Vacchiano: Six coaches could be fired

Lane Kiffin is on the verge of being fired (still) out in Oakland. They’re promising sweeping changes in St. Louis where the Rams are 0-3 (again). It’s that time of year where the weather gets colder, but seats around the NFL are beginning to heat up.
 
There are six coaches right now who appear to be square in the firing line of their respective owners and, other than Kiffin, they all share the same flaw: Their teams are 0-3. For the most part, their seasons are over even though it’s still September.

And barring a major rally, it’s a good bet that these five head coaches will very soon be gone:
 
Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati – It’s embarrassing that this “defensive genius” hasn’t been able to build any semblance of a defense to go with his offensive riches. And it’s ironic, if nothing else, that it’s the offensive failures of the Bengals that are going to finally doom him.

Really, though, this was a long-time coming. Change has been needed for a while in a program that is out of control. No, it’s not his fault that so many of his players have turned out to be criminals. But he’s the coach who keeps taking chances on questionable characters, refusing to punish them (or at least punish them enough). He is the chief enabler in a building where what’s needed most is a warden.
 
The Bengals may end up winning a few games, just because they have so much offensive firepower. But if they really hope to ever become a contender, Lewis must go. Change is needed before Carson Palmer’s promising career goes completely to waste.
 
Romeo Crennel, Cleveland – A good coach is getting a bad deal because he got stuck with the wrong quarterback. It’s starting to look like midnight is striking on Derek Anderson, last year’s wonderboy (And a lot of scouts who saw Anderson up close last year saw that coming). It actually would’ve helped Crennel if Anderson hadn’t been so good last season, because it would’ve forced his hand to play young Brady Quinn. And maybe he could’ve survived for a few years waiting for a quarterback to grow.

But it’s doubtful that he can survive it now, especially if the seemingly inevitable happens and he’s forced to make a quarterback change. It doesn’t help that he’s another “defensive genius” who hasn’t been able to build much of a defense. That was supposed to be the strength of his team.
 
Scott Linehan, St. Louis – It remains a mystery how he was able to survive an 0-8 start and a 3-13 season last year. He’s got a franchise with a bad defense, a porous offensive line, and he can’t seem to get anything going despite the presence of three pretty good offensive players – quarterback Marc Bulger, running back Stephen Jackson and receiver Torry Holt.

This year they are being hammered by opponents at an alarming rate. Surely his bosses are scratching their heads right now wondering why they brought him back at all.
 
Rod Marinelli, Lions – They were 6-2 halfway through last season and it’s been a huge spiral downward ever since. In fairness, Marinelli does look like he has a plan, which is something fairly new to that organization. And he seems to be well-respected by his players. He certainly has brought a well-needed sense of discipline, organization and professionalism to an organization that has lacked all three.

But it’s clear that a huge house-cleaning is needed, starting with GM Matt Millen, whose stranglehold on his job despite a hideous performance is a truly remarkable sports achievement. The Lions need to get rid of him, get a new set of eyes on their struggling franchise. And if that happens – with Detroit, unfortunately, it’s not “when” – the new GM should be allowed to hire his own coach.

Herm Edwards, Chiefs – No defense, no offense, no quarterback. The personnel moves haven’t exactly been brilliant in Kansas City lately, but did Edwards really think he could win with Brodie Croyle at quarterback in a wide open decision?

This has been one of the NFL’s most disappointing teams over the last several seasons, and Edwards’ game-day strategy, decisions, clock management, et. al. have been as questionable out there as they ever were with the Jets. He had a mediocre run with the Jets and left with the feeling that things should’ve been much better given the talent they had.
 
In Kansas City, where mediocrity has settled in so completely that from a distance it appears accepted, no one has that feeling at all.

Ralph Vacchiano is the author of Eli Manning: The Making of a Quarterback, which is available for purchase here.

Del.icio.us | Digg it | Athlon Sports RSS Feeds