John Harbaugh Favored to be Next Head Coach Gone After McCarthy Firing

• Odds say John Harbaugh is next head coach in line to be fired
• Would the Ravens actually ax him in the middle of a playoff race?
• The best bet on who will be given a pink slip first

Despite holding down the final wild card spot in the AFC, following three straight victories, John Harbaugh is the lead contender to be the first head coach to leave his current team.

Would the Ravens actually pull the trigger and jettison their main man of 11 years deep in the throws of a playoff chase?

It seemed a strong possibility until Joe Flacco went down, paving the way for 2018 1st-round pick Lamar Jackson to breathe new life into the team and get them back in post-season contention.

Odds on Next NFL Head Coach to Leave Post

If Ravens falter expect Harbaugh to go

This one seems pretty obvious – if the Ravens manage to sneak into the post-season you’d be hard pressed to expect Harbaugh would be the first coach to go – inevitably, there will be quite a few given pink slips immediately after the regular season ends.

If, however, they stumble down the stretch and miss the playoffs for the fourth straight season, he’s likely donezo.

"When it's bad I think, do I wanna keep doing this?"
"What else am I gonna do? I love doing this." – John Harbaugh

Watch more wired for sound on #InsideTheNFL TONIGHT 9PM ET/PT on Showtime. pic.twitter.com/IpMhpxNJte

— Inside the NFL (@insidetheNFL) November 27, 2018

Lamar Jackson the key for Harbaugh’s employment

Ever since Joe Flacco was sidelined with a hip injury in Week 9, the offense has been humming with 2018 first-round pick Lamar Jackson at the helm.

Baltimore has averaged 28 points per game with Jackson, compared to 23.7 under Flacco.

https://twitter.com/RyanGaydos/status/1069298155601240066

Flacco hasn’t been medically cleared to play, but it’s one of those delicate situations – do you ride the rookie’s hot hand, or go back to the incumbent veteran?

Suffice to say, if Jackson keeps up his play, Flacco’s injury will mysteriously keep him sidelined longer than usual. (And be quickly cleared up if Jackson struggles.)

Coach Harbaugh on QB Joe Flacco's practice status today: pic.twitter.com/HmIc0Ht3qr

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) December 5, 2018

Defenders have had their heads on a swivel around Jackson to the tune of 265 rushing yards in his first three starts. That’s resulted in a muddying of the waters when it comes to Harbaugh’s future, thanks to the emergence of the former Louisville star.

Interesting quote from John Harbaugh: "This is an unconventional offense. This is an offense that I don’t know if any of us know exactly where it’s going. "

— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) December 2, 2018

Ravens Remaining Schedule

Realistically this is probably a 2-2 final quarter to the Ravens’ season. That puts them at 9-7, which should be enough to squeak into the post-season, thereby keeping Harbaugh gainfully employed.

Todd Bowles Sits on the Hottest Seat

This is Todd Bowles’ fourth full season captaining the Jets’ sinking ship, following his initial 10-6 campaign.

The team is in shambles and it’s actually a surprise he hasn’t been fired already. Even though his odds aren’t great for a huge return, he’s the best bet to be the first coach to leave his post.