ATLANTA — The AFC Central, the Bengals' home for 30 years, will lose two teams beginning in 2002 when the new Houston franchise joins the league and the NFL realigns to eight four-team divisions.

        The NFC and AFC each will have four divisions, and the AFC Central will go from six teams to four.

        Cincinnati, Cleveland and Pittsburgh will stay put. The Houston franchise, which officially will be christened the Texans on Sept.6, wants to be in the division, too, owner Bob McNair said.

        When the Oilers were in Houston, before that franchise moved to Tennessee and became the Titans, they were in the AFC Central.

        Current Central members Jacksonville and Baltimore may be headed to other divisions.

        But the three traditional members of the AFC Central have varying opinions on who they'd like the fourth team to be.

        “We do want Pittsburgh and Cleveland in the same division,” Bengals president Mike Brown said Friday. “And it satisfies us if (the Titans) are in, too. They are much closer and make a better fit (than the new Houston team).

        “If (the Titans) were not in, Indianapolis would make an excellent replacement. They're close, and we would quickly build a rivalry.”

        The new Cleveland Browns want Houston, and Cleveland owner Al Lerner is being counted on by McNair to help lobby commissioner Paul Tagliabue. At the same time, Cleveland wants Baltimore out.

        Pittsburgh's Dan Rooney wants Baltimore to stay but is open-minded about the Texans taking the Ravens' place.

        The Titans and St.Louis Rams, Brown said, agreed not to have a preference about where they end up as part of the league's allowing those franchises to relocate in recent years.

        “We're not the ones who are going to determine that. Other teams have other views,” Brown said about choosing the fourth team.

FALCONS 31, BENGALS 16 Bengals-Falcons Stats AFC Central will shrink with realignment Bears like Rackers' kicking if Bengals don't Training camp visitors guide Stadium will also be party place

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