Bill Belichick: Patriots

The best teams usually are the healthiest teams, but that was not the case with the Patriots this season. New England's starters missed 103 games because of injuries, and the team was forced to start 42 players.

The Patriots also did not have a pass rusher among the top 15 in sacks, a running back among the top 29 rushers or a receiver among the top 41 in receiving yards. Yet they finished the regular season as the best team in the NFL, a product of exemplary coaching. New England was managed so well that Bill Belichick was a runaway winner of the SPORTING NEWS Coach of the Year award in voting by head coaches.

"It is an honor to receive this award, and it is one that a lot of people had a hand in," says Belichick, 51. "Primarily, this is a reflection of the assistant coaches and players but is shared by several others in the organization--the scouting department, video department, trainers and equipment people--who give us an opportunity to succeed."

Belichick received 13 of the 26 votes cast. Marvin Lewis of the Bengals finished second with four votes. John Fox of the Panthers and Dick Vermeil of the Chiefs tied for third with two votes each.

"When you have a team that faced the kind of injury situation they faced early, then gets on a roll and wins 12 consecutive games ... I think he deserves the award, hands down," Titans coach Jeff Fisher says. "Seven of those 12 wins came against teams that were above .500. They won offensively, defensively and with special teams."

Belichick got more out of less than any coach in the league. The Patriots' season was a string of adjustments. Because of the injuries, they had to use 15 offensive lineups and 10 defensive lineups.

Adjusting is what Belichick does best. He had to work six rookies into the starting lineup, and he found a way to get significant contributions from each. One of them, Dan Klecko, was used at defensive tackle, outside linebacker and fullback.

Belichick and his staff confused and limited opponents by changing between 3-4 and 4-3 defenses. "You can watch tape over four or five different games," Fisher says, "and it's a different defense every week."

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