Lions coach Caldwell in trouble?

What is the point of no return for Jim Caldwell as Detroit Lions’ head coach?

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20161011/pat-caputo-what-is-the-point-of-no-return-for-jim-caldwell-as-detroit-lions-head-coach

The oddity of Jim Caldwell is the drastic differences between Year 1 of his tenure and Year 2.

Caldwell did a superb job of getting the Lions turned around after the meltdown of the Jim Schwartz regime. Eleven wins was unexpected. The Lions played tough, hard-nosed football. They were more disciplined. For the only time in recent memory, the Lions featured a stellar defense.

At the beginning of last season the Lions turned in a diametrically different direction. They were poorly prepared. It reflected on Caldwell.

This year? It’s difficult to tell.

The glass half-full suggests the Lions saved their playoff aspirations with a thrilling 24-23 victory over the previously unbeaten Philadelphia Eagles Sunday. The glass half-empty is the Lions are only two narrow wins – by a combined total of five points – from being 0-5.

The evaluation of Caldwell seemed cut and dried after the Lions dropped back-to-back games to Tennessee and Chicago. It was just a matter of time before he was out.

It was prior to the Lions showing genuine promise vs. the Eagles. Injury-depleted, the Lions had an excellent game plan. They didn’t shoot themselves in the foot with a rash of turnovers and penalties. They were poised under pressure.

If the Lions can beat the Eagles at home, they certainly can do the same vs. Los Angeles and Washington the next two weeks.

At 4-3, the Lions would definitely be playoff contenders heading to Houston for the halfway mark of the season.

I’m among those who questioned general manager Bob Quinn retaining Caldwell. The well was poisoned by leaks to national insiders about owner Martha Ford’s affection for Caldwell, and her stating she “loves’’ Jim Caldwell, even when declining comment on the subject. It was almost too soon Quinn rubber-stamped Caldwell’s return.

It seemed like the ideal point for the Lions to completely start anew, especially considering Caldwell’s growing terse public persona.

The head coach is the voice of the franchise. You don’t hear from the GM or owner on even a semi-regular basis. Caldwell morphed from being a well-liked fatherly figure (Year 1) to the “Hey, get off my lawn’’ guy (Year 2).

This isn’t about about Caldwell as a person (he is by all accounts a genuinely good and dignified man) but about the difference between winning and losing.

I laugh whenever I hear Bill Belichick and Nick Saban are curt and evasive. They can get away with it because they win at unprecedented rates.

This year might as well have been last year after four games, but the difference is the Lions pulled out of the tailspin vs. Philly.

It’s difficult to distinguish what the cut off point will be for Caldwell. It can’t be the playoffs considering the Lions lack of overall talent and depth.

I see it as two things: Effort and fundamentals.

There is nothing more dispiriting than a football team that quits on its coach. The Lions played extremely hard Sunday with the season essentially on the line (they didn’t until it was too late in 2015). They also need to toe the fine line between the necessary aggression involved with the NFL with avoiding penalties and turnovers.

The Lions haven’t quit on Caldwell. That was apparent in the win over the Eagles. They also toed the fine line.

If that continues, Jim Caldwell’s chances for survival might be better than many, myself included, believed just last week.