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Here are some more links to headlines in the division:

CINCINNATI BENGALS

The Bengals' cornerback competition is one battle to watch during offseason workouts.

Bengals cornerback Adam Jones remembers former West Virginia coach Bill Stewart, who died of an apparent heart attack.

CLEVELAND BROWNS

Browns linebacker Scott Fujita is fighting to restore his reputation.

Rookie defensive lineman John Hughes is OK with his first full-team offseason workout.

BALTIMORE RAVENS

Head coach John Harbaugh will be honored by the U.S. Army after today's practice.

Here are 11 players to watch at the Ravens' offseason workouts this week.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Dejan Kovacevic says quarterback Ben Roethlisberger needs to get over how the team treated him this offseason.

It's only days removed from the draft, and no AFC North team has taken the field for a practice yet, but that won't stop us from looking ahead. Each day this week, we'll project the starting lineup for a team in the division. Let's start with the Cincinnati Bengals:

OFFENSE

QB Andy Dalton: The Who Dey Nation asks, Carson who?

RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis: He's the prize of the Bengals' free-agent period.

FB Chris Pressley: Agreed to a two-year extension in March.

WR A.J. Green: He's been working out with Larry Fitzgerald this offseason.

WR Jordan Shipley: The No. 2 wide receiver job is wide open, but I'm giving the nod to Shipley if he's fully recovered from his knee injury.

TE Jermaine Gresham: First Bengals tight end since Dan Ross from the early 1980s to post two seasons of 50 receptions or more.

LT Andrew Whitworth: He often goes overlooked in a division with Joe Thomas in it.

LG Travelle Wharton: A free-agent signing from the Carolina Panthers, where he started 99 games in eight years.

C Kyle Cook: Enters fourth season as the Bengals' starting center.

RG Kevin Zeitler: First-round pick was possibly best run-blocking guard in the draft.

RT Andre Smith: The big question is whether he can continue the progress he made last season.

DEFENSE

LDE Robert Geathers: Recorded 29 tackles last season, his lowest since his 2004 rookie season.

NT Domata Peko: Led defensive line in tackles for second straight year.

RDT Geno Atkins: Topped all NFL interior linemen with eight sacks last season.

RDE Michael Johnson: Regains his starting job after Frostee Rucker signed with the Browns in free agency.

SLB Manny Lawson: Returned to Cincinnati for a one-year, $2.1 million deal.

MLB Rey Maualuga: He could be facing a suspension from the NFL for his latest off-the-field incident.

WLB Thomas Howard: Led team in tackles in first season with the Bengals.

LCB Nate Clements: He has to fight off first-round pick Dre Kirkpatrick to keep his starting job.

SS Taylor Mays: His job looks safe after the Bengals didn't take a safety in the first four rounds of the draft.

FS Reggie Nelson: Re-signed with the Bengals this offseason for $18 million over four years.

RCB Leon Hall: If Hall (Achilles injury) isn't ready to start the season, Bengals can turn to Kirkpatrick, Terence Newman or Adam Jones.

Gary Horton of Scouts Inc. broke down the top six needs remaining for each of the AFC North teams. You'll need an Insider subscription to view the entire post, but here's a glimpse of the top three needs:

CINCINNATI BENGALS

Horton's top three needs: Cornerback, guard and safety.

Horton on cornerback: The starters in 2011 were Leon Hall, who will be coming off an Achilles injury, and 32-year-old Nate Clements. When Hall went down, Adam Jones filled in, but none of these three make you comfortable in man coverage. Newly acquired free agent Jason Allen will help, but there is a lot of work to be done here.

Hensley's comment: I wouldn't put cornerback as the top need because the Bengals added Allen and re-signed Jones. Allen is an upgrade over Kelly Jennings. Guard is the bigger concern. If the season started today, the Bengals' starting right guard would either be Otis Hudson, Clint Boling or Anthony Collins (who would shift over from tackle).

CLEVELAND BROWNS

Horton's top three needs: Quarterback, wide receiver and running back.

Horton on quarterback: Right now, their options at QB are starter Colt McCoy and veteran backup Seneca Wallace, but nobody expects it to stay that way. With two first-round draft picks, they will almost surely pick a QB with one of them.

Hensley's comment: You could make a strong argument that quarterback, wide receiver or running back should rank as the No. 1 need. My top need for Cleveland is right tackle. The Browns can at least start McCoy, Greg Little, Mohamed Massaquoi and Montario Hardesty at those other positions. Right tackle was a weak spot for the Browns last season with Tony Pashos and Artis Hicks, both of whom are now gone. The Browns' starting right tackle at this point is Oniel Cousins, a third-round bust from Baltimore.

BALTIMORE RAVENS

Horton's three needs: Inside linebacker, left guard and safety.

Horton on inside linebacker: The Ray Lewis era will be ending soon, and the Ravens need to find his replacement. Jameel McClain was re-signed, and he can play inside or outside, but a three-down linebacker who can play solid pass defense is sorely needed.

Hensley's comment: Left guard is the biggest need on the team, and it's not even close. The Ravens couldn't keep Ben Grubbs and failed to sign Evan Mathis. The fallback option is Jah Reid, a backup offensive tackle last season. Going from a Pro Bowl guard (Grubbs) to a converted tackle (Reid) is a major step down.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Horton's top three needs: Offensive tackle/guard, nose tackle and running back.

Horton on offensive tackle/guard: Center Maurkice Pouncey is the only stable starter on this unit. Veteran tackle Max Starks is coming off an ACL injury and T Willie Colon can't stay healthy, though the coaches hope he can get through a full season at RT with young Marcus Gilbert moving from RT to LT. There is also a big hole at left guard. The Steelers need to get at least one, and maybe two, starters up front.

Hensley's comment: You can't really disagree with this assessment. Left guard Doug Legursky is a backup who performed admirably when Chris Kemoeatu was benched. Gilbert has a good chance of succeeding on the left side, but it's hard to depend on Colon at right tackle with his injury history. The Steelers' options are limited because there is no depth. Jonathan Scott, who has struggled mightily, is the top backup at tackle, and there's no reserves at guard with Trai Essex (free agent) and Jamon Meredith (not tendered as a restricted free agent) off on the roster.

» AFC Assessments: East | West | North | South » NFC: East | West | North | South

Cincinnati Bengals

Key additions: RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis, S Reggie Nelson, G Travelle Wharton, CB Jason Allen, CB Adam Jones, DE Jamaal Anderson, DE Derrick Harvey

Key losses: DE Frostee Rucker (Browns), G Nate Livings (Cowboys), G Mike McGlynn (Colts), DE Jonathan Fanene (Patriots), WR Andre Caldwell (Broncos)

Grade after first wave of free agency: B. The Bengals were the most active team in the division and they should have been. Cincinnati entered free agency with more than $50 million in salary-cap space, which was more than the rest of the AFC North combined. The Bengals upgraded at running back and left guard while bringing back their top free-agent priority in safety Reggie Nelson. The biggest knock against the Bengals is they didn't make a splash by signing a high-profile free agent like guard Ben Grubbs or wide receiver Robert Meachem.

The prize of the Bengals' signings is running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis, who is an improvement over Cedric Benson. Green-Ellis isn't known for breaking long gains, but he is a force in the red zone and has never fumbled in the NFL. Wharton is a step up from Nate Livings at left guard because he is a strong run-blocker who will open holes inside. The biggest losses came on the defensive line, where Cincinnati will miss Frostee Rucker on run defense and Jonathan Fanene in the pass rush.

What’s next: The Bengals can still close the gap between the Ravens and Steelers because they have two first-round picks in the draft (No. 17 overall, which came from Oakland in the Carson Palmer trade, and No. 21). Even with the signing of Wharton, Cincinnati needs a right guard and could have a shot at the top interior offensive lineman coming out of college. Stanford's David DeCastro is one of the safest picks in the draft and would start immediately for the Bengals.

The second first-round pick could be used on a wide receiver or a cornerback. The Bengals surprisingly didn't add a free-agent wide receiver to pair with A.J. Green. Georgia Tech's Stephen Hill or Baylor's Kendall Wright should be available in the bottom third of the draft. Another need is cornerback because Cincinnati could use an eventual replacement for Nate Clements, who is entering his 12th season. Alabama's Dre Kirkpatrick, the second best corner in the draft, has a chance of sliding to the Bengals.

Cleveland Browns

Key additions: DE Frostee Rucker, LB D'Qwell Jackson, CB Dimitri Patterson, DE Juqua Parker

Key losses: RB Peyton Hillis (Chiefs), S Mike Adams (Broncos), G Eric Steinbach, OT Tony Pashos

Grade after first wave of free agency: C. Browns president Mike Holmgren and general manager Tom Heckert said they were building this team through the draft and they weren't joking. The Browns desperately needed to improve at quarterback, wide receiver and right tackle. But Cleveland's offense came out of the initial wave of free agency empty-handed. Blame the Washington Redskins. The Browns attempted to move up in the draft to take Robert Griffin III, and the Rams instead traded the second overall pick to the Redskins. Cleveland reportedly pursued wide receivers Pierre Garcon and Josh Morgan, and both took high-priced deals from Washington.

The Browns provided more help to the defense in free agency. Frostee Rucker will make an impact in stopping the run, which was the biggest weakness on the NFL's 10th-ranked defense. Juqua Parker, who has 31.5 sacks over the past six seasons, will team with Jabaal Sheard to give Cleveland a strong rush coming off both edges. The Browns didn't try to keep Peyton Hillis and Mike Adams from going elsewhere.

What’s next: Offense, offense and offense. Did I mention offense? The Browns need a quarterback but there's no one worthy of the fourth overall pick. Cleveland could trade down to select Texas A&M's Ryan Tannehill or wait until the second round for Oklahoma State's Brandon Weeden. The big decision comes if the Browns stay put at No. 4. Cleveland's choices are Alabama running back Trent Richardson or Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon. The Browns could use either one because they don't have a starting running back or a No. 1 wide receiver.

Cleveland has a second first-round pick as a result of last year's trade with the Atlanta Falcons. The Browns need to target a wide receiver (if they don't take one earlier in the first round), right tackle or outside linebacker with the 22nd overall pick. Baylor receiver Wright, Mississippi offensive tackle Bobby Massie and Nebraska outside linebacker Lavonte David have been linked to Cleveland.

Baltimore Ravens

Key additions: C Matt Birk, ILB Jameel McClain, OLB Brendon Ayanbadejo, CB Corey Graham, S Sean Considine

Key losses: G Ben Grubbs (Saints), OLB Jarret Johnson (Chargers), DE Cory Redding (Colts) and CB Domonique Foxworth

Grade after first wave of free agency: D. The Ravens lost three starters (Ben Grubbs, Jarret Johnson and Cory Redding) from last season's AFC North champion team and have yet to add anyone to replace them. It was a rough start to free agency for Baltimore, which didn't sign any of its first three visits (guard Evan Mathis, defensive end Mark Anderson and receiver-returner Ted Ginn Jr.). The toughest part of free agency was when the Ravens failed to sign Mathis, who re-signed with the Eagles, after Baltimore had just lost Grubbs.

Baltimore was able to keep two free-agent starters, Matt Birk and Jameel McClain, and boost a struggling special-teams group that allowed three touchdowns last season. The Ravens signed Cory Graham, a Pro Bowl special-teams player from the Bears; Brendon Ayanbadejo, a three-time Pro Bowl special-teams standout; and Sean Considine, who played special teams for three seasons under John Harbaugh in Philadelphia.

What’s next: The Ravens' biggest need is at left guard, but there might not be one that warrants being taken at No. 29. Wisconsin center-guard Peter Konz's stock has slipped recently even though he can play guard right away before switching to center in future seasons. It's hard to pin down a player for Baltimore, which can go in a lot of different directions in the first round.

The Ravens could take the best wide receiver available (especially if he's a returner) because they need a third target who can eventually take Anquan Boldin's starting spot. They could take a safety because Ed Reed turns 34 at the start of the season and Bernard Pollard is a free agent next year. And they could take an offensive tackle because they don't have a reliable backup and Bryant McKinnie is a free agent in 2013.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Key additions: None

Key losses: CB William Gay (Cardinals), LB James Farrior, NT Chris Hoke, G Chris Kemoeatu, DE Aaron Smith, WR Hines Ward

Grade after first wave of free agency: D. It's been a quiet free-agency period so far for the Steelers. Then again, it's usually quiet for the Steelers at this point in the offseason. The only team that consistently does less than the Steelers in free agency is the Green Bay Packers.

The Steelers avoided a failing grade because they've lost only two starters from last season's playoff team. James Farrior was cut in the team's salary-cap purge, and William Gay left as an unrestricted free agent. What Pittsburgh really lost in trimming $25 million to get under the cap was veteran depth and leadership. Injuries would force young players to step up into starting roles.

What’s next: There are question marks at running back, guard, inside linebacker, nose tackle and cornerback. Despite all of those needs, the consensus has been Pittsburgh will draft Alabama inside linebacker Dont'a Hightower if he's available at No. 24. He has a great combination of size and speed and excelled in a 3-4 defense in college. It seems like Hightower would be the perfect fit for Pittsburgh.

There's no chance that Memphis' Dontari Poe falls to the Steelers, but there some quality nose tackles in the draft. Those who should be available after the first round are: BYU's Loni Fangupo (second round), Washington's Alameda Ta'amu (third round) and Alabama's Josh Chapman (fourth round). The Steelers likely will become active later in free agency, especially in retaining their own players. Wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery, running back Mewelde Moore and quarterbacks Byron Leftwich and Charlie Batch could potentially return to the team.

The Bengals decided to keep Adam "Pacman" Jones and his baggage, reaching an agreement with often-troubled cornerback, according to ESPN's John Clayton.

This comes as a surprise, even though there were reports that the Bengals and Jones had been talking.

Off the field, Jones' latest run-in with the law --he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct in January -- will be reviewed by the NFL, which could impose a suspension now that he has signed with a team.

On the field, the lasting impression of Jones was getting beat on a double move by Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson for a 40-yard touchdown in last season's playoff loss.

So why are the Bengals re-signing Jones? In their mind, he is better than the other options available, like free agent Terence Newman from the Cowboys. Jones was actually solid in the regular season when he replaced injured Leon Hall for seven starts. According to Pro Football Focus, Jones allowed 16 receptions in eight games in 2011.

The Bengals have taken a proactive approach in addressing a cornerback group that has Hall coming off a season-ending Achilles injury and Nate Clements entering his 12th season. Cincinnati also signed Texans free agent Jason Allen and could draft another corner in the first round. The addition of Jones likely means the Bengals won't re-sign Kelly Jennings.

Jones, 28, has been repeatedly arrested during his NFL career. He missed the entire 2007 season with the first of two suspensions from the league.

The Tennessee Titans traded Jones to Dallas before the 2008 draft. An alcohol-related altercation with a bodyguard that the Cowboys assigned to him led to another six-game suspension.

He was out of the NFL for a year before the Bengals gave him the two-year deal in 2010.

The AFC North is running a series where every position will be ranked and what could change at that position.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

1. STEELERS: Pittsburgh had the top-ranked pass defense, and it wasn't all about the pass rush this time. Actually, the pass rush was extremely inconsistent this season, so that No. 1 ranking is more of a reflection of the Steelers' secondary. Cornerback Ike Taylor and free safety Ryan Clark had career years. Taylor's season, though, was marred by a late-season decline that ended with him getting stiffed-armed by the Broncos' Demaryius Thomas on the touchdown that ended the Steelers' season. Clark had the best season of any safety in the division, which is saying a lot when Troy Polamalu and Ed Reed are in the AFC North. He finished second in the division with 100 tackles. Polamalu was solid, but didn't play up to his usual spectacular level. William Gay was a pleasant surprise, taking back the starting cornerback job that he lost in 2010. What could change: Gay is an unrestricted free agent, but it shouldn't take much to retain him. Look for rookie cornerbacks Cortez Allen and Curtis Brown to make more of an impact in their second seasons.

2. RAVENS: This group exceeded expectations, and did so in a surprising manner. Instead of starting Domonique Foxworth and Chris Carr at cornerback, the Ravens finished fourth in pass defense with Lardarius Webb and Cary Williams. Webb was the division's top cornerback, recording five interceptions and breaking up 20 passes (and that doesn't include three interceptions in the playoffs). Williams was a physical presence at corner. The biggest disappointment was Reed, who intercepted three passes -- his fewest in a season where he played more than 12 games. The Ravens' other safety, hard-hitting Bernard Pollard, provided more of an impact than Reed. First-round pick Jimmy Smith endured an up-and-down rookie season. What could change: Smith should take over for Williams as a starting cornerback this season. Foxworth is expected to get cut, and the same could happen to Carr. Both backup safeties, Tom Zbikowski and Haruki Nakamura, are free agents, but I suspect Nakamura will get re-signed.

3. BROWNS: Joe Haden showed signs of being a shutdown corner, even though he failed to make an interception. He held his own against some of the best receivers in the NFL, from Larry Fitzgerald to Brandon Marshall. His worst games came against Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green. While Haden is among the division's best cornerbacks, Sheldon Brown was the worst starting corner in the AFC North. Brown's biggest asset is the experience he provides to a young secondary. The defensive backfield was hurt by the loss of strong safety T.J. Ward, who missed the final 10 games with a foot injury. Teams took advantage of Ward's replacement, Usama Young. Free safety Mike Adams beat out Young for a starting job in training camp. Dimitri Patterson was a reliable nickelback, breaking up a dozen passes. What could change: The Browns might replace Adams, who is a free agent, and they could give rookie seventh-round pick Eric Hagg a shot at doing so. Cleveland is very interested in bringing Patterson back. It wouldn't be a surprise if Patterson starts in place of Brown.

Every morning, grab a cup of coffee and get your AFC North wake-up call here:

Offensive coordinator Bruce Arians might not return to the Steelers for the 2012 season, according to The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

It's unclear whether Arians is retiring or his contract is not being renewed, the paper reported. Arians, 57, is finishing the final year of his contract with Pittsburgh.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin indicated that Arians would return a day after the Steelers' playoff loss at Denver. But team president Art Rooney II said this week that some members of the coaching staff were considering retirement, and Arians contemplated doing so after the 2010 season because of health problems.

Hensley's slant: Arians has taken some heat for transitioning the Steelers from a run-first offense to a pass-heavy one. His play-calling has been questionable at times but his results have been solid. The Steelers have ranked in the top half of the NFL in offense for three straight seasons. If this report is correct, it will be interesting to hear Ben Roethlisberger's reaction.

HOUSTON -- Here are my thoughts on the Cincinnati Bengals' 31-10 loss at the Houston Texans:

What it means: The Bengals extended the longest current streak in NFL playoff futility. Cincinnati now hasn't won a postseason game in 21 seasons. Careless mistakes led to the Bengals' third postseason loss in seven seasons. After allowing 24 straight points, Cincinnati fell to 1-7 against teams with winning records. It was a disappointing way to end a season in which the Bengals went from 4-12 in 2010 to a playoff team this season.

Turning point: An Andy Dalton pass was intercepted at the line by Houston's J.J. Watt, who ran 29 yards for a touchdown late in the first half. This came three plays after the Texans had tied the game with a field goal. So, in a matter of 56 seconds, the Bengals went from being up by three points (10-7) to being down by seven (17-10). Cincinnati never recovered.

Costly drop: Bengals safety Chris Crocker had a chance to tie the game in the third quarter, but an interception bounced off his hands. It would have likely been a touchdown because only quarterback T.J. Yates stood between Crocker and the end zone. Three plays later, Crocker failed to provide help for a faked-out Adam Jones on a 40-yard touchdown pass to Andre Johnson that put the Bengals behind 24-10. In the fourth quarter, Crocker didn't push Arian Foster out of bounds on a fourth-quarter touchdown run.

Seeing red: Head coach Marvin Lewis made the head-scratcher of a decision to use both of his replay challenges in the first half. It was compounded by the fact that both challenges failed. That meant the Bengals couldn't contest a play after 4:33 in the second quarter.

Dalton's turnovers: Dalton threw three interceptions after only one in his previous six games. Of course, he wasn't helped by the pressure generated by the Texans' front seven.

Can't stop the run: It was another bad day for the Bengals' run defense, especially when it came to defending the outside. Foster ran for 153 yards and two touchdowns. This comes one game after the Ravens' Ray Rice ran for 191 yards and two touchdowns.

Wide right again: Bengals kicker Mike Nugent missed wide right on his first field goal attempt, which was nine yards longer because of a third-down sack. He sliced it wide right just like he did last week against Baltimore. This was his fourth miss in the past three weeks.

What's next: The Bengals head into what should still be a bright future. Cincinnati has two first-round picks as it looks to address the running back, guard and safety positions.

Here are some numbers to remember for the Bengals, who play the Texans at 4:30 p.m. today:

1 -- Number of rookie quarterbacks in NFL history who have led their teams to the playoffs after throwing for 3,000 yards and 20 touchdowns (Andy Dalton)

2 -- Punt returns for touchdowns by Adam Jones against the Texans

3 -- Postseason trips under coach Marvin Lewis (2005, 2009 and 2011)

5 -- Improvement in the number of wins from last season. The Bengals went from 4-12 last year to 9-7 this year.

14 -- Carlos Dunlap's sacks in two seasons with the Bengals

20 -- Touchdown passes by Andy Dalton, which ties Dan Marino for the fourth-most by a rookie quarterback

45 -- Bengals' sacks this season, which ranked second in the AFC

86.1 -- Average yards receiving by A.J. Green in his seven road games played this season

91 -- Yards rushing by Cedric Benson in his last game against the Texans

CINCINNATI -- The Cincinnati Bengals aren't a playoff team this year.

That's not to say they're eliminated from the postseason. That's not to say the Bengals will fail to reach the playoffs next season and the next five years after that. But Sunday's 20-19 loss -- make that punch-in-the-gut collapse -- to the Houston Texans illustrates one point: The Bengals aren't ready.

Playoff teams come through in the clutch in December. They don't allow a rookie third-string quarterback to drive 80 yards in the final minutes to score the winning touchdown.

Playoff teams finish off teams on their home turf during a playoff run. They don't squander nine-point leads in the fourth quarter. They don't let a receiver go uncovered across the middle of the field on second-and-goal in the final seconds.

It would be easy to say the Bengals looked like the Bungles. Let's not go there. The Bengals simply looked like a young team that flinched when they needed to punch back.

“It’s a defeated feeling today," safety Chris Crocker said. "I can’t even put it into words how bad this hurts, especially being in it until eight seconds left. We just had so many opportunities. I can’t even put a word on how much this hurts."

Crocker added, "It was just one of those games where there were missed opportunities time after time after time. It was our own fault. We put ourselves in bad positions. Offensively and defensively, we just made critical errors all day long. And that’s why we lost this game.”

Some might argue that this is putting too much into one game. But Marvin Lewis was the one who called this the "biggest" game of his nine-year Bengals coaching career. Instead, he suffered one of the biggest collapses. Lewis talked about a "rebirth." Instead, he watched a loss that might have killed his best coaching season.

Hey, what's that saying ... If a team falls and there is no one there to see it, does it make a sound? Ok, that's a low blow, but it's accurate. The second-smallest crowd (41,202) in Paul Brown history showed up, leaving 24,333 seats unfilled. Those empty seats matched the Bengals' empty feeling.

"As far as the team goes, they are very disappointed and I’m going to have to pump some air in them," Lewis said. "We have to make some corrections and get back on track. Before this game, we controlled our own destiny, and now I can’t tell you what is going to happen. We have to move forward and see what happens."

The Bengals entered this game with a hold on the sixth and final playoff spot in the AFC. They left with a 7-6 record, one game back of the New York Jets (8-5), who grabbed the No. 6 seed away from them.

Even if Cincinnati is able to get that playoff spot back in the final three weeks, the Bengals will be a playoff team in name only. The Bengals are a team that will do damage in future seasons. They have the NFL's best rookie quarterback-receiver combination in the past two decades. They have a defense that will come back stronger with a healthy Leon Hall and Carlos Dunlap.

At this point, Cincinnati isn't on the same level as Baltimore and Pittsburgh. And the Bengals proved today that they can't beat a Texans team that is without its top two quarterbacks and star wide receiver Andre Johnson.

The Bengals are now 1-6 against teams that currently have winning records.

"It's not even about the playoffs anymore. It's about winning games," Crocker said. "We can't think about the postseason until we start winning games. It's a remote idea right now."

Everything that the Bengals did right -- a 97-yard touchdown drive, a 49-yard field goal in the final seconds of the first half and a season-high four turnovers forced -- gets lost in what the Bengals did wrong.

Cincinnati had first-and-goal at the Houston 1-yard line in the first quarter until right guard Bobbie Williams' false start (that led to a field goal instead of a touchdown). The Bengals were 1 of 3 in the red zone.

Cincinnati had a 13-point lead to open the second half until quarterback Andy Dalton was stripped from behind on the second play of the third quarter. Rookie tight end Colin Cochart couldn't block Connor Barwin, who caused the fumble inside the Bengals' 20-yard line (leading to a quick Texans touchdown).

And Cincinnati forced a fumble early in the fourth quarter, but defensive end Frostee Rucker coughed it up while trying to score. Then, Bengals safety Reggie Nelson and linebacker Manny Lawson fought over the ball, which allowed the Texans to regain control at their own 2-yard line.

Leading 19-10 at the time, the Bengals could have had the ball in the red zone and with a chance to put the game away. But three Bengals couldn't hold onto the fumble. The Texans marched 83 yards for a field goal to pull within 19-13 and set up the dramatic finish.

"That should have been one of the [turnovers] that would have helped us tremendously," Lawson said.

Their biggest downfall came on the final drive. On third-and-15, the Bengals allowed Yates to scramble for 17 yards. Then, after a 17-yard pass interference penalty on cornerback Adam Jones, they allowed the 152nd pick of the draft to throw the winning touchdown when linebacker Brandon Johnson followed tight end Owen Daniels and let Walter run free over the middle.

"A rookie quarterback beat us today," Crocker said. "I don't even know what to say. Wow. I don't even know what to say."

The Bengals are a good team. They are a promising one. But the Bengals have made it clear that they're not a playoff team.

"We knew if we came out there and outperformed them, it was a matter of time where we would get our chance to shine," Maualuga said. "But it sucks to look at that scoreboard and see that we lost by one point when we knew we had the whole game in the palm of our hands."

CINCINNATI -- Thoughts on the Bengals-Texans game:

What it means: The Bengals’ playoff hopes took a major hit with a disastrous collapse. Cincinnati failed to hold onto a 13-point halftime lead and allowed the game-winning touchdown with two seconds remaining. The Bengals drop to 7-6, losing four out of their past five games. The Texans have won seven straight games.

Defense folds: If the Bengals miss the playoffs, they’ll look back at how their defense allowed a former third-string quarterback (T.J. Yates) to drive 80 yards for a touchdown in the final minutes of the game. The key play was a pass interference penalty on Adam Jones, which gave the Texans first-and-goal at the Cincinnati 6. Houston’s game-winning touchdown was a 6-yard completion to an uncovered Kevin Walter over the middle.

Offense disappears: The Bengals' defense can’t shoulder all of the blame. Cincinnati’s offense was shut out in the fourth quarter and was held to 22 yards.

Rough homecoming: Texans cornerback Johnathan Joseph, who left Cincinnati as a free agent before the season, had a frustrating first game back at Paul Brown Stadium. He dropped an interception at the 1-yard line with no one between him and the 99 yards to the end zone. Then, on the same drive in the third quarter, Joseph had a 25-yard pass interference penalty (defending A.J. Green) and gave up a 36-yard pass to Green.

Empty feeling: There were only 41,202 at today's game, which is the second-smallest crowd in the 11-year history of Paul Brown Stadium. That means there were 24,333 empty seats.

What's next: The Bengals look for their first road win since Nov. 6 when they travel to St. Louis (2-10).

BALTIMORE -- The Ravens find themselves leading the AFC North race because of the speed of Torrey Smith.

The second-round pick is the wide receiver Baltimore has been desperately searching for over the past decade. Smith is fast. He's a playmaker.

Smith was the difference in the Ravens winning and losing at Pittsburgh. He was the difference between the Ravens losing to the Bengals last season and beating them 31-24 on Sunday.

"In past years, they've been able to put some pressure on us with their coverage, lock us up pretty tightly, and get some pressure with their front four," Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco said. "But with Torrey out there, he definitely has the speed and can hurt them in man-to-man coverage. That helped us out today."

With the game tied at 7-7 in the second quarter, Smith burst past Cincinnati cornerback Nate Clements down the right sideline for a 49-yard over-the-shoulder catch, which set up the go-ahead touchdown. His 38-yard touchdown grab early in the fourth quarter-- which came with him beating a cornerback and splitting two safeties -- put Baltimore up 31-14.

Smith is fast learning how to handle the ups and downs of a first season in the NFL. He's made some big drops, but he's always responded with bigger catches.

The dangerous part of Smith's game is that his confidence is at an all-time high. It was apparent in the huddle right before his fourth-quarter touchdown.

"We all knew it was time for us to get seven," Smith said. "We knew what type of play it was."

Thanks to Smith's six catches for 165 yards, the Ravens (7-3) are in first place and control their playoff fate. They have the same record as the Steelers but hold the tiebreaker advantage by having swept them.

To elevate themselves past the Steelers, the Ravens made it a priority to find a wide receiver to complement Flacco's big arm, which has been the one blemish on the team's spectacular draft résumé. The Ravens have drafted 16 wide receivers -- from Patrick Johnson to Travis Taylor to Mark Clayton -- and none became consistent downfield threats.

Baltimore had to look to free agency to find wide receivers. Defenses respected the likes of Derrick Mason and T.J. Houshmandzadeh, but they fear Smith.

His 27.5 yards-per-catch Sunday should cause the Bengals defensive backs to pull out their hair -- instead of pulling Smith down by his.

"I think we did envision the type of player he was going to be," coach John Harbaugh said. "That's why we drafted him."

Before the season began, if you saw Smith's statistics for the Bengals-Ravens game, you would have expected A.J. Green or Lee Evans to put up those numbers. But Green was inactive with a knee injury, and Evans has been surpassed by Smith on the depth chart because of an ankle injury.

While Green and Atlanta's Julio Jones have garnered most of the attention when it comes to rookie receivers, Smith is starting to close the gap on them after posting the top two receiving performances by a rookie (as far as receiving yards) this season.

He now has two games of at least 150 yards receiving during his rookie season. According to ESPN Stats & Information, the only other rookies in the past 15 years to accomplish this are Randy Moss with the Vikings in 1998 and Marques Colston with the Saints in 2006.

"He's been a guy that we thought could go get the deep ball," Harbaugh said, "He kind of put it in another gear at the end and go chase down a ball."

Smith's speed is different than what Pittsburgh's Mike Wallace shows on the field, according to former NFL wide receiver Qadry Ismail, who is on the Ravens' radio team. Ismail said Wallace accelerates immediately off the line, whereas Smith has that burst at the end to separate from receivers.

Flacco has gotten a feel for Smith's speed and has now thrown four touchdowns over 20 yards to Smith. He hasn't thrown more than three such touchdowns to any receiver in his previous three seasons, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

"Like I've always said, when the ball is in the air, he can separate," Flacco said.

That separation has led to some desperation for opponents. At one point, the Bengals saved a touchdown late in the second quarter when Adam Jones pulled Smith down by grabbing his hair. It's not a penalty because that's considered part of Smith's uniform.

Smith said it didn't hurt.

"I was surprised by it," Smith said. "It actually felt like I was getting pulled down by my jersey."

Is a new haircut in order?

"I honestly thought about it, but my grandma likes it a little too much," he said. "I'm a mama and grandmama's boy, at least for now."

Smith did provide a new look for the Ravens' passing attack against Cincinnati. Flacco has long struggled against the Bengals and their Cover-2 defense, averaging 178 yards passing in going 3-3 against them. Smith nearly matched that passing average by himself.

Some could argue that Smith's production earlier this season caught defenses by surprise. But defensive backs know about Smith now and they're still having trouble containing him.

His 165 yards receiving is third-highest for a Ravens receiver and is the most allowed by Cincinnati this season.

"Coming into the game, we knew he was a guy who could stretch the field," Clements said. "We just had to take away his strength and make him go elsewhere. We didn't do that today, and he made us pay for that."

Bengals-Ravens notes

Pro Bowl safety Ed Reed made a bizarre shout-out at a postgame session with reporters when asked about Jimmy Smith fumbling after making his first career interception. "It reminds me of my rookie year, they slapped it out of my hands and it wound up going back to him. But I’m glad we got it back," Reed said. "I’m kind of surprised you haven’t asked me about the Presidents Cup, though. Congratulations to those guys, Fred Couples and our team. That was huge." Never knew Reed was such a huge golf fan. ... Former kicker Matt Stover became the sixth member of the Ravens organization to be inducted into the team's Ring of Honor. ... George Clooney was spotted at Sunday's game between the Ravens and Bengals. He's dating Baltimore native Stacy Keibler. Yes, this isn't football-related. But this has to be the first time a movie star ever attended a Ravens-Bengals game, right?

Here's your game-day warm-up:

BALTIMORE -- Will Ray Lewis play today or will the Ravens linebacker miss his first game since 2007?

That's a big question heading into today's Bengals at Ravens game. There was a report that Lewis will be sidelined by a toe injury, but coach John Harbaugh said he wouldn't rule out Lewis because of his history of overcoming injuries. Lewis is officially questionable.

If Lewis can't play, the Ravens would go with Dannell Ellerbe. While the Ravens would miss Lewis' experience, Ellerbe has always had NFL starter talent but his work ethic has been a question mark. That would mean the Ravens' two starting inside linebackers (Ellerbe and Jameel McClain) are undrafted players.

Baltimore would have missed Lewis' leadership if this was a few years ago, but the Ravens are starting to rely on their next generation of leaders in Terrell Suggs and Haloti Ngata.

As far as ESPN's expert picks, all but one selector had the Ravens over the Bengals. They were split over whether the Browns would beat the visiting Jaguars.

Here are some storylines heading into today's AFC North games:

• BENGALS: Who replaces Leon Hall? Cincinnati is expected to go with Kelly Jennings, who has good speed but can struggle against bigger receivers. Adam Jones will likely be the third cornerback. Another possibility to replace Hall is Brandon Ghee, who was promoted from the practice squad. He was a third-round pick a year ago and could work himself into some major playing time.
• BROWNS: The offense would get a big boost if running back Montario Hardesty can return from a calf injury. He is considered a game-time decision. Hardesty, who has starter ability, is a major upgrade from marginal NFL talents in Chris Ogbonnaya and Thomas Clayton.
• RAVENS: Tom Zbikowski could get a chance to replace struggling David Reed on kickoff returns. The Ravens are looking for someone who will take care of the ball after watching Reed fumble three times in the past two weeks. Chris Carr is another option.
• STEELERS: The Steelers are at their bye with a 7-3 record, the same mark they had last year when they advanced to the Super Bowl. "I wouldn't necessarily say I'm pleased," head coach Mike Tomlin said of the record. "I'd be pleased if we were 10-0, but we're not. We are what we are."

Every morning, grab a cup of coffee and get your AFC North wake-up call here:

Outspoken linebacker Terrell Suggs said the stunning loss at Seattle won't derail the Ravens from reaching the playoffs for a fourth straight year.

In fact, Suggs insisted that the Ravens won't lose six games this season. Sitting at 6-3, Baltimore would have to go 5-2 the rest of the way to avoid a six-loss season.

“[W]ithout struggle, there’s no progress,” Suggs told The Baltimore Sun after the loss in Seattle. “We’re going to move forward. We’re 6-3. It’s not the end of the world. I remember how the Super Bowl champs [the 2010 Green Bay Packers] were 10-6. We’re not going to lose six games. We’re just going to learn from here and wherever the road, however it plans out, however we’ve got to go do it, we’re going to have to go do.”

The Ravens have three games left against teams with winning records (Cincinnati twice and San Francisco) and four against ones with losing records (Cleveland twice, Indianapolis and San Diego).

Hensley's slant: After losses at Jacksonville and Seattle, the Ravens have to do less talking and more focusing. The players said they learned from their letdowns earlier in the season and still flopped at Seattle. So, predictions really aren't the Ravens' strong suit. Now, after those embarrassing setbacks, the Ravens probably have to set their sights on at least 12 wins to have a shot at winning their first division title since 2006.

• BENGALS: Cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones avoided prison time in Las Vegas by agreeing to an additional 75 hours of community service, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Jones, who is still on probation in Nevada from his involvement in a February 2007 strip club shooting, was charged with disorderly conduct at a Cincinnati bar four months ago. He now faces trial in Ohio on misdemeanor disorderly conduct and resisting arrest charges as well as potential discipline from the NFL. Hensley's slant: It wouldn't be an NFL season without a court story involving Pacman and the Bengals. The most pressing football issue involving Jones is his availability for Sunday's game against the Ravens. After being slowed by a hamstring injury, Jones could be called upon to replace injured Leon Hall at starting cornerback.
• BROWNS: The Browns enjoyed some success with gadget plays Sunday. Wide receiver Josh Cribbs lined up as the quarterback in the Wildcat and ran three times for 21 yards. He also pitched a direct snap to Seneca Wallace, who pitched it to Colt McCoy, who threw a 21-yard completion to Wallace. “I think we’ve been creative to this point,” Browns coach Pat Shurmur said, via The Canton Repository, “just not within the boundaries of what some people think is creative.” Hensley's slant: Coaches don't like to use these gimmick plays because it can be interpreted as a sign of desperation. But who are we kidding -- these are desperate times. The Browns don't have a legitimate running back because of injuries and they don't have a No. 1 wide receiver because they passed on drafting Julio Jones. Creativity is the only way Cleveland will be able to jumpstart the NFL's 29th-ranked scoring offense.
• STEELERS: Hines Ward is taking his demotion from the starting lineup with class, saying he is going to be "the biggest cheerleader because I want to win." He was bumped to the team's No. 4 wide receiver with Mike Wallace, Antonio Brown and Jerricho Cotchery playing in three receiver sets. "It's not about me," Ward said, via The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "It's about the team." Hensley's slant: Ward is one of the division's most polarizing figures who gets under the opposition's skin when he flashes that smile. It's commendable that he is keeping that smile in what is a tough and humble transition. Like him or not, you have to respect how he refused to be a distraction for the AFC North-leading Steelers.

Every morning, grab a cup of coffee and get your AFC North wake-up call here:

Ravens coach John Harbaugh defended the decision to go to an all-passing attack in order to rally in Seattle.

Down 10 points in the first quarter and 12 points at halftime, the Ravens threw the ball a season-high 52 times and Ray Rice finished with season-low five carries. "I don't know how you would do it any differently," Harbaugh said, via the team's website. "When you're down, you've got to throw it to get back in the game."

Harbaugh pointed to several reasons for airing it out: two fumbles on kickoff returns led to fewer first-half possessions, the team trailed the entire game and the Seahawks are committed to stopping the run.

"In the end, we definitely want to have more runs," Harbaugh said. "That's indicative of having the lead, having more plays, especially early in the game. But the way the game went, we had to throw it."

Hensley's slant: The game was never out of control where the Ravens had to panic and abandon the run. The Ravens' defense was holding Seattle to field goals for most of the game, so Baltimore could have remained patient. Yes, the Ravens' passing attack closed Baltimore to 22-17 in the fourth quarter. But the Ravens never got the ball back because a visibly tired defense couldn't stop the run on that final drive. If the Ravens had run the ball, the time of possession (Seattle had the ball for 35 minutes) wouldn't have been so one-sided and the defense would've been given more breathers. The Ravens had four drives that lasted less than 85 seconds.

• BENGALS: The team has yet to make a decision on who will replace cornerback Leon Hall, who was placed on injured reserve Monday. It will come down to either Kelly Jennings or Adam Jones. Head coach Marvin Lewis is optimistic that Jones can return from a hamstring injury and play Sunday against the Ravens. "Hopefully we'll see how he progresses during the week, but Adam would certainly help us if we can get him back into the swing of things," defensive backs coach Kevin Coyle told The Cincinnati Enquirer. "Hopefully he will be able to step in and take some of the loss of Leon away." Hensley's slant: Jones is the more dynamic pick because of his playmaking ability. In five games last season, Jones had an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Still, whoever starts for the Bengals, no one will replace Hall's man-to-man coverage skills.
• BROWNS: First-year head coach Pat Shurmur defended his decision to run the ball six straight times in the red zone to set up a field goal instead of throwing the ball to the end zone for a touchdown. His strategy backfired when the snap went off a Browns offensive lineman, which caused Phil Dawson to miss a 22-yard field goal attempt. "No. I'll go to the well with what I did," Shurmur said, via The Cleveland Plain Dealer. "And I'll go to the well lining up to kick the field goal, making them use timeouts and leaving them nearing two minutes to try to drive and beat us. I'll do that again." Hensley's slant: There is logic in playing it safe, and it could have resulted in a win. But at some point, the Browns need to break out of this conservative mentality and get aggressive. This mentality predates Shurmur. The Browns offense hasn't averaged more than 17 points per game in each of the past four seasons.
• STEELERS: Outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley is expected to be available when the Steelers come off their bye. Woodley, the Steelers' sack leader with nine, has missed the past two games with a hamstring injury. Asked if he thought Woodley and James Harrison would be in the lineup for the Nov. 27 game at Kansas City, defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau told The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, "I think so." Hensley's slant: With Woodley and Harrison together again, the Steelers will get more pressure on the quarterback, which will lead to more turnovers. Want some more good news? The Chiefs' starting quarterback could be Tyler Palko because Matt Cassel has a "significant" hand injury.