There hasn't been a head-coaching change made during this NFL season. But that's not because of any lack of very bad and extremely disappointing teams. There undoubtedly are firings to come, whether it's during what remains of the season or immediately after it.
The focus this week was on Ben McAdoo, whose New York Giants lost for the eighth time in nine games this past Sunday in San Francisco. Giants co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch announced Monday that they would retain McAdoo, at least for now, and then make an evaluation after the season. That's unlikely to turn the heat down very much on McAdoo in New York, however, amid a Giants season in which Super Bowl aspirations have given way to ugly defeats, players being suspended for violating team rules and accusations that players have quit during games or on the season.
McAdoo has some company on the coaching hot seat with Cleveland's Hue Jackson, Chuck Pagano of Indianapolis and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Dirk Koetter. Here's a quick look at the case for and against keeping each of them.
Ben McAdoo, New York Giants
2017: 1-8 / Overall: 12-13
The case for: Is there one? Perhaps not. But let's give it a try. McAdoo led the Giants to the playoffs last season. So what's happening this season cannot be entirely his fault. NFL players are supposed to be professionals, and they're supposed to act in a professional manner. Returning from the bye week on time and playing hard should be givens. This isn't high school. This shouldn't be a babysitting job. The Giants know as well as anyone that making frequent coaching changes is not a path to NFL success. They stuck with McAdoo's predecessor, Tom Coughlin, through some tough times, and he delivered two Super Bowl triumphs. Do Mara and Tisch really want to start over?
The case against: It's time for the Giants to cut their losses. It was the defense overseen by coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, not McAdoo's offense, that took the team to the playoffs last season. The coach is in charge and is ultimately responsible for what happens on the field. If players lack discipline and don't appear to be fully invested, that reflects on the coach. Maintaining continuity merely for continuity's sake is not helpful when the coach is not getting the job done. The time has arrived to move on. It has become obvious, and it will be no less obvious by season's end.
Hue Jackson, Cleveland Browns
2017: 0-9 / Overall: 1-24
The case for: This isn't a coaching issue. This is a roster-construction issue. The Browns passed on Carson Wentz and Deshaun Watson in the previous two NFL drafts, and both appear to be franchise quarterbacks. Wentz could be the league MVP this season, and Watson very well could have been the NFL's offensive rookie of the year if he hadn't gotten hurt. The Browns didn't trade for Jimmy Garoppolo. They couldn't even manage to notify the league office properly after they agreed to a trade-deadline deal for AJ McCarron. Jackson has been left to try to build around Robert Griffin III or Cody Kessler or DeShone Kizer the past two seasons, and that's an impossible task. Don't change the coach. Change the front office. Chase Kirk Cousins in the offseason or use the lofty draft choice that's coming in next spring's NFL draft on one of the coveted quarterbacks in this class and give Jackson a reasonable chance.
The case against: The Browns are 1-24 under Jackson since the start of last season. They're the league's only winless team this season. It's a front office issue and a coaching issue and a player issue. It's an everything issue. It's time to change everything and start over. Isn't that what 1-24 means? Do you really want to give this regime another chance to botch the quarterback situation?
Chuck Pagano, Indianapolis Colts
2017: 3-7 / Overall: 52-38
The case for: Andrew Luck hasn't played all season. Is it fair to judge a coach without his franchise quarterback on the field for a single play? The Colts didn't even have a viable Plan B, failing to add a capable backup until trading for Jacoby Brissett just before the season and starting Scott Tolzien in the opener. Brissett has had his moments. The issue here is getting Luck's still-ailing shoulder right and getting him back on the field. It's not the coach.
The case against: Owner Jim Irsay surprised just about everyone a few years ago when he retained both Pagano as his coach and Ryan Grigson as his general manager. That was a mistake. Very little good has happened since then. The Colts have gone from Super Bowl contender to absolute pretender, and Luck is facing an extremely uncertain future. Irsay righted his wrong at GM by firing Grigson after last season and replacing him with Chris Ballard. Pagano has had plenty of chances and it's time for Ballard to have an opportunity to hire his coach.
Dirk Koetter, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2017: 3-6 / Overall: 12-13
The case for: Yes, it's been a disappointing season. The expected development of quarterback Jameis Winston into an NFL star has stalled and the Buccaneers, seemingly on the cusp of being a playoff team, have taken several significant steps backward. But Winston already has had two head coaches in his NFL career, Lovie Smith and Koetter. The whole idea of promoting Koetter after ousting Smith was to maintain stability and continuity around Winston. Entering this season, Winston and the team certainly seemed headed in the right direction. Don't overreact to one bad season and don't turn Winston's NFL career into chaos.
The case against: Winston isn't getting better. The team isn't headed to the playoffs. And what if, say, Jon Gruden is willing to leave the ESPN broadcast booth and make a return to coaching and to the Buccaneers? Wouldn't the organization owe it to Winston and to itself to try to bring that about?