Zac Taylor, Matt LaFleur, Mike Vrabel: Who's Most Deserving for NFL Coach of the Year?

We've got a loaded class at the top for most likely candidates for the NFL's 2021-22 Coach of the Year.

In Cincinnati, Zac Taylor took a last place, four-win Bengals team and catapulted them to the top of the AFC North; going 4-1 vs. the division with one final matchup to go vs. the Cleveland Browns.

Cincinnati opened as a near touchdown favorite vs. the Browns at WynnBET this week with a small shot to contend for the No. 1 seed in the AFC. However, the line has completely shifted course and on to the Browns -5.5 following the news that Bengals QB Joe Burrow will NOT play in Week 18.

Meanwhile in Green Bay, despite an entire offseason filled with uncertainty and unrest at the sport's most important position, LaFleur helped get through to Aaron Rodgers and continued to build up the Packers' regular season resume to a second straight No. 1 seed in the NFC.

There's also Mike Vrabel in Nashville, who despite losing their top offensive weapon in 2020 rushing leader Derrick Henry, kept the ship afloat and has the Titans in position for a first round bye and the top seed in the AFC.

So which of the three consensus betting favorites is most deserving?

Let's lay out the potential arguments both for and against these three top candidates.

Top 3 NFL Coach of the Year Candidates

Zac Taylor - Cincinnati Bengals

PROS:

The Bengals were projected to win 6.5 games according to the oddsmakers at WynnBET this season, and they blew that number out of the water at 10, with perhaps an 11th coming.

Taylor, after winning a total of six games in his first two seasons could nearly double that number, while also guiding his second-year rookie coming off a serious knee injury to the fifth-highest passing offense in the league, while currently ranked fourth in passing touchdowns.

CONS:

It was a rare down year for the normally mighty AFC North division as Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Cleveland are all hovering right around .500.

Cincinnati also made it through the season relatively unscathed in the injury department. Joe Burrow, Joe Mixon, Ja'Marr Chase, and the rest of their key playmakers played in all 16 games so far this year.

FINAL THOUGHT:

Taylor is my pick given the size of his team's turnaround this year, as well as persevering from a potential early season issue as Burrow struggled to get his timing and confidence back from his major knee injury in the middle of last year.

The addition and drafting of Ja'Marr Chase has proven to be an outstanding fit in the Bengals' explosive offense, who lead the league in touchdowns above 20+ yards.

Their defense, while ranking in the bottom five in passing yards allowed, has been bend-don't-break all season, but they've also taken a massive set in the right direction, currently ranked 17th in points allowed.

Matt LaFleur - Green Bay Packers

PROS:

After Week 1, many of us were ready to write off the Packers after getting smoked by the New Orleans Saints in an uncharacteristic 30-plus point blowout. Green Bay scored just three points all game and Aaron Rodgers threw two of his four interceptions all season in that first game.

Despite the loss, the Packers bounced back in resounding fashion, winning the division, and steamrolling their way to the best record not just in the NFC but the entire league.

CONS:

The Packers had two dud games all season: Week 1 vs. the Saints, and Week 9 on the road at Kansas City in Jordan Love's first start of his career at Kansas City.

LaFleur and the Packers' offense had the "deer in the headlights" look all game without Rodgers under center, leading some to wonder just how competent this Packers team could be if No. 12 were to actually leave town.

Green Bay also played in a down NFC North division as the Vikings, Bears and Lions are a combined 15-32 with just one week to go.

FINAL THOUGHT:

LaFleur did his job well yet again, but even after the rough outing in Week 1, I don't think anyone would have been truly surprised to see the Packers at 13-3 for the second consecutive season with a quarterback likely winning the NFL MVP award in back-to-back years.

While injuries weren't too much of a factor this season on offense, they still weathered the storm without their top offensive tackle in David Bakhtiari, top corner in Jaire Alexander and top pass rusher in Za'Darius Smith for most of the season.

His consistency since taking over for Mike McCarthy has been impressive, but when you coach a team that's supposed to do well it tends to hurt your chances in this type of situation.

A deserving runner-up, but not the ultimate winner.

Mike Vrabel - Tennessee Titans

PROS:

Vrabel's guys won a lot of games they shouldn't have this season. As outright underdogs, the Titans went 6-2-0 both straight up and against the spread this year; half of all their games played.

Now they sit at the top of the AFC with only one more win to go for a first round bye. Seems to be a solid resume of a coach who was expected to lose half of their games this year, only to win six of the eight.

CONS:

Once Derrick Henry went down, the Titans never felt like they were still a dominant team until last week vs. Miami. Granted Henry remains the best in the league at the position, but considering the fungibility of running backs in today's NFL, it still seemed odd to see them change up their offense.

They've also had some brutal losses this year: at the Jets in Week 4, and a home loss to the Houston Texans is also the complete opposite sign of good coaching when you come in ill-prepared against two of the worst teams in the league.

Lastly, when you're in the AFC South, you better play well vs. your division. The combined record of the Colts, Jaguars and Texans this year is 15-33.

FINAL THOUGHT:

The Titans went from one of the top offenses in the league with Henry to a shell of themselves in the second half. Defensively, they took a major step forward after two inconsistent seasons prior, currently ranked top 6 in the league in points allowed and top 2 in rushing yards and attempts.

Winning the division wasn't a big deal considering the Texans and Jaguars stink, and they didn't have to face the Colts past Week 8 when they didn't have Henry. Not the fault of Vrabel, but there was less that they had to overcome to get to the top spot in the AFC, relative to the turnaround of the Bengals.

Worthy of consideration, but ultimately not the guy.

NFL Coach of the Year Candidates Who Just Missed the Cut

• Bill Belichick - New England Patriots
• Kliff Kingsbury - Arizona Cardinals
• Nick Sirianni - Philadelphia Eagles
• Frank Reich - Indianapolis Colts