So who wants a job in sunny Hotlanta?

With Bobby Petrino quitting 13 games into his lucrative five-year contract, the Atlanta Falcons are in a peculiar, but good, position.
It's fairly uncommon for an NFL team to be coachless with three games remaining on a schedule. Many teams will fire their coaches the "Black Monday" following the Week 17 games; however, Atlanta gets a three-week jump on the competition. If the Heaven's have any love for the Falcons, they'll “allow” them to lose their last their games and finish with the No. 2 overall pick.

Owner Arthur Blank has fired Dan Reeves, hired and fired Jim Mora Jr. and been abandoned by Petrino in the six years he's owned the Falcons. It'd be difficult for me to believe that he'd be trusting of another college coach with the Nick Saban and Petrino examples fresh in everyone's mind. He's also lost his "franchise" QB for three seasons, and probably forever.

So who do they approach with a job??

There are some obvious coaching candidates who aren't on a sideline anywhere right now. Bill Parcells, Bill Cowher, Steve Mariucci, Dennis Green. Here's the problem I see with some of these guys: The Falcons are in a total rebuild mode. Rex Grossman is the "best" QB who is guaranteed to hit the free-agent market. You might be able to score Donovan McNabb, Derek Anderson/Brady Quinn, Daunte Culpepper, etc. but I wouldn't say any of those guys are a lock at QB- so you're probably drafting one high.

* Parcells is old and burnt out. At this point, or any, the 66-year-old is no more a long-term solution than Larry Brown. He's doing a great job as an NFL analyst for ESPN, and I think he's truly happy in retirement, talking about football rather than coaching it. It's widely agreed that the Cowboys underachieved because he wasn't adapting to the team's strengths....he would also want GM power, and it's unlikely that Blank would remove Rich McKay from those duties.

* Bill Cowher is almost a year removed from “retiring” as coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. If he's getting the itch to get back into coaching, it should be starting right now. He does moderate work as an in-studio analyst for CBS after leaving as the NFL's longest tenured head coach. Though he has only one Super Bowl win to Parcells’ two, he has a significantly better winning percentage and had only two losing seasons. At age 50, he could reasonably stay on for some time. Don't discount that Atlanta is a mere six-hour drive from his family's home in Raleigh, NC.

* Steve Mariucci, 52, has been unemployed as a coach for two seasons. He, like the others, is working as a football analyst, albeit for the NFL Network. He's probably had the most difficult time adjusting to that line of work and really only contributes with inside scoops on Brett Favre. "Mooch" is hit or miss, he has fou seasons with 10 wins or more (all made playoff appearances) but he also has five seasons with six or more losses. He's probably proved that he's not good rebuilding losing teams like San Fran and Detroit....

* Dennis Green, 58, is another name that is sure to pop up. In 10 seasons in Minnesota, he had only one losing year, his final one. His time there was marred by a 4-8 playoff record and will probably be best known for the time his 15-1 team choked away the NFC Championship to the.......Atlanta Falcons. Maybe they offer him a job as a gift? Green most recently spent three seasons stinking up Arizona (16-32). His time there will definitely be best remembered for his rant after his team chocked away the Bears MNF game.

So, who are some up-and-comers or dark horses?

I don't have any inside scoop like a Chris Mortensen, John Clayton, Peter King, etc. But logic tells me that whatever is working in the league now is hot and will get a look.

* New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, 31, is sure to draw some attention. His team has turned into the greatest show on grass and is on pace to slaughter all the records. He may be too young and lack “battle-testing” to get a head coaching gig just yet...but he was too young to be an NFL coordinator at 29 and that hasn't slowed him any.

* Russ Grimm has been a hot interview for a few jobs and was thought to be strongly in the running with Ken Whisenhunt to take Cowher's old post in Pittsburgh. When neither was hired they went to Arizona together. Grimm currently serves as the assistant head coach for Arizona. I've always thought Grimm was a meathead o-lineman, and it was rumored that he didn't even dress as a professional in his interview a few years back with the Bears, but the more I hear, the more I believe that he's a great coach who people around him love. He'll be a head man soon.

* Samurai Mike Singletary is another coach that is bordering “overdue” on a head job. The former Bears middle linebacker wasn't huge and burly, wasn't exceptionally fast and couldn't cover anyone....yet he turned into a hall of famer and a legend. He has phenomenal work ethic and football knowledge. He currently serves as the assistant head coach to Mike Nolan in SF and is sure to want off that ship that seems stuck for a head job.

* Maurice Carthon is another popular interview. Currently the Cardinals running backs coach, he might get attention. He has experience as an offensive coordinator and as a Parcells protégé, is highly regarded by many camps.

* Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett is another highly regarded offensive mind. Tony Romo's development and phenomenal numbers and the way he utilizes all his team's talents aren't going unnoticed,  you can be certain of that. Here's the catch: he was hired before Wade Phillips and would have been the Dallas head coach if the Boys didn't get Bum's kid. It's a poorly protected secret that he's being “groomed” for the job. But does that stop him from exploring and maybe taking one this year? Groom job over?

* Broncos assistant head coach Mike Heimerdinger has loads of experience as an offensive coordinator in New York and Tennessee. He's worked under Mike Shanahan a couple of times and Jeff Fisher. He's an offensive mind that may be a dark horse candidate for a head job because of his years of experience. I think he'd be seen as a guy happy to finally have his own team and not a threat to bolt.

Ultimately, I cannot shake the feeling that Russ Grimm gets this job and the first thing the Falcons do is sign free agent-to-be Alan Faneca (who obviously played under Grimm) and start bolstering the team around him. There are pieces in place and the draft and free agency make it possible to compete in a year or two in the NFL.

Though I've listed them for the Atlanta position, these are the top guys I'd probably have on my “to interview” list for any position that will come open in the next month. And there is sure to be more jobs coming open.