KR leader. He beats Hester in Average, and Hester doesn't even qualify with only 16 KR), Barton (another great LB). The fact that the playmakers of New Orleans make a highlight reel can't be an argument against his coaching job.

Others considered: Reid, Schottenheimer, Billick.

(sorry Herm and Fisher, no playoffs = no award)

I dont' think you can say that the Saints played in any tougher a division than the Jets did. Atlanta lost to the Lions and so have no credibility, Panthers have been one of the biggest flops of the season. And Tampon has been awful. I'm not saying that Payton doesn't deserve mention, he certainly done a great job, but the Jets have over come more with less in a tougher division. IMO.

[eaglesrule]

come on no fat andy here? no one gave them a chance,a nd they reeled off five wins in a row, three division away games, unheard of, no one does that.

jsut kidding, payton is my choice, but I think reid should be third, behind the "genius". (I don't care about spelling)