In L.A., Bill Plaschke wrote the Chargers with their 23-17 victory over the Dolphins on Sunday are "setting themselves up for the most important month" in their L.A. existence. The space is there for the Chargers to "make their first real mark" on the city since they moved back. There can be "only one playoff team in town this winter, and the Chargers need to fill that void." They have "outlasted the cries to send them back to San Diego." They have "built a solid fan base equal in noise to the Rams’ fan base -- even if both teams’ fans are regularly outnumbered." Now they have a "real chance to make a dent in the domination of the defending Super Bowl champions" (L.A. TIMES, 12/11).
Steve Wilks is 4-4 on the season since taking over as interim head coachBob Donnan/USA TODAY Sports
DON'T LOOK FAR: In Charlotte, Scott Fowler wrote the Panthers are “close to instituting an all-out search" for their next coach, but interim coach Steve Wilks “should get the job.” Wilks is 4-4 on the season, after he “inherited a disjointed 1-4 team.” And despite the Panthers "trading away their best player” in RB Christian McCaffrey, they have “gotten better instead of worse.” While the Panthers “certainly could and should investigate every coaching option” -- and fulfilling the Rooney Rule “means that this likely won’t be settled until mid-January and that Wilks’ interim tag literally could not be removed right now -- Wilks is the obvious choice for the permanent position once it’s all settled” (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 12/11).
RUN IT BACK? In New Orleans, Jeff Duncan noted the Saints are “headed for its worst record in 17 years, and the future looks even bleaker than the present.” But there is "someone out there who could quickly reverse their fortunes and galvanize their fractured fan base,” former Saints coach Sean Payton. Bringing back Payton “would be complicated, if not messy, and would come at a significant cost.” It would require moving on from Saints coach Dennis Allen after one season -- a transaction neither GM Mickey Loomis nor owner Gayle Benson “wants to enact.” But the “status quo is not what the Saints need,” and they “can’t afford to keep on keeping on” (New Orleans ADVOCATE, 12/11).
