The highly anticipated 2013 National Football League season kickoff is upon us, and the goals for the Denver Broncos and our legions of Bronco Nation fans are set very high.
We always take a look at a lot of statistics and try to apply them to current situations, as applicable.
Head Coach John Fox is a guy who has a unique set of stats, but the last thing he ever wants to do is talk about them.
He is all about the players getting the publicity, since they are the ones out on the field.
John Fox likes to fly under the radar.
Joe Coach, not Joe Cool.
But Fox is one of 466 head coaches who have been in that position for at least one game in NFL history, and he comes into the 2013 season tied for 39th in total wins.
He is tied with former coach and current announcer Jon Gruden with 100 total wins.
Two more victories and John Fox moves into a tie with Vince Lombardi. Coach Fox is a very humble guy, and he will always defer any comparisons, but my point is just that it is real easy to take his success for granted because he never, ever blows his own horn.
But if the Broncos win the AFC Western Division title again this year, as the team is favored by experts to do, John Fox will become the first head coach in Denver history to have three straight division titles.
That includes some real good coaches and 53 years of history.
Among the 32 active NFL head coaches, Bill Belichick has the most division titles with 12, Andy Reid and Tom Coughlin come into this year with seven each, and then come John Fox and former Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan with five each. Trailing them are Mike Tomlin and Jeff Fisher, each of whom has four division titles.
That is very good company for every coach who is on that list.
Fox is a football coach, and he just wants to coach, very happily deferring credit to the players, his assistants, and just about everyone else.
He is understated but always in command, you know he is in control without his having to jump up and down and yell commands at everyone.
His style is easy going, very comfortable, and fits in beautifully over a long season.
And whoever said the NFL season is a marathon, not a sprint, had it labeled just right.
It is a long season, and the personality of a "Joe Coach" plays well for its duration.
