Hey peeps, It seemed like a good time to answer a few questions that people have asked me off-line, and in repsonse to blogs.. Coach Of The Year - Honestly, I focused on the AFC. Simple. In the NFC, the only candidates to me are Lovie Smith and Mike Holmgren. Jim Mora Jr. had a chance, but Atlanta can't stay consistent. And I will admit, the Sunday Night Smackdown applied by Da Bears had a big influence on my mythical vote. Seattle is on pace for a 13-3 record, but honestly, Holmgren had underachieved in seasons past. His Super Bowl past is the only reason why he kept his job to this date. I look at this performance as his team FINALLY playing to the level that many expected. And I still question how good his defense is, but when you have a hammer like Stephen Alexander, all things are possible. Which leaves Lovie Smith of Da Bears.

I don't care how weak the NFC North is, when you play as well as they have with Kyle Orton starting your first 12 games, and your 5th overall pick barely getting on the field, that is coaching. Pure and simple, Lovie Smith can coach defense. The Rams haven't been the same since he left. You look at Grossman's injury, a weak passing game, players breaking a teammate's jaw - nothing derail them. Now you can say that this looks a lot like the 2000 Bears team - that team went 13-3, but was clearly not as good as its record. That team also had a smashmouth running game with Anthony Thomas, a limited by careful QB in Jim Miller, and a nasty defense. Time will tell how this Bears team will go, after all, the Vikings still have a chance to steal the division. But there is no doubt that Lovie's bunch can win at least one playoff game in the NFC. All in all he gets my vote for NFC Coach of The Year. But if I had to pick one coach for the the *NFL* CoY, it will be Marvin Lewis. Not just because if the Bengals played the Bears, I think the Bengals would win in convincing fashion. It's because Lewis had to dig this team out of a deeper hole than Lovie Smith (and the Bears weren't exactly a favored destination). The Orange Tigers wasn't just a bad team - the Bengals were a bad organization, and had been for a long time. Cincy plays in a tougher conference and division. Lovie should win a deserving NFC Coach of the Year, but Marvin Lewis gets mine for the AFC/NFL coach. -------------------------------------------