From the top dogs to the real dogs: our five-category evaluations reveal the best and the worst the league has to offer - Special report: NFL head coach ratings

Football Digest, July-August, 2003

Player development: The receiving corps has been rebuilt a bit too slowly, but such players as Green and Gbaja-Biamila have blossomed under Sherman. He'll need to get even stronger in this area for the depleted Packers to contend in 2003. (11)

Communication skills: It's difficult to be quietly efficient in Titletown, but Sherman has been. (8)

Total points: 79

16. Mike Holmgren

Current team: Seattle Seahawks

Seasons as a head coach: 11

Wins and losses: In Green Bay, he was a terrific coach, perhaps the best in football. Seattle has been a different story, and he now is on the hot seat. (19)

Personnel decisions: He's betting a lot--his future?--on quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. He has found some stellar players through the draft (Shaun Alexander, Darrell Jackson), but not enough of them. In addition, his free-agency work has been spotty. (18)

X's and O's: He doesn't have Brett Favre in Seattle, so perhaps that's why Holmgren no longer is outscheming opponents. His version of the West Coast offense hasn't been prolific on the Seahawks, and the defense has been inept at times. Has he lost his touch? (18)

Player development: The Seahawks have done well with Alexander and Jackson, who are building blocks on offense. Koren Robinson might be one, as well. The defense, however, has been slow to come around. (12)

Communication skills: Holmgren is a leader among his peers and a member of the NFL's competition committee. No coach is better in this department. (10)

Total points: 77

17. Butch Davis

Current team: Cleveland Browns

Seasons as a head coach: 2

Wins and losses: He's turned the Browns into winners in two seasons, but they underachieved a bit last season. (19)

Personnel decisions: His drafts have been so-so, and he has left Tim Couch in limbo. He also has gambled on some free agents who haven't panned out, but the Browns are much better with Davis than they were without him. (16)

X's and O's: Davis' strength and the reason the Browns not only reached the playoffs last season, but nearly beat Pittsburgh. (20)

Player development: This category will be determined in part by how William Green and Gerard Warren turn out. (10)

Communication skills: Some say Davis talks out of both sides of his mouth, but he is informative and his players (other than Couch) generally know where they stand with him. (8)

Total points: 73

18. Mike Martz

Current team: St. Louis Rams

Seasons as a head coach: 3

Wins and losses: It's hard to belittle a guy who, when his team is healthy, wins with regularity. But he should have won the 2001 title, and it appears as if the Rams aren't as structurally sound as when he took over. (19)

Personnel decisions: Salary cap issues have damaged the Rams, but Martz gets credit for knowing what kind of defense the team needed to build, and also for discovering Marc Bulger. Trung Canidate was a mistake, though. So was John St. Clair, which hurt immeasurably last season. (18)

X's and O's: He's too stubborn about wanting to do his own thing. Except that, again, when this team is healthy, it does its thing offensively with such aplomb that the Rams can be unstoppable. He has to learn not to overdo it with outlandish playcalling. (18)