Cincinnati head man will be back with Bengals next season.

AFC Central Roundup: Somethings Wrong In Jacksonville, LeBeau Gets A Confidence Builder

Somethings Wrong In Jacksonville

It has been a difficult season for the Jacksonville Jaguars and head coach Tom Coughlin.

This usually is the week Coughlin is getting his team ready for their final game before a long playoff run, but that is not so this season.

Instead Coughlin is dealing with personnel problems. Wednesday he had to place rookie wide receiver R. Jay Soward on the non-football injury reserve list for a condition the team would not committ upon.

'It is what it is,' Coughlin said. 'It's trying to help solve a problem.'

This is the latest in an ongoing string of problems Soward has had in his first season.

He was suspended for Arizona game two weeks ago for showing up late to a meeting.

'I just want the best for the guy,' Jaguars wide receiver Jimmy Smith said. 'I feel kind of like a big brother to him.'

No one has said if Soward will return to the team, but all say they want to see him get well.

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LeBeau Gets A Confidence Builder

Bengal's president Mike Brown made an announcement Tuesday that will make Christmas at Dick LeBeau's house a little sweeter this year. LeBeau will be head coach of the team next season.

LeBeau took over the job on an interum level when former coach Bruce Coslet stepped down from the team on September 25.

It was an outpour of support from players that helped LeBeau keep his job.

'Dick took over a difficult situation and has earned everyone's respect with the way he had handled the job,' Brown said. 'I have been particularly impressed with the vocal display of support Dick has received from our players. He is a straight shooter.'

A 'straight shooter' is evidently the type of coach running back Corey Dillon wants to play for. 'We've got some things we've got to work on,' Dillon said, 'but we're getting better and I can honestly say that (yesterday) was a very big step in a good direction.'

LeBeau has only four wins in his short career as a head coach, but the hope in Cincinnati is that he will help lead the team to many more.

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Playoff Opponents Will Have To Keep Eyes On Sharper

The teams going up against the Baltimore Ravens in the playoffs will have to keep a watchdog on outside linebacker Jaime Sharper.

Sharper was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week after his performance against the Cardinals in the Ravens 13-7 win.

'It's a very nice honor, great recognition with the win,' Sharper said. 'Overall, it was a good game for me...'

Sharper helped the Ravens by intercepting a Jake Plummer pass and running it back 45 yards to set up a third quarter touchdown.

Later Sharper stopped an Arizona drive with a forced fumble as tight end Terry Harding was running into the endzone.

This is the first time Sharper has received the award and the he makes the fifth Ravens' player to receive the honors this season.