2012 NFL Season Predictions – Top 5 Head Coaches: The life of an NFL coach isn’t an easy one. Unlike the college game where coaches are the face of the school, NFL coaches play second fiddle to the players. If a team struggles, it is often the coach that gets the axe, even if the players are underperforming. As a result, there aren’t too many coaches that enjoy long-term success with the same franchise these days, and those that have are generally among the NFL’s elite. With that in mind, here is a look at the top head coaches in the game entering the 2012 NFL season.
2012 NFL Rankings and Predictions: Top 5 Head Coaches
1. Tom Coughlin, New York Giants
Although he seems to be on the hot seat every other year and often angers some of his players, Coughlin has an undeniable ability to get his teams to play their best on the biggest stages. His 142-114 career record isn’t all that outstanding, and his 74-54 record is solid but not spectacular. That being said, he has an 11-7 playoff record, and more importantly, he is 2-0 in Super Bowls. Coughlin has won both of his championships in the last five years, and he has defeated a coach widely considered the best of his generation in both in Bill Belichick. Fresh of a Super Bowl win last season, Coughlin has more than earned the top spot.
2. Bill Belichick, New England Patriots
His career record as a coach is 175-97, and that mark improves to 139-53 since he has been with New England. Belichick has also won at least 10 games in each of the last nine seasons, winning eight division titles during the stretch. More importantly, he has an impressive 17-7 postseason record with the Patriots, reaching five Super Bowls and winning three of them. Belichick actually has more Super Bowl titles than any active coach, but even one of the greatest coaches of all-time has a weakness. He is 0-2 against Tom Coughlin in the Super Bowl and just 1-5 against him overall. The NFL is all about what you have done for me lately, and in two of the past five seasons, the New York Giants have won championships at the expense of Belichick’s Patriots.
3. Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers
He is a hard-nosed coach for a hard-nosed franchise, and no surprisingly, Tomlin has had a ton of success with Pittsburgh. In five years with the Steelers, he has compiled a 55-25 regular season record. He also has three division titles, two Super Bowl appearances and a Super Bowl win. He is a fiery leader at times, and he preaches a physical style that the players embrace and the fans love. Tomlin believes in playing defense, pounding the ball on the ground, and going for haymakers in the passing game, and it is tough to argue with the results. At just 40 years old, Tomlin has plenty of time to pad his numbers, and he has a chance to become one of the all-time greats at his current pace.
4. Mike McCarthy, Green Bay Packers
McCarthy has engineered one of the top offensive attacks in the NFL today, and his pass-happy system has led the Packers to plenty of success, especially in recent years. In fact, Green Bay led the NFL in scoring last year, and quarterback Aaron Rodgers earned himself MVP honors. Overall, McCarthy has a 63-33 record as coach, including a 5-3 record in the postseason. Not to mention that Green Bay’s ability to follow up its Super Bowl season with a 15-1 regular season record last year was a testament to his ability to keep his team focused and motivated. Had the Packers been able to follow up their incredible regular season with a return trip to the Super Bowl, McCarthy would be even higher in the rankings. Of course, I’m not sure McCarthy and Rodgers are done winning championships just yet.
5. John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens
In his four seasons as head coach in Baltimore, the Ravens had made the playoffs four times and won at least one playoff game in all four years. He has a 44-20 regular season record during the span, and last season, Baltimore won its first division title under his watch and came within a dropped touchdown pass of advancing to the Super Bowl. Granted, his 5-4 postseason record isn’t overwhelmingly impressive, and his teams have had a nasty habit of coming out on the wrong end of close games in the playoffs. Still, Baltimore has been a factor ever since he showed up on the sidelines, and there is something to be said for the consistency he has brought to the franchise. A Super Bowl is the only thing missing from his resume.
Check the current vegas odds to win the 2013 Super Bowl XLVII plus daily NFL vegas odds and lines updated daily throughout the year at NSAwins.com!
| 2 EASY STEPS to BET on 2012 NFL Football Odds! STEP 1: CLICK HERE to OPEN SBG Global Sportsbook Account STEP 2: Deposit with Credit Card or Deposit by Check and get upto 265% in BONUSES upto $10,000 FREE added to your SBG Global Player Account Funds. |
Need Expert Winning NFL Predictions and Picks? Be sure to check out NSAwins.com’s award-winning NFL Football Season Picks Packages for expert winners against the vegas spreads and totals in NFL Football this season including 2012 NFL Football Picks and Predictions to beat the vegas point spreads and totals!