While the Cleveland Browns finished fourth in the AFC North this season, their quarterback Colt McCoy finished first among the division's quarterbacks in the Positive Impact Factor (what's this?).

Here's the 2011 AFC North PIF Standings (PIF with sacks counted as rushes like the NCAA in brackets):

1. Colt McCoy, Cleveland Browns, 39.1 (43.8)

2. Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals, 35.6 (41.5)

3. Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens, 15.7 (31.5)

4. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers, 13.2 (34.1)

It was not a banner year for the quarterbacks in the AFC North you would expect to have done well. Colt McCoy and Andy Dalton were in first and second in the PIF standings because they held onto the ball better than Joe Flacco and Ben Roethlisberger.

There were fewer touchdowns and fewer wins for McCoy and Dalton but also fewer turnovers. If Roethlisberger got credit for being sacked in rushing attempts, his PIF would move ahead of Flacco, but not catch Dalton.

McCoy improved his PIF from a 37.7 in 2010 (10th in the NFL) to a 39.1 by throwing interceptions at a lower rate. Dalton, of course was a rookie, but did pretty well and helped the Bengals make the playoffs. Flacco fell from a 31.7 to 15.7 (his worst season in the NFL) because his rate of interceptions went up a little and his fumbles lost rate skyrocketed. Roethlisberger's season was bad but not his worst. In his career, he has bounced around from Top 10 in his best seasons (2004, 38.4 PIF; 2005, 40.4 PIF, 2009, 34.5 PIF) to bottom 5 in his worst year (2008, -2.6 PIF). He dropped from his average season due to a higher rate of interceptions and fumbles lost.