1 in 4 NFL Teams Need a New Head Coach + Insights and Players to Watch in Tonight’s CFP Semifinal

We also look at Stephen Curry’s increased productivity each month this season

In today’s newsletter…

1. Leading Off: 25% of NFL teams are looking for a new head coach

2. Game of the Day: Indiana looks to keep perfect season alive in CFP semifinal

3. Scouting Report: Curry is increasing scoring each month for Warriors

4. By the Numbers: Suns are NBA-best 13-4 ATS at home

5. Overtime: Ranking every NFL team’s quarterback this season

1. Leading Off

A full quarter of teams are looking for a new head coach after the Dolphins made Mike McDaniel the eighth coaching casualty in the NFL. They ranged from the Raiders letting go Pete Carroll after just one year to the Ravens dismissing John Harbaugh after 18 seasons.

Not including the outlier in Harbaugh, the remaining seven coaches averaged just over three seasons with their teams. With players earning longer and larger contracts, NFL franchises are clearly getting less patient with the guys they put in charge. There are now 18 teams, or over 56% of the league, that will have a head coach in their first, second or third year when next season begins (unless more coaches get fired before then).

Only seven coaches that were hired before 2020 are still with the same team, and five of them are headed to the playoffs. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin is the only one in the group that hasn’t had a losing season and four have only had one losing campaign with their current team. 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan survived three losing seasons in his first four, but made it to the Super Bowl to save his job. He’s been over .500 and made the playoffs in four of his past five campaigns since. The seventh coach in that group is Cincinnati’s Zac Taylor, who has now missed the playoffs in three straight years but was 9-8 in two of those seasons.

Despite the lack of job security, very few people turn down an opportunity to be an NFL head coach. That’s why, according to a CBS Sports tracker, even this early in the process 24 coaches are scheduled to interview for the eight current openings — and most of them are talking to multiple teams.

— Abe Rakov

2. Game of the Day

Indiana Hopes to Continue Perfect Season While Oregon is Looking for Revenge in CFP Semifinal

Indiana beat Oregon in Eugene 30-20 in October, officially proving that last season’s College Football Playoff appearance wasn’t a fluke. The Hoosiers continued their undefeated run, eventually beating then-No. 1 Ohio State in the Big Ten championship and No. 9 Alabama in the CFP quarterfinals. Oregon hasn’t lost a game since that defeat, beating then-No. 20 Iowa and No. 15 USC in the regular season before an easy win against James Madison in the first round of the CFP and a dominating 23-0 victory over No. 4 Texas Tech last week. Now they meet again in the Peach Bowl with the biggest of stakes: The winner will play for the National Championship on January 19th against Miami.

The 30 points Oregon gave up to Indiana was the worst defensive performance the Ducks had all season until they allowed James Madison a few meaningless touchdowns in the second half. Oregon gives up the 6th-fewest points per game (15.1) and scores the 11th-most (38.1). But Indiana has been better in both categories: 10.3 points against (2nd) and 41.6 points for (3rd). Indiana’s Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza has only thrown for over 225 yards in one of his past seven games but has been efficient with 10 touchdowns to one interception in his past four outings. Oregon’s signal caller Dante Moore has thrown for over 230 yards in each of his past five.

No. 5 Oregon (13-1) vs. No. 1 Indiana (14-0)
7:30pm on ESPN

The Odds

• Spread: ORE (+3.5, -105), IND (-3.5, -115)

  • 74% of the money and 72% of the bets are with IND

  • ATS | ORE: 9-5, IND: 9-5

• Moneyline: ORE +150, IND -178

• Total (48.5): Over -114, Under -106

  • ORE: 7-7, IND: 8-6

Head-to-Head

Players to Watch

• ORE QB Dante Moore | Pass Yards: 224.5 (234.3 - 234, 313, 286, 257, 306), Pass Attempts: 31.5 (26.6 - 33, 27, 29, 30, 30), Pass TD: 1.5 (2.0 - 0, 4, 1, 2, 2)

• ORE WR Malik Benson | Rec Yards: 43.5 (49.7 - 51, 119, 102, 67, 51), Receptions: 3.5 (2.9 - 5, 5, 5, 4, 2), Anytime TD: +220 (0.4 - 0, 2, 1, 0, 0)

• IND QB Fernando Mendoza | Pass Yards: 208.5 (226.6 - 192, 222, 117, 299, 218), Pass Attempts: 25.5 (23.7 - 16, 23, 15, 24, 30), Pass TD: 1.5 (2.6 - 3, 1, 2, 4, 1), Rush Yards: 23.5 (18.3 - 16, -3, 27, -24, 20)

• IND RB Kaelon Black | Rush Yards: 65.5 (64.1 - 99, 69, 67, 12, 32), Anytime TD: +130 (0.6 - 1, 0, 2, 0, 1)

*Player stats are shown as: Today’s total (Season average - last 5 games from most recent to oldest)

3. Scouting Report

Curry Has Increased Scoring Average in Each Month This Season, Up to 30.1 in December

• Warriors G Stephen Curry (vs. Kings)

  • Curry has increased his scoring average in each month this season, rising to 30.1 per game in December. He’s scored 31 in two of three games so far in January and is averaging six assists, well above his average. Curry has led the Warriors in scoring in 8 of 9 games. These teams haven’t faced off yet, but the Kings have struggled defensively all season and have lost six straight.

  • Points: 29.5 (28.8 - 31, 27, 31, 26, 27), Reb: 4.5 (4.0 - 6, 4, 2, 2, 2), Ast: 4.5 (4.5 - 7, 6, 5, 4, 5)

  • SAC - L6 (2-8 L10) | Points: 121.6 (27th), Reb: 46.4 (26th), Ast: 27.7 (25th)

• Suns G Devin Booker (vs. Knicks)

  • Booker scored only 13 against the Grizzlies on Wednesday, but that was in part because he wasn’t necessary in a blowout win. It was his lowest-scoring effort since December 1st. In the four previous games, Booker averaged 29 points, 3.5 points above his season average. Booker hasn’t faced New York yet, but dropped 40 and 33 in his two matchups last season.

  • Points: 26.5 (25.4 - 13, 27, 24, 33, 32), Reb: 4.5 (4.0 - 1, 0, 6, 2, 2), Ast: 6.5 (6.3 - 8, 3, 9, 5, 4)

  • NYK - W1 (5-5 L10) | Points: 115.0 (12th), Reb: 42.1 (6th), Ast: 25.5 (10th)

• Capitals LW Alex Ovechkin (at Blackhawks)

  • Washington leading scorer Tom Wilson has been out the past two games and is doubtful again tonight. Ovechkin has picked up the slack, scoring three goals in his absence. He didn’t register a point when these teams played on Saturday, but Ovechkin had two shots. Chicago has given up three or more goals in 11 of 13 games, averaging 3.92 goals against over that stretch.

  • Points: TBA (0.8 - 1, 2, 0, 0, 1), Anytime Goal: +135 (0.4 - 1, 2, 0, 0, 0), Assists: TBA (0.4 - 0, 0, 0, 0, 1), Shots: 2.5 (2.7 - 2, 4, 2, 4, 4)

  • CHI - W4 (5-4-1 L10) | Goals Against: 3.12 (17th), Shots Against: 29.7 (27th), Save Percentage: .898 (14th)

*Player stats are shown as: Today’s total (Season average - last 5 games from most recent to oldest)

4. By the Numbers

Suns Are Best in NBA at Home ATS (13-4), 76ers Are Top on Road (12-4)

NBA

• Raptors (23-15, 11-7 Away) vs. Celtics (23-13, 11-6 Home)

  • TOR (+8.5, -110), BOS (-8.5, -110): 60% of the money is with BOS but 59% of the bets are with TOR

    • ATS | TOR (road): 9-9, BOS (home): 9-8

  • Total (224.5) | TOR: 14-24 (114.0 ppg), BOS: 16-20 (117.6 ppg)

• 76ers (20-15, 10-6 Away) vs. Magic (21-17, 12-5 Home)

  • PHI (-3, -106), ORL (+3, -114): 80% of the money and 67% of the bets are with PHI

    • ATS | PHI (road): 12-4, ORL (home): 8-9

  • Total (227.5) | PHI: 18-17 (117.6 ppg), ORL: 19-19 (116.6 ppg)

• Thunder (31-7, 13-4 Away) vs. Grizzlies (16-21, 8-10 Home)

  • OKC (-4, -110), MEM (+4, -110): 77% of the money and 85% of the bets are with OKC

    • ATS | OKC (road): 8-9, MEM (home): 8-10

  • Total (229.5) | OKC: 18-20 (121.4 ppg), MEM: 14-23 (115.2 ppg)

• Knicks (24-13, 7-9 Away) vs. Suns (22-15, 12-5 Home)

  • NYK (-1.5, -110), PHX (+1.5, -110): 60% of the money and 67% of the bets are with NYK

    • ATS | NYK (road): 4-12, PHX (home): 13-4

  • Total (230.5) | NYK: 22-16 (119.7 ppg), PHX: 16-21(114.8 ppg)

• Kings (8-29, 3-16 Away) vs. Warriors (20-18, 12-5 Home)

  • SAC (+13.5, -110), GS (-13.5, -110): 54% of the money and 66% of the bets are with SAC

    • ATS | SAC (road): 7-12, GS (home): 9-8

  • Total (230.5) | SAC: 16-21 (109.9 ppg), GS: 21-17 (115.0 ppg)

• Rockets (22-12, 11-10 Away) vs. Trail Blazers (18-20, 9-9 Home)

  • HOU (-6.5, -108), POR (+6.5, -112): 51% of the money is with HOU but 54% of the bets are with POR

    • ATS | HOU (road): 12-9, POR (home): 11-7

  • Total (220.5) | HOU: 18-16 (118.9 ppg), POR: 20-18 (118.5 ppg)

• Bucks (16-21, 7-12 Away) vs. Lakers (23-12, 10-6 Home)

  • MIL (+2.5, -106), LAL (-2.5, -114): 79% of the money and 67% of the bets are with LAL

    • ATS | MIL (road): 9-10, LAL (home): 9-7

  • Total (232.5) | MIL: 16-21 (113.3 ppg), LAL: 21-14 (116.3 ppg)

NHL

• Capitals (22-16-6, 9-8-3 Away) vs. Blackhawks (18-18-7, 10-8-4 Home)

  • WAS (-1.5, +172), CHI (+1.5, -215): 85% of the money and 60% of the bets are with WAS

    • ATS | WAS (road): 13-7, CHI (home): 17-5

  • Moneyline | WAS -144, CHI +120: 66% of the money is with CHI but 60% of the bets are with WAS

  • Total (5.5) | WAS: 22-22 (3.25 gpg), CHI: 19-24 (2.86 gpg)

• Kings (18-14-10, 11-5-5 Away) vs. Jets (15-21-5, 8-8-3 Home)

  • LA (-1.5, +172), WIN (+1.5, -215): 87% of the money is with WIN but 56% of the bets are with LA

    • ATS | LA (road): 11-10, WIN (home): 11-8

  • Moneyline | LA -138, WIN +115: 56% of the money and 58% of the bets are with LA

  • Total (5.5) | LA: 19-23 (2.67 gpg), WIN: 23-18 (2.85 gpg)

• Blues (17-19-8, 7-10-3 Away) vs. Mammoth (21-20-3, 10-7-1 Home)

  • STL (+1.5, -176), UTA (-1.5, +142): 83% of the money is with STL but 73% of the bets are with UTA

    • ATS | STL (road): 12-8, UTA (home): 7-12

  • Moneyline | STL +146, UTA -176: 62% of the money and 67% of the bets are with UTA

  • Total (5.5) | STL: 22-22 (2.50 gpg), UTA: 25-18 (3.02 gpg)

5. Overtime

In the News

• NFL.com ranked how every team’s primary starting quarterback played this season. They put Patriots signal caller Drake Maye at No. 1, ahead of Rams quarterback and MVP favorite Matthew Stafford, who was second. In last was the Jets’ Justin Fields, who didn’t make a ton of mistakes but also couldn’t move the ball — he was 128-204 for 1,259 yards with seven touchdowns and one interception.

• College football’s transfer portal closes on January 16th, so players and teams are working quickly to find the right fits (and contracts). ESPN took at look at the top available players, whether or not they’ve found a new team yet. One player off the board: Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr., who reversed course and said he’s staying at the school after all. Williams Jr. signed a new contract with Washington, then entered the portal anyway, then lost his agent, and now is returning and “fully committed and focused on contributing to what we are building.”

• The hockey arena for the upcoming Winter Olympics is causing stress for NHL executives, as the dimensions are off, it’s very behind schedule, and there’s no backup plan. The first test is supposed to take place today. This is the first time in 12 years that NHL players are set to participate in the Games, and the league is shutting down for three weeks to make it happen. “I don't give a s-, I'm going over there,” Team USA star Matthew Tkachuk, who plays for the Panthers, said on his podcast.

• American snowboarder Chloe Kim’s potential three-peat at the Winter Olympics is in jeopardy after dislocating her shoulder in training in what she called “the silliest fall.” The 25-year-old, who has won the gold in two Games in a row, added that she’s “trying to stay optimistic” about her chances to compete in Italy next month.

What to Watch (times ET)

• 2:30pm: Eintracht Frankfurt vs Borussia Dortmund on ESPN2

• 7:30pm: No. 5 Oregon vs. No. 1 Indiana [CFP Semifinal - Peach Bowl] on ESPN

• 8pm: Thunder vs. Grizzlies on NBA TV (or Capitals vs. Blackhawks on NHL Network)

• 8:30pm: USC vs. Minnesota [MCBB] on Big Ten Network

• 10:30pm: Bucks vs. Lakers on NBA TV