Jim Schwartz Addresses Whether He Is On The Hot Seat
By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak
DETROIT (CBS DETROIT) - The Detroit Lions need three wins to clinch an injury-ravaged NFC North Division. With a talented roster that includes superstar wide receiver Calvin Johnson, havoc-wreaking defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, dual-threat running back Reggie Bush and others, the Lions should make the playoffs easily.
If they do not, head coach Jim Schwartz could be looking for a new job for next season.
Schwartz did not concur or disagree with that idea when he talked with Karsch and Anderson of 97.1 The Ticket.
"We've got three games to play. We're in first place in our division," Schwartz said, laughing a bit. "We don't have time to worry about anything other than that. We have the Ravens coming to town on Monday.
"I know there's a lot of talk with different things around the NFL," Schwartz continued. "That's all just stuff that just comes around. You don't let that affect your preparation. Like I said, good gracious, we're in first place in our division, we have three games to play. We can't worry about what happened. We need to concentrate on these games. We need to come out with wins, and we have the talent and we have the ability to do it."
That talent and ability is what makes the slide of the last month - blowing fourth-quarter leads and losing three of their last four - seem totally unacceptable.
Despite a disappointing stretch, though, the Lions still have opportunities remaining, and they need to take advantage of each one. It starts Monday against the defending Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens.
Baltimore is 1-5 on the road, but the Ravens have won three of their last four, with the only loss coming in overtime.
The following week, Detroit hosts the New York Giants. The Giants began the season on a six-game losing skid but rebounded to win five of their next six. They most recently got thumped 37-14 by the San Diego Chargers.
For the final game of the regular season, the Lions travel to face the NFC North rival Minnesota Vikings, whom Detroit defeated in the season opener at Ford Field back on Sept. 8.
Whether Schwartz acknowledges it or not, how those games turn out will probably determine whether he still has a job at the end of the year.
