Redskins Fans Have Seen Enough of Jim Zorn; Predictably, Bill Cowher Rumors Swirl

Apparently Clinton Portis isn't the only person fed up with first-year head coach Jim Zorn. Redskins fans have had enough, too, it seems. So, naturally, with three games left in the season and Washington, after a 6-2 start, now staring at 7-6 and very slim playoff hopes, the discussion has turned to ... who should replace Zorn.

Makes sense.

The DC Examiner's Rick Snider writes that Zorn "may be vying for his job over the final three games," which, frankly, sounds like a huge stretch, although owner Dan Snyder has a history of impetuousness.

Sports talk callers aren't the only ones wondering whether the Redskins might have Bill Cowher on speed dial for 2009. Redskins Park sources are also pondering if the team's 1-4 collapse to practically ruin its once sure playoff chances could also claim the coach. "The honeymoon is definitely over," said one team insider of Redskins owner Dan Snyder and Zorn. ...

Snyder may be readying a season-ending option should the team collapse. Team insiders say losing to Baltimore, 24-10, on Sunday especially rankled the owner, who doesn't like falling to a regional foe. While Snyder will surely dismiss any report of changing coaches, he did the same in October 2001 over Marty Schottenheimer, who was later fired after finishing 8-8 in his only season.

I can't imagine that Zorn's job would be in jeopardy, even though the team's won just once in the last five weeks. And assuming that Cowher really has no plans to return to coaching in 2009 (although I suspect getting complete control of player-personnel decisions and $10 million a year might make the decision more difficult), are there other names out there worth the trouble?

Schottenheimer, maybe, but I'm pretty sure Snyder's not going down that road again. Jim Fassel was passed over a year ago, Josh McDaniels is a lot like Zorn, and then there are names like Brian Billick, Steve Mariucci and Denny Green, former coaches, once successful, who now earn a living as teevee analysts.

Shorter version: Zorn's the Redskins' best option, which I thought was obvious until reading Snider's column.