Speaking of which…

Happy this guy isn't playing, John?

We’re past the midpoint of the 2018 NFL season.  I suppose it’s worth asking…what have we learned?

 

We’ve learned that the Browns, sans head coach Hue Jackson, are credible.  We’ve learned that rookie Baker Mayfield might be a pretty good quarterback.  We’ve also observed Jackson’s successor, the acerbic and headstrong Gregg Williams, is capable of conveying a game plan to his roster.  Speaking of which…

 

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh is reveling in keeping his choice of quarterback secret.  C’mon, John.  Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has made a career of roster subterfuge, and for underhanded stuff,  you’re not even close to being in that guy’s league.  As none of the QBs on the Ravens roster (Joe Flacco, Robert Griffin III, Lamar Jackson) are exactly intimidating to opposing defenses, one wonders why Harbaugh’s bothering to keep up the charade.  Just start Jackson and let the future, such as it is, begin this weekend.  Speaking of which…

 

The future just may be, finally, improbably bright in Cleveland, where the Browns have won a few games and sport multiple candidates for rookie honors, including Mayfield and cornerback Denzel Ward.  Mayfield may have the edge against Giants running back Saquon Barkley due simply to the Browns’ current streak of futility and the preseason popularity of the Browns, not to mention the ouster of Jackson.  Speaking of which…

 

The Bengals have hired Hue Jackson as a “special assistant to the head coach”.  No one seems to know precisely what the title means, including current head coach Marvin Lewis, whose assertion that Jackson will have “no involvement” with the offense rings hollow, given that offense is supposedly Jackson’s area of expertise.  There’s also his familiarity with current Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton.  Speaking of which…

 

Steelers’ quarterback Ben Roethlisberger acknowledges he reached out to seemingly-departed running back Le’Veon Bell, although he reportedly received no response.  The Steelers have been generally philosophical about Bell’s absence, with an understandable focus on the remaining roster and continuing their recent success.