Examining the coaching hot seat as NFL enters the stretch run
On the plus side, the Vikings have played much better in the past four weeks, beating Washington and Chicago at home and managing a tie in Green Bay. But that 2-1-1 spurt won't be enough to save Frazier's job if Minnesota doesn't close the season strong. And that looks like it'll be a difficult task, given the Vikings' final four games are all against teams that would make the playoffs if the postseason began today: at Baltimore, Philadelphia, at Cincinnati, Detroit. Something like a 4-11-1 record probably isn't going to cut it, and may well mean the Vikings will have a new head coach after they bid farewell to the Metrodome and prepare to move into the University of Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium as their two-year temporary home.
Mike Shanahan, Washington
I don't think Schiano is going anywhere this offseason, and that certainly rates as a remarkable and unlikely comeback from the dark days of October, when the "Fire Schiano'' billboards were everywhere in Tampa and the Josh Freeman fallout seemed to never end. If the Bucs tank in the final month of the season, all bets are off and the second-year head coach still might be shown the door. But I like his chances to survive into 2014, and for more reasons than team co-owner Joel Glazer coming out last week and issuing some strong words of support for Schiano in the midst of the team's recent three-game winning streak.
Joe Philbin, Miami
Jason Garrett, Dallas
And make no mistake, Coughlin will be back on the Giants' sideline in 2014. He has made that abundantly clear, and he's not ready to ease into retirement. I'm not sure there's anything else he wants to do, or knows how to do. Coaching in the NFL is his life, and he's not of the mind to give it up.