Is the head coaching turnover about to get as bad as the NHL or even the NBA (where all 15 Eastern Conference teams changed coaches in a two-year period in the mid-2000s)? That remains to be seen, but I see no less than 10 additional changes that may be made when the 2011 regular season closes January 1, or even after the playoffs.

Maybe it’s just global warming, but here are the coaches skating on the thin ice that JDR, Haley, and Sparano have already broken through.

1. Raheem Morris (Tampa Bay)

Less than two months ago Morris wouldn’t even be on this list after a 4-2 start, and that after seemingly turning the franchise around with a 10-6 mark in 2010. But a seven-game losing streak featuring some of the club’s worst football since the infamous 26-game losing streak of 1976-77 has Morris in deep trouble. The fact that he may had been too young to begin with when hired (still only 35) may be a migrating factor.

But incidents such as Morris ordering one of his players off the field a few weeks back and a possible off-field issue involving RB LeGarrette Blount (that would be nothing new) is not helping Raheem’s case.

SURVIVAL CHANCES: None, look for Morris to join the other two Florida-based coaches (Del Rio/Sparano) on the coaching unemployment line, was even surprised he didn’t join Del Rio/Haley this week.

2. Jim Caldwell (Indianapolis)

There is a new report that Caldwell will be gone if Colts go 0-16. Duh, he’s in trouble if the Colts by some miracle finish 3-13. The Colts were going to get a mulligan without Peyton Manning this year. If Indy were just respectable right now (say 5-8), there would be no discussion. But Blue Horseshoe has become historically bad, worse even than the teams from 1980 until the mid- to late-90s. Caldwell might be a good guy, but coaches simply don’t survive 0-13.

SURVIVAL CHANCES: Caldewelll is done.

3. Norv Turner (San Diego)

Norv’s reign in the 6-1-9 is coming to a close, even if the team runs the table and finishes 9-7. After turning the Houston Texans into one of the league’s best defenses, Wade Phillips is being mentioned as a replacement. Phillips’ regular season coaching record (82-59) is surprisingly good, but a bad ending at all his spots. Also Wade would be the same type of coach with the same type of rep as Norv – a retread who’s a great coordinator, not as great as the man.

And the man before Norv with the Chargers?? Marty Schottenheimer just may resurface (again) in Kansas City.

SURVIVAL CHANCES: Has about run his course.

4. Andy Reid (Philadelphia)

Obviously his career record has been exceptional, and Rex Ryan recently referred to Reid as a “Hall of Fame coach.” But the bar was set very high for the “Dream Team” this year, and 5-8 in the division obviously falls far short of that. This is likely a case of a coach who has taken a franchise about as far as he’s going to take it.

SURVIVAL CHANCES: I think the Bill Walsh 10-year burnout rule plays here. Look for the Eagles to make a change.

5. Pat Shurmur (Cleveland)

The Browns have been an awful mess for a while now, and it would seem Shurmur deserves more than one year. But there have been distractions such as the Peyton Hillis mess and now the Colt McCoy-concussion controversy. And team president Mike Holmgren is beginning to feel some heat as well. Holmgren this week was quoted as saying that Pat “will be here a long time.” Famous last words??

SURVIVAL CHANCES: Iffy, better than 50-50 he goes.

Pat Shurmur's chances of staying with Cleveland past this season are iffy.

* – Pat Shurmur photo credit: via Cleveland Browns.com

6. Mike Shanahan (Washington)

Actually the problems regarding DC football starts with owner Dan Snyder, who continues to swing for the fences with large contracts for star players and big-name hires on the coaching staff but with negative results. Remember how many said “who?” when Mike McCarthy was hired in Green Bay?? And how many free agents did the Packers sign in the off-season?? Maybe instead of throwing more bad money after bad money, Snyder ought to take a cue of following that template.

SURVIVAL CHANCES: Snyder probably dismisses Shanny, only to search for yet another quick fix (big name college coach??).

7. Steve Spagnuolo (St. Louis)

Here’s another team that was on the rise in 2010 that has regressed to the point that the HC finds himself on the hot seat. QB Sam Bradford has played hurt the past several weeks, and outside of RB Steven Jackson, there is little talent on offense period.

With a record of 15-62 (and that includes 7-9 last year), the team is in the midst of its worst stretch in franchise history (including L.A and Cleveland). And this has been accomplished in the weak NFL West.

SURVIVAL CHANCES: If Spags stays in 2012, he has to go 9-7 minimum.

8. Leslie Frazier (Minnesota)

Picking up the pieces from the Mike Tice and Brad Childress regimes, it figured that Frazier would be given time to rebuild the Vikings, especially known going in that Christian Ponder was going to have to develop sooner rather than later.

That said, 2-11 is not going to cut it. A lot of competition going on right now in the NFC North, but Frazier is going to have to find a way to tread water in 2012 — he does have prize pieces in Adrian Peterson and Jared Allen.

SURVIVAL CHANCES: Gets one more year, but has to at least be in neighborhood of .500.

9. Jason Garrett (Dallas)

Not like 7-6 is the end of the world, but it’s been the way the Cowboys have lost with catastrophic late-game collapses. Maybe Garrett’s to blame, maybe the make-up of QB Tony Romo is the blame. Good news is Dallas can still right the ship and win the NFC East and then make noise in the playoffs. Bad news is Felix Jones is the only RB on the roster left physically standing.

SURVIVAL CHANCES: Unless Jerry Jones has a quick trigger, Garrett should get another year.

10. Tom Coughlin (Giants)

Yes, all four NFC East coaches made this list, which tells you the perennial expectations in these high-profile markets. It’s said that Coughlin may have saved his job with the Giants’ miraculous comeback in Dallas Sunday night.

My question is should his job security be shaky to begin with, considering a murderous schedule and the four-game losing streak maybe long forgotten with a division title/playoff run? The 2007 team finished the regular season giving the undefeated Patriots a run for their money in a 38-35 loss, then beat New England in the Super Bowl. The 2011 team recently lost to the Packers 38-35 – will they get a second chance at the Pack in the playoffs?

SURVIVAL CHANCES: Probably stays, but sealing the division with a Week 17 win over Dallas would be nice. At age 65, retirement would also not be out of the question.

So there are 10 more potential coaching changes on top of the three already made. And then factor in an off-the-board possibility like Bill Belichick doing like Tony LaRussa if the Patriots were to win it all, and a case like Mike Smith in Atlanta who endured a health scare last week.

That would be somewhere between 13-15 teams making changes at the top before the 2012 season begins. The final three weeks will determine how many changes actually come to fruition.

Included in this post was a discussion of the awful Washington Redskins, who placed 4th in this week’s rankings despite nearly beating the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.

And embedded in this discussion of the awful Redskins was the following animated GIF that shows one of the Redskins coaches performing one of the most WTF play or formation calls in NFL history. I thought it deserved its own post.

GIF source: Imgur via Reddit

This is 10x funnier than last week’s NFL GIF of the Week.

I have to assume that this is some type of formation signal or desired personnel grouping. Or perhaps there was a praying mantis or some other type of bug sashaying across the field and this was the beginning of some kind of weird mating ritual. Who knows.

By the way, the funniest Reddit comment on this post was the following, by 1cerazor: I know how Rexy interprets that play call: “Fuck it, going deep.”

My only wish is that instead of the Man In The Yellow Shirt doing this call (identified by a commenter as Lou Spanos, LB coach), that it had been Mike Shanahan doing it. Not that he’s ever been photographed looking creepy…

I apologize in advance for your nightmares. (Unless you own Roy Helu, Ryan Torain, or any other Redskins running back…then you should be used to Mike Shanahan nightmares.)

Don’t buy it.

No, Luck was not his usual spectacular self on Saturday night. He was 27-41 for 256 yards, 3TDs, and 2 INTs. Those are very good numbers, but not the other-worldly stats we’ve come to expect from the NFL’s Next Great Quarterback.

Still, I saw something from Luck on Saturday night that told me a lot about the kind of leader he is.

Late in the game, with the Cardinal needing a touchdown drive to cut the deficit to one possession, Luck threw a perfect strike to his wide receiver. Unfortunately, his receiver let the ball slip right through his hands, it deflected to an Oregon defender, and likethat Luck had thrown a pick 6 and the game was over.

How did Luck respond? Exactly how you’d want your leader to respond.

He immediately found the receiver – a freshman – on the sidelines and gave him an attaboy tap on the helmet, letting the clearly distraught freshman know his QB has his back.

Kirk Herbstreit pointed this out, and I concurred with the Prince of College Football’s statement that this was a great show of Luck’s leaderhsip. On a night when Luck was far from the perfect quarterback – he was merely very good as opposed to transcendent – he remained the perfect leader. For a quarterback, that’s an indispensable trait to have.

And I explain all of this to you for one reason: so Colts fans can feel better about their team frittering away what I thought was their last good chance to get a W. Colts fans, don’t listen to the unhype about Luck after Saturday. He’s still an amazing prospect. And he’s almost surely going to end up in Indianapolis now.

NFL “Suck For Luck” Power Rankings for Week 11

Here are this week’s Suck For Luck Power Rankings, which I post before Monday night’s game between the Vikings and Packers.

1. Indianapolis Colts (0-10)

I contemplated making this a one-team list and just calling it the Suck For Luck Power Ranking, because only the San Francisco 49ers and Green Bay Packers have bigger leads in their respective divisions than the Colts have in the Suck For Luck division.

What’s sad is that I actually thought the Colts would play well this week, what with it being their best chance to nab a W for the rest of the season. At a minimum I thought they’d keep it close and find a way to cover the three point spread. Instead, they lost 17-3 behind another porous effort from Curtis Painter.

At this point, I don’t really know what to say about the Colts. They are historically bad. A friend of mine on an email convo I’m privy to ran some geek numbers and figured out that the Colts are actually trending worse than the 2008 Lions team that finished 0-16. That’s not good.

All in all, I’d rate the Colts’ team performance this year at about, oh, 30 courics.

And here is the thought that just popped into my head immediately after realizing that Stan Marsh’s climactic deuce is the perfect metaphor for the Colts in 2011: the Colts angered the football gods a couple of years ago when they shat on the possibility of going undefeated, resting starters the final two weeks of the year after opening up with a 14-0 record, and they’ve been paying the piper ever since.

The gut punch loss in the Super Bowl. Peyton Manning’s injury. Everything about this season. If you can find reasonable evidence to suggest that pissed off football gods haven’t had a hand in this, please present it. (I don’t think you can.)

2. The NBA (0-2011)

No other team truly deserves to be #2, so I’m giving it to the NBA, which remains embroiled in a nasty lockout that isn’t really showing any signs of being solved soon. This means, of course, that Tyler Hansbrough cannot be a cure-all for the city of Indianapolis.

Whatever.

Frankly, I’ve always been a much bigger college basketball fan than an NBA fan, and I never really start paying attention to the NBA until after the new year. I know many of you do, so I hope it ends soon, but I’m kind of excited that what I think is going to be one of the best college basketball seasons in a while will get some extra attention.

3. Cleveland Browns (3-6)

I respect my Browns fan friends too much to post video of the missed field goal that sealed yet another crushing loss. (Plus, I just searched for it on YouTube and couldn’t find it within 10 seconds, which is my threshold for searching for something on the Internet before I give up.)

Instead, I’ll just post this video of Mike Polk, which all Browns fans can, unfortunately, relate to.

See you next week.

4. St. Louis Rams (2-7)

The Rams are still a game worse than Cleveland, and really should have lost that game, so it’s hard to put them too far behind Cleveland, especially when many of the other teams who would be in contention for this spot won.

I still like the Rams moving forward, still think they can get some Ws, and maybe Lady Luck smiling down upon them can start some positive momentum building.

Now, in St. Louis-related news that St. Louisians will actually care about, friend of MSF Matt Sebek (he of Joe Sports Fan) reported this weekend that “the (alleged) Photoshops of Albert Pujols in Miami uniform are starting to trickle out.” Here is one of them:

YYYEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!

5. Carolina Panthers (2-7)

Whoa…what was that Carolina?

I have been firmly on this team’s bandwagon so far this season, but I was not expected a putrid performance like that against Tennessee. With so many other teams on this list winning last week, I can’t justify ranking any of them above the Panthers. Let’s hope that’s not a sign of how Camolina is going to finish what has been an otherwise very promising season.

6. Washington Redskins (3-6)

The Redskins were 3-1 at one time. They have now lost five in row, culminating in yesterday’s 11-point loss to the surging Miami Dolphins. This loss was compounded by Mike Shanahan pissing off every fantasy football owner Sunday morning by announcing that Rex Grossman and Ryan Torain would start over John Beck and Roy Helu.

And why would Shanahan do such a thing? Because he can. And because he loathes your very existence on this earth, you pumpkin-pie haircutted, fantasy football playing freak.

Of course, he also apparently hates winning now too, so don’t feel bad.

As for Redskins fans, there’s always golf.

Image source: Jim Grant via Deadspin

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-5)

When, exactly, did this team win four games? My lasting impression of them is getting hammered by the 49ers and then pulverized yesterday by the Texans. Their combined margin of loss in those two games: 7,541 points.

Do you realize that Tampa Bay, despite having four wins, is one of only four teams in the NFL with a point differential of minus-70 or more? This supposed young team on the rise is much further away that people thought, and there were several times yesterday when I looked up at the Bucs-Texans game and thought Tampa Bay had just quit on a play.

But I’m sure that once Albert Haynesworth gets more assimilated into the locker room his unyielding effort and motor will rub off on his teammates and prevent any further quitting.

8. Kansas City Chiefs (4-5)

Why am I putting another 4-win team on this list before the many 3- and even 2-win teams who would seem more deserving? Because, like Tampa Bay, Kansas City is one of the four teams with a point differential of minus-77 or more. And over the last two weeks the Chiefs have been beaten by 28 points by a previously winless teams and lost a division game in which their opponent completed…two passes.

In the wake of the Chiefs’ latest collapse, the always magnanimous Todd Haley was nice enough to record a message for all Chiefs fans expressing his commitment to delivering a good football team for the rest of the season.

9. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-6)

The Jags probably shouldn’t have plummeted this far in the rankings after a win over Indy, which is so inevitable it should barely count more than a tie. But the Jags do play good defense, and I would pick them to beat any of the teams above on a neutral field. Like the Dolphins, I have to give the Jags credit for continuing to play hard. Jacksonville may not be very good, but you can’t say they are underachieving.

Unlike…

10. Philadelphia Eagles (3-6)

The Eagles actually have a positive point differential on the season (+17), mostly because of their demolition of the Cowboys a few weeks back. But when you’re supposed to be a “Dream Team” and you’re 3-6 after a home loss to a team quarterbacked by John Skelton, you have to be on the list of the 10 worst teams in the NFL.

By the way, I now view this picture in a completely different light after the events of this weekend.

Image credit: Carolyn Caster via Lehigh Valley Live

Just missed: Miami Dolphins (2-7); Minnesota (2-6); Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals (3-6)

For the record, I am shocked that I got through these rankings without the Dolphins, Seahawks, and Cardinals making it. But you know what? I think they’ve earned it. All three of those teams have continued playing hard and are winning some tough, close games. That’s much more than I can say about the other teams on this list, all of whom Suck…but clearly only one team is doing it for Luck.

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Now your thoughts. Where am I right? Where am I wrong? The comment section awaits your ire and indignation.

Before we count down the NFL’s suckiest, let’s get our weekly reminder of what the contestants are playing for.

Before this past Saturday, we already knew that Andrew Luck can throw, that he can run, that he can tackle, that he can catch, and that he can design tall buildings (while probably being able to leap over them too), but now we also know that he can respond to adversity and be clutch when he needs to be.

It's a bird. It's a plane. It's Superluck! (Photo credit: AP/Jae C. Hong via ESPN.com)

The undefeated and highly ranked Stanford Cardinal faced their first real test of the season on Saturday against Matt Barkley, Layla Kiffin, and the USC Trojans. Luck and the Cardinal were able to overcome a late interception by The Chosen One to force overtime, where they ultimately won 56-48 after three extra frames.

Luck’s numbers were predictably sterling. He was 29-40 for 330 yards, 3 TDs, and that one interception. Yet, because Andrew Luck excretes lilies and daffodils and toots potpourri, even that pick is being turned into a positive. It’s almost as if Luck threw the pick-6 (which put USC up 7 with three minutes play) just to challenge himself and show us all that not only can he dominate people but he can vanquish adversity too.

Either way, everyone who was bowing at the alter of Luck before Saturday (which is everyone) is doing so with even more vigor now.

The question is, after another Sunday of NFL action, which “professional” football teams are putting themselves in the best position to draft Luck and guarantee themselves at least 8 out of the next 10 Super Bowls?

As we do every week, we’ll break it down for you right here in the Suck 4 Luck Power Rankings.

 NFL “Suck 4 Luck” Power Rankings for Week 9

1. Miami Dolphins (0-7)

The Dolphins did it again. They played a halfway decent game, were competitive against a good team, and still found a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Quarterback Matt Mooreino turned in the best passing day by a Dolphins QB since Week 1: 13-22, 138 yards, 0 TDs, and a 1 INT. He also ran the ball five times for 31 yards, equaling the career rushing output of Dan Marino. The ‘Fins even got 120 total yards from Reggie Bush (including 103 on the ground!) as the full-time Pizza Hut pitchman and part-time running back used rumors of a Kim Kardashian-Kris Humphries break up to motivate himself into the best game he’s played since stonewalling NCAA investigators.

But, as usual for these Dolphins, it was all for naught. The Giants won 20-17, outscoring Miami 10-0 in the decisive 4th quarter, dropping the Dolphins to 0-7.

I continue to keep Miami in the top spot because of the fact that luck seems to be so much on their side in their quest for the #1 pick. They continue to be in ball games yet somehow lose/win. It’s very curious. It’s almost as if they are a team of destiny. Much like the St. Louis Cardinals just couldn’t seem to lose after late August, the Dolphins cannot seem to “lose” either.

2. Indianapolis Colts (0-8)

I suppose the Colts really could be considered 1a. In fact, objectively, they probably should be #1 were it not for my own wishful thinking. Indianapolis already has one more loss than the Dolphins, plus they are by far a worse team. Indy’s point differential is -131, and they are the only team other than St. Louis to have a differential of 100 or more. Miami’s is just -59.

On the bright side for the Colts, they may finally have found the heir apparent to Marshall Faulk and Edgerrin James. Curtis “Thor” Painter rumbled for an 11.3 yard per carry average on seven rushing attempts against Tennessee on Sunday. So if they do end up with Andrew Luck, it will surely help the rookie’s transition to have Painter behind him ready to ground and pound.

Also in the Colts’ favor is the continued presence of Jim Caldwell. Maybe it’s time we stop criticizing Tony Dungy for hand-picking a cardboard cutout of himself to be the Colts coach. Dungy knew in 2009 when he tabbed Caldwell to be the coach that the Manning Era would have to end at some point. That clearly has to be why he nominated Caldwell and his 26-63 career head coaching record (all compiled at Wake Forest) to be the man. Now three years later, everything Dungy did to build the Colts up has come crashing down. Oh sure, blame it all on Peyton’s injury. But as I presciently did last season, I blame Caldwell.

Clearly these are the two favorites to suck enough for Luck. As we did last week, I’ll put it to a vote and let you decide who has the leg up.

Last week, the Dolphins narrowly edged the Colts 49%-47% in the voting, with St. Louis siphoning off the other 4%. Now that the Rams have eliminated themselves by trading for a #1 WR and stomping the Saints, who is #1?

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

3. Denver Broncos (2-5)

Tim Tebow is struggling so mightily, with a gameplan so clearly not tailored to his strengths, that national writers are penning articles like this one, accusing John Fox of sabotaging his QB. What else really needs to be said about the situation in Denver right now?

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: John Elway would loooooove to get his hands on Andrew Luck. Not only is Luck perhaps the greatest college QB prospect since Elway himself, he’s a fellow Stanford Cardinal who has all the skills to excel in a pro style offense. Though I doubt he’s a Satan worshiper, and he may well win a Heisman and perhaps a national title, Luck is otherwise the exact opposite of Tebow. And as much as I like Tebow and want to him succeed, it’s not going to happen in Denver. That’s obvious.

However, whether the Broncos stick with Tebow, or let Brady Quinn prance around and overthrow open receivers, or turn back to Kyle Orton, they are not going to be winning many games. They may have already won too many to have a prayer of competing with the Dolphins and Colts, but damn it if they won’t try from here on out.

4. Arizona Cardinals (1-6)

The Cardinals are now tied with the surging Rams for last place in the NFC West, a full five games behind the 49ers with not even half the season over. That is remarkable. What is also remarkable is how much Kevin Kolb continues to suck and how badly Arizona defends the pass. If either were not true, they would have been able to beat the Ravens on Sunday.

Alas, it keeps getting worse for the Cardinals, now losers of six straight, with little reason for hope on the horizon.

5. Washington Redskins (3-4)

Yep, I’m putting Washington above a handful teams with 1 and 2 losses. Why? Because John Beck and Rex Grossman, that’s why.

Washington tricked everyone into thinking that they were a different team this year when they started 3-1. Nope. They’re the same crappy team with the same crappy QB play and same creepy-looking coach.

Image source: UnathleticMag

Remember, I’m trying to project forward here, and after getting shutout by the Bills, and with so many injuries stacking up, and with one of the few owners who might actually be clueless enough to order a “Suck 4 Luck” strategy, the Redskins have plenty of time and potential to make up their loss deficit before the season ends.

6. Seattle Seahawks (2-5)

It’s good to be the San Francisco 49ers. Half of their division is in the top 6 in the Suck 4 Luck Power Rankings, and the team not yet listed is already buried five games below in the standings.

As for Seattle, they just let Cincinnati completely obliterate the supposed Qwest Field advantage. A rookie QB and a rookie WR, playing without their workhorse running back, strode into Seattle, kicked the Seahawks asses all over the field, and left the Seahawks with a 2-5 record and one of the league’s worst point differentials.

But hey, on the bright side, even though the Seahawks have probably won too much to get Luck, they might be in a good position to grab Matt Barkley. In all seriousness, he won’t be a bad consolation prize for whoever doesn’t quite suck enough.

7. Cleveland Browns (3-4)

Yep, another 3-4 team gets listed before a bunch of teams with fewer wins. But forgive me for not being impressed by victories over the Colts, Dolphins, and Seahawks. Yes, those are the three teams Cleveland has beaten, so you tell me why they should be ranked ahead of a team like St. Louis, which can beat New Orleans, or Carolina, which actually has an offense that can score points.

Cleveland is almost completely devoid of difference-makers on the offensive side of the ball. San Francisco exposed that again yesterday. And with the schedule about to get much, much tougher (at Houston, @ Cincinnati, two games v Baltimore and Pittsburgh), I’m having a hard time seeing where the wins are going to come from outside of games against St. Louis, Arizona, and Jacksonville.

8. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-6)

Speaking of Jacksonville, the Jaguars come in at #8 this week. Admittedly, you could make a case for the Jags to be as high as 5th on this list, but I guess I feel bad for assuming they’d lose last Monday night. Plus, the Jags still have two games left against Indianapolis and one against Cleveland, which should guarantee them at least two more wins.

9. St. Louis Rams (1-6)

I have been very hesitant to bury this team because of my belief in Sam Bradford and my thinking that by the time Bradford and Josh McDaniels get on the same page the Rams’ schedule will ease up and give them the opportunity to get some wins. I didn’t expect a victory over New Orleans, but this does show what the Rams are capable of doing.

With Brandon Lloyd now giving whoever plays QB a legitimate #1 option, and Steven Jackson playing like a man possessed, it would not surprise me at all to see the Rams parlay future games against Arizona, Cleveland, Seattle, Arizona again, and Seattle again into at least 3-4 more victories. If they can steal one against San Francisco in Week 17 (with the 49ers likely to have a playoff spot locked up), this could be a 6 or 7 win team by the time it’s all said and done.

10. Dallas Cowboys (3-4)

I could have, and perhaps should have, chosen the Panthers or Vikings for this spot. But based on what I saw yesterday, the Panthers and the Vikings would both have demolished Dallas. Did the Cowboys even show up in Philadelphia Sunday night? It sure didn’t look like it. And though it’s easy to say that Dallas could be 5-2 or 6-1 right now, they could also be 1-6 or 2-5 if the balls didn’t bounce their way against San Francisco and Washington.

Seriously, the Dallas Cowboys football team is a football team that needs to play football much better than they have been playing football in football games during this football season football football football.

Image source: Popfi.com

No really. It’s time for Tony Romo, Rob Ryan, and the Cowboys to put up or shut up, but they’ll probably just keep playing like the middle-of-the-pack team that they are and finish 8-8. Either way, it’s now legitimate to start wondering if the Panthers and Vikings are more settled at QB than the Cowboys. I’ve long been a Tony Romo supporter, but even I’m starting to lose the faith that he’ll ever become anything more than what he is: good, but nowhere near great.

Honorable mention: Carolina (2-6), Minnesota (2-6), Kansas City Chiefs (3-3), New Orleans (5-3)…just for this week.

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Okay folks, now it’s your chance to agree with me, ream me, or just tell me how ridiculous of a post idea this is and how it sullies the integrity of the game. All’s fair in love and comment sections. Have at it.

Incredibly, without a game occurring in between, it was announced today that Donovan McNabb has been given a contract extension by the Redskins for…get this…5 years, $78 million.

Take a quick breath while the details of McNabb’s extension sink in.

To recap: Donovan McNabb was benched for Rex Grossman in the 4th quarter of a close game, and without doing anything else on the field, was awarded with a gargantuan contract extension that even his own mother couldn’t explain. (Okay, fine, I’m convinced. No matter how I type it, it doesn’t stop sounding completely ludicrous.)

Anyway, as we often do here at MSF, we were able to get the inside story of how McNabb’s contract extension came about and how he and Shanahan are dealing with it. And I promise you: even the extraordinary details you’re about to learn are not in any way more ridiculous than the reality of the extension itself.

[Note: if the image above is not appearing, view it here.]

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Hiring a recently fired coach who has the same New England coaching pedigree of our own recently fired coach is not my idea of renewing hope. Plus, I just don’t see Mangini’s aloof arrogance playing well in Cleveland, no matter how brilliant of a football tactician he may be.

Well, it looks like Randy Lerner does not pay attention to Midwest Sports Fans when deciding who to hire as head coach. (And, honestly, let’s all thank the good Lord for that.)

The latest report today from Chris Mortensen at ESPN is that Eric Mangini is now the leading candidate to become the head coach of the Cleveland Browns. Additionally, Mort’s report says that Mangini could be hired as part of a package deal with a GM whose name is not Scott Pioli:

The Browns have continued their search process, interviewing other candidates, but sources say Mangini had a “compelling” interview and owner Randy Lerner is fascinated with him.

If Mangini gets the job to replace the fired Romeo Crennel, the favorite to become the team’s general manager is George Kokinis, who is the director of pro personnel for the Baltimore Ravens, the sources said.

Kokinis and Mangini each were members of the Browns organization when Bill Belichick was coach. Mangini formally joined the staff as an assistant coach in 1995. Kokinis was a scout from 1991 to 1995 before moving with the team to Baltimore.

This is obviously a very fluid situation, with new candidates seeming to emerge by the day and purported deadlines coming and going with now decisions ultimately being made. Thus, I don’t want to waste time speculating anymore on who the next Browns head coach and GM will be. I have made my feelings about Eric Mangini known, as well as my preference for Scott Pioli, even if it means Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz becomes the Browns’ new head coach. I think it’s now time to just sit back and see how it all shakes out before I waste my time typing about it anymore.

However, if you want to know all of the latest reports, here are some recent links for you to check out:

Mangini is the leader, but beware of unnamed sources in Browns head coach/GM search – (Pro Football Talk)

Is Pioli taking a page out of father-in-law Parcells’ book by maximizing leverage? – (Pro Football Talk) – Interesting post in which Florio echoes what I’ve been saying: that Browns fans are not going to want Mangini (nor another former Ravens personnel guy as GM) because we’ve been there, done that.

Mike Shanahan puts off Browns for two weeks, candidacy likely over in Cleveland – (Plain-Dealer)

Josh McDaniels and Mel Tucker make their case to become Browns head coach – (Plain-Dealer)

Browns like Mangini and Pioli; Can they get both? – (Plain-Dealer)

Latest News and Rumors on the Browns coach/GM search – (Orange and Brown Report – pay for the premium service, by the way. It’s worth it.)

Rumor of package deal with Ferentz makes Scott Pioli not look like such a good choice – (Dawg Pound Daily)

So there you go. I have heard from a few different sources that something will be happening with Scott Pioli imminently, and of course nothing has happened yet. I am going to watch the IU-Iowa game, and then the Colts-Chargers game, and try not to worry about the frustrating roller-coaster ride that has been Randy Lerner’s search for a new GM and head coach. Of course, if something definitive actually happens, I’m sure I’ll hop on here and get you updated.

All I know “for sure” is this: Eric Mangini definitely appears to be front-runner for the Browns head coaching job, and I don’t like it any more today than I did earlier this week. And if it precludes the Browns from getting Scott Pioli, I like it even less.

But it’s time to stop worrying at this point — and just start waiting. Randy Lerner wants to get something done quickly, so hopefully it will.

Weren’t things much more tidy and exciting when everyone was assuming Bill Cowher would be coming to town? Oh the good ‘ol days…

The Plain-Dealer is reporting today that the Cleveland Browns and owner Randy Lerner want to interview recently fired former Denver head coach Mike Shanahan. From the report by Tony Grossi:

The Browns will seek to interview fired Denver coach Mike Shanahan, said a source with knowledge of the situation.

“How can you not?” said the source.

According to Grossi’s report, Lerner and Browns president Mike Keenen are in New York today conducting interviews with Scott Pioli and Eric Mangini. As Grossi points out, the interviews are separate. And he makes it sound like the meeting with Mangini is more of a convenience thing than anything else, saying “[Lerner] decided to hook up with Mangini, recently fired as Jets coach, to get a feel for him before proceeding with other planned interviews.”

Sweet. So perhaps that means that Mangini is not necessarily near the top of the list of potential head coaching candidates. I have made my feelings about Eric Mangini known, and known loudly. So without any shame for being completely redundant, let me say it again: do NOT hire Eric Mangini!

Scott Pioli, however, is just fine by me, a point with which Don Banks of SI.com obviously agrees.

The news that the Browns are interested in interviewing Mike Shanahan comes on the same day that the Plain-Dealer also reported that the Browns will interview former Browns scout and current Titans defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz.

As far as Mike Shanahan goes, I think that Randy Lerner should absolutely seek to interview the former Broncos coach. The man has won Super Bowls, he is a genius when it comes to designing and executing the running game, and no one disputes Shanahan’s overall offensive acumen.

However, I do not buy into the perception that Mike Shanahan is any type of slam dunk candidate.

First off, you have to assume that Mike Shanahan would want a similar level of control to which he was used to in Denver, where he was the Vice President of Football Operations and had final say over the 53-man roster. This is obviously problematic if the Browns were to hire Scott Pioli. And in my opinion, I would rather have Scott Pioli as our next GM, even if it means ending our chances of landing Shanahan.

The Broncos have only won one playoff game in the last ten years since John Elway retired, and Shanahan has proven unable to establish any sort of continuity on the defensive side of the ball. While his running game would fit perfectly in the AFC North, his inability create toughness and identity on the defensive side of the ball, or to find a coordinator who can, would be a huge problem.

One Browns fan I talked to said what about Pioli as GM, Shanahan as head coach, and Romeo Crennel as defensive coordinator. Honestly, it sounds pretty damn good to me. I don’t think it’s very plausible, but at the very least it is a flight fantasy worth considering…for a moment.

I don’t pretend to know what Mike Shanahan’s intentions or desires are, but if he can find a place where he will have GM-level control, I am sure he will end up there. Based on how the last ten years went in Denver, I do not want to see him get such a position in Cleveland. If he is only going to be the head coach, then we can start talking.

I was hesitant to even discuss Shanahan-to-the-Browns yesterday, but with today’s report that the team is interested in interviewing him, the topic is now relevant. I just see Mike Shanahan coming in as precluding us from getting Scott Pioli, and personally, I think Pioli should be priority #1 for the Browns.

I mean come on, when you think of Denver, you think of John Elway, and then who?

Mike Shanahan.

This guy has been a spectacular NFL head coach over the past 14 years in Denver, which includes back to back Super Bowl titles in 1998 and 1999. Mike Shanahan has compiled a record of 146 – 89 over his tenure at Denver and has been a contender in the West it seems like every year.

I don’t have much more to say here other than WOW, and that the firing of Mike Shanahan definitely opens the door for some teams that are currently looking for a head coach.

Now that Mike Shanahan has been fired by Denver, would he be a potential fit in Cleveland? How about Detroit? Or wait, what about the Jets? Or, no way, what would it be like if the Chiefs let Herm go and Shanahan takes over in Kansas City! That would be sweet!!

This offseason is really getting interesting and as a Chiefs fan I have always hated the Broncos, but I can’t deny the fact that Shanahan has always had my respect as a Coach for what he has been able to accomplish year in and year out.

Merry Xmas to the next team that lands Mike Shanahan as their new head coach.

coop92 is a contributing author to Midwest Sports Fans, as well as the editor at Midwest Sports Junkies. Check out his site for additional analysis of the St. Louis Cardinals, the BCS, and Missouri Tigers football.