Docs Website

53 Years Strong! A Trusted Leader In Sports Picks, Best Bets and Predictions Since 1971.

Main Menu

NFL Betting Odds and Free Picks: Next Coach Fired Props


by - 8/3/2017

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis

There are few things as entertaining as watching NFL coaches who are about to get fired, and on some level I feel bad about that. I mean, they are human beings. But they are human beings who get paid millions and willfully took on a hugely thankless task. Almost every coach only gets to leave one way - escorted out by security when their usefulness ends. That's just how it is. And since that's how it is we might as well try to profit from their pain. BetOnline has set odds for the next NFL coach to be fired, and it's worth a look:

The Untouchables

We'll start by looking at the guys who aren't worth a bet. Needless to say, Bill Belichick (+20000) isn't getting fired any time soon. Neither, in all likelihood, are established vets like Andy Reid, Bruce Arians, Dan Quinn, Ron Rivera, Jack Del Rio, Mike McCarthy, Dirk Koetter, Mike Mularkey, Mike Tomlin, Jason Garrett, or Pete Carroll.

Good new hires will likely get a pretty good chance to prove themselves, so guys like Vance Joseph, Kyle Shanahan, Anthony Lynn, Sean McDermott and Sean McVay don't need to worry too much.

And then there are the guys who haven't really locked in the loyalty of their teams yet but probably aren't in immediate danger. Guys in that group would include Adam Gase, Ben McAdoo, Bill O'Brien, Doug Marrone, Doug Pederson, Jay Gruden, and Mike Zimmer.

Sean Payton and John Harbaugh are two guys who could conceivably move on at some point - likely right into their next jobs - but there is no point in betting on either happening. So, if the coach of your team is on this list then you likely need to look elsewhere for drama - at least in the short term.

And The Rest

Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati, +550: Lewis, obviously, should be fired. He should have been fired after each of the last five seasons. At least. Yet he likely won't be. I expect that my great-grandchildren will still be writing about how Marvin Lewis is the worst coach in football at any level and how the Bengals will never achieve anything meaningful while he is in charge.

At this point it is beyond question that he has very compromising pictures of Bengals' ownership. All I'm curious about now is what it is that they are doing in those pictures. It must be something truly hideous to keep this waste of oxygen around this long past his expiration date. When I close my eyes I imagine that there are goats in the pictures, but I'm scared to think about why I think that. Regardless, Lewis is terrible, his team will be terrible, and he'll probably find a way to get yet another year to prove that this underwhelming play is no fluke.

Todd Bowles, New York Jets, +550: Being mad at Bowles is like being mad at the bartender on the Titanic. Both are employed on sinking ships, both are likely to see their careers and more end as a result of that employment, but neither is the cause of the problems. The Jets have kneecapped Bowles by making one horrific personnel decision after another. They will blame him and fire him, but it isn't going to be his fault. Teams don't get this bad - and they will be just awful - because the coach is substandard at Xs and Os. If I was making a single bet it would be on Bowles, but instead of betting I might just save the cash to buy Bowles a drink if I ever see him in person. The guy deserves at least that.

Chuck Pagano, Indianapolis, +600: Everyone was shocked that Pagano is back at all - probably including Pagano. And now it all comes down to Andrew Luck. If he can shake off this latest injury and be all he can be then maybe Pagano will be fine. If he starts the season on the PUP list, though, then things could get ugly in Indy, and Pagano will take part of the blame. A decent bet but not as attractive as Bowles.

John Fox, Chicago, +600: I don't like much about this team, but expectations are low, which works in favor of Fox. In Mitch Trubisky and Mike Glennon they have decent QB prospects for a team this bad. If one or both show good progress then perhaps the team will recognize that they could do worse than Fox. I don't like this bet much.

Jim Caldwell, Detroit, +1000: He has made the playoffs twice in three years with Detroit. I don't think he's great, or the long-term answer here, and he could easily be fired, but we are looking for the first to go here, and Caldwell isn't getting whacked early. No thanks - not at this price.

Hue Jackson, Cleveland, +1000: On one hand, Jackson is entering his second year, and the last four Cleveland coaches have been axed after their first or second year. Jackson is due, and it's not like he's going to miraculously turn this team around and make the playoffs this year. On the other hand, the revolving door at coach sure hasn't worked, Jackson is a decent coach who has done some things reasonably well and is starting to maybe make a little progress. And it's not like any coach with real talent and upside is going to rush to replace Jackson here. Maybe, just maybe, the Browns will do the right thing and have a little patience here.

Sometimes, the best picks are free picks. Doc's Sports will give new clients $60 worth of free NFL picks with absolutely no obligation. You don't even need a credit card to sign up. Just click here and get started today . Also, get three handicappers for the price of one when you sign up for a full-season football package! Click Here for details . Get free NFL betting picks weekly on Doc's Sports free football picks page .

Read more articles by

Most Recent NFL Handicapping

One E-mail A Week Is All You Need!
Our weekly newsletter is loaded with exclusive free picks,insight and advice from our expert handicappers