Steve Brownlee

As a neutral observer to this topic as a fan of the Detroit Lions, I wanted to go back to something I touched on just about two months ago in this column — NFL teams with itchy trigger fingers when it comes to firing head coaches.

Actually, it’s become an epidemic all over team sports, including the NBA, NHL, and college football and basketball.

In mid-November, I thanked those team owners and college presidents who have knee-jerk reactions for giving my Detroit Pistons and Red Wings a chance to hire some quality coaches who didn’t happen to go 82-0 in the regular season and sweep every team on the way to winning the Stanley Cup or the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy.

That second one is for the NBA champion; not quite as venerated as the Stanley Cup, eh?

So what got me thinking about this topic again was an Associated Press story comparing the plights of the Green Bay Packers and Buffalo Bills.

Both have quite talented rosters but seem to underperform when it comes to the NFL postseason.

They took divergent paths once their seasons were over — while the Packers held onto head coach Matt LaFleur, the Bills canned their head man Sean McDermott in what owner Terry Pegula said he decided in the locker room right after Sunday’s loss at Denver.

Now, with the exception of the publicly owned Packers, all these owners of pro teams paid a lot of money to own these franchises, so I guess they can play with their toys however they want — including breaking those toys in so, so many cases.

If these emperors without clothes want to go frolicking around in their front yards, well, so be it. But don’t be surprised if I tell you how ugly you look doing it.

Both of these NFL teams I’m sure looked at what the possibilities would be if they kept their coach or if they decided to change him. Well, they did, didn’t they?

LaFleur and McDermott have been at their places for more than a few years now and built up their organizations.

Yanking either one out of there automatically sets them back awhile, maybe a whole season, maybe even more, just getting accustomed to a new regime.

Exactly who was either team going to find who was better, or even as good, as who they had?

Ex-Ravens coach John Harbaugh? He was hired by the Giants earlier this week.

Ex-Pittsburgh head man Mike Tomlin? He’s still under contract to the Steelers if he chose to coach next season.

Jim Schwartz? The coordinator of the wildly successful Cleveland Browns defense won almost — not quite — 40% of his games when he was head coach of the Lions from 2009-13.

Matt LaFleur? Oh, wait, the Packers kept him, he’s not available to Buffalo.

It sure seems like the Packers made the better decision, even if you might be grumbling about it as a Packer fan.

Now onto the playoffs, getting ready for the conference championships both to be played Sunday. The games are listed chronologically with records that include playoff wins:

• AFC No. 2 New England (16-3) at No. 1 Denver (15-3), 3 p.m. Sunday, TV: CBS — Oooh boy, what a time to have to replace your starting quarterback.

That’s the plight of the top-seeded Broncos after Bo Nix broke his ankle on the third-to-last play of Sunday’s overtime win over Buffalo.

Before that happened, I was all set to pick Denver, figuring that with the help of the mile-high altitude, head coach Sean Payton could run circles around a young Drake Maye quarterbacking the Pats.

Now what?

One online story said an unnamed NFL exec thinks the Broncos are better with backup QB Jarrett Stidham, actually a former New England QB.

Yeah, if he was that good, he might’ve won the signal caller’s job during the death throes of Bill Belichick’s tenure with the Pats. But he didn’t, at least not for any real length of time.

And the fact that Stidham hasn’t thrown a non-preseason pass since 2023 makes me take the Patriots, 24-17.

• NFC No. 5 Los Angeles Rams (14-5) at No. 1 Seattle (15-3), 6:30 p.m. Sunday, TV: Fox — Another game that is anything but clear cut.

The Seahawks have the best record and are playing at home with what is considered by some — maybe, many — as the No. 1 defense in the NFL.

The problem? QB Sam Darnold, especially when you stand him alongside Rams QB Matthew Stafford, a definite NFL MVP candidate.

Darnold shrunk from the limelight after he came up way short playing for the Vikings last year vs. the Lions at the end of last season with the No. 1 seed in the NFC on the line. And also in Minnesota’s only playoff game that season.

Since then, he’s played pretty good but also had a few crummy games, seemingly when he faces more than average pressure in the pocket.

Stafford leads the league’s No. 1 scoring offense vs. the Seahawks’ No. 1 scoring defense. Sounds like a push to me.

And the Rams apparently have been able to disrupt Darnold in their two matchups this season.

So even with the struggles of L.A.’s special teams, I’ll take the Rams, 28-26.

Last week — 3-1, 75 percent. Playoffs — 7-3, 70 percent.

Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.