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Nearly a full month into free agency, the Steelers finally signed their first player Tuesday. It was -- yawn -- Leonard Pope.

Not excited about adding a backup tight end? Well, this is essentially a repeat of last year, when the Steelers' big free-agent signing was wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery. Let's face it, Steelers free agency contains as much action as a Sarah Jessica Parker flick. Everyone knows this, and that's why no one is wringing their Terrible Towel over the inactivity.

The Steelers find players in April, not March. They hit on first-round picks every year -- at least in recent memory -- and develop undrafted prospects into starters. No one has built their team through the draft quite like the Steelers this decade. If the season started today, only one of the projected starters (safety Ryan Clark) joined the Steelers as an unrestricted free agent.

The Steelers need this remarkable track record in the draft to come through for them again. In some ways, this is the most important draft of the Mike Tomlin era. I'm not saying this is a crucial draft in terms of finding immediate starters. But the pressure is on the Steelers to find "potential" starters for the 2012 season.

The organization lost a piece of its history when it parted ways with wide receiver Hines Ward, linebacker James Farrior, defensive end Aaron Smith, nose tackle Chris Hoke and guard Chris Kemoeatu this offseason. Some have downplayed these departures because none were major contributors last season. Farrior was a part-time player, Ward was being phased out, Kemoeatu was benched and Smith and Hoke were both injured. The Steelers, though, could have used their experience as backups this season.

The loss of these veteran safety nets makes injuries a major concern. Two starters -- running back Rashard Mendenhall and nose tackle Casey Hampton -- are candidates to start the regular season on the physically unable to perform list (and miss at least the first six games) after ACL surgeries this offseason. Tomlin has expressed concern about whether right tackle Willie Colon and wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders can shake their injury histories. And the Steelers have to be worried about Maurkice Pouncey's ankle, LaMarr Woodley's hamstrings and Doug Legursky's shoulder.

If Hampton is placed on the PUP, the starting nose tackle would likely be an out-of-position Ziggy Hood. If Legursky is hurt, the current top backup at guard is John Malecki. If Colon goes down, the Steelers have to turn to the often-struggling Jonathan Scott. If Sanders can't play, the third receiver would be ... well, no one right now. These are all painful scenarios for the Steelers.

This is where the draft comes into play for Pittsburgh. Taking the right college player has always kept the Steelers in the mode of reloading, not rebuilding. No one knows whom the Steelers will select with the 24th overall pick. It could be Alabama inside linebacker Dont'a Hightower, Georgia offensive lineman Cordy Glenn, Stanford tight end Coby Fleener or someone not even linked to Pittsburgh. Based on the Steelers' history, the only certainty is that the pick will become an impact player.

Since 2000, the Steelers' first-round selections have been wide receiver Plaxico Burress, Hampton, guard Kendall Simmons, safety Troy Polamalu, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, tight end Heath Miller, wide receiver Santonio Holmes, linebacker Lawrence Timmons, Mendenhall, Hood, Pouncey and defensive end Cameron Heyward. The only one who didn't quite live up to expectations is Mendenhall, and he is hardly a major disappointment, having led the team in rushing for the past three seasons. This great run is more amazing when you consider that only two (Burress and Roethlisberger) were selected in the top half of the first round. Even the Ravens, who are known for excelling in the draft, have had two busts during this span with quarterback Kyle Boller and wide receiver Travis Taylor.

Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert, one of the underrated decision-makers in the NFL, can't explain this string of success.

"We've been fortunate," he told reporters at the NFL owners meetings. "We are capable as anybody of making a mistake. We never keep score. There's only one score that matters and that's the last game of the year."

If the Steelers had been keeping score, they would realize their success goes beyond the first round. They have come away with current starters in the second round (linebacker Woodley), third round (wide receiver Mike Wallace), fourth round (cornerback Ike Taylor), sixth round (wide receiver Antonio Brown) and seventh round (defensive end Brett Keisel). And don't forget about the undrafted finds like Legursky, right guard Ramon Foster and running back Isaac Redman.

This is why the Steelers don't have to write a $100 million check to free agents. This is why the Steelers can sign one player in the first 28 days of free agency and not sweat about it. Pittsburgh's way of business is about patience and faith. The Steelers believe in their front office to select the right college players and they believe in their coaching staff to develop them. It's a proven system that has led to five AFC North titles in 10 seasons and three trips to the Super Bowl during that span.

As players come and go, the Steelers' goals never change. Like Tomlin always preaches: "The standard is the standard."

"If you have a desire to be in this league for a length of time, you are going to roll with the punches and the ebb and flow, the evolution of the game," Tomlin said at the NFL owners meetings. "Thankfully, I've been in the game long enough to see a little bit of that. Those who are able to sustain success are pliable and flexible."

And the organizations that are able to sustain success are often quiet in free agency and make the most noise in the draft.

The AFC coaches met with the media today at the NFL owners meetings. Here are five issues addressed by Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin (via the team's official website) and my reaction:

On losing veteran leadership after cutting Hines Ward, James Farrior and Aaron Smith: "There is cause for concern there, but there is also some excitement. It’s a changing of the guard. We are at the void of some leaders that we’ve had for an awesome run. Some guys are going to have to step up in that regard, but the more I think about it -- and I’ve had a lot of time to think about it -- it has already kind of evolved. It already has. I think it has to a degree the last several years with guys like Brett Keisel ascending within the group. Guys really respect his body of work and his approach to the business. And so have some others stepped up." Hensley's reaction: I thought it was interesting that the first player mentioned by Tomlin when addressing new leaders was Keisel. It really shouldn't surprise because he is the blue-collar player that has defined the Steelers for many eras.

On whether he's OK if he doesn't get another running back: "I am sure we are going to get another running back, whether it’s in free agency or in the draft. We will address it." Hensley's reaction: It was just a day ago when general manager Kevin Colbert said, "With the young guys we have [at running back], we feel confident someone will emerge who can fill that [starting] role." So, what's it going to be: Are the Steelers going with Isaac Redman or are they bringing someone else in?

On Mike Wallace's dropoff in the second half of the season: “In many instances, teams took him out of the game. When you reel off the kind of seven-to-eight game run that he had there to start the season, that’s some scary video for defensive coaches in preparations for games. They responded accordingly. We saw what Antonio Brown did over the second half of the year. Did one produce the other? I think that’s debatable but the reality is, we got good balance there in those two young guys. Either one of them is capable of hurting you and hurting you pretty bad." Hensley's reaction: It also didn't help Wallace that Ben Roethlisberger fractured his thumb and sprained his ankle in the second half of the season, which hurt his ability to throw deep. A healthy Roethlisberger would have boosted Wallace's numbers.

On how he sees Roethlisberger working with new offensive coordinator Todd Haley: "I’m not going to anticipate tough times. I am a glass half-full guy. I’m excited about the change. I’m excited about the possibilities, and I think everyone has that at this point. We are not naive. We don’t expect smooth sailing. We don’t expect 19-0. It would be great. Maybe we will have a few bumps along the way." Hensley's reaction: Everyone will be watching how Haley and Roethlisberger handle the tough times. Haley is an in-your-face coach, and Roethlisberger has made it clear that he doesn't want to get yelled at.

On the nose tackle position and Ziggy Hood: "Hood is potentially part of that. He is a very talented and strong guy, but I think Steve McLendon proved that he is a capable backup a year ago, and in some instances, a starter. He played a lot of football for us, so we are not in any way discouraged by his progress or what he might continue to evolve into. In terms of the long scenario of Casey Hampton [ACL surgery in January] not being there, I am not of that mentality. We are gearing ourselves for 2012. I am singularly focused in that regard. He is going to be a part of it." Hensley's reaction: Just a hunch, but you might want to memorize this list of nose tackles for draft day: BYU's Loni Fangupo (second round), Washington's Alameda Ta'amu (third round) and Alabama's Josh Chapman (fourth round).

Football Outsiders analyzed the biggest holes facing each AFC North team going into the offseason. While I can't reveal everything because it's an Insider post, I'll provide the most interesting nugget of information for each team.

BENGALS: Running back, guard. This is a no-brainer because the starting running back (Cedric Benson) and the three guards that started the most games (Nate Livings, Mike McGlynn and Bobbie Williams) are unrestricted free agents. Best note from Football Outsiders: Livings and McGlynn combined to blow seven run blocks that directly resulted in negative yardage.

BROWNS: Running back. Honestly, Football Outsiders could have named every position on offense. Running back stands out because of injuries and ineffectiveness. Peyton Hillis, Montario Hardesty and Chris Ogbonnaya all failed to provide big plays in the running game. Best note from Football Outsiders: The Browns ranked 30th (2010) and 32nd (2011) in second-level yards by running backs. They also ranked 24th (2010) and 31st (2011) in open-field yards.

RAVENS: Interior offensive line, special teams. Everyone knows the Ravens could have major holes with center Matt Birk and left guard Ben Grubbs becoming free agents. The best observation was the struggles of the special teams, especially the coverage teams. It could get worse because four of Baltimore's top five tacklers on special teams are set to become unrestricted free agents: Tom Zbikowski, Haruki Nakamura, Brendon Ayanbadejo and Jameel McClain. Best note from Football Outsiders: According to Football Outsiders, the Ravens' special teams went from a No. 4 ranking in 2010 to 30th this season, which has to bother a former special-teams coach like John Harbaugh.

STEELERS: Defensive line. Nose tackle Casey Hampton is coming off ACL surgery, and defensive end Brett Keisel severely hurt his groin in the playoff loss at Denver. Backup nose tackle Chris Hoke retired and defensive end Aaron Smith could be next. Best note from Football Outsiders: Early indications suggest that Ziggy Hood will slide over to nose tackle in place of Hampton, Cameron Heyward will start in Hood's old spot on the strong side, Keisel will return at right defensive end.

Prim Siripipat talks with Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel in Indianapolis.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel acknowledged the defense will not look like the same one that lined up this past season.

There's a strong chance that the NFL's top-ranked defense will be forced to make several cap cuts this offseason. The likely candidates are: nose tackle Casey Hampton ($4.89 million salary in 2012), inside linebacker Larry Foote ($3 million), inside linebacker James Farrior ($2.82 million), cornerback Bryant McFadden ($2.5 million) and defensive end Aaron Smith ($2.1 million).

"It’s going to happen, I think," said Keisel, who is in town promoting Head & Shoulders. "It’s going to be a different team. Who knows? Maybe I won’t even be here."

Keisel added, "The game is different. It’s a young man’s game. We’re kind of going down that road right now."

Keisel, who is scheduled to make $2.8 million in 2012, made it clear that this isn't a rebuilding year. And he's right.

Only two the potential cuts (Hampton and Farrior) were full-time starters last season, and the Steelers played most of the season without Smith. But the veteran depth likely will get trimmed.

"I don’t think it’s going to be a dramatic transition," Keisel said after his appearance on Mike & Mike in the Morning. "We’ve got a lot of young guys that can play. We expect a lot out of these guys and expect them to play winning ball."

One position of concern is right next to Keisel. Even if Hampton returns, he should be sidelined for the start of the regular season after having ACL surgery this month. Longtime backup nose tackle Chris Hoke retired last week, too.

That means the only healthy nose tackle on the roster with any experience is Steve McLendon.

"It’s going to be different," Keisel said. "Ben [Roethlisberger] might be lining up in a three-point stance. I don’t know. We’re all going to have to focus and get ready because I really do believe we have the talent to make another run."

One thing that hasn't changed is Keisel's Grizzly Adams-style beard. He won't cut it until Feb. 9, when he will do it for a charity function in Pittsburgh.

Keisel scheduled that event after the Super Bowl because he thought he would be playing in it. The overtime loss in Denver three weeks ago still stings, Keisel said.

"Just to know that you’re that close to having three rings and it not happening is hard," he said. "I’m really proud of all the things that we overcame that year. Hopefully, we’ll be back and we can still get that seventh Super Bowl for the city of Pittsburgh."

If you have a question about the AFC North, send it to my mailbag. It's Saturday morning, so let's open up some mail ...

Jac, from Ohio, writes: Lately you have been saying that the Bengals need a No. 2 receiver, if and when Jerome Simpson leaves. I would think that Jordan Shipley would fill the No. 2 role in the slot behind A.J. Green. Or would Shipley be more of a No. 3 working the slot? And if Andrew Hawkins improves in the offseason, that would be a plus, right?

Jamison Hensley, from AFC North headquarters, responds: Shipley and Hawkins are more on the level of being No. 3 receivers. That was the Bengals' biggest problem in the passing game. They had top targets in Green and tight end Jermaine Gresham. But the rest (Simpson and Andre Caldwell) are No. 3 receivers on many teams. Both are very athletic but both struggle with route-running, which can be a big problem, especially for a developing young quarterback like Andy Dalton. Cincinnati needs to look in free agency for an upgrade.

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Chris, from Milford, Conn., writes: Just wondering what your thoughts are on the Steelers rebounding next season after that awful loss to Denver. Also, how can the Steelers be $20 million over the salary cap when they never sign any big free agents and don't have that many mega-deals with current players?

Hensley responds: The Steelers will always be competing for the division title if Ben Roethlisberger and his young receivers are healthy and the core of the NFL's top-ranked defense remains intact. And the reason why the Steelers are projected to be over the cap is because many veterans are entering the point of their contracts where the salaries escalate. Players with high salaries for 2012 are: outside linebacker James Harrison ($5.3 million), guard Chris Kemoeatu ($3.5 million), inside linebackers Larry Foote ($3 million) and James Farrior ($2.8 million), defensive end Brett Keisel ($2.8 million) and cornerback Bryant McFadden ($2.5 million). Those players represent $19.9 million. Some could be facing the decision of restructuring to stay with the team or getting released.

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Bryan, from Wickliffe Ohio, writes: I was just wondering what you think the Browns' chances are of drafting Robert Griffin III. To me it just seems like he is too much of a talent to pass up. No disrespect to Colt McCoy, but let's face it -- he's not going to win us any games based primarily on his skill level and I see RG3 as somone who can do that.

Hensley responds: It's really to early for teams to lock into one player. There are still all-star games, combine workouts and interviews as well as private workouts. Players will rise and fall up and down teams' draft board from now until April. There's no doubt that the Browns need a playmaker. But don't forget that the Bengals drafted wide receiver A.J. Green in the No. 4 spot last year — so you can see the level of impact player that Cleveland can get if it hits on the right prospect. At this point, Griffin has to be on the Browns' radar. But it's too early to say that he's their man with the fourth overall pick.

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Dave, from Burke, Va., writes: With the Bucs and Dolphins in the mix for Mike Zimmer's services, what are the chances that he returns as Cincinnati's defensive coordinator?

Hensley responds: It's a very real possibility that Zimmer could be hired elsewhere, particularly since Jeff Fisher spurned Miami and went to St. Louis. Both the Buccaneers and the Dolphins needed big-name splashes to generate some interest with apathetic fan bases. But there are really no buzz-worthy candidates left. That's why Zimmer has a legitimate shot at both places. If Zimmer goes, the Bengals can promote defensive backs coach Kevin Coyle, who has been on the staff since 2001. There's also been some talk that former Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio could take over as defensive coordinator. But Del Rio is still owed $5 million next season, so he doesn't need to find a job.

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Lucas from Severn, Md., writes: I've been watching the Ravens closely all season and there have been some real flashes of greatness by Joe Flacco. There have also been some of his worst passing games as a quarterback (the Jets and Jags games specifically). Other than the playoff game against Kansas City last year, he hasn't proven to be solid in the playoffs. What are the chances that he will have a breakout game against Houston if the Texans choose to focus on stopping the run?

Hensley responds: Flacco has been extremely ragged when it comes to the playoffs. He's averaged 150 yards passing in seven games, throwing four touchdowns and seven interceptions. But remember that all of those games were on the road and three of them came when he was a rookie. This is the time for Flacco to shine. He's at home where he has thrown 29 touchdowns and eight interceptions in his past 19 games (97.6 rating). And he threw for 305 yards against the Texans three months ago in Baltimore. So to answer the question, all indications point to a strong effort by Flacco on Sunday.

The painful finish to the season could continue for four Steelers starters.

Nose tackle Casey Hampton, defensive end Brett Keisel, offensive tackle Max Starks and center Maurkice Pouncey are all candidates for surgery, coach Mike Tomlin said at his season-ending news conference, via The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Hampton and Starks injured their ACLs and Keisel hurt his groin during Sunday's 29-23 overtime playoff loss at Denver. Pouncey, who didn't play Sunday because of a high-ankle sprain, also might need surgery.

When Hampton and Keisel both left the game early with injuries, Pittsburgh was left with three healthy defensive linemen. Ziggy Hood, Steve McLendon and Cameron Heyward were the Steelers' iron men, essentially playing the rest of the game without any rotation.

The Steelers gave up 131 yards rushing to the Broncos but limited them to a respectable 3.9 yards per carry.

Without Pouncey and Starks, the Steelers allowed five sacks. Doug Legursky, who replaced Pouncey, put the Steelers out of field goal range in the final seconds of the first half when his high shotgun snap pushed Pittsburgh back into its own territory.

Here are the major injuries for the division teams in this weekend's wild-card games:

BENGALS: Outside of key starters on injured reserve (cornerback Leon Hall and guard Bobbie Williams), the Bengals look like one of the healthiest teams in the playoffs. Two backups, S Taylor Mays (hamstring) and LB Dontay Moch (illness), are both doubtful and won't play. There are seven players who are probable. One of them is QB Andy Dalton (illness), who had his first full practice of the week today. ... As for the Texans, QB T.J. Yates (left shoulder) and WR Andre Johnson (hamstring) are both probable. Both had full practices all week.

STEELERS: C Maurkice Pouncey (ankle) is officially listed as questionable after not practicing the past two days. But The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is reporting that the Pro Bowl center is out after aggravating his left ankle last Sunday at Cleveland and again in practice. If Pouncey is sidelined, Doug Legursky (probable, shoulder) would move from left guard to center, and Chris Kemoeatu will start at left guard. QB Ben Roethlisberger (ankle), who said he had a setback with the injury in last Sunday's game, is probable after full practices on Thursday and Friday. Three defensive starters -- LB James Harrison (toe), S Troy Polamalu (calf) and DE Brett Keisel (groin) -- are all probable after missing practices Wednesday and Thursday but returning for a full one Friday. This could mean that Woodley and Harrison will both be playing Sunday. They have started just one game together since Week 4. ... For the Broncos, S Brian Dawkins (neck) is out as expected. This will be his third missed game in four weeks. Third-year safety David Bruton (questionable, Achilles) is expected to replace Dawkins.

Is this the week where James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley play a complete game together? If so, it would be timely since Pittsburgh plays at Denver in Sunday's wild-card game.

The Steelers' top two pass rushers have been on the field together for only 23 percent of the team's defensive snaps, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

Injuries, as well as Harrison's much-publicized one-game suspension from the NFL, are a major reason why the Steelers' sacks slipped from 48 in 2010 to 35 this season. Harrison and Woodley each had double-digit sacks the past three seasons, but injuries stopped them at 9 apiece this season.

So, will Harrison and Woodley reunite again in the playoffs? Woodley, who has been sidelined for six of the past eight games with a hamstring injury, will start after full practices the past two days. But Harrison is expected to be listed as questionable after missing the past two practices with a toe injury.

Woodley and Harrison haven't played a full game together since Sept. 25 at Indianapolis.

"Both of those guys are big-time players for us," Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel said. "To have both of those guys back for a playoff stretch would be wonderful."

PITTSBURGH -- The Steelers say they don't plan to alter their defensive style when playing the non-traditional offense run by Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow.

Pittsburgh believes playing as a team lifted the defense to No. 1 in the NFL and that it will shut down Tebow, who is more of a running back at times than a quarterback.

"We’ve been a solid defense around here for a long time," defensive end Brett Keisel said. "Regardless of who we’re playing, we understand what we’re capable of as a defense. If we all just do our job, we’re pretty good."

Actually, the Steelers' scheme seems to be a bad matchup for the Broncos. Pittsburgh typically plays with eight men in the box with safety Troy Polamalu lurking around the line of scrimmage.

And while some teams have a hard time adjusting to Denver's spread option, the Steelers think they will be fine because of Dennis Dixon. As Pittsburgh's third-string quarterback, Dixon has been running Tebow-like plays for years in Steelers practices after playing in an option-style offense at Oregon.

“We prepare for it during the offseason,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "We’ve been looking at it now for the last several years."

But it looks like other teams have figured out Tebow lately. He has turned the ball over six times in the Broncos' three-game losing streak to end the regular season.

Now, he looks to break his slump against a defense that ranks first in fewest yards, points and passing yards.

"They're really good," Tebow told Denver reporters Wednesday. "Sometimes it looks like it is chaos out there, but they know where they're going."

PITTSBURGH -- After the Steelers' 25-17 victory Sunday, Ben Roethlisberger told Tom Brady that he thinks the Patriots' quarterback is the best.

Well, not today. Not for 60 minutes at Heinz Field. For the first time in his career, Roethlisberger outshined Brady in a head-to-head matchup. He did so by pulling a Brady on Brady.

Spreading out the New England defense, Roethlisberger lined up in the shotgun and zipped short passes all over the field. It was a masterful performance. It was a signature one.

The Steelers are the best team in the AFC not just because they've got the best record. It's because they have the hottest quarterback in the AFC.

With Brady getting an up-close look, Roethlisberger completed 36 of 50 passes for 365 yards and two touchdowns. Roethlisberger wouldn't say whether this performance was more special because it came against an offense -- and quarterback -- that has set the standard for throwing the ball. His teammates know otherwise.

"Ben is one of the most competitive people I’ve ever been around," Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel said. "Tom Brady is quote-unquote the best quarterback in the NFL. Any time you get a chance to go against the best, it’s a great opportunity for you. You relish those opportunities. He certainly did today and played great."

Everyone talked all week about Brady's dominance over the Steelers and his 6-1 record against the reigning AFC champions. So, what's the best way to stop Brady? With a better offense and quarterback.

Brady managed only 198 yards passing, and Roethlisberger deserved some credit in containing the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player. Roethlisberger wasn't just the best offensive player at Heinz Field. He might have been the best defense.

Roethlisberger's efficient effort allowed the Steelers to convert eight of their first 10 third downs. That kept Brady on the sideline as Pittsburgh dominated time of possession (39:22 to 20:38). In fact, Roethlisberger threw as many passes (50) as the Patriots had plays.

The Steelers kept the ball by converting third downs of 11, 15 and 12 yards. Roethlisberger's only mistake was an underthrown pass over the middle on third-and-17 that led to an easy Patriots touchdown. He responded by leading a 10-play, 76-yard drive that ended with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Brown.

In total, Pittsburgh's five scoring drives went for 11, 16, 10, 14 and 11 plays.

"It's been all Tom Brady versus the Pittsburgh Steelers and looking back on the past, how he's owned the Pittsburgh Steelers, and I think everybody forgot about our offense a little bit and the things they've been doing out there," Pittsburgh linebacker LaMarr Woodley said. "I think they took that a little personal."

The Steelers are facing an important stretch with back-to-back games against New England and Baltimore. In the big picture, the Steelers need a win over the Ravens more than a win over the Patriots because of division implications. But beating New England is of greater value to Roethlisberger.

When it comes to the quarterback debate this season, it's Brady, Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees. Some might even put Philip Rivers at No. 4. Roethlisberger will get pushed to the side even though he's got two rings because he often wins ugly.

If anything, Roethlisberger's performance against New England was the best way for him to state his case. The Steelers put the game in Roethlisberger's hands. Pittsburgh called for pass plays 73 percent of the time (57 of 78). When the Patriots put the game in Brady's hands, it led to Keisel stripping the ball and a safety with 8 seconds left in the game.

"Does he put up the numbers that everyone wants to see that’s attractive and sexy? No," Steelers left tackle Max Starks said. "But when you look at it in the wins and loss columns, that’s the ultimate barometer that a quarterback is judged by. For us, we appreciate the heck out of him. It doesn’t really matter if other people don’t think he’s great or gets them enough fantasy points."

The win was Roethlisberger's 75th in 106 starts. He is the fourth-fastest quarterback to reach 75 victories in the Super Bowl era, following Roger Staubach (99 games), Brady (99) and Ken Stabler (105).

Roethlisberger won because he was able to adjust. He didn't have long-time target Hines Ward, who was out with an ankle injury. So, Roethlisberger leaned on Brown (nine catches for 67 yards) and Emmanuel Sanders (five catches for 70 yards).

The Patriots also took away the deep pass from the Steelers, probably because Roethlisberger had hit Mike Wallace for a pass of more than 40 yards in six consecutive games. He changed up his game by going over the middle to tight end Heath Miller (seven catches for 85 yards) and underneath to Wallace (seven catches for 70 yards).

How the Steelers attacked shouldn't have come as a surprise. Roethlisberger basically showed his hand during the week when he said you always want to "emulate" the No. 1 offense in the league.

The Steelers consistently spread out the Patriots' defense by emptying the backfield. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Roethlisberger threw both of his touchdowns out of empty-set formations and recorded nine plays that went for first downs, surpassing his previous mark of six.

"We came in with the game plan of throwing the ball," Roethlisberger said. "I felt like we did a good job of that."

Roethlisberger added, "We can be as good as we want to be. When we don't kill ourselves and stop ourselves, we can be pretty dangerous."

Roethlisberger has been extremely dangerous recently. In his past four games, he has thrown 11 touchdowns and two interceptions. He has produced back-to-back 300-yard passing games (361 and 365 yards) for the second time in his career.

You don't want to face the Steelers these days, and you definitely don't want to see Roethlisberger.

"Ben’s a bad dude," Wallace said. "People overlook him because how great our defense is. This guy is a baller. Sometimes the throws might not be there because that’s not our game all the time. But if we have to, we can throw the ball with the best of them."

Revisiting the Pittsburgh Steelers' 32-20 win at the Arizona Cardinals:

The play that will be replayed time and time again is Mike Wallace's 95-yard touchdown catch-and-sprint. While Wallace is clearly the Steelers' top playmaker in the passing game, Pittsburgh's passing attack is more than a one-trick pony (an expression that is very familiar to the Steelers and Wallace).

Roethlisberger spread his throws to wide receivers Antonio Brown (seven catches for 102 yards) and Emmanuel Sanders (five catches for 46 yards and one touchdown) on Sunday. Brown and Sanders had to step up after Hines Ward left during the opening series of the third quarter with an ankle injury.

If Ward can't play Sunday, Pittsburgh won't be panicking. Brown was Roethlisberger's most-targeted receiver (nine passes thrown his way). And after Arizona cut the lead to 17-14, Sanders caught three passes for 29 yards on the ensuing drive, including the 4-yard touchdown reception.

"That's what we've been looking for all season," offensive coordinator Bruce Arians told the Post-Gazette. "Our young guys kept making plays, even there at the end."

STAT THAT STICKS: 5.5 -- Number of sacks for LaMarr Woodley in the past three weeks, including two at Arizona. He's on pace for 16 sacks this season.

OVERHEARD: "The turnovers are going to come. And it goes hand in hand with the offense holding onto the ball. They did a great job with no turnovers. It all works together in the grand scheme of things." Defensive end Brett Keisel after the defense, which entered the game with the fewest forced turnovers in the NFL, recorded one interception.

WHAT'S AHEAD: The Steelers host the New England Patriots, who won at Heinz Field 39-26 last season. The Patriots are coming off their bye.

Pittsburgh Steelers starting center Maurkice Pouncey was limited in Wednesday's practice with a hamstring injury. Pouncey, who made the Pro Bowl last season as a rookie, has been bothered by a left ankle injury for weeks.

As expected, defensive end Brett Keisel (knee) did not practice. Three other starters didn't practice -- linebacker James Farrior, defensive end Aaron Smith and wide receiver Hines Ward -- but it's not injury related.

Starting left guard Chris Kemoeatu and cornerback Bryant McFadden, who were both scratched from last Sunday's game, had full practices and weren't listed on the injury report.

• CINCINNATI BENGALS: Defensive end Robert Geathers, who missed last Sunday's game with a shoulder injury, did not practice Wednesday along with linebacker Dontay Moch (foot).
• CLEVELAND BROWNS: Right tackle Tony Pashos, who has been sidelined the past two games with an ankle injury, returned to practice with limited participation. Wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi (ankle) was also limited. Linebacker Titus Brown (ankle) and safety Eric Hagg (knee) did not practice.
• BALTIMORE RAVENS: Five starters -- center Matt Birk, nose tackle Terrence Cody, wide receiver Lee Evans, guard Ben Grubbs and defensive end Cory Redding -- didn't practice along with wide receiver David Reed and cornerback Jimmy Smith. Only Reed and Smith have been ruled out so far for Sunday's game at St. Louis. Chris Carr, a starting cornerback last year who didn't play last week, returned to practice on a limited basis.

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

Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel is dealing with a knee injury and is considered questionable "at best" for Sunday night's game at Indianapolis, coach Mike Tomlin said.

Keisel sustained a grade-one PCL strain to his right knee during the shutout of Seattle. "We will see where the week takes us," Tomlin said.

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review estimated that a grade-one PCL strain can take a recovery time of four to six weeks. Ziggy Hood, a first-round pick in the 2009 draft, would likely replace Keisel.

Hensley's slant: Nothing to panic about because there's not been a drop-off when Hood comes into games. This is nothing new for Hood, who started 13 games last season (including playoffs) when Aaron Smith went down with an injury. The only difference this time is Hood will be switching from the left to right side.

• BENGALS: It's been mixed results with punt returner Brandon Tate, who has looked tentative at times but also has two returns for 15 yards or more, according to Joe Reedy of the Cincinnati Enquirer. "I am trying to be careful for us to not press him," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. "With him, you get a guy who has some talent and ability." Hensley's slant: Any production would be a welcome change from last season, when Cincinnati ranked 25th in the NFL in punt return average. Tate hasn't been a primary punt returner in the NFL before, so it could take time for him to get into a groove. He showed flashes of being a dangerous kickoff returner when he was in New England.
• BROWNS: Starting center Alex Mack told The Cleveland Plain Dealer that the team is much more positive under new coach Pat Shurmur than the former one, Eric Mangini. "To come to work and not be dreading it from what's going to happen and how you're going to get yelled at or what's going to show up on the screen and just knowing that like, 'Here, guys, we made mistakes, and let's get better,' and have a kind of lighter atmosphere is going to help guys stay upbeat," Mack said. Hensley's slant: My guess is Mangini did a lot of yelling after watching the Browns' performances in 2009 and 2010. Players, though, prefer to have their errors addressed in smaller groups, where their position coach can give more details on how to correct the mistake.
• RAVENS: Head coach John Harbaugh said the Ravens didn't go into a two-minute offense in Tennessee when they trailed by 13 points (23-10) with 12 minutes remaining because the team wanted to be patient and make the right calls. "The bottom line is to get down the field and score," Harbaugh said, via The Baltimore Sun, "so we don’t want to rush in there and be off the field and be punting again either." Hensley's slant: When it comes to rallying from large deficits, the Ravens also need to find someone willing to step up. Last season, Joe Flacco could throw to Derrick Mason, Todd Heap and T.J. Houshmandzadeh. This season, younger players like Torrey Smith and Ed Dickson have to come through in pressure situations, especially with Lee Evans being banged-up.

Warren Sapp called the Steelers old and slow on Showtime's "Inside the NFL"after Pittsburgh lost to the Ravens by 28 points. Sapp was especially critical of the Pittsburgh defense that gave up 35 points and 385 yards to the Ravens.

It's true that the Steelers start eight players on defense in their 30s, but it's the same eight who started last season when Pittsburgh led the NFL in fewest points allowed. That's why the Steelers say it's too early to bury this defense.

"I wouldn't kick any dirt on us," defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau told The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "We'll be back. We'll be back."

Sapp said James Harrison is at 70 to 75 percent. He also took at a shot at Troy Polamalu's speed when he allowed a touchdown pass to tight end Ed Dickson.

That led to this evaluation from Sapp: "I have three things: Old, slow and it's over."

"Warren is acting like he's the first person to say that to us," defensive end Brett Keisel told the Post-Gazette. "We've been hearing that for a long time. I don't think we're old, I don't think we're slow, I don't think we're done. But that's up to us. We have to go out and prove that."