You don't have to look far to see the difference a coach makes.
Nine games into the season, Bill Parcells has the New York Jets, who won four of 32 games in two seasons under Richie Kotite, a game ahead of the New England Patriots, the team Parcells coached to the Super Bowl last season.No knock on Pete Carroll, Parcells' successor with the Patriots, but the Tuna knows just what buttons to push: the Marvin Jones button in training camp; the Glenn Foley button in the Jets' last two games; the John Hall button all season.
Carroll is still learning, which is why the Patriots sometimes seem confused about how they want to use their talent - considerably more talent than Parcells' Jets.
Look at the Foley button.
For the second straight week, Parcells lifted Neil O'Donnell and brought in Foley. The first time he led them to three second-half touchdowns to beat the Pats; on Sunday, he drove them to the winning touchdown - on Hall's winning kick.
Quarterback controversy?
"I'm going to do exactly what the coach wants me to do," said Foley, who was dispatched back to the bench after his heroics against the Patriots.
"I will let coach Parcells run the program. I just go in there and do my job."
(Say anything else, kid, and you get THE LOOK.)