AFC North: Baltimore Ravens

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.
4. BENGALS: Leon Hall is perhaps the most valuable cornerback in the division. In the first nine games with Hall, the Bengals gave up eight touchdown passes. In the last seven regular-season games without him (he had a season-ending Achilles injury), they allowed 12 touchdown passes. The Bengals replaced Hall with Adam Jones, who was extremely erratic in coverage. The Bengals value the veteran leadership of Nate Clements, but the cornerback is looking past his prime. Only nickelback Kelly Jennings struggled on a more consistent basis. Safety Reggie Nelson allowed some big plays early, but he was stingy in pass defense late in the season. The other safety, Chris Crocker, had trouble covering the more athletic tight ends in the league. What could change: The Bengals need to draft a cornerback in the first round to press Clements for a starting role and become his eventual replacement. Nelson is a free agent, but he is considered a priority to get re-signed. The Bengals are expected to part ways with Jones, who is a free agent.

Feb. 20: Special teams

Feb. 21: Defensive line

Feb. 23: Linebackers

For Monday: Offensive line

Video: AFC Championship recap

January, 23, 2012
Jan 23
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James Walker and Jamison Hensley wrap up the AFC Championship game between the Baltimore Ravens and the New England Patriots.
The Ravens have never played host to an AFC Championship Game, and it won't happen this year.

The AFC Championship Game will be played at New England's Gillette Stadium after the top-seeded Patriots routed the Denver Broncos, 45-10, on Saturday night. New England will play the winner of Sunday's Texans-Ravens game on Jan. 22 at 3 p.m.

The AFC title game would have been played in Baltimore if the Patriots had lost and the second-seeded Ravens had won.

Home field has truly been an advantage in this year's NFL playoffs. Teams are 6-0 when playing on their home turf.

Poll results: AFC's top two seeds

December, 23, 2011
12/23/11
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In a SportsNation poll of over 7,300, the favorites to take the top two seeds in the AFC are the New England Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens.

An overwhelming 70 percent of voters chose the Patriots and Ravens, both of whom could clinch a first-round bye and a home playoff game Saturday. The Patriots have to beat the Miami Dolphins at home. The Ravens need to defeat the Cleveland Browns in addition to a Pittsburgh Steelers loss to the St. Louis Rams.

If the Ravens lose at least one game and the Steelers win out, Pittsburgh would claim a top-two seed.

Here are the results of the poll ...

Who will be the top two seeds in the AFC?

Patriots and Ravens: 70 percent

Patriots and Steelers: 25 percent

Ravens and Texans: 3 percent

Steelers and Texans: 2 percent
Ben RoethlisbergerJustin K. Aller/Getty ImagesBen Roethlisberger spent Thursday's second half feeling "like my ankle is about to explode."
PITTSBURGH -- Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger isn't going to win the NFL most valuable player award. Aaron Rodgers will take that. Roethlisberger won't win the offensive player of the year honor, either. Give that to Drew Brees or Tom Brady.

If there was a trophy for grittiest quarterback, though, the unanimous pick would be Roethlisberger. When it comes to playing in pain, there is Roethlisberger, and then there is everyone else in this generation of football players.

You can break his nose. You can break his thumb. The problem is, no one has ever broken his will to win.

Even given his history of toughness, Roethlisberger outdid himself in gutting out a 14-3 Steelers victory over the Cleveland Browns on Thursday night at Heinz Field. After having his left leg bent in a way that it's not supposed to bend, Roethlisberger stepped up -- actually, hopped up, to be more accurate -- late in the fourth quarter to seal the much-needed win with a 79-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Brown.

"I just didn't want to let the guys down," Roethlisberger said. "We're in a tight race right now."

Roethlisberger's high ankle sprain forced him to throw off his back foot because he couldn't put weight on his left leg. He had to cut his dropbacks to two steps because anything else pushed it too far.

Many quarterbacks wouldn't come back with this injury. Others would and would struggle. Roethlisberger's mastery is such that you see him in pain but you wouldn't be able to tell by looking at the numbers.

Before the injury: 8-of-9 for 102 yards and one touchdown. After the injury: 8-of-12 for 178 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Roethlisberger's toughness, stubbornness and dedication to the team moved the Steelers (10-3) one step closer to a playoff berth and put them a half-game ahead of the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North race.

"I’ll always give him the opportunity to show what he’s capable of," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "We know what kind of competitor he is. We know his pain tolerance. We know what he’s capable of."

Roethlisberger still doesn't know the severity of the injury and will undergo an MRI on Friday. "We’ll find out how bad tomorrow," he said. "At least it takes the pain off my thumb."

When Roethlisberger was injured with 5 minutes, 59 seconds left in the second quarter, he was brought down in such a way by Browns defensive lineman Scott Paxson that you wondered whether he would return this season, much less this game. It was one of those types of replays that you grimaced in pain as much as Roethlisberger.

His first reaction: "I thought my leg was broke. Honestly. It was one of the most painful things I’ve ever felt. They grabbed [the leg], and it felt like my foot was outside of my leg."

Roethlisberger hobbled off the field with the help of two trainers and needed to get carted off to the locker room. When the X-rays on his ankle were negative, all that stood in his way of returning was a conversation with Tomlin.

Here's how that went, according to the coach:

[+] Enlarge
Ben Roethlisberger
AP Photo/Gene J. PuskarRoethlisberger's second-half stats nearly mirrored those from before he suffered the ankle sprain.
Tomlin: "The doctor said you’re good to go; how you feel?"

Roethlisberger: "OK."

Tomlin: "You want to go?"

Roethlisberger: "Absolutely."

Tomlin: "All right, let's do it."

Roethlisberger came out of the locker room, threw a few passes on the sideline before halftime ended and limped onto the field. Even teammates who had seen Roethlisberger come back from injuries in the past couldn't believe what they saw.

"I was kind of surprised to see him come back in the second half," tight end Heath Miller said. "But when I step back and think about it, maybe I shouldn’t be. You know he’s going to be there with us if he’s able to stand on two legs."

Roethlisberger's return was crucial considering how ragged backup Charlie Batch looked in three series and how Pittsburgh clutched onto a 7-3 lead for most of the game.

Roethlisberger made his presence felt in the fourth quarter when he converted a third-and-20 by hopping up into the pocket and completing a 27-yard pass deep over the middle. He then appeared to throw a 24-yard touchdown to Mike Wallace, but it was reversed on replay because the receiver was down before crossing the goal line.

After the Steelers failed to score on the goal-line stand, Roethlisberger was intercepted on the next series. Like Roethlisberger, the Steelers continued to battle against adversity and gave the ball back to the two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback on William Gay's interception in the end zone.

Two plays later, Roethlisberger flicked a short pass to the right sideline, where Brown caught the back-shoulder pass and took advantage of cornerback Joe Haden slipping. Brown raced down the field, faked out safety Mike Adams along the way and scored the decisive touchdown with 2:52 left in the game.

"You could see he didn't have the same mobility, but in his eyes, he was the same Ben," Miller said. "He was ready to lead us and get our offense going."

Roethlisberger never sat down after the injury, and constantly paced up and down the sideline so the ankle wouldn't stiffen up. When he got knocked down a couple of times after returning, he needed to get pulled up by his teammates.

"It feels like my ankle is about to explode," he said.

This is the first time Roethlisberger has had a high ankle sprain, which is surprising because he's injured nearly everything on his body.

In 2005, he fractured his right thumb and tore cartilage in his right knee. In 2008, he separated his right shoulder. In 2010, he broke his nose and fractured a bone in his right foot. Even this year, he's already sprained his left foot and fractured his right thumb again.

Despite his continued heroics, Roethlisberger won't win the postseason awards. But he might win something else.

"That’s the effort that gets you to win championships," safety Ryan Clark said, "and we have a championship quarterback."

Friday Forecast: Week 13

December, 2, 2011
12/02/11
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This is Friday Forecast, where we'll see how my predictions hold up against our readers. This week, I will go against Citizen Zero (who matched my 48 total points this week) and khampton4 (who matched the total points for last week's game).

Here are our predictions for the AFC North games in Week 13:

Jamison Hensley

Steelers 31, Bengals 17

Ravens 23, Browns 13

Citizen Zero

Steelers 28, Bengals 20

Browns 7, Ravens 6

khampton4

Bengals 27, Steelers 21

Ravens 17, Browns 6

PREDICTION BREAKDOWN

Steelers 31, Bengals 17: The Steelers are coming off a lackluster win at Kansas City, which is bad news for the Bengals. After two other bad performances this season (losing to the Ravens in the season opener and losing at Houston in a game that wasn't as close as the final score indicated), Pittsburgh bounced back in a big way, shutting out the Seahawks and roughing up the Titans. What could be worse news for Cincinnati is the fact that cornerback Nate Clements showed up on the injury report Thursday with a hamstring injury. The Bengals have already lost their top cornerback in Leon Hall. The Steelers' wide receivers can exploit a secondary not at full strength.

Ravens 23, Browns 13: It was last December in Cleveland where the Ravens ran for 161 yards on 31 carries. Expect a similar type of game from Baltimore, which will control the tempo and the clock against the NFL's fourth-worst run defense. The Ravens will then use play-action and test the Browns safeties (starter T.J. Ward is out and the other starter, Mike Adams, has a shoulder injury) deep downfield. In beating Cleveland six straight times, Baltimore has won by double digits five times.

Pittsburgh defense proves steel will

November, 13, 2011
11/13/11
8:27
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TBDJoe Robbins/Getty ImagesThe Steelers' two fourth-quarter interceptions doubled their pick total for the season.
CINCINNATI -- A week after watching their AFC North rival celebrate a statement game at their expense, the Steelers delivered a rebuttal for those who doubted their defense could close out opponents.

William Gay's fourth-quarter interception in Steelers territory did more than put Pittsburgh (7-3) back atop the AFC North (a half-game ahead of the Ravens and Bengals). This was about redemption. This was about vindication. This was about carrying the team to victory instead of relying on Ben Roethlisberger's arm to save them.

The Steelers' defense has been very good all season, based on statistics and how players run to the ball. This group elevated itself by shutting out the Bengals in the fourth quarter for a 24-17 victory, proving a steel will in the final minutes of a game.

The Bengals have thrived in these spots throughout their surprising season, coming back in the fourth quarter four times. This time, however, Cincinnati ran into a more motivated team. Maybe the Steelers' defense needed last week's kick in the gut from the Ravens to get that fighter's mentality back.

The Steelers, who were on a historic pace for takeaway futility, forced two interceptions on the final three drives. They limited rookie quarterback Andy Dalton to 22 yards passing in the final quarter. It was a performance worthy of a "curtain" call.

“We told ourselves going into the game that we’re playing pretty good defense, but we can’t continue to win games without getting turnovers,” Steelers nose tackle Casey Hampton said. “We just haven’t been finishing. It feels good to finally be able to finish somebody.”

The weakness of one of the best defenses of the past decade has been just that. After Joe Flacco led a 92-yard drive to beat the Steelers in the final seconds just seven days ago, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ran a list of "fourth-quarter failures" during the week. According to the website Cold, Hard Football Facts, the Steelers have allowed eight game-winning drives that ended in the final two minutes of games since 2007 -- the most in the NFL over that span.

That's why not wavering on these fourth-quarter stands at a blustery Paul Brown Stadium was so important. Pittsburgh's pride was at stake.

"We always want the opportunity to be on the field," safety Ryan Clark said. "We feel like those are the moments that we can rise up and allow our team to win a game."

Dalton, a rookie who is looking poised beyond his years, didn't make it easy on the Steelers. He never forced the ball in the first three quarters, throwing it away rather than risk a turnover. There were times when he displayed a knack for fading back in the face of pressure to make some outstanding throws.

It was a performance that will go down as a loss for the Bengals, but they certainly earned some respect in going drive-for-drive with the defending AFC champions.

"I don’t think this team has to worry about being able to play with the so-called elite in the AFC -- we can and we will," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said.

When Dalton and the Bengals were marching to tie the score in the fourth quarter, the Steelers' players said they weren't thinking of the Ravens game or any previous ones. Not buying it. The flashbacks were coming fast and furiously.

Last week, the Ravens were at the Steelers' 26-yard line before scoring the winning touchdown. This game, with Pittsburgh ahead by a touchdown, the Bengals were on the Steelers' 25 with 2:33 left. It was time to check the DVR to see if it was a repeat.

That was until Gay, who allowed the game-winning touchdown last Sunday, jumped the route and made his first interception of the season. Gay also caused the other interception in the fourth quarter, batting the ball to linebacker Lawrence Timmons in Steelers territory.

If you believe Gay is the defense's weak link, then the Steelers were as strong as it today.

"That’s what the game is about: Forget about what happened last week and come out and make plays," Clark said. "To me, he won the game."

Gay was certainly a playmaker in a Steelers' season that has had few of them. He had a hand in two interceptions in a span of 10 minutes, doubling Pittsburgh's total from the first nine games.

The Steelers were tied for the fewest takeaways in the NFL with four, which was on pace for the fewest in NFL history. In a season when their defense has been described as old and slow, the more accurate criticism has been the inability to make game-changing plays.

It's been a strange reversal of fortune for the Steelers, who finished third in the NFL with 35 forced turnovers a season ago. Rather than explain the lack of them this year, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin seemed happy that they're finally coming now.

"That’s what you got to do particularly moving forward," Tomlin said of the turnovers. "As we get into the thick of this thing, people play better execution-oriented football. It makes those type of splash plays even more important because there will be less room for error."

The Steelers were helped by the fact that the Bengals' top playmaker on offense, wide receiver A.J. Green, didn't play in the second half because he injured his knee on the spectacular 36-yard touchdown grab in the first quarter. But the Steelers' defense wasn't helped by its offense, which went three-and-out on its first three drives of the fourth quarter.

Needless to say, don't try to dampen this victory for the Steelers, who notched their first win over a team leading a division this season. You'll get shut down just like Dalton and the Bengals.

"We feel like we’ve been through hell and back," cornerback Ike Taylor said of the past week. "We have a lot of veteran guys who know what they need to do when it comes down to the end of the game. This Steelers defense has been holding this down for a long time. Check the track record."
BALTIMORE -- Thoughts on the Ravens' 29-14 win against the Texans:

What it means: The Ravens again showed why they're one of the best teams in the AFC by putting away the Texans, who were playing without wide receiver Andre Johnson and linebacker Mario Williams. Baltimore remained in first place and improved to 4-1 for the second straight season. Down 14-13 in the third quarter, the Ravens scored on four of their next five possessions to finish off their third consecutive win.

Thumbs up: Ravens defense. If it seemed as though the Texans were in Ravens territory all game, it's because they were. Houston crossed midfield on six of its first seven drives. But the Ravens gave up only two touchdowns (one came on a fumble recovery by an offensive lineman in the end zone) and made a strong fourth-down stand in the first half.

Joe Flacco takes hits, delivers them: Flacco took a beating but came through when the Ravens needed him. He was accurate on the intermediate passes on the opening drive and made the two big plays (completions of 51 and 56 yards) in the second half. Flacco finished with two turnovers (a fumble and interception).

Just for kicks: Pro Bowl kicker Billy Cundiff converted five field goals (from 43, 48, 25, 33 and 40 yards) and recorded six touchbacks. This is the second time that Cundiff has made five field goals in a game for the Ravens.

Cooking with Rice: Ray Rice outplayed reigning NFL rushing champion Arian Foster, running for 101 yards and making five catches for 60 yards. His 27-yard run set up the game-clinching touchdown.

What's next: The Ravens play next Monday night at the Jaguars (1-5), who have lost five games in a row.

Off the bye: Ravens

October, 10, 2011
10/10/11
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A look at the Ravens following their bye:

Record: 3-1, first in the AFC North

Where they stand: The Ravens have established themselves as one of the best teams in the NFL after beating the Steelers, Rams and Jets by an average margin of 25 points (combined score of 106-31). The only hiccup was a 26-13 loss at Tennessee, which might have been the result of an emotional hangover from the victory over Pittsburgh. The offense, which is ranked 14th, relies heavily on running back Ray Rice, who leads the Ravens in rushing yards (297) and receiving yards (242). The defense, which is ranked third, has scored as many touchdowns (four) as its allowed (four) this season.

Where they’re headed: The Ravens play against a Texans team that likely will be without its best player on offense (wide receiver Andre Johnson, who had hamstring surgery) and defense (pass rusher Mario Williams, who tore his pectoral muscle Sunday). Baltimore then has winnable games at Jacksonville (1-4) and against Arizona (1-4) before the Nov. 6 showdown at Pittsburgh.

Injury report: Wide receiver Lee Evans (ankle) is shooting to return Sunday, which would bump Torrey Smith back to the No. 3 wide receiver. Left guard Ben Grubbs (toe ) is also expected to come back after missing three games. There is a chance that cornerback Jimmy Smith (high ankle sprain) could play Sunday, but it's more likely that the first-round pick will be back next week. The status of safety Tom Zbikowski (concussion) is unknown.

Track record after bye: Baltimore is 8-1 after byes since 2002, which is the NFL's second-best record over that span. Under coach John Harbaugh, the Ravens are 3-0 coming off the bye week.

Burning question: Which Joe Flacco will show up the rest of the season – the one who ripped the Steelers and Rams, or the one who couldn’t complete half of his passes against the Titans and Jets?

Wrap-up: Ravens 37, Rams 7

September, 25, 2011
9/25/11
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Thoughts on the Baltimore Ravens' 37-7 win at the St. Louis Rams:

What it means: Any concern that the Ravens would struggle like they did at Tennessee last Sunday was gone by the end of the first quarter, when Baltimore rolled out to a 21-0 lead. The Ravens avoided consecutive losses for the first time since October 2009 and hold a share of first place in the division with a 2-1 record.

Thumbs up: Wide receiver Torrey Smith. He became the first rookie to score three touchdowns in a quarter. Smith's first three career receptions all went for touchdowns -- 74, 41 and 18 yards -- and all came in the first quarter. Not bad for a second-round pick who had been criticized for not having a catch in the first two games of the season. He stepped into the starting lineup for Lee Evans, who was sidelined with an ankle injury.

Joe Flacco on fire: His roller-coaster season continued with a 389-yard passing performance. It set a career mark and ranked second in franchise history behind Vinny Testaverde's 429 yards in 1996. This led to the Ravens establishing a team record with 550 yards of total offense.

Roughing up Bradford: The Ravens' defense was relentless with Rams quarterback Sam Bradford. Baltimore recorded 11 quarterback hits and five sacks (from five different players).

What's next: The Ravens return home to have a Sunday night showdown with the New York Jets and former defensive coordinator Rex Ryan.

Morning take: Steelers choose rookie RT

September, 14, 2011
9/14/11
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Here are the most interesting stories Wednesday in the AFC North:
  • The Pittsburgh Steelers have given the nod to rookie Marcus Gilbert to replace the injured Willie Colon at right tackle.
Morning take: Gilbert is the next man up for Pittsburgh. The Steelers invested a second-round pick in the Florida alum and needs a quick return on their investment.
Morning take: Evans' speed kept the Steelers honest. Pittsburgh wasn't able to stack up against the run and more routes were open underneath.
Morning take: I don't think either team is that good. But it's a winnable game for both sides. The loser is in for a long season.
Morning take: Cincinnati may catch a break with Denver coming off a short week. The status of cornerback Champ Bailey, running back Knowshon Moreno and receiver Brandon Lloyd are all up in the air.

AFC North update: Bengals 2-0?

September, 13, 2011
9/13/11
5:30
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Here are the latest happenings around the AFC North:
  • Can the Cincinnati Bengals (1-0) take advantage of the Denver Broncos (0-1) coming off a short week?
  • Is left tackle Bryant McKinnie the biggest surprise for the Baltimore Ravens?
  • The Cleveland Browns (0-1) reportedly signed punter Brad Maynard to replace Richmond McGee.
  • Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Willie Colon was put on injured reserve and will be out for the season.

AFC North Stock Watch

September, 13, 2011
9/13/11
1:00
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» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

FALLING

1. Cleveland Browns: The Browns finished the preseason with optimism and were favorites to beat the rebuilding Bengals at home. But Cleveland continued its longstanding trend of playing poorly in regular-season openers. The Browns fell to 1-12 in Week 1 since returning to the NFL in 1999. Cleveland had too many penalties (11) and some odd, unexplainable mental errors. The Browns have another winnable game Sunday against the Manning-less Colts. If Cleveland blows this one and falls to 0-2, it's going to be a rough season.

2. Pittsburgh Steelers' defense: Pittsburgh's defense has been too good for too long to write off. But the Steelers did look old and two steps slow on that side of the football in Sunday's loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Pittsburgh's defense has eight starters over 30. The unit had a poor game against the Green Bay Packers in the Super Bowl and struggled again in Week 1. That is a concern. Baltimore had surprising success running and passing against the Steelers. We will see in Week 2 how Pittsburgh's proud unit bounces back against Seattle.

3. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers quarterback: Roethlisberger had a great preseason but accounted for five turnovers in Week 1. He threw three interceptions and lost two fumbles. The Steelers can't win when Roethlisberger is this careless with the football. The offensive line certainly didn't help. Pittsburgh allowed four sacks.

RISING

[+] Enlarge
Terrell Suggs
Larry French/Getty ImagesTerrell Suggs had a big day for the Ravens, recording five tackles and three sacks.
1. Ravens' defense: Baltimore tied a team record with seven turnovers against Pittsburgh. I thought about breaking down the accolades individually in this "Stock Watch," but there were too many good performances. Defensive end Terrell Suggs had three sacks and became Baltimore's all-time sack leader with 70.5. Pro Bowl defensive tackle Haloti Ngata had four tackles, caused a fumble and tipped the ball at the line for a Ray Lewis interception. And Ed Reed had two picks off Roethlisberger for another multi-interception game.

2. Joe Flacco, Ravens quarterback: Flacco finally got over the hump of beating Pittsburgh with Roethlisberger under center. Now, he can move on with the rest of his season. Few quarterbacks have faced more offseason scrutiny than Flacco. He responded with 224 yards and three touchdowns against Pittsburgh. The pass protection was good and Flacco took advantage. He looks ready to make a jump in Season 4.

3. Cincinnati Bengals: The inexperienced Bengals showed some moxie with a come-from-behind road win over the Browns. Cincinnati scored 14 unanswered in the fourth quarter and did it without their starting quarterback, Andy Dalton, who was out with a forearm injury. Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis has said numerous times that he likes this young group.

Morning take: Injury updates

September, 13, 2011
9/13/11
9:00
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Here are the most interesting stories Tuesday in the AFC North:
  • Cincinnati Bengals rookie quarterback Andy Dalton (arm) most likely will play Sunday against the Denver Broncos.
Morning take: Dalton was having a decent game before his forearm injury. The Bengals picked up the slack without him. But they need him healthy against Denver.
  • Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Willie Colon is out indefinitely with a triceps injury.
Morning take: This has to be tough for Colon, who just returned from last year's Achilles injury. Pittsburgh doesn't have much depth on the offensive line. Rookie Marcus Gilbert or Chris Scott are potential replacements.
  • Baltimore Ravens first-round draft pick Jimmy Smith with miss a few weeks with an ankle injury.
Morning take: Smith was hurt on the opening kickoff, which has to be frustrating for the rookie. Backup cornerback Lardarius Webb filled in well against Pittsburgh.
Morning take: McGee wasn't an issue in training camp or the preseason. But you never know how players respond when the lights come on. He cost the Browns a lot of field position against Cincinnati.

AFC North Power Rankings preview

September, 12, 2011
9/12/11
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Week 1 is in the books for the AFC North. Therefore, expect some significant changes in our next NFL Power Rankings.

Here is how things could look on Tuesday:

Baltimore Ravens

Last week's vote: No. 8

Projected vote: No. 4-7

Analysis: I voted the Ravens the highest last week at No. 5. I believe they're the best team in the AFC North this season. Baltimore thoroughly outplayed the Steelers to add confirmation to that prediction. If the offensive line continues to protect the way it did against Pittsburgh, Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco could make major strides this year.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Last week’s vote: No. 3

Projected vote: No. 8-11

Analysis: The Steelers were one of the NFL's most surprising teams in Week 1 -- and not in a good way. Pittsburgh was dominated by Baltimore and looked like a shell of last year's team. Most likely Sunday's showing was just a horrible outing. But you wonder if Pittsburgh is getting old fast. I expect the Steelers to get back on track. But they could have one of the biggest drops this week.

Cincinnati Bengals

Last week’s vote: No. 32

Projected vote: No. 26-29

Analysis: The Bengals pulled off a mild upset by beating the rebuilding Browns on the road. Both teams were ranked near the bottom of our Power Rankings. Therefore, don't expect a huge jump. Cincinnati showed guts by staging a fourth-quarter comeback on the road with its backup quarterback (Bruce Gradkowski). Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis seems to like his young team.

Cleveland Browns

Last week’s vote: No. 29

Projected vote: No. 30-32

Analysis: Are the Browns as bad as they showed in Week 1? Penalties and mental and physical errors killed Cleveland. The Browns were expected to be a better and smarter football team than last season but didn't show it against the Bengals. They have another winnable game next week against the Peyton Manning-less Colts. If Cleveland blows this one, it could be a very long season.
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