NFL Coaches Who Are On the Hot Seat In 2009

This past offseason has had one of the biggest coaching turnarounds in recent history, and it could be bi-passed next year. There are several coaches who are on the hot seat this season, and the only thing that can save their jobs is to go to the playoffs, or for the team to show improvement. Let's go over the coaches who I believe are on the hot seat this upcoming season, and if they will save their jobs

Marvin Lewis: Cincinnati Bengals

Things looked like they would be all roses for this marriage at first. In 2005, Lewis guided his team to an 11-5 record and the AFC North Title, before losing to the Steelers in the playoffs. Since that point the Bengals have failed to return to the playoffs and have an 19-28-1 record. Not to mention his teams have regressed each season. Last year the Bengals lost their leader and quarterback Carson Palmer due to injury. The remaining quarterbacks on the roster did not measure up as the offense ranked dead last in points per game (12.8) and yards per game (245). The offense finished 30th in passing yards per game with 150.4 and 29th in rushing yards per game with 95. That's just terrible. The pass offense couldn't get off the ground last season. It won't help that the Bengals traded away T.J. Houshmandzadeh. It's yet to be seen how good this offense will be this year. The defense wasn't that bad last year, but with the offense hurting, it did suffer. This team has to get back into the playoffs this year for Lewis to get off the hot seat. In his four seasons at the helm Lewis is 46-49 overall and the Bengals fans are getting restless. The window is closing on this team and its win or go home time for Marvin.

Dick Jauron: Buffalo Bills

In my article at the end of the 2008 season, I said that Dick was most certainly on the hot seat this year, if he wasn't fired in the offseason. Well, it looks like he is going to coach the Bills in 2009, which could be his last season. Jauron looked like he was going to get this team over the hump last year as they started 5-1 and had control of the AFC East after beating the Patriots. Things fell apart as the Bills won just two of their final games and finished 2-8 en route to another sub .500 season. Since taking over the helm in Buffalo, Jauron is only 20-28 and has not been above .500 once. Jauron is a good coach but his career record is not great at all as he is 56-76. He has only been to the playoffs once, and that was with Chicago. Now, the Bills brought in T.O to help the offense and has made some improvements to the team. But if he does not have a break through season, he will be gone in 2010.

Wade Phillips: Dallas Cowboys

After posting a 13-3 record in his first season at the helm of Dallas, last year the fun came up short as Wade Phillips finished 9-7 and missed the playoffs, thanks to a 44-6 thrashing by the Eagles in the season finale. This is bad for Wade for many reasons. One, his team went from 13 wins to only nine, which is never good. You could say that it was Bill Parcells team that went 13-3, not Wade's. Second, is that the Cowboys missed the playoffs, which makes everyone including Jerry Jones upset especially when the team is loaded with talent. Finally, the reason the team did not make the playoffs is because they got thrashed by their immortal enemy, the Philadelphia Eagles. In a game that the winner went into the playoffs, the Cowboys failed to get anything going and fell to the Eagles 44-6. This allowed the Eagles to go into the playoffs and eventually reach the NFC Championship, while the Cowboys watched at home. This team is to loaded with weapons to sit at home in January. They should be playing for the title. The team blamed chemistry for the lack of success and released Terrell Owens in what Jerry Jones called "A Romo friendly move." Taking away Romo's second best target (first is Witten who had more grabs) is not a good move. Owens still topped the scoring in Dallas in 2008 with 10 touchdowns. So, take 10 scores away from Romo this year and see how he does. Regardless, now that Owens is in Buffalo, there is no one to blame if this team goes south this year, no one other then Wade.

Brad Childress: Minnesota Vikings

With all the offseason rumors that the team is trying to get Brett Favre it's clear to me that Brad Childress is desperate for a quarterback. Now this also makes me wonder why the team was not more active in the Cutler sweepstakes, unless the price got to high. If this is true than why did they not draft someone? Regardless, it looks like the Vikings are left with Sage Rosenfels and Tarvaris Jackson as their options for quarterback this year. Childress has yet to find the right button yet to help his team progress. They finished last year 10-6 and got into the playoffs, but fell to Philadelphia thanks to some bad choices by Jackson. This team should be competing for Super Bowls every year with Peterson and that good defense, but they need more offensive power. Childress is 24-24 at the helm of the Vikings. The playoff birth last year eased some of the warmth on his seat, but if the team fails to make the playoffs then he could be out. In the now powerful NFC North the Vikings will not run away early with the title. We could be in store for a good battle here. I do believe that Childress will keep his job for one more season, unless his team finishes with a terrible record.