5 NFL Coaches Who Could Be Fired If They Don't Make the Playoffs

It is widely accepted that games after Thanksgiving are the most critical and meaningful. In the upcoming weeks, the true contenders will rise while the pretenders will begin to show their true colors. 

With that being said, there are several coaches' jobs that are on the line, and they could be jobless in just a matter of time following the 2011 NFL season if they don't make it to the playoffs.

Allow me to introduce to you five of those NFL coaches whose jobs are at stake.

Norv Turner

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Norv Turner will be fired by the end of the season. If he is not, I will seriously question San Diego Chargers general manager A.J. Smith's IQ level.

Turner is a solid coach, but he's nothing more than a good coach. He's good enough to win a few ballgames, but he's not good enough to put the Chargers over the top and take them to a Super Bowl.

The Chargers are a very talented team that could make a Super Bowl run—but only with the right coach, of course.

Gary Kubiak

Gary Kubiak could be eligible for a free pass considering he has now lost two quarterbacks (Matt Schaub, Matt Leinart) for the remainder of the season.

However, Kubiak will likely be fired without a postseason berth, as his Houston Texans have a stellar 8-3 record and own the top seed in the AFC at this point of time. If they miss the playoffs, that means a disastrous collapse will happen.

There is no reason why the Texans cannot win the AFC South with T.J. Yates at quarterback, as the Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars and Indianapolis Colts are some of the NFL's cellar-dwellers.

It may be a bit harsh, but the Texans have the top seed in the AFC, and if they do not make the playoffs, Kubiak will be fired.

Jason Garrett

It's hard to imagine Jason Garrett could be fired after just one season as the Dallas Cowboys' head coach, but perhaps Jerry Jones has seen enough.

Granted, the Cowboys are white-hot right now, as they have won four straight games and have posted a 7-4 record throughout the first 12 weeks of the season, but they have still been rather inconsistent.

The Cowboys would make the playoffs if the season were to end today, but if they manage to stumble a bit and miss the mark, I could definitely see Garrett being let go.

Lovie Smith

Like Gary Kubiak, you could give Lovie Smith a free pass, as he will be without Jay Cutler for the remainder of the season. However, the years of not making any noise in the playoffs could be over in Chicago, as Smith could be on the hot seat moving forward.

If the Chicago Bears do not make the playoffs, I foresee a bit of controversy about whether to fire Smith or not. As of right now, the Bears are in the fifth spot in the playoffs with a solid 7-4 record, but they could be on the verge of free-falling with Caleb Hanie as their quarterback.

It would rather interesting if the Bears front office were to pull the trigger on Smith, especially considering how he signed a contract extension through the 2013 season.

Tom Coughlin

Tom Coughlin and his New York Giants are certainly in the middle of a rough stretch, as they have now dropped three games in a row against the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles and New Orleans Saints.

The Giants are now 6-5 and on the outside looking in in the 2011 playoff hunt.

If the Giants fail to make the playoffs yet again, Coughlin will likely be kicked to the curb.