- Submitted by Long Ball, DOF

Well, we are now a quarter of the way through the NFL season and how the plot thickens!  You probably are thinking “That Long Ball is one sharp cookie – he purposely waited until Baltimore faced New England, Cincinnati and Cleveland hooked up and Pittsburgh played San Diego to look at the AFC North!”  Nah, I ain’t that smart – the schedule just worked out that way.

As the old nursery rhyme goes “One a penny, two a penny, coaches’ toasted buns” (OK, so I had a strange childhood!)  Click the link below to continue this fascinating journey . . .

Ah, the AFC North – is it the most competitive or most incompetent division in the NFL?  From a coaching perspective, it’s certainly one of the most interesting – let’s review:

Mike Tomlin

4)    Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers – The luck of the Irish – not only does Brother Dan get named Ambassador to Ireland, but the Rooney family has had only 3 head coaches since 1969!  Following in the footsteps of Noll and Cowher, Tomlin became the youngest HC to win a Super Bowl.

3)    John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens – A first year coach with a rookie QB makes the playoffs in year one?  And then, for an encore, starts year 2 with 3 straight wins, losing today to New England in the waning minutes at Foxborough?  Seat is ice cold, my friend!

2)    Eric Mangini, Cleveland Browns – You would think a coach in his first year of a lucrative contract, combined with his hand-picked GM in tow, would not have to worry – that is, unless there is enough electrical engineering expertise in the rookie class to hot-wire the seat of his chair!

1)    Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati Bengals – A mystery of inconsistency, this team has been a study of contrasts – true, after the ricochet loss to Denver, the Bengals have reeled off 3 straight wins against Green Bay, Pittsburgh and Cleveland – but how long before they implode?

Agree or disagree?  Next, we will go “down south” to the island of unwanted toys, i.e. the division of “let’s move to another town” and take a couple of new teams with us.