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Dan Quinn’s Odds to Be First Coach Fired Improve Significantly After Week 2 Loss, Only Trailing Gase Now

David Golokhov

by David Golokhov in NFL Football

Updated Sep 21, 2020 · 11:16 AM PDT

Dan Quinn at a press conference
Is Dan Quinn set to be the first head coach fired? Photo by Atlanta Falcons (Wikimedia).
  • Dan Quinn’s odds to be the first NFL coach fired this season shortened after his Atlanta Falcons blew a 20-point lead in Week 2
  • Quinn was at +600 last week but is now down to +200
  • Is Quinn a good bet to get the first pink slip?

The Atlanta Falcons were one of the main storylines of Week 2 as blew a 20-point lead, losing 40-39 to the Dallas Cowboys. As a result, his odds to be the first head coach fired in 2020 got dramatically shorter. Taking a look at this prop, is Quinn a good bet or is there value elsewhere?

Odds on First NFL Coach to Permanently Leave Position

Coach (Team) Odds
Adam Gase (Jets) +150
Dan Quinn (Falcons) +200
Matt Patricia (Lions) +600
Doug Marrone (Jaguars) +700
Mike Zimmer (Vikings) +700
Anthony Lynn (Chargers) +900
Bill O’Brien (Texans) +900
Vic Fangio (Broncos) +1400
Kevin Stefanski (Browns) +2500
Matt Nagy (Bears) +2500
Frank Reich (Colts) +3300

Odds as of Sept. 21st.

Quinn Moves Up the Board

Taking a look back to last week, Quinn was already among the favorites to be the first head coach canned. However, his odds have shortened significantly. Last week, he was at +600 and Adam Gase – the favorite – was at +325. In the updated odds, Gase is at +150 and Quinn is at +200.

Clearly, the oddsmakers now believe this to be a two-horse race – at least, for the time being – as the other 30 coaches are at +600 or longer.

Will Quinn Get Canned Soon?

There’s no question that the Falcons should be embarrassed with blowing a 20-point lead on Sunday. They had many opportunities to put the game away. However, not all is lost for the Falcons. They are 0-2 with losses to Dallas and Seattle – the two teams now favored to win their divisions.

Beyond that, the Falcons are showing that their offense is still potent, at least through the air. Matt Ryan and the passing game are one of the best in the NFL (second in total yards). Quinn just needs to sort out the defense and running game, which are ranked 31st and 27th, respectively.

The Falcons are in a must-win situation at home against  the Chicago Bears next week. If they can win that, they should be able to get some momentum going. They have other winnable games coming up with Carolina (twice), Minnesota, and Detroit on tap. The leash is short on Quinn but not as short as some others.

Gase Is a Goner

It’s hard to look at this list and expect anyone else to get fired before Gase.  His Jets have looked absolutely lifeless in their first two games, losing by an average of 14 points. Young quarterback Sam Darnold has shown no signs of development and the offense, as a whole, can barely move the football.

The Jets have scored just 30 points this season, which is the second-fewest in the NFL. They’ve even been outscored by Las Vegas and New Orleans – two teams that have played just one game. Gase was hired because of his offensive acumen and he’s had time to shape this unit. Yet it remains a complete disaster.

The issue for Gase is that there’s no clear indication that things will get better. He alienated a lot of quality players – like star safety Jamal Adams (now with Seattle) and guard Kelechi Osemele (now with Kansas City) – and this team is now bereft of talent. Look no further than the receiving corps, which had Chris Hogan, Braxton Berrios and Josh Malone as its top targets this past week.

Worse yet, it looks like the Jets have already quit on him. That’s beautifully highlighted by a 55-yard run that the Jets gave up on a third-and-31. Given the off-field issues with stars, the terrible on-field results, and the lack of wins, it’s hard to see anyone other than Gase getting canned first.

Pick: Gase (+150)

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