NFL hot reads: Fisher, Schotty high on wish lists
Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer could be a candidate for several open NFL head coaching positions. (November 29, 2009) Credit: Joe Rogate
With coaches having been fired in Jacksonville, Kansas City and Miami, and with several more vacancies expected, former Titans coach Jeff Fisher and Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer are expected to be hot commodities on the open market, with Fisher likely to get the most interest.
Former Steelers coach Bill Cowher will listen to coaching offers, but people close to Cowher, who works as a CBS broadcaster, believe he's more inclined to stay in television. The same is true of former Raiders and Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden. But a word of caution: A big-money deal for either coach could change those plans.
In addition to the Jaguars, Chiefs and Dolphins, coaching changes are expected in St. Louis (Steve Spagnuolo), San Diego (Norv Turner), Indianapolis (Jim Caldwell), and Tampa Bay (Raheem Morris). Philadelphia's Andy Reid and the Giants' Tom Coughlin are also not assured of returning in 2012.
Fisher will be very high on several teams' lists, but beyond him, there is a dearth of candidates for an expected slew of openings, especially if Cowher and Gruden stay in the broadcast booth. Schottenheimer and Bengals offensive coordinator Jay Gruden, Jon's younger brother, will therefore draw attention. Rams offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, the former Broncos head coach, also has been mentioned in connection with the opening in Kansas City, where Scott Pioli is the general manager. Pioli and McDaniels worked together with the Patriots.
Other assistants who could get noticed: Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg, Panthers offensive coordinator Rod Chudzinski, and Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan.
Year of the comeback
If you think there have been more fourth-quarter comebacks than usual this season, you're right. And it's not just Tim Tebow, who looks for a fifth straight fourth-quarter comeback when the Broncos host the Patriots in a huge AFC showdown in Denver on Sunday.
Consider:
There have been 60 fourth-quarter comebacks this season, only 10 short of the NFL record set in 1989.
Sixteen times this season a team has overcome a deficit of 14 or more points to win, one short of the most in a single season (17 in 1979, 1983, 1987 and 1996).
Last Sunday, five teams -- the Falcons, Jaguars, Texans, Cardinals and Giants -- won after trailing by 12 or more points, the most for a single day in NFL history.
The Lions are the first team in NFL history to win three games after trailing by at least 17 points in the same season.
As for Tebow, he's contributing plenty to the comeback trend. His six game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime are the most of any quarterback in his first 11 starts since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.
Brady respects Tebow
Count Tom Brady among those who appreciate the heroics of Tim Tebow, who has won six of his seven starts to get the Broncos into first place in the AFC West. Brady will get a close-up look at Tebow when the teams face each other on Sunday in Denver.
"I appreciate good quarterback play," Brady said. "Obviously, Tim is having a great year. You watch guys and the way that they perform under pressure and it says a lot about who they are and the way their teammates feel about them. It's a big challenge. It's going to be a very electric environment out there."
Sixteen playoff teams?
The idea of adding teams to the playoffs from the current 12 (six per conference) has been floated every now and then, but there are no immediate plans for increasing the playoff field.
The idea was discussed during an ESPN roundtable show this past week featuring NFL Insiders Adam Schefter, Chris Mortensen and John Clayton, but an increase is not expected any time soon.
Giants president and co-owner John Mara, a member of the NFL's competition committee, said he doesn't expect an increase.
"It has not been discussed for some time by our committee, and I do not think it is likely," he said.
To which we say, good. The playoff formula is as close to perfection as you can get, and watering down the field -- not to mention increasing the likelihood that teams with losing records would get in on a fairly regular basis -- isn't the way to go.
Quick hits
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is 1-5 lifetime against the Broncos. It's the only team to which he has a losing record.
Jets receiver Plaxico Burress, who spent 20 months in prison on gun charges, on how he'd feel about winning the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year award: "I just want to prove to myself that I can continue to play at a high level. If that happens, it would be great, but if not, I wasn't expecting it anyway." Burress' good friend, Michael Vick, who also spent time in prison after pleading guilty to running an illegal dog-fighting operation, won Comeback Player of the Year in 2010.
Panthers quarterback Cam Newton has 28 total touchdowns (15 passing, 13 rushing), the most by a rookie QB in NFL history.
A win over the Chiefs on Sunday, and the Packers become the first team in NFL history to go 14-0 the year after winning the Super Bowl.
With 1,101 receiving yards, the Saints' Jimmy Graham has become the first tight end to go over 1,000 yards in franchise history.
Vikings defensive end Jared Allen (17 ½) needs 5 ½ sacks in his final three games to break Michael Strahan's record of 22 ½ in 2001.
