7 NFL Head Coaches on the Hot Seat in 2016
Jim Caldwell, Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions’ hiring of Jim Caldwell was a blasé choice for a team that prides itself on its offensive octane and defensive ferocity. His two years there have been up-and-down, resulting in an 18-14 record.
No, it’s not easy being in the same division as the Green Bay Packers over the last 25 years, but that's no excuse for how bad the Lions became last year. They were fairly prolific in 2014, with a 4.24 nERD and earning a playoff berth, but then plummeted to a -4.09 nERD in 2015.
The Lions are hoping quarterback Matthew Stafford can keep this ship afloat in the absence of now-retired wide receiver Calvin Johnson. The insanely pass-heavy attack may not work quite as well going forward, without the superhuman physicality of Johnson out wide. In the second half of 2015, however, the offense began to emphasize the run and phase Johnson out of a dominant role; it turned them around instantly.
The defense is on the wrong trajectory, however, having let go of Pro Bowl defensive tackles Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley during Caldwell’s tenure, and sitting on their thumbs while superstar linebackers DeAndre Levy and Stephen Tulloch fall apart from injury. This Lions’ team is a mixed bag of upside and risk.
Seat Heat: 3 “Scorchios” out of 5. There were rumblings that Caldwell could have been fired last season, but the late-year turnaround saved his job after starting 2015 with a 1-7 record. That’s what Caldwell hopes the Lions’ ownership looks at when reviewing how much slack he gets in 2016.
