NFL hot seat rankings: Can Rams' Jeff Fisher survive another disastrous season?
The final month of the regular season is nigh, meaning several head coaches and their staffs are heading into the final weeks of their present employment. As the NFL's haves and have-nots for 2016 further crystallize, here's the latest installment of our weekly hot seat rankings:
1. Gus Bradley, Jacksonville Jaguars: His next five games all come against coaches in the thick of the playoff race, something Bradley's Jags have never sniffed in four seasons. The final countdown is underway. Last week: 1
2. Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati Bengals: One more loss guarantees his first sub-.500 season since 2010. He's had a great run for a historically moribund franchise, but only esoteric owner Mike Brown truly knows if it's finally time for a reboot. Last week: 2
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3. Jeff Fisher, Los Angeles Rams: That long-rumored contract extension? Apparently, it's still a rumor. What is plainly obvious is the death spiral of a team that's lost six of seven, a stretch punctuated by Sunday's nasty 28-point blowout in New Orleans, a marked departure from a team that's usually competitive. Fisher must win out to achieve the first winning campaign of his five-year tenure. Unlikely. Last week: Unranked
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4. John Fox, Chicago Bears: His team continues to show respectable pluck even though the season was lost weeks ago (along with many of Fox's best players). Still, kinda feels like a fresh start might be best for all parties. Last week: 4
5. Todd Bowles, New York Jets: They're not making the playoffs, but we've known that for a while. What's baffling is that the foundation seems weak in Year 2, with so many veterans coming up small and so few youngsters offering much hope for 2017 and beyond. Last week: 3
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6. Rex Ryan, Buffalo Bills: Maybe his 6-5 squad is right on the cusp of ending a 17-year playoff absence, the longest in the NFL. But to do that, Ryan's Bills will have to finally beat a good team (OK, count the Week 4 Patriots if you really want to). Up next, the Oakland Raiders, followed by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Last week: 7
Cooler seat (for now): Mike McCarthy, Mike McCoy
— Week 11 rankings (Gus Bradley)
— Week 10 rankings (Gus Bradley)
— Week 9 rankings (Gus Bradley)
— Week 8 rankings (Gus Bradley)
— Week 7 rankings (Gus Bradley)
— Week 6 rankings (Marvin Lewis)
— Week 5 rankings (Mike McCoy)
— Week 4 rankings (Mike McCoy)
— Week 3 rankings (Gus Bradley)
— Week 2 rankings (Rex Ryan)
— Week 1 rankings (Mike McCoy)
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PHOTOS: Week 12 NFL action
