The Atlanta Falcons are owners of this season’s AP Offensive Rookie of the Year and now they’re the owners of the AP Coach of the Year as Mike Smith took home the honors on Sunday.

Atlanta’s Smith edged Miami’s Sparano by one vote Sunday for The Associated Press 2008 NFL Coach of the Year award.

Both coaches oversaw sensational turnarounds, leading their teams from last-place finishes in 2007 to playoff berths this year. Their achievements were reflected by the closeness of the balloting, with Smith getting 23½ votes and Sparano 22½ from a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters who cover the NFL.

After improving from 4-12 to 11-5 and making the NFC playoffs as a wild card, the Falcons fell 30-24 at Arizona on Saturday night. That should not detract from a memorable season that bodes well for the football future in Atlanta.

“I think we have tried to establish that we’d be very systematic in how we did things, that we were going to have a plan,” said Smith, who helped guide quarterback Matt Ryan to the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year award.

Considering the Dolphins were 1-15 last year, Sparano was just as deserving. But what put Smith over the top was the job he did with a rookie quarterback and the fact that Atlanta’s problems last year were more nationally covered, from Michael Vick’s arrest for dog fighting, to Bobby Petrino’s escape to Arkansas.

Some football purists are going to be steamed with Smith edging Sparano, but he was truly just as deserving. Both of these coaches were miracle workers this season and equally deserving of the award.