Report Card Grades for All 32 NFL Coaches at the Three-Quarter Mark

The NFL coaching carousel is about to begin. Some coaches have already sealed their fate. Jim Caldwell, Andy Reid, Todd Haley and Tony Sparano all could be let go at the end of the season. These coaches have made a series of bad decisions that have put them on the hot seat.

Other coaches are enjoying great seasons. Jim Harbaugh, Marvin Lewis, Bill Belchick and John Fox seem to be the early contenders for Coach of the Year honors. The upcoming slides give a breakdown of each coach's performance at this point in the season.  Each coaching staff has received a grade based on their performance.

Ken Whisenhunt: Arizona Cardinals

Report card grade: C+

Ken Whisenhunt has led the Arizona Cardinals to a 5-7 record. Arizona's late-season surge has helped Whisenhunt earn a C+ coaching grade. However, a six-game losing streak is what keeps Whisenhunt from earning a higher grade.

Positives: It has taken eight weeks, but the Arizona Cardinals have finally found an identity. This team is a running team, who needs to focus on feeding Beanie Wells the football. The Cardinals offense is way more effective when Wells gets 20+ carries. Whisenhunt has realized this fact, and Wells has seen his carries increase each week.

It was impressive to see the Cardinals collect a few wins with John Skelton starting. He isn't a top-notch quarterback, but the team rallied around him.

Negatives: Whisenhunt shouldn't have needed eight weeks to realize that Wells needed more carries. It is also tough to overlook the close losses. Arizona has four losses by less than one touchdown. Good coaches and good teams win the close games.

Mike Smith: Atlanta Falcons

Report card grade: C+

Mike Smith has the Atlanta Falcons in position to earn another playoff berth, with a record of 7-5. Every team's goal is earning a playoff berth and eventually a Super Bowl title. Smith has the Falcons in position to reach at least one of those goals. However, a 7-5 record is actually a little disappointing for this football team.

Positives: Smith was able to right the ship after a 2-3 start to the season. After that start, the Falcons could have panicked. However, Smith kept them calm and won five of the next six games. The Week 7 victory over the Detroit Lions is this team's signature win.

Negatives: Atlanta is 0-2 vs. the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Their last two games are against these divisional rivals. Atlanta will need to win these games if they hope to earn a playoff berth.

Smith's grade is also hurt because his team took a step back this season. Many expected them to contend to another division title, and possibly a top playoff seed.

John Harbaugh: Baltimore Ravens

Report card grade: B-

The Baltimore Ravens are 9-3 and currently hold the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoff picture. John Harbaugh has his team playing terrific football, especially against top-level competition. However, three letdown losses could cost this team home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Positives: Sweeping the season series vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers is always a great accomplishment. Those wins have all but sealed up the AFC North title and a playoff berth. Harbaugh motivates his team for every important matchup.

Baltimore is playing their signature great defense, and the offense starting to show improvements.

Negatives: Three losses to the Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars and Seattle Seahawks could cost this team. At this point, it is the difference between the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in the AFC playoff picture. Those losses seem to have been a result of overlooking their opponent.

Chan Gailey: Buffalo Bills

Report card grade: B-

Chan Gailey has gotten the absolute most out of his football team. The Buffalo Bills' roster is not overly talented, so a 5-7 record is actually impressive. However, the recent five-game losing streak does take from the early season success.

Positives: There was a point in the season where the Buffalo Bills were 5-2, and sitting atop the AFC East. They also had an impressive comeback victory against the then-undefeated New England Patriots. Luck can help a team win a game or two, but it takes good coaching to win five of your first seven games.

Gailey's most impressive feat is the production he has gotten out of his offense. The Bills offensive personnel consists of marginal players. Gailey has helped Ryan Fitzpatrick, Fred Jackson and Stevie Johnson become productive football players.

Negatives: This current five-game losing streak has really overshadowed the early-season success. The worst stretch was the back-to-back losses to the Miami Dolphins and Dallas Cowboys. In those games, the Bills were outscored by a total of 79-15.

Ron Rivera: Carolina Panthers

Report card grade: C

The Carolina Panthers do not have a ton of talent, but a 4-8 record is a bit disappointing. Ron Rivera's team has missed several opportunities to win close games. You have to ask the question, would this team have a better record with John Fox as the head coach?

Positives: Rivera and his coaching staff made the right decision to let Cam Newton play early. They realized he gave them the best shot to win football games. The coaches also developed an offensive system that helped Newton find success.

The Panthers have already doubled last year's win total, and have a shot to add a few more.

Negatives: I honestly feel that if John Fox had Cam Newton, he would have won a few more games. It might not be fair, but it is an argument that needs to be made. The Panthers have lost four games by seven points or less. They could easily have eight wins and be in the hunt for a playoff berth.

Lovie Smith: Chicago Bears

Report card grade: B

Prior to the injury to Jay Cutler, the Chicago Bears were one of the hottest teams in football. They were finding balance on both offense and defense. I cannot grade Smith too harshly, because it is very hard to overcome an injury to your starting quarterback.

Positives: Chicago rattled off a very impressive five-game winning streak, with a big win vs. the Detroit Lions. During that run, Chicago was playing excellent football on both sides of the ball. The most impressive thing was the offensive balance, and improving offensive line.

I give a lot of credit to Smith for controlling Mike Martz. I doubt Martz decided to adjust his game plan without a nudge from Smith.

Negative: It shouldn't have taken the Bears five weeks to realize they need to adjust their offensive game plan. Those three early losses could keep the Bears out of the playoffs.

I also fault the coaching staff for not pushing management for a better backup quarterback. Last season should have been enough to make them realize they needed a better option.

However, they decided to stick with Caleb Hanie and now might miss the playoffs because of that decision.

Marvin Lewis: Cincinnati Bengals

Report card grade: A

The Cincinnati Bengals success has come as a complete surprise. Marvin Lewis deserves a lot of credit for rallying this team around a rookie quarterback. He was able to keep things positive despite the offseason issues with Carson Palmer.

Positives: This season could have been a complete disaster. Cincinnati was entering the season with a rookie quarterback, and still stinging from the retirement of Carson Palmer. However, Lewis used this to reshape the attitude of the team.

The Bengals are playing with confidence. Confidence in their coaches, rookie quarterback and each other. Cincinnati has a very bright future.

Negatives: Cincinnati has yet to defeat divisional powerhouses Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers. They need to get a win against Baltimore in the last game of the season to earn some real respect. Outside of that, I really don't have anything negative to say about this coaching staff.

Pat Shurmur: Cleveland Browns

Report card grade: C

Pat Shurmur's first season as the Cleveland Browns head coach has been a little underwhelming. However, they are actually playing to the talent level on the team. Shurmur gets a middle-of-the-road grade because he isn't over- or under-performing.

Positives: The Cleveland Browns have the top-rated pass defense, only allowing 173 yards per game. Cleveland's defense is still a work in progress, but at this point they are ahead of schedule. They have some nice building blocks in Phil Taylor, Joe Haden and Jabaal Sheard.

Offensively, I am impressed that they are able to establish any type of rushing attack. They were without Peyton Hillis for most of the season, and had to use Chris Ogbonnaya.

Negatives: Cleveland is winless in the AFC North, which doesn't sit well with the fanbase. They will have three more shots to get a divisional win.

The Browns offense has been a disaster. Shurmur is supposed to be an offensive guru, but he has failed to really get things going. The talent level isn't very high, but I did expect to see more efficiency.

Jason Garrett: Dallas Cowboys

Report card grade: C+

The Dallas Cowboys are in the driver's seat in the NFC East. However, they still have two games remaining against the New York Giants. Jason Garrett will need to start making better decisions if the Cowboys want to earn a playoff berth.

Positives: Dallas' recent four-game winning streak put them in position to win the NFC East title. At this point, Dallas is in position to reach all of their goals. They have a great shot of winning the NFC East, earning a playoff berth and making a Super Bowl run.

The Cowboys' development of a strong running game has been very impressive. It took making a commitment to rookie back DeMarco Murray to get things rolling. Garrett could have decided to go back to Felix Jones (after his injury), but decided to stick with Murray.

Negative: The Romo Coaster has been well-documented, but some of that needs to fall on the coaching staff. Garrett seems to be coaching to extremes; at one point, he is unleashing Romo and others he his holding him back.

One could attribute four of the Cowboys' five losses to questionable coaching decisions.

John Fox: Denver Broncos

Report card grade: A

The Denver Broncos are currently leading the AFC West division. Their presence at the top of the division is truly a surprise. John Fox has done a great job inspiring this team, while also balancing the Tim Tebow media frenzy.

Positives: Fox waited a few weeks, but he finally decided to give Tim Tebow an opportunity. That decision has impacted the entire football team, and sparked a five-game winning streak. Starting Tebow was only half the battle. It took real courage to decide to develop an offensive attack around Tebow's strengths.

Enough can't be said about the defensive improvements. The Broncos' defense deserves as much credit for the team's success as Tim Tebow.

Negatives: The loss at Detroit falls on the coaching staff, as they got away from what was working. It was after that game that they decided to change the offense fully to fit Tebow. Outside of that, I really don't have any criticisms.

I do not fault them for sticking with Orton early in the season, as they truly felt he gave them the best chance to win.

Jim Schwartz: Detroit Lions

Report card grade: B

Despite a recent slide, the Detroit Lions are still contending for a playoff berth. Jim Schwartz has found a way to change the mindset of this entire football team. It is not easy to keep a team positive after years of losing.

Positives: The Detroit Lions have a realistic opportunity to end their 11-year playoff drought. This team has a lot of confidence, which they get from their head coach. Detroit is no longer seen as the doormat of the league.

I have been very impressed with Detroit's offense. They have been able to sustain success despite missing their top running backs. It isn't easy for an offense to run without having legitimate balance. This team has overcome the injuries to Jahvid Best and Mikel Leshoure, but imagine where they would be if both were healthy. 

Negatives: Detroit has lost three of their last four games, against teams they could face in the playoffs. That doesn't do a lot of good for a team's confidence.

Jim Schwartz deserves a lot of the blame for his team's questionable play. He has been encouraging toughness, but he needed to draw the line before dirty. He has some responsibility in Ndamukong Suh's two-game suspension.

Mike McCarthy: Green Bay Packers

Report card grade: A+

The Green Bay Packers have avoided the Super Bowl hangover, starting the season 12-0. Mike McCarthy has his team playing hard, while avoiding any let downs.

It is tough to keep a team focused through an entire NFL season. It is even harder to do so when your team is dominating the rest of the league.

Positives: Green Bay is playing at a high level against top level competition and in close games. They are very confident in their abilities, but still respect their opponents. It is nearly impossible to touch on all the things Green Bay is doing right.

Negatives: Finding faults in a 12-0 football team would be considered nitpicking. However, they have some issues on the defensive side of the ball. The coaching staff has yet to figure out a way to slow down the opponent's passing attack.

Gary Kubiak: Houston Texans

Report card grade: A+

The Houston Texans will be making their playoff debut this season, thanks in large part to their head coach. Gary Kubiak continues to win football games despite having to turn to rookie quarterback TJ Yates. He is absolutely in the running for Coach of the Year honors.

Positives: Houston has had to deal with injuries to Arian Foster, Mario Williams, Andre Johnson, Matt Schaub and Matt Leinart. Despite those setbacks, the Texans continue to push towards the playoffs. This weekend's victory is a prime example of Kubiak's coaching ability.

The Texans are playing to their strengths, while also protecting their weaknesses. T.J. Yates showed that he can manage the game, but he needs Arian Foster to play at a high level. Kubiak will continue to feed Foster the ball and ride his defense.

Negatives: I couldn't find any real issues with the Texans' coaching staff, especially after this weekend's performance.

Jim Caldwell: Indianapolis Colts

Report card grade: F

There is no reason to start a season 0-12, not even after losing Peyton Manning. Jim Caldwell and the Indianapolis Colts still have talent including Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, Pierre Garcon, Jeff Saturday, Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis. This team's abysmal play falls squarely at the feet of their coaching staff.

Positives: They only positives I can find are individual performances. Pat Angerer and Donald Brown have been the only bright spots this season.

Negative: The negatives are so widespread that it would take all day to list them. However, the biggest problem is that this team is playing uninspired football. They have enough playmakers to play competitive football. However, they don't seem to want to win games.

This lack of effort is a lack of respect for the coaching staff.

Mel Tucker/Jack Del Rio: Jacksonville Jaguars

Report card grade: D+

The Mel Tucker era has just begun, but the end of the Jack Del Rio era was a disaster. There were some ugly rumors circling after Del Rio was fired. Most of this evaluation will be made based on the performance of Del Rio.

Positives: The highlight of the year was the Jaguars upset victory over the Baltimore Ravens. Jacksonville won that game because of their tough defense. Mel Tucker and his defensive unit have been the lone bright spot.

The defense is playing at a high level, despite constantly being on the field. This unit had to deal with a lot of three-and-outs by their offense.

Negatives: Rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert has really struggled this season. He has shown very little progress, which is a result of poor coaching. The Jaguars game plan doesn't seem to really have the best interest of the quarterback in mind.

The reports of Jack Del Rio losing his desire and showing up to work at 9:00 a.m. are very troubling. It is even more troubling that it was tolerated for such a long period of time. The rest of the coaching staff now needs to repair their tarnished image.

Todd Haley: Kansas City Chiefs

Report card grade: C+

The Kansas City Chiefs have managed a 5-7 record, despite missing Jamaal Charles for a majority of the season. Charles was the catalyst for the Chiefs' success last season. However, there are several losses that make this season a failure.

Positives: Kansas City has still managed to run the football, despite the loss of Charles. Their success is about a good game plan, and commitment to the run. With Charles in the lineup, the Chiefs could have notched a few more victories.

The Chiefs defensive coaching staff deserves some credit, as this unit has shown improvement every week.

Negatives: Blowout losses to the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins are tough to swallow. As is the lack of a passing game. Todd Haley was hired because of his ability to develop a dynamic offense. So far, Kansas City has yet to develop an explosive offense.

Tony Sparano: Miami Dolphins

Report card grade: C

It is nice to see the Miami Dolphins playing competitive football, but that doesn't excuse a 0-7 start. The coaching staff takes some responsibility for that poor start. However, the one thing that can be said is that the players never quit on their coach.

Positives: The Miami Dolphins continued to play hard, even when things were spiraling out of control. This is a reflection on the amount of respect Tony Sparano commands. His never-say-die attitude is what has sparked this late-season success.

It is important to point out all the off-the-field things Sparano had to overcome. He dealt with ownership's courting of Jim Harbaugh, the open search to replace Chad Henne and the calls for his firing.

Negatives: The 0-7 start was a complete disaster, and no amount of winning will erase that. During that stretch, it appeared possible that this team wouldn't win a football game.

The biggest disappointment has to the overall performance of the defense. Last season, this unit was one of the best in the NFL. However, there have been some major slip-ups, including surrendering two touchdowns in the final minutes of the Denver game.

Leslie Frazier: Minnesota Vikings

Report card grade: D+

The Minnesota Vikings are in prime position to land the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft. This isn't something that really excites Leslie Frazier, as it shows the failure of his first season as a head coach. The rest of the season is about the development of Christian Ponder.

Positives: The lone positive for this football team is the play of Christian Ponder. He has played like a rookie, but has shown signs of promise. Frazier made the right decision to bench Donovan McNabb and give Ponder an opportunity. This decision will pay dividends in the future. 

Negatives: Minnesota lost several second-half leads, which were a major embarrassment. None hurt more than blowing a 20-point lead vs. the Detroit Lions. These performances were a due to a lack of adjustments by the coaching staff.

Bill Belichick: New England Patriots

Report card grade: A

The New England Patriots hold the top spot in the AFC playoff race. They are getting it done with good offense and an improving defense. Belichick has had his work cut out for him this season, as he tries to mix and match defensive personnel.

Positives: New England is allowing Tom Brady to do his thing. They are allowing him to use a hurry-up attack, even though it is taxing the defense. This doesn't look like a good coaching decision, but the truth is Brady is New England's only Super Bowl hope.

Belichick deserves credit for the defensive adjustment he has made. This unit is by no means playing great football, but they are doing just enough to win.

New England will also take a season sweep of the New York Jets any year.

Negatives: The Patriots lack of versatility is a real cause for concern. They are heavily focusing on passing the ball, and playing at a quick tempo. This could really cause some problems in the playoffs. 

Opposing teams will have an easier time game planning for a team that is extremely one-sided.

Sean Payton: New Orleans Saints

Report card grade: A

The New Orleans Saints offense looks unstoppable. Sean Payton continues to find a way to increase his team's offensive production. The Saints look like one of the favorites to push the Green Bay Packers for the right to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.

Positives: New Orleans leads the NFL in passing yards per game, while also featuring a strong running attack. Payton's commitment to balance will really come in handy during the playoffs. It might be tough to throw the ball 40 times in a playoff game at Lambeau Field.

Sean Payton's toughness also needs to be commended. He knows the importance of his presence on the sideline, and is willing to risk further injury.

Negatives: The loss to the St. Louis Rams could prove costly. It could be what potentially keeps New Orleans from hosting a playoff game, as they are one game behind San Francisco for the No. 2 seed. That loss was likely due to the team looking ahead to their matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Tom Coughlin: New York Giants

Report card grade: C+

As it stands, the New York Giants are on the outside looking in at the playoffs. Tom Coughlin needs to orchestrate another late-season rally to save the Giants' playoff hopes. Basically, the Giants hopes rely on getting victories against the Dallas Cowboys in their two remaining matchups.

Positives: New York's signature win was against the New England Patriots. In that game, they seemed to put it all together. A lot of the Giants struggles have been due to rampant injuries. Coughlin needs to be commended for how he held things together.

I have been impressed with the way New York has adjusted their playing style. They have really struggled to run the football, which has been a staple of the offense. Despite the injuries, lack of a running game and a recent losing streak, the Giants are still in the playoff hunt.

Negatives: The Giants only have one win vs. a team with a winning record. Their schedule has been pretty favorable, aside from the last four games, which they lost. They have only faced four teams with a winning record.

This current four-game losing streak could very well keep this team out of the playoffs. Coughlin needs to find a way to right the ship.

Rex Ryan: New York Jets

Report card grade: C

The New York Jets season is Super Bowl or bust, thanks to the expectations given by their head coach. Rex Ryan has a lot of confidence, but that confidence has to be chipping away. This football team is not playing at a Super Bowl level.

Positives: New York remains in the playoff hunt thanks to their recent victories over the Buffalo Bills. Those wins put the Jets back in the picture, and knocked Buffalo out of the race.

Ryan needs to be pleased by this past week's performance, especially the breakout game by Shonn Greene. If the Jets can get their running game going, it would do wonders for their playoff chances. Ryan and the coaching staff deserve credit for sticking with the running game, even after some struggles.

It is also interesting to see how Ryan motivates Mark Sanchez. He seems to really know how to push his quarterback's buttons and get him to respond.

Negatives: New York has yet to earn a signature victory, losing the majority of their tough games. They are 0-3 against possible AFC playoff teams.

The low point of the season has to be the loss to the Denver Broncos. After that game, everyone was questioning the heart and desire of the team. Ryan is the emotional leader of this team, so if they aren't playing with intensity, it falls on him.

Hue Jackson: Oakland Raiders

Report card grade: C+

The Oakland Raiders might be the most inconsistent football team in the NFL. One week, they look capable of running away with the division, the next they blown out by the Dolphins. Hue Jackson needs to find a way to steady his team's performance.

Positives: The Week 5 victory over the Houston Texans is the Raiders' most impressive victory. It shows they can play with the top teams in the AFC.

Jackson deserves credit for how quickly he got Carson Palmer ready to play. It only took Palmer around two weeks to get a good handle on the playbook. Palmer still doesn't completely feel comfortable, but Jackson has worked the playbook to fit his knowledge base.

He also deserves credit for his utilization of Darrius Heyward-Bey.

Negatives: Oakland is leading the league in penalties, which has cost them more than a game or two. It is up to Jackson to get his team to play more disciplined football. They will not make it to the playoffs unless they clean it up.

This past week's loss to the Miami Dolphins is a real disappointment. The loss knocked Oakland out of the division lead and might kill their confidence.

Andy Reid: Philadelphia Eagles

Report card grade: F

The Philadelphia Eagles should be battling for playoff seeding, not starting to look towards the draft. Andy Reid has a roster filled with extremely talented players, who failed to come together as a team. This falls squarely on the shoulders of the head coach.

Positives: Reid realized that he has a budding star in LeSean McCoy. His commitment to the run this season has been the lone bright spot. McCoy needs to be the guy the Eagles are building around. He plays hard and is very effective.

Negatives: The coaching staff failed to put players in the position to be successful. No bigger example of this is their usage of Nnamdi Asomugha. He is not an off-man cornerback, he needs to play bump-and-run coverage. Asking him to do anything other than that is a waste of his talents.

Reid also failed in the way he has handled the DeSean Jackson contract situation. His poor attitude has impacted the play of the entire team. His lazy routes have resulted in interceptions and just an overall negative feel.

Mike Tomlin: Pittsburgh Steelers

Report card grade: A-

The Pittsburgh Steelers are primed for another run at a Super Bowl title. They have overcome some early-season struggles to still be in contention for the AFC North title. Pittsburgh has all but sealed up a playoff berth, thanks to the steady leadership of Mike Tomlin.

Positives: Tomlin has kept things positive, even when the entire world was calling the Steelers old. He also avoided panic after several offensive linemen went down with injury. The Steelers are as calm and collected as their head coach.

The highlight of the season was holding the powerful New England Patriots offense to only 17 points and 213 total yards. Pittsburgh's defensive game plan was brilliant.

Negative: Suffering two losses to the Baltimore Ravens was not good for the team's confidence. Especially the opening game blowout they suffered. It is possible that the trip to the Super Bowl will go through Baltimore.

I feel the team has misused Rashard Mendenhall, whom they will need to earn a trip to the Super Bowl. He just isn't getting enough carries to be effective. Mendenhall needs to wear down a defense, and then take advantage in the fourth quarter.

Norv Turner: San Diego Chargers

Report card grade: F

Norv Turner has been playing with fire the last few season. His San Diego Chargers always seemed to just squeak into the playoffs after a terrible start. However, this year they have not been able to finish strong and will likely miss the playoffs.

Positives: Offensively, the Chargers are still a very effective team. They have good balance with Philip Rivers and the combination of Ryan Matthews and Mike Tolbert. The offense has put up numbers despite several injuries across the offensive line.

San Diego avoided their usual early-season struggles, and started the season 4-1. It seems that the team really wanted to start things on the right foot.

Negatives: That early season start means nothing, thanks to their recent six-game losing streak. During this streak, the Chargers have lost each game by an average of less than seven points. This shows that San Diego could potentially won a few more games.

The ability to finish a game has a lot to do with coaching. A coach is expected to make the correct calls in order to help his team finish strong.

Norv Turner is seen as an offensive guru, but he has been unable to figure out why Philip Rivers is struggles. Ultimately, Rivers' struggles are what cost the Chargers the season.

Jim Harbaugh: San Francisco 49ers

Report card grade: A+

The San Francisco 49ers are going to win the NFC West, after finishing last season 6-10. This football team didn't make many roster adjustments. However, they did add a new coaching staff. Jim Harbaugh deserves a lot of credit for the 49ers success.

Positives: Harbaugh has changed the culture of this franchise. He has them playing with confidence and discipline. They have swagger to match that of their head coach. It is extremely impressive how the 49ers are able to run the ball, even tough the opposing team knows that is their focus.

Alex Smith's career resurgence is thanks to Jim Harbaugh's coaching. He has giving Smith confidence, stability and direction. Up until this point, Smith has never had this kind of solid footing.

Negatives: The only negative I can think of is "hand shake gate." Jim Schwartz shares in the blame, but I feel that Harbaugh needed to control himself better. This may be his first year as an NFL head coach, but he has plenty of coaching experience to know that was inappropriate.

Pete Carroll: Seattle Seahawks

Report card grade: B

Pete Carroll has gotten the most out of the Seattle Seahawks roster. He has overcome mediocre quarterback play to lead his team to a 5-7 record. The Seahawks fanbase has to feel good about the future in Seattle.

Positives: Seattle has dealt with major injuries to their offensive line, and still have a decent running attack. This is thanks to the scheme and play calling. That play calling has also helped Tarvaris Jackson play decent football.

The Seahawks will look back at this season and feel good about their victories against the Baltimore Ravens and New York Giants.

Negatives: Seattle hasn't taken advantage of their usually great home-field advantage. They are only 3-3 at home this season. That is a disappointment for both the team and fanbase.

At some point, the Seahawks offense is going to have to start putting up big numbers. On paper, the offense has some pretty exciting weapons.

Sidney Rice, Zach Miller, Marshawn Lynch and Mike Williams are all explosive playmakers. However, they haven't been properly used in Seattle.

Steve Spagnuolo: St. Louis Rams

Report card grade: F

The entire St. Louis Rams organization deserves a poor grade. This team has taken a major step backwards, and more importantly quarterback, Sam Bradford has regressed. The majority of the failure falls on the coaching staff.

Positives: A victory over the New Orleans Saints in Week 8 is the lone bright spot this season. This was the only game that both sides of the team played well.

Individually, Brandon Lloyd has done a nice job since the in-season trade. Josh McDaniels was able to get him quickly re-acclimated to the playbook.

Negatives: Sam Bradford's sophomore slump reflects poorly on the coaching staff. It is hard to understand how Josh McDaniels and Bradford can be successful apart, but not together. McDaniels seemed to just implement his offensive attack, without considering Bradford's strengths.

I also blame the coaching staff more not making a stronger push to add more offensive weapons. Their top acquisitions were mid-round picks Austin Pettis and Greg Salas.

Raheem Morris: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Report card grade: D

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are dangerously close to finishing last in their division. This would be a major disappointment, based on the expectations from last year's success. Raheem Morris seems to be loosing control of his young football team.

Positives: Tampa Bay still has one of the youngest rosters in the NFL, which usually makes for a roller coaster of emotions. Morris does a good job relating to his players, and demanding the most out of them.

Two of their four victories have come against the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons. At the time of those wins, Tampa was looking like a potential playoff team.

Negatives: Josh Freeman's struggles have been a major disappointment. Many felt that this would be Freeman's breakout season. I get the feeling that the coaching staff didn't temper his expectations. This has caused him to lose some confidence, which is dangerous for a young quarterback.

Tampa's current six-game losing streak features some really ugly losses. This past weekend's loss to the Carolina Panthers was the low point of the season.

Mike Munchak: Tennessee Titans

Report card grade: B+

Most expected 2011 to be a rebuilding year for the Tennessee Titans. However, Mike Munchak had a different opinion. He was able to convince his team that they were capable of making a playoff push. The Titans' success has been surprising, as is the way they are winning.

Positives: It is truly shocking to think the Titans have seven wins, when it took Chris Johnson nine games to reach two 100-yard rushing performances. However, the Titans fought through Johnson's struggles and are in reach of a playoff berth.

Tennessee has a few good wins, but none bigger than a Week 2 upset over the Baltimore Ravens. The Titans are winning games with discipline, effort and talent. Something they get from their head coach.

Negatives: Chris Johnson's early-season struggles are hard to figure out. Some of it falls on Johnson, but some of it also falls in the coaching staff. If motivation was the issues, the coaches needed to step in and motivate him.

Tennessee only has two wins vs. teams with a winning record. They will need wins vs. the New Orleans Saints and Houston Texans if they hope to earn a playoff berth.

Mike Shanahan: Washington Redskins

Report card grade: D

The Washington Redskins struggles fall directly on the shoulders of Mike Shanahan. He has a lot of power in the organization and needs to take the brunt of the blame. Washington will again miss the playoffs, and appear likely to finish at the bottom of the NFC East.

Positives: Washington's defensive attack has kept games close. Their attacking style creates turnovers and generates pressure. This season would look much uglier if not for the success of the defense.

Rookie running back Roy Helu seems to be claiming the starting running back role. Shanahan deserves some credit for finally settling on a featured back.

Negatives: Shanahan's overconfidence led to the decision to enter the season with Rex Grossman and John Beck at quarterback. He made several statements claiming that both were capable of playing winning football. However, both players proved that they are no more than backup-caliber quarterbacks.

The Redskins are now another year away from finding their quarterback of the future.