John Harbaugh Should Be Frontrunner for Coach of the Year

Just a few weeks ago, I wrote how the Baltimore Ravens might be the luckiest team in the NFL.

After a complete 34-6 beatdown of the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 6 however, I think I may have to change my headline: The Ravens might be the most persistent team in the NFL, and that starts at the top with head coach John Harbaugh.

Let's start with the "luckiest team in the NFL" argument, shall we?

Sometimes you make your own luck, and Baltimore has been the benefactor of some major breaks through the first five games of the season. How else do you explain a recovered fumble in your own territory to run out the clock vs. the Chiefs in Week 2, or a 66-yard "doinked" field goal from Justin Tucker to beat the Lions in Week 3? But there's also been terrific performances along the way. Lamar Jackson is a legitimate MVP candidate who deserves far more support than he's getting according to the oddsmakers at WynnBET (+1200 heading into Week 6).

Harbaugh has been the one constant throughout the trials and tribulations of the season. The Ravens are atop the AFC North standings with a 5-1 record and have persevered throughout the entire season despite losing players to injury. Baltimore lost their two starting running backs before Week 1 even kicked off. In fact, no other team has lost more players for the year than Baltimore has with 16. The Lions have lost 14, and they have yet to win a game.

Harbaugh Has a Tough Hill to Climb vs. More Popular, 'Unexpected' Candidates

Ultimately, coaches like Arizona's Kliff Kingsbury, Brandon Staley of Chargers, and even (sigh) Mike McCarthy of the Cowboys may warrant more consideration (certainly not from me but that's besides the point) for the award with the starts their teams have gotten off to, but Harbaugh's name deserves to be included in the discussion. Especially when you consider the Ravens' best victory of the season came against Staley's Chargers this week.

General consensus odds list Staley as the front-runner, followed by Kingsbury, Sean McVay of the Rams, and Sean McDermott of the Bills with McCarthy trailing them.

Baltimore now has taken command of the AFC North division odds over the Cleveland Browns, and will increase their lead even further following their win and the Browns' second straight loss to fall to 3-3 on the season.

If Harbaugh can end up winning Coach of the Year, and Jackson continues to soar towards the top of the MVP board, it could be another Super Bowl season for the one-time winner back during the 2012 season.

The Ravens are back at home as 6.5-point favorites against the Bengals in Week 7.