NFL Coach Hot Seat Rankings, Week 6: Mike Singletary Can't Escape The Heat

After five weeks of play, the hot seat is rounding into shape. So, instead of the same blurbs about the same coaches this week, it's time to start looking at what happens next if some of this list's more consistent residents get canned.

I'll be turning up the heat on some coaches this week, turning it down on a few others, and I'm also going to start naming names when it comes to successors.

Here's a look into the furnace as we get ready for Week 6's action.

Cooling Things Down: Who's Found The Cool Waters Of Safety?

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HOUSTON - OCTOBER 10: Head coach Tom Coughlin of the New York Giants during the game against the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium on October 10, 2010 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Tom Coughlin, New York Giants

Coughlin had his doubters for a few weeks after the Giants started 1-2 and looked to be spiraling out of control, but he's once again fanning himself instead of the flames.

Two strong defensive efforts in a row coupled with two victories and some spotty-yet-effective offense have put the Giants back into the NFC East picture.

There's no time to take your foot off the gas in New York, however. The city, along with a few others, expects a winner and will not tolerate a loser. Coughlin must keep pushing this team to improve. Another 7-9 implosion won't do for New Yorkers, who are still thirsting for Bill Cowher when the time comes.

Jack Del Rio, Jacksonville Jaguars

It may have only been the Buffalo Bills, but Sunday's win was a season-saver for Del Rio. At 3-2, the Jaguars have matching records with every team in their division and currently sit officially in second place.

I'd still say Del Rio is on the outs if he doesn't reach the playoffs, but for now he's in very little danger of being sent home without supper.

The Jaguars have got to stop letting mediocre teams stay in games. Buffalo held a 10-0 lead at one point. If Jacksonville is going to compete with the Colts and Texans, they are going to have to start putting bad teams away and keep giving good teams a run for their money.

Who's Not Doing So Hot?

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HOUSTON - SEPTEMBER 26: Head coach Wade Phillips of the Dallas Cowboys looks on from the sideline during a football game against the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium on September 26, 2010 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)

Wade Phillips, Dallas Cowboys

Few things in football are certain. Dallas winning after a bye week usually always has been under Wade Phillips.

And then the Tennessee debacle happened.

There's no one blameless on the Dallas sideline after that disaster. Tony Romo fell apart, the offense self-destructed, penalties gained more yards for the Titans than Dallas could recover from, the defense knuckled under to Chris Johnson and Vince Young, and the special teams weren't very special.

Jones can say he won't fire Phillips until he's blue and silver in the face. We've all seen him do an about face before. He's charging hard for his home Super Bowl this year, so if the team falls out of contention (which is rapidly happening even in the tight NFC), Phillips will be waving goodbye quickly.

Of all of the coaches facing uphill battles for job security, Phillips' has the team that seems in the most disarray. They've got to clean up their act or kiss this year goodbye.

Brad Childress, Minnesota Vikings

Brett Favre looks old. And no I haven't gotten any picture messages from him. I'm talking about his arm.

He threw three touchdowns in the second half last night, but he groped his arm continuously and you have to wonder how long it's going to be before we see Tarvaris Jackson.

At 1-3, things aren't looking good for Brad Childress either.

The Vikings just don't play complete games. Monday night, they didn't show up until it was nearly too late. Last time I checked, there were no pitch counts in football. When is this team going to show up for four quarters?

They also are committing dumb penalties. Favre's performance last night amazed me simply because his unit did as much as possible to keep him from rallying. Every big gain was tempered by a penalty within a play or two. That's got to stop.

Childress has escaped the hot seat so far because there were more guys in hotter water than he has been. But if "Chilly" wants to match up with his nickname, he better start putting some check marks in the victory column.

Otherwise, Chilly will become Chili. Very...spicy...chili.

Napalm and Nuclear Blasts: The Hottest Seats

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SAN FRANCISCO - OCTOBER 10: Head coach Mike Singletary of the San Francisco 49ers talks with quarterback Alex Smith #11 against the Philadelphia Eagles during an NFL game at Candlestick Park on October 10, 2010 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Je

Tom Cable, Oakland Raiders

I say it every week: coaching for Al Davis is asking for trouble.

Cable won this week, but if he loses next week he'll still be in the hot seat. The Raiders are showing improvement, however, so we'll put Cable into the three spot this week instead of his usual second place.

The Raiders are another friend of the dumb penalty department, but they're starting to overcome those. Killing them off would be even better, but they are the Raiders. Penalties are second nature to them throughout history, so why stop now?

Gutting out a win without their star runner Darren McFadden was big. Now it's time to see if Jason Campbell's benching helped him out or not. If it did, this team could start a turnaround in a very winnable AFC West race. At 2-3, they've officially resumed their Dark Horse status.

The pressure isn't off, but Cable moves down a spot for getting a big win.

Temperature: A Habanero pepper in the hot sun

Eric Mangini, Cleveland Browns

And then the wheels fell off again. So it goes for the young and inconsistent Cleveland Browns.

Mangini's team is terrible on offense. He would be wise to follow Mike Singletary's lead and let go of offensive coordinator Brian Daboll. Regardless of the results (which we'll get to), that move has worked out well by the bay. Daboll is certainly nothing special and his offense makes people cringe.

Oh, and the Jake Delhomme experiment needs to end too. That was failure at its finest, folks.

It doesn't figure to get better soon for Mangini's boys, as they are likely to face staunch and hungry Pittsburgh this week with a rookie quarterback in the driver's seat. That's probably a close approximation of going to war without a loaded weapon.

If he doesn't make some staff changes soon, I cannot see him surviving the season. He's letting this team spiral by leaving things as they are. It's time to protect your job, not your assistants.

Temperature: Somewhere around the center of a nuclear blast

Mike Singletary, San Francisco 49ers

Samuri Mike is going to fall on his sword if this team doesn't get a victory soon. At 0-5, they are officially the league's biggest disappointment.

Owner Jed York saying that the team would still make the playoffs makes things even more dire. If the owner still sees a playoff run, and the coach can't win the games to get there, changes will come quickly.

The problem York has is that there is simply no obvious successor on the staff. Who takes over in Singletary disappears? Mike Johnson, the new offensive coordinator? That doesn't seem likely.

But if the 49ers continue to free fall with Alex Smith locked in under center (there's a "tell me why" move if there ever was one) and Singletary calling the shots, you have to believe York will elect to go with someone else, anyone else, over the status quo.

Temperature: Ever been on the sun? It's like that, only hotter

The Replacements: Who Fills The Likely Vacancies?

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PITTSBURGH - DECEMBER 7: Offensive Coordinator Jason Garrett of the Dallas Cowboys looks on from the sideline during their NFL game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on December 7, 2008 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Steelers defeated the

Here's a first look at the men who could step in if any of our five endangered coaches find themselves, shall we say, burnt out.

Jason Garrett, Dallas Cowboys

He was always supposed to be the head coach in waiting. Well the wait might be over if Wade Phillips can't get the Cowboys into the win column consistently. His offense isn't exactly scaring anyone, but he's a sure bet to get first crack at running the show if Phillips is fired during the season.

Leslie Frazier, Minnesota Vikings

Brad Childress is an offensive coach, but the defense carries this team. Frazier has been a likely head coaching candidate more than once now, so naming him as the interim successor to Childress should a move be made would be both smart in the long term and also a good way to reward the success his defense has brought to the organization.

Hue Jackson, Oakland Raiders

Regardless of the fact that, like Lane Kiffin and Tom Cable before him, you've never heard of him before, Jackson was considered a bona fide head coaching candidate when the Raiders brought him in to run the offense and fix the biggest problem Oakland has had in nearly a decade of awful football. Should Cable go, he's the most likely in-house quick fix. The only other person of interest would be Paul Hackett, who's been around the game forever.

Rob Ryan, Cleveland Browns

If fans and analysts are calling for one coordinator's head, it's not likely he'd be promoted. So with (no) apologies, Brian Daboll will not be getting consideration. Ryan, however, has been steady in both Oakland and Cleveland and it seems like he's got the banged up Cleveland defense on the rise. It woudl make sense to let him have a chance to coach this team. The only other in-house solution? Mike Holmgren. I just don't get the vibe from him.

Greg Manusky, San Francisco 49ers

Manusky has done a commendable job with this defense. Patrick Willis is playing out of his mind. They've single-handedly kept the 49ers in games all season. Manusky isn't a household name, but he's the coach doing the best job on a bad team. Maybe he's the guy to jump start this group. Singletary made a big leap from coordinator to coach. Manusky could have the same quick success. All he'd need is a chance.

First To Be Fired?

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CLEVELAND - OCTOBER 03: Head coach Eric Mangini of the Cleveland Browns claps his hands during their game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns Stadium on October 3, 2010 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images)

Eric Mangini, Cleveland Browns

He's not on the hottest seat. But, with Mike Holmgren having inexplicably kept him once already, twice is simply not in the cards.

He's done nothing to jump start his team. He's made no staff changes. He's just coaching each game and crossing his fingers that nobody notices he's just barely scraping by each week.

I don't know who makes the calls on the coaching staff or the players on the field, but if he does and is wasting our time, then he needs to go. If he doesn't, someone else needs to wake up.

I thought he lost this team last year with his ridiculous discipline and his inane desire to fill the roster with former Jets and Patriots castoffs. I was sure he lost it when he didnt' make any non-injury related changes to his team through five weeks of sheer disaster.

He beat the Bengals, but he's not likely to get so lucky against Pittsburgh with a rookie signal caller. Another loss and Cleveland would be all but guaranteed a spot in the deep cellar of the AFC North. That won't do for any coach and especially not for a coach with a former head coach right above him and an owner that's plainly fed up with his team's performance.