Sporting News Ranks Mike Munchak the 18th Best Coach in NFL

Everyone loves a good list, right? Well the Sporting News has ranked the current NFL coaches, and they have Mike Munchak ranked 18th. Of course the first reaction to this is outrage because he is our coach and is ranked in the bottom half, but it really makes sense. He far surpassed expectations in his first season. Now he needs to take the next big step in year two.

Look at the top four coaches on the list. All of them have Pro Bowl quarterbacks. I said when the Titans drafted Jake Locker that Munch's legacy would ultimately be tied to the success or failure of Locker. That is just the way it is in today's NFL.

That is also part of the reason why they are being so cautious with Locker's development. They want to make sure they have all of his fundamental flaws worked out before he is named the starter. That keeps some of the heat off Munchak for now, and gives Locker better odds of success.

It is a little ridiculous that John Fox is 7th on the list, but when you look at the guy's behind him, the only one that you can really make a strong argument to be ahead of him is Andy Reid. Fox and Reid have both been to a Super Bowl, but Reid's teams have averaged almost 10 wins a season while Fox's have averaged just 8.