Picking Top Coach Is Tough Chore

Andy Reid has the Philadelphia Eagles in first place. The Eagles? He must be the coach of the year.

But wait. Jim Haslett has the New Orleans Saints in first place. The Saints? He must be the coach of the year.

Ah, but wait again. What about Jon Gruden of the first-place Raiders? Dennis Green of the first-place Vikings? Dave Wannstedt of the first-place Dolphins?

And don’t forget Al Groh of the Jets, Brian Billick of the Ravens and Mike Shanahan of the Broncos.

Faced with various challenges, all have done superb jobs this season. So much so that it’s hard to argue against any of them being selected as the top coach.

For the Eagles, 2000 has been an unexpected revival. They were 5-11 in Reid’s first season and improved on defense. But they came into this season young, inexperienced and lacking depth on offense.

When they lost ace running back Duce Staley to a foot injury in Week 5, the Eagles seemed doomed. Instead, they are 9-4 and primed to win the NFC East.

“The most important thing as a head coach is that the players believe in what you’re trying to get done. That’s hands-down what has happened on this team,” return specialist-running back Brian Mitchell says. “Everybody believes in what Andy talks about, what he stresses. Andy is very dedicated to what he does. Guys are picking up on that.”

The rest of the league is picking up on what’s happening in New Orleans. In the aftermath of the Mike Ditka fiasco, Haslett probably had a grace period of a year or two. He hasn’t needed it.

The Saints put together a six-game winning streak, albeit against the dregs of the NFL, to move into playoff contention. That was impressive, considering the level to which they had sunk under Ditka.

But when they lost their two most important offensive players, Ricky Williams and Jeff Blake, they still went into St. Louis and beat the Rams to move into a tie for the NFC West lead. Clearly, Haslett hasn’t allowed enthusiasm to die on a team that has never won a playoff game.

“Jim’s such a natural at this job, the way he handles the players, the way he prepares and stays on top of everything,” says Rick Venturi, once the head coach in New Orleans and now the secondary coach. “Jim really understands the players. He remembers what it was like to play the game.

“He’s given the guys a lot of pride. This isn’t an arrogant team, but it has a swagger, and that comes from Jim.”

The Raiders always have a swagger. But Gruden’s Raiders couldn’t win close games a year ago.

This season, they haven’t played as many close ones, winning four routs. But they’ve won most of the tight contests, too, and lead the AFC at 10-2.

Gruden kept the Raiders together despite their shortcomings in 1999, and he’s turned quarterback Rich Gannon into a star. Oakland has a veteran team on which several players are almost as old as Gruden, 37. There is no generation gap, but it’s clear who’s the boss.

The players also like the way Gruden lets them play “Raiders football.”

“We want to be physical, there’s no question about that. I don’t know of any teams that don’t want to be physical. We want to get after the other team’s quarterback,” Gruden said. “We’re not trying to hurt anybody. But we want to be a very physical football team.”

No team is tougher on defense than the Dolphins, who have ridden a workmanlike attack to the top of the AFC East. Wannstedt, stepping in after Jimmy Johnson quit, has looked nothing like the guy who was in charge of the Bears for five seasons.

“He’s more in tune with what helps players perform better,” says defensive end Trace Armstrong, who played--and feuded--with Wannstedt in Chicago. “He’s very aware of what it takes to create a winning environment.”

Such as taking the players to see “Remember the Titans,” for inspiration.

If Green were starring in a film, it would be a soap opera. Just this year, he let his two most-established offensive linemen leave--to a division opponent, Tampa Bay, no less--revamped his linebacking corps, moved star defensive tackle John Randle to end, and made untested Daunte Culpepper his quarterback.

Everything has worked, and the Vikings (10-2) lead the NFC. They have a similar look to the 15-1 team of 1998 that was upset by Atlanta in the conference title game.

Green, who is 94-56 as a coach, has proved he can spot talent, and when he plays a hunch--remember drafting Randy Moss?--it usually is on target.

“I’m convinced that Dennis is the best football man in the NFL,” team owner Red McCombs said in September, when he gave Green a three-year extension. “I say this because of his great skills as a coach and an administrator.”

Shanahan has the same power in Denver. His team also has had a slew of injuries, yet the Broncos have won four straight and six of seven. They’ve plugged rookie running back Mike Anderson into the lineup and prospered. Their defense has struggled but made enough key plays. Their offense, Shanahan’s strength, has been potent.

Billick and Groh didn’t let their clubs fall apart during losing streaks. Baltimore went the entire month of October without scoring a touchdown, losing three in a row. But the Ravens followed with four straight wins and, with San Diego, Arizona and the Jets remaining on the schedule, should make the playoffs.

Give Billick credit for switching from Tony Banks to Trent Dilfer at quarterback, simplifying game plans, having faith in rookie runner Jamal Lewis and riding an overpowering defense.

Groh, a nondescript linebackers coach taking over for the bombastic Bill Parcells, got his Jets off to a 4-0 start. They have been a .500 team since, but working with limited offensive options and an inconsistent defense, Groh has them in contention. He also has gotten them to forget -- or at least push aside--the specter of Parcells.

So which coach has done the best job? Tune in after the season, when any of these eight worthy candidates could be honored.