First Call: Oddsmakers set line on hot seat for Mike Tomlin; Gerrit Cole returns; Joe Burrow still out
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Tuesday’s “First Call” tries to gauge how hot the seat really is (or isn’t) for Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. Gerrit Cole returned to the mound in the Bronx. We’ve found a team struggling even worse than the Pirates. And Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow isn’t ready for game action just yet.
Don’t bet on it
Even the most ardent critics of Mike Tomlin shouldn’t expect him to get fired during the 2021 season.
That appears to be the message from BetOnline.ag and their preseason odds for NFL coaches on the hot seat.
The favorite to be fired first during the season is Denver Broncos coach Vic Fangio (5/1), followed by Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy (6/1).
Tomlin’s odds are 25/1. He is 11th on the list, tied with Green Bay Packers boss Matt LaFleur.
But don’t hold your breath.
If Steelers owner Art Rooney II were to ever fire Tomlin — and Tomlin may be 100 years old before that happens — he won’t do it during a season.
And he surely won’t do it before Fangio and McCarthy.
Cole back on the rails
Former Pirates pitcher Gerrit Cole made his return from the covid-19 list for the New York Yankees Monday.
And he did so in fine fashion.
The right-hander won a 2-1 decision for New York over the Los Angeles Angels. The lone run Cole allowed was a homer from Justin Upton. He totaled nine strikeouts in 5 ⅔ innings, with just one walk.
Cole is up and runnin' pic.twitter.com/Xynq3oon1z
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 17, 2021
Cole is now 11-6 with a 3.04 ERA. Joey Gallo provided all the necessary offense with this two-run missile.
Moonshot by Galloleo. pic.twitter.com/x6SQaVLo9b
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 16, 2021
The Yankees are now 66-52, that’s good for 1.5 games behind the Oakland A’s for the second wild-card spot in the American League.
It could be worse
For as badly as things are going for the Pirates this year, Pirates fans can be happy about one thing.
They don’t root for the Baltimore Orioles.
Wow, are they bad. Yes, even worse than the Pirates.
After Monday’s 2-1 loss for the Pirates, they are now 42-77, that’s the second-worst record in the National League.
But the Orioles are a travesty. A 9-2 defeat at the hands of the Tampa Bay Rays dropped Baltimore to 38-79. That’s a .325 winning percentage. Only the Arizona Diamondbacks (38-81) are worse in all of Major League Baseball.
During their most recent loss, Brett Phillips laced an inside-the-park home run for Tampa Bay.
@Brett_Phillips8 inside-the-parker pic.twitter.com/brNZbgr4EV
— MLB (@MLB) August 17, 2021
I’m betting on the Orioles catching the D-Backs, though. Baltimore has now lost 12 straight games, and their minus-208 run differential is the worst in the majors.
Their home record is particularly bad, 17-37. No other team has fewer wins at home. The Pirates and D-Backs are second worst at 24.
Still on the mend
Cincinnati Bengals fans won’t get a look at Joe Burrow and his rehabbed knee just yet.
Last year’s No.1 overall pick didn’t play in the team’s first preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and he won’t play in Friday’s game against Washington either.
Head coach Zac Taylor made that announcement Monday afternoon. A few days ago, Taylor said the quarterback may play at some point in the preseason. But not yet.
The Bengals host Miami on Aug. 29 to close out the preseason.