Let the search begin
December 27
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
"With the Rams now committed to a full-fledged search for a head coach after this dismal season concludes Sunday at Atlanta, they join a number of teams that will be in the same mode. How large that number will be is to be determined, and it could vary widely.
It's possible that at least a dozen teams will be in the market. But it's also possible that only a handful will join the hunt. In either case, the Rams will be facing measurable competition as they look for the fifth head coach since the team moved here in 1995.
"We look at the goings-on from around the league, like everybody," said Rams general manager Billy Devaney, who is expected to spearhead the coach search. "What usually happens is, it's a little less (turnover) than what people anticipate. And then there's always one or two surprises that weren't even on the radar."
One team is sure to have a new head coach. Mike Holmgren announced before the season that this would be his last year after a decade-long run in Seattle. His successor, as determined earlier, is former Atlanta coach Jim Mora.
Three other changes appear to be imminent:
- Raiders owner Al Davis, who changes coaches nearly as often as he does garish jogging suits, replaced Lane Kiffin with offensive line coach Tom Cable. Since then, the Raiders have gone 3-8 and stand 4-11 overall. Although he's been lobbying for the job, Cable has been regarded as strictly an interim appointee.
- With the distinct possibility of becoming the first 0-16 team in league history - on the heels of seven losses in their last eight games of 2007 - the Lions aren't expected to bring back Rod Marinelli. That actually became a probability in late September, when team president and general manger Matt Millen was dismissed. Marinelli was Millen's hand-picked choice to replace Dick Jauron in 2006.
- Romeo Crennel, highly regarded when he was New England's defensive coordinator, has a 24-39 record in Cleveland. Two other factors probably have sealed his fate: the Browns' tumble to 4-11 this year after going 10-6 in 2007, and Bill Cowher's apparent interest in the job."
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