NFL: 5 Coaches and Coordinators That Should Be Fired

We are now three weeks into the NFL season and we have seen our fair share of surprises, but also disappointments. While many are shocked to see teams like the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions at 3-0, we are also seeing other teams like the Miami Dolphins limp to an 0-3 start. 

It's not very common to see NFL coaches fired early on in a season, even though we did see several occurrences of it about halfway into the 2010 season.  However, there are several coaches and coordinators in the league right now who need to be handed a pink slip as soon as possible.

Sure, poor player personnel may have something to do with the struggles of these five individuals.  Ultimately, though, their poor coaching and game management should lead to their dismissal. Doing so may help their five teams.

Here are the five coaches and coordinators that need to be fired.

Bill Belichick: New England Patriots

Now hear me out for a minute, because I'm not saying Bellichick needs to be fired as a head coach.  However, since the 2010 season, the Patriots have not had a defensive coordinator.  Instead, Belichick has taken a bigger role with the defense while relying on his assistant to essentially be a coordinator by committee. 

This clearly is not working in New England, and they need to either promote an assistant or bring in someone from the streets.

Though they were 14-2, the 2010 Patriots had a very weak defense, especially against the pass, which was the fourth worst in the league.  They were actually eighth in points against, but in the end, they were pushed around by the New York Jets in the divisional playoffs, leading to a defeat. 

By all measures, the Patriots defense is much worse this year, even though they brought in players like Andre Carter and Albert Haynesworth to help a pass rush. However, the pass rush has been non-existent, and there is no pass defense.

Though Tom Brady is setting records for passing yards in 2011, their pass defense is heading for records of an opposite sort. They've given up an astounding 1,131 pass yards in the first three games and an alarming 26 points per game. 

The defense couldn't stop the Buffalo Bills offense in the second half, which led to today's upset.

Something has to be done in New England because what they're doing right now clearly isn't working.   Putting a new leader in at defensive coordinator is very important.  For "The Hoodie," it's time to fire himself from that unofficial role. 

Jack Del Rio: Jacksonville Jaguars

The NFL's most illusive coach may not be able to dodge a pink slip much longer. 

It seems like every year, Jack Del Rio manages to avoid being fired because his team generally finishes around 8-8. However, this season, his controversial move of cutting David Garrard may have finally been the straw that broke the camel's back.

In cutting Garrard, Del Rio relied on career backup Luke McCown to start.  McCown rewarded that confidence with a sub-par performance in Week 1 against the Tennessee Titans and a four interception stinker last week against the New York Jets. 

Now the Jags are putting in raw rookie Blaine Gabbert, who doesn't look ready to start in the NFL. The Jags are 1-2 and look like a team that's about ready to completely fall apart.  It is becoming clear that Del Rio will not succeed with this team.

At this point, it's time to thank Del Rio for his services, and let him go. Allow one of his coordinators to take over the team and look for a young coach for the long term future. With nine of their 13 remaining games against teams with a winning record, allowing Del Rio to stay in at coach just seems like a waste of time. 

Fred Pagac: Minnesota Vikings Defensive Coordinator

Talking about teams on the brink of falling apart, let's talk about the Minnesota Vikings.  If you're a fan of the Vikings, you're ready to pull out your hair because you know your team should be 2-1. Up 17-0 last week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Vikings fell apart, eventually losing 24-20 by giving up 14 consecutive points in the fourth quarter.

Then today, the Vikings took a 20-0 lead against the Detroit Lions. Minnesota gave up 23 consecutive points to Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson before Ryan Longwell hit a last second field goal to tie the game at 23.

In overtime, the Lions took the ball, drove the field and quickly ended the game with a winning 32-yard field goal. The Vikings have been outscored 40-6 in the last two second halves, both games at home, mind you. It's already panic time for head coach Leslie Frazier. That panic should be met with the firing of Fred Pagac, the defensive coordinator.

Someone's head has to roll for this team falling apart every week thus far. The team has Mike Singletary waiting in the wings as the linebackers coach and assistant head coach. He can be inserted into the defensive coordinator role immediately. Proving a new voice to the defense could be what the doctor ordered. Think of it this way, it certainly can't be any worse than what we've seen so far. 

Mike Martz: Chicago Bears Offensive Coordinator

How is this man still in the NFL?

For a man who claims to be such an offensive genius, the Chicago Bears offense continues to prove week in and week out that Martz is still living in the year 2000 when he was coaching the St. Louis Rams with All Pro players like Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk, Torrie Holt and Issac Bruce. 

Instead of working with the talent around him, he's asked the Bears offense to turn into those dynamic players. The Bears had a great weapon in tight end Greg Olsen, but because Martz didn't like how he blocked, the Bears traded him. Because Martz had one good year with Roy Williams in Detroit, the team signed the controversial receiver instead of targeting better wideouts. 

The result of Martz's play-calling and personnel decisions, as people have seen, is Jay Cutler getting battered each week and an entire offense that is going nowhere.

Last week, Martz called for 47 passes and 11 runs in a loss to the New Orleans Saints. Despite promising to call a more balanced approach, Martz called 37 passes and just nine runs in a 27-17 loss to the Green Bay Packers.

Cutler is now (rightfully) calling his offensive coordinator out for the horrid play-calling, which is going to eventually see the Bears quarterback getting carted off the field, as he's been sacked 14 times in just three games. 

Consider the fact that Martz will not allow Cutler to call audibles, and you can see an offensive coordinator that is either unwilling or incapable of acclimating to the 21st century NFL. With Mike Tice coaching the offensive line, he can replace Martz, a move that will please not only Bears fans, but likely Jay Cutler as well.  

Tony Sparano: Miami Dolphins

On one hand, you can feel a good amount of sympathy for Tony Sparano. You could get the feeling that the veteran coach was doomed from the start considering how the 2010 offseason went.

The Miami Dolphins tried to hire Jim Harbaugh in the offseason despite the fact that Sparano was still a part of the team.  This is not allowed in the NFL and it is still mind boggling why the team was not hit with major fines and the forfeiture of draft picks. 

Miami's courtship of Harbaugh ultimately failed and the Dolphins were left with Sparano.  The players knew that Sparano was not the team's first choice and in NFL locker rooms; that is like blood in the water.

Not surprisingly, the Dolphins have started this season 0-3 following a last minute 17-16 loss to the Cleveland Browns. With their next four games coming up against the San Diego Chargers, New York Jets, Denver Broncos and New York Giants, it's not impossible to imagine this team starting the year 0-7.

It's clear this team is not responding to Sparano and the team is going nowhere fast. There is no coach more deserving of the Old Yeller treatment than Tony Sparano. It's time to put him out of his misery. It will be good for both he and the Miami Dolphins moving forward.