Jim Caldwell
Somewhere deep into a Lions' season, after the team misses the playoff or squeaks in, there's usually talk about booting the coach. This year is no different.
Detroit News sports columnist Bob Wojnowski writes:
Jim Caldwell has been here before, trying to steady a wobbling team, clinging to the fringes of hope. It’s all on him, he says again and again, as if that should be comforting for Lions fans.
It’s not. It’s confounding and concerning, and the repetitiveness is alarming. If Caldwell and his ailing quarterback have another comeback in them, it’s difficult to see. And if they don’t, it’s hard to justify bringing Caldwell and his staff back.
Yes, he signed a contract extension before the season, although the terms were never revealed. Honestly, it shouldn’t matter.
The latest debacle, a 44-20 loss in Baltimore, dropped the Lions to 6-6, and if they complete the collapse and miss the playoffs, it would be time for a coaching change. GM Bob Quinn should be ready then to bring in his own guy, although it would immediately shift the pressure to himself.
At some point, responsibility has to translate to accountability, and in his four seasons here, Caldwell has been spinning in place. From a terrific 2014 debut of 11-5, the Lions have gone 7-9, 9-7 and now 6-6, and 0-2 in the playoffs.
You can tie some issues to injuries, especially during the four-game losing streak to close last season, when Matthew Stafford played with a dislocated finger. Now he has a bruised right hand and is stuck behind a battered offensive line.
