With a 7-2 record, the Washington Commanders have already exceeded the full-season win total oddsmakers set for them entering the 2024 NFL season. Their head coach (Dan Quinn), offensive coordinator (Kliff Kingsbury) and rookie quarterback ( Jayden Daniels ) all deserve consideration for midseason honors as we assess the season near its midpoint. But how to divide the credit? That’s the fun and illuminating part as I run through my midseason ballot for Coach of the Year, MVP, Comeback Player of the Year, top coordinators, top rookies, biggest surprises, disappointments and more.
Advertisement Andy Reid and Bill Belichick are arguably the greatest coaches of this century. Reid last won Coach of the Year in 2002. His team has an 8-0 record this season and is winning with a different formula , but we are so conditioned to his success, and the resourcefulness of Patrick Mahomes , that Reid’s name scarcely even arises for the award.
He might be above it. Belichick was a three-time winner from 2003 to 2010, but never thereafter. We tend to focus on coaches perceived to be doing more with less in a given season.
O’Connell fits that profile. He’s my choice because the Vikings have nearly matched their preseason Vegas win total after losing their starting quarterback to a season-ending injury during preseason. The sortable table below shows Minnesota ranking second to Washington in actual wins as a percentage of full-season Vegas totals.
The Vikings have won primarily with def.