My friends, THE GURU has a big ballgame tomorrow night but this afternoon, my eyes will be trained on Pittsburgh, where the Browns (1-4 overall, 0-2 away) avervisit the hated Steelers (3-1 overall, 1-1 at home).
These teams first met in 1950, when Cleveland joined the NFL, and coach Paul Brown & Co. dominated their rivals to the tune of 31-9 (.775) record through the ‘60s. Indeed, legends like Otto Graham, Marion Motley, Bobby Mitchell, Jim Brown, and others wreaked havoc on the Steel City, as Pittsburgh was a perennial disaster with just one postseason trip in its first 39 seasons.
Yes, those Steelers were Custer at Little Big Horn, “Ishtar” at the box office, that tray of tailgate wings vs. MARCELO THE MAGNIFICENT.
The worm turned in 1969 when Steelers owner Art Rooney hired one of Don Shula’s Baltimore assistants, Chuck Noll, as his head coach. Ironically, Noll was a Cleveland native who played seven seasons under Paul Brown in his hometown before entering the coaching ranks, famously serving as a messenger guard who jogged onto the field to relay plays to Graham.
Noll was well prepared for the tall task in Pittsburgh after cutting his teeth - and torturing opposing offenses - as Shula’s defensive coordinator with the 1968 Colts, setting an NFL record for fewest points allowed with 144.
“Chuck was just a natural teacher,” Shula said in 2008. “He explained how to do things and wrote up the techniques. He was one of the first coaches I was around that wrote up in great detail all of the techniques used by players -- for example, the backpedal and the defensive back’s position on the receiver. He was like a classroom teacher. He used a lot of those techniques as a football coach.”
Noll’s first Steelers team was just 1-13 but they reached the playoffs in his fourth season and won the first of four Super Bowls under his command in year six. And so began the greatest run of stability in pro football history with Pittsburgh employing three head coaches in the past 57 seasons: Noll (1969-1991), Bill Cowher (1992-2006) and Mike Tomlin (2007-present).
On the flip side, the Browns are on full-time coach #17 during the same timeframe with current leader Kevin Stefanski in his sixth season. One example of their ongoing futility: the team fired coach Marty Schottenheimer in 1988 and he proceeded to win 160 more games in his impressive career. Cleveland, meanwhile, won 94 games in the same period1.
As for this weekend, I’m taking Pittsburgh in a close one. You can catch the action at 1 pm on CBS with Ian Eagle and J.J. Watt broadcasting the event. Have a hot dog each time J.J. talks about growing up with his brother - the Steelers’ T.J. - in Wisconsin and your body will be flooded with nitrates by halftime.
Meanwhile, after Thursday’s Philadelphia loss, THE GURU is swimming in despair with the season mark now at 43-36 (.544). Of course, that’s nothing compared to the pain that TOMMY BIRD feels right now.
On to the games with the Texans (2-3) and Vikings (3-2) on the bye…
SUNDAY
9:30 AM, NFL NETWORK
Take the Broncos (3-2, 1-2 away) over the Jets (0-5, 0-2 away) in London as Denver gets off to its best start since 2016. NFL Network has the action at 9:30 a.m. ET with Rich Eisen and Kurt Warner, the former Amsterdam Admiral, announcing…
1 PM, FOX
Dallas (2-2-1, 1-2 away) loses at Carolina (2-3, 2-0 home). The Cowboys beat the Jets last week but that’s probably not a harbinger of things to come as Jerry Jones & Co. have too many holes.
This Panthers squad isn’t likely to contend for the playoffs but I’m thinking they’ll have their best season in years. The franchise hasn’t won more than seven games in a campaign since finishing 11-5 in 2017...
…the Cardinals (2-3, 1-1 away) fall in Indy (4-1, 3-0 home). Fresh off an agonizing defeat to Tennessee, Arizona is limping like THE FRANKLINVILLE KID after Lehigh-Lafayette weekend. QB Kyler Murray is likely out with a bum foot and his expected replacement is Jacoby Brissett, now employed by his seventh NFL squad…
…take the red-hot Jaguars (4-1, 3-0 home) against visiting Seattle (3-2, 2-0 away) with the Seahawks expected to be sans three starters in their secondary - corners Devon Witherspoon and Riq Woolen and safety Julian Love. That’ll make it tough for Seattle head coach Mike McDonald to improve upon his 9-1 road record…
…while we’re throwing darts, let’s go with the Rams (3-2, 1-1 away) at the reeling Ravens (1-4, 0-2 home). No Lamar, no Roquan, and no Humphrey is no bueno for Baltimoreans. John Harbaugh’s club may miss the playoffs for the first time since 2021…
1 PM, CBS
Roll with the Chargers (3-2, 1-1 away) at Miami (1-4, 1-1 home). LA’s offensive line injuries are a concern, but the Dolphins can’t seem to get out of their own way…
…ride with the Pats (3-2, 2-0 away) at New Orleans (1-4, 1-2 home) as New England equals its 2024 win total. It’s still early but Mike Vrabel’s odds of winning Coach of the Year look as good as my chances of double-dipping in the queso at next week’s St. Peter’s Prep tailgate.
4:05 PM, FOX
With all-world Brock Bowers on the shelf, I’m taking the Titans (1-4, 1-2 away) at Las Vegas (1-4, 0-2 home). A two-game win streak for Tennessee? Somebody pinch Brian Callahan.
4:25 PM, CBS
San Fran (4-1, 3-0 away) loses in Tampa (4-1, 1-1 home) as Baker does it again. Some act amazed that Mayfield is tearing up the league, but the man was the #1 overall pick in 2018 for a reason, folks. Nantz and Romo are on the mike for this one…
…Green Bay (2-2-1, 2-0 home) gets off the schneid vs. visiting Cincy (2-3, 1-2 away) as new Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco suits up for his seventh team in eight years. His arrival gift: a day out with Micah Parsons and his mates, with the hosts seeking to rebound from back-to-back disappointing efforts. Ouch.
8:25 PM, NBC
I love the Lions (4-1, 2-1 away) at Kansas City (2-3, 1-1 home). Yes, the Chiefs are a desperate team but Dee-troit is playing with great confidence and in the midst of the winningest three-year run in franchise history. The last time KC failed to make the postseason? Andy Reid’s second season, 2014.
MONDAY
At 7:15 pm on ESPN, I like the Bills (4-1, 1-0 away) in Atlanta (2-2, 1-1 home). Buffalo is coming off of a surprising home loss to New England and that doesn’t bode well for the Dirty Birds. Expect Josh Allen to run early and often to set the tone…
…at 8:15 pm on ABC, it’s going to be a battle between the Bears (2-2, 1-1 away) and My Beloved Commies (3-2, 2-0 home).
I love the way Dan Quinn & Co. responded after spotting the Chargers 10 points last week, but they’ll have to start faster to beat Chicago, which has had two weeks to prepare. This game could be tighter than FATBACK’s circa 1992 Lehigh workout shorts. If that thing had buttons, we’d all be wearing eye patches, folks.
Let’s take DC by a field goal.
That’s all for this week, folks. Enjoy the games and God bless!
Thank you, Pro Football Reference.