Kliff Kingsbury was effusive in his praise of Bill Belichick last week, noting when asked how he felt about being talked about with the Patriots coach as the top two current candidates for Coach of the Year that the award should be Belichick's permanently as long as he was coaching.

The Patriots were on a bye last week, so Belichick's first chance to be asked about it came Monday on his weekly radio show on WEEI. And he sent a compliment back Kingsbury's way. (Belichick knows Kingsbury, of course, having drafted Kingsbury in the sixth round in 2003 and having him in New England for a season-plus.)

"That's very nice of Kliff to toss that bouquet," Belichick said. "I'll toss it right back. Kliff has done a great job and should be the Coach of the Year."

With four games left in the season -- the Cards still have five as of this post, with the Rams game Monday night -- there are still a lot of ways the NFL season and Coach of the Year thoughts can turn. But there is mutual respect between the two coaches, and that's played out over the last few days.