Top 7 Coaches to be fired in 2008
NFL Football at its best. NFL Football at its craziest.
Ok, where is the Top Ten?
Sorry, Squibster is a little under the weather and in danger of being fired by the wife after a tough Valentines evening.
She took it well, but who knows.
Anyway, the USA Today Sports Staff in their Sports Scope article highlighted 6 coaches on the hot seat.
Ok, where is the Top Seven?
Your gallivanting author added the seventh. My comments will be in italics.
1. Brad Childress:
A five-game winning streak down the stretch may have saved him from the ax this offseason. But Childress must hope that stud RB Adrian Peterson can propel this team to the postseason or that his investment in Tarvaris Jackson as the starting QB doesn’t becoming his undoing. source
Jackson has a lot to show to become a good enough QB to take the Vikings to victory. Peterson is awesome, but so was Barry Sanders. Can a running back carry a team to anything more than a .500 record in today’s pass happy league?
2. Jon Gruden:
The win in Super Bowl XXXVII seems like so long ago. Gruden led the Bucs through the weak NFC South this season, but their playoff flop to the Giants exposed the team as a pretender. The heat will turn up significantly if this team doesn’t look like a Super Bowl contender next season.
Gruden’s job seems a little safer, because they did reach the playoffs with a weak team in a weak division, but so much more was expected out of Gruden when he came to Tampa Bay.
3. John Fox
The USA Today writers mention a weakening team needing a good draft and maybe a replacement for Delhomme at QB.
Fox is in big trouble, with only a very weak division to save him. North Carolina competes with the Saints, Bucs, and Falcons.
4. Mike Nolan
The USA Today writers mention that Nolan lost control of the team and the respect of his QB, Alex Smith.
This one seems so impossible a year ago with the 49er’s being a very hot up and coming team with Alex Smith maturing and Frank Gore dominating at running back. Their defense was so aggressive, moving up seemed the only option. Smith, it turns out, played with an injured shoulder.
Nolan is so desperate he took Coach Mike Martz off the Detroit Lions hands to guide the offense and is talking about using different QB’s.
Nolan seems backed into a corner.
5. Marvin Lewis:
With a stud quarterback (Carson Palmer) and two standout receivers (Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh), there’s too much talent in Cincinnati not to make the playoffs. Now that it’s happened in back-to-back years, Lewis will have very wiggle room.
Lewis is done for. The controversy surrounding this team has been too much. The talent level at the skill positions is high. Chad Johnson is complaining, but can’t be dealt because of loss of salary cap. Rudi Johnson, a run only back, had a down year. With the Steelers and Browns above them, things do not look good in the Division for moving up.
6. Wade Phillips
The USA Today Writers talk about no playoff victories, so you have a short stay in Dallas.
Seems like Wade is safe for another year. The Cowboys were arguably one of the two top NFC teams during the regular season along with the Packers. The New York Giants came on late in the season and hit their stride in the playoffs. Losing to the eventual Super Bowl champs was easier to take since they did win the Super Bowl.
On the other hand, Jason Garrett, the high paid offensive coordinator is waiting in the wings if Phillips fails this year.
7. Squibster Bonus Pick - Rod Marinelli
Hey, it’s the Lions. He is a great coach with no players and no front office support and an owner that can’t seem to create a successful organization after decades of trying. It would be a mercy firing.
NFL Football Fan Question How safe is your coach?
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POSTED IN: Adrian Peterson, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Carson Palmer, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Coach Rod Marinelli, Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions, Frank Gore, GM Matt Millen, Green Bay Packers, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, NFL Football, NFL Playoffs, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, Offensive Coordinator Mike Martz, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Super Bowl, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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