Why Lovie Smith Should Be an NFL Head Coach in 2013

Lovie Smith should not have been fired as head coach of the Chicago Bears. He’s simply not one of the worst coaches in the NFL, having won at least seven games every year since appearing in Super Bowl XLI. His Bears went 10-6 in the 2012 season, but missed the playoffs for the fifth time in six years.

Chicago went 7-1 in the first half of the year. Its 3-5 record in the second half was undoubtedly disappointing, but one can’t help but think that Smith’s firing was a knee-jerk reaction to missing the playoffs—something that, in Week 17, the Bears couldn’t control.

They did the only thing that they could do against the Detroit Lions: win. Chicago missed the postseason because of its division rival Green Bay Packers’ loss to another NFC North foe, the Minnesota Vikings, who were fighting to get into the playoffs. If Green Bay lost that game, Smith would be preparing for the first round of the postseason right now.

That’s how close he was to keeping his job.

Smith is reportedly interested in taking over head-coaching duties with the Arizona Cardinals and Buffalo Bills. Arizona seems to have other ideas:

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No shortage of sources telling me that Andy Reid will be having a press conference in Arizona by end of the week.

— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) January 1, 2013"

Little has been reported as regarding Smith’s potential move to Buffalo. The thinking is that the Bills, like the Cardinals, have enough talented defensive personnel to draw his interest. Another team with a vacated head coach has the same thing, as well as more offensive playmakers than Smith is accustomed to having available: the Philadelphia Eagles.

"

Names sources tell me on eag owner jeff lurie coach list. Bill Obrien,dirk koetter,greg Roman,bruce arians,chip kelly @profootballtalk

— Howard Eskin (@howardeskin) December 31, 2012"

If the Eagles don’t lock up one of the above offensive coaches, turning to Smith wouldn’t be a bad idea at all. Maybe the former Super Bowl coach can turn their collection of defensive talent into a legitimate “Dream Team." Chicago’s defense was a top-five unit in 2012 that forced a high volume of turnovers.

Philadelphia could use the orchestrator of a squad like that.

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