ESPN NFL

Posted by ESPN.com's James Walker

As expected, our AFC North mailbox is exploding this week. Even Cincinnati Bengals fans chimed in. Sweet!

So here is what's on the mind of ESPN.com readers:

On the Pittsburgh Steelers...

John from Fort Myers, FL writes: I love when "Voice of the People" comes out each week. I do love hearing about my Steelers and the things other Steeler fans have to say about the team. However, the reason I love "Voice of the People" so much is because I get to read the mail sent by all those crybaby Ravens fans... "Boo hoo, we never get any respect." Cry me a river. "Your last article was too biased and didn't praise the Ravens enough." Get over it. I can't wait until the Steelers beat the Ravens in the AFC Championship so I can see all the messages from the whining Ravens fans who will cry about how they got robbed and how they think they are the better team, if only a few things had gone differently. Pathetic. Enjoy the offseason. We'll send you all a postcard from Tampa.

Tom from Maui writes: James, Great analysis this year and you must be psyched that two of your beats are headed to the AFC dance. The third installment of this season (Steel Rage Match III) should be a good one. The difference, as it was in the divisional games, will be turnovers. Both defenses are capable of producing the big plays (especially Ed Reed and Troy Polamalu) and in this game of two smash-mouth, ball-control teams, the one that gives its offense the ball more often will win. There will be lots of story lines to print, but the team who wins the turnover battle will be headed for Tampa.

John from Johnstown, Pa. writes: 1) The best thing about the Steelers is their tradition. 2) The worst thing about the Ravens is their defensive self promotion. Try some humility Suggs and Lewis. 3) The winner of Sunday's game will be Pittsburgh by a score of 20-10. 4) The MVP will be Debo (James Harrison). 5) This years Super Bowl champion will be the Stillers!

John writes: For Pittsburgh Steelers fans 1. The best thing about the Pittsburgh Steelers is ___defense____. 2. The worst thing about the Baltimore Ravens is injuries_______. 3. The winner of Sunday's game will be Pgh____ by a score of _24-16_____. 4. The MVP will be ___Harrison____.. Super Bowl: Pgh over Philly

Reader from Pittsburgh writes: James, I desperately want to get a message to Coach Tomlin - in goal line situations, give the ball to Casey Hampton! There is no one that could stop him from picking up 3 feet - imagine what a defense would have to do if they saw Hampton in the backfield - it would at least burn a timeout for the other side. It worked with "the fridge" and Hampton is a great athlete.

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On the Baltimore Ravens...

Kevin from Baltimore writes: It's only fitting that the Ravens beat Tennessee with the assistance of a officiating blunder on the non-call of the delay of game penalty on the game winning drive. No one in Tennessee should forget how terrible the penalty on Suggs was during their regular season game in October, also on the game winning drive. The Titans beat the Ravens during the regular season and the Ravens got their revenge in the playoffs. Hopefully that trend continues in Pittsburgh next week. Go Ravens!

Dan from Baltimore writes: Hi James - A few quick comments about the national media's obsession with the missed expired play clock. First, this happens all the time. Look at the tape of the Miami v. Baltimore playoff game and you'll see an instance where the clock expires and a half-second to a second later Pennington stands up and calls for timeout, which is granted. Secondly, this is a call that actually has zero impact on the actual play, whereas holding calls, pass interference calls, illegal contact, etc, are missed or ignored all the time and give the offending team a material advantage. Get over it. Not to mention, if the call was made, it would have still been third down and Tennessee would have needed to stop the Ravens anyway. Please ask your colleagues to let it go.

Greg from Providence writes: Hey James, are there ANY Ravens fans out there not concerned with the lack of respect they think their team gets in the media? As far as I can tell, the only teams that the media-at-large consistently drool over are the Colts, Pats, and (who knows why) the Cowboys. They respect good defensive play, but given a choice between a top offense and top defense, the gunslingers will win every time. I don't understand why Baltimore fans thinks their team is treated any differently -- I can't name one person who is confidently predicting the Steelers to win Sunday, or even one who confidently took the Titans last week. Even the Steelers, a team who has been in 7 of the last 15 AFC championship games, is routinely underestimated. Sure, they might garner a little more respect than the Ravens, but looking at that kind of consistent dominance objectively, haven't they earned it?

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On the Cleveland Browns...

Hung from Fort Worth writes: Hello James, Having a brother who lives and die on the silver & black all these years forced me to watch some Raiders game the past couple of seasons (Cleveland in the morning, Oakland in the afternoon). Even though as I write this it's only speculation.. I cannot fathom the reasoning of Mangini choosing Rob Ryan at all. The Raiders' defense have been beyond terrible the past couple of seasons. They cannot hold a lead of any type or stop the run if they dig trenches in red zone. The blame on Al Davis can only go so far you know?

Bill from Cleveland writes: I find it interesting that Casey from the 'Burgh and Mercury from Baltimore have nothing better to do the week their teams face-off for rights to the Super Bowl, and they're worried about Cleveland's new coach and the Browns' rivalry status with the Steelers?! I can understand the complex some in Maryland may have about taking the old Browns from Cleveland, but the guy from Pittsburgh harping on Mangini, rather than getting excited about his team? Man, maybe winning some Super Bowls makes you jaded; so much so, that maybe some folks spend more time looking over their shoulder rather that focusing on the ultimate goal of any fan - their team having a successful season. Go Browns!

Mike from Cle. writes: Voice of the People - two comments about the Browns, one from Pitt and one from Balt. If I am were them, I would be worrying about the upcoming games and not about what the Browns are doing.

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On the Cincinnati Bengals...

Tom writes: James love the blog. I laughed at your Bengals Voice of the People. But I mean what do you want us Bengal fans to talk about? Our new Offensive Coordinator? Oh wait no we are sticking with the guy that took us to one of the worst offensive seasons in history. Adding scouts? Nah. Why pay scouts when Mike is paying coaches? New GM? Nope sticking
with the owner/GM because that has worked so well. Plus a GM is more of a "Theme" to Mike Brown. Any changes what so ever on a 4-11-1 team? Nope. It's hard to watch your team fall so far and yet keep chugging along as if nothing were wrong. Wish you had more on the Bengals but I know it must be hard to find stuff to report on. Tom

Kevin from Columbus writes: Here you go James, your comment earlier this week about the lack of Bengals comments has inspired me to speak up. I think the reason Bengals fans have been quiet is because MIKE BROWN IS THE WORST OWNER IN PROFESSIONAL SPORTS!!! I am sick of his frugality. His lack of spending is the reason a team with a QB like Palmer can't contend for the playoffs consistently, and we all know how well the Bengals did with Brown before the drafting of Palmer. Mike Brown needs to invest some money in the future(GM, Scouting, Free Agents... etc) otherwise when Palmer is gone we will be back to annual mid-November elimination and top 10 picks.

Robin Comisar from Cincinnati writes: Dear James, Did you catch Bill Cowher's prediction on the NFL network before the Titans/Ravens game that the Bengals would be going to the playoffs next year? Yes, I know we Cincinnati fans see more disappointment than almost any other franchise, but I honestly believe that with the D shaping up and getting younger along with a healthy Palmer and some solid O-line support this draft we honestly do have a good shot at a turn around next year. I would say that kind of a prediction from a former division rival coach has got to bear some weight. Some of us in Cincinnati still haven't given up hope.

A special message from (I think) a Philadelphia Eagles fan...

Paul from Philadelphia writes: James, pass this message along to the rest of the AFC North readers: All of your trash talking this week is futile. The Ravens and Steelers game is one of the most even match-ups you can draw up. There will be bones crushed. There will be blood shed. There will be 60 minutes of pounding and grinding and there's no way any of us can predict the outcome.