Matt LaFleur, Zac Taylor become co-favorites for coach of the year

Posted by Mike Florio on January 4, 2022, 11:42 AM EST
Green Bay Packers v Cincinnati Bengals
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An unexpected worst to first by the Bengals has tied the team’s head coach for first place in the odds for the NFL’s coach of the year award.

Sunday’s win over the Chiefs has vaulted Zac Taylor to +155 (via PointsBet), matching Packers coach Matt LaFleur.

Last week, LaFleur led the way at +125, with Taylor at +900.

Indy’s loss to the Raiders delivered a potentially fatal blow for Frank Reich’s chances. He has plummeted from +350 to +4000.

Titans coach Mike Vrabel sits at +300, up from +1200 a week ago.

The next coach on this week’s list is Patriots coach Bill Belichick, at +3000.

LaFleur likely has the inside track, given that he has now won 39 of 48 games. A year ago, Taylor was the subject of rampant rumors that he’d be fired after his second season on the job. It got so bad that the Bengals actually issued a statement the day after the season ended explaining that he would indeed return.

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31 responses to “Matt LaFleur, Zac Taylor become co-favorites for coach of the year”

  2. Kingsbury was the favorite for this award a month ago and then just recently there was talk that his seat might be getting warm.

    Funny how things change quick in this league.

  3. The thing everyone loves about LaFleur is that he doesn’t care about the silly awards.

    #14

  5. Vrable. #1 Seed. 88 players in games, NFL record. And without King Henry for half of the season.

  6. Should go to Taylor. Absolutely NOBODY had the Bengals having a winning season, much less making the playoffs this season.

  7. Matt LaFleur should finally be honored as the NFL’s Coach of the Year.
    It’s long overdue.

    Despite the fact that LaFleur has led this Packer team to an NFL record 13 wins in three consecutive seasons, It’s still argued that Aaron Rodgers is the only reason for the team’s success.
    In the three years previous to LaFleur taking over (2016-2018) Aaron Rodgers helmed the Packers to a 23-24-1.
    In Matt LaFleur’s three year tenure they’ve been 39-9 with two consecutive trips to the NFC Championship game.
    And 2021’s story yet to be written.

    Matt has done an incredible job of selling his concepts and schemes and getting Rodgers to buy in.
    It’s been obvious in the QB’s game as he appears to be coasting into his 2nd MVP Award.
    Matt’s delegated authority where it needs be and he’s successfully tiptoed through several land mines.
    And he’s done it all with the class and dignity one would expect from a leader.
    It would be a downright shame if this coach isn’t finally recognized for all he’s accomplished.

  8. No one did more with less than Nick Siriani. I’m not even an Eagles fan, but the fact that he took that pile of dreck to the playoffs is nothing short of a miracle.

    He’ll never outrun that disastrous introductory press conference, however.

  10. Who cares what lafleur done before this season? It’s called coach of the year, not coach of the last 3 years. Whoever wins it,any non biased football fan knows the real coach of the year is Vrabel. 88 players used and no Henry or receivers for half the season and the #1 seed says it all.

  11. The packer refs should be coach of the year. Although LaFleur did manage well the off-season malcontent who wanted nothing more to do with the packers

  12. It should be Belichick this year and it should have been Belichick last year. To get 7 wins out of last year’s team is remarkable. This year he is taking a rookie QB to the playoffs.

  13. Sean Payton. HOF QB retires, team evacuated from home because of hurricane to start the season then the team loses Winston. Numerous injuries every week, O-line decimated, Covid game without coaches, Covid game without head coach then Covid game without 22 players. I’m sure there’s things I’m missing. Everything this team has been through yet we are still in playoff contention. Hats off to Coach Payton. Who Dat!

  14. Not saying he should win, but if there are votes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place, and Rich Bisaccia does not get a few votes for keeping that team in it with all the distractions they had to fight through, then we know no one that votes really pay attention, and do nothing but look at the team’s records.

  15. “Matt LaFleur, Zac Taylor become co-favorites for coach of the year”

    Matt LaFleur, Zac Taylor become co-favorites for Lucky QB Winner of the year

    FIFY

  16. Joe Burrow goes to LSU and a year later, the team wins the national championship and the coach gets a huge contract. Joe Burrow is drafted by the Bengals and a year later they are AFC North champs,in the playoffs, and the coach is in the running for coach of the year. Coincidence? I think not.

  17. LaFleur should get it. He should’ve gotten it in either 2019 or 2020 as well, or both.

  18. Without Rogers they are a 2 win team.

    ————————————–

    Yup, and both against the Vikings!

  20. Sure, the Titans have had a lot of injuries this year. Do you think GB hasn’t? All-Pro LT out all year. Next best OLineman out about half the year. 2 other OLine opening day starters missing multiple games. Pro Bowl CB and LB out for over 3/4 of the year. Emerging star TE out for over half the year. Missing top three WRs at one point. MLF has changed his game plans and kept winning. He deserves it as much as anyone and more than most.

  22. Sirianni in a runaway. Rookie HC, inherited a mess, 1st year QB, rookie DC, completely changed his coaching strategy after 7-games, takes a 4-win team to the playoffs. No brainer.

  23. I have nothing against Lefleur and think he’s a fine coach, but expectations matter. And each of his 3 years it was widely expected the Packers would win their ‘generous’ division with a first ballot HOF QB running the ship and fairly low player turnover by NFL standards. He’s met expectations, which doesn’t always happen either, so kudos to him. But what Taylor or Vrabel have done is more impressive.

    look at Belichick, same thing. He’s been going 12-4 or better for 10+ years and barely sniffs COTY. Because he’s had Brady at QB, a constant performer in the most important position on the field.

  24. ariani1985 says:
    January 4, 2022 at 12:34 pm

    Without Rogers they are a 2 win team.
    ********
    Then I’m guessing you must believe that Aaron Rodgers fully deserves his 4th MVP honor.

    I mean, after all, any single player that is capable of lifting up a 2 win team, elevating them to the #1 seed in their conference, as well as putting them on the short list of favorites to win the Lombardi, surely deserves the MVP award.
    Right?

  25. LeFleur is nothing with Rodgers. Vrabel, meanwhile, somehow has the Titans in 1st place.

  26. Matt LeFleur is a snake oil salesman. He will be on the streets 2 years after his golden parachute A-Rodg leaves.

    Honestly this is probably all part of Aarons master plan. He hates LeFleur so much that he is playing his hardest just to make LeFleur look good. That way when Rodgers leaves and LeFleur fails miserably without him then Rodgers can turn around and say “see, it was all me!”

    Aaron is a master of the long play after all and I home he ends his career in purple like another great packer.

  27. I’ll take belichick considering the trolls and hack media say it was all brady the Pat’s should never be able to win another game let alone make it to the post season and yet the hooded one has them back In the hunt.

  28. McVay coaching tree looking good.
    ==========

    Almost as good as Mike Shanahans

    Kubiak
    Kyle
    McVay
    LaFleur
    Zac Taylor

  29. It’s kinda like when someone asks what is your favorite band…. You get many answers like Zepplin, The Who, Stones, U2, etc… but what everyone is really thinking is what is your favorite band not named Pink Floyd, because they are far and away the best band ever and everyone just votes for their second favorite… Belichick is the NFL’s Pink Floyd of coaching

  30. I can’t see why LaFleur is in the conversation. They’re a 4-12 team, at best, without Rodgers. His coaching in the playoffs last year was dreadful. He hasn’t sorted out the special teams issues and hasn’t really done anything different during the time he’s been coaching.

    Vrabel has turned a ridiculous set of challenges into the #1 seed in the AFC. Taylor has exceeded expectations. Belichick has turned a Brady-less team into a prime playoff contender after only a year. Bisaccia was handed a ridiculous situation and has the team on the verge of the playoffs, which could be said of Payton as well.

    What has LaFleur done, in comparison to them? His team’s been widely variable apart from his QB that cures all ills. I’ll start buying into him when he doesn’t screw up in the playoffs.

  31. patsfan4lifedynasty says:
    January 4, 2022 at 12:51 pm
    It should be Belichick this year and it should have been Belichick last year. To get 7 wins out of last year’s team is remarkable. This year he is taking a rookie QB to the playoffs.

    —
    Yes he is and made Belichick haters and their genius predictions before the season look like absolute dopes. I love watching a lot of them namedrop Tuna lol as if they even know who Tuna is or have ever seen him coach. 😂

    Bill did a great job but he’s not COTY, or at least not the most deserving. Might have had a good shot at it if his team beat the Colts and then the Bills. I don’t think he’ll lose any sleep over not winning this award 🙂

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