NFL Preview: Three Coaches on the Hot Seat

The sports betting speculation about head coaching jobs in the NFL begins as training camps open. Coaches like Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis and Dallas Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips saved their jobs last year with playoff seasons.

Some new head coaches will get a little NFL betting attention as people wonder if they can turn the pro programs around. Pete Carroll left a prosperous college coaching job at USC, where he made NCAA football betting easy by winning all of the time, to take over the hapless Seattle Seahawks. Watching them play now, it is hard to believe that the Seahawks were in the Super Bowl just five years ago.

In Buffalo, Chan Gailey took the job no one wanted and has promised to turn the Bills franchise around. In support of Gailey’s claims, the Bills did nothing to improve their offense and did nothing to upgrade an offensive line that was one of the worst in football last year.

Gailey and Carroll will be given a year or two to prove themselves, but let’s take a look at three coaches who need to be on the winning end of NFL week 1 betting in order to hold on to their jobs.

Jack Del Rio: Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars promoted Gene Smith to general manager in 2009, and the first thing nearly everyone thought he would do would be to fire head coach Jack Del Rio. But Del Rio stayed, and now the team is trying to get him the tools he needs to win.

There is a lot of expectation in Jacksonville, and there is pressure to win. If Del Rio cannot get his team to the playoffs this season, then this could be his last season as the Jaguars head coach.

Tom Coughlin: New York Giants

Last year the New York Giants collapsed their way to an 8-8 record and found themselves out of the playoffs. Tom Coughlin has had to deal with his share of injuries to key players, but Coughlin’s approach to coaching the team is under question.

His shouting, screaming and intimidation tactics are wearing on the players, and they are obviously not responding to him. After the unexpected loss to the Eagles in the 2008 playoffs, Big Blue has been reeling. If Coughlin cannot right the ship, he won’t be its captain anymore.

Eric Mangini: Cleveland Browns

Eric Mangini makes himself an easy target for people that want to find a reason why the Cleveland Browns lost so much last season. He made a complete mockery out of the Cleveland quarterback situation, and some people blame Mangini for not getting the most out of quarterback Brady Quinn.

The only thing that kept Mangini in Cleveland for the 2010 season is because new team president Mike Holmgren does not believe that Mangini has been given a chance to get his system and his staff in place. Mangini was called “Man-genius” for one good season with the New York Jets. The genius has worn off, and Mangini needs to win or he is out of Cleveland this season.