Adam Gase has done the successful coach thing by taking the
Dolphins on a five-game winning streak and putting them within an
earshot of the playoffs for the first time since 2008.
Now, he's doing the standard coach thing by not talking about it.
"We're so far away still," Gase said Monday,
via the South Florida Sun Sentinel. "It's not even worth it to me to look at it."
Gase is wise to pump the breaks a little bit in Miami (6-4), even if the lifeless
49ers (1-9) are coming to town this weekend. Just a week ago, owner Stephen Ross had already proclaimed Gase the great healer, noting that he changed the culture of Miami's front office and has the personnel and coaching
sides working together better than ever before.
Gase is obviously -- and deservedly -- being touted for Coach of the Year. But a good coach knows that gobbling up too much of this good news is exactly how a team loses to the miserable
49ers and cuts its playoff odds in half (Football Outsiders had Miami at roughly a 45.5 percent chance of reaching the postseason after last week's win over the Rams).
We can obviously do it for him, though.
Of course
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick will get heavy Coach of the Year consideration given his ability to navigate the first four games without an all-time great at quarterback, just like Mike Zimmer will be in the conversation given the land mines he's sidestepped thus far.
Oakland Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio could warrant some votes as well.
Should Miami finish the season in the playoffs, Gase will be tough to ignore. But as he rightfully believes, the
49ers come first.
