Rams vs Seahawks: Is Steve Spagnuolo on the Hot Seat?

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It seems that there’s something in the air this week with regard to getting rid of ineffective coaches. Following horrible losses by both teams, the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs have each fired their head coaches.

If the 2-10 St. Louis Rams lose on Monday Night Football, will Steve Spagnuolo be next?

For Spagnuolo it would be a bitter pill to swallow after the improvement that the Rams had shown and hoped to build upon in 2010.

A year ago, the young Rams team was full of promise and hope. Steve Spagnuolo had a bright future to look forward to as Sam Bradford and his receiving corps would grow together. Obviously the 2011 picture hasn’t been nearly as rosy, particularly after many of the Rams’ offensive weapons have gone down for some or all of the season due to injury.

In the world of football coaching, there is no such thing as using rampant injury to starters as an excuse for poor performance. At the end of the day, the team’s performance each week is on the shoulders of the head coach. If the team underperforms, it is the head coach’s responsibility.

There can be an argument that Spagnuolo has made a positive impact, though. When the Rams have clicked as a team they have been a force to be reckoned with, as they proved to the New Orleans Saints with a shocking 31-21 upset a few weeks ago.

Spagnuolo has also done a decent job in filling in holes left open by injury, including bringing in wide receiver Brandon Lloyd to give Sam Bradford a Pro Bowl caliber target to throw to.

Time will tell regarding Spagnuolo’s fate, but facing off against a bitter rival on prime time television is a big test for this head coach. If his team is embarrassed and blown out of the water, Steve Spagnuolo might be looking for a new job come Tuesday.

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