1. Shane Steichen will get votes for coach of the year
Do I think Steichen will win Coach of the Year if they make the playoffs? No. But I could see him get some votes and recognition for the job he has done. Absolutely. The early COY candidates are without questions Detroit’s Dan Campbell, Minnesota’s Kevin O’Connell, and Philadelphia’s Nick Sirriani.
What Steichen has done to this team and this culture is remarkable. This team was expected to win 3-4 games by most analysts and be in the running for a top five pick in this April’s Draft. While they got robbed in the Cleveland game, this team is in the thick of it for a playoff spot. Steichen and his staff have had to adjust and handle a multitude of issues.
Jonathan Taylor sat out training camp and the first quarter of the season. Rookie Anthony Richardson was lost to a season-ending shoulder injury. Pro Bowl defensive lineman Grover Stewart is lost for six games due to a PEDs suspension. Steichen also inherited one of the youngest rosters in the NFL this season. The list goes on but what he has done is change the mindset and demeanor of this football team and made them believe that they can compete with anyone on any given Sunday. It has become infectious with not only his players but with the fan base as well this season.