NFL Coach of the Year Odds for the Top 8 Viable Candidates

Believe it or not, Thanksgiving is just right around the corner, which means the NFL's regular season is winding down as we inch closer to the final stretch right into the playoffs.

With that being said, we all now have a better and a much more clear idea on which teams are contenders and which teams are pretenders. By using that information, we can also start to think about who the favorites are to win the NFL Coach of the Year Award. 

Some names that instantly come to mind are Jim Harbaugh, Mike McCarthy and Jim Schwartz. All three are viable candidates, but what are the odds of them actually being awarded Coach of the Year?

Here are the NFL Coach of the Year odds for the top eight viable candidates. 

8. Gary Kubiak

Odds: 20-1

Gary Kubiak has the potential do something quite remarkable this season: Lead his team into the playoffs despite losing their quarterback, Matt Schaub, for the remainder of the season. 

Kubiak's Houston Texans stand alone atop of the AFC South with a solid 6-3 record and appear to be one of the elite teams in the NFL—but we will see if they will be able to win without arguably their team MVP. 

If Houston is able to rally off a few more wins and win the division crown, then the coaching job done by Kubiak will arguably be one of the all-time greats. 

7. Hue Jackson

Odds: 18-1

In the words of the great yet late Al Davis: Just win, baby—and that's exactly what Hue Jackson's Oakland Raiders are doing.

In Jackson's debut season as head coach in the NFL, he has done a phenomenal job with the Raiders—a team that has struggled in recent memory.

Oakland has the potential to do something very special this season as the team acquired Carson Palmer earlier this season. If the Raiders could win the AFC West and make the playoffs, it'd be considered one of the best debut coaching seasons in NFL history. 

6. Bill Belichick

Odds: 16-1

You may be rather surprised to see Bill Belichick on this list—but trust me, he deserves a lot of credit for New England's 6-3 record thus far.

Belichick as the general manager has done a rather poor job as of late, but Belichick as the coach has certainly picked up the slack by winning games this season with undrafted free agents playing in significant roles on both sides of the ball—not to mention the numerous injuries New England has dealt with. 

It's pretty incredible to see the Patriots winning with the guys that they have on both sides of the ball; they're just a bunch of no-names. 

2011 appears to be just another season for Belichick's Patriots, despite dealing with several issues that they have been forced to overcome. 

5. Tom Coughlin

Odds: 16-1

What Tom Coughlin has done this year is pretty impressive if you ask me.

Coughlin came into 2011 with all the pressure in the world, after missing the playoffs a year ago with a 10-6 record.

Now the New York Giants stand alone atop of the very tough and competitive NFC East with a solid 6-3 record. 

All in all, if Coughlin is awarded the 2011 Coach of the Year, then he better give a lot of thanks to Eli Manning, who has been absolutely brilliant thus far. 

4. Jim Schwartz

Odds: 12-1

The Detroit Lions are one of the pleasant surprises of 2011, and a lot of that is because of the impressive coaching out of Jim Schwartz.

Schwartz's Lions have already matched their win total from a year ago with a 6-3 record and have proven to be a force to be reckoned with in the NFC. 

Detroit started off white-hot as they won their first five games, however the team has been on a minor skid, losing three their last four. 

Either way, what Schwartz has done with Detroit this season is pretty amazing, and he deserves some recognition. 

3. Marvin Lewis

Odds: 11-1

Marvin Lewis deserves all the credit in the world.

Who would have thought that the Cincinnati Bengals would be better off without Chad Ochocinco, Terrell Owens and Carson Palmer? I can guarantee you that no one thought that.

Lewis decided to go with the rookie out of TCU, Andy Dalton, as the team's starting quarterback and it has paid off tremendously.

The Bengals are looming in the AFC North playoff hunt with a stellar 6-3 record. 

2. Jim Harbaugh

Odds: 10-1

Jim Harbaugh's rookie season has been nothing short of impressive as he's led his San Francisco 49ers to an incredible 8-1 start.

Harbaugh without a doubt brings leadership and guts to this 49ers squad, but the most impressive thing that he has done this season is the development of quarterback Alex Smith—Harbaugh has turned Smith's career around. 

1. Mike McCarthy

Odds: 3-1

There is no question in my mind that Mike McCarthy is the front runner for the 2011 NFL Coach of the Year Award.

Over the course of 10 weeks, the Green Bay Packers have posted an incredible 9-0 record and look to be virtually unstoppable.

The reigning Super Bowl champions are nothing short of a machine, as they legitimately have a shot at not only repeating as Super Bowl champs, but could very well make a run at a perfect season.

With all that being said, McCarthy should be considered the favorite to be named Coach of the Year.