Why Firing DC Juan Castillo Won't Save Philadelphia Eagles Coach Andy Reid's Job

To say the Philadelphia Eagles have fallen short of expectations this season would be a gross understatement. After welcoming a ton of championship-level hype during the preseason, the Eagles fell flat, stumbling to a 1-4 start, and now sit at 7-8 and will be staying home for the playoffs. 

Many have speculated that head coach Andy Reid's job is not safe. Today, there is a report that he is willing to make a move or two to secure his position. First off, rumors suggest that he will fire defensive coordinator Juan Castillo and bring back former assistant Steve Spagnuolo to replace him—assuming, of course, that Spagnuolo is fired from his position as head coach of the St. Louis Rams.

I'm not sure if even changing defensive coordinators could save Reid's job at this point. There has been so much speculation about his future in Philadelphia over the past few years, and it has ultimately become a distraction for the team and franchise. It might just be time for a change. 

The Eagles have won three straight games and have finally looked like a playoff-level team. Maybe the team is playing to save Reid's job, but frankly, it might be too late for that. The Eagles had a chance to do something special this season, but for whatever reason, they couldn't get it together. 

The fact that Philadelphia couldn't handle its business earlier in the year is on the head coach and his staff. Yes, the players play the game, but the Eagles looked so woefully unprepared early in the year that someone has to take responsibility for that. Just firing Castillo shouldn't be enough to satisfy Eagles fans.

I don't know whether or not Reid will be back next season, but I wouldn't be surprised if he gets his walking papers around this time next week. The 2011 season was a huge missed opportunity for the Eagles, and the responsibility for that belongs with him.