No rancor necessary, no debate required. It’s over, and in an honest moment on a reflective day, Jim Caldwell might even admit it.
It’s clear the Lions can’t bring Caldwell back as coach, and if they weren’t sure before, they should be now, after playoff hopes were squashed in a miserable loss at Cincinnati. It’s a harsh truth, and the harsher truth is, firing Caldwell isn’t the full answer, merely the first one.
Very soon, the pressure shifts squarely to GM Bob Quinn, who’ll deal with the hangover shortly after the Lions (8-7) close against Green Bay on New Year’s Eve.