Denver Game is a Must-Win For Sparano

Dolphins coach could be gone if Miami can't beat Denver on Sunday

The seat under Miami head coach Tony Sparano has only gotten hotter after his Dolphins laid an egg on Monday night against the New York Jets.

The Miami Herald reported Tuesday that team owner Stephen Ross is "very frustrated" with the Dolphins' performance this season.

If Miami loses to 1-4 Denver on Sunday, Sparano's job security will be "subject to re-evaluation."

According to a close associate of Ross who spoke with the Herald, Ross has been advised by friend and former Kansas City Chiefs president Carl Peterson that a midseason coaching change will most likely not result in an instant turnaround.

Additionally, Ross is loathe to fire Sparano in the middle of the season under the assumption that doing so would likely hurt ticket sales for the rest of the season.

But regardless, each loss makes Sparano's dismissal seem more and more likely.

According to the Herald's source, Ross was "very [ticked] off" at times while attending Monday's game at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Even with the extra prep time due to the bye week, Miami looked lost on offense and shot itself in the foot multiple times against the Jets, hardly a good reflection on the coaching staff.

However, he generally tried to put on a happy face "because he's sitting there with friends and it's embarrassing to watch this when you're there entertaining friends."

"I need to coach better," Sparano said Tuesday. "They need to play better."

It is probably too late for that to save Sparano's job. With the Dolphins at 0-5, he has become the most lame duck football coach in recent memory. Only an 11-game win streak to close the season can save Tony Sparano now.

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