Detroit Lions Looking to let go head coach Jim Schwartz

Detroit Lions ownership is “on the fence” about Jim Schwartz’s job status, but it is “leaning towards keeping him,” league sources told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter .

Some members of the Lions coaching staff expect to be fired in the coming days, a league source told ESPN’s Adam Caplan. The source said some of the coaches felt the players have not performed with a sense of urgency since the team's last win on Thanksgiving against the visiting Green Bay Packers.

The Lions have not come close to meeting expectations this season. The team was eliminated from playoff contention after losing in overtime to the visiting New York Giants last Sunday.

After Schwartz guided the Lions to a playoff berth in 2011 for the first time since the 1999 season, the Lions have won only 11 out of their last 31 games over the last two seasons. And Schwartz's coaching record through nearly five seasons with the team is a disappointing 29-50.

Veteran running back Reggie Bush made it clear that something has been missing this season.

“I just think that maybe our chemistry as a team definitely struggled and lacked a little bit — and obviously the turnovers and big plays, making more plays when needed," Bush said this week, according to the Detroit Free Press.

If the Lions decide to fire Schwartz it will come at a cost. Schwartz signed a contract extension last year through 2015. It's valued at more than $6 million per season, according to Schefter.

The Lions, who have lost three games in a row, play their season finale on the road against the division rival Minnesota Vikings later today.

Cleveland Browns Coach Rob Chudzinski is on the Hot Seat

Even though the Cleveland Browns have won only four games this season -- and lost six straight -- first-year coach Rob Chudzinski has never appeared on my weekly look at coaching hot seats. That's primarily because teams rarely consider firing a coach that soon after hiring him. However, it appears that Chud's job may well be in jeopardy.

"There are some bad vibes indicating uncertainty about the future of #Browns HC Rob Chudzinski. Incredible," tweeted ESPNCleveland.com's Tony Grossi.

Time will tell whether those "bad vibes" amount to a firing in the end, but it would be a shocker. Despite the shoddy record this season, Chudzinski has kept his team focused and playing hard, even though they have had no quarterback or running back to speak of. He also can take some credit for the maturation of WR Josh Gordon and TE Jordan Cameron.

The Browns close out their 2013 campaign with a road tilt against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.

UFC 168 Picks - Rousey huge fave in rematch for women's title UFC Odds

The co-main event for UFC 168 is going to be a rematch for the womens bantamweight title between the challenger Miesha Tate and the defending champion Ronda Rousey.

Tate is a large underdog in this matchup at +600, while Rousey is a huge favorite at -900.

Tate (13-4 MMA, 0-1 UFC) made her Octagon debut against Cat Zingano at the Ultimate Fighter 17 finale eight months ago. She got the better of Zingano in the first two rounds of action, convincingly winning each frame with her wrestling. She ran out of gas, however, in the third round, and Zingano got the better of her, landing some brutal strikes, especially with her knees. After a number of unanswered strikes, referee Kim Winslow stepped in to stop the fight, simultaneously as Tate was attempting a takedown.

Zingago won the job of coaching against Ronda Rousey on the following season of The Ultimate Fighter with Rousey’s title on the line. Unfortunately, Zingano suffered a knee injury and backed out of the coaching gig. Conveniently, she was replaced by Tate, who many believe the UFC were hoping would win the fight. Tate coached opposite Rousey on the reality series, and had quite a successful run. Both of her fighters went on to win the tournament; Julianna Pena for the women, and Chris Holdsworth for the men.

“Cupcake” has poor striking skills, but she has been working on it. She is a talented wrestler who works solid takedowns, as her former nickname would suggest. Tate owns two ‘female fighter of the year’ awards, and two ‘submission of the year’ awards. She is a talented submission artist who has won six of her 13 professional mixed martial arts bouts by way of tapout. Her conditioning is not very good, as was evident in her last outing against Zingano. If she did not run out of gas, she would have very likely secured a unanimous 30-27 decision.

Rousey (7-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) survived a first round standing rear naked choke by Liz Carmouche at UFC 157 over 10 months ago, and then came back to defeat her with her infamous armbar with only 11 seconds remaining in the very same round. The victory marked her first in the Octagon, and seventh in a row in the sport; all seven coming by way of armbar submission within the very first frame of action.

Five of her stoppage victories have occurred in under one minute. Rousey is an Olympic bronze medalist judoka who is an extraordinary grappler. She works beautiful takedowns, and her submission game is excellent. She is raw in the stand-up department, but has been working her striking with coach Edvard Tarverdyan, and has been making improvements in that department.

Though she has never been out of the first round, Rousey takes her training and cardio very seriously, so I expect her to have the advantage in the conditioning department against Tate, as she heads into this championship rematch. “Rowdy” is an incredible tough fighter who is full of heart and has no quit in her. UFC Picks She will be after Tate from the opening bell, looking to hurt her, and finish her.

Knicks Looking to Get Rajon Rondo From Celtics?

This idea has been tossed around in various forms for a while now, it's not shocking. But the way the Knicks are hoping to get Rondo is a little unusual. It's not in free agency in 2015 but later this season or next summer when he comes back from a torn ACL. The Knicks are hoping Rondo will be interested in making a maneuver similar to what Carmelo Anthony did back in 2011 and eventually try to force a trade to the Knicks, sources said."

 

While the Knicks may want Rondo, they simply don't have the assets to even come close to tempting the Celtics unless they are shipping out Anthony or Tyson Chandler. Rondo might become a Knick at some point, however that likely won't occur until he hits the free agent market in 2015.

 

"They're one confident bunch," a league executive said. "To listen to them, they expect to have Carmelo re-signed and have another star with him in another year. They're so sure about it you'd think they already know what will happen."

 

The Knicks will once again be way over the cap next season, however they should be well below once we get to July 1, 2015.

 

Rondo's name has been in the rumor mill since last season and he will probably stay there until he is either traded or signs his next contract.

Will Lakers Bryant shut it down for the year?

Bryant is expected to return from the fractured knee in about five weeks, so there will be plenty of games remaining in the season for him to show all doubters that he can stay healthy moving forward. Bryant will likely be able to play at his natural position when he does return as the Lakers may have all their point guards back in the lineup.

Bryant is averaging 13.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 6.3 assists through the six games that he played before the knee injury.

NFL Coaches on the Hot Seat after 2013 season?

6. Rex Ryan, New York Jets: Most seem to agree that Ryan has done about all he could do with the roster he was given this season, but he seems to think the writing is on the wall regarding his tenuous future with the team. In the end, it may just be time for Ryan and the Jets to make a change. If Ryan is dumped, he should be highly coveted as a defensive coordinator, if he doesn't draw any bids as a head coach elsewhere.

 

7. Mike Munchak, Tennessee Titans: We noted this morning that Munchak's people reportedly have reached out to Penn St. regarding their head coach job, in case Bill O'Brien leaves for an NFL gig. So, he's at least aware that things could change with the Titans. It sounds like Munchak could be the top candidate to replace O'Brien, if he exits State College.

 

8. Greg Schiano, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Schiano also was mentioned in that PSU report, though it sounds like he wouldn't be near the top of their wish list. Here is how ESPN Bucs reporter Pat Yasinskas summed up Schiano's job security on Tuesday morning: "Essentially, Schiano’s fate is in the hands of Bryan, Joel and Ed Glazer. The three brothers are the team’s chairmen. They’re very private and sometimes unpredictable. If they’re going to part ways with Schiano, it likely would come soon after Sunday’s season finale at New Orleans."

 

9. Tom Coughlin, New York Giants: Coughlin has had a habit in the past of going from hot seat to Super Bowl champion, but that's not how this season went down. It seems unlikely that the Giants will fire Coughlin, despite their 6-9 record. On the other hand, it wouldn't be that surprising if Coughlin and the Giants' front office simply agree that it's time to move on after a decade and two Super Bowl championships.

What about Trading Zach Randolph This Year from Memphis?

The Grizzlies are probably shopping Randolph however his contract is not desirable as he is making $18.23 million this season and owns a $16.93 million player option for 2014-15. At this time Memphis can only get back bad deals for similar money, which doesn't do them any good. They would likely swap Randolph for Pau Gasol, however that deal does not appeal to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Randolph is averaging close to a double-double (16.6 points and 9.9 rebounds) through 25 games, however he still has shortcomings on defense and the high salary is a problem for most teams. Randolph will probably remain with the Grizzlies this season as all 12 clubs ahead of them in the West are already set at power forward or have no desire to add him. As far as the East? Well, the race is really just down to Miami and Indiana and they don't want Randolph as well.

NFL Recap Week 16 - San Fran Beat Atlanta on Monday Night Football

Atlanta was unable to slow down Michael Crabtree, who produced 102 receiving yards as the 49ers defeated the Falcons 34-24 on Monday.

San Francisco won on the scoreboard, but lost at the pay window as they failed to cover the 14-point spread. The game went OVER the consensus closing total of 46.5.

Colin Kaepernick completed 13 of 21 pass attempts for 197 yards and 1 TD for the 49ers in the win. He did not throw an interception in the game.

Steven Jackson rushed for 53 yards for Atlanta, while Jacquizz Rodgers added 10 yards. Matt Ryan threw for 348 yards for the Falcons, while receivers Roddy White and Drew Davis had 141 and 70 yards respectively.

San Francisco was outgained by Atlanta 402-379 yards in Monday's match, while the important battle of first downs was won 25-20 by the Falcons.

San Francisco lost the time of possession battle 30:28/29:32, leaving their defense on the field more than they wanted.

San Francisco looks to continue their winning ways next game with a battle against the Cardinals. The Falcons will aim to get back on the winning track vs Carolina.

What Coach is going to replace Leslie Frazier in Minnesota?

Vikings ownership has told others around the league that it is planning to make a head coaching change after this season, multiple sources tell ESPN's Adam Schefter, though one team source said nothing has been decided yet. Vikings ownership has told others that it believes it presides over an attractive opportunity, one that will have another premium draft pick, along with the promise of a new stadium coming.

 

"I will not accept a college coach. Jay Gruden I could accept. Dan Quinn, Brian Billick"

The Vikings have already been doing due diligence on potential replacements for Leslie Frazier, and their wish list is said to include Vanderbilt head coach James Franklin and Penn State head coach Bill O'Brien, among others.

Even if a final decision hasn't been made, it's clear that the Vikings will have to finish the 2013 campaign strongly if there is any chance that Frazier will be back with the team in 2014.

Michael Vick What team will he play for in 2014?

Where will Vick play football and in what role next season? Vick will be an unrestricted free agent, so any team can sign him, but he remains open to sticking with the Eagles as a backup.

 

"Michael Vick could be a stop-gap starter for 2 or 3 teams. Open to returning to #Eagles as backup because he loves Philly, close with Foles," tweeted NFL.com's Ian Rapoport.

 

A high-ranking Eagles source told NFL Media columnist Michael Silver that the organization is impressed with how Vick has adapted to his role as a reserve, so perhaps they would be willing to bring him back.

 

The Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans, Minnesota Vikings, Oakland Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars all could be in play for Vick, as a short-term starter, while they develop a rookie into the long-term solution at quarterback. The Texans, Vikes and Raiders probably would be the most logical landing spots for Vick in such a role.

Where will Houston's Schaub Land after this season is over?

Houston Texans QB Matt Schaub has had a terrible year one of the worst QB in the league. He was benched in Week 6 and he has been donw almost every statistical category. The Texans' are on a 11 game losing streak and Schaub hasn't helped the team achieve any measure of success during the time he played this year. With Case Keenum out against the Broncos this Sunday, Schaub will return to the starting lineup for the first time since the Week 14 loss to Jacksonville and only the third time since Week 6.

 

Should Schaub have surprisingly strong performances against the Broncos and Titans, he may be able to slightly re-legitimize himself within the organization and the fanbase. Still, it's pretty clear Houston will be moving on from Schaub as a starter and will likely draft a QB high in 2014 with what could be the No. 1 overall pick.

Schaub signed a hefty four-year, $62 million contract in 2012 but could be cut by the Texans after this year, though they'd take a meaningful cap hit. If so, he'd likely find a backup role somewhere, possibly in a situation with a seasoned starter. If the Texans did keep him on, he wouldn't be a bad backup to Lousiville QB Teddy Bridgewater, for instance. The team will surely be happy to turn the corner and start afresh at QB but Schaub isn't necessarily a poor option to have in the reserve corps.

NFL Week 16 Is Larry Fitzgerald going to play against Seattle?

The Arizona Cardinals already have a tough matchup ahead of them in Week 16, as they head to Washington to face the Seattle Seahawks and their dreaded 12th man. It will be a lot tougher if they don't have Larry Fitzgerald available. He sustained a concussion during Sunday's game, though it sounds like he is progressing well in his recovery thus far.

 

“Today I went in and saw an independent neurologist,” Fitzgerald told Jim Gray of Westwood One Monday evening. “He put me through a screening test, a baseline test, that I took in the spring time. They wanted to see if my scores were on the same level as my scores when I was fully functioning in the offseason. Those tests came back positive. I was right where I needed to be. Tomorrow I will see another neurologist to get another independent look.”

 

“At that point it’s just about how I feel going through the week. But right now I’m feeling good.”

 

Obviously, Fitz won't play against the Seahawks unless he goes all the way through the NFL's concussion protocol this week, but things sound promising for him thus far. If he is cleared by doctors, Fitzgerald will be a shaky fantasy play against Richard Sherman and the stout Seahawks D.

Knicks Amar'e Stoudemire out for While

On Tuesday New York Knicks head coach Mike Woodson said Amar'e Stoudemire could be out for a while due to his balky knees and that didn't go over well with the center/power forward, according to ESPN NY.

The team has been very careful with Stoudemire since he had three surgeries to his knees over 12 months, which is why he has been on a game and minutes restrictions. Stoudemire took to twitter and claimed he is only out for Wednesday's game to rest the knee.

The Knicks have been a complete train wreck this season and the last thing they need is another rift with the head coach and a player. Woodson will probably have to clarify Stoudemire's status when he meets with the press during Wednesday's shootaround.

Lakers shopping Pau Gasol?

From Ramona Shelburne and Marc Stein: "The Lakers have yet to engage in any Gasol-related trade discussions with other teams, sources told ESPN.com. But Gasol's recent comments about his frustrations with his role in the Lakers' offense, his impending free agency, and his struggles offensively and particularly defensively have essentially forced the team to consider its options."

According to Shelburne and Stein, D'Antoni called all the players together on Friday and told them to come to him if they have issues with their role on the team.

One trade that works is Gasol going to Memphis, to play with his brother, with Zach Randolph coming back to LA, however the Lakers would decline that deal since Randolph will be signed through 2014-15 after he picks up his $16.9 million option. Teams like the Knicks and Bulls could also call, but they likely can not put together a package that would be acceptable to the Lakers.