Charlie Riedel/AP Photo

By Joe Giglio | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

There's nothing quite like watching the day-to-day response NFL fans give to head coaches.

Based on the pulse of social media and sports talk radio, every play caller is really bad, every decision can be flipped and results are fickle: If it works, you're smart. If it doesn't, you're dumb.

Welcome to Doug Pederson's world as Eagles coach Philadelphia, the ultimate process vs. results.

Don't Edit

For the second-year coach, overall results (10-10) have been buoyed by a hot start (3-1) in 2017. That, of course, hasn't caused an entire city to yet buy into this coach and what he's doing.

Not only should that change—but it's time to start placing Pederson in early NFL Coach of the Year conversations.

Here’s a look at why.

Don't Edit

Jake Roth/AP Photo

Offensive production

Here's where the Eagles offense ranked among all NFL teams through Week 4.

Yards: 3rd

Points: 7th

Rushing yards: 3rd

YPC: 4th

1st downs: 2nd

3rd down efficiency: 2nd

Time of possession: 1st

Don't Edit

YouTube

Protecting an ailing defense

Over the last two weeks, the Eagles ran the football 81 times for 407 yards. This, naturally, came after two weeks (and an entire first season on the job) of fans screaming for Pederson to run the ball more.

Did Pederson cede to the reaction? Probably not. More likely, he's protecting a defense that's missing key parts (Fletcher Cox, Ronald Darby, Sidney Jones, depth at safety) all over the field. In a sense, Pederson treated the last two weeks like the 2016 Cowboys game plans: Run the ball, keep the defense off the field, ask the young quarterback to succeed despite a ton of throws.

Don't Edit

YouTube

Malleable play calling

As I've watched every snap of Pederson's 20 regular season games as Eagles coach, this thought keeps coming back to me: He's the coach Chip Kelly was supposed to be.

From aggressive play calling to a player-friendly offense to an unpredictable game plan, Pederson has been what Kelly was largely assumed to be when he arrived in 2013.

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Lately, the malleable play calling stands out. Kelly was famous for touting that he’d run 50 times or pass 50 times based on what the defense would give him. In other words, attack a weakness.

That’s exactly what the Pederson offense has become. The Giants and Chargers were poor against the run, so the Eagles ran. Kansas City’s weakness (especially without Eric Berry) came against the pass.

Don't Edit

YouTube

Bringing along a young quarterback

Carson Wentz gets the bulk of the credit when the Eagles win. That’s natural, expected and it makes sense. But let’s not forget that we’re still watching a young quarterback that has deficiencies (holds onto the ball too long at times, inaccurate with the deep ball) that his play caller must account for.

Wentz and Pederson will be linked for as long as they are together. Right now, both make each other look good—not just the quarterback dragging the head coach to wins.

Don't Edit

Rising as peers fall

When Pederson was the final hire of the 2016 coaching carousel, Philadelphia’s search and eventual Kelly replacement was met with a combination of confusion and question marks. A perception of better candidates like, say Adam Gase or Ben McAdoo, spurning the Eagles for sexier jobs was out there. Pederson’s 7-9 rookie season didn’t do anything to calm concerns that the Eagles got the wrong guy.

Don't Edit

But now take a look at Pederson’s 2017 results compared to his coaching class of 2016 peers.

Pederson: 3-1

Hue Jackson: 0-4

McAdoo: 0-4

Gase: 1-2

Mike Mularkey: 2-2

Dirk Koetter: 2-2

Chip: Unemployed

Don't Edit

YouTube

Preparation

Game-day coaching is what drives debate, but weekly preparation is what often separates NFL coaches. This is an area where Pederson clearly is putting in the work—and it’s paying off.

This season has featured three examples of preparation that paid off during games:

-Tight end Zach Ertz told reporters after Week 1 that the Eagles practice scramble drills, simulating the type of eye-opening play Carson Wentz made vs. the Redskins.

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

-When asked by WIP’s Angelo Cataldi how he knew Wentz’s pass to Alshon Jeffery with time winding down would work and give the Eagles enough time to attempt a field goal vs. the Giants, Pederson explained that they work on that play in practice with a stop watch.

-When Catadli asked about the sudden success of the running game vs. New York, Pederson explained that he knew—from watching film—that Giants defensive ends Jason Pierre-Paul and Olivier Vernon play around “93 or 94 percent of snaps” per game. On a hot day, the Eagles correctly thought they could wear them out and run at them in the fourth quarter.

Don't Edit

#Eagles TE Zach Ertz on criticism of coach Doug Pederson: pic.twitter.com/uXdWlQBn7R — Tom Moore (@TomMoorePhilly) September 27, 2017

Players coach

Zach Ertz: “We love Doug. We love playing for him.”

Don't Edit

NFL power rankings

Don't Edit

Aggression pays off

Pederson was roundly mocked for a 4th and 8 call vs. New York in the first half. What goes under the radar: Philadelphia has attempted the most fourth downs in the NFL since the start of Pederson’s tenure. Often, they are difference between a scoring or non-scoring drive and have helped spur an offense that plays keep away on a weekly basis.

Don't Edit

Avoiding distractions

Heading into Week 1, a Philly.com story painted an ugly picture for the Eagles: Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz was reportedly trying to usurp power from Pederson in an effort to take his job.

In many cases, it’s the type of story that can divide a team and splinter a season. Pederson (as well as Schwartz) brushed it off. The Eagles have won three of four since.

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Jake Roth

My imaginary ballot

Here’s how I would fill out a NFL Coach of the Year ballot heading into Week 5:

1. Andy Reid, Chiefs

2. Sean McVay, Rams

3. Doug Pederson, Eagles

4. Sean McDermott, Bills

Don't Edit

Joe Giglio may be reached at jgiglio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoeGiglioSports. Find NJ.com on Facebook.