MORT'S MAILBAG: Dec. 19

Q: Would Steelers coach Bill Cowher be your coach of the year? If not, who? -- Matt Maisel, Harrisburg, Pa.
MORT -- Matt, Cowher is among the handful of candidates up for coach of the year. The Bears' Dick Jauron is my pick at this point -- the Steelers finished 9-7 last year while the Bears were 5-11. The 49ers' Steve Mariucci, the Patriots' Bill Belichick, the Browns' Butch Davis and the Rams' Mike Martz are other candidates. The reason I include Martz is that, like Cowher, he made significant coaching staff changes that many attribute to their rise to a higher plateau.

	Drew Bledsoe may never start another game for the New England Patriots.

Q: You commented that the Bears should trade their No. 1 draft pick for Drew Bledsoe. I disagree with that move. Bledsoe would not do anything different in John Shoop's offense. Jim Miller has a decent arm and it's not his fault that the offense does not throw downfield. Remember, in 1999 under Crowton's offense, Miller threw for over 350 yards twice in five games. Also, don't forget that Miller has been without his deep threat (Marcus Robinson) for basically the entire season. So even if Bledsoe has a slightly better arm -- even though I don't think Miller's arm has really been tested -- by instituting him into an offense that utilizes 3-yard crosses and doesn't have a deep threat, Bledsoe wouldn't help the team. The Bears would be better off trading the No. 1 pick for a corner/safety since they will lose at least one to free agency next year (or draft another wide receiver). -- Jeff Rosen, Columbus, Ohio
MORT -- Jeff, I think Jim Miller has a done a nice job. I think Drew Bledsoe is still an elite quarterback. But your argument definitely has merit.

Q: Why is every sportscaster missing what actually happened during the Browns-Jags game? The referee is clearly in the picture (upper right-hand corner). It doesn't show him paying any attention to his pager until after Couch spiked the ball. I have yet to hear the NFL address that. How can anyone say the refs were correct, the pager went off as the ball was snapped or the situation was handled correctly? This sickens me as to the level of officiating in the NFL. The play was run, therefore it should have stood. -- Hank, Columbus, Ohio
MORT -- Hank, I think you are right. However, the referee is not the only official with a replay pager -- the umpire also has one. I do believe the NFL will clarify the procedure in the offseason. The replay system is interesting. Officials are charged to be reluctant to reverse any call when a coach challenges it, but to do anything to get the call right when the game is in the final two minutes. In this case, the NFL believes it got the call right, regardless of procedure.

Q: Why is it that when any other teams' fans do something stupid, no one makes a big deal out of it? Yet when Philadelphia fans do something dumb, it gets national coverage and the Philly fans get chastised? Why does Philly get the bad rap while other towns' fans do even dumber things, and do they get chastised? No ... why is that? -- Brian Quinn, Philadelphia
MORT -- Brian, I thought Philly fans prided themselves on the identity you are griping about. What gives? You guys getting soft? By the way, it seems to me Browns fans took a pretty good rap this week.

Q: I want to know if anyone from the NFL front office noticed that the Jaguars' offensive line was taunting the Dawg Pound when the plastic bottles were flying from the stands? I was in the upper section of the Dawg Pound, 35 rows up, and noticed them waving their hands up and down in front of the crowd, and no one seems to say a word about that? COME ON! The NFL needs to fine all of those guys who were guilty ... sure, we have enough photos of the fans reacting, but what about the players? ... One more thing: Of the 70,000-plus at the stadium, not all of us were throwing things. Unfortunately, it only takes one person to ruin the fun for the rest of us. For the ones who ruined it, they should lose their season tickets! -- Joe Smoothe, Columbus, Ohio
MORT -- Joe, a Browns official did tell me that Jaguars players were "taunting," some with obscene gestures, the Dawg Pound section. However, I think that Dawg Pound fans and opposing players often have had that type of interaction. It still does not excuse what happened Sunday, although as you noted that the majority of the great Browns fans did not participate in this fiasco.

Q: I like Jim Haslett, but he took umbrage with Mike Martz pulling what he called "bullcrap plays" in their first encounter, only to try a surprise onside kick and a fake field goal in the second meeting. Smells like hypocrisy to me. What gives? -- Mike, Durand, Wis.
MORT -- Mike, I guess "hypocrisy" is one way to label Haslett's decisions on Monday night. Then again, Haslett was trying to win a game and perhaps he thought that the last thing the Rams would be looking for was a gimmick play or two.

Q: Lamar Smith is just not getting it done for the Dolphins -- I love what he did last year, but he lost something in the offseason. Do you start Travis Minor or J.J. Johnson (not my first choice). -- Pastor Dave, Titusville, Fla.
MORT -- Dave, you are right. Smith is not getting it done, although the O-line problems have contributed. The Dolphins are getting Travis Minor on the field more when he's healthy enough. If J.J. Johnson were the answer, then the Dolphins would make the change. Remember, Dave Wannstedt has a vested interest in having the best team on the field. I do believe the Dolphins will fix the RB situation in the offseason.

Q: Unlike most, I'm excited about the 'Skins overall. I see a number of positives (emergence of Big Daddy and LaVar Arrington, the O-line, continued strong secondary play) and just a few negatives. Two-part question: doesn't the Philly game expose the need for a bit more than a "system" QB (Drew Bledsoe? Jeff Blake? Neil O'Donnell? Elvis Grbac?), and are things so far gone with Michael Westbrook that they won't be able to keep this elite possession WR? -- Mark, Atlanta
MORT -- Mark, I agree with you about the Redskins' talent and I believe Marty Schottenheimer probably agrees with you about the quarterback. Any of those guys you mentioned make sense if Banks does not return, and you can throw in Trent Dilfer, too. On Westbrook, I don't think he'll be back, especially since Rod Gardner has the potential to be an elite receiver.

Q: There's been a lot of talk around here lately about the Chargers moving back to L.A. unless a new stadium is built (which I don't see happening with a baseball stadium in progress). Is this a real possibility? I know the NFL would like a team in L.A. and the Chargers do have an out in their stadium agreement after 2003. Say it ain't so ... and keep up the great work! -- Kamal O.K. Scott, San Diego
MORT -- Kamal, I wrote on ESPN.com about a year ago (Dec. 6, 2000) that San Diego had emerged as a real possibility for L.A. because of their lease deal and some testy politics. The problem with the baseball stadium in San Diego is another clue that unless something is done for the Chargers, then L.A. might be an option that the NFL would not necessarily discourage. However, the Super Bowl is coming to San Diego again in 2003 (it's the favorite spot for a lot of people) and I'm sure city officials understand that losing the NFL would be a blow. Then again, San Diego can stand on its own with any city in America.

Q: Some Bills fans here believe that the rule calling for the Patriots' fumble in OT to be ruled out of bounds when David Patten touched it (and thus New England's ball) is unfair. Is there any possibility of this rule being reviewed/changed in the offseason? -- Jeff S., Rochester, N.Y.
MORT -- Jeff, the play you refer to is reason enough to have the competition committee review the rule (which it is doing). If any part of a player is out of bounds and comes in contact with a loose ball inbounds, it is ruled out of bounds. But in this play the contact was made inbounds, the fumble was inbounds, the recovery was inbounds -- a good yard away from the sidelines. The only part of the Patriots player (Patten, who fumbled) that was out of bounds was his head (and he was KO'd) ... it exposed the rule for what it is -- a bad rule.

Q: What's with you and the Dolphins? How could you pick them to beat the Niners after they flew to the West Coast on a short week? It's a certain recipe for views of Dave Wannstedt looking completely confused. The Phins have the looks of losing 42-7 in the divisional playoffs, as per usual. -- Dan Meyer, Ancaster, Ontario
MORT -- Dan, I am guilty. I knew better. I thought their defense would stifle the 49ers. I was wrong and the recipe was right in front me. As for the Phins' playoff hopes, I don't think the Dolphins are destined to go deep into the playoffs. In many ways, they were better and a little deeper in talent last season, plus they have had some key injuries this year. The only area where I see them better is with the receivers -- Chris Chambers especially gives them some play-making they did not have last year.