Coach of the Year races are often decided by context. Wins matter, but voters also weigh what a coach inherited, what was expected and how difficult the path was. A first-year coach who exceeds expectations in a tough division usually has a strong case. One former NFL lineman believes that coach is in Cleveland.
Terron Armstead believes Todd Monken is the frontrunner for the Coach of the Year award and sent a warning about the Browns.
“That gives me even more reason why Todd Monken is the frontrunner for Coach of the Year, because of the division, because of who they have to get past in that environment. Harbaugh, no offense to them or what he’s doing with the Giants, but the NFC East is not even close compared to what Todd Monken is dealing with. You can fully see that he has won this team. They want to play for him. They want to succeed for him. They’re only gonna get better, too. They have the second-youngest team as far as guys getting playing time. Deshaun’s only getting better. Look out for the Browns,” Armstead said.
"Look out for the Browns."@T_Armstead72 makes the case for Todd Monken as Coach of the Year.#justfootball pic.twitter.com/pHYpsgdWTm
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Armstead’s comparison to John Harbaugh is the heart of his argument. Harbaugh has the New York Giants on top of the NFC East in his first year, but that division has been weak. The Philadelphia Eagles went through a long losing streak earlier this month, and the Washington Commanders have struggled all season.
The AFC North is a different story. The Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers are tied at 5-2, the Cincinnati Bengals just scored 35 points in the 2nd half against the Baltimore Ravens, and Baltimore has a former MVP at quarterback.
Monken has handled it well so far. The Browns are 2-0 in the division with wins over Pittsburgh and Baltimore, and they are chasing their first division title since 1989.
Armstead’s point about the locker room fits what the players have said. Deshaun Watson said he loves playing for Monken, KC Concepcion credited him for preparing the team for late-game situations, and former Browns punter Dave Zastudil said Monken has built a culture of belief.
Cleveland has the 2nd-youngest roster in the league, with rookies like Spencer Fano, Denzel Boston and Concepcion playing major roles. Young teams usually improve as the season goes on, and Watson just threw for 308 yards in his best game as a Brown.
Monken’s case for the award has been building for weeks. Sunday in Pittsburgh could strengthen it even more. After that, the Browns visit the New Orleans Saints, the team Armstead spent most of his career with. If Cleveland wins both, his warning about the Browns may start to look like a prediction.
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