Week 6 Coaches on the hot seat

Five weeks into this NFL season, the Detroit Lions have as many losses as they did all of last year, their first under head coach Jim Caldwell. Just nine months ago, the Lions were in the playoffs, facing Dallas in the Wild Card round; now, they are the last team in the league without a win.

Detroit did part ways with Ndamukong Suh, with Suh signing a huge contract with Miami, but still have key players on defense who started that playoff game against the Cowboys in place. Despite that, after finishing third in the NFL in overall defense last year, the Lions are 22nd in total defense as they head into this week’s game in Chicago. The offense is ranked 30th overall, including dead last in rushing yards per game.

Even worse, however: the Lions may be quitting on Caldwell. They were down 28-7 at halftime and 35-7 after three quarters to the Cardinals last week, and Arizona players told ProFootballTalk this week that Lions players quit when the Ford Field crowd began booing.

“They definitely did,” safety Tony Jefferson said. “I think they lost it once their fans started booing them. It was kind of weird. They started cheering when they sat Matthew Stafford. . . . I don’t think fans understand how important they are to us. They’re very important, they play a big role especially in the fourth quarter. . . . Sometimes I don’t think the fans understand how important they are.”

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Receiver Golden Tate, who criticized fans for booing, insisted Caldwell hasn’t lost the locker room.

ON THE HOT SEAT

Jim Caldwell, Detroit: Detroit’s next three games are against the Bears, Vikings and Chiefs, who have a total of five wins, so perhaps Caldwell can start to right the ship before Detroit has its bye in Week 9.

Jay Gruden, Washington: Gruden’s choice for starting quarterback, Kirk Cousins, literally threw the game away last week, throwing a pick-6 in overtime that gave the Falcons the win and kept Atlanta undefeated. Cousins has thrown one touchdown in each of Washington’s first five games, but had multiple interceptions in three of the five. Washington is 0-3 in those games.

SEAT’S GETTING WARMER

Andy Reid, Kansas City: The Chiefs have lost four straight games after a season-opening win in Houston, and lost stellar running back Jamaal Charles to a torn ACL last week. Against the Bears last week, Kansas City’s defense let Jay Cutler – Jay Cutler! – lead his team to two fourth-quarter touchdowns and a come-from-behind win.

Jeff Fisher, St. Louis: Yes, the Rams lost to Green Bay last week, not an embarassing team to lose to, and they lost at Lambeau Stadium, one of the toughest places to play in the NFL. But Fisher’s team got not one, but two interceptions off Aaron Rodgers in that game, the first two picks Rodgers had thrown at Lambeau since 2012 and the first two interceptions he’d had this season. The Rams couldn’t capitalize because Nick Foles had a horrible game, completing less than 40 percent of his passes and throwing four interceptions.