Mystery Disease Kills Thousands
Gay Marriage Vote Puts Heat On Christie
When the Associated Press coach of the year balloting was announced on Sunday, Bengals coach Marvin Lewis was the clear choice as he had nearly twice as many votes as second place finisher Sean Payton. Chargers coach Norv Turner and Colts coach Jim Caldwell also got plenty of consideration. Vikings coach Brad Childress was not mentioned by any of the voters, but he should have been.
It may sound crazy for a coach who has spent most of the past five years one more mistep away from being fired, and one that seems to be the butt of a whole lot of jokes (his headset makes it look like he's taking orders as McDonald's, he was crazy enough to insist the Vikings could win with Tarvaris Jackson, etc.), but you could make a pretty good case that Childress has had as good a year coaching as anyone in the NFL. What most anyone remembers about this season is Childress' run-ins with Favre and the fact that he's apparently incapable of benching his quarterback even if he wants to, but at the same time, he's managed to do something that no one else has pulled off in years -- he's kept Favre under control.
Playing for anyone else, Favre has been a quarterback who provides plenty of big plays, both for his and the other team. Somehow Childress has gotten him to play a more conservative game that involves plenty of short passes, the occasional deep ball to Bernard Berrian or Sidney Rice and very few mistakes.
The result? This season by Favre is arguably the best of his career, and is easily the best a 40-plus year old quarterback has ever had. In a Hall of Fame career, Favre has recorded career bests this season in:
* Completion percentage (68.4 percent)
* Yards per attempt (7.9 yards)
* Passer Rating (107.2)
* Interception Percentage (1.3 percent)
Childress put his coaching future completely in Favre's hands this season with an offseason long pursuit that often made it seem like Favre had more power in Minnesota than "Chilly" did. But while it may have been a risky move, Childress now deserves the credit since it's worked out so well.
Childress also has to be given credit for Favre's newfound composure at a point in his career where almost every other quarterback is either retired or sputtering to the end of their career. The biggest knock on Childress during is Vikings coaching career has been his inability to develop a quarterback. But this year he's managed to get the best of Favre's strengths (great deep ball, pocket presence and leadership) while muting Favre's weaknesses (stupid plays, too many interceptions). For doing that, Childress deserves a lot of credit for the Vikings' success this season.
How Long Will Santorum's Surge Last?
Washington Gay Marriage Legislation Signed Into Law By Governor Chris Gregoire
House GOP Offers Deal In Big Fight
Officials Confirm: Prescription Drugs Found In Whitney Houston's Room
Obama Budget Signals Shift From Austerity Measures To Campaign Promises
Feds Recover Record Number Of Health Care Fraud Judgments
U.S. Green-Lights Google's Massive $12.5 Billion Purchase
Syrian Rebels Fight Off Attack On Key Town
Downgraded: Moody's Cuts Credit Ratings Of Italy, Portugal And Spain
Republicans Slam Obama Birth Control Rule, Ignoring State Contraception Mandates
WATCH: Fox News Pundit's Disturbing Comments About Rape
Monsanto Guilty Of Chemical Poisoning Of French Farmer
Pressure Mounts On Mortgage Giants To Pursue Principal Reductions
Topless Protesters Target 'Gas Gangsters'
WATCH: 25 Million Tons Of Japan Tsunami Debris Headed Directly Our Way
WATCH: Anderson Cooper's Hilarious Adventures With Adele
WATCH: Bill Maher Rips GOP Concept Of 'Elites'
When Will The New iPad Be Announced?
Wall Street Fears Volcker Rule Will Force Testosterone Monitoring
Huff TV: WATCH: Arianna Weighs In On Tony Bennett's Call To Legalize Drugs
WATCH: CPAC's 'Best In Show'
Obama's Birth Control Rule Will Hurt Homeless Veterans, Warns GOP Congressman
