When it comes to sports betting, good coaches win. Great coaches cover. So why not double down on the greatest coaches in the NFL and back them to win Coach of the Year honors for the upcoming football season.
Here’s one of our sports handicapping articles which takes a look at some favorites and a live long shot to win NFL Coach of the Year:
Bruce Arians, Arizona Cardinals (+700)
Arians has the Cardinals on the cusp of greatness in the NFC. Arizona looked tremendous in a huge playoff win over the Packers but ran into a buzz saw against the Panthers in the NFC Championship Game. The head coach is well liked but there is his recent health scare, having to be hospitalized for stomach pains, and the fact that many of his key superstars are on the back nine of their careers – namely QB Carson Palmer, RB Larry Fitzgerald, and RB Chris Johnson.
Mike Zimmer, Minnesota Vikings (+700)
Zimmer’s no-nonsense approach and hard-nosed defense helped the Vikings turn the corner in the NFC. Minnesota was a missed field goal away from the Divisional Round and looks to get back to the postseason again in 2016. This is the Vikes’ second year in Zimmer’s systems, so execution should be even sharper for a team that allowed just under 19 points per game in 2015. If Minnesota can dethrone the Packers in the NFC North, Zimmer would be a shoe-in for Coach of the Year.
John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens (+3,500)
Baltimore plunged to new lows in 2015 but it wasn’t without a fight. The Ravens lost seven games by six points or less last year, but never gave up. Harbaugh continued to push his team and will use that 5-11 record as motivation. Baltimore will be back in the mix in the AFC North, with Pittsburgh and Cincinnati not backing down. If Harbaugh can flip that 2015 record and get his club back to the postseason, a Coach of Year award at these odds would be a nice feather in any bettor’s cap.