And the nominees are…
Frank Reich, Indianapolis Colts
Total Offense: 6179 (7th) Pass: 4461 (6th) Rush: 1718 (20th) PPG: 27.1 (5th)
Total Defense: 5431 (11th) Pass: 3805 (16th) Rush: 1626 (8th) PAG: 21.5 (10th) Sacks: 38 (19th) Interceptions: 15 (9th) Fumbles: 15 (10th)
The Indianapolis Colts have been in a tornado of sorts. They lost their franchise quarterback for an unknown length of time. Their general manager had run the team into the ground. The defense was a torrential downpour the team had to weather each season. Things were not good.
So when the Colts finally got around to firing Chuck Pagano, Indy wasn’t exactly the creme de la creme. Josh McDaniels surprisingly took the job, one of the brightest young minds in the game looking for a second chance after a so-so stint in Denver. Then, McDaniels backed out of the job and the Colts were in an odd predicament. They had to start their search over.
If the Colts had thrown that job at just about anyone after that, I wouldn’t have blamed them. It was an embarrassing position to be in and for the sake of institutional sanity, the team needed a leader as soon as possible. In comes Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich.
Granted with a general manager who had a spectacular offseason, Reich formed the best pass-blocking line in football, allowing a league-low 18 sacks. This no doubt helped Luck’s confidence and his performance on a week-to-week basis. Coming off an injury many thought would end his career, Luck earned a Comeback Player of the Year award. The Colts, after modeling as a deflated tire for a year, were back to competing. Indy went on to win a playoff game before falling to Kansas City.
Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs
Total Offense: 6810 (1st) Pass: 4955 (3rd) Rush: 1855 (16th) PPG: 35.3 (1st)
Total Defense: 6488 (31st) Pass: 4374 (31st) Rush: 2114 (27th) PAG: 26.3 (24th) Sacks: 52 (1st) Interceptions: 15 (9th) Fumbles: 25 (1st)
You have to give some credit for the emergence of Patrick Mahomes to Andy Reid, a man who has been coaching football for a very long time and stapled his name right up their with some of the best offensive minds to ever scheme the game. Mahomes won Offensive Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player in a year where he approached the single-season touchdown record. This was his first season as starter. Reid’s defense was atrocious and was held together by takeaways and sacks but Mahomes was special enough this year that Reid deserves to be in this conversation.
Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams
Total Offense: 6738 (2nd) Pass: 4507 (5th) Rush: 2231 (3rd) PPG: 32.9 (2nd)
Total Defense: 5737 (19th) Pass: 3780 (14th) Rush: 1957 (23rd) PAG: 24.0 (20th) Sacks: 41 (15th) Interceptions: 18 (3rd) Fumbles: 14 (12th)
When/if Bill Belichick retires, Sean McVay will be the game’s best coach. There are those who have more impressive resumes but McVay knows the game in a marveling way. When Kyle Shanahan builds his team up in San Francisco, watching 9ers/Rams games is gonna be must-watch television. Both of these guys are where the future of coaching is headed. McVay turned Jeff Fisher mediocrity into the league’s most popular bandwagon, putting together highlight reel offensive displays. The defense still has steps to take but the Rams are no one-hit wonder. They’re going to be around a while.
Matt Nagy, Chicago Bears
Total Offense: 5502 (21st) Pass: 3564 (21st) Rush: 1938 (11th) PPG: 26.3 (9th)
Total Defense: 4795 (3rd) Pass: 3515 (7th) Rush: 1280 (1st) PAG: 17.7 (1st) Sacks: 50 (3rd) Interceptions: 27 (1st) Fumbles: 19 (7th)
Another first-year coach who made quite an impression on me. Nagy was the offensive coordinator for Reid’s Chiefs the previous year and given Reid does most of the play-calling, Nagy’s credentials for the job were called into question. It would appear we all should shut up.
Nagy’s offense is not explosive like the others on this list but the improvements on that side of the ball were apparent. A strong free agency class helped Trubisky’s sophomore year but Nagy’s Reid influence played a role.
The defense known as Monsters of the Midway returned. The Bears were nasty, leading the league in rushing, points, interceptions and pass deflections. The emergence of two Defensive Player of the Year candidates in Khalil Mack and safety Eddie Jackson certainly played a role but the until as a whole was one of the best the league had to offer.
Sean Payton, New Orleans Saints
Total Offense: 6067 (8th) Pass: 4042 (12th) Rush: 2025 (6th) PPG: 31.5 (3rd)
Total Defense: 5585 (14th) Pass: 4302 (29th) Rush: 1283 (2nd) PAG: 22.1 (14th) Sacks: 49 (5th) Interceptions: 12 (18th) Fumbles: 19 (7th)
Sean Payton, for a long time, has struggled to put a serviceable defense on the football field. His inability to do so has held his teams back. The same can be said of Reid’s history but as we’ll often see, complete teams are the teams that win, not lopsided ones. Cue the 2018 Saints, who finished middle of the pack defensively, put together similar offensive numbers to last year and made it to an NFC Championship game. Alvin Kamara is a great young running back and Michael Thomas has snuck into my top ten receivers list after only two years. Drew Brees, after looking like a depreciating Maserati, bounced back for the ’18 campaign in a big way, finishing just short of 4,000 yards and a 75 completion percentage, earning him nods for Offensive Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player lists.
And the Oscar goes to…
Matt Nagy, Chicago Bears
We won’t know until next year who was more responsible for that great 2018 Bears defense: coach Nagy or defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who just took the head coaching duties in Denver. I tip my hat to Mr. Reich but Nagy’s Bears grabbed the crown in a strong NFC North. Their playmakers on defense will return this August.
See more from my 2018 NFL Awards:
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