Fontes Feels The Heat In Detroit If Lions Don’t Spring To Life, Look For A Coaching Change

Wayne Fontes never hides his emotions. So you know he meant it when he said “this is the lowest I’ve ever been in my coaching career; I’m embarrassed” after his Detroit Lions lost to the St. Louis Cardinals 20-17.

He may be more than embarrassed. With the Lions 0-3 - they play San Francisco on Monday night - he may be out of a job, as he heads toward the top of the list of coaches who could be gone before the season gets much older.

It’s already been a strange year for coaches:

Dan Reeves, New York Giants (0-3). This is the first time in 30 NFL seasons - as player, assistant, coach - he’s started with three straight losses. He may be to blame for one (Kansas City), but injuries and questionable personnel moves have also hurt. He won six straight last year after losing seven straight and his track record is impeccable.

No danger.

Jim Mora, New Orleans (0-3). He’s the only coach to have a winning season in New Orleans, the only coach to take the Saints to the playoffs. But he spoiled the fans and he’s never won a playoff game. So he could go after the season, only to be snapped up quickly elsewhere.

Marty Schottenheimer, Kansas City (3-0). He’s only made it to the playoffs in nine of his 10 full seasons as coach. But, like Mora, he’s never advanced far and entered the season feuding with president Carl Peterson.

So far, he’s more likely to be coach of the year than to be fired - even Peterson was saying nice things about him after the overtime win over the Oakland Raiders.

Buddy Ryan, Arizona (1-2). If Barry Sanders, who had held on to the ball 803 straight times, hadn’t fumbled twice in Detroit, Ryan could have been 0-3. The consensus around the NFL is that the Cardinals would have been better off keeping Joe Bugel, now an assistant with the Raiders. But Ryan is in the second year of a five-year deal and owner Bill Bidwill would have to spend a lot of money to fire him.

Sam Wyche, Tampa Bay (1-2). His problem is going with a secondyear QB, Trent Dilfer. On Sunday, he couldn’t read the complex Chicago defense, threw four interceptions and was only 11 of 27 for 149 yards.

No way to treat a coach, particularly before the first home sellout in nearly a decade.

Rich Brooks, Rams (3-0). OK, so it was only Carolina they beat on Sunday, but here’s the most telling stat of all: 12 takeaways, no turnovers in three games. Brooks is already one win away from last year’s win total under Chuck Knox - rookie coach of the year, if not more.

Ray Rhodes, Eagles (1-2). Interesting tirade after Sunday’s loss to the Chargers. “I don’t want to hear their critiques of our play-calling,” after it was suggested to him that some players thought the calls were too conservative. “This is not the past. We do what we have to do.”

Rhodes may be runner-up to Brooks for rookie coach of the year. He inherited less than average personnel and may have to tear down before he builds up, but he will … if owner Jeff Lurie, the consummate fan, lets him.

Unsung rookies

Terrell Davis, Denver running back, the 196th player taken in the draft, rushed for 68 yards and two touchdowns, caught seven passes for 61 yards and a TD, and generally looked like the all-purpose back the Broncos have lacked for years.

OK, so John Elway pulled out the 35th game of his career, a 38-31 win over Washington, with a 43-yard TD pass to Rod Smith. He might not have been in position had it not been for DavisBut Davis is used to that. He was overshadowed at Georgia by Eric Zeier.

Wayne Chrebet, wide receiver, New York Jets. A free agent from Hofstra, where the Jets practice, was 12th of 12 receivers on the team’s depth chart.

He had his first TD catch a week ago, but was blamed for a drop (a difficult catch) in OT that may have cost the Jets the game. On Sunday, he came right back with seven catches and another TD as the Jets beat Jacksonville.