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

New Ravens quarterbacks coach Jim Caldwell is turning his focus to Joe Flacco after a decade of working with the Colts' Peyton Manning.

But no one should expect Caldwell to morph Flacco into Manning.

“Everybody’s different,” Caldwell told the team's website. “[Flacco] has his own strengths, and what we want to try to do is accentuate those. I'm not here to make him like any other quarterback in this league, like Peyton Manning or Brad Johnson or the other guys I’ve coached. That’s not my goal. He is who he is. What we want to do is just help him perfect what he does well.”

In three years as the Colts head coach, Caldwell faced Flacco three times. The most recent meeting was in December, when Flacco threw for 227 yards and two touchdowns.

“We knew he was dangerous because we knew he could make all the throws,” Caldwell said. “He could make all the finesse throws, all the intermediate throws, and under duress. He’s a tough guy to handle.”

Hensley's slant: Still not sold on how much Caldwell will raise Flacco's game. It's difficult to tell how effective Caldwell was as the Colts' quarterbacks coach when he worked with a future Hall-of-Fame quarterback in Manning. But it was a good move to add a quarterbacks coach this year after the one-year experiment of Cam Cameron overseeing the position.

BENGALS: Dolphins defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle, a former defensive backs coach in Cincinnati, might lure a couple of Bengals free agents to Miami. Among the possibilities listed by the Miami Herald were: safety Reggie Nelson and defensive tackle Pat Sims. "[Coyle] somehow got Nelson, an early-round draft bust in Jacksonville, to play well in Cincinnati," the Herald's Armando Salguero wrote. "Maybe Nelson might be the answer to getting some plays out of the Miami free safety spot." Hensley's slant: The loss of Nelson would hurt because he is one of the top three free agents the Bengals would like to re-sign. But Coyle would like to bring a veteran along who is familiar with his system and style. Luckily for the Bengals, they have plenty of cap room to sign a replacement if Nelson does leave.

BROWNS: The Canton Repository's Steve Doerschuk suggests that the Browns keep running back Peyton Hillis and pursue quarterback Matt Flynn and wide receiver Pierre Garcon in free agency. That would allow Cleveland to fill other holes in the draft, where they have three of the top 37 picks. Hensley's slant: Signing Flynn would make a lot of sense. He would make more of an immediate impact than any of the rookie quarterbacks, and the Browns would have the freedom to draft the best player that falls to the No. 4 pick. This has the potential to backfire if Flynn becomes this year's Kevin Kolb and Baylor's Robert Griffin III becomes this year's Cam Newton.

STEELERS: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Ron Cook says it's time for the Steelers to realize that they owe wide receiver Hines Ward nothing. "There is no room in pro sports for sentimentality or loyalty, not when so much money is at stake and the pressure to win is so great," Cook wrote. "Unfortunately, Ward's inevitable parting from the Steelers looks as if it will be awkward with hurt feelings for Ward." Hensley's slant: This is the bad part about the business, because you want to see all of the stars finish their careers with one team. But that rarely happens these days in the NFL. Just ask another longtime wide receiver, Jerry Rice, who finished his career with the Oakland Raiders and Seattle Seahawks and not the San Francisco 49ers.

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

Steelers reserve tight end Weslye Saunders was suspended without pay for the first four games of the 2012 season for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

His suspension begins Sept. 1, but he will be allowed to participate in offseason practices and the entire preseason. According to the Tribune-Review, Saunders is believed to have taken a stimulant prescription drug unknowingly or without receiving a medical waiver from the NFL.

An undrafted free agent, Saunders caught four passes for 29 yards and a touchdown as a rookie.

Hensley's slant: This isn't the first time Saunders has run into trouble, which should raise a red flag for the Steelers. South Carolina kicked Saunders off the team in his senior season for violating team rules and lying to the NCAA about his dealings with an agent. That's why a highly rated prospect went undrafted.

BENGALS: Hall of Fame defender Rod Woodson is waiting to see whether or not he will be a good fit on Cincinnati's coaching staff, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. He spoke with coach Marvin Lewis about the Bengals' opening at secondary coach. “Cincinnati is a good, really young team that is playing well. It would be fun,” Woodson said. “It’s a good nucleus and coaching staff. Marvin has to make a decision of how it would fit in with his coaching staff and players and [defensive coordinator] Mike Zimmer is going to have some say in that." Hensley's slant: Not sure why there is even a question if this would be a good fit. Woodson would provide a unique perspective from his playing days as a cornerback and safety.

BROWNS: The Cleveland city council has approved $5.8 million for repairs to Cleveland Browns Stadium, which will go toward refurbishing seats and repair concrete inside and outside the 12-year-old structure. But public officials are worried about if they will have enough funds when a countywide tax for maintaining the building runs out in 2015, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Hensley's slant: The maintenance of a stadium is extremely important. Just ask those who attended games at Cleveland Municipal Stadium about what happens when one gets neglected. It's not pretty.

RAVENS: Offensive coordinator Cam Cameron sees connections that can be drawn between the Ravens' Joe Flacco and the Giants' Eli Manning. “I think there are a lot of parallels when you look at where they both were after four years,” Cameron told the team's website. “They both have had a reasonable amount of success. We all know the success Joe has had, we all know Joe’s upside. I think people were saying the same thing about Eli.” Hensley's slant: It's true that Flacco's stats look similar -- and even better -- than Manning's numbers in his first NFL seasons. And Flacco showed that he can lead a team to the Super Bowl this year (if not for Lee Evans failing to hold onto the ball in the end zone). But until Flacco wins a Super Bowl, there is no comparison.

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

As running backs coach Kirby Wilson begins his road to recovery, the Steelers issued a release (via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) on behalf of his family:

"Mr. Wilson remains in serious condition in the Trauma Burn Center at UPMC Mercy in Pittsburgh. His status is stable, and he has started his physical rehabilitation. The Wilson family would like to thank everyone for their prayers and support."

Wilson suffered burns on 45 percent of his body after his house caught fire while he was sleeping on January 6.

Hensley's slant: It's unknown whether or not Wilson will return to coaching next season. There had been speculation that he would get the offensive coordinator position if a move was made with Bruce Arians. It made sense to give the job to the running backs coach if the Steelers wanted to go back to their run-first mentality on offense. Now, the Steelers are looking at alternative plans.

BENGALS: Head coach Marvin Lewis will put rookies as well as veterans in a downtown hotel this summer as training camp shifts from Georgetown College to Cincinnati. “I have no vets,” Lewis said, via the team's website. “The reason you stay in a hotel is to protect your players from other people. People that keep them up, or get them sick, or [they] get sick in the middle of the night.” Hensley's slant: This is a very sound decision. With all of the past problems, the Bengals players haven't earned the right to live at home during training camp. Lewis wouldn't be doing his job if he didn't keep a close eye on them.

BROWNS: Season ticket prices for all non-premium seats will either stay the same or be reduced from 2011, according to the team's website. The Browns have reduced 1,500 seats in the Dawg Pound from $45 per game to $32. “Over the past two seasons, I’ve had the opportunity to witness first-hand how all of our fans can create a home field advantage for our players," team president Mike Holmgren said. "Their enthusiasm is truly unmatched." Hensley's slant: The Ohio teams are doing it right. Just like the Bengals, the Browns are willing to work with fans in this economy. This is a good will gesture for fans who've had to endure 22 home losses in the past four seasons.

RAVENS: Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti and general manager Ozzie Newsome showed support of often-criticized offensive coordinator Cam Cameron in yesterday's State of the Ravens press conference. Baltimore ranked 12th in points per game (23.6) and 15th in yards per game (338.7). “I always look at a body of work,” Newsome said. “Are we headed in the right direction with this offense? And Steve has some unbelievable numbers that he just showed me that prove that we are headed in the right direction. Are we satisfied with where we are right now? No, but we think the best way to get there is to maintain the continuity of having Cam and then to bring in someone like [quarterbacks coach] Jim Caldwell to be another set of eyes with that.” Hensley's slant: The only path the Ravens offense has been going is up and down. Look at the NFL rankings in four seasons with Cameron: 18th, 13th, 22nd and 15th. With Joe Flacco and Ray Rice entering their fifth seasons, there's no reason why the Ravens should rank outside of the top 10 in offense in 2012.

Jim Caldwell was hired as the Ravens' quarterbacks coach Monday in what has been a quick fall for him in the coaching ranks.

It was only four years ago when he was being interviewed by the Ravens for their head-coaching job, which was eventually given to John Harbaugh. Caldwell is also just two years removed from being a head coach in the Super Bowl with the Indianapolis Colts.

The Ravens are banking that a motivated Caldwell will have his success in the passing game rub off on Joe Flacco and the Ravens. Since 2002, which was Caldwell's first season as the Colts' quarterbacks coach, Indianapolis had the second-most prolific passing game in the NFL (259.4 yards), according to ESPN Stats & Information. The Ravens, meanwhile, ranked 28th during the same period.

Of course, it's easy to be the quarterbacks coach for Peyton Manning. Caldwell joins the Ravens after they had the 19th-ranked passing attack.

Perhaps Caldwell's biggest role will be as a conduit between Flacco and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron. The Ravens' last quarterbacks coach, Jim Zorn was fired after the 2010 season, a move that was heavily criticized by Flacco.

"After spending considerable time with Jim over the last week, we think he will be an excellent fit with our team, coaching the quarterbacks and helping with our offense," Harbaugh said in a statement. "We believe he enhances our staff. Jim has a tremendous history coaching at the college and pro level, especially working with quarterbacks and providing help with offenses. The timing is right to add a quarterbacks coach after Cam [Cameron] and Joe [Flacco] worked so closely and well together this year. It's the right step for us now."

The Baltimore Ravens plan to hire former Indianapolis Colts head coach Jim Caldwell to their coaching staff, a league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

Caldwell is expected to be the Ravens' quarterbacks coach. He isn't expected to bring Peyton Manning along, so let's quickly end that rumor.

The Ravens should begin talks with quarterback Joe Flacco on a contract extension this offseason. It wouldn't make sense to add an injured four-time NFL Most Valuable Player into the mix. Bringing in Manning for the short term would mean Flacco isn't in Baltimore for the long term.

Being the Ravens' quarterbacks coach has served two purposes over the years: tutor Flacco as well as be a buffer between Flacco and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron.

Flacco has always been closer to his quarterbacks coaches (Hue Jackson and Jim Zorn) than Cameron. His relationship with Cameron has been viewed as rocky one. There were incidents where Flacco yelled at Cameron on the sideline toward the end of the 2009 season, reportedly met with Cameron about the play calling in the middle of the 2010 season and then questioned the aggressiveness of the offense this past season.

To get Flacco and Cameron "of one mind" -- as Ravens coach John Harbaugh put it -- Cameron served as the dual role as coordinator and quarterbacks coach last season. It appears that experiment is over after one season.

"The way it worked last year on offense, to me, was tremendously successful," Harbaugh said last week. "Those guys being in the room together, to me, was a smashing success."

Now enter Caldwell, 57, who has been a quarterbacks coach for 15 seasons, including seven (2002-08) with Manning and the Colts. He ended his Colts' head-coaching tenure with a 26-22 record that featured one AFC title, two division crowns and one dismal season with an injured Manning.

The hiring of Caldwell comes after he interviewed for the Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive coordinator job. That was surprising for one simple fact: Caldwell has never been an offensive coordinator.

This could indicate that the Steelers are looking outside for an offensive coordinator, although their history is to promote from within. It's presumed that Ben Roethlisberger would favor quarterbacks coach Randy Fichtner getting the job.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- When linebackers coach Dean Pees was promoted to the Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Friday, he said it was a "humbling" opportunity. He also knows it is an opportunity filled with high expectations.

The Baltimore defense has finished in the league's top 10 for nine straight seasons, including six in the top 5. Three of the previous four Ravens defensive coordinators have gone on to become NFL head coaches.

This isn't like taking over the Cleveland Browns' offensive coordinator job. The Ravens are expected to be the top defense every season, and that's exactly what coach John Harbaugh said while sitting next to Pees at the news conference.

"The tradition of this defense will continue, and it will flourish and it will even get better," Harbaugh said. "It will be in Coach Pees’ hands."

So, the keys of the defense were officially handed over to Pees, and so has the responsibility of maintaing the Ravens' aggressive approach. If the defense fails to put pressure on the quarterback, the pressure will fall on Pees.

He has the challenge of following Chuck Pagano, who left to become the Indianapolis Colts' head coach. In one season under Pagano, the Ravens went from a team record-low 27 sacks to finishing tops in the AFC.

"You’re going to see a fiery Dean Pees," Harbaugh said. "You’re going to see an aggressive defense just like we’ve seen in the past. We’ll be getting after people. That’s the plan. That’s not going to change. We’re going to build on that."

Pees' track record says he will handle the job. When Pees was the Patriots' defensive coordinator from 2006 to 2009, New England ranked in the top 10 in fewest points allowed each season. But there were mixed results as far as where the Patriots ranked in sacks during that four-year period: 5th (2006), 2nd (2007), 14th (2008) and 23rd (2009).

Pees went immediately from being the Patriots defensive coordinator to Ravens linebackers coach last season, a move that has drawn many questions about his departure from New England. "I decided not to go back there," Pees said. "I was not fired. I decided to explore other avenues and this was a great avenue to explore."

Harbaugh also announced that Cam Cameron will return for his fifth season as the team's offensive coordinator, saying it was "a foregone conclusion" that he was coming back. There had been speculation that Cameron would not be retained after the Ravens' offense finished a disappointing 15th in the NFL this season.

"We’ve got to get better with the chemistry in the passing game, which will come," Cameron said. "I think you saw progress."

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

The Steelers' next offensive coordinator will be quarterbacks coach Randy Fichtner if the team promotes from within, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

The field got narrowed down further yesterday, when offensive line coach Sean Kugler told a Pittsburgh radio station that he didn't have any interest in the coordinator position. The leading candidate to replace Bruce Arians would have been running backs coach Kirby Wilson but he is still recovering from a fire in his home.

Hensley's slant: It would make no sense to go outside the organization and install an entirely new offensive system. With Fichtner, the Steelers would maintain continuity and would have someone who already has an established relationship with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The promotion should happen relatively quickly if Fichtner is the choice.

BENGALS: Rookie quarterback Andy Dalton will finally get a chance to see the game from the sideline, the team's website reported. Dalton is the third quarterback on the AFC team in the Pro Bowl and should appear sometime in the second half. He plans to pick the brains of the other two AFC quarterbacks, Roethlisberger and San Diego's Philip Rivers. “Just to see how they do things," he said. Hensley's slant: You can tell by how Dalton approaches a meaningless game like the Pro Bowl that he isn't likely to have a sophomore slump. This offseason will be big for Dalton, who didn't have one as a rookie because of the lockout. It'll be interesting to see how much Dalton improves in his second season.

BROWNS: The Akron Beacon Journal's Marla Ridenour isn't buying the recent report that the Browns would trade two spots up to No. 2 overall to take Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III. "It seems more likely to me that the Browns floated the notion of trading up as a smokescreen or to drum up trade partners," Ridenour wrote. "They surely wouldn’t mind getting such conversation flowing, especially when they might rather trade down than up." Hensley's slant: Count me in among those not buying this rumor. Trading up seems the least likely scenario for the Browns. I'm not sure the Browns would even take Griffin if he was sitting there when the Browns are on the clock with the fourth overall pick. There is plenty of evaluation time -- and smokescreens -- between now and the draft in April.

RAVENS: A source told The Baltimore Sun that offensive coordinator Cam Cameron has been giving instructions for the upcoming weeks to his assistant coaches, which could be an indication that he is coming back. The source added that the only stipulation for Cameron's return was the hiring of a quarterbacks coach. Cameron, whose contract expires this offseason, served as coordinator and quarterbacks coach this past season. Hensley's slant: If it's Harbaugh's decision, Cameron will stay because his ties with the Harbaugh family are very strong. When Cameron was the head coach at Indiana, he hired Harbaugh as his special teams coach in 1997. Cameron was also an assistant at Michigan when Jim Harbaugh was the quarterback there. If Cameron returns, it would mark his fifth season with the Ravens, which would be the team's second-longest run for an offensive coordinator (Matt Cavanaugh served six years in that position).

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The pressure is on the Ravens' offense in today's AFC Championship Game, and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron is especially feeling the heat.

Cameron's contract is set to expire and there's no extension on the table, according to ESPN's Chris Mortensen. He is one of the highest-paid coordinators in the NFL, making $2 million per season, according to a league source.

There's been speculation that his relationship with quarterback Joe Flacco has been rocky at times, and the Ravens never replaced quarterbacks coach Jim Zorn last season in an effort to get more interaction between Cameron and Flacco.

It doesn't help Cameron that Hue Jackson is available. Jackson, who was fired this season as the Raiders' head coach, is close with Flacco after being the Ravens' quarterbacks coach in 2008 and 2009 (Flacco's first two seasons in the NFL).

Cameron has taken criticism for failing to turn the Ravens into a top-10 offense. Baltimore's offense finished 15th in total yards and 12th in points scored this season.

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

The Tim Tebow touchdown pass that beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in overtime shouldn't have counted.

That's the assertion of the San Jose Mercury News, which says the Broncos should have been flagged for illegal formation. Using a pre-snap picture, the paper points out that Denver had six players -- and not the required seven -- on the line of scrimmage.

It appears that the tight end lining up next to the left tackle is not on the line. Based on that, the officials should've thrown the flag and moved the Broncos back five yards. Instead, Tebow threw an 80-yard pass to Demaryius Thomas on the first play in overtime.

Former head of officiating Mike Pereira was asked by the Mercury News whether it was an illegal formation.

"Watch on any Sunday. This is a good formation compared to many. They are not technical with this," Pereira said.

Hensley's slant: This is one of many plays that highlight how bad the officiating was for that game. There was a Ben Roethlisberger pass that was ruled incomplete that should have been a fumble because it wasn't a forward pass. But the officials said the play was whistled dead, and the Steelers went on to score. So both sides benefited from and were hurt by the officials throughout the game.

BENGALS: The Cincinnati Enquirer's Joe Reedy officially called the Carson Palmer trade one of the "all-time steals in league history" after coach Hue Jackson, who helped orchestrate the deal on Oct. 18, was fired by Oakland. The Raiders were 4-2 at the time of the trade and finished 8-8 and out of the playoffs. The Bengals get the Raiders' first-round pick, which turned out to be the 17th overall. Hensley's slant: Most people thought it was a steal the day it happened. The Raiders, the only team that would be bold enough to send two high draft picks for a 31-year-old quarterback, continue to be the NFL's most unstable franchise. The next head coach will be Oakland's seventh in the past 10 seasons, following Bill Callahan, Norv Turner, Art Shell, Lane Kiffin, Tom Cable and Jackson.

BROWNS: The Cleveland Plain Dealer's Tony Grossi offered up another candidate to be the Browns' next starting quarterback: Kevin Kolb. He disappointed in his first season with the Cardinals (going 2-6 as the starter) and is due a $7 million roster bonus from Arizona in March. Grossi believes Kolb would be more effective in the West Coast offense that he ran in Philadelphia, where his quarterbacks coach was Pat Shurmur. Hensley's slant: There's no doubt that Kolb is a better fit in Cleveland's system that the one in Arizona, which attacks downfield more aggressively. But I don't see the Cardinals cutting their ties with Kolb after giving him $21.5 million guaranteed six months ago. Getting Kolb seems more like wishful thinking at this point.

RAVENS: The team confirmed that offensive coordinator Cam Cameron was at the Texans-Bengals wild-card playoff game to do some advance scouting. “He’s done that quite a few times over the years when we’ve had bye weeks and stuff like that,” coach John Harbaugh said, via The Baltimore Sun. “So that’s something that I think he likes to do. It gives him a feel, watching the game live, scouting the game live. It’s not so much X’s and O’s as it is a feel for the tempo and things like that. That’s something he likes to do, and he’s done that over the years.” Hensley's slant: Cameron hasn't turned the Ravens into a top-10 offense yet (they were No. 15 this season) but he's done a solid job considering the quality of defenses that Baltimore has faced. The Ravens have played 11 games against top-10 defenses this year. The only top-10 defense that the Ravens didn't play (outside of itself) was the Philadelphia Eagles. So it's status quo for Baltimore when it lines up against Houston and the league's second-ranked defense.

HOUSTON -- If the Texans beat the Cincinnati Bengals today, they will be headed to Baltimore for the divisional playoffs. And, if that happens, the Ravens will have a head start in terms of scouting the AFC South champions.

Ravens offensive coordinator Cam Cameron is sitting in the stands for today's game, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Baltimore gave the Texans a courtesy call about this.

The Ravens will need all the information they can get on the Houston defense. The Texans finished the regular season ranked second in yards allowed (189.7) and fourth in points allowed (17.4 per game).

The leader of the Texans' defense is linebacker Brian Cushing, who should have been a starter in the Pro Bowl. He leads Houston in tackles with 114 to go along with four sacks, five passes defensed, two interceptions and two forced fumbles.

The Ravens, the second seed in the AFC, plays host to a divisional playoff game next Sunday at 1 p.m. Their opponent will be the highest seed remaining from wild-card weekend (so it'll either be Houston, Denver or Pittsburgh).

Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco caused a stir this week in Baltimore when he complained about the offensive play calls in the second half of last Saturday's victory over the Browns.

"We kind of came out and we, honestly, played conservative," Flacco told reporters Wednesday. "When we didn’t, we missed a couple of plays, whether it was a drop or a missed throw here. I wish you guys would help me out and start complaining that we played too conservative so it would put pressure on our coaches to not do that.”

Flacco laughed afterward, but he was right to voice his displeasure. You want a quarterback to be assertive and vocal. You want a quarterback to be the leader. His teammates admired Flacco when he spoke out this offseason after Baltimore fired quarterbacks coach Jim Zorn.

But Flacco's opinion was wrong this time. The Ravens weren't conservative. They just weren't clutch.

In the first half, the Ravens threw 12 times on 28 plays. In the second half, after taking a 17-point halftime lead, they threw 12 times on 34 plays.

The problem was that Ravens receivers dropped three passes in the second half and Flacco was intercepted on a deep pass to the end zone in the fourth quarter.

Offensive coordinator Cam Cameron said he would listen to Flacco's thoughts as he tried to make light of the situation.

“I thought about going and telling Joe, ‘Those words are hurtful. I’m not coming to the pancake social,'" Cameron said, playing off the car-insurance commercial featuring the Redskins' Brian Orakpo and a caveman.

The concern here might not be Flacco speaking out about the offense but the relationship between Flacco and Cameron.

"We move on to Cincinnati," Cameron said. "They are a very good football team and we’re going to do what we need to do and run the offense we need to run to win the game. But I know this, Joe and I will be on the same page.”

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

Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer expressed his frustration over the fact that the Bengals are on track to set a franchise record for fewest interceptions.

Cincinnati has six interceptions in 12 games, which prompted Zimmer to deliver an ultimatum of sorts. Either get aggressive in going after passes or he's going to get aggressive in finding someone who will.

“I am going to start changing guys out if they don’t start doing it better,” Zimmer said, via The Cincinnati Enquirer. “I am going to tell them that today. I am tired of it. I am tired of guys getting balls caught on us. No interceptions. Not seeing stuff. I will change out guys. I am tired of it.”

Hensley's slant: This is a well-timed motivational tactic by Zimmer. There's no doubt that he is upset by the fact that only the Colts have fewer interceptions than the Bengals. But he must sense there will be opportunities to pick off passes against rookie T.J. Yates, who was Houston's third-string quarterback for most of the season.

RAVENS: The Ravens rank 22nd in the NFL in scoring touchdowns in the red zone, reaching the end zone 46.3 percent of the time (19 touchdowns in 41 trips inside the opponent's 20-yard line). The Baltimore Sun pointed out that the previous seven Super Bowl champions scored touchdowns on at least 55 percent of their red zone possessions. "I don't think there are any excuses," offensive coordinator Cam Cameron said. "We've got to execute better." Hensley's slant: My bold prediction is that the Ravens will come close to that 55 percent mark by the end of the season. Why? Here's the red-zone ranking of the defenses that Baltimore faces the final four weeks of the regular season: Indianapolis (31st), San Diego (25th), Cleveland (sixth) and Cincinnati (29th). If the Ravens don't improve their red-zone efficiency after this stretch, then it might be time to worry about the offense's ability to punch it into the end zone.

For coverage of Thursday night's Browns-Steelers game, check out my Rapid Reaction and my postgame column on Ben Roethlisberger playing through pain. Here are what the local columnists are saying:

BROWNS: Starting quarterback Colt McCoy isn't winning games or supporters in his campaign to keep the starting job, according to The Cleveland Plain Dealer's Bud Shaw. "The hope in a lost season was McCoy would do something to sway the voting in his incumbency campaign," Shaw wrote. "And while he impressed early, no TDs, a 46.0 quarterback rating and two interceptions -- one he'll remember and one he may not -- managed to put a damper on the early returns."

STEELERS: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Gene Collier says the Steelers made plenty of blunders, but they didn't make enough to lose to the Browns. Collier wrote: "Marcus Gilbert contributed two false start penalties, and banished offensive line starter Chris Kemoeatu even came off the bench to contribute the always unhelpful holding penalty, then doubled down with his equally irritating illegal-hands-to-the-facemask act, but there were mere minor annoyances to the near constant ricochet of major Steelers blunders that kept this dreary prime-timer quasi-competitive well into a long winter's night."

Revisiting the Baltimore Ravens' 22-17 loss at the Seattle Seahawks:

The Ravens' loss at Seattle really isn't shocking at all. Just take a look at Ray Rice's touches.

Rice finished with five carries and eight receptions, a total that usually spells disaster. Over the past two seasons (including playoffs), Baltimore is 14-1 when Rice gets more than 20 touches and is 5-7 when he receives 20 or fewer.

The Ravens abandoned the run too early against the Seahawks. When Baltimore quickly fell behind 10-0 in the first quarter, offensive coordinator Cam Cameron went with the pass on 16 of the next 17 plays. The only carry during that stretch was given to Ricky Williams. As a result, Rice finished with 27 rushing yards, his lowest total in 21 games.

Some speculate that the Ravens aren't comfortable running against 4-3 defenses. That shouldn't be the case. Rice is the one who makes all defenses uncomfortable.

When Baltimore takes the ball out of the hands of Rice, it helps no one but the opposing defense. If this was going to be the strategy, the Ravens should have used the three-year, $11 million deal given to fullback Vonta Leach somewhere else.

Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs was not as outspoken about Rice's lack of touches as he was a few weeks ago in Jacksonville. "I'm a big Ray Rice fan," he said. "I'm always going to want to see him get the ball. But I've got to trust our offense and our offensive coordinator to do their job."

Rice politely declined comment to reporters after the game because he wanted to say something positive and needed time to collect his thoughts. In this case, his lack of touches speaks for itself.

STAT THAT STICKS: 3 -- Ravens' losses to teams with losing records at the time they played them this season. They had just one such loss in coach John Harbaugh's first three seasons.

OVERHEARD: "We understand we're going to be the target of a lot of criticism. We understand that it's going to be local, we understand that it's going to be national. We understand the fans are going to be very disappointed in the game and were very disappointed in the game. We had an opportunity here to do something, to separate ourselves a little bit in the division. We didn't take advantage of it. That's tough. We take full responsibility for this loss." -- Harbaugh after his team's third letdown of the season.

WHAT'S NEXT: The Ravens (6-3) play host to the Bengals (6-3) at Baltimore's M&T Bank Stadium, where they are 4-0 this season with an average margin of victory of 15.7 points.

The Ravens practiced in the rain today because there is a 40 percent chance of showers in Seattle. Baltimore is also prepping for some nonverbal communication by having crowd noise during practices.

"Seattle’s the loudest stadium I’ve been in because, at times, you can’t even hear the quarterback screaming at the top of his lungs in the huddle," Ravens offensive coordinator Cam Cameron said. "But it’ll be equally, if not louder, in practice. You just try to simulate it as best you can. Doesn’t do much for your hearing … Trust me when I tell you.”

What do you do during the game if the players can't hear quarterback Joe Flacco in the huddle?

“Just read his lips," Cameron said. "That’s what you do. The same thing you guys would do. It’s no different if you were in a critical situation. you just read the person’s lips and play ball. That’s what you do.”

The Ravens' starting offensive line has been flagged seven times for false starts this season.

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 ...

Ashley from Grayson, Ky., writes: Obviously, the Bengals schedule is more difficult in the second half of the season. Do you feel defenses will "figure" Andy Dalton out or will he continue to be a legitimate starting quarterback in the NFL?

Jamison Hensley responds: Dalton's true test in the second half of the season will be the four games going against the defenses from Baltimore and Pittsburgh. At this point, you have to be impressed with his poise, leadership and ability to step up late in games. He's not making the highlight reel like fellow rookie Cam Newton, but he's winning more games.

I'm not sure if you will see defenses will start to "figure" him out. But I know the defenses will be tougher and challenge him more. We'll learn more about Dalton in how he performs against relentless pressure from Terrell Suggs and LaMarr Woodley. At the time when he starts hitting the rookie wall, Dalton will have to make sure he's not taking hits from two of the most aggressive defenses in the NFL.

It's difficult to think a rookie quarterback will excel against the likes of the Ravens and Steelers. This isn't a knock on Dalton as much as respect for those defenses. He still looks like a potential franchise quarterback even though his AFC North initiation will provide tough times.

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Jonnyplesko from Pittsburgh writes: The Patriots have completely owned the Steelers in recent memory. I have been one to blame Dick Lebeau, under much scrutiny, might I add. In my opinion, he has allowed New England receivers way too much of a cushion, which translates to easy yards for them. At the same time, this completely negates Pittsburgh's biggest defensive weapon, which is the pass rush. We all know that if you can get to Brady and rattle him, he will make mistakes. Do you think that Lebeau allowing his cornerbacks to play at the line of scrimmage more often, will lead to the Steelers finally getting some pressure on the New England quarterback this weekend?

Jamison Hensley responds: I couldn't agree more with this assessment. Steelers defensive coordinator LeBeau knows he can't use that same strategy. Maybe that's why Pittsburgh safety Ryan Clark talked this week about being physical with Wes Welker. In fact, the Steelers need to do that with all of New England's wide receivers. The Patriots' starting wide receivers -- Welker and Deion Branch -- are both 5 foot 9. The Steelers have to take advantage of that.

The cornerbacks have to line up in the receivers' faces and throw off the timing of the routes. If not, Tom Brady will pick you apart. Of course, how the officials call this game will affect how aggressive Pittsburgh can play. The Steelers didn't sack Brady once in last year's game, and they can't repeat this if they want to end the Patriots' dominance.

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Justin from Bradford, Ohio, writes: Watching the Browns this year it seems that Colt McCoy is getting hit a lot in the backfield without a chance to make a throw. Do you believe this is the reason that he has such a low yards per completion because he just wants to get the ball out as fast as possible. Also is there any answer for the right side of the line because they seem solid once Eric Steinbach returns on the left side and at center?

Jamison Hensley responds: The blame for the Browns' struggles on offense can't all be placed on McCoy. In fact, the Browns could stand to upgrade at every position on offense except left tackle and center. But McCoy is accountable for the Browns' inability to stretch the field (or should I say his lack of ideal arm strength is responsible).

You could also point the finger at how Cleveland is using McCoy. He has taken 38 hits this season, sixth-most in the NFL. The Browns need to get him out of the pocket more, and McCoy has shown a knack for throwing on the run. His 267 yards passing outside the pocket ranks third in the NFL. To truly evaluate McCoy, you need to give him proper protection. But NFL teams don't have time to wait for the perfect conditions to get the proper read on quarterbacks. It wasn't a good sign when team president Mike Holmgren didn't endorse McCoy beyond this season.

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Jason from Baltimore writes: What's your slant on Cam Cameron's play calling? He's had some horrible games over the past few years and didn't John Harbaugh say that he was going to take a more hands on approach with the offense this season?

Jamison Hensley responds: The biggest problem I have with the play-calling is when the Ravens get too pass-happy and forget about Ray Rice. It feels forced at times. Not to sound like Terrell Suggs here, but it's a bad game plan when Rice isn't getting at least 20 touches a game. Head coach Harbaugh has been more hands-on with the offense and he attends a lot of the meetings. But I'm not sure how much input he has with the offense during the course of a game.

I think the criticism of offensive coordinator Cameron is warranted at times, but he also doesn't get enough credit, too. The Ravens have been more aggressive this season, especially late in games. Baltimore is ranked No. 8 in the NFL in scoring, averaging 25.8 points per game (and yes, I know defensive touchdowns inflate these numbers). It just seems like when the Ravens offense struggles, it really struggles. It was like that in the last couple playoff losses, and it was that way Monday night in Jacksonville. Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti said at the end of last season that he liked the scenario of having "Cam under fire" this year. Well, the flames certainly got higher after this past game.