The Tennessee Titans took care of business in Week 18 against the Houston Texans, beating their division rival, 28-25. In the process, Tennessee clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC, which should make head coach Mike Vrabel the NFL Coach of the Year.
When you consider what the Titans have had to overcome this season and how they finished, there is no other correct answer for the award other than Vrabel, who did a better job than any coach in the NFL.
The Titans not only fielded a record number of players because of a slew of injuries on both sides of the ball, many to key starters, they also managed to notch a 12-win season, win the AFC South, and grab a first-round bye without their best player, running back Derrick Henry, for half of the campaign.
When most expected the loss of Henry to be Tennessee’s death knell, the team responded by going 6-3 without him down the stretch.
Adding to that, the Titans handled some really good teams along the way, both with and without Henry. Granted, there were no doubt letdown games, but you can say that about most teams.
Wins over Kansas City, Los Angeles, Buffalo, Indianapolis (two), New Orleans, San Francisco and Miami, all of whom are in the playoffs or were vying for a playoff spot, make Tennessee’s 2021 campaign more impressive.
Now, this is not to put down some of the other fine jobs head coaches have done around the league this year, but Vrabel was simply a step above the rest and should be the NFL Coach of the Year for the 2021 season.
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