// BEGIN editorial data
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spt_NFL_coachesonhotseat.sPubDate = "8/19/2008 7:55:46 PM GMT";
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spt_NFL_coachesonhotseat.appHeader = "Tom Curran's NFL Coaches on the Hot Seat";
spt_NFL_coachesonhotseat.appDeck = "Ranked in descending order (hottest seats at the top)";
spt_NFL_coachesonhotseat.appFooter = "Compiled by Tom Curran";
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spt_NFL_coachesonhotseat[i++] = new Array("","Mike Nolan","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Jervay%2C%20John/NFL/Curran%27s%20hot%20seat/080701_Nolan.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Otto Greule Jr", "Getty Images", "358", "239", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_NFL_coachesonhotseat[i-1].body = "Mike Nolan, 49ers
Nolan has run the 49ers ship onto the rocks in each of his three seasons at the helm. San Francisco is 16-32 under his bubbleheaded guidance and he was relieved of his personnel duties in January. One of my favorite time-wasters during football season (and I have many) is reading the transcript of a Nolan press conference and marveling at the pretzel logic he tries to employ. But a nice suit, stern visage and well-trimmed goatee have been enough to cow the Yorks into keeping him on board for another year. Good gig.
";
spt_NFL_coachesonhotseat[i++] = new Array("","Lane Kiffin ","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Jervay%2C%20John/NFL/Curran%27s%20hot%20seat/080701_Kiffin.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Otto Greule Jr", "Getty Images", "358", "252", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_NFL_coachesonhotseat[i-1].body = "Lane Kiffin, Raiders
On the other side of the Bay, Al Davis has been trying to force Kid Koach Kiff to Kwit. Why? Because Kiffin wants to, you know, coach the team. But the 32-year-old offspring of longtime NFL defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin knows he’s actually got the upper hand over his owner. Had he quit, he wasn’t going to get the money he had coming to him. And the Raiders apparently weren’t prepared to pay Kiffin money for nothing, so he’s still there, albeit with recently hired James Lofton now on staff and the odds-on favorite to replace Kiffin when the rug gets pulled out from under him.
";
spt_NFL_coachesonhotseat[i++] = new Array("","Scott Linehan","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Jervay%2C%20John/NFL/Curran%27s%20hot%20seat/080701_Linehan.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Dilip Vishwanat", "Getty Images", "358", "232", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_NFL_coachesonhotseat[i-1].body = "Scott Linehan, Rams
An onslaught of injuries to key players in 2007 earned Linehan a reprieve for the Rams 3-13 season. Still, the fact Linehan threw a handful of coaches overboard and stripped offensive coordinator Greg Olson of his duties shows these are desperate times for the Rams. A bad start could leave him with plenty of time for Christmas shopping.
";
spt_NFL_coachesonhotseat[i++] = new Array("","Rod Marinelli ","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Jervay%2C%20John/NFL/Curran%27s%20hot%20seat/080701_Marinelli.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Scott Boehm", "Getty Images", "358", "239", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_NFL_coachesonhotseat[i-1].body = "Rod Marinelli, Lions
Marinelli’s doing everything a man can do to instill consistent pride, intensity and work ethic to the Lions. It’s not taking. After going 3-13 in 2006, the Lions were a vogue pick to make noise in 2007. For a while, they did, starting out 6-2. The next noise they made was a thud as they went 1-7 in the second half of the season. Not enough has changed for 2008 but hopefully Marinelli will be spared the indignity of getting canned in-season.
";
spt_NFL_coachesonhotseat[i++] = new Array("","Wade Phillips ","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Jervay%2C%20John/NFL/Curran%27s%20hot%20seat/080701_Phillips.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Chris Mcgrath", "Getty Images", "358", "239", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_NFL_coachesonhotseat[i-1].body = "Wade Phillips, Cowboys
Hey, did you hear the Cowboys went 13-3 last year? Phillips might have mentioned that about 3,422 times in the week before his Dallas team got ushered out of the playoffs by the Giants at Texas Stadium. That game was the last in a string of tepid performances by the Cowboys and it demonstrated – again – that when it comes to reading his own team, Phillips is barely literate. Jason Garrett will be the head coach when the Cowboys new palace opens in 2009. ";
spt_NFL_coachesonhotseat[i++] = new Array("","Marvin Lewis","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Jervay%2C%20John/NFL/Curran%27s%20hot%20seat/080701_Lewis.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Andy Lyons", "Getty Images", "358", "239", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_NFL_coachesonhotseat[i-1].body = "Marvin Lewis, Bengals
Saddled with a few too many me-first players in prominent positions, Lewis has been paddling upstream non-stop the past few seasons. When he told the Columbus Dispatch before the final regular season game of 2007 that, \"We've got to start from scratch. We have to blow it up and empty everything ... That's the only way we're going to shake away from the cobwebs,\" that showed how fed up he was. Chad Johnson's whining in the offseason showed that little has changed, however. There must be times Lewis is begging for the ax to fall.
";
spt_NFL_coachesonhotseat[i++] = new Array("","Herm Edwards","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Jervay%2C%20John/NFL/Curran%27s%20hot%20seat/080701_Edwards.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Jamie Squire", "Getty Images", "358", "249", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_NFL_coachesonhotseat[i-1].body = "Herman Edwards, Chiefs
Kansas City went 4-12 last season and there isn't a lot of light at the end of the tunnel for the Chiefs, who are in a major rebuilding season. Edwards' fate is tied to two things: How well Larry Johnson comes back from the foot injury that derailed his 2007 and whether a promising draft class headed by LSU DT Glenn Dorsey shows signs of significant improvement as the season progresses. If there's no uptick to the Chiefs performances -- especially on offense -- Edwards could be a lame duck for the second half of the year.
";
spt_NFL_coachesonhotseat[i++] = new Array("","Eric Mangini","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Jervay%2C%20John/NFL/Curran%27s%20hot%20seat/080701_Mangini.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Al Bello", "Getty Images", "358", "261", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_NFL_coachesonhotseat[i-1].body = "Eric Mangini, Jets
After a terrific first season in New York in which the Jets made the playoffs, Gang Green slid in 2007 to a 4-12 season that had the wolves at Mangini’s door. The Jets made significant and expensive moves in the offseason –- adding Alan Faneca at guard, Damien Woody at center and linebackers Calvin Pace and Vernon Gholston (6th overall pick). Plus, they made the biggest one of all by trading for Brett Favre at the beginning of training camp, so expectations couldn't be higher for the Jets. Playing in a weak division and having Favre leading the offense should help New York rebound quickly but when the negative momentum starts in a place like Gotham, it's hard to turn around.
";
spt_NFL_coachesonhotseat[i++] = new Array("","John Fox","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Jervay%2C%20John/NFL/Curran%27s%20hot%20seat/080701_Fox.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Doug Benc", "Getty Images", "358", "266", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_NFL_coachesonhotseat[i-1].body = "John Fox, Panthers
He’s been in Carolina for six seasons and his Panthers have made the playoffs twice. And that's in the NFC South which –- aside from Tampa’s glory days -– isn't home to perennial powerhouses. Carolina has missed the playoffs the past two years, going 8-8 and 7-9 and last year's team was worse than the record indicated as they finished 29th in yards gained offensively and 16th in yards allowed. No longer is defense Carolina's calling card. It's a stale team that’s begging for a shakeup.
";
spt_NFL_coachesonhotseat[i++] = new Array("","Lovie Smith ","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Jervay%2C%20John/NFL/Curran%27s%20hot%20seat/080701_Smith.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Jonathan Daniel", "Getty Images", "358", "239", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_NFL_coachesonhotseat[i-1].body = "Lovie Smith, Bears
Presided over a precipitous fall in 2007 in which the Bears went from NFC Champs to barely mediocre on both sides of the ball. Smith’s steadfast backing of Rex Grossman as his quarterback when it was clear to much of the galaxy that Rexy was overmatched was scary. Now the Bears are looking at another season of needing their defense (which looks to be in decline) to mask offensive ineptitude (Kyle Orton will start at QB in Week 1). By this time next year, the seat will probably be far hotter.
";
spt_NFL_coachesonhotseat[i++] = new Array("","Brad Childress","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Jervay%2C%20John/NFL/Curran%27s%20hot%20seat/080701_Childress.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Jamie Squire", "Getty Images", "358", "258", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_NFL_coachesonhotseat[i-1].body = "Brad Childress, Vikings
Personally, I think he's pretty good. The Vikings went 6-10 in his first year as head coach, 8-8 in his second. But the quarterback situation in Minnesota is a touchy one. Tarvaris Jackson, who Childress threw his lot in with (Jackson also had a sprained MCL in preseason), had a rough 2007 and needs to make significant strides this season in simply leading a team with the No. 1 rushing attack in the league. But quarterbacks are lightning rods and the one (or a few) bad decisions made there can overshadow dozens of good ones elsewhere.
";
spt_NFL_coachesonhotseat[i++] = new Array("","Jim Zorn ","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Jervay%2C%20John/NFL/Curran%27s%20hot%20seat/080701_Zorn.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Win Mcnamee", "Getty Images", "358", "248", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_NFL_coachesonhotseat[i-1].body = "Jim Zorn, Redskins
After listening to Zorn at both the Combine and NFL Owners Meetings in March, I came away thinking, \"Wow, this guy will say anything.\"An example? When a writer asked Zorn if Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell had been held back by playing for a half-dozen offensive coordinators in his last six seasons, Zorn slapped down that notion and said, in essence, \"That means he should be even better.\"
He's going to set very high expectations for Campbell and the rest of the team and –- for a guy with no track record as a head coach -– that can be like drawing a line in the sand with veterans. Working in his favor is the fact that GM Vinny Cerrato and owner Dan Snyder made the bold move to hire Zorn, so Zorn will get a lot of leeway.
";
spt_NFL_coachesonhotseat[i++] = new Array("","Jon Gruden","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Jervay%2C%20John/NFL/Curran%27s%20hot%20seat/080701_Gruden.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Al Messerschmidt", "Getty Images", "358", "239", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_NFL_coachesonhotseat[i-1].body = "Jon Gruden, Buccaneers
Tampa Bay hasn't won a playoff game since dismantling Oakland in Super Bowl XXXVII. And since then, the Bucs regular-season win totals are: 7, 5, 11, 4 and 9. If it weren’t for Jeff Garcia's efficiently brilliant work in 2007, Gruden might already be someplace else (and the 45-year-old will always have a job on someone's sideline). If Garcia doesn’t do it again (Garcia's starting out unhappy after rumors of Gruden wanting to bring in Brett Favre), Gruden will probably be done in Tampa. ";
spt_NFL_coachesonhotseat[i++] = new Array("","Andy Reid ","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Jervay%2C%20John/NFL/Curran%27s%20hot%20seat/080701_Reid.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Brian Bahr", "Getty Images", "358", "239", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_NFL_coachesonhotseat[i-1].body = "Andy Reid, Eagles
The Eagles are 24-24 since losing to New England in Super Bowl XXXIX. Donovan McNabb's a lot closer to the end of his reign as the Eagles quarterback than the beginning and -– with the power of the rest of the teams in the NFC East, another .500 or worse season is not beyond reach. And the blunt truth of it is, Reid could probably use a year off to lose some pounds and help get his sons' lives in order since their well-documented legal scrapes of 2007.
";
spt_NFL_coachesonhotseat[i++] = new Array("","Mike Shanahan ","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Jervay%2C%20John/NFL/Curran%27s%20hot%20seat/080701_Shanahan.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Doug Pensinger", "Getty Images", "358", "236", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_NFL_coachesonhotseat[i-1].body = "Mike Shanahan, Broncos
His genius days are getting smaller and smaller in the rearview mirror. Great coach. Hall of Fame coach. But he's won just one playoff game since the 1998 season. Also missed the playoffs the past two seasons. But given his cozy relationship with Denver owner Pat Bowlen, Shanahan will probably be there until he decides he's had enough.
";
// END editorial data