NFL Finalists
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More from this issue
Bill Parcells:
Give him some time to bring ‘his players’ in and then watch out.
Scratch that. Give Bill Parcells a team coming off three consecutive 5-11 seasons
and go ahead and make reservations for the playoffs, somewhere Parcells has been
to with four different teams. He’s the only coach ever to accomplish that
feat.
In his first year at Dallas – without ‘his players’ – the
Cowboys went 10-6 and 5-1 in the NFC East, qualifying for the postseason for
the first time since 1999.
While the division proved to be down, wins over Philadelphia and Carolina look
awfully impressive now. Dallas’ offense showed signs of improvement, averaging
18.1 points a game – with Richie Anderson as its offensive MVP.
But Parcells’ biggest achievement was turning an up-and-coming defense
into a dynamic one. The Cowboys were No. 1 in total defense and second to New
England in scoring defense. Defensive tackle La’Roi Glover and safety Roy
Williams were both selected to the Pro Bowl.
Parcells and Denver’s Mike Shanahan are the only two active coaches with
two Super Bowl victories. Parcells, Dan Reeves, Dick Vermeil and Don Shula are
the only four coaches to lead two teams to the Super Bowl.
Dick Vermeil
Who knew that when Dick Vermeil came out of retirement in 1997 and promptly
led the St. Louis Rams to a Super Bowl championship that it would open the
floodgates for former coaches to come back into the league? And if Vermeil’s
success is a sign, Bill Parcells and Joe Gibbs have plenty to look forward
to.
This season, at age 67, Vermeil led the Kansas City Chiefs to the franchise’s
first 9-0 start and its fifth AFC West division title. His offensive ingenuity
has turned former back-ups Priest Holmes and Trent Green into Pro Bowl players.
The Chiefs were third in total offense and second in points per game with 31.
After considering retirement (again), Vermeil signed a two-year contract extension
with the Chiefs in January.
Marvin Lewis
In his first year as a head coach, Cincinnati’s Marvin Lewis confirmed
what everybody already knew – he’s an excellent football coach.
Lewis took an uncomfortably bad situation in Cincinnati and installed a new
confident attitude. Seriously, when’s the last time a Bengal player would
dare guarantee a win over any team, let alone an undefeated Kansas City Chiefs
team?
The Bengals rebounded from a woeful 2-14 season in 2002 to post an 8-8 mark.
For the first time in a long time, December football mattered in Cincinnati,
as the Bengals battled Baltimore into the final week for the AFC North crown
and the team’s first playoff berth since 1991.
Losses in three out their last four kept them at home for the playoffs, but
Lewis’ success was enough to bring hope and promise to the Cincinnati
faithful.
Behind a career year from quarterback Jon Kitna and a breakout season from
running back Rudi Johnson, the Bengals offense improved in nearly every facet.
Points per game increased from 17.6 a game to 21.4, and the Bengals rushed
for 124 yards per game, despite some off the field distractions centered on
running back Corey Dillon.
Lewis’ next test will come this off-season, when he has to deal with
his first quarterback controversy, featuring Kitna and No. 1 draft pick Carson
Palmer.
Bill Belichick
Several impressive off-season acquisitions had the New England Patriots thinking
big things. Then a rash of injuries had Patriot fans thinking, “Why
us?” After the controversial release of safety Lawyer Milloy and a
31-0 opening-day loss to a Milloy-led Buffalo squad, the Patriots’ high
hopes looked unobtainable.
Tell that to Bill Belichick, whose fourth year in New England was his best.
And that includes the Super Bowl championship year of 2001.
Belichick and the Patriots refused to feel sorry for themselves and won 14
straight games to reach the Super Bowl for the second time in three years.
In this day of parity in the NFL, Belichick’s Patriots are as close to
a dynasty as there is. New England solidified that status with an amazing defensive
performance in the AFC Championship Game against a red-hot Peyton Manning,
picking off the Colts QB four times in a 24-14 win.
Heading into Super Bowl XXXVIII, the Patriots are 5-0 in the playoffs under
Belichick, winning each game by seven points or less.
2003 Pro Coaches of the Year