4 Carolina Panthers on the hot seat entering Week 11 vs. Cowboys
By Dean Jones
Frank Reich - Carolina Panthers HC
It's been another turbulent week for Frank Reich. The head coach was lambasted for sending Eddy Pineiro out for a 59-yard field goal at the Chicago Bears rather than putting the game in Bryce Young's hands, which was swiftly followed by a controversial move to take back play-calling from Thomas Brown after just three games.
Reich corrected himself by stating this was about the team and not about his future. Not many believed it, but the drastic switch back after such a short period indicates the figurehead is coming under fire from team owner David Tepper as part of his constant meddling in football-related affairs.
There's just no telling the ramifications that would come from another home hammering against the Dallas Cowboys. Reich knows his back is firmly against the wall after just nine games, which is a far cry from the bold predictions of winning the NFC South before the campaign.
Firing Reich at this stage would be a major embarrassment from Tepper's point of view. But it's hard to look at the coach's predicament with anything other than pessimism currently.
Reich assuming command of the play-calling represents his one last roll of the dice. It's an awful look and has probably made some within the locker room look at him a little differently, so nothing less than genuine offense progression against one of the league's top units will do.
Otherwise, it's going to get extremely messy.