Rating NFL head coaches on the recent seat: Saints’ Dennis Allen feeling warmth

[Editor’s note: This story has been updated following the news of the Saints firing head coach Dennis Allen after Week 9.] 

Within the three weeks because the New York Jets fired Robert Saleh they’ve gone 0-3, and in some ways look even worse than they did earlier than. That proves two essential issues:

Saleh wasn’t the Jets’ drawback. 

And in-season teaching modifications virtually by no means work.

In fact, proof is not essentially one thing that may cease NFL house owners in search of a fast repair. And to be truthful, typically an in-season change is important to avert an entire and embarrassing catastrophe. Typically it is even only a means for an embattled proprietor to throw contemporary meat to his indignant followers.

That’s why the New Orleans Saints simply adopted the Jets lead and fired their head coach on Monday morning. And it’s why seats stay sizzling below a number of different coaches throughout the NFL. A few of them may very well be gone inside weeks. Others will certainly be gone after their depressing season is over.

Right here is the FOX Sports activities’ bi-weekly rating of the seven hottest teaching seats within the league, heading into Week 9:

1. Dennis Allen, New Orleans Saints (Earlier rating: 2nd) 

The woeful franchise made it official on Monday morning once they leaked phrase that Dennis Allen was out. And it was hardly stunning because the Saints had been in an irreversible freefall. Their 23-22 loss to the terrible Carolina Panthers on Sunday was their seventh straight after a promising, 2-0 begin.

Allen completed his Saints profession with an indefensible file of 18-25. And when you add in his three terrible seasons as head coach of the Oakland Raiders from 2012-14, his head teaching profession is definitely over with an unseemly file of 26-53.

Darren Rizzi, the Saints’ assistant head coach and particular groups coordinator, is anticipated to take over for the rest of the season, although barring a surprising, second-half turnaround the previous College of Rhode Island head coach (2008) is unlikely to get the job completely. The Saints are going to have to begin over subsequent season with a brand new coach and quarterback.

The query now — an enormous one for Mickey Loomis — is are they going to begin over with a brand new GM, too?

2. Doug Pederson, Jacksonville Jaguars (Earlier rating: 1st) 

His job was very possible saved with a 32-16 win over the terrible New England Patriots in London two weeks in the past. There have been lots of indications {that a} loss would’ve resulted in him being fired earlier than the group aircraft landed again in Florida.

His trigger was additionally helped on Sunday by a slender loss to the Green Bay Packers, which solely goes to indicate how low the requirements have gotten in Jacksonville. However the numbers rely. They’re now 2-2 of their final 4 and franchise quarterback Trevor Lawrence lastly confirmed indicators of life on Sunday. Constructive vibes may hold the reactionary instincts of Jags proprietor Shahid Khan at bay.

However just for so lengthy. The Jaguars stay one of many greatest underachievers within the NFL and they’re 3-11 since they entered final December with an 8-3 file. Plus, the Jags play at Philadelphia (5-2), residence towards the Vikings (5-2) and at Detroit (6-2) over the following three weeks, which may set the stage for Pederson to be fired one week later, throughout their bye.

3. Mike McCarthy, Dallas Cowboys (Earlier rating: third) 

Yeah, Jerry Jones swears he isn’t firing Mike McCarthy, and given his painful persistence with earlier coaches there isn’t any purpose to not imagine him.

However he is bought to have a breaking level, proper?

The Cowboys misplaced once more Sunday night time in San Francisco in a recreation that wasn’t shut till a garbage-time comeback. In actual fact, when you take away rubbish time, they have not been aggressive in any of their 4 losses. They’re additionally 0-3 at residence, which has to sting, and so they’re already 2.5 video games again within the NFC East race. Oh, and their protection has given up 77 factors within the final two video games.

That final half is absolutely McCarthy’s in-season safety blanket, since his most probably interim substitute can be defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, and proper now even Jones could not promote that to gamers or followers. Remember, although, that McCarthy is barely signed by means of the tip of the season. Jones would not like firing coaches, but when this season will get a lot worse even he’ll see he will not have a lot of a selection.

4. Matt Eberflus, Chicago Bears (Earlier rating: NR) 

The choice to not give Eberflus a contract extension within the offseason spoke volumes about possession’s uncertainty about him. It additionally says one thing about their lack of a plan. The good transfer, as they had been about to draft a brand new franchise quarterback with the No. 1 general choose, can be to decide to a coach to assist develop Caleb Williams for the primary few years of his profession.

Eberflus remains to be signed by means of 2025, however he may very well be on shaky floor if Williams would not have the sort of rookie season everyone seems to be anticipating. There have been lots of constructive indicators, however he is been very up and down. Two robust weeks collapsed in an terrible effort by him towards Washington on Sunday in a showdown towards No. 2 choose Jayden Daniels.

Eberflus additionally did not assist himself with some odd teaching selections (A handoff to an offensive lineman on 4th-and-goal from the 1 whereas trailing within the fourth quarter?). And it was an actual unhealthy look that one in every of his gamers was too busy trash-talking followers to defend the Hail Mary play that misplaced them the sport. Stuff like that’s laborious to neglect.

5. Antonio Pierce, Las Vegas Raiders (Earlier rating: NR) 

The Raiders had been proper to take the interim tag off him after the Raiders’ robust 5-4 end final yr and the best way all his gamers endorsed him. He appeared to have given the franchise a much-needed jolt of vitality.

However good vibes do not final perpetually, particularly when you do not have a franchise quarterback and your greatest receiver mainly pressured a commerce. Proper now, Pierce is struggling to carry issues along with the Raiders driving a four-game dropping streak. They have been aggressive the final two weeks in shut losses to the Rams and Chiefs, however how lengthy will shut be sufficient?

They have a brand new minority proprietor in Tom Brady, who virtually definitely may have some ideas to share with majority proprietor Marc Davis. They usually’re heading in the direction of their fourth non-winning season in 5 years in Las Vegas, which is not good.

There is a bye looming in two weeks, although Pierce possible will survive that. But when he cannot recapture the nice vibes — and some wins alongside the best way — the Raiders might find yourself beginning over in 2025 with a brand new quarterback and a brand new head coach. 

6. Zac Taylor, Cincinnati Bengals (Earlier rating: fifth) 

Their 37-17 loss at residence to the Eagles on Sunday reveals how far this group has fallen. They need to be a lot nearer to contender standing with a number of the expertise they’ve. However they hold getting farther away.

He is nonetheless most unlikely to be fired in-season for a bunch of causes. One is that the Bengals are notably low cost and so they do not need to eat the $4.5 million per yr he is making by means of 2026. The opposite is that they’re 3-2 over their final 5 and a type of losses was in time beyond regulation to the Baltimore Ravens.

However — and this can be a unhealthy “however” — of their final three video games, this offense has averaged 18.3 factors and 269 yards. That is inexcusable for a group with Joe Burrow at quarterback and a receiver like Ja’Marr Chase. In some unspecified time in the future, the Bengals must notice they can not waste the prime of these two gamers.

7. Brian Daboll, New York Giants (Earlier rating: 4th) 

Why is he nonetheless on this record after co-owner John Mara promised that he and basic supervisor Joe Schoen can be again in 2025? Largely as a result of what Mara really stated was that he will not make any in-season modifications and “I don’t anticipate making any modifications within the offseason.”

The phrasing of those votes of confidence is all the time key.

Mara’s not mendacity or enjoying video games. However he additionally is aware of that issues can collapse late to an embarrassing diploma (simply ask Joe Decide), and typically issues occur that he simply cannot settle for (ask Ben McAdoo). So yeah, there’s slightly wiggle room in his promise.

However it actually would take one thing drastic to alter his thoughts, in response to sources contained in the group. Perhaps if they do not win one other recreation, or gamers begin revolting, or Daboll’s press conferences simply go off the rails — one thing like that. His group is feisty, although, so the chances are good he isn’t going anyplace. However stranger issues have occurred to this group within the final 13 years.

Dropped from the record:

Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns (Earlier rating: seventh) — A giant win over the Baltimore Ravens confirmed he can nonetheless coach, particularly when he has a quarterback. Deshaun Watson being out for the season will solely assist his trigger.

Nick Sirianni, Philadelphia Eagles (Earlier rating: sixth) — The Eagles are 5-2 now after three straight wins and their offense is clicking for the primary time, actually, because the 2022 season. However a playoff run should be wanted to avoid wasting him.

Ralph Vacchiano is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports activities. He spent the earlier six years overlaying the Giants and Jets for SNY TV in New York, and earlier than that, 16 years overlaying the Giants and the NFL for the New York Each day Information. Comply with him Twitter at @RalphVacchiano.