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Here are today's inactives from around the NFL.

Let's dig into the AFC North weekend mailbag.

Mike Pisano from Chicago writes: Is Brady Quinn's arm strong enough for the NFL? Can he make enough of the throws to play in the league?

James Walker: Quinn still has a lot to prove, Mike, and that’s probably the biggest thing Cleveland Browns followers have to look forward to in these final seven games. Living in Cleveland, I have seen Quinn a lot in training camps, practices and in preseason and regular-season games. And in every one of those instances he’s struggled to complete deep passes of 20 yards or more. Quinn says his arm strength is fine, but at some point he’s going to have to prove it against NFL defenses. He was 0-for-7 on throws of 10 yards or more last Monday against the Ravens.

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J.Mo from Bed-Stuy wants to know who is the ideal candidate for Browns GM.

Walker: Ideal? Bill Parcells. But it’s unlikely the Browns will land “The Tuna,” despite some rumors on the contrary. Mike Holmgren also would be a good choice. Pretty much anyone who isn’t stepping into the GM role for the first time would be an upgrade for Cleveland. Everything I’ve heard so far is that former GM George Kokinis was in over his head.

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Alvin from Bradfordsville, KY wants to know if the Browns will fire head coach Eric Mangini now to get a head start on the coaching search.

Walker: Browns owner Randy Lerner has no interest in firing Mangini during the season. I think in Lerner’s heart of hearts, he really wants Mangini to right the ship in these final seven games as a selling point to whoever gets the job as GM/Head of Football Operations. If the new football “czar” in Cleveland is someone like Holmgren, who is experienced and has a proven track record, chances are someone of that caliber at least wants the option to choose his own head coach or he’s probably not coming to Cleveland. But if the Browns finish strong, Lerner may have some bargaining chips to convince the new GM to keep the current coaching staff in tact. That will be something to closely monitor this offseason.

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Shawn from Philadelphia, PA wants to know if I have any thoughts on running back Chris Jennings.

Walker: The Cleveland media is getting giddy --probably too giddy -- over Jennings of late. But I think that’s more of a product of having nothing else to get excited about. Jennings is getting a chance to show what he can do. But truthfully not many CFL guys turn out to be feature running backs in the NFL. I still think the Browns need to draft a tailback high next year.

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Jason from NYC believes Cleveland's next win will be the No. 1 pick in the 2010 NFL draft.

Walker: It’s only a win if the Browns pick the right player. Consider the amount of guaranteed money that will be required to sign the top pick next year. It’s going to be through the roof. That’s why it’s important to get a head of football operations in Cleveland ASAP to begin this process, because the Browns have a ton of high picks and will be major players in next year’s draft. If the team screws up its top pick, it will set the franchise back several more years.

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Brad from Atlanta, Ga. doesn’t get why most people feel the Baltimore Ravens are struggling, considering they’ve only lost to the New England Patriots, Minnesota Vikings and the Cincinnati Bengals twice.

Walker: That’s a fair point, Brad. But this isn’t college football. There is no point system and no such thing as a quality loss. The fact is the Ravens were beaten in four of their last six games. They had a chance to win all of them late with the exception of the second game against the Cincinnati Bengals, which was never close. I believe Baltimore is a good team. But the Ravens must beat some of the elite teams on their schedule at some point if they want to get to the postseason. A win Sunday against the undefeated Indianapolis Colts would be a huge step forward in that direction.

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Becky from Galloway, Ohio writes: Is Kyle Cook one of the main reasons for the Bengals' offensive line being much improved this season?

Walker: He’s a major reason, Becky. Cook is playing as well or better than former center Richie Braham did when the Bengals were last strong up the middle. But left tackle Andrew Whitworth is playing some of the best football of his career protecting Carson Palmer’s blindside as well. This may be the most surprising unit in the division this year.

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Collin from Illinois wants to know what happened to the Pittsburgh Steelers lack of a no-huddle offense against the Bengals.

Walker: The no-huddle has worked for Pittsburgh, but the team doesn’t want to turn it into a full-time thing. It’s working more as a change of pace right now in certain games. I’m not sure last week it would’ve help that much, because quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was not playing well. If anything, I thought the Steelers could have run the football more.

I thought this e-mail from our AFC North inbox was pretty entertaining this week.

• Dale Wamsley from Indianapolis, Ind., writes: I realize this is a small thing compared to other highlights of the game. However when Pittsburgh Steelers' kicker, Jeff Reed, had a chance to stop [Cincinnati Bengals returner Bernard Scott], Reed sort of runs in front of the return man like he hopes maybe he'll run into him. As a coach of an NFL team, if I have a kicker who doesn't know how, or worse, won't tackle, either he learns or is cut. I'd like your opinion. A kicker is part of the team. Shouldn't he make a genuine effort to tackle on a return?

Dale, I agree that Reed’s tackling display on Scott’s kickoff return was one of the worst I’ve seen in an NFL game. However I don't believe it is grounds to be cut. Reed doesn't practice tackling and he's being paid to kick, which he is very good at. He made four field goals against the Bengals. Perhaps the biggest irony is that Pittsburgh's punter, Daniel Sepulveda, is a great tackler and with the same opportunity may have de-cleated Scott.

Here is a look at the final injury reports for Week 11 in the AFC North:

Cleveland Browns (1-8) at Detroit Lions (1-8)

Browns

Questionable: WR Josh Cribbs (neck), OG Rex Hadnot (knee), RB Jamal Lewis (ankle), FB Lawrence Vickers (shoulder)

Probable: LB David Bowens (knee), DE Kenyon Coleman (groin), C Alex Mack (wrist), DT Shaun Rogers (back), TE Robert Royal (finger, wrist), OT John St. Clair (shoulder), WR Chansi Stuckey (calf)

Lions

Out: S Kalvin Pearson (hamstring), G Stephen Peterman (ankle), LB Ernie Sims (hamstring)

Questionable: LB Zack Follett (neck), DE Dewayne White (toe), WR Derrick Williams (hip)

Probable: CB Phillip Buchanon (knee, shoulder), DT Joe Cohen (ankle), S Louis Delmas (tooth, jaw), LB Jordon Dizon (neck), RB Jerome Felton (ankle), LB Larry Foote (knee), DE Jason Hunter (knee), DT Grady Jackson (knee), WR Calvin Johnson (hand), S Ko Simpson (knee), QB Matthew Stafford (knee)

Indianapolis Colts (9-0) at Baltimore Ravens (5-4)

Colts

Out: T Daniel Federkeil (concussion), CB Aaron Francisco (ankle), WR Anthony Gonzalez (knee), CB Kelvin Hayden (knee), K Adam Vinatieri (right knee)

Questionable: CB Antoine Bethea (foot), DT Eric Foster (back), DE Dwight Freeney (hip), WR Pierre Garcon (ankle), TE Gijon Robinson (concussion), QB Jim Sorgi (right shoulder)

Probable: WR Hank Baskett (illness), LS Justin Snow (elbow)

Ravens

Out: RB Matt Lawrence (knee), LB Terrell Suggs (knee)

Questionable: TE Todd Heap (chest), DT Haloti Ngata (ankle)

Probable: C Matt Birk (neck), QB Joe Flacco (knee), LB Tavares Gooden (head), LB Jarret Johnson (shoulder)

Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3) at Kansas City Chiefs (2-7)

Steelers

Out: DE Travis Kirschke (calf), S Troy Polamalu (knee)

Questionable: FB Carey Davis (hamstring)

Chiefs

Doubtful: G Andy Alleman (knee), LB Justin Rogers (thigh), RB Dantrell Savage (ankle), LB Mike Vrabel (knee)

Questionable: LB David Herron (knee)

Cincinnati Bengals (7-2) at Oakland Raiders (2-7)

Bengals

Doubtful: RB Cedric Benson (hip), G Evan Mathis (ankle), LB Keith Rivers (calf)

Questionable: Chris Crocker (calf), CB Johnathan Joseph (foot), CB Morgan Trent (knee)

Probable: WR Laveranues Coles (head), RB Jeremi Johnson (chest)

Raiders

Out: LB Ricky Brown (ankle), WR Nick Miller (shin), WR Javon Walker (hamstring)

Questionable: LB Isaiah Ekejiuba (ankle), DE Greg Ellis (knee, shoulder)

Probable: S Hiram Eugene (shoulder)

» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 11:

No 'Sizzle' for Baltimore: The Baltimore Ravens have been inconsistent rushing the passer this season, and their defense will take another big blow without the services of Pro Bowl defensive end/linebacker Terrell Suggs Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts (9-0). Suggs suffered a sprained knee in last Monday’s win over the Cleveland Browns when quarterback Brady Quinn hit him low following an interception. Suggs doesn’t believe his injury is season-ending. But he is one of the few pass-rushers for the Ravens who can command and fight through double teams. So expect Colts quarterback Peyton Manning to have some extra time in the pocket this week.

Draft status: As much as teams dislike talking about this during the season, there is a good chance the No. 1 pick in the 2010 NFL draft could be decided Sunday when Cleveland (1-8) travels to play the Detroit Lions (1-8). Of the four one-win teams, the Browns and Lions are probably playing the worst football down the stretch. The winner of this game will double its victory total and thus fall behind in the race for the top pick with just six games remaining. Detroit had the top selection in 2009 and selected quarterback Matthew Stafford out of the University of Georgia.

Going vertical: If the Browns will ever attack defenses vertically with Quinn at quarterback, this is the week to do it. Detroit's defense is ranked No. 31 in the NFL, one spot ahead of Cleveland's. The Lions are also allowing 29.3 points per game. So Quinn should have more time in the pocket to allow his receivers to get downfield. The biggest knock on Quinn since coming to the NFL is that he doesn't have the arm strength or accuracy to stretch defenses downfield. In Monday's loss to Baltimore, Quinn was 0-for-7 on throws of 10 yards or more. Several of his deep throws at the end of the game weren't even close and didn’t stay in the field of play.

Potential trap: On the surface, the Cincinnati Bengals and Oakland Raiders shouldn’t be a close contest, right? The Raiders are 2-7 and starting quarterback Bruce Gradkowski against the first-place Bengals (7-2). But when you look deeper, consider the fact that Cincinnati has never won in Oakland in eight attempts. The Bengals are coming off a huge emotional win over the Pittsburgh Steelers (letdown factor?), and starting tailback Cedric Benson is not expected to play with a hip injury. This has all the makings of a trap game in the NFL. The Bengals have been a mature team all season. Winning in Oakland for the first time would be another huge step in that maturation process.

Balance is key: The Steelers' offense will try to get back on track after one of the worst performances of the season against Cincinnati. Offensive coordinator Bruce Arians received a lot of heat in the media this week for his unbalanced play calling last weekend (40 pass plays/18 run plays). It was a surprising stat considering the game against the Bengals was extremely close throughout and tailback Rashard Mendenhall entered the game with the hot hand. Look for the Steelers to get back to being balanced against the struggling Kansas City Chiefs (2-7). Kansas City has the No. 27-ranked defense in the NFL. So Pittsburgh should have an easier time executing.

Those pesky Cincinnati Bengals did it again.

It seems every week I pick against the Bengals when they are underdogs and they continue to ruin an otherwise perfect set of picks. Cincinnati upset the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road, 18-12, last weekend to take sole possession of first place in the AFC North.

Here are the AFC North blog's picks for Week 11:

Indianapolis Colts (9-0) at Baltimore Ravens (5-4)

Analysis: The Ravens really need this game. Too bad it comes against quarterback Peyton Manning, who is 6-2 all-time against Baltimore.

Pick: Colts, 27-21

Cleveland Browns (1-8) at Detroit Lions (1-8), Sunday at 1 p.m.

Analysis: If you thought last week's Browns game was ugly, wait until you see this matchup.

Pick: Lions, 13-9

Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3) at Kansas City Chiefs (2-7), Sunday at 1 p.m.

Analysis: The AFC West is getting clobbered by the physicality of the AFC North this year. This will be yet another example.

Pick: Steelers, 28-10

Cincinnati Bengals (7-2) at Oakland Raiders (2-7), Sunday at 4:15 p.m.

Analysis: The Bengals have never won in Oakland, but there is a first time for everything.

Pick: Bengals, 20-7

Last week’s record: 1-1

Overall record: 19-9

Comment: I'm feeling good about this week's picks. I see 4-0 in my future.

Not only has Baltimore Ravens right tackle Michael Oher been one of the top rookies in the NFL this season, but a movie based on his life hits theaters Friday.


In celebration of today's release of "The Blind Side," the AFC North blog checked in with Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. to get an update on how Oher is fitting in with the Ravens in his rookie year.

Williamson: "He’s been better than expected. He’s very solid and probably about a year away from being mentioned amongst the five best right tackles in the NFL. Michael also has the ability to go to the left side, which is rare. Most guys that are right tackles are stuck at right tackle and can't help you anywhere else. But he's been very good. I would give him a B+ or A-. As right tackles go, he’s certainly more athletic than the average starter. He's a knee-bender, he has the ability to recover and has pure foot speed.”

Oher has played in all nine games this year for Baltimore (5-4), which will host the undefeated Indianapolis Colts (9-0) Sunday.

Here are the most interesting stories Friday in the AFC North:

• With starting tailback Cedric Benson (hip) still missing practice, it appears Larry Johnson could make his Cincinnati Bengals debut Sunday against the Oakland Raiders.

Morning take: The Bengals should beat Oakland with or without Benson and could still get Johnson acclimated to the new offense.

• Baltimore Ravens Pro Bowl linebacker Terrell Suggs doesn’t believe his sprained knee will end his season.

Morning take: But Suggs’ injury comes at an awful time for Baltimore, which needs to get hot down the stretch. Expect Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning to have a little extra time in the pocket Sunday.

• Cleveland Browns cornerback Brandon McDonald is struggling with allowing big plays once again.

Morning take: McDonald had a good rookie stretch as a nickel cornerback a few years ago but was never the same player as a full-time starter. I’m surprised the Browns never found a way to place him back as the No. 3 corner.

• Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger hopes to redeem himself after a poor game against Cincinnati last week.

Morning take: It’s rare that Roethlisberger has bad games in back-to-back weeks. Don't expect it Sunday against the lowly Kansas City Chiefs.

Our latest version of "Thought of the Day" in the AFC North examined when the struggling Cleveland Browns (1-8) will get their next win.

Here are the best responses from our AFC North inbox:

Marc from Troy, Mich., writes: The Browns next, and ONLY, win will be at home vs. the Oakland Raiders, the second most pathetically run organization next to the Browns, of course. The stadium will have about 30,000 people in it and Eric Mangini will be starting Brett Ratliff, who is better than JaMarcus Russell. Browns win 9-3. Mangini declares that his "process" is starting to show progress in Cleveland. Overcome with confidence, Browns lose the next week to Jacksonville 27-6 to lock up the 1st pick in 2010 draft.

Dave from San Angelo, Texas, writes: I think the Browns could possibly beat the Detroit Lions this week. But Brady Quinn needs to get on the practice field this week and learn how to throw the mid-range ball and the deep ball! I know that is a sad statement considering that he is a first round QB! After the Detroit game, I think that the Browns only other shot would be against Oakland.

Jack from Kent, Ohio, writes: James, my roommate is a die-hard Lions fan and I'm a die-hard Browns fan. (Yeah, a lot of happy Sundays around here.) This being the case, I've watched every game this year of both teams and can confidently say that the Lions are at least 10 points better than the Browns. They have actual playmakers (Calvin Johnson, Kevin Smith) and the Browns have nothing. That said, I honestly can't say I see the Browns winning another game this season. The Raiders have a decent defense which stops the pass well with Nnamdi Asomugha. The Chiefs at least have a decent D-line and a creative coach. I'm predicting a 1st Overall selection for my Brownies next season and a 1-15 finish. Ouch.

Kraig Bishop Ironton, Ohio, writes: Mark my words: Browns win all three of these cupcake games and go 4-12 if Brady Quinn figures out how to throw more than two yards. Browns lose all three of these cupcake games and go 1-15 if he plays like he played against the Ravens and earlier in the year. You don't want to believe one player makes that much of a difference, and I'm sure play calling has something to do with this, but he just looks scared in the backfield and checks down EVERY TIME!

Jeremy from Findlay, Ohio, writes: I completely expect the Browns to get to three wins this year. First off, the defense is outperforming the offense. That leads me to believe that the Lions with a rookie QB won't be successful on offense. The Lions are giving up an abysmal 29.3 ppg and I expect Quinn to perform better than he has against the top tier defenses he has faced. It is a close one and the Browns win by seven points. The second game I expect them to win is against Oakland. It is a home game for the Browns and the Raiders will be jet lagged coming from the west coast. Not to mention the Raiders are not extremely talented on either side of the ball. The Browns match up well in this aspect.

Jeff from Richmond, Ky., writes: I really think that the Browns will pull off their second and final win of the season at home vs. Oakland on week 17. With the way Cleveland plays on the road I do not believe they will beat either Detroit or Kansas City. Their best chance will be a home game and since the Raiders are their only "cupcake" left on the home schedule that's where I see it coming. It will probably be another 6-3 game like the Buffalo one, too.

Joshua Steward from Enoch, Utah, writes: In response to the next Browns win, I would say not this season. With two QB's that can't make throws, receivers that can't catch well, and a running game weaker than a mouse fight, I don't see the Browns winning anything else this season. By the way I am a Browns fan and have been for 25 years.

Matt D from Lima, Ohio, writes: Will the Browns win another game this year? At the beginning of the year I saw the schedule and said well they should win against the Bills, Lions, Oakland, K.C., Jacksonville, and maybe steal one from Cincinnati or Baltimore. Now after seeing this offense and the play calling I'm not so sure on any of these games.

AFC North Final Say

James Walker: The Browns are every bit as bad as their 1-8 record. But they have enough cupcakes left on their schedule to catch lightning in a bottle at least one more time this year. It could come Sunday against Detroit, but I’m picking the Lions in that one. I agree with most in our community that the Raiders coming to Cleveland is the Browns’ best shot to get their next win. This might be an interesting matchup between 2007 first-round quarterbacks in Quinn and Russell, who was recently benched. Neither player has worked out in three years, which is a major reason these teams are in their current states.

It's obvious that the AFC North is one of the stronger divisions in football.

The Cincinnati Bengals (7-2), Baltimore Ravens (5-4) and defending champion Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3) have winning records, star power, good quarterback play and hard-nosed defenses.

But can the AFC North get three teams into this season's playoff field? The AFC North blog and Scouts Inc. examine the possibilities.

Cincinnati Bengals (7-2)

With the Denver Broncos fading, the Bengals are now the NFL's biggest surprise through nine games. Cincinnati, with a strong running game and physical defense, is built like an AFC North team for the first time under coach Marvin Lewis.

Perhaps the biggest feat for Cincinnati is that it is 4-0 against the Ravens and Steelers, which gives the Bengals the head-to-head tiebreaker and makes it very hard to be surpassed by either rival down the stretch. Cincinnati is essentially two games ahead of Pittsburgh and three games ahead of Baltimore with seven games remaining.

"That’s huge," said Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. "I think [a playoff berth] is more or less clinched for Cincinnati with that win over Pittsburgh last week. They'll probably sweep the division, although the wins against the Browns are inconsequential. But when you look at the rest of their schedule, it doesn't look that difficult."

The remaining schedule leans heavily in Cincinnati's favor. The Bengals have a golden opportunity to pad their playoff résumé in games against the Oakland Raiders (2-7), Cleveland Browns (1-8) and Detroit Lions (1-8) in the next three weeks.

If Cincinnati takes care of business, it will be 10-2 after this stretch and in prime position to secure a home playoff game and a possible bye. Even one slip-up would give the Bengals a solid 9-3 mark with four games remaining, which would make them very hard to catch in the AFC North.

Cincinnati has been known to choke in the past. But these aren't the same old Bengals.

Scouts Inc. on Cincinnati's chances of making playoffs: 85-90 percent

Comment: "They’re in unless something major happens, like Carson Palmer goes down," Williamson said.

Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3)

The Steelers had their season-best five-game winning streak snapped in Week 10 by the Bengals, but remain in good standing at 6-3. But after getting swept by Cincinnati, the defending Super Bowl champions could be aiming for the wild-card route to the playoffs.

"They’re very dangerous, and they’re still a contender," Williamson said. "I don’t think it would faze them one bit to go back to Cincinnati -- they’ve won a ton of games in that stadium -- or to go to Indianapolis or anywhere. If Troy Polamalu is healthy, they can play with anybody."

When it comes to the three AFC North playoff hopefuls, Pittsburgh’s schedule is in the middle. The Steelers don't have it as tough as the Ravens, but they don't have as many cupcakes remaining as Cincinnati, either.

The toughest challenge will be two rivalry games with the Ravens. These are always among the most physically demanding on Pittsburgh's schedule. Last season, the Steelers edged the Ravens in a trio of classic meetings, which included a win in the AFC Championship Game that propelled Pittsburgh to its sixth Super Bowl title.

Baltimore may need to repay the favor and sweep Pittsburgh this season to leapfrog the Steelers. The outcome of both meetings could lead to only one of these AFC North rivals making the postseason.

Scouts Inc. on Pittsburgh's chances of making playoffs: 75-80 percent

Comment: "They’re probably a 10- or 11-win team when it's all said and done. That’s going to get them into the playoffs and they’re going to be dangerous," Williamson said.

Baltimore Ravens (5-4)

Several close losses early in the season have put the talented but inconsistent Ravens in a tight spot.

Baltimore must go at least 5-2 in its final seven games to finish 10-6 and have a shot at one of the two wild-card spots. Working in its favor are head-to-head tiebreakers over the Broncos (6-3) and San Diego Chargers (6-3). There is a good chance the Ravens will be chasing one of those teams in the final weeks of the regular season.

But Houston Texans (5-4), Jacksonville Jaguars (5-4), Miami Dolphins (4-5) and New York Jets (4-5) are in the wild-card mix as well.

The recent knee injury to Pro Bowl defensive end/linebacker Terrell Suggs is a huge blow to Baltimore. Browns quarterback Brady Quinn hit an unsuspecting Suggs low after throwing an interception, knocking Suggs out for an extended period.

"Suggs is pretty close to irreplaceable on that defense," Williamson said. "Everybody knows he’s a good pass-rusher. But everybody doesn’t realize how sound he is against the run and how much he has improved as a coverage player. Suggs does a lot of things for them, and he's the key that allows them to switch from a 3-4 to a 4-3 in a whim."

Baltimore's tough stretch starts Sunday with a meeting against the 9-0 Indianapolis Colts. The Ravens also have two meetings against the Steelers and a road game against the Green Bay Packers (5-4) on Dec. 7. Baltimore must at least split those four games and run the table against the Raiders, Chicago Bears (4-5) and Lions for its best shot.

Scouts Inc. on Baltimore's chances of making playoffs: 40-45 percent

Comment: "I don’t feel good about Baltimore's chances. ... Two games with Pittsburgh, Sunday against Indy and at Green Bay. I would pick against them in every one of those games right now," Williamson said.