NFL Coach of the Year Race: Is Frank Reich Worth Considering?
NFL Coach of the Year Race: Is Frank Reich Worth Considering?
When the Indianapolis Colts started the season with three consecutive losses, Frank Reich’s name was nowhere near the early Coach of the Year conversations. Since what ultimately turned into a 1-4 start, the Colts have been as hot as any team in the NFL.
On Christmas Night, a shorthanded team picked up its eighth win in the last ten games with a 22-16 road upset of the Arizona Cardinals. After turning a horrendous opening month into a near-certain playoff season, Reich is making a late-season push in the Coach of the Year race.
With a record of 9-6, the Colts are currently holding down the number five seed in the AFC. The job of Reich and his coaching staff to overcome a season filled with injuries is deserving of recognition. Heck, Indianapolis was losing players before the regular season even began. Identical foot injuries to Carson Wentz and star lineman Quenton Nelson set the entire offense back during the preseason. Top receiver T.Y. Hilton has also constantly been in and out of the lineup with various ailments this season.
With the entire NFL suddenly getting hit with positive virus tests recently, several players have been forced to sit out games for no reason at all. The Colts were dealt their fair share of absences in Week 16. Star linebacker Darius Leonard and three of the team’s usual starting offensive lineman were all unavailable on Christmas Night. Yet, it did not phase Reich and the Colts in the slightest.
The Cardinals did their best to contain MVP candidate Jonathan Taylor, but Reich’s brilliant offensive mind was able to overcome the various obstacles. Quarterback Carson Wentz was efficient, both Hilton and Michael Pittman Jr. were effective as receivers, and the undermanned Colts took care of business.
Saturday's win marked the Colts’ second three-game winning streak of the season. What makes the turnaround even more astounding is when one considers that a few tough breaks are the only thing preventing Indianapolis from winning each of their last 12 games. Two of the three losses since Week 4 came in overtime.
After not getting a sniff in the NFL Coach of the Year odds for the first half of the season, Reich is suddenly among the top-5. See the table below for the current betting favorites.
NFL Coach of the Year Odds
| Coach | COTY Odds |
|---|---|
| Bill Belichick | +135 |
| Matt LaFleur | +300 |
| Kliff Kingsbury | +1600 |
| Frank Reich | +2000 |
| Mike Vrabel | +2000 |
Click Here For NFL Coach of the Year Odds
It should be noted that Reich is very likely to jump into the top-3 after Week 16 considering that one of the coaches listed ahead of him is Arizona’s Kliff Kingsbury. Reich and the Colts also just beat current NFL betting favorite, Bill Belichick, last week. While Green Bay’s Matt LaFleur is currently the second choice, any intelligent bettor knows that MVP favorite Aaron Rodgers is the real coach of the Packers.
In the final two weeks of the regular season, Indianapolis is set to face the Las Vegas Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars. Each sets up as a very winnable game. With this in mind, bettors should anticipate Reich’s COTY odds shrinking further between now and the end of the season. The time is now to net the best possible return on the Colts’ head coach.
Henry has had a passion for sports that few can match for as long as he can remember. What started out as a five-year-old taking interest in the New York Jets and their green jerseys has since become a full-fledged career as a writer and sports betting analyst. His coverage primarily includes the NFL, MLB, NBA, NASCAR, college football, and college basketball. In 2020, he ranked among the top-10 most accurate experts ATS in the BettingPros NFL season contest. You can follow Henry’s sports work on Twitter and other social media platforms @HankTimeSports.