NFL Head Coaches Power Rankings Through Week 4

(Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images)

We have hit the first-quarter pole. Week Four is when the coaches can really jump into new categories. Jeff Fisher had the largest decline due to his team’s embarrassing effort against the Jaguars. Lovie Smith and Marvin Lewis keep rising while Tom Cable and Dick Jauron fall directly to the bottom.

Remember, just because a coach has one or two good weeks, it does not mean that he gets catapulted to the top. This is a marathon not a sprint.

ALREADY OWN KEYS TO THE CITY

1. Tom Coughlin – GIANTS (Last Week: 1)

The Giants did a nice job of repeating their Week Three effort by beating up a lesser team on the road. My girlfriend has been suffering with plantar fasciitis for almost two years; it is not a fun injury. If the Giants go up big on the Raiders on Sunday, Coughlin should have David Carr in there as soon as it is safe.

2. Bill Belichick – PATRIOTS (Last Week: 2)

The Patriots seemed to have an answer for most of what of the Ravens defense presented. A dropped ball saved the defense, and there was a little bit of help from the zebras. At the end of the day, the Pats are 3-1 and meet up with an old friend in Josh McDaniels in Denver, whose defense is playing better than Baltimore’s at this juncture.

3. Mike Tomlin – STEELERS (Last Week: 3)

The Steelers wanted no business of being 1-3. The Steelers held the ball for 40 minutes and while they let the Chargers back into the game, they still had enough in the tank to get the win. Now, that was the Rashard Mendhenhall we thought the Steelers had drafted two years ago. The Steelers should be 4-2 in two weeks as they play at Detroit on Sunday and then host Cleveland.

OWNERS, NOT RENTERS

4. John Harbaugh – RAVENS (Last Week: 5)

The Ravens were hosed on the roughing the passer penalty on Suggs, but they still had chances to win the game and just fell short. The opening kickoff fumble and Flacco’s interception cost them at least six points. Six points was the margin of victory for the Patriots. The Ravens host a battle for first place in the AFC North against the Steelers, whoops, I mean the Bengals.

5. Andy Reid – EAGLES (Last Week: 6)

BYE WEEK - Home to Tampa Bay on Sunday. No real bye week controversies.

6. Mike Smith – FALCONS (Last Week: 7)

BYE WEEK - Home to Chicago on Sunday.

7. Ken Whisenhunt – CARDINALS (Last Week: 8)

BYE WEEK – Home to Houston on Sunday.

8. Sean Payton – SAINTS (Last Week: 9)

Wait a second, you mean, they have a good defense, too? The Saints defense gave rookie Mark Sanchez a game he won’t soon forget, Darren Sharper has been rejuvenated and already has five interceptions, which equals the total of picks he had in his last two seasons with the Vikings. The Saints have a bye this week, but they will need the extra time to prepare for the Giants at home in a game that could mean a lot in terms of home-field advantage.

9. Brad Childress – VIKINGS (Last Week: 10)

I really did not like that late bomb that the Vikings threw with under three minutes to go and a 10-point lead. But, there is no denying that this team has serious playmakers in Adrian Peterson, Jared Allen, Antoine Winfield, oh, and some Brett Favre guy. There is not much of a reason why this team cannot be 5-0 as the travel to St. Louis to take on the winless Rams.

THAT NEW COACH SMELL IS MIGHTY FINE

10. Jim Caldwell – COLTS (Last Week: 14)

One day this team’s defense may get a little bit of credit as well. If you take away the Seahawks two late garbage-time touchdowns, this team has only given up 48 points this season. Peyton Manning has been nothing short of a Metropolitan Opera maestro so far this year.

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