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Published: Saturday, Dec. 08, 2012 / Updated: Saturday, Dec. 08, 2012 07:32 PM

The list: Best NFL coaching starts

Since taking over in Atlanta following the Bobby Petrino fiasco, Mike Smith has posted five consecutive winning seasons and four playoff berths. Smith ranks among the top five coaches all-time over their first five seasons:

1: George Seifert, 1989-93, 62-18: He flopped during a three-year stint with the Panthers. But Seifert kept the 49ers machine rolling after succeeding Bill Walsh, winning a Super Bowl in his first season.

2T Guy Chamberlin, 1922-26, 55-9-6: A player-coach in the NFL’s earliest years, Chamberlin won four championships for Canton, Cleveland and Frankford.

2T Mike Tomlin, 2007-11, 55-25: At 36, Tomlin became the youngest coach to win the Super Bowl during his second season with Pittsburgh. Had Steelers back in the Super Bowl two years later.

4T: Chuck Knox, 1973-77, 54-15-1: “Ground Chuck” began and ended his coaching career with the L.A. Rams. Also coached at Buffalo and Seattle during a 22-year career.

4T Mike Smith, 2008-present, 54-22: For all his accomplishments, Smith will not quiet his critics until he wins a playoff game. Has one more win than Baltimore’s John Harbaugh (53-23) over same period.

Joseph Person