ESPN NFL

James Walker takes a look at the state of the Steelers, Ravens, Bengals and Browns.

I have a few roster moves to pass along from the Baltimore Ravens (5-5) and Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4). Both teams play this week in a huge AFC North matchup with playoff implications.

First, for the Ravens, the team placed cornerback Fabian Washington (knee) and running back Matt Lawrence (knee) on season-ending injured reserve. Baltimore signed two additional players to take up those roster spots in fullback Charles Ali and cornerback Cary Williams.

For the Steelers, in an effort to boost their special teams they signed veteran cornerback Corey Ivy and linebacker Rocky Boiman. Pittsburgh released cornerback Keiwan Ratliff and linebacker Donovan Woods to make room for the two moves.

(Update: The Cleveland Browns also announced Tuesday evening that the team released linebacker Josh Stamer, who was signed last week.)

Our division inbox is flooding with questions now that all four teams were on the short end in Week 11.

So let's provide some answers.

Brock from Springfield, MO wants to know why Baltimore Ravens starting tailback Ray Rice wasn’t in the game at the goal line.

James Walker: That was a coach’s decision, Brock, and I don’t necessarily think it was a bad one. Baltimore had first down with one yard to score a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts early in the fourth quarter, and they ran its bigger backs (Willis McGahee and Le’Ron McClain) on second and third down after failing a quarterback sneak. I don’t have a problem with the play calls or not having the smaller Rice in the game. If anything I blame the players for not executing and getting one yard.

Chris from Cleveland writes: I know it was just one game. But do you think Brady Quinn's stunning performance was a result of bad Detroit Lions defense, or him making nice throws?

Walker: Good question, Chris. I think both factors were in play for Quinn and the Cleveland Browns’ offense. The Lions were giving up more than 29 points per game entering last week, and you can see why after that game. Quinn looked much more comfortable because Detroit's defense is so putrid on the back end and the front seven. Confidence means a lot, and it helped Quinn make some throws that I haven’t seen from him all season. It's a great building block, but everyone needs to see more of it in these final six games against better competition. I'm curious to see if Quinn can light up the Bengals’ defense this week.

Collin from IL wants to know why Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor’s near interception in overtime didn’t count in overtime against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Walker: Taylor had the interception until the very end, when the ball came out. And the NFL in the past few years has really made it a point of emphasis for players to finish those kinds of plays (remember Troy Polamalu’s "football move"). Taylor has had problems catching the football his entire career, and that was another example. It’s a major reason he hasn't been able to make the jump from a very good corner to an elite corner.

Robert from Seymour, CT writes: You ever think that maybe all the AFC North teams lost because they all beat the snot out of each other last week?

Walker: Perhaps, Robert. But they're going to beat each other up again this week, too. So Week 13 may be another not-so-banner week for the AFC North.

Alan MacQuarrie from Milwaukee, Wisc. wants to know what happened to the Cincinnati Bengals' pass rush in the loss to the Oakland Raiders.

Walker: Oakland quarterback Bruce Gradkowski really made it a point to get the ball out quickly. The Raiders knew Cincinnati would come after them with a backup quarterback, so they game planned for a quick-hitting offense that gave the Bengals trouble. It was a smart move by Oakland. Cincinnati didn’t get any sacks but forced Gradkowski to throw the ball away on several occasions.

The AFC North went 0-4 over the weekend.

So here is how things shook out in ESPN.com's latest NFL Power Rankings:

Cincinnati Bengals (7-3)

Last week: No. 4

Current ranking: No. 7

Analysis: An upset to the Oakland Raiders dropped the Bengals three spots to No. 7. The team held firm in the top five for a couple weeks but was bound for a poor outing at some point. Cincinnati can get back on track with a win Sunday against the division rival Cleveland Browns. The Bengals need to get back to the efficient, focused football that put them in playoff contention and on top of the AFC North. This recent loss should wake them up.

Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4)

Last week: No. 6

Current ranking: No. 9

Analysis: Pittsburgh’s trip to Kansas City wasn’t a good one. Not only did the Steelers lose to the lowly Chiefs (3-7) in overtime, but starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger suffered a blow to the head and backup Charlie Batch (wrist) is out for the rest of the regular season. All of this dropped the Steelers three spots in the power rankings. Pittsburgh is in jeopardy of losing three in a row for the first time this year. Roethlisberger is expected to play Sunday but beating the Baltimore Ravens on the road is never easy. The special teams also need help. The defending champs have some issues.

Baltimore Ravens (5-5)

Last week: No. 11

Current ranking: No. 15

Analysis: There is no shame in the Ravens losing to the undefeated Indianapolis Colts (10-0). But the way Baltimore lost makes it feel as though it blew a good opportunity. The Ravens had plenty of offense but couldn't score touchdowns. They were 0 for 4 in the red zone, and that won’t cut it against a Peyton Manning-led offense. Right now Baltimore is on the outside looking in but its playoffs hopes are not over. The Ravens likely have to go 5-1 or 4-2 down the stretch to have a legitimate chance at the postseason.

Cleveland Browns (1-9)

Last week: No. 32

Current ranking: No. 32

Analysis: The Browns remain dead last in the power rankings after losing in the final play to the equally struggling Detroit Lions (2-8). It was a wild game where Cleveland feels it has a lot to complain about. But the point is the Browns shouldn't have blown a 21-point lead to a bad team. The good news is Cleveland showed signs of life, particularly on offense, which is something it can build on. The Browns will try to pull the upset next week against first-place Cincinnati.

Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday during his weekly news conference that starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger expects to play this weekend against the Baltimore Ravens.

Roethlisberger suffered a blow to the head in an overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. According to Tomlin, Roethlisberger sustained a concussion but passed all the neurological tests Monday.

"I met with Ben yesterday; he felt normal and he felt fine," Tomlin said. "The battery of tests that he took showed that he showed no symptoms. So we will continue to monitor his condition and he is on a day-to-day basis and let that guide our decision making.

"But as I sit here today, he is symptom free and feeling fine. So we anticipate Ben practicing tomorrow."

Roethlisberger’s status is very important considering backup quarterback Charlie Batch will be out for a wrist injury. Tomlin confirmed that Batch will have surgery on Wednesday and could be out about "2-4 weeks."

This is a huge game for both teams. The Steelers (6-4) currently hold one of the two wild card spots and are trying to avoid a three-game losing streak. Baltimore (5-5) has lost 5 of 7 games and needs to get hot now to have a chance at the postseason.

» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Falling

1. Ravens' red zone offense: Let’s be clear: There is nothing wrong with putting up 354 yards of total offense. But there is something wrong with going 0 for 4 in the red zone and just getting only 15 points in return.

The Ravens were solid offensively in between the 20s Sunday in a 17-15 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. They moved the football consistently and kept Colts quarterback Peyton Manning off the field better than most teams.

But when you have chances to score touchdowns against a Manning-led team, you have to capitalize. The Ravens couldn’t as the Colts tightened up and were more physical than Baltimore near the goal line. Eventually Manning was able to put up just enough points, and thus put another dent in the playoff hopes of the Ravens (5-5).

2. Andre Caldwell, Bengals receiver: As I mentioned on Monday, it is time for the Caldwell experiment on kickoff returns to end. He lost a fumble on a crucial return in the final seconds in Cincinnati’s 20-17 defeat to the Oakland Raiders.

It is clear at this point that Caldwell is not a natural kick returner, and that’s fine. He is a solid wide receiver, who has made a lot of big catches this season, and that should be enough for the Bengals’ coaching staff.

Cincinnati needs to find someone else, perhaps Bernard Scott or Quan Cosby, to take over the kickoff return duties on a full-time basis.

3. Steelers special teams: Speaking of special teams, Pittsburgh’s kickoff unit needs some help. The Steelers gave up their fourth kickoff return for a touchdown and second in two weeks during a 27-24 overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Pittsburgh’s kick coverage has been up and down all year, but recently it has started to cost the team games. When Chiefs tailback Jamaal Charles took the opening kickoff to the house in front of the home fans, you knew right away that the Steelers were in for a tough game.

Expect more teams to try to exploit this weakness down the stretch unless Pittsburgh makes drastic changes.

Rising

1. Brady Quinn, Browns quarterback: See how quickly things can change in one week?

Quinn was the No. 1 player in the "falling" category after another poor outing against the Baltimore Ravens. But Quinn suddenly looked great against the Detroit Lions, throwing for 304 yards and four touchdowns.

It was a career-best performance for Quinn, who is trying to prove that he can be the long-term quarterback in Cleveland. Despite the loss, this was the best thing that could have come out of this weekend for the Browns, because now Quinn at least has some momentum and something to build on.

2. Billy Cundiff, Ravens kicker: The player in Baltimore who received the loudest ovation in Sunday’s 17-15 loss to the Indianapolis Colts was Cundiff. He was nearly lights out, making 5 of 6 field goal attempts and tying a team record.

Cundiff’s missed kick was a combination of a high snap and a rushed follow-through, according to Ravens coach John Harbaugh. Still, seeing the ball consistently sail through the uprights was a welcome sight for Ravens fans who were nervous every time Steve Hauschka had an opportunity.

3. Derrick Mason, Ravens receiver: A major reason Cundiff had all of those opportunities was because of Mason’s performance.

The veteran receiver had season-high nine catches for 142 yards. Unfortunately for Baltimore, Mason couldn’t get in the end zone, which was sorely needed in the close loss to the Colts.

But Indianapolis struggled to cover Mason all game, and Baltimore will need more of these big performances from him down the stretch.

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

• Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger may be fine to play in Sunday's game against the Baltimore Ravens.

Morning take: We should know more later today. But the Steelers don’t have much chance of beating Baltimore on the road if third stringer Dennis Dixon is under center.

• Ravens cornerback Fabian Washington will be out for the year with a torn ACL.

Morning take: Baltimore's cornerbacks have struggled all season. It's likely time for rookie Lardarius Webb to step up and step in.

• Cleveland Browns coach Eric Mangini believes the Detroit Lions faked injuries in their win over the weekend.

Morning take: That’s hard to prove. But how much impact did it really have on the Browns blowing a three-touchdown lead?

• Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Domata Peko suffered an MCL sprain and is day to day.

Morning take: Peko is an important part of Cincinnati's defense. So the team could definitely use him this week in a bounce-back game against the Browns.

Injuries can make or break a team's season.

So far the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens have all had their share of players to go down. With that in mind, RJ from Virginia Beach suggests that I list my 2009 All-Injury Team in the AFC North.

Keep in mind some injuries vary and were/are more serious than others.

All-Injury Offense

Quarterbacks: Ben Roethlisberger, head, Steelers; Carson Palmer, left thumb, Bengals

Running backs: Cedric Benson, hip, Bengals, Lawrence Vickers, shoulder, Browns

Receivers: Chris Henry, arm, Bengals; Second receiver TBD

Tight Ends: Todd Heap, chest, Ravens; Steve Heiden, knee and ankle, Browns

Offensive line: Jared Gaither, neck, Ravens; Andre Smith, foot, Bengals; Evan Mathis, ankle, Bengals, Rex Hadnot, knee, Browns; Justin Hartwig,toe, Steelers

All-Injury Defense

Defensive line: Aaron Smith, shoulder, Steelers; Antwan Odom, Achilles, Bengals, Haloti Ngata, ankle, Ravens

Linebackers: Terrell Suggs, knee, Ravens; Eric Barton, neck, Browns; D'Qwell Jackson, biceps, Browns; Lawrence Timmons, ankles, Steelers

Cornerbacks: Johnathan Joseph, foot, Bengals; Eric Wright, shoulder, Browns

Safeties: Roy Williams, arm, Bengals; Troy Polamalu, knee, Steelers

Special Teams

Kicker: Phil Dawson, calf, Browns

Punter: Dave Zastudil, knee, Browns

Returner: Josh Cribbs, neck, Browns

Those in Pittsburgh are fully aware of Dennis Dixon. But there are a lot of football fans around the country who are unfamiliar with the Steelers’ third-string quarterback, who may start Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens.

Here is a quick bio on Dixon:

Age: 24

College: Oregon

Draft status: Fifth round (No. 156 overall) to Pittsburgh in 2008

Notes: Dixon has thrown one career pass for three yards in his NFL career. It was to receiver Hines Ward in 2008... Dixon suffered a significant knee injury in his final season at Oregon, which is a major reason his stock dropped in the NFL draft... He is quick and has the ability to make plays with his feet. But Dixon really worked on improving his accuracy in the offseason and in training camp to fit in Pittsburgh's offense... There have been rumors in the past that the Steelers would implement a Wildcat package with Dixon, but the coaching staff said they were not interesting in running that style of offense.

Here are seven notes and observations from an awful Week 11 in the AFC North:

Drew Hallowell/Getty ImagesThe Steelers should take a long look at free agent quarterback Jeff Garcia.




• If I’m the Pittsburgh Steelers, the first free agent I’m calling this week is quarterback Jeff Garcia. With the status of Ben Roethlisberger (head) up in the air this week and backup Charlie Batch out for the rest of the regular season, the Steelers need a veteran replacement. Although chances are slim that someone can come in and start right away against the Baltimore Ravens, if anyone has a chance, it’s Garcia. It will be interesting to see how Pittsburgh handles this if Roethlisberger isn't healthy enough to return. Would the Steelers really go with Dennis Dixon in a crucial game?
• If Pittsburgh isn’t convinced that drastic changes need to be made ASAP on special teams, I’m not sure they ever will be this season. Pittsburgh has allowed four kickoff returns for touchdowns and two in the past two weeks. These are huge blows in a game. Kansas City Chiefs tailback Jamaal Charles took the opening kickoff to the house in their overtime win over Pittsburgh Sunday, and that play gave Kansas City all the confidence it needed to hang in there and eventually pull off the upset. The Steelers have a wealth of talent, and it's time to take some of those backups and replace them with better players.
• We are getting a lot of e-mails in our AFC North inbox from Cleveland Browns fans regarding the frantic finish in a loss to the Detroit Lions. But the referees got this one right. Cleveland defensive back Hank Poteat clearly committed pass interference on the Hail Mary. Yes, Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford hurt his shoulder with no timeouts, but above all else a game cannot end on a penalty. Another huge mistake was Browns head coach Eric Mangini calling a timeout for an explanation, which allowed Stafford to return and throw the game-winning touchdown. Who knows if an ice cold Daunte Culpepper could have come in and successfully executed that play in the clutch?
• Here is a question for the Cincinnati Bengals: Why is Andre Caldwell returning kickoffs? It's been clear all season that Caldwell is not very good in that role. He dances too much and doesn't hit the hole or run a straight line. Caldwell burned the Bengals again on a kick return with a late fumble that set up the Oakland Raiders' game-winning field goal Sunday. Rookie tailback Bernard Scott was coming into his own in that role following a big touchdown return against the Steelers, and Scott or someone else should have been the player returning the final kick. Caldwell is a solid receiver but it's time to give that kickoff return experiment a rest.
• The Bengals also could not rush the passer against Oakland. Journeyman quarterback Bruce Gradkowski threw 31 times and Cincinnati had zero sacks. The Bengals also continued their season-long trend of not defending the tight ends. Oakland tight end Zach Miller led the Raiders with five catches for 65 yards. When you can't pressure the quarterback and constantly leave the middle of the field open that usually results in a loss.
• The replay of Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco’s final interception in a loss the Indianapolis Colts looks like he just decided to throw into triple coverage. But Flacco said he was fooled and never saw Indianapolis linebacker Gary Brackett drop on the backside. Brackett made a heady play by briefly engaging with an offensive lineman and then dropping into the spot where Ravens tailback Ray Rice was heading. According to Brackett, Baltimore ran the play earlier and he recognized the route. Ravens offensive coordinator Cam Cameron also said afterwards that he was fooled by Bracket's decision not to rush the quarterback.
• Let me finish by saying this was the worst weekend of football that I can recall in nearly two seasons covering the division. Three AFC North teams lost to awful opponents in sloppy fashion, and the one possible upset in the division was foiled by poor play in the red zone. I know it's just one Sunday, but group performances like this lead me to believe the AFC North is not as good as I once thought heading down the stretch of the regular season.