My vote would have been for Jeff Fisher, with Tony Sparano second, Smith third, Bill Belichick fourth, and Mike Tomlin fifth. Fisher always gets the most out of his talent; The Titans are a number one seed when few people expected them to make the playoffs. Are the Titans really that much more talented than the Falcons and Dolphins?

I don't think it's so bad to reward consistent great coaching. Picking the one-year turnaround coach is how we got Ray Rhodes, Dick Jauron, and Jim Haslett as Coaches of the Year. Two other recent COY winners (Sean Payton, Lovie Smith) haven't been back to the playoffs since. It's like voting for MLB All Stars based on half a season, while leaving out great players who produce annually. Tie goes to coach who has proven he isn't just having a lucky year.