Despite still being in contention to win the NFC North, Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz is on the hot seat - partly because Detroit is perceived as an "undisciplined" team. Several Lions players, however, defended their coach and made it clear they want him to return in 2014.
Detroit's 18-16 loss on Monday to Baltimore increased the questions about Schwartz's job security. Schwartz's leadership has also been called into question because of what a growing number consider to be an unwieldy team, according to the Detroit Free Press.
"The Lions are still viewed as an undisciplined team," ESPN's Chris Mortensen said, via The Free Press. "Last year it was a little bit more thuggery, now it's just a little bit more sloppy, and I'm not sure that the ownership is ready to go forward with that."
David Jones of PennLive.com wrote: "The problem is lack of control and discipline and a talented young quarterback in need of guidance and some reining in - Matthew Stafford."
Even Las Vegas doesn't think Schwartz will return next season. Bovada.lv released a prop bet earlier this week that indicates not many believe Schwartz is likely to come back.
"Schwartz is plus-200 to be the Lions' coach next year, meaning a $100 wager would win $200 if he is," Dave Birkett of The Free Press wrote on Thursday. "He is minus-300 to be working somewhere else (meaning a $300 wager would earn $100)."
Although Schwartz has received the criticism for the Lions' miscues on the field, receiver Nate Burleson defended his coach and insisted the players are to blame.
"Those are physical errors on guys with the jerseys on. So I'm not going to sit there and say coaching needs to be better or Jim needs to do a better job," Burleson said on Wednesday, via ESPN. "It's plain and simple. It's plays we need to make as a team, and we haven't made those plays. So if people are going to find someone to blame, and if they want to blame somebody, blame me, blame us. I'm good with that."
Reggie Bush agreed.
"It's not a coaches' thing. It's a players' thing. We can do a better job all across the board," Bush said. "As far as an offense standpoint, turn the ball over and that's the discipline issue, and that's something we have to correct, because obviously, as you see, it'll lose you games."
Ndamukong Suh doesn't want to see his coach leave, either.
"Obviously, I don't want that coach to go anywhere," Suh told MLive.com on Thursday. "I love his scheme, love the way things go."
