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If one thing in this life is certain, if history has taught us anything, its that you can kill anyone. -- Michael CorleoneJeff Fisher was supposed to have more job security than any coach in the league. No one could ever figure out why, but Fisher proved resistant to strings of losing seasons long enough to do in far more successful coaches. Tom Coughlin got fired from the Giants after three straight losing seasons. Fisher on Sunday ensured his fifth straight losing season as Rams coach, and a little more than a week ago it was revealed that he had received a contract extension.And then, Monday, the Rams fired Fisher with three games left in the season. And everything you thought you knew about NFL coaching job security disappeared into a Southern California rush-hour traffic jam. If Fisher cant survive a losing season anymore, who can?The coaching seats in places such as Jacksonville, Buffalo, San Diego and Cincinnati cant feel any cooler than they did 24 hours ago. Fishers surprise in-season firing was a reminder that the ugly January coaching-change season is just a few weeks away now. Speculation about who and where is risky business at this point -- heck, 19 percent of the season remains to be played. But there are always changes, and theres no way Los Angeles will be the only one. Here are two nuggets of info Ive gathered from making calls the past couple of weeks:Los Angeles will be an attractive job to the top candidates. Big market, clean slate, patient ownership, a quarterback who was the No. 1 overall pick, a star-caliber running back, playmakers on defense. Whats going to come open that looks better? Maybe Jacksonville, if you like Blake Bortles and not having to pay state income tax. The Rams arent on the cusp of greatness or anything, but few of the teams that hire coaches ever are. And they have a few things going for them.Josh McDaniels, Kyle Shanahan, Teryl Austin, Jim Bob Cooter, Sean McDermott ... these are the candidate names youve heard and will hear again. Jim Schwartz can get back into the cycle if Philadelphias defense finishes strong. Rising young stars such as Washington offensive coordinator Sean McVay and Miami defensive coordinator Vance Joseph could get calls. Dallas offensive coordinator Scott Linehan could potentially parlay the success of his rookie-driven offense into a return to the interview circuit. But a surprise name to watch is Mike Smith, the former Falcons coach whos now running a Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense thats keying a potential playoff run. Smith was 56-24 and made the playoffs four times in his first five seasons as Falcons head coach, then flamed out to the tune of 10-22 in the final two. He got some attention last year -- the Giants and Dolphins interviewed him for their head-coaching jobs before turning elsewhere -- and hes well-regarded around the league.So yeah, it may feel early to be talking about this. But a month from now, the non-playoff NFL world will be consumed by it. And Mondays news let everyone know that it has already begun.What else did we learn in Week 14?The New York Giants killed it in free agencyWe hear all the time that free agency isnt an instant fix. But for the Giants defense, the 2016 free-agent class is an all-time winner. The Giants identified the players they wanted in free agency and then made sure to spend literally whatever they needed to spend to sign them. All three of the guys they brought in from other teams have performed up to their contracts so far. Janoris Jenkins has been a lockdown cornerback. Damon Harrison remains, as he was with the Jets, the best run-stopping defensive tackle in the league. And Olivier Vernon has rejuvenated the pass rush with his relentless motor and versatility.Add in Jason Pierre-Paul, a free-agent re-sign who was playing very well before groin surgery sidelined him last week, and the breakout of second-year safety Landon Collins, and the Giants have a defense capable of winning a game by itself. They made every play but one against the Cowboys on Sunday night, and so when their offense finally made its one play -- an electrifying 61-yard Odell Beckham Jr. catch-and-run touchdown -- it was enough to end Dallas 11-game winning streak.The Cowboys are 11-2, and the Giants have beaten them twice. That defense has a chance to be the Cowboys biggest January roadblock. Its the only thing Dallas hasnt been able to overcome.The Denver Broncos are in real troubleThe loss to Tennessee was, on paper, the defending Super Bowl champions best chance to win a game the rest of the season. That doesnt mean theyre going to lose the rest of their games and finish 8-8, but they absolutely could lose at home to the Patriots, at Kansas City and at home to the Raiders to close out the season. Denver is running an increasingly distant third in the AFC West and playing around on the fringes of the wild-card race. And while, yes, the Broncos did finish strong last season when it looked as if they might not get in, the schedule is not in their favor this season.If Tom Brady is in the MVP conversation, LeVeon Bell should be tooMy feelings on Brady as an MVP candidate should be well known by now. He may be the best player in the league, playing the most important position on the best team. But the fact that he missed one-quarter of the season means his performance needs to be clearly better than those of the other candidates if hes to win the award. So, same thing with Steelers running back Bell. But if you disagree with me, and you think that missing a chunk of the season shouldnt be a disqualifying factor, then you have to consider Bell, who right now is the Steelers offense. He had 298 of the Steelers 460 yards and all three of their touchdowns Sunday. In Pittsburghs past four games -- all wins -- Bell has 53.9 percent of the teams total yardage and five of its 11 touchdowns. The Steelers are working him hard, in the running game and in the passing game, and making up for time lost to the three-game drug suspension with which he began the year. What remains to be seen is whether they sign him to a long-term deal after this season or keep him around on the franchise tag and keep working him this way.Matt Barkley may not be just some placeholder jokeMuch was made last week of the Browns running Robert Griffin III out there the final four games to see if he can be part of their quarterback solution next season. So far, it looks drastically otherwise. But over in Chicago, Barkley has looked remarkably competent the past two weeks starting for the Bears in place of the injured Jay Cutler and Brian Hoyer. And with Cutler likely on his way out and no obvious instant-helper solutions in the draft, Barkley may have a chance to position himself to compete for the job next summer. Barkley will get a boost from the return of top receiver Alshon Jeffery?from suspension this week, and if he finishes with three strong games, dont be surprised if hes in the mix. There arent any Peyton Manning-level solutions kicking around on the market.The Kansas City Chiefs have players who can elevate them above very good come JanuaryKansas City has won 21 of its past 25 games. But there long has been a sense, since Andy Reid got there in 2013, that the Chiefs would be good but would struggle to be great. Alex Smith is a steady quarterback, but not the kind of downfield dazzler you need to elevate past the other top teams in the playoffs. But the return of pass-rusher Justin Houston from injury has made it clear that Kansas City has a Von Miller/Khalil Mack-type difference-maker on defense. (Can the Steelers or Patriots, for example, say the same?) And the breakout of rookie receiver Tyreek Hill gives the Chiefs an offensive difference-maker the likes of which Reid hasnt had since he coached DeSean Jackson in Philadelphia. If the Chiefs keep winning, theyll get a good seed in the AFC playoffs -- maybe even the best one. And they have the kinds of difference-makers on either side of the ball that you need to have if you want to win those games.Jim Brown Youth Jersey . Cuban testified Thursday that he was upset when the companys CEO told him news that would reduce the value of his shares, for which hed paid $7.5 million. But he said he did nothing improper when he sold those shares over the next two days. Myles Garrett Youth Jersey . LOUIS -- St. http://www.brownsauthenticproshop.com/Youth-Bernie-Kosar-Browns-Jersey/ . - Chris Tierney snapped a tie with a power-play goal late in the third period as the London Knights rallied from a 3-0 deficit to beat the Erie Otters 5-3 in Ontario Hockey League action on Wednesday. Ozzie Newsome Browns Jersey . LOUIS -- Roman Polak was celebrating even before Alexander Steen scored the winning goal in Saturdays 4-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Sione Takitaki Youth Jersey . Spiller left Week 3s 27-20 loss to the New York Jets with a thigh injury, but fully practiced with the team all week and expects to be ready to go on Sunday.Adelaide will struggle to win another game after the death of Phil Walsh.Adelaide will struggle to make this years top eight without Patrick Dangerfield.Adelaide will struggle to contend for the 2016 premiership from outside the AFLs top four.The first two of these contentions were proven wrong. In a feat of extraordinary resilience, Adelaide made last years finals series and beat the Western Bulldogs before falling to Hawthorn - all the while grieving the loss of Walsh.?Next, the departure of Dangerfield was said to be a hammer blow to the Crows chances of progressing this year, but the team instead assembled a convincing season under the guidance of the new coach Don Pyke. The leagues most prolific attack compiled 16 home and away wins.Now, the Crows contemplate September from the problematic vantage point of fifth, where no team has won the premiership under the present structure of the finals series. Defeat at home in the final round to West Coast caused the club to be dismissed as contenders, amid suspicions the Pyke game-plan had been picked apart and the forward line stymied.Expectations of a home win over North Melbourne in week one are matched by predictions of doom to follow.But having been a central figure in both the strong finish to an emotionally draining 2015 and then the successful retooling of the team to cope without Dangerfield, midfield coach Scott Camporeale will not be surprised to see Adelaides players find a way to overturn expectations for a third time. Compared to the trials of last year, a difficult finals position seems much the happier problem to have.To the players credit that was an unbelievable effort to do what we did last year, Camporeale told ESPN. But that obviously gave them great self-belief going into this year, and self-belief, continuity and confidence is massive in the game. They always believed.?Losing Patrick wasnt ideal but it is what it is - hes not the first to leave and he wont be the last in the AFL system with the way free agency is. But what it did do is give guys opportunity and theyve taken that.Finals footy is a different ballgame once again. Some of these guys have only played in one or two finals. Each year on, more experience is only going to help us as a footy club, so I would like to think our guys can go to another level and continue to push forward.In the days and weeks after Walsh died, Camporeale was left with the arduous task of acting as head coach, helped by the assistance of John Worsfold as a senior assistant. When he returned to the ranks as midfield mentor under the studious figure of Pyke, he found himself dealing with a group of players now having to come to terms with Dangerfields departure.?There was the disappointment that we lost someone of Pattys ilk who youve spent a lot of time with and hes arguably one of the best players in the competition, Camporeale said. Its very difficult when you lose one of those out of your team makeup.For me personally, going back into the midfield role was no real issue. Dons done an outstanding job, really got the players to buy in and Ive just been there to give him a bit more of a resource having dealt with the players for a number of years before that. Going back to the midfield was something I love, theyre a good group to coach and Ive got really good relationships with those guys, so that was the easy part.The hard part was moving on from Patty not being in our midfield.Coming into the club with fresh eyes, Pyke wanted a better-rounded team, with skills by hand and foot to match the endeavour the Crows already possessed when contesting the ball. By any measure, that effort has proven successful, not only in covering for Dangerfield but growing the teams capabilities across the ground.?At once they were able to retain their rank as the teams second best contested ball team while lifting their effective disposals per game from 15th in the league last year to third this time around. This Camporeale attributed to the development of individual players who stepped up to fill Dangerfields boots, and also to the maturing of skills improved over summer, but also more gradually in the years before this one.dddddddddddd These related as much to defensive discipline around the ground as it did to better disposal by hand and foot.As a midfield group we dont rely on one player, so we spoke about everyone going to another level in terms of their standards, their development and ownership of their own game, he said. I think weve done that really well. Matty Crouch has had a really consistent year, hes stepped up, Jarryd Lyons is playing a lot of footy this year, Rory [Sloane]s had another outstanding year, Rory Atkins has taken another step forward. So weve had some real development through that part of the ground.Weve always been a really decent contested ball side so thats never been questioned with the personnel we have here. Skill level is an ongoing thing - I dont think you really ever stop trying to improve that, because teams that turn the ball over through poor skill errors get punished. Weve been able to do that as a footy club this year, tip the ball over firstly but then go back at teams and score. Thats really improved, our overall team defence has improved as well. That makes a massive difference to wins and losses at the end of the year.Similarly, Camporeales own skills were grown by his stint as senior coach. In concert with Pyke, the forward coach David Teague, defensive coach James Podsiadly and ruck coach Matthew Clarke, he has helped forge a cohesive environment, where messages remain consistent across the lines. It is another reason the adversity wrought by Walshs death has left a powerful legacy.Definitely as a senior coach youve got to be rounded, Camporeale said. As a line coach, whether forward, back or midfield, you tend to work within your group and make sure theyre all ready to go. But most lines are interconnected now so its really important as an assistant that you can go talk to guys on different lines and still have continuity in those conversations. If all the coaches are doing that we have a really clear message about how we want to play.Definitely the groups galvanised through whats happened. Thats one good thing about footy clubs, in adversity you stick together and its the best place to be. But theyve got real self-belief and they want success, so we have those traits in the playing group, Dons done a great job in bringing them closer together in terms of our game plan, and were really excited about what the future holds.Of course, few are expecting a Crows premiership challenge this year. Fifth, it is said, is about their level given losses to Hawthorn, Geelong (twice) and West Coast. The great unknown is whether the pre-finals bye will make much of a difference to the teams now required to win four weeks in a row. Camporeale reckons a refreshed Adelaide is decently placed to confound yet again.Not having to play on the weekend has stretched the week out a bit and been able to have a really good, close look at what North have been doing, he said. It certainly has extended the preparation and the thought time, but its also given players the opportunity to freshen up and make sure theyre ready to go.If you look at the year in its entirety, to win 16 games, weve done a lot right. We didnt have our best night [against West Coast] all over the ground - our contests, the way we moved the ball and the way we defended. I dont think it was one particular area but a holistic view is that we need to make sure that in those three areas were well and truly above the line at AFL intensity.Adelaide in 2015 and 2016Effective disposals/disposal percentage 2015: 252.9 (15th), 70.3 (17th) 2016: 287.3 (third), 73 (12th)Contested possessions per game 2015:?142.7 (2nd) 2016: 153 (2nd)Uncontested possessions per game 2015:?214 (15th) 2016: 241.6 (5th)Adelaide inside 50s 2015:?55 (2nd) 2016: 57.5 (3rd)Inside 50s conceded 2015:?51.9 (12th) 2016: 50.3 (5th)Adelaide clearances 2015:?40.6 (4th) 2016 ?38.2 (5th) ' ' '