NFL Coaching Carousel Part II: Stop the ride!

Previous coach firings/resignations: Jim Mora (Falcons), Dennis Green (Cardinals), and Nick Saban (Dolphins)
New coach firngs: Art Shell (Raiders)
To be gone today: Bill Cowher (Steelers)
Status pending the playoffs: Tom Coughlin (Giants), Bill Parcells (Cowboys), and Tony Dungy (Colts)

Yesterday, I could not keep up with the rumors for the Dolphins head coaching job, with everyone from Bill Cowher to Bill Parcells named as potential next coaches. For the time being, I am leaving the rumor mill alone since most of the rumors have to be false (there are a lot more rumored names than jobs available).

As for actual news stories, there are only two: Art Shell's firing and Bill Cowher's resignation.

ART SHELL
The only problem I have with the firing of Art Shell is: Who will the Raiders hire? The top coaching candidates won't even sniff at the Raiders for a lot of reasons, but the primary one is Al Davis is too old to handle his job responsibilities (interfering owners need to have the energy to actually interfere). This problem extends to an inability to attract top free agents (who wants to sign with a team as messed up as the Raiders are?).

If I was Al Davis, and I know he won't do this, I would promote defensive coordinator Rob Ryan to head coach. The Raiders defense was one of the few bright spots for the team last year. Unfortunately, Al Davis has never hired a defensive coach as his head coach, so it is a moot point.

NOTE TO AL DAVIS: Al, if you get in a pinch for a head coach, I am available. And I work cheap. Any 6-figure salary will do.

BILL COWHER
I will go out on a limb and predict that Cowher will NOT be the next head coach for either the Raiders or the Cardinals. You heard it here first.

Seriously, his name has already been mentioned with the Dolphins job, but I just don't see that happening. Cowher has his home in the Carolinas, and Miami is not much closer than Pittsburgh. Atlanta would make more sense, but his name has not come up for that job.

My guess is that Cowher sits out next season and waits for John Fox of Carolina to get the boot. But Cowher might have a long wait for that to happen.

Other future possibilities could be Washington or Jacksonville.

Let the coaching carousel begin!

With the NFL season just ended, two coaches have already met the chopping block: Jim Mora of the Falcons and Dennis Green of the Cardinals.

Jim Mora was the living embodiment of blown opportunities. Even when he tried something innovative like using Michael Vick in the option offense, he seemed to go away from it around mid-season (about the time the Falcons started looking like crap). Rumor has it that Arthur Blank was going to give the boot to Greg Knapp, the offensive coordinator, but that Mora wouldn't part with Knapp. Add in Mora's inheritance of foot-in-mouth from his father, and Mora was doomed.

Frankly, I never understood why Blank hired Mora. When Mora was defensive coordinator for San Francisco, his defenses were ok, but nothing special.

As for Dennis Green, he was the victim of a bad franchise. No one can save the Cardinals until they get new ownership. Green deserves another shot, although I don't think he can win the Super Bowl. But with the right ownership, I think Green could make most teams winners.