Today’s coaches regularly mismanage their teams

When the oddsmakers formulate NFL power ratings that ultimately help develop a suggested opening wagering line, what value is placed on head coaches?

"To be honest, very little in the regular season," Las Vegas Sports Consultants oddsmaker Mike Seba said. "A coach's impact is reflected in the team's record and therefore the power rating.

"The playoffs are a different story. If there is a perceived coaching mismatch, it could be worth up to a point."

What's the flavor of the month in the copycat league? This generation of coaching pirates -- with apologies to New England's Bill Belichick, who's in a league of his own -- features a collective group of sideline-walking zombies who mismanage their troops with sickening regularity.

Is it asking too much to think a coaching staff could develop an innovative approach to dealing with their personnel?

For the few who do have an ounce of creativity, their ideas are pick-pocketed in the blink of an eye. We've seen the gimmickry of Miami's "Wildcat" offense put in other game plans before the Dolphins' team plane landed after a Sept. 21 win at New England.

The hot new trend is to defer taking the ball on the opening kickoff. For Buffalo Bills coach Dick Jauron, this new toy has created watershed disasters.

One week, he deferred and his team kicked off into the teeth of a brutal wind and lost the field-position battle the entire half. Last Sunday, coming off a 54-point outburst at Kansas City, he again decided to let the other team get the ball first. The San Francisco 49ers marched down the field for a touchdown on the opening drive, and only 13 points were scored in the game.

"There are the few upper-echelon coaches and a number of bottom-tier guys who have lost control of their situation," LVSC odds director Tony Sinisi said. "The majority of coaches in the league are cut from the same cloth. Many of the mistakes that are made are unforgivable offenses, but they certainly seem to be commonplace."

One idea that has produced solid results is the running back-by-committee philosophy. Most successful NFL teams feature at least two running backs sharing the bulk of the load. When you watch a shining star like San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson age seemingly overnight, it makes sense on a game-by-game basis and for the long-term health of a contender to divvy the carries.

Look atop the standings for the answer. Atlanta, Carolina, Tennessee and the New York Giants all feature deep and talented stables of running backs. "Run and stop the run" is a tried-and-true mantra that coaches have espoused forever and a day, but the results can't be denied.

As for today's top game, the resurgent Dallas Cowboys visit Pittsburgh. The Steelers opened as 3-point favorites, and the number has not budged.

It has been well documented that Dallas has swooned consistently in December. After today, the Cowboys still have to face the Giants, Baltimore and Philadelphia.

"I think the Cowboys come up short and miss the playoffs," LVSC oddsmaker Sean Van Patten said. "Their early miscues, the schedule and nagging injuries will prove too much to overcome."

The Monday game features a battle for control of the NFC South, as the Panthers host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Both teams own 9-3 records. The Panthers are 3-point favorites, and the total is 38.

The overpowering trend in this division is for home teams to ferociously defend their turf. NFC South teams are 22-2 straight up and a solid 17-6-1 against the spread at home.

Brian Blessing, project manager for Las Vegas Sports Consultants, can be reached at bblessing@lvsc.com. Listen to the LVSC oddsmakers on "Sportsbook Radio" at 4 p.m. weekdays on Fox Sports Radio (920 AM). Visit vegassportsconnect.com for more odds information.