Should They Stay or Should They Go

[Big Sexy]

This year in the NFL there are a lot of head coaches that are on the hot seat and there will be a lot of changes this off season. I'm going to give a list of coaches and I want you to tell me if they should get fired right now, at the end of the season, or if they should be retained for next year.

Wade Phillips- This is an obvious choice and by the time most of you read this thread there is a good chance he will already be fired. Jerry Jones has never fired a head coach mid season but I believe there is a first time for everything and it will be a miracle if Wade Phillips is coaching this team next Sunday. They were a SB contender at the beginning of the year and now he has completely lost the team. Wade Phillips is going to be fired and I believe it should happen now rather then at the end of the season. Dave Campo has been in the Cowboys organization for 16 years throughout his career and was their head coach from 2000-2002. He is more then capable of taking over the interim role.

Lovie Smith- I know the Bears are 5-3 but they aren't a very good 5-3 team. Looking at their remaining schedule they will be lucky to get 8 wins. If the Bears make the playoffs somehow then Lovie will buy himself another year but I don't see that happening and he will be gone once the season ends.

Brad Childress- Childress can really only save his job if the Vikings somehow manage to make the playoffs and I don't see that happening. The Vikings are probably the second most disappointing team outside of the Cowboys and I'd probably fire Childress at the next sign of trouble which will most likely be mid season. Leslie Frazier is a more then capable guy to be the interim coach if need be and he will also be a top candidate for the head coaching job next year if it does become available.

John Fox- Fox is gone but it won't be until the end of the season. His contract will be up and although the Panthers are going to finish with less then 7 wins for the first time since he became head coach in 2002, it seems like it's time for both parties to move on.

Mike Singletary- Singletary will be gone at the end of the year if the Niners don't make the playoffs and I don't see them making the playoffs. This was supposed to be their year but it isn't happening and although there is a lot more wrong with the team besides the head coach someone has to pay and it will be Singletary at the end of the year.

Marvin Lewis- Lewis will be gone at seasons end. He had a nice run with Cincy but the Bengals are starting to once again look more like the Bungels and it's time to move on.

Jack Del Rio- Another coach that should be fired at the end of the season. He has had some success but not enough to keep his job especially considering how long he has been there. He had a great run but it's time for both teams to move on.

Norv Turner- Even if the Chargers make the playoffs I'm not sure he keeps his job. It's basically SB or bust for Turner and I don't see the Chargers making the SB. He will be fired at the end of the season.

Josh McDaniels- He completely changed the culture in Denver and not for the better. Not only should McDaniels be fired but I think it needs to happen now in mid season. A guy like Wayne Nunnely could step in as an interim head coach as he has 16 years NFL coaching experience and 34 total years. He has never been a head coach in the NFL but did have some experience as a head coach at the collegiate level.

 

[People's Champ]

Wade Phillips--While it may seem obvious, I don't think it is anymore. I think the time to fire Wade has already passed, and I mean as far as the midseason firing goes. He will be gone as soon as the last game is over, but until then I think you keep him. What good would firing him now do? Romo is still out and Kitna is still in. I don't see anyone on that staff that can take over this team. They are as much to blame as is Phillips and the whole team. They aren't making the playoffs by firing Phillips. So I say fired at the end of the season.

Lovie Smith--he needs to make he playoffs, and even then I'm not sure if that will be enough. He has been given multiple chances and his teams just can't perform. As mentioned, they are 5-3 but that doesn't mean they're good. I don't see them making the playoffs, resulting in his being fired at the end of the season.

Brad Childress--I find it hard to see him making it past this season. This team has been a huge disappointment. They put everything into this season and have failed. Not only that, but it seems like we constantly hear reports of how this locker room doesn't respect him. If you lose your team's respect, then your time there is done. Unless they go to the Super Bowl and win it, he's gone at the end of the season.

John Fox--He's gone at the end of the season. Not because he's a bad coach, but it just feels like they are on different levels. Its best for both to take different paths.

Mike Singletary--The only reason he has not been fired yet is because they have absolutely no onje who can fill in as interim head coach, otherwise he would have been gone already. He will last the season but will be fired soon after. To save his job he needs to make the playoffs and win a playoff game, something that won't happen because they won't make the playoffs.

Marvin Lewis--He has been around for a while, and it seems like his team has taken huge sgteps back. Palmer hasn't looked good, the team of T.O and Chad isn't producing like they thought. He's given it what he can, but this is another situation where the team just need to go in a new direction. And they will after the end of the season.

Jack Del Rio--Another guy who has been a head coach of the same team and hasn't produced very much.there is talent on this team, and they do have success here and there, but not enough to save his job. He, too, is gone at the end of the season.

Norv Turner--He has never proven to be a good head coach and its shown here. The Chargers have been talented enough to win the Super Bowl, yet haven't gotten there. This year's team doesn't look like a team that can win the Super Bowl, something that would be needed to save Norv's job. He's gone at the end of the year.

Josh McDaniels--What people saw in this guy I will never know. His team is terrible on all fronts. Things don't look to be getting better anytime soon. He's gone after this season.

 

[Stormtrooper]

Wade Phillips

Should or shouldn't he is irrelevant, as it's being reported that Wade Phillips IS fired, and Jason Garrett is replacing him. It had to be done, the Cowboys haven't even tried, and were putting their own players safety at risk.

Lovie Smith

He will likely be fired this offseason, and he needs to. He made the Super Bowl once, but has not had another decent year since, and he's worn out his welcome.

Brad Childress

The owner is basically saying that Chilly is the head coach on a week to week basis. He should have been fired over and keep Randy Moss, but the owner seemingly let money get in the way of successful football, and Chilly will likely last the season, before they make a change and start the rebuild with a new QB/Coach.

John Fox

Fox is gone but it won't be until the end of the season. His contract will be up and although the Panthers are going to finish with less then 7 wins for the first time since he became head coach in 2002, it seems like it's time for both parties to move on.[/quote]
You put the nail on the head. The Panthers aren't gonna make a move mid-season, nor should they, because John Fox is one of the more underrated coaches in the NFL. He will leave Carolina, and get a new job and be an excellent coach (Dallas?)

Mike Singletary

Singletary will be gone at years end, however I don't think he is totally to blame. His QB has been garbage, and he isn't the guy who brought him in. If he had a chance to get his own QB, I think he could have been successful, but that wasn't he case, and as such he will likely be gone, and have a hard time getting a new job.

Marvin Lewis

Lewis will be gone at seasons end. He had a nice run with Cincy but the Bengals are starting to once again look more like the Bungels and it's time to move on. [/quote]
This one I disagree with. I can see the Bengals getting back to .500, which may save Lewis' job. He really turned that team around during his tenure, and deserves a lot of credit for taking a perrenial loser and making them a solid team.

Jack Del Rio

Another coach that should be fired at the end of the season. He has had some success but not enough to keep his job especially considering how long he has been there. He had a great run but it's time for both teams to move on.[/quote]
He should have been fired for a few years. When was the last time they have met or exceeded expectations? They need to ditch him and Garrard and rebuild, before they can get back to the Playoffs.

Norv Turner- Even if the Chargers make the playoffs I'm not sure he keeps his job. It's basically SB or bust for Turner and I don't see the Chargers making the SB. He will be fired at the end of the season.

He's likely going to be gone, because San Diego's coaches get fired (regardless of how good they did) if they don't win the Super Bowl. They fired Marty Schottenheimer after the team went 14-2. I can't see them keeping Norv unless they go back to the Super Bowl, and I can't see them winning the Super Bowl (they might not even get the division over either the Chiefs or the RAIDERS).

Josh McDaniels- He completely changed the culture in Denver and not for the better. Not only should McDaniels be fired but I think it needs to happen now in mid season. A guy like Wayne Nunnely could step in as an interim head coach as he has 16 years NFL coaching experience and 34 total years. He has never been a head coach in the NFL but did have some experience as a head coach at the collegiate level.

John McD needs to go. They've lost 14 of 18, and he has made many questionable decisions. Brandon Marshall and Peyton Hillis were both with the Bronco's under McDaniels (as well as other players whose names escape me at the moment), and he ran them all out of town, even though they are very solid players. And as much as I like Tim Tebow, he traded up into the first round to get a guy that he refuses to play. His only good move was getting rid of a young franchise QB Jay Cutler for a Kings ransom, but that shouldn't be enough to keep his job.

 

[Rhonda Rousey's Sports Bra]

This year in the NFL there are a lot of head coaches that are on the hot seat and there will be a lot of changes this off season. I'm going to give a list of coaches and I want you to tell me if they should get fired right now, at the end of the season, or if they should be retained for next year.

Wade Phillips- This is an obvious choice and by the time most of you read this thread there is a good chance he will already be fired. Jerry Jones has never fired a head coach mid season but I believe there is a first time for everything and it will be a miracle if Wade Phillips is coaching this team next Sunday. They were a SB contender at the beginning of the year and now he has completely lost the team. Wade Phillips is going to be fired and I believe it should happen now rather then at the end of the season. Dave Campo has been in the Cowboys organization for 16 years throughout his career and was their head coach from 2000-2002. He is more then capable of taking over the interim role.

Already gone. Should have been gone a bit sooner if you ask me.

Lovie Smith- I know the Bears are 5-3 but they aren't a very good 5-3 team. Looking at their remaining schedule they will be lucky to get 8 wins. If the Bears make the playoffs somehow then Lovie will buy himself another year but I don't see that happening and he will be gone once the season ends.

He stays and I think it's the right call. He's had decent seasons with fairly shit teams. If he had a QB that was worth a damn and a wideout better than an ex DB maybe he'd have a few playoff runs.

Brad Childress- Childress can really only save his job if the Vikings somehow manage to make the playoffs and I don't see that happening. The Vikings are probably the second most disappointing team outside of the Cowboys and I'd probably fire Childress at the next sign of trouble which will most likely be mid season. Leslie Frazier is a more then capable guy to be the interim coach if need be and he will also be a top candidate for the head coaching job next year if it does become available.

OFF WITH HIS HEAD! No really, I questioned this guy's hiring in the first place so naturally I think it'd be best to drop him like a bad habit asap.

John Fox- Fox is gone but it won't be until the end of the season. His contract will be up and although the Panthers are going to finish with less then 7 wins for the first time since he became head coach in 2002, it seems like it's time for both parties to move on.

Unfortunatly I think you are correct here. John Fox is going to be moving on. I do think he could bring this team back to the playoffs if Clausen matures quickly, but I don't think that'll happen for him. Fox would be a good fit in Chicago if the Bears and Lovie part ways.

Mike Singletary- Singletary will be gone at the end of the year if the Niners don't make the playoffs and I don't see them making the playoffs. This was supposed to be their year but it isn't happening and although there is a lot more wrong with the team besides the head coach someone has to pay and it will be Singletary at the end of the year.

Great football player, shit football coach. He's a good coordinator just not a good head guy. The players don't want to play for him and the best thing he's done there is make a good sound bite or two. The Niners should make this move now to see if they can't light a fire under their team's ass and make the playoffs in a very winnable division.

Marvin Lewis- Lewis will be gone at seasons end. He had a nice run with Cincy but the Bengals are starting to once again look more like the Bungels and it's time to move on.

Another goner at season's end. Like you said he had a good run, but the Bengals are going back to their old ways. Maybe new coach can get their attention and get them out of their off the field troubles and playing up to their abilities on the field.

Jack Del Rio- Another coach that should be fired at the end of the season. He has had some success but not enough to keep his job especially considering how long he has been there. He had a great run but it's time for both teams to move on.

Same as the John Fox situation.

Norv Turner- Even if the Chargers make the playoffs I'm not sure he keeps his job. It's basically SB or bust for Turner and I don't see the Chargers making the SB. He will be fired at the end of the season.

This guy should never have been a head coach to begin with, he's a great offensive coordinator, but being the head honcho just isn't the right fit for him. No team has underacheived more than the Chargers the past few years.

Josh McDaniels- He completely changed the culture in Denver and not for the better. Not only should McDaniels be fired but I think it needs to happen now in mid season. A guy like Wayne Nunnely could step in as an interim head coach as he has 16 years NFL coaching experience and 34 total years. He has never been a head coach in the NFL but did have some experience as a head coach at the collegiate level.

This should have been done after his first week. How your head coach drives away all your best players is a mystery to me, but Josh did it. I think he'll last to the end of the season but a change has to be made. Whether or not the Broncs make the change is a mystery to me. They don't like change too much.

 

[Big Sexy]

This one I disagree with. I can see the Bengals getting back to .500, which may save Lewis' job. He really turned that team around during his tenure, and deserves a lot of credit for taking a perrenial loser and making them a solid team.

I'm a big Marvin Lewis fan but this is his 8th season and the Bengals have only gone to the playoffs twice. Yes, they've been able to hang around 8-8 and 7-9 most of the other seasons but after 8 years you need to have more then two playoff appearances and zero playoff wins. I also don't see how you could think they will get to .500 this season. They are already just 2-5 and they still have games against Pittsburgh (2 of them actually), Indy, New Orleans, the Jets, and Baltimore. I could see them beating Buffalo, Cleveland, and possibly San Diego but that's only 5 wins. I see them going 6-10 at best this season.

 

[Rhonda Rousey's Sports Bra]

I'm a big Marvin Lewis fan but this is his 8th season and the Bengals have only gone to the playoffs twice. Yes, they've been able to hang around 8-8 and 7-9 most of the other seasons but after 8 years you need to have more then two playoff appearances and zero playoff wins. I also don't see how you could think they will get to .500 this season. They are already just 2-5 and they still have games against Pittsburgh (2 of them actually), Indy, New Orleans, the Jets, and Baltimore. I could see them beating Buffalo, Cleveland, and possibly San Diego but that's only 5 wins. I see them going 6-10 at best this season.

This. All of this. I cheer for the Bengals every chance I get, but being around .500 shouldn't be what a team shoots for, even the Bengals. Marv got this team to be respectable but they're getting to the point where they need to improve from being just respectable to a contender. With the guys thety have on their roster they should be a playoff team, yet they faulter ever season and underacheive, almost as much as the Chargers. Marvin Lewis and the Bengals either need to part ways or something big needs to happen this year, but that probably won't happen.

 

[Stormtrooper]

I'm a big Marvin Lewis fan but this is his 8th season and the Bengals have only gone to the playoffs twice. Yes, they've been able to hang around 8-8 and 7-9 most of the other seasons but after 8 years you need to have more then two playoff appearances and zero playoff wins. I also don't see how you could think they will get to .500 this season. They are already just 2-5 and they still have games against Pittsburgh (2 of them actually), Indy, New Orleans, the Jets, and Baltimore. I could see them beating Buffalo, Cleveland, and possibly San Diego but that's only 5 wins. I see them going 6-10 at best this season.

Yeah, I didn't know the schedule. They can win Cleveland, Buffalo, SD definitely, and have a shot against Baltimore (they did it once already), and Pittsburgh once (they did it twice last season).

For some reason I thought Marvin Lewis did more though, obviously I'm wrong. They could terminate him, but I wouldn't be surprised either way. This wouldn't be the first time they should have fired him, but since Ownership is cheap they might not.

 

[CH David]

Well Wade is gone. Cowboys pretty much gave up on him and just really stopped trying. After the season the Cowboys have been having, it wouldn't have surprised anyone that he would be gone, if not by season's end. I think it is just surprising that Jerry Jones actually got rid of him during the season, since that had never happened.

Lovie- as a Bears fan, he needs to get the fuck out. The word before the season was that the Bears were looking for a new coach but wouldn't get rid of Lovie due to a possible strike next season, forcing the Bears to still pay him during. The Bears are very lucky to be 5-3 right now, and even at season's end, they need to get rid of Lovie. The city wants him gone and the only thing that would keep him here is management thinking a playoff run (if it happens) deserves another year.

Childress- I can't really say he deserves to go this year. He is more of a victim of underachievement than anything. The Vikes were one of the would be contenders once it was confirmed that Brett was coming back. Now the defense hasn't played like it's normal self, the offense seems to be offa bit without Chester Taylor (I could be mistaken). They have been in the playoffs the past two seasons, and could have been to the Super Bowl last year if not for 5 turnovers. Childress deserves at least half of next season for shitty football before he gets tossed out on his ass.

Singletary- Likely gone at season's end. Can't help but feel bad for him, his team has also underacheived after people thought they could take a fairly winnable division. They are making mistakes on the field that are costing them games. Blame should be 50/50 but Singletary is likely out if they can't turn anything around in the 2nd half of the season.

McDaniels- In a year and a half, Josh McDaniels has gone 10-14. Not very good, but had a promising start last year. I guess we will see what happens, I'm not a proponent of firing a coach just a year and a half into his 4 year contract. But as an outsider and one who doesn't really care about the Broncos coach either way, I couldn't give two shits what happens with him.

Fox, Del Rio, Lewis, and Turner, well Fox is gone. I think we know that. Del Rio may have a job but I wouldn't be surprised if he was gone by the end of the season. Lewis is a .500 coach. Just can't do too much for the team on a consistent basis from year to year. I can see him both staying and going. Norv can go either way. Just depends on what the Chargers are feeling like doing. It was mentioned they got rid of Marty after going 14-2, so they will get rid of him if they want. Should they? Well he has gotten them to the playoffs the past 3 years, so I don't think they should.

 

[WAR VET]

Wade Phillips is gone for sure, the man has done nothing really since taking over as head coach of the Cowboys and Jerry Jones is one of those owners that has to have his team on top, I dont see him having the patience to keep Wade one more year, especially after a disaster of a season like the one they are having this year..

 

[CH David]

Wade Phillips is gone for sure, the man has done nothing really since taking over as head coach of the Cowboys and Jerry Jones is one of those owners that has to have his team on top, I dont see him having the patience to keep Wade one more year, especially after a disaster of a season like the one they are having this year..

Dude, it was already annouced that Wade is gone. You are about 6 or 7 hours late on that. Jason Garrett is going to be the interim head coach for the rest of the season. He needed to go, the team was simply sucking. No discipline, no heart, the team has flat out sucked. Wade hasn't coached them well enough this year, and he suffered the consequences.

 

[TheOneBigWill]

Brad Childress- Childress can really only save his job if the Vikings somehow manage to make the playoffs and I don't see that happening. The Vikings are probably the second most disappointing team outside of the Cowboys and I'd probably fire Childress at the next sign of trouble which will most likely be mid season. Leslie Frazier is a more then capable guy to be the interim coach if need be and he will also be a top candidate for the head coaching job next year if it does become available.

Playoff miracle or not, Chilly needs fired immediately. This is a situation in which the Owner needs to get a grip with reality and understand his entire team doesn't respect their own Coach. The (future) Hall of Fame QB has more control over this team than Childress does.

He made a bone-headed move by dropping Moss for an issue regarding a food worker. It wasn't even a teammate, or a member of the Coaching staff. It was a fucking food service person. I get punishment, but up and releasing a guy you wasted a 3rd round pick on to bring back to your team was the worst way to go about it.

He's continued to make stupid decisions in which he's complained to Harvin over not trying hard enough, or something to that extent, last week during practice. Mind you, Harvin was pushing to play this past Sunday with what was called a "serious ankle injury". Harvin played - he went off. I don't give a shit how much he pushed himself to practice or not, you don't risk further injury to a guy who can still play and produce the way he did.

Final stupid, recent, move - after winning from coming back, instead of celebrating - he criticized Favre at the post-game interview.

Win, Lose or Tie - Childress shouldn't make it to this Sunday's game with his job intact, much less the rest of the Season.

John Fox- Fox is gone but it won't be until the end of the season. His contract will be up and although the Panthers are going to finish with less then 7 wins for the first time since he became head coach in 2002, it seems like it's time for both parties to move on.

This is a shame, too. John Fox was given an ultimatum; win Carolina a Superbowl, or you're gone.

The kicker to this was the Owner is preparing for a lockout for next year. So he's stopped spending money on anything. He refused to attempt signing Julius Peppers to a contract, and denied slapping the Franchise tag back on him because of not wanting to spend money.

He cut every available individual with a high price tag, and called it a "youth movement".

I'm sorry, but when you take your entire experienced group of players, and cut a great portion of them (Delhomme, Hoover, Muhammad, Peppers, Kemoeatu, Lewis, etc.); then tell the Coach we won't pursue anyone in Free Agency due to a potential lockout next year.. you can not expect a winning Season, much less a Superbowl victory.

To make matters worse, Fox is proving just how great of a Head Coach he is - by controlling the Locker room in a 1-7 season, and not allowing fingers to be pointed. He's overcome injuries and inexperienced players. He's continued to prove that his Defense can be the difference in wins and losses through most of the game, until it comes to a point when your Offense simply can't produce and the Defense wears down.

If a change needs to be made here, it needs to be Jeff Davidson (the Offensive Coord.), who has single handedly helped Carolina make history by becoming one of the lowest scoring teams in the history of the NFL with terrible play calling.

Mike Singletary- Singletary will be gone at the end of the year if the Niners don't make the playoffs and I don't see them making the playoffs. This was supposed to be their year but it isn't happening and although there is a lot more wrong with the team besides the head coach someone has to pay and it will be Singletary at the end of the year.

Singletary doesn't deserve to be fired. He deserves to be given the opportunity to have a QB that can lead his team. His team respects him, and plays hard for him. Unfortunately, there is a huge difference between playing hard - and playing good.

Marvin Lewis- Lewis will be gone at seasons end. He had a nice run with Cincy but the Bengals are starting to once again look more like the Bungels and it's time to move on.

Disagree. Lewis will return. This is a team that's been filled with criminals left and right, and somehow Lewis has controlled this team for the most part. While at times Chad 85 has thrown his toys around his crib, the fact remains - Lewis hasn't allowed him to get his way.

Norv Turner- Even if the Chargers make the playoffs I'm not sure he keeps his job. It's basically SB or bust for Turner and I don't see the Chargers making the SB. He will be fired at the end of the season.

Didn't Turner only take this job to begin with because he wanted to get back at Oakland for releasing him? How perfect would this season be, if Oakland won the division and Turner got his ass fired.

In all seriousness though, Turner deserves to be fired. He doesn't know how to fucking coach. I'm almost positive you can bring in any High School Coach and they'd manage, and control, this unit better than Turner ever has. He mis-manages his talent all the time.

Josh McDaniels- He completely changed the culture in Denver and not for the better. Not only should McDaniels be fired but I think it needs to happen now in mid season. A guy like Wayne Nunnely could step in as an interim head coach as he has 16 years NFL coaching experience and 34 total years. He has never been a head coach in the NFL but did have some experience as a head coach at the collegiate level.

Disagree. McDaniels is cocky and arrogant. Thats something you don't see in Head Coaches; albeit I'm sure its not something you'd want to see in a leader. The fact remains he's completely changing this team and when he's done then and only then will we know whether he's done anything for better or worse.

People wanna shit on him for cutting Marshall away, but what people aren't willing to understand is Marshall was trying to control the team - and not listen to reason. Similar story to Hillis in the fact that people wanna shit on McDaniels for trading him for a 3rd string QB on their depth chart right now.

I get that Hillis had a breakout season once upon a time when Denver was depleted at the RB position. But there was no way ANYONE could've called Hillis being that same star. I'm just going to point out, Nick Goings was a FB similar to Hillis - for Carolina - back in 2004. When Stephen Davis & DeShawn Foster both went down with injuries, Goings exploded at the RB position; then failed when called upon again a year later in the playoffs.

McDaniels traded Hillis to get Brady, because he felt Orton needed a push - and that push woke Orton up; who's lead the Broncos Offense to explode. You wanna point fingers at areas that need change, point them to the Defense. Only the Bills, Jags, Cowboys, Texans & Cardinals have allowed more points to be scoren on them.

 

[Big Sexy]

Disagree. Lewis will return. This is a team that's been filled with criminals left and right, and somehow Lewis has controlled this team for the most part. While at times Chad 85 has thrown his toys around his crib, the fact remains - Lewis hasn't allowed him to get his way.

Once again I like Marvin Lewis but he has only had 2 winning seasons in 8 years with the Bengals and has yet to record a playoff win. His team is currently 2-6 and will be lucky to win 6 games this year with their remaining schedule. Another thing working against him is that this is the last year of his contract. I find it hard to believe a guy will get a new contract after a losing season that had high expectations.

Disagree. McDaniels is cocky and arrogant. Thats something you don't see in Head Coaches; albeit I'm sure its not something you'd want to see in a leader. The fact remains he's completely changing this team and when he's done then and only then will we know whether he's done anything for better or worse.

Being cocky and arrogant means jack shit when your team is absolutely horrendous. McDaniels got off to a good start with Mike Shanahan's team and since then the Broncos have been absolutely abysmal. He is changing the culture but it isn't for the better.

 

[Davi323]

I would like to add to the hot seat names by adding Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz. While I acknowledge the improvements the team has made, I must also acknowledge where they fall drastically short. The Lions have a distinct lack of team discipline, and falls directly on the head coach. The Detroit Lions could easily be 6-2 right now instead of 2-6, but for the STUPID penalties. Every week, the Lions will have at least two instances where they commit some sort of personal foul that directly leads to them losing. If it happens once, you can blame the player. When it happens multiple times, every week, its a coaching issue. Jim Schwartz needs to get in control of the team's discipline NOW or I will be calling for his head. The Lions are good enough to win against almost any team if they play well...but not if they continue to shoot themselves in the foot. Some teams can still win even with stupid ass mistakes, but the Lions aren't good enough to do that.

 

[Stormtrooper]

I would like to add to the hot seat names by adding Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz.

Oh shit, this will be good. And by good I mean I will laugh at the stupidity of this.

While I acknowledge the improvements the team has made, I must also acknowledge where they fall drastically short. The Lions have a distinct lack of team discipline, and falls directly on the head coach.

1. So he makes drastic improvements (from an 0-16 team to a team that has become a somewhat dangerous sub-.500 team), and you want to FIRE him? Child please.
2. Penalty Discipline does NOT fall directly and completely on the Head Coaching. That's a player issue. Players should not be stupid enough to hit a guy when he went out of bounds 3 yards before contact.

The Detroit Lions could easily be 6-2 right now instead of 2-6, but for the STUPID penalties. Every week, the Lions will have at least two instances where they commit some sort of personal foul that directly leads to them losing. If it happens once, you can blame the player. When it happens multiple times, every week, its a coaching issue.

1. you went 2-6 with a BACKUP OR 3RD STRING QB for most of the season, while being competitive for most of the games (only losing by more then 1 score once). That's damn good.
2. Again, penalties are not a direct result of coaching, they are a direct result of the players making stupid plays, and reverting to the culture of losing they have had in Detroit for over a decade.

Jim Schwartz needs to get in control of the team's discipline NOW or I will be calling for his head. The Lions are good enough to win against almost any team if they play well...but not if they continue to shoot themselves in the foot.

You gotta be shitting me, man. The Lions are an improving team, 2 years removed from the worst season in NFL history (0-16). The head coach comes in, brings about major changes, makes the team not only better then before, but to the point where you think they should win all the games, and you want him FIRED?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!??!?! What, you want Rod Marinelli again? Steve Mariucci? Take them, and any team with a coaching vacancy will take Schwartz.

Some teams can still win even with stupid ass mistakes, but the Lions aren't good enough to do that.

No, the Lions (again, 2 years removed from the worst season/team in NFL history) make some mistakes, because they don't know how to win games, because they've won 35 games since 2001 (a .2333 winning percentage). The Lions are rebuilding, and have made GREAT strides. There is no reason to fire the guy. If anything, you give the guy an extension.

And the saddest thing about your calling for the guys head is that you didn't say anything about the one mistake he actually made, and that was having Stanton throw a pass on 3rd down after the 2 minute warning up by 3 (thank you by the way). The Jets don't play the Lions for another 4 years (if the current schedule format is still used), and by that time, Jim Schwartz will have the Lions in the playoffs, or damn close to it. But you can fire him if you want, I guess you don't want to win.

 

[Davi323]

you completely ignored the fact where I mentioned that if its a one time thing, its the player, but when it happens again and again and again, its an institutional thing. Bill Belichek doesn't have his players repeatedly cost them wins by commitrting stupid personal fouls in the last minute of the game to give trhe other team great field position...doesn't routinely happen to Tom Coughlin or Mike Tomlin either. But it happens every damn week with the Lions. So yes, I am going to be very critical of Jim Schwartz until the veil of stupidity gets lifted. I have been a diehard Lions fan since 1989. I have stuck with them through thick and thin. But for as much improvement as they have shown, they are still 2-6, and the reason they are 2-6 is partially because the coach doesn't have the team under control emotionally. You think Mike Ditka wouldn't have nipped the stupid personal fouls in the bud? You think Bill Cowher or Jon Gruden would tolerate them? Bill Parcells? I don't. I think those coaches would kick ass in practices until the Lions players smartened up. When you lead the NFL in penalties, its a coaching problem that has to be corrected.

 

[Megatron]

I would like to add to the hot seat names by adding Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz. While I acknowledge the improvements the team has made, I must also acknowledge where they fall drastically short. The Lions have a distinct lack of team discipline, and falls directly on the head coach. The Detroit Lions could easily be 6-2 right now instead of 2-6, but for the STUPID penalties. Every week, the Lions will have at least two instances where they commit some sort of personal foul that directly leads to them losing. If it happens once, you can blame the player. When it happens multiple times, every week, its a coaching issue. Jim Schwartz needs to get in control of the team's discipline NOW or I will be calling for his head. The Lions are good enough to win against almost any team if they play well...but not if they continue to shoot themselves in the foot. Some teams can still win even with stupid ass mistakes, but the Lions aren't good enough to do that.

I was furious with how he handled this past weeks game, as you were, but there's no logical reason he should be canned after this year. Not only is it only his second year (where most coaches get at LEAST 3, barring major problems within) but he was working with the bottom of the barrel with the 0-16 team that he took over. There's been probably a grand total of 4-7 guys that played significant time on that team that are still there, and a few (Sackus, Raiola) are only there because they haven't really addressed those parts yet. There's no denying that Schwartz has greatly improved the team, from getting some dangerous weapons (Burleson, Scheffler, Best, Pettigrew) to a Franchise QB that has been good when healthy, to one of the best D-Lines in the league. It's year two, and they're probably miles ahead of where people expected them to be. Not only has the team play looked better, but they've had chances to win every single game they've played this year, and their entire team still hasn't been fully healthy.

Schwartz (and Mayhew, for that matter) have done a terrific job in rebuilding this team by both the draft (getting guys like Suh, Pettigrew, Best, Delmas, and Levy) and by Free Agency/Trades (Vanden Bosch, Houston, Smith, Burleson, Scheffler, Hill). While they're only 2-6, that's already matching their win total of the past 2 seasons. The team has been struck with some unlucky injuries to the most important position in the game (QB) this year, but nobody expected huge strides only in year two. Hell, they were only projected to win 4-5 games max this year, so they're right on track.

Is it irritating that they're so close in every game but can't pull it out/close it out? Yes. However, those are going to be the growing pains of a team that is still trying to get out of the shell of the worst team ever just two years ago.

Now, should this record (2-4 wins) hold next year as well, you'll hear more rumblings. But, having a healthy QB hasn't been on his side, and he still has to rebuild both the O-Line and Secondary. But right now, after 20some odd games, Schwartz should be quite off the hot seat, as far as I'm concerned. This team has had issues of jumping the gun early, but they have to have their patience in this rebuilding stage.

 

[Davi323]

To be clear...I am not calling for his head. I just think he deserves to be in the discussion of hot seat coaches. I never stated that he should be fired this year, but pointed out that the progress is not good enough to satisfy me. When the problems are out of the ordinary, blame the player. When it is a persistent pattern of behavior, blame the coach. I want Schwartz to succeed. I don't want to go through yet another new coach...but the penalty problems MUST be corrected, or I will start calling for his head. You have to learn how to win before you can win. Part of learning to win is learning how not to lose. The Lions under Jim Schwartz have not yet demonstrated that they have learned that lesson. Look, I stood by them through all the ridicule of the 0-16 (im)perfect season. I will continue to stand by them. But when I can see the how much they have improved, only to go through loss after loss, it frustrates me. I no longer am thankful for merely getting a win to avoid the winless season. I want to expect them to compete with any team in the NFL for 60 minutes, not for 56, only to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory time after time. Improvement without the wins to show for it is NOT enough anymore. I know they are improving, but they have to prove it by winning. You are what your record says you are. Moral victories are not good enough anymore. Last place is still last place.

Jim Schwartz has raised my expectations of the team...but in doing so, he raised the bar for himself too. I don't expect perfection...but I do expect more than personal fouls in the last minute or overtime to blow what should have been a tremendous win. I want a coach that knows how to teach his players not to be stupid.

 

[Big Sexy]

Jim Schwartz belongs no where near the hot seat and he handled the game fine last week considering the circumstances. If Stafford doesn't get injured the Lions win that game against the Jets. I loved the play action call on third down because they weren't going to get the first down running the ball. Scwartz took the blame for what was Stanton's mistake. This is I believe Stanton's 4th year in the NFL and he has to know that the clock needs to run in that situation so unless a completion is guaranteed you have to take the sack. Schwartz has done a tremendous job and with a healthy Stafford I believe the Lions are 4-4 right now which is way better then I thought they would be.

Don't blame Schwartz for the stupid penalties either. The fact remains that there are still a fair share of very young and some just dumb players. That happens when you've been a horrible team for as long as the Lions have. Schwartz has done a great job weeding out most of those guys but Rome wasn't built in a day. Schwartz turned the Lions form a weak team with no heart into one of the tougher teams in the league. They even had Bart Scott crying like a little bitch saying the Lions were "dirty" just because he was pissed he and his teammates actually got knocked on their asses and given a taste of their own medicine for once. I love what Schwartz is doing in Detroit.

 

[Davi323]

Julian Peterson is by no means a young or inexperienced player. And given that Stanton is in his fourth year, why didn't he know that he was expected to hold on to the ball to drain the clock unless someone was absolutely, 100 percent open? A fourth year player who has gone to all the practices, meetings etc shouldn't have to be told what to do in that situation. It should be instinctual. And it only becomes instinctual by having it coached into them. It was a stupid play call, the Jets had no timeouts left, and they would have had 40 less seconds to work with had they ran it, or had Stanton been smart enough to take the sack. Again, you have to learn how not to lose in order to learn how to win. Schwartz took the blame because it was a dumbass play call. It isn't like taking the wind in OT, but it isn't smart. The clock was the Lions best friend and the Jets worst enemy. A smart coach exploits that. A fourth year QB that has been properly coached exploits that. Drew Stanton isn't a rookie, he should have understood the situation, but he didn't, because he wasn't properly taught to understand the situation, because Schwartz didn't teach it. If we are expected to believe Schwartz when he said he should have conveyed what he wanted Stanton to do better, why call a pass play when you don't want the QB to pass? Jim Schwartz fucked up the play. Stanton only did what he was coached to do. The stupid bonehead bullshit has to stop for the Lions to ever become successful again, and Schwartz has not done much to change the culture. They have done a better job drafting, done a better job in free agency, and the talent level is rising. But you don't draft stupid, you don't sign stupid in free agency. Stupid comes through a refusal to correct it at the upper levels. That is where Schwartz has failed. These stupid mistakes should be correctable, but they haven't been. Coaching is more than just playcalling. Its teaching players how to be professional football players. I am waiting to see indications that Schwartz is capable of teaching that. We had enough of the permissive/lack of discipline with Wayne Fontes. We foolishly believed Bobby Ross when he talked about putting guys on that bus ride home. We stupidly believed that when Marty Mornhinweg showed up on the first day riding his motorcycle, that he was going to bring a different attitude. We wanted to believe in pounding the rock. Well, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH already. You want to claim how much the Lions are improving under Schwartz? Prove it. Show me the wins. Show me why I shouldn't scoff at the Jim Schwartz adulation as something that we have seen many times before? Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me five times? I must be a Lions fan. I love my team. But the kool-aid drinking is over for me. I am way past that level. Jim Schwartz needs to prove he can WIN, not prove he can lose closer games than the last guy.

 

[People's Champ]

There is no way Schwartz should be on the hot seat, and believe me he won't. I'm not going to sit here and say that I've analyzed every Lions game, but they aren't as bad as their record. We all know that debacle against the Bears, and as Big said, if Stafford stays in the game they beat the Jets.

I can't imagine that after only year 2 you're ready to put him on the hot seat. Especially after what happened 2 years ago, what with that winless season and all. I happen to think Schwartz has done a good job with the team he was given. This is going to take time. Be patient. The Lions have pieces to be competitive and win games, but they aren't quite ready. This is still an extremely young team. As far as I'm concerned, this team is on its way up, which is all you can ask for at this point. Now, if this was like the situation in Denver, where things are taking a turn for the worst, then yes, you might have a reason to want to put him on the hot seat. But for now, how about just waiting and giving this thing some time.

 

[Big Sexy]

1. The Julian Peterson play can by no means be blamed on Schwartz because like you said he is a veteran. Schwartz isn't in practice saying "hit guys when they're out of bounds." Peterson lost focus and made a mistake. That one hit by no means cost the Lions the game and is Peterson's fault alone.

2. Drew Stanton is an idiot. That is no ones fault but Drew Stanton's. I actually commend Schwartz for taking all the heat when in reality Stanton should have been absolutely destroyed by the media. Coaches always get blamed for everything and players get off free. Sometimes it's warranted but in this case it certainly isn't. I guess it's Schwartz's fault that his qb's can't stay healthy and they had to play a third string quarterback.

3. The Jets would still have had an entire minute left if the Lions ran the ball on that play, not 40 seconds. The third down play happened with 2 minutes left. The run play and the time for the play clock to start would take around 10 seconds. Then the 40 yard play clock means the Lions are punting with 1:10 left and the punt return play takes about another 10 seconds giving the Jets a minute remaining against a very tired Detroit defense. Remember it took only a minute for the Jets to get into field goal range anyways. If the Lions run the ball on third down and punt to the Jets and they tie the game then I guarantee you'd be in here yelling about Schwartz having no guts to pass on third down and go for the win. It's easy to second guess decisions and play arm chair quarterback when they don't work out.

The fact is Jim Schwartz is saying the same things you are about the winning and about playing close games meaning jack shit. But I beg you to find me many coaches that could take one of, if not THE worst team in football history and have them playing the way they are with 2nd and 3rd string quarterbacks. 3-5 (fuck the Bears, that was a win in my book) is pretty damn impressive under the circumstances.

 

[Davi323]

It isn't that they aren't improving. I have acknowledged that. My issues are with the lack of discipline, and the perpetual "same ol' Lions" crap that keeps happening. I am fine with games where they lose because they clearly got outplayed. It happens. But other than the Giants game or perhaps Green Bay, both playoff teams, both probable division winners, how many of the remaining losses can anyone really say the other team simply played better? NONE. The Lions outplayed their opponents for four of their six losses...and still lost. Why is it this team finds new ways to loss each week, despite outplaying their opponents on the field, if you can't assign any of the blame to the guy in charge?

I want to like Jim Schwartz. I want him to be someday regarded as the greatest Lions coach of all time. But until I see evidence that he has changed the culture of losing, why should I give him a free pass? The buck stops with him, he is the head coach. The penalties every week don't get corrected. 11 penalties in a single game? You had a really bad day. 11 penalties every game? Lack of discipline. Penalties are killing this team, cost us wins, and they keep on happening. Someone has to be accountable. If this were an NCAA investigation, you could say that Schwartz has failed to promote an atmosphere of competence within the program. What has he done to correct the penalties? Anything? Who has gotten chewed out? Who has been fined by the team for stupidity? Who has been benched as a lesson to the others? Jim Schwartz needs to prove that the Lions are different in a more tangible sense than "see, they only lost by three this week!". When he can prove it by WINNING, I will back off. Moral victories aren't good enough anymore.

 

[Big Sexy]

By all accounts they did beat the Bears and there were no stupid penalties or lack of discipline that led to that loss. They also got outplayed by the Eagles and the Vikings and it wasn't a lack of discipline that cost them those games either. Honestly this last game against the Jets is the only game where a stupid penalty helped contribute to their loss but even against the Jets it was more Stafford getting injured that cost them rather then that penalty. I'm not exactly sure how you can say stupid penalties have cost them a lot of these games when injuries and playing teams with more talent are the main cause.

The Lions are currently 27th in penalties. The Giants are 26th, I guess that means Tom Coughlin doesn't get in anybody's face and isn't a proven coach on a good team. The Ravens are 30th, I guess John Harbaugh has no control over his team. The Titans are 31st, Jeff Fisher must be just an awful, incompetent coach. Looking at the least penalized team this year... well it's.. it's... The Dallas Fucking Cowboys. Wade Phillips should be given a contract extension right away because he obviously has a very disciplined team. Oh wait.

Give me a break with this bullshit. You're pinning things on the coach when the blame needs to be spread out throughout the team. Penalties may contribute to losses but there are many many other and more important factors.

 

[Davi323]

still giving Schwartz that free pass? Where was the improvement shown by losing to the (now) 1-8 Buffalo Bills, while committing another 11 penalties, and taking over by themselves the largest road losing streak ever? Where is the improvement? This should have been a win. If the Lions are significantly better than their record shows, then they should have won this game. But they didn't. I get that you want to believe the hype, but that is all it is. This is still a very bad football team, with the record to prove it. You are what your record says you are. This team played like absolute shit the entire game. C'mon. Tell me how Schwartz did such a great job preparing them for this game. Tell me how he took steps to reduce the amount of penalties the team commits. Tell me how this game showcased the improvement to the team? You can't, because this is still the same ol Lions, doing the same things that have been causing them to lose for a decade. Jim Schwartz hasn't shown a damn thing to me. Martin Mayhew might get credit for improving the personnel, but what has Jim Schwartz done? Don't feed me hyperbole, give me something tangible to look at, to give me any hope that this team doesn't draft in the top ten yet again this year. Jim Schwartz has NOT improved this team. I wonder if the 2008 Lions will have a reunion to celebrate the last winless team going down, to preserve their perfect 0-16 season? Stop drinking the fucking kool-aid. Until Jim Schwartz, a first time head coach, who has never proven he can be a successful head coach actually proves he can be a head coach, then why shouldn't he be on the hot seat? You want to prove the Lions are better? Than prove it. A 2-7 record so far probably isn't a good place to start though.

 

[Big Sexy]

still giving Schwartz that free pass? Where was the improvement shown by losing to the (now) 1-8 Buffalo Bills, while committing another 11 penalties, and taking over by themselves the largest road losing streak ever? Where is the improvement? This should have been a win. If the Lions are significantly better than their record shows, then they should have won this game. But they didn't. I get that you want to believe the hype, but that is all it is. This is still a very bad football team, with the record to prove it. You are what your record says you are. This team played like absolute shit the entire game. C'mon. Tell me how Schwartz did such a great job preparing them for this game. Tell me how he took steps to reduce the amount of penalties the team commits. Tell me how this game showcased the improvement to the team? You can't, because this is still the same ol Lions, doing the same things that have been causing them to lose for a decade. Jim Schwartz hasn't shown a damn thing to me. Martin Mayhew might get credit for improving the personnel, but what has Jim Schwartz done? Don't feed me hyperbole, give me something tangible to look at, to give me any hope that this team doesn't draft in the top ten yet again this year. Jim Schwartz has NOT improved this team. I wonder if the 2008 Lions will have a reunion to celebrate the last winless team going down, to preserve their perfect 0-16 season? Stop drinking the fucking kool-aid. Until Jim Schwartz, a first time head coach, who has never proven he can be a successful head coach actually proves he can be a head coach, then why shouldn't he be on the hot seat? You want to prove the Lions are better? Than prove it. A 2-7 record so far probably isn't a good place to start though.

This team isn't built around a quarterback like Shaun Hill. This is Matt Stafford's team and without Matt Stafford there isn't room to fairly gauge where Schwartz is at and where this team is at. I mean they still have equaled their win total from last year and have 7 games remaining. You can't blame Schwartz for the injuries and I've already shown that the penalties have yet to really cost Detroit a game and are an overrated stat anyways. The Dallas Cowboys are the least penalized team in the league and are arguably the worst team in the league. I'm not saying Schwartz is a fucking COTY candidate and should be praised for his greatness. I'm just saying it's clear the guy has improved the team and belongs no where near the chopping block at this point in time.