One way to take the temperature of the Philadelphia sports fan about the Philadelphia Eagles‘ search  for a head coach is to listen to the two competing 24-hour sports talk radio stations. The list of current NFL assistants being interviewed by the team has not moved the needle off zero for any of the fans. There is even less than zero interest, if that’s possible, in the current leader down the stretch, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Doug Pederson. Eagles fans see Pederson’s major claim to fame as a lifetime No. 2, a backup to Donovan McNabb as a quarterback and a backup to current Chiefs head coach Andy Reid. That would be an impossible sell in Philadelphia for owner Jeffrey Lurie.

The fans want a No. 1, even as a stopgap, and really the only guy who is that among those being currently considered is former New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin. In a field this weak, Coughlin would be the perfect guy to bridge the gap for one or two years until someone more attractive comes along.

Since Philadelphia fans are a sophisticated lot, Lurie is going to have to level with his customers and tell them that Coughlin was the best available for now while the team builds for the long term. Coughlin would likely keep Pat Shurmur as offensive coordinator and hire Mike Pettine as defensive coordinator, and that would be a significant upgrade in staff since most of the Eagles’ problems were on the defensive side of the ball. Like him or not as a head coach with the Cleveland Browns, Pettine was a proven defensive coordinator for both the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets. If the Eagles improve, one of the two coordinators would be groomed for the head job or, if they slide, better candidates, like former Super Bowl winner John Harbaugh and Sean Payton, could shake free later.

That sounds like a plan more palatable than forcing a lifetime No. 2 into the No. 1 spot.