NFL Coach Hot Seat Rankings, Week 7: Welcoming Norv Turner to the Endangered

With six weeks in the books, every team in the NFL has played at least five games. Past the quarter marker now, things are becoming clearer about the teams and, more importantly to us, their coaches.

This week, we'll take a different approach to the five men who've taken up residence in the hottest of seats. We'll look at what they've done well, what has them in trouble, and what must happen next for them to keep their jobs.

Here's your Hot Seat Rankings as we head into Week 7 action.

5. Wade Phillips, Dallas Cowboys

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MINNEAPOLIS - OCTOBER 17: Dallas Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips looks on during the game against the Minnesota Vikings at Mall of America Field on October 17, 2010 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings defeated the Cowboys 24-21. (Photo by Jeff Gross

Phillips is a likable guy. He's worked for one of the toughest owners in sports, Jerry Jones, and has survived longer than almost anyone else could have in Dallas without winning the Super Bowl. But it appears more and more likely that Phillips' tenure in Dallas will end after the season.

While Jerry Jones has publicly stated that he will not dismiss Phillips during the season, something he's never done, it is almost a foregone conclusion that this will be his last year on the Dallas sideline. 

What He Does Well

The Cowboys have a ton of offensive and defensive talent and, until this year, it seemed that Phillips was finding ways to get the most out of players who weren't exactly marquee names entering the league.

Marion Barber, Miles Austin, Orlando Scandrick, and Tony Romo are among several household names who were relative unknowns coming out of school.

He's also a steady force on a team that is constantly filled with controversial figures. He's virtually tamed Jones, who previously loved to look over the shoulder of his coach and publicly pressure him. While he's recently been more vocal about his disappointment, Jones has been very complimentary and supportive of Phillips.

Where He's Struggling

One word sums up the biggest problem facing Dallas at this point: penalties. The Cowboys haven't just been undisciplined this year, they've been lackadaisical and stupid. Those might be harsh words, but I can't get the first half sequence on Sunday—where the Cowboys committed penalties on something like four out of five consecutive plays—out of my head.

Why are they 1-4? They're 1-4 because they beat themselves senseless every time.

Statistically, this is not a terrible team. They should probably be 2-3 or 3-2, but the penalties have sunk them. That's on your coach.

Phillips has no control over this team. He is almost as unsurprised by the penalties as the fans, which is a bad sign. He should be lividly ripping facemasks off, trying to get it into his players' heads that this is no way to play the game.

What's Got to Happen Next

The big thing is to kill off this penalty problem. If he doesn't, this will be one of the longest seasons in recent memory. If he does, they could recover, although this is probably only a 9-7 team at best.

I don't think there's a chance that he keeps his job unless he leads them to the Super Bowl. He's got Jason Garrett in house ready to take over, so it's not like Dallas would have to search hard to find a new coach. Regardless, Phillips needs to save some face and get the Cowboys back to respectable status.

4. Norv Turner, San Diego Chargers

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OAKLAND, CA - OCTOBER 10: Head coach Norv Turner of the San Diego Chargers stands on the sidelines during their game against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on October 10, 2010 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Ima

Turner is another guy you want to like. He looks like a grandfather and isn't flashy, jerky or controversial. He's been kicked around by several bad teams and you had to be happy he finally was given talent to work with in San Diego.

But they still haven't won a Super Bowl and now it looks like they may not even get a chance.

What He Does Well

Turner is good at utilizing the talent he has been given. He doesn't run an offensive system that doesn't play to the strengths of the players. Some coaches try to fit a pocket passer into a running quarterback's cleats. Turner coaches the players he has.

He also is as balanced as can be when it comes to fire and calm. I always felt that some coaches were too fiery while others were far too laid back. John Russell, while a baseball manager instead of a football coach, might not even have had a pulse while in Pittsburgh. Turner balances all of the qualities well.

You can't argue that Turner is a good coach. Whether he's a good enough coach is something that remains to be seen.

Where He's Struggling

Every year it seems that this team starts off in a hole and then digs itself out. They started 2-3 last year before making a playoff run. This year, it's 2-4. This team, however, looks nothing like a playoff team.

They blow leads, they play down to their competition, and they are the least clutch team in the NFL. They actually remind me a lot of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second half of 2009, when the Steelers lost five straight games to bad teams and blew leads every time.

San Diego is bad at home too. What's up with that?

For Turner, it looks like this team is listless and seems to float through games. He hasn't lost control the way Phillips has in the penalty department, but it doesn't look like he's doing anything to combat his team's problems. If he is doing something, he needs to try a different tactic.

What's Got to Happen Next

Turner has to light a fire under these guys. He's got to make them accountable for their mistakes and he's got to start banging some heads.

The listless, lead-blowing play has got to stop immediately. The Chargers won't always be able to escape a bad start and this is the perfect season for them to hit a wall. They're wasting Phillip Rivers' career with these slow starts.

Eventually, you've got to be consistent to win in the NFL. The knock on Turner has always been his teams' inconsistency. It's rearing its head now.

3. Mike Singletary, San Francisco 49ers

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SAN FRANCISCO - OCTOBER 17: Head coach Mike Singletary of the San Francisco 49ers reacts on the sidelines during their game against the Oakland Raiders at Candlestick Park on October 17, 2010 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Image

I'm an unabashed fan of this guy. I think he's got a bright future as a coach in this league. But Samurai Mike is in big trouble if his 49ers don't live up to owner Jed York's prediction that they'll win the NFC West and make a deep playoff run this year.

What He Does Well

Is there a more fiery coach in the league? Singletary is downright frightening when he gets angry. He isn't afraid to argue calls, get in his players' faces, and be as tough on the sideline as he once was on the field.

He has helped coordinator Greg Manusky oversee a defense that is one of the better units in the NFL and still has lots of growing to do.

I'd hire Singletary as a defensive coordinator without question.

Young players seem to respond well to his style. Alex Smith is struggling, but when Singletary has pulled him aside in the second half of the past two games, he has responded with scoring drives. If they can get that consistency, they can rebound in an awful division.

Where He's Struggling

The 49ers simply haven't been very good.

The offense is a mess. They've already fired coordinator Jimmy Raye to find out that he likely wasn't the only problem. Alex Smith is quarterbacking mediocrity personified. Fans are clamoring for David Carr, but I'm doubting that would be a big improvement.

They're wasting good defensive efforts, which psychologically grates on the unit. Eventually, they could fold up and quit on the team if their efforts continue to be wasted.

Singletary's team is disciplined. You don't see tons of stupid penalties or anything like that, but they do seem to tank late in the game. That every game has been close has only made the losses sting more. Even the team's first win this past Sunday was relatively ho-hum.

What's Got to Happen Next

They've got to build on their first win and keep on going. If Singletary hasn't seen it, Alex Smith plays better when his coach gets in his face and tells him what to do. Do that at the beginning of the game and maybe you'll get a full effort from Smith, who obviously has the tools.

They've also got to be more consistent. They go from world beaters to mediocre from drive to drive. That's got to stop.

Singletary can still save his skin. Getting that first win was imperative. Now, he's got to keep it going and right this ship.

2. Tom Cable, Oakland Raiders

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GLENDALE, AZ - SEPTEMBER 26: Head coach Tom Cable of the Oakland Raiders stands on the sidelines during the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on September 26, 2010 in Glendale, Arizona. The Cardinals defeated th

I'm honestly surprised we haven't heard more rumblings from Al Davis about Cable. He hasn't been particularly good. It was rumored they explored replacing him this offseason. But he's still here. Go figure.

Maybe the overhead projector bulbs are burnt out.

What He Does Well

Cable seems to have the players' trust and confidence. They play for him and publicly praise him as a good coach that they want to do well for.

That's no small thing, considering the next coach we'll be covering is in the opposite situation.

I'd say the Raiders have made improvements this season regardless of their record. They'd be 3-3 if Sebastian Janikowski hadn't whiffed on a potential game-winner against Arizona. The offense is still streaky and questionable, but they're going through some injuries.

The defense is decent and improving from week to week. The whole team doesn't give away games the way it used to. They almost look like a team that could be a player or two away from contending seriously.

Where He's Struggling

Inconsistency kills in the NFL. It's plaguing Cable's Raiders right now. One week, the offense looks good, the defense shuts people down, and the special teams are special. Then, they follow it up by laying an egg on offense, wasting a good defensive effort, and with Janikowski missing a big kick or two.

The consistency a team plays with is squarely on the shoulders of the head coach. Cable must keep this team playing at a higher level. Right now, that's not happening. Things change from week to week.

Good teams overcome injuries. The Raiders are missing Darren McFadden, but they haven't been able to overcome his loss in their offense. They continue to struggle to move the ball with him sidelined. That's part talent, part coaching.

What's Got to Happen Next

Get consistent. Get healthy. Start winning, baby. This team actually has the tools to surprise in a weak division, but it's got to start now. A 9-7 or 8-8 record might win this division, so getting things rolling now could put them in pole position.

Cable his to get them fired up and playing up to their potential. They have far too many pieces that are talented yet playing poorly. Time to get everyone on the same page.

1. Eric Mangini, Cleveland Browns

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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)

I actually feel for Mangini. If there's a tougher schedule than the one he faces, I can't find it. He's 1-5 and his team could fail to win another game if you look at their opponents.

What He Does Well

He's got to be the most discipline-oriented coach in the league. Nobody gets away with anything in Cleveland.

He's gotten a lot out of a relatively talentless roster as well. The Browns don't have a quarterback (although the performance of Colt McCoy against Pittsburgh says they might soon have one), don't have a star running back or receiver (Joshua Cribbs isn't a true anything, so he doesn't count), and their offensive line is poor.

The only thing he has is Joshua Cribbs, threat extraordinaire. Still, the Browns have been in every single game this season and even stayed close with Pittsburgh for a half. That's yeoman's work. But it's not likely to be enough in a league measured more and more by wins and losses alone.

Where He's Struggling

To say that Mangini isn't a people person is to put it mildly. The players don't particularly like him. He's a bit over the top with his rules and fines. There's a difference between being a tough-as-nails disciplinarian (Bill Parcells) and being crazy.

He's failed to utilize Joshua Cribbs effectively. If you want to blame that on offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, then Mangini has failed to fire an ineffective assistant. Either way, Mangini is wasting his best weapon by ignoring the problem.

His abrasive attitude doesn't play well with ownership or with his players. It's well known that he wants full control of a team, which is one of the reasons the Browns are as bereft of talent as they have been.

What's Got to Happen Next

You've got to wonder if he'll get the whole season or not. Other owners (Jerry Jones and Jed York) have publicly backed their coaches after bad starts. Randy Lerner and Mike Holmgren haven't said anything at all.

The schedule is brutal. The Browns face playoff-caliber teams virtually every week. If the team loses another game or two and Mangini continues to make no changes to his team, is it even worth wasting the entire season?

What he has to do is make changes to his coaching staff, relieving Brian Daboll of his coordinator duties. He also has to start using his players correctly and work on getting Colt McCoy some useful snaps.

Underwhelming Performances From Week 6

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EDEN PRAIRIE, MN - OCTOBER 7: Minnesota Vikings head coach Brad Childress answers questions from the media during a press conference at Winter Park on October 7, 2010 in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)

These guys may have coached their teams to victory last week, but their performances were, in a word, lousy.

Brad Childress, Minnesota Vikings

The Cowboys committed five teams' worth of penalties, yet the Vikings only beat them by three. Brett Favre is listless and aging, no one is playing particularly well, and the team the reached the NFC Championship Game last season looks like a 7-9 or worse unit now.

Tom Coughlin, New York Giants

After two job-saving weeks, the Giants let Detroit hang in with them, even nearly blowing a sizable lead. Detroit. Really? Coughlin better get this team playing up to its talent level. That's a team you throttle by 30, not beat by eight with a few late defensive stops. Oh, and they also let a third-string quarterback do that to them. Not good.