Rex Ryan: Where Does He Rank Among the NFL's Elite Head Coaches?

Rex Ryan finally caught his white whale. He and the wife can go shoe shopping, or whatever they do to celebrate, because he and his Jets were able to take down the New England Patriots and the genius that is Bill Belichick. He did so with masterful defensive schemes and some gutsy late game clock management.

Ryan's recent victory has to bump him up in the NFL coaches rankings. But how far? In a league and year that has seen many coaches fall by the wayside, it is nice to see a coach put it all together.

Here are the current elite coaches in the league. These are the guys who get the most from their players. Their teams are much better because they are at the helm.

15. Tom Coughlin: New York Giants

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LANDOVER, MD - JANUARY 02: Head coach Tom Coughlin of the New York Giants walks off the field after defeating the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field on January 2, 2011 in Landover, Maryland. The Giants won the game 17-14. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Ima

Tom took quite the hit to end the regular season. With about four weeks to go it looked like he had his Giants primed and ready for the playoffs. Then, the wheels came off.

Now a top 10 coach is floating near the middle of the pack. His downfall to this low a spot is warranted. The man coached a team to the biggest choke job in regular season history. His loss to the Eagles in week 15 was ridiculous. With the playoffs on the line, you cannot let go of a 21 point lead to start the fourth quarter.

For me, he remains in the top 15 as he is only two years removed from a Super Bowl victory. That has to buy you some sort of job security.

14. Tom Cable: Oakland Raiders

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SAN DIEGO - DECEMBER 05: Oakland Raiders head coach Tom Cable looks on from the sideline against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium on December 5, 2010 in San Diego, California. The Raiders defeated the Chargers 28-13. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty

Such is life in the NFL. You do your best and still get canned. You have to remember that the Raiders were supposed to get stepped on all year. Instead, they pushed the limits of some of the NFL's best teams and nearly got this team into the postseason. A feat that has not happened in quite some time.

But instead of rewarding Cable with an extension, Al Davis fires him because, well, he is Al Davis. It seems that Cable would have been guaranteed money if he went into the next season as the Raiders coach. Davis was not convinced Cable was the guy. Well, the Raiders have hired and fired everyone else. Soon they will run out of mid-level coaches to lay off.

13. Raheem Morris: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 02: Head coach Raheem Morris of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrates after a touchdown during the game against the New Orleans Saintsat the Louisiana Superdome on January 2, 2011 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Grayth

Raheem Morris took a very young team and made it relevant. That is no small task in the rough and tumble NFL. The Buccaneers got to 10 wins, a feat that some playoff teams cannot even tout. He did this with a stout secondary that was able to corral some of the better teams in the league.

His biggest triumph was Josh Freeman, who looks all the more comfortable in the pocket. Freeman went from side project to bona fide NFL quarterback. The Bucs are an emerging team that will continue to flourish in the next few years.

12. Pete Carroll: Seattle Seahawks

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SEATTLE, WA - JANUARY 08: Head coach Pete Carroll and Will Herring #54 of the Seattle Seahawks celebrate a fourth down stop by the Seahawks in the third quarter against the New Orleans Saints during the 2011 NFC wild-card playoff game at Qwest Field on Ja

As a Pac-10 fan who did not matriculate to USC, it pains me to include Pete Carroll on this list. But you have to admit, he may have had two of the biggest wins of the season of any coach.

He went into the last game of the season with the Rams possessing a great deal of momentum. He then had his guys believe they could actually play some defense. He then took on the mighty Saints and made Matt Hasselbeck believe he is a real NFL quarterback.

He took the Seahawks two games further than they should have gone. That is wholly commendable.

11. Todd Haley: Kansas City Chiefs

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KANSAS CITY, MO - JANUARY 09: Head coach Todd Haley of the Kansas City Chiefs looks on during the 2011 AFC wild card playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens at Arrowhead Stadium on January 9, 2011 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Ge

We were waiting all year for the Chiefs to fall back to the pack. The Chiefs have been beset by dismal years for far too long. The NFL is a much better place when they are relevant. They finally made it back to the postseason and it is all thanks to Haley.

He never let the Chiefs waver. Even when the Chargers regrouped and went on a late season surge, the Chiefs held their ground. It also helps to have monsters like Dwayne Bowe and Jamaal Charles on your offense.

10. Andy Reid: Philadelphia Eagles

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PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 02: Head coach Andy Reid of the Philadelphia Eagles looks on against the Dallas Cowboys on January 2, 2011 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Cowboys defeated the Eagles 14-13. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/

I would make a fat joke here but Andy ate them all. Reid had a good look at the Super Bowl but ran into an inspired Packers club. That loss takes him down a peg for certain. But his greatest feat this season was the job he did in the early going of the season.

At that point the Eagles had assured Kevin Kolb that he had the reins to the team. Then came a week one concussion and the emergence of Michael Vick as the starter. That type of competition between two great quarterbacks would have torn apart any other team. Instead, the Eagles flourished. Reid handled it the best way he could.

9. Mike Smith: Atlanta Falcons

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ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 02: Head coach Mike Smith of the Atlanta Falcons against the Carolina Panthers at Georgia Dome on January 2, 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

It is too bad for the Falcons and Mike Smith that there is a playoff system. If this were college, the Patriots and Falcons would be dueling in the Super Bowl.

Smith gets a bump for the work he did this season turning the franchise around. The Falcons were the pinnacle of the NFC this season. They played timely defense and rarely made mistakes on offense. But Smith fell from grace after the huge defeat at the hands of the Packers.

Aaron Rodgers is an elite arm. There is no getting around that. But the Falcons allowed Rodgers to do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted. That is unacceptable.

8. Jim Caldwell: Indianapolis Colts

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INDIANAPOLIS, IN - JANUARY 08: Head coach Jim Caldwell of the Indianapolis Colts reacts as he coaches against the New York Jets during their 2011 AFC wild card playoff game at Lucas Oil Stadium on January 8, 2011 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Jets won 17

That was a close one. The Colts narrowly averted disaster by making it into the playoffs for the ninth consecutive season. Caldwell and company could have easily stumbled out of the big dance. They had all the right excuses.

The team was injured. The rash of injuries affected the offense most of all. The worst of it was during the three week span that saw the Colts drop three straight. At the same time Peyton Manning forgot who he was and threw 11 straight interceptions.

The Jaguars took the lead in the division and the Colts were all but dead. That is when Caldwell woke these guys up. A late season surge took place just in time.

7. Sean Payton: New Orleans Saints

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SEATTLE, WA - JANUARY 08: Head coach Sean Payton of the New Orleans Saints looks on as he takes on the Seattle Seahawks during the 2011 NFC wild-card playoff game at Qwest Field on January 8, 2011 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty

Before the season, I would have tagged Payton near the upper echelon of NFL coaches. But his team had no momentum or urgency this season. Some games seemed to have the Saints resting on their Super Bowl winning laurels.

But we all agreed that the Saints would turn it on in crunch time. Then they laid an egg against what might be the worst playoff team ever. The Seahawks killed the Saints in all aspects including hustle. That is one aspect that a head coach can enforce.

Payton and company may have just been content with the one Super Bowl, at least they played like it.

6. John Harbaugh: Baltimore Ravens

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PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 15: Head coach John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens reacts to a call during the AFC Divisional Playoff Game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field on January 15, 2011 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Nick Laham/Ge

Poor John Harbaugh. He had the game in hand. The Ravens were on their way to the next round before the turnover blues that hit the Steelers to start the AFC Divisional game on Sunday started to malign the Ravens as well.

It is hardly the fault of the head coach to take care of the ball. It would help however to keep your players heads in the game. The Ravens completely lost focus in the second half and the Steelers took full advantage.

Rest assured that Harbaugh will have his team fully prepared for another run next season. This was the third straight season the Ravens have reached the divisional round.

5. Mike McCarthy: Green Bay Packers

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FOXBORO, MA - DECEMBER 19: Mike McCarthy, head coach of the Green Bay Packers, reacts during the third quarter of the game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on December 19, 2010 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Im

The Packers really should be watching these games from the comfort of their own homes. They had too many injuries this season to still be relevant and they had a tough late season path into the post season to contend with.

Some teams may have cracked under the pressure of a must win game. But the Packers went into the last game of the season with the year on the line. They also had to take one from the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field, with the Bears playing all out.

While other teams were resting starters, Lovie Smith decided to go at the Packers. Well Mike McCarthy had his boys prepared. He got them past that trial and their early portions of the gauntlet known as the NFL post season.

4. Lovie Smith: Chicago Bears

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CHICAGO, IL - JANUARY 16: Head coach Lovie Smith of the Chicago Bears reacts in the second half against the Seattle Seahawks in the 2011 NFC divisional playoff game at Soldier Field on January 16, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Gett

Lovie Smith is perfect for the Bears. He left the Rams as defensive coordinator to become the chief on the defensive minded Bears. The results have been great so far.

It is amazing to think that a team that is one win from the Super Bowl is still without the proper respect from NFL pundits. What is not to like about this team other than its offensive line? It has suffered in the public relations department largely from the demeanor of Smith.

He is a quiet worker who does not make waves like other coaches, ahem, Rex Ryan. The Bears don't get the same run as the Jets. But I submit to you the Bears are equally if not better suited to win the title. I also like the gutsy move of playing his starters in week 17. Keeping them fresh and free of rust has paid off so far.

3. Bill Belichick: New England Patriots

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FOXBORO, MA - JANUARY 16: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots looks on during their 2011 AFC divisional playoff game against the New York Jets at Gillette Stadium on January 16, 2011 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Imag

At least for one week, two other coaches are on top of Bill Belichick. His issue was over-thinking the game on Sunday. He bought into the hype that he is a finer coach than anyone.

This allowed Rex Ryan to perform the NFL's version of the rope a dope on him. With a good amount of time remaining on the clock, Ryan allowed Bill Belichick to march down the field and score. He did this so that the Patriots could burn themselves by eating precious time off the clock.

As minutes passed, the Jets defense stayed loose and simply worried about the long plays. The tactic worked and the Jets, not the Patriots, are moving on.

2. Mike Tomlin: Pittsburgh Steelers

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PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 15: Head coach Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers smiles on the sidelines against the Baltimore Ravens during the AFC Divisional Playoff Game at Heinz Field on January 15, 2011 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gregory

Mike Tomlin is cool, calm and collected. He never lets anything bother him. That is the sentiment that his team has picked up and used on the field.

A coach should be emulated. Rex Ryan's Jets are loud and boisterous. Tomlin's Steelers are calm and confident, no matter the situation. That has allowed the Steelers to play well under pressure. It worked a treat this past weekend against the Ravens.

Facing a huge deficit early, the Steelers never seemed to fluster. They played tough, hard-nosed football and worried about the results later, much like their man in charge.

1. Rex Ryan: New York Jets

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EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - JANUARY 02: Head coach Rex Ryan and Nick Folk #2 of the New York Jets celebrate with fans after they defeated the Buffalo Bills 38 to 7 at New Meadowlands Stadium on January 2, 2011 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bell

Rex Ryan may be known for his mouth, and his love of feet. But he is also something of a coaching genius. There is of course the item of his out-coaching the "Hoodie" on Sunday.

Ryan allowed the Patriots to score late, just as long as they were forced to run out the clock. The tactic worked and Ryan looks like a mastermind. But that is not his greatest accomplishment. It is the fact that he gets his guys to believe that they can beat anyone.

Some teams would have folded after the Monday Night loss like the one the Jets were served in the regular season by the Patriots. But Ryan had his players erase that from memory and buy into the fact that they were still better than the Patriots.