MVN: Most Valuable Network

If at first, your hire of a defensive coordinator from a successful franchise as your head coach fails, try, try again.  On that note, the Newark Star-Ledger reports that Ravens DC Rex Ryan has emerged as the front runner to be the Jets head coach.

One of the more interesting tidbits I've heard is that Raiders DC Rob Ryan was already in play there to become the defensive coordinator for the Jets.  Rob and Rex are brothers, sons of former Eagles head coach Buddy Ryan.  Rob, if you'll remember, was already poised to become the Jets DC last year when then Raiders coach Lane Kiffin wanted to get rid of him and bring in his father, Monte Kiffin, to coach the defense.  Raiders Owner Al Davis opted not to chase Monte, who was under contract with Tampa Bay.  Now, Monte Kiffin is coaching the defense at the University of Tennessee under head coach...Lane Kiffin, and Rob Ryan may be a Jet after all, on the staff of...Rex Ryan.

The Raiders beat the Jets 16-13 in overtime this year.  I'm not going to begin to tell you who was still around in that game.

Adam Schefter of NFL.com confirms a report that the Broncos have hired former Patriots OC Josh McDaniels as head coach, and adds that former 49ers HC Mike Nolan is headed for the Rockies as well.  He will fill the position of defensive coordinator.

I will dispute the notion that there is a significant difference in the roles of a head coach and a coordinator.  They both take nearly the same skill set.  A person who lacks coaching skills to handle the head role probably isn't a good coordinator either.  With that said, I think Mike Nolan is a good coach.  I'm not sure the 49ers were wrong to get rid of him, with Mike Singletary being a rising star and all, but Nolan to Denver is the first step to get the Denver defense playing like it should be.

Talks between Scott Pioli and the Kansas City Chiefs "have intensified," reports the Boston Globe.  Pioli's contract with New England has expired, and though he has been instrumental in building that dynasty, he appears to want a fresh start elsewhere, a new franchise to further build his legacy.

The Chiefs are the perfect franchise to do so with.  When Herm Edwards took over as head coach in 2005, they had just missed the playoffs with ten wins in one of the tougher divisions in NFL history.  They were also the oldest team in the league, and declined severely each of the next two seasons.  Now, three years removed, they've won six games in two seasons, and have already committed to a youth movement.

Pioli would come in with a chance to pick his quarterback in an offense that features a bunch of young talent.  Tyler Thigpen is the young incumbent, but likely best suited to a backup roll.  The secondary was much-maligned in 2008, but featured two rookies who the Chiefs really like: Brandon Flowers and Brandon Carr.

Meanwhile, the division was just won by a team that lost 8 of its first 12 games.  So yeah, I'd say Pioli would be a nice fit here.

Tim Tebow announced he was returning to Florida for his Senior season on Sunday.

Good decision by the kid, but really the only decision.  The NFL is not yet ready to accept a Tebow-type of quarterback, but things move so fast in this league, that by next year things might be different.

Pro Football Talk reports that the Titans fully expect DC Jim Schwartz to take a head coaching job this off-season.  The Lions appear to be honing in on him, and will bring him back for a second interview.

For the Lions, naming Jim Schwartz as head coach would be a step in the right direction, not to mention the start of the Jeff Fisher coaching tree.  Schwartz may be the most brilliant defensive mind in the game today, and for a Lions defense that was worst than any other in history, Schwartz is a guy who can come right in and diagnose the issues, and get the team started on the right track.

Seems simple enough, but keep in mind that save for one year of Steve Mariucci, the Lions have been totally averse to that kind of thinking in the post-Sanders era.  This would be a big step in the right direction for the Lions.