Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio fired five assistants Tuesday, two days after the team lost its third consecutive game and missed the playoffs for the sixth time in seven years.
Del Rio fired offensive coordinator Carl Smith, special teams coordinator Pete Rodriguez, quarterbacks coach Ken Anderson and wide receivers coach Steve Walters — sending a clear message that he believed the Jaguars were better than their 8-8 record.
Del Rio also declined to renew the contract of special teams assistant Mark Michaels.
All of the firings came at positions where Jacksonville struggled this season.
Quarterbacks Byron Leftwich and David Garrard didn't progress the way Del Rio hoped. Receivers Matt Jones and Reggie Williams, former first-round draft picks the Jaguars expected to ease the loss of Jimmy Smith, were inconsistent all year.
And special teams? Jacksonville allowed a punt return for a touchdown in a 21-14 loss at Indianapolis, gave up a punt return for a touchdown in a 27-24 loss at Buffalo and had a punt blocked for a touchdown in a season-ending, 35-30 loss at Kansas City. The three plays may have been the difference between wins and losses.
Rodriguez also called for a squib kick against the Bills after Jags tied the game with 28 seconds remaining — a call Del Rio later publicly questioned. Buffalo returned the kick to the 40-yard line, helping set up a game-winning field goal.
"These decisions are always very difficult, but any decision that is made is done solely from the desire to win football games," Del Rio said.
Smith was the team's offensive coordinator the past two seasons. He replaced Bill Musgrave, who was fired after two seasons with Del Rio.
Rodriguez was the team's special teams coordinator the past three seasons.
Anderson came to Jacksonville in 2005 after spending six seasons in Tennessee, helping turn former college quarterback Drew Bennett into a standout receiver. Del Rio hoped he could do the same with Jones, a former star quarterback at Arkansas.
It never happened.
With Smith gone, Del Rio could promote former Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Tice to offensive coordinator. Tice, fired after last season in Minnesota, was instrumental in turning Jacksonville's running game into one of the league's best.
Running backs coach Kennedy Pola also might be considered for the offensive coordinator position.
KOY DETMER SIGNS WITH EAGLES: Quarterback Koy Detmer's holding skills on field goals are so valuable the Philadelphia Eagles couldn't enter the playoffs without him.
The veteran returned to the Eagles on Tuesday to provide insurance behind starter Jeff Garcia and backup A.J. Feeley. More important, Detmer likely will replace punter Dirk Johnson as the holder for kicker David Akers.
"It's a repetition thing," Detmer said in a conference call. "It's going to be a matter of going out, working hard and getting a rhythm with Dave."
Upon arriving in Philly, Detmer went right to the practice field to work on his timing with Akers, who missed his first career field goal under 30 yards — a 23-yarder — against Atlanta on Sunday.
RAIDERS FIRST, LIONS SECOND IN DRAFT: The Detroit Lions' win in Dallas on Sunday dropped them from the first pick in next April's draft to the second, with the first choice going to Oakland.
The NFL released the official order for the draft on Tuesday.
The Raiders finished 2-14 and the Lions were 3-13, but Detroit almost surely would have had the No. 1 choice. In the case of ties, teams with the weaker schedule pick first and the Lions had a weaker schedule.
MILLEN: 'I'LL NEVER QUIT': Detroit Lions general manager Matt Millen said Tuesday that quitting is not an option he has considered despite criticism of the team's dismal performance in his tenure.
"I'll never quit," Millen said in an interview with a small group of reporters, including The Detroit News, which posted some of his comments on its Web site. "I can't do that. I don't even consider that.
"It's the way I'm made."
Asked why he wouldn't quit, Millen replied: "You're given a job, regardless of what it is. You keep on working and trying to get the thing done."
Messages seeking comment on Millen's remarks were left Tuesday with spokesmen for the Lions. Coach Rod Marinelli didn't have any definitive word on Millen's future at his news conference earlier in the day.
About 100 Detroit fans held a protest during the second quarter of the last home game of the season Dec. 24 against the Chicago Bears. The fans left their seats midway through the quarter and gathered in Ford Field's atrium, where they chanted "Fire Millen" while watching the game on the scoreboard.
Detroit is an NFL-worst 24-72 since Millen took control of football operations before the 2001 season. But with a victory over Dallas last Sunday, the Lions finished 3-13, costing them the top pick in the draft, which will go to Oakland.
LIONS FIRE D COORDINATOR: The Detroit Lions fired defensive coordinator Donnie Henderson and offensive line coach Larry Beightol on Tuesday, two days after finishing a 3-13 season.
Lions coach Rod Marinelli announced the decisions at his final weekly press conference of the season.
"Donnie Henderson is very close to me, and it was a very difficult decision," Marinelli said. "It was more about systems than anything else. With Coach Beightol, I just felt like we needed to make a change at this time."
Marinelli also announced that longtime special teams coach Chuck Priefer had announced his retirement.
Priefer will be replaced by his assistant, Stan Kwan, and will work with the organization in an undetermined role.
COLTS EXPECTING SANDERS BACK: Colts safety Bob Sanders is expected to play Saturday when the team opens the playoffs against Kansas City.
Sanders said Tuesday his injured knee was feeling better than it has in weeks and planned to practice this week.
"I feel good," he said. "This whole week has been making sure I'm able to strengthen it (the knee), and as long as I can do that, I should be OK."
If it sounds familiar, it should.
Colts coach Tony Dungy has been optimistic the last several weeks that Sanders would return before the end of the regular season. Instead, Sanders was placed on the inactive list each time.
Sanders has missed all but two games since having arthroscopic surgery on his right knee after a Sept. 17 victory over Houston in the season's second week.
But the return of Sanders could significantly help the Colts' run defense, which finished as the league's worst and set a franchise record by allowing 5.3 yards per carry.
Dungy said Sanders would be re-evaluated throughout the week. The team's Tuesday practice was closed, a rarity under Dungy.
"We expect Bob to practice this week, we expect him to play and we think he will give our defense a boost," Dungy said.
Sanders had 118 tackles, one fumble recovery and one interception in 2005, when he was selected to the Pro Bowl. This year, he played in just four games and finished with 30 tackles and one interception.
Five Colts starters — Sanders, tight end Dallas Clark (knee), cornerback Nick Harper (ankle), guard Ryan Lilja (knee) and Pro Bowl receiver Reggie Wayne (quad) — are all listed as questionable. The Colts have listed most players this season as questionable, and often they've played.
THURMAN UNLIKELY TO RETURN: Bengals coach Marvin Lewis refused to talk about suspended linebacker Odell Thurman on Tuesday, another indication that he has written him out of the Cincinnati Bengals' plans.
Thurman was suspended for the season because he violated the NFL's substance abuse policy. He can apply to the league for reinstatement before next season.
"Odell is not a member of this football team," Lewis said Tuesday. "He's on suspension by the NFL. He's got a long road to go. I'm not even going to spend any time talking about Odell.
GIANTS PLACE WEBSTER ON IR: New York Giants starting cornerback Corey Webster was placed on the season-ending injured reserve list on Tuesday with toe and hip problems.
Webster was reinjured on Saturday in 34-28 win over the Washington Redskins that helped the Giants (8-8) make the playoffs.