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Here's one way the New England Patriots can get back to the Super Bowl: Sign receiver Mike Wallace, one of the best players in free agency.

The Pittsburgh Steelers' Pro Bowler is a restricted free agent who is ripe for the taking. Pittsburgh has salary-cap issues this offseason and cut many of its veteran players. The team also could not afford to put a franchise tag on Wallace.

A first-round pick and a good contract offer are the only things standing in the way of Wallace joining the reigning AFC champions. New England should be the first team in line to throw caution to the wind and pry Wallace from Pittsburgh next week when free agency begins.

Here are several reasons why this is a smart move for New England:

Reason No. 1: Patriots have plenty of draft picks, cap space

This is the perfect year for the Patriots to pounce. Unlike the Steelers, New England has plenty of cap room and more than enough draft picks to make a solid pitch for Wallace.

The cost for Wallace would be a first-round pick and a contract extension. New England has two first-rounders (No. 27 and No. 31) and two second-rounders. Losing one of those early picks would not hurt the Patriots. New England likely would not get an immediate, Pro Bowl-caliber player at the end of the first round anyway. Wallace would count as part of the Patriots' draft class. New England could add a top-10 receiver in his prime.

New England's best chance is to offer Wallace a front-loaded contract. The key is to provide a high amount of guaranteed money and salary in the first season, which would count against this year's cap. The Patriots have that luxury over Pittsburgh and can use it to their advantage.

The Patriots entered the offseason with more cap space than any team in the AFC East. Receiver Wes Welker's franchise tag would take up some of that, but the Patriots still can offer Wallace more than Pittsburgh. New England may have to eventually work out an extension with Welker, as a result, but the Patriots are considering that option anyway.

Reason No. 2: Patriots need a deep threat

Imagine the possibilities: Tom Brady throwing to Welker and Rob Gronkowski underneath, and Wallace and Aaron Hernandez vertically. That would be a passing attack that is tough to stop.

New England's best deep threat last year was Hernandez, its backup tight end. He was the only player who could consistently get vertical and was a threat for making huge plays.

Wallace's speed would bring a unique element to New England's offense. He is arguably the best deep threat in the NFL and has 23 receptions of 40 yards or more the past three seasons. The Patriots' offense hasn't had that type of big-play capability since Randy Moss.

There are criticisms that Wallace is a "one-trick pony." That’s debatable. But getting deep is really all the Patriots would need from Wallace. New England's other receivers and tight ends will take care of the underneath routes and allow Wallace to focus on what he does best.

Reason No. 3: It hurts a big AFC rival

The Steelers are one of the most well-run and respected franchises in the NFL. The ownership, front office and coaching are all top notch.

Therefore, Pittsburgh consistently poses one of the biggest threats to New England in the AFC. The Steelers and Patriots combined for eight Super Bowl appearances the past 11 years. If Pittsburgh didn't get "Tebowed" by the Denver Broncos in January, the Patriots would've had another tough playoff matchup against Pittsburgh. The Steelers beat New England in the regular season.

Signing Wallace away from Pittsburgh would simultaneously strengthen New England and hurt the Steelers' depth at receiver. The Steelers already released team captain and all-time leading receiver Hines Ward. In terms of leadership, Ward leaves a huge void that is tough to replace. Losing Wallace, Pittsburgh's best receiver, would be another big blow.

Pittsburgh also cut starting linebacker James Farrior, starting guard Chris Kemoeatu and veteran defensive end Aaron Smith. Years of manipulating the cap is finally catching up to the Steelers, and it could cost the team Wallace if New England or another team goes after him.

Reason No. 4: No harm, no foul

Let's say the Steelers find a way to match New England's offer. That could still work in New England's favor.

The Patriots would retain their first-round pick and cap room, while forcing Pittsburgh overpay on a front-loaded contract to keep Wallace. The Steelers, as a result, would have more issues with the cap. For the Patriots, there's no harm in trying.

New England also has options. The Patriots could quickly turn its attention to veteran receiver Brandon Lloyd, who is a viable Plan B. Lloyd wants to reunite with new Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and would be happy to join the reigning AFC champs. Instead of the home run (Wallace), New England could settle for a triple (Lloyd).

Going after Wallace in free agency is a win-win for the Patriots, regardless of the result.

I changed the oil and shined up the Lamborghini nicely. Now it's time to hand over the keys.

On Thursday, Jamison Hensley, formerly of the Baltimore Sun, will take over the AFC North blog. Tomorrow I will start full-time in the AFC East.

But before I leave, I want to give a special shoutout to Melliott74, Rasta212, Wyosteelers, Blkandgold1969, Ravenous, Pucrepeap, Feardaraven01, BaltimoreThor, Ohoshun, Ogive17, Kovacs, SteelBeam00, ClevelandPownd, Bgsteelfan and other regulars. Welcome Jamison with open arms and keep this community strong.

Don't be a stranger, AFC North fans. I'm only moving next door.

Stop by the AFC East blog sometime to say hello.

We will not have our normal chat Tuesday on the AFC North division. As most of you know, I'm relocating this week from Cleveland to Miami.

Quick warning: The AFC North blog will be fairly light the rest of the week. I will post in the AFC North and AFC East blogs periodically when I can. But my next several days will consist mostly of moving, loading and unloading boxes. (Anyone want to help?)

The good news is I will be in Baltimore Sunday to cover the Steelers and Ravens one last time for the AFC North blog. It's a nice parting gift after a fun, three-year run. I'm looking forward to it.

Here's a quick memo to our AFC North community: I'll be moving soon from Cleveland to Miami and transitioning to the AFC East blog in the not-too-distant future.

No LeBron jokes, please.

The shift won't happen overnight. I will be going back and forth between divisions until your next AFC North blogger -- Jamison Hensley, formerly of the Baltimore Sun -- is ready to step in. Jamison will do a great job. I know you'll welcome him with open arms.

In the meantime, I'll see you right here, as usual, and hopefully on the AFC East blog as well.

Former Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett is scheduled to begin his two-day visit in Cincinnati on Thursday. Mallett could be a target for the Bengals if they decide to look for "quarterback insurance" outside the first round.

Cincinnati franchise quarterback Carson Palmer demanded a trade this offseason and threatened to retire. The Bengals said they refuse to trade Palmer but will take his threats serious in the event he doesn't return.

Mallett is arguably the best pure passer in the draft, but character concerns could keep him out the first round. Earlier this week Mallett held a private workout for the Miami Dolphins, who are also seeking help at quarterback.

With the NFL draft just a month away, interest is picking up in Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett.

This week Mallett will meet with two teams in pursuit of quarterbacks -- the Cincinnati Bengals and Miami Dolphins. Mallett will hold a private workout for the Dolphins on Tuesday in Fayetteville, Arkansas, then visit the Bengals in Cincinnati on Thursday and Friday, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

Mallett is arguably the best pure passer in this year's draft. He could be a target for Cincinnati as a potential replacement for starter Carson Palmer, who demanded a trade and threatened to retire. Mallett reportedly enters the draft with some character concerns, which could keep him out of the first round.

The Dolphins are exploring other avenues at quarterback after an inconsistent 2010 season from starter Chad Henne. Miami's endorsement of Henne this offseason has been lukewarm, at best, and the Dolphins would like to add viable competition for the starting quarterback job next season. The Dolphins will host an additional two-day visit with Mallett on April 14-15 in Miami.

ESPN's Adam Schefter also reports Miami and Cincinnati have scheduled private workouts with Auburn quarterback Cam Newton, who is a projected first-rounder.

We have an AFC East versus AFC North showdown at Heinz Field to determine who will represent the conference in Super Bowl XLV. The New York Jets (13-5) will visit the Pittsburgh Steelers (13-4) in a rematch of the Jets' 22-17 victory in Week 15.

But this time we're going to narrow our focus to the heart and soul of both teams: the defense. That is what brought the Jets and Steelers this far. The better defense Sunday likely will make the difference in the AFC Championship Game.

So which defense has the best chance to dominate? ESPN.com AFC North blogger James Walker and AFC East blogger Tim Graham break it down.

James Walker: I like the fact that both of these defenses attack first and often can dictate to the opposing offenses the tempo of the game. But when you start comparing the two teams by the numbers, New York's defense doesn't stack up to Pittsburgh's. The Steelers have the advantage over the Jets in every major statistical regular-season category, including average total yards allowed (276.8 to 291.5), points allowed (14.5 to 19), total sacks (48 to 40) and forced turnovers (35 to 30). Pittsburgh's run defense also was fifth best all-time since the start of the Super Bowl era in 1966, allowing just 62.8 yards per game. The Jets allowed an average of 90.9 rushing yards per game. New York also gave up 72 more points than Pittsburgh in the regular season. And based on their average, that's about five games' worth of points for the Steelers. If you want to compare current numbers in the playoffs, the Steelers are also No. 1 in postseason defense, allowing just 126 total yards in a divisional win over Baltimore. The Jets played in two playoff games and are not in the top six. New York has allowed an average of 342 total yards in the postseason, which is a very big discrepancy of 216 total yards per game.

Tim Graham: No, I don't want to compare postseason stats because the Steelers have played one game at home against a wild-card team. The Jets have played two road games against future Hall of Fame quarterbacks and snuffed them both -- in two of the most intimidating stadiums for a visitor to escape in any sport. What the Jets have done the past two weeks would be a remarkable feat even for the "Steel Curtain." The Jets held Peyton Manning to 16 points and made inevitable MVP Tom Brady appear lost. The Patriots scored 21 points, but the last touchdown came against the Jets' prevent defense in garbage time. But even more significant? The Jets won in Pittsburgh five weeks ago. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger took his shots against the Jets and posted a passer rating almost 20 points lower than his season average. The Jets forced more fumbles than the Steelers that night, had more sacks and even recorded a safety. As for that sterling run defense ranking you quoted, in that contest the Jets' running game surpassed the Steelers' average by 44 yards -- an increase of 59 percent.

JW: If you want to throw away the Jets' postseason statistics, then Pittsburgh's superior regular-season numbers over 16 games still apply. There is no way to ignore both, Tim, because Pittsburgh's defense was better no matter how you cut it. In terms of Week 15, I think you're conveniently leaving out that the game was won on special teams. Brad Smith's 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown was the difference. The Steelers' defense allowed just one touchdown, while Pittsburgh's offense outscored New York's offense 17-13. The Steelers also racked up 377 yards against the Jets' defense, which is worse than the 342-yard postseason average I mentioned earlier. In terms of which defense can dominate the AFC title game, you have to take into account the offenses these two teams are facing. There is zero debate that Roethlisberger is a superior quarterback to New York's Mark Sanchez. In fact, if I were ranking the four remaining playoff quarterbacks, Sanchez would be dead last behind Roethlisberger, Aaron Rodgers and even Jay Cutler. Credit Sanchez for having some success against the Colts and Patriots, but those defenses were ranked in the 20s this season. Even Jets linebacker Bart Scott admitted New England's defense "couldn't stop a nosebleed," and he's right. Sanchez has yet to face a defense in the playoffs like Pittsburgh's once it's at full strength with a healthy Troy Polamalu, who missed the first meeting. Sanchez threw for just 170 yards in Week 15, and even then Polamalu’s absence limited what Pittsburgh could do defensively. The Pro Bowl safety makes a huge difference in coverage, stopping the run and freeing up others to pressure the quarterback. The "Polamalu factor" cannot be overlooked with the Steelers' defense, and I think he's going to be a huge headache for Sanchez, especially since Sanchez didn’t get to face Polamalu in the first meeting.

TG: I didn't ignore either the Jets' regular-season or postseason statistics. We simply cannot compare the Jets' postseason numbers to the Steelers'. The sample size is too small, they haven't played the same number of games, and they've played a different caliber of opponent so far in the tournament. The Jets were road underdogs for both of their games, while the Steelers were a home favorite coming off a bye week. You cannot compare them that way. It's apples and grapefruits. You're right when you say Sanchez has yet to face a defense like the Steelers' with Polamalu on the field. But Polamalu didn't exactly look like a superstar against the Ravens -- two tackles, no passes defensed and a whiffed tackle or two. I'll grant that nobody can expect Polamalu to have two straight subpar games, but he just showed there are no guarantees he's going to take over Sunday's game. Maybe the injury is hampering him. But let me ask you: How is Roethlisberger going to solve a mystifying, multilook defense that Manning and Brady couldn't master in the past two weeks? Oh, and one Roethlisberger couldn't defeat five weeks ago? And if you're thinking about replying with "He's had five weeks to figure it out," remember that Brady had no idea what he was looking at last Sunday, and he played the Jets twice this year.

JW: Roethlisberger threw for 264 yards and a touchdown in the first meeting with the Jets and the offense notched 25 first downs, compared to New York's 17. Steelers tailback Rashard Mendenhall led the game in rushing with 99 yards, one touchdown and averaged 5.8 yards per carry. It's safe to say the Steelers were not mystified in the first meeting after gaining 377 total yards of offense. If anything, I think the Jets' defense needs to make more adjustments to stop what Pittsburgh's offense was able to do well in Week 15. Roethlisberger has played against Rex Ryan's defenses plenty of times when Ryan was the defensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens. This will have the familiarity of a division game for Roethlisberger, where Sanchez is seeing Dick LeBeau's defense for only the second time in his entire career and the first time with Polamalu in the lineup, which is a huge difference. Plus, here is the key advantage Roethlisberger has over Manning and Brady: Pittsburgh's elite defense. The Colts and Patriots need their quarterbacks to play lights out and take more risks to beat the Jets because they have shoddy defenses. This game isn't nearly as much on Roethlisberger's shoulders. He can simply play sound, complementary football with the Steel Curtain defense, which will do much better holding down the Jets' offense compared to New York's previous two playoff opponents.

TG: If the roles were reversed on this debate and I were asked to state a case for the Steelers' defense, the first words I would've written would be "Troy" and "Polamalu," and then I would have made the point that the last time the Jets played the Steelers, the Jets' offense scored one touchdown -- a fourth-down Sanchez bootleg that totally fooled the Steelers' defense. The rest was a kickoff return for a touchdown, a safety and some field goals. One touchdown surrendered would seem to support the Steelers, right? Well, it does. I'm guessing you hadn't gotten around to making that point yet. But that fact also goes to show that a dominant defense doesn't mean a team will win. The Jets did surrender more yardage, but you omitted that the Jets ran 15 fewer offensive plays and spent the fourth quarter in a prevent defense, giving the Steelers the entire middle of the field. The Steelers had the better defense in terms of yardage and still lost because the Jets' defense kept them out of the end zone when it counted. Last time I checked, a game never has been decided by yardage or league rankings.

JW: Tim, I really appreciate you repeating my points from earlier about the "Polamalu factor," the Steelers allowing just one touchdown and New York winning the first meeting via special teams on Smith's 97-yard kickoff return. I think you're finally seeing things my way. At this stage of the season the old saying still applies that "Defense wins championships." That is why both teams are here. Since the Steelers have the better defense in the regular season, the better defense in their previous meeting and the better defense in the playoffs, it's safe to say Pittsburgh's defense will be better on Sunday -- and that will be the difference in the Steelers advancing to their third Super Bowl in six seasons.

We have another interesting "Thought of the Day" in the AFC North blog. This week's topic is on the future of one of the division's head coaches.

Should Cleveland Browns president Mike Holmgren retain coach Eric Mangini or make a change in 2011? At 5-7, the final month of the season will be huge for Mangini, who needs to continue winning games to pad his résumé. The Browns will travel to play the Buffalo Bills (2-10) on Sunday.

Cleveland continues to play hard for Mangini and is 4-2 in its last six games. The Browns don't have nearly the same talent as other teams in the division but remain competitive and tough to beat on a weekly basis. Is that enough to bring Mangini back next year?

On the flip side, Mangini is 10-18 in his two seasons in Cleveland. There also are philosophical differences in the way Mangini and Holmgren prefer to run their teams. Therefore, is it time for Holmgren to hire his own head coach?

Share your "Thought of the Day" comments on Mangini's future with the Browns below. Or you can also send them to our division inbox and AFC North Twitter page. We will run the best responses throughout the week.

I have one word for AFC East blogger Tim Graham: Checkmate.

Last week we debated which rivalry was better between the New York Jets and New England Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers. I told Graham that the Jets-Patriots matchup was built mostly on hype, while the Ravens-Steelers rivalry is legit and built on substance.

After watching Sunday night's AFC North classic and Monday night's AFC East snooze-fest, I rest my case.

The Steelers and Ravens put on another hard-hitting game that saw a star quarterback (Ben Roethlisberger) suffer a broken nose but pull off a 13-10, come-from-behind victory that came down to the last drive. Meanwhile, the Patriots obliterated the Jets 45-3 in a lopsided game that was never competitive.

Pittsburgh and Baltimore had everything you'd want in a rivalry game. New England and New York had nothing you’d want in a rivalry game. It would have been nice if the Jets at least cared enough to show up for their "special rivalry" with the Patriots. Perhaps the Jets didn't get Graham's memo.

Now that all four teams played in Week 13, the proof is on the field. If Graham still believes Monday's pathetic showing by the AFC East makes for the NFL's best rivalry, then I have to seriously question his football knowledge -- and his sanity.

Score another victory for the AFC North blog.

Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Colt McCoy has beaten Drew Brees and Tom Brady in back-to-back games. The third-round draft pick also helped bring much-needed excitement and optimism back to Cleveland football.

Still, Browns coach Eric Mangini isn't ready to commit to McCoy for the rest of the year.

Mangini told Cleveland reporters Monday that McCoy is making the decision tough, but he's not ready to hand him the ball permanently. This comes one day after McCoy and the Browns pummeled the New England Patriots 34-14.

Veteran quarterback Seneca Wallace is expected to practice Wednesday, and Jake Delhomme could return to practice Thursday or Friday. Both suffered high-ankle sprains this season, which allowed McCoy to start.

But Delhomme has thrown just one touchdown and four interceptions this year and Wallace is 1-3 as a starter. McCoy lacks experience, but in three games he's 2-1 and has proved to give Cleveland (3-5) the best chance to win.

Is Mangini playing coy, or is he legitimately trying to decide whether to go back to Delhomme or Wallace Sunday against the New York Jets (6-2)? We probably won't know until later in the week.

BEREA, Ohio -- Cleveland Browns head coach Eric Mangini recently embraced the idea of mending fences with former friend and mentor Bill Belichick.

But based on the response this week from the New England Patriots' coach, Mangini shouldn't hold his breath.

There is still a frosty divide that separates the teacher and former pupil. The two coaches will meet for the eighth time Sunday when Belichick and the Patriots (6-1) travel to face Mangini's Browns (2-5). Including the postseason, Belichick is 5-2 against Mangini dating to Mangini's days as head coach of the New York Jets.

And New York is where Mangini's relationship with Belichick took a turn for the worse. In September 2007, the Mangini-led Jets filed a complaint with the NFL against Belichick stating that a Patriots cameraman was taping New York's defensive signals. That prompted a lengthy investigation by the NFL -- famously known as "Spygate" -- that resulted in a $500,000 fine for Belichick, a $250,000 fine for the Patriots and a loss of their 2008 first-round pick.

The investigation also found that Belichick had been taping signals since 2000. It was a major hit to Belichick's reputation, and the blow was dealt by a team coached by Mangini, whom Belichick had taken under his wing as a former ball boy in Cleveland and gradually developed into an NFL head coach.

Mangini and Belichick haven't been on speaking terms for several years.

"I'd say never say never," Mangini said of a possible reconciliation. "Obviously, he was very important to me and I respect him, very important to my family and all those things. But we'll see. Time will tell."

At this week's conference call, not for one second did the Patriots' coach care to entertain the thought of making up with Mangini.

Belichick was asked to describe the relationship with his former pupil.

"We're both coaching teams that are going to play on Sunday," said Belichick, ignoring the topic.

If Mangini reached out, would Belichick be receptive to it?

"Right now I'm really receptive to working on the Browns and trying to get our team ready to play," Belichick responded.

Where did the two coaches go wrong?

"I'm just trying to get our team ready to play this week, just like I do every single week," Belichick said.

Ouch!

It's pretty clear where both parties stand: Mangini remains optimistic that time will heal this wound, and Belichick isn't interested in being friendly.

But why now for Mangini? After letting things fester for several years, why has Mangini gone public in trying to patch things up?

The most prevalent theory in NFL circles is that Mangini realizes he's on the hot seat. After "Spygate," his firing in New York, and an unceremonious breakup last year with another friend in former Browns general manager George Kokinis, Mangini doesn't have the best reputation around the league.

If Mangini doesn't win enough games this year -- the Browns are on pace to win only four or five -- Cleveland president Mike Holmgren could go in another direction. And for Mangini to get another shot as a head coach or coordinator in the NFL, an image makeover may be necessary. Mangini also has been noticeably more personable with the media this season.

Belichick's tree looms large in the NFL forest, as Mangini knows.

"I am really happy that I had that chance [to work under Belichick], because I think he's arguably one of the best, if not the best, coaches in the league," Mangini said.

On the field, Mangini was able to have some degree of success against Belichick, because Mangini had more veteran talent in New York. For example, two of Mangini's wins against New England came with Chad Pennington and Brett Favre at quarterback.

This week the Browns have the tough task of trying to beat the Patriots with rookie quarterback Colt McCoy. The third-round pick is expected to get his third straight start as veteran quarterbacks Seneca Wallace and Jake Delhomme recover from ankle injuries.

McCoy has shown accuracy and potential in splitting games against the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints. Belichick was more open to discussing McCoy than he was Mangini.

"He looks like he's an athletic kid and a good competitor," Belichick said. "He's been on the road in two tough places to play, and it looks like he's hung in there pretty well."

Will Mangini and Belichick ever be what they once were pre-Spygate? Probably not.

But if Belichick is willing, Mangini has offered an olive branch. He's open to repairing this broken friendship.

"I think everything takes care of itself over time," Mangini explained. "He's had a lot to focus on. I've had a lot to focus on. So it's just one of those things right now."

Here are the latest happenings Thursday evening in the AFC North:

• Baltimore Ravens (5-2) receiver Donte' Stallworth (foot) could return for their next game against the Miami Dolphins on Nov. 7.
• Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer (hip) missed practice Thursday but he's expected to play against Miami.
• Is veteran Jake Delhomme, who signed for $7 million, out of the quarterback race for the Cleveland Browns (2-5)?
• Pittsburgh Steelers (5-1) rookie receiver Emmanuel Sanders is making strides.

Here are seven notes and observations from Week 7:

[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Gene J. PuskarThe Steelers could be vulnerable against the run without defensive end Aaron Smith.
• Lost in the Pittsburgh Steelers' controversial win against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday was the probable season-ending triceps injury to Aaron Smith. This is a huge blow to Pittsburgh (5-1), because Smith is the prototype 3-4 defensive end and one of the biggest leaders in the locker room. This could be the second straight season-ending injury for Smith, who has been one of the NFL's most underrated players. The Steelers are very hard to run against when Smith is healthy, but the defense suffers mightily when he's out. Defensive end Brett Keisel (hamstring) is also banged up, making it possible that Pittsburgh will start backups Ziggy Hood and Nick Eason this week against the reigning champion New Orleans Saints. Hood, a 2009 first-round pick, must grow up fast for the Steelers.
• Although they narrowly escaped Miami, the Steelers are now tied with the New York Jets, Tennessee Titans and Dolphins for the NFL's best road record at 3-0. All three of these teams are physical and play a consistent style, home and away. Pittsburgh must continue its road success; four of its next six games are away from Heinz Field.
• Here is a suggestion for the Cincinnati Bengals: It's time to hold a players-only meeting. The Bengals' season is on the brink after a 2-4 start, and there are so many leaks in this sinking ship that players need to talk it out amongst each other without coaches around and demand everyone look in the mirror to figure out how to improve. Cincinnati's issue isn't with one player or one position or one side of the football. It's been a team-wide failing with different culprits, including coaching.
• It's officially time to wonder if too many offseason activities negatively impacted Bengals receiver Chad Ochocinco. I've had this theory for a couple weeks, but wanted to be fair to Ochocinco and allow enough time and games to be played before I brought it up. Ochocinco had two nationally televised shows in the offseason and another just starting with teammate Terrell Owens that airs on Tuesdays. Ochocinco received a lot of press and knew he would get heat if he struggled this season, prompting his "birth control" comment. So far Ochocinco's production has been inconsistent and his attention to detail is waning. Ochocinco had a 100-yard game Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. But quarterback Carson Palmer got on him about running the wrong routes, and the receiver also dropped an easy pass that went through his hands. Many Bengals are suffering mental errors this season, but Ochocinco has been one of the biggest offenders.
• Kudos to the Cleveland Browns' coaching staff and head coach Eric Mangini for pulling out the bag of tricks before the bye week. Many teams use the extra week of preparation to add wrinkles and practice trick plays. But the Browns (2-5) decided there was no time better than the present to run a tricky fake punt that worked to perfection against New Orleans. Tailback Peyton Hillis also caught the Saints' defense by surprise with a 13-yard pass. Cleveland's staff has struggled this season, particularly with second-half adjustments, and needs to be more creative with things like this to spark the team.
• The Browns will spend the bye week determining whether it's best to stick with rookie quarterback Colt McCoy or turn back to one of their veteran quarterbacks -- Seneca Wallace or Jake Delhomme. In my opinion, McCoy has played well enough to keep the job. Against the past two Super Bowl champions, McCoy put up Cleveland's season-high passing yards (281) against Pittsburgh and was the winning quarterback against the Saints. In two starts, McCoy has thrown for 355 yards and completed 65.3 percent of his passes. With the Browns coming off a huge win, there's no reason to disrupt things with another shakeup at quarterback.
• What happened to Baltimore Ravens cornerback Fabian Washington on Sunday? Washington had his worst day as a Raven, allowing three touchdown passes to the winless Buffalo Bills (0-6). His play was so bad that Baltimore head coach John Harbaugh benched Washington in favor of Josh Wilson in the fourth quarter. Washington has had solid games this season, but he was awful against the Bills. He will have a lot of corrections to make during the bye week.

The Baltimore Ravens gained a Pro Bowl safety and a special teams ace from the physically unable to perform list Saturday. The team announced safety Ed Reed and backup linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo have been activated to the 53-man roster. Both are expected to debut Sunday against the Buffalo Bills (0-5).

Baltimore (4-2) got off to a good start without Reed and played much better than expected against the pass in his absence. Now Reed, who had offseason hip surgery, will patrol the back end of Baltimore's defense, which should help pass coverage, creating turnovers and the team's blitz packages.

Ayanbadejo will provide depth at linebacker and is good at covering kicks. To make room for the moves, the Ravens released linebacker Edgar Jones and put offensive tackle Jared Gaither on injured reserve.

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

• Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed (hip) is still unsure if he will play Sunday against the Buffalo Bills.

Morning take: After putting Jared Gaither on injured reserve, a roster spot is waiting for Reed if he wants to play. But Reed also has the luxury of sitting Sunday and getting two more weeks to heal.

• The running game of the Cincinnati Bengals could be pivotal against the Atlanta Falcons.

Morning take: The Bengals need to leave Atlanta with a win any way they can. If a ball-control offense is the way to go, Cincinnati tailback Cedric Benson needs a big day.

• The Cleveland Browns are sticking with struggling cornerback Eric Wright as the starter.

Morning take: As we mentioned earlier this week, Wright is in a slump and giving up too many big plays. This is a big game for him against the New Orleans Saints, because the Browns will re-evaluate everything during their bye week.

• Pittsburgh Steelers backup defensive end Nick Eason will start in place of the injured Brett Keisel (hamstring) against the Miami Dolphins.

Morning take: Eason and Evander Hood have been in the rotation all season as backups. Look for both to share plenty of reps at defensive end Sunday.