Football is very much a coach’s game. Arizona fans can attest to that; Ken Whisenhunt has come in from Pittsburgh and led the Cardinals to three straight paydays. But at 1-2 straight up, it’s doubtful Whisenhunt will get the credit he deserves when it comes time for voters to pick their Coach of the Year.

That honor usually goes to teams with very good win-loss records, often in turnaround years. Based on those criteria, the leading candidates thus far would be Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin and Green Bay’s Mike McCarthy, each sitting at 3-0 after their respective clubs went 8-8 last season.

McCarthy is doing more with less, and the Packers are a feel-good story in the press (which votes for the award, mind you), so he probably has the advantage at this point. But in reality, 2003 winner Bill Belichick should take the award just about every year. His colleagues would begrudgingly agree.