thependulumswings

There are just five shopping days left till Christmas.   However, if you are in the market, or soon will be, for a new head coach in the NFL Black Monday is fast approaching as well.  Black Monday is the day several coaches will get their pink slips.  This year it falls on New Year’s Eve.  What a way to end this year and ring in next it is.

Parts one and two predicted which franchises thought their coach was naughty and which were nice.  Time will tell.

Today we examine teams 17-24 alphabetically on our way to all 32 in our four-part series.

Los Angeles Chargers, Anthony Lynn– Put Lynn on the very short list of coach of the year candidates.  In year two he’s convinced 53 men to forget that no one in LA gives a rip about them and to just ball out in spite of that.  And ball out they have.   This balanced team has the talent and attitude to run deep in the playoffs.  If they weren’t so good we’d call them a dark horse for the Super Bowl.  It says here that the AFC is there for the taking.  Lynn is in.

Los Angeles Rams, Sean McVay– At least a few fickle LA fans give a rip about the Rams.  Oh, and the Rams ball out.  Last year was year one for the youngest coach in the league.  How did he do? He was named coach of the year!  In year he two has followed through nicely.  The Rams are currently the second seed for the NFC playoffs.  McVay’s star shines bright.

Miami Dolphins, Adam Gase–  Want to know the definition of average?  In almost three complete years Gase has guided the Dolphins to a 23-23 won/loss record.  They have one playoff berth and one playoff blowout loss to show for it.  It’s an average record for a team with below average talent playing in a below average division.  Their QB situation doesn’t help either.  We think that makes his performance slightly above average.  Gase should be safe.

Minnesota Vikings, Mike Zimmer– As year five of his Viking stint rolls on so does Mike Zimmer.  His win percentage of 60% (averages out to 9.6 wins per year) is impressive.  The Vikings assure themselves of a wild card spot this year if they win out.   He has two NFC North division winners on his resume’ as well.  All of this has been accomplished while Minnesota has played musical chairs at the QB spot.  Zimmer thinks D first and that has served him well.  His undisclosed contract extension, signed in late 2016, was a wise move by the Vikings ownership.

New England Patriots, Bill Belicheck–  Let’s move on to the New Orleans Saints.  Shall we?

New Orleans Saints, Sean Payton– Let’s move on to the New York Giants.  Shall we?

New York Giants, Pat Shurmur– Whew.  Welcome to the Big Apple Pat.   During Shurmur’s NFL coaching career he has been a part of eight playoff teams, winning six division crowns, and appearing in one Super Bowl.  His Uncle Fritz Shurmur coached in the NFL for 24 years too.  Pat will need to channel all of those positive experiences and learnings to change the culture in NY if he is to be successful.  Questions abound.  When do you part ways with Eli Manning?  What do you do with “me first” OBJ?  How do you fix an offensive line that is so bad that you cut two starters by mid-season?  Well, there is Saquan.  That’s one position that’s in fine shape of the 22.  Shurmur heads to year two with many questions.  He needs to provide answers and soon.  A New York minute isn’t too long.

New York Jets, Todd Bowles–   Les Miles once said that Death Valley, Tiger Stadium “is where opponents dreams come to die.”  The Jets organization is where coaches’ dreams come to die.  The Jets have bad ownership, bad execs, bad scouting, and a bad team.   And Bowles has not pulled any rabbits out of any Jet’s knit hats.  Throw in an angry fan base and you have a dumpster fire.  On December 29, 2017 the Jets organization announced that Bowles had been retained for the 2018 season, and signed an extension to continue as coach through 2020.  Do you assume that makes him safe for one more year?  Bowles has learned from some of the best and has been successful in several previous positions in the NFL. So, he will be fine long-term.  Does he stay or does he go?  We say he goes.

We have seven of the above eight retaining their jobs.  That makes our predictions stand at eight gone and 16 back for 2019 and counting.  We complete our thoughts about the comings and goings at the HC level tomorrow in part four.

Tell us what you think.