{"id":127515,"date":"2022-01-05T11:00:16","date_gmt":"2022-01-05T16:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/?p=127515"},"modified":"2022-01-05T06:52:38","modified_gmt":"2022-01-05T11:52:38","slug":"predicting-nfl-coaches-black-monday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2022\/01\/05\/predicting-nfl-coaches-black-monday\/","title":{"rendered":"Predicting the Fates of NFL Coaches on Black Monday"},"content":{"rendered":"

The final week of the NFL regular season is here, and with it comes a flurry of coaching changes. Dubbed \u201cBlack Monday\u201d, the first Monday after the final games of the season usually results in several head coaches losing their jobs. Two head coaches have already lost their jobs this year, but a few others will be on the way out.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

NFL Coaches on the Hot Seat Heading Into Black Monday<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Matt Nagy – Chicago Bears<\/strong><\/h4>\n

It wasn\u2019t that long ago that Matt Nagy led Mitchell Trubisky to a 12-4 record with an exciting hybrid offense. Unfortunately, Nagy was never able to duplicate that success, as Trubisky burned out in Chicago while rookie quarterback Justin Fields didn\u2019t play up to potential. <\/span><\/p>\n

While some of this is on Fields himself, Nagy failed to make the most of the rookie\u2019s elite athleticism and rocket arm<\/a>. Fields is going to need a more creative coach if he is to reach his ceiling in the NFL, and Nagy just isn\u2019t the guy for the job.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

PREDICTION: FIRED<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

[pickup_prop id=”14036″]<\/p>\n

Mike Zimmer – Minnesota Vikings<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Mike Zimmer is old-school football personified, and that\u2019s not a good thing in today\u2019s NFL. The league is all about passing, and Zimmer\u2019s outdated philosophy combined with his inability to put together a good defense make him a relic of the times. Change is coming in Minnesota, and it starts up top. Despite the history of success, Zimmer will probably be out of a job on Black Monday.<\/span><\/p>\n

PREDICTION: FIRED<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Matt Rhule – Carolina Panthers<\/strong><\/h4>\n

What a difference a year makes. At this time last year, Matt Rhule and offensive coordinator Joe Brady were seen as two of the best young minds in football. Since then, Carolina collapsed down the stretch, Brady was fired, and Rhule simply could not fix the offense. <\/span><\/p>\n

While he deserves credit for improving the defense, the quarterback situation has been a nightmare. Since joining the Panthers, Rhule released Cam Newton, spent a fortune<\/a> on two of Newton\u2019s replacements, re-signed Newton, and then benched him again for one of the aforementioned replacements. In a league where quarterback play is everything, you can\u2019t have a guy like this leading the charge.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

PREDICTION: FIRED<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Joe Judge – New York Giants<\/strong><\/h4>\n

If I were running the New York Giants, Joe Judge would already be gone. The former New England Patriots<\/a> assistant simply hasn\u2019t gotten the on-field results, and the team appears no closer to contending than they were two years ago. Despite heavy investments on the offensive side of the football, the team has been embarrassingly bad without Daniel Jones, and <\/span>those press conferences<\/span><\/a> aren\u2019t helping his case.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, reports surfaced that New York\u2019s ownership believes in Judge and his vision for the team. With the culture reportedly fixed, it sounds like Judge will have at least one more year to turn this thing around.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

PREDICTION: NOT FIRED<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\n

Giants offensive ranks since Joe Judge hiring before 2020 season<\/p>\n

Rank
Points per game 16.59 32nd
Yards per game 296.8 32nd
Yards per play 4.85 32nd
Red Zone Eff. 46.2% 32nd pic.twitter.com\/1QXokNLKog<\/a><\/p>\n

— NFL on CBS \ud83c\udfc8 (@NFLonCBS) January 3, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n