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

The Bengals' Carlos Dunlap is looking to unseat Robert Geathers, Cincinnati's starting left defensive end for the past six seasons.

Dunlap, the Bengals' top pass-rusher, has recorded 14 sacks in two seasons. He participated in 43 percent of the team's defensive snaps last season because of a hamstring injury and wants to boost his participation to 60 percent this year.

"I'm looking to start," Dunlap told the team's official website. "I know Uncle Geathers isn't going to give it away. That's why I have to earn it in training camp."

Hensley's slant: You get the feeling that Dunlap is only scratching the surface of his potential so far. The Bengals should get Dunlap on the field more as long as it doesn't diminish his effectiveness as a pass-rusher. He had 13 quarterback hits and 29 quarterback pressures last season to finish as a top-five defensive end in the Pro Football Focus ratings.

BROWNS: Travis Benjamin, the only receiver drafted by the Browns this year, provides a different look at that position for Cleveland because he is smaller and quicker. The challenge for the 175-pound Benjamin is to get stronger, according to George McDonald, who served as the Browns’ wide receivers coach in 2009-10 before coaching Benjamin at the University of Miami. “[He needs to] get in the weight room just to develop that strength to take some of the hits that he’ll take there,” McDonald told the Akron Beacon Journal. “I think the biggest [adjustment] that most college receivers have to deal with when they come to the NFL is just to continue to work on their route-running skills and creating separation at the top of their breaks, because everything happens a little bit faster there.” Hensley's slant: Benjamin has a good chance to contribute immediately as the Browns' slot receiver as well as help out Josh Cribbs on returns. There's no question that he can stretch the field. You just have to wonder how his small frame will hold up when he takes some hits.

RAVENS: Cornerback Cary Williams told the team's official website that he's 80 percent recovered from offseason hip surgery. He expects to be fully recovered in time for the team's minicamp, which starts June 11. "That's already set in stone," Williams said. "I'm eager to get out there and run with the guys. My body is saying, 'Yeah, it's that time.' But I just can't. I'm just trying to stay within the limits and take it slow." Hensley's slant: Williams, who started all 16 games last season, knows he can't afford to miss too much time this offseason. Jimmy Smith, the team's first-round pick from a year ago, is expected to move into a starting role this season. Williams has to be on the field to compete if he wants to remain starting opposite Lardarius Webb.

STEELERS: The Steelers aren't voicing any concern over weight issues for rookie nose tackle Alameda Ta'amu, the team's fourth-round pick. Ta'amu weighed in at this past weekend's rookie minicamp at 346 pounds and has been as low as 320 pounds. “Here, with the nutrition plan we have in place and with working every day, that’s not going to be a problem,” defensive line coach John Mitchell told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “It doesn’t bother me.” Hensley's slant: Ta'amu probably wants to lose about 10 pounds to get down to his playing weight at Washington. One of his strengths is a burst off the snap. Extra weight could slow him down in that regard.

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

If Alabama outside linebacker Courtney Upshaw or inside linebacker Dont'a Hightower is still available at the No. 20 pick (which is currently held by the Titans), the Ravens will try to trade up to get one of them, according to the Sporting News' Mike Preston.

"Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome is a former Alabama great and has all the inside skinny information on both players," Preston wrote.

According to Preston, Baltimore also likes Georgia Tech wide receiver Stephen Hill. The Ravens know he isn't a polished route-runner, but they think he has great potential.

Hensley's slant: Upshaw and Hightower have been popular picks for the Ravens recently. Upshaw can replace Jarret Johnson, and Hightower can learn from Ray Lewis. And trading isn't out of the question for the Ravens, who have made a move in the first round in three of the past four years.

BENGALS: Head coach Marvin Lewis hinted that the team will use its two first-round picks on defense, according to the team's official website. The Bengals have taken offensive players in the first round in the past three drafts. Asked at his pre-draft press conference if this draft is tilted to offense or defense, Lewis pointed at defense because, "Maybe we have more needs defensively." After taking defensive end Carlos Dunlap in the second round in 2010 he said, "We've kind of neglected defense over the last couple of years." Hensley's slant: I would be surprised if the Bengals used both first-round picks on defense because there should be quality offensive players available at the bottom half of the first round. It would make sense for Cincinnati to pick up a guard (David DeCastro and Cordy Glenn) or a wide receiver (Kendall Wright and Stephen Hill) with one of those top picks.

BROWNS: Will the Cleveland Browns pass on Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon one year after not selecting wide receiver Julio Jones? "Last year had nothing to do with the player," Browns general manager Tom Heckert told the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "It had everything to do with the deal we were able to make. We loved Julio Jones." Blackmon had 232 catches for 3,304 yards and 38 touchdowns the past two seasons with Oklahoma State. He's only the second player to win the Biletnikoff award twice as the nation's best receiver (the other was Michael Crabtree). Hensley's slant: If the Browns take Blackmon fourth overall, it cause a lot of head-scratching. Blackmon isn't in the same class as last year's No. 4 pick, wide receiver A.J. Green, and he isn't graded as high as Jones. There will be better value for wide receivers later in the first round.

STEELERS: If Memphis nose tackle Dontari Poe and Alabama's Hightower are still available at the Steelers' No. 24 spot, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Ed Bouchette thinks the team will go with Poe. But Bouchette doesn't see Poe starting immediately unless Casey Hampton (knee) is sidelined. "It sounds as if he's one of those who can use a little grooming first," Bouchette wrote. Hensley's slant: I agree that the Steelers likely have Poe rated higher than Hightower. But Hightower is more likely to be there when the Steelers are drafting. It will take a handful of interested teams to pass on Poe for him to fall that far.

The Bengals continued their focus on the defensive line, announcing Saturday that they've re-signed backup tackle Pat Sims. It was the latest, and perhaps last, free-agent move by the Bengals involving their defensive line, which was the best in the AFC North in 2011.

Has the Bengals defensive line improved from last season or has it weakened? On paper, it looks the Bengals have taken a step back.


Cincinnati lost two key contributors in free agency: defensive end Frostee Rucker (Browns) and defensive lineman Jonathan Fanene (Patriots). The Bengals will miss defensive end Rucker's ability to stop the run and Fanene's motor in the pass rush.

Their additions have been two defensive ends who carry labels as first-round disappointments: Jamaal Anderson and Derrick Harvey. But they will be part of the rotation and won't really determine whether the Bengals are better or worse on the defensive line.

The Bengals' defensive line can be more productive than last year if defensive end Carlos Dunlap can stay healthy and defensive end Michael Johnson can bounce back from a disappointing 2011 season. Dunlap is the Bengals' top pass-rusher, and Johnson has intriguing upside.

So, have the Bengals improved their defensive line? Dunlap and Johnson are the only ones who can answer that question.

It's time to unveil the defense for my All-AFC North team, which is based on performance this season, and not past reputation. There were many difficult decisions, and there should be. All four defenses in the division finished in the top 10 (Pittsburgh was No. 1, Baltimore was No. 3, Cincinnati was No. 7 and Cleveland was No. 10).

The All-AFC North team will wrap up tomorrow with offense. Of course, tell me who I left off, who should have been on and any other opinions in the comments section below.

Defensive end: Carlos Dunlap, Bengals. Tough call over Pittsburgh's Brett Keisel. Before being slowed by a hamstring injury, Dunlap was getting to the quarterback like no other defensive end in the division. Despite missing four games, he recorded 4.5 sacks and led the Bengals with 27 quarterback pressures, which was four more than anyone else on the team.

Nose tackle/defensive tackle: Haloti Ngata, Ravens. He didn't seem as dominant as last year, but it's hard to argue his impact. Ngata finished with five sacks, five batted-down passes, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. He was a cog in the middle for the NFL's second-ranked run defense and he returned a fumble 28 yards for his first career touchdown in Week 3. Some would go with Casey Hampton, but he slipped at the age of 34 and so did the Steelers' run defense, which gave up 33 percent more yards rushing than a year ago.

Defensive tackle: Geno Atkins, Bengals. While the Bengals' run defense faltered in the second half of the season, their front four pressured the quarterback like no other in the AFC North and perhaps the league. And Atkins was a huge part of that by collapsing the pocket up the middle. He tied Oakland's Tommy Kelly for sacks by an interior lineman in the NFL with 7.5. He is the first Bengals interior lineman to top the team in sacks since 1996, when Dan Wilkinson led with 6.5.

Outside linebacker: Terrell Suggs, Ravens. He was the best defensive player in the division and arguably the best in the NFL this season. Suggs made an impact all over the field, becoming the only NFL player this season to finish with at least five sacks, five passes defensed and five forced fumbles. Critics would argue that his production came in three games (season opener against Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Indianapolis), where he totaled nine sacks and six forced fumbles.

Inside linebacker: D'Qwell Jackson, Browns. The comeback player in the division, Jackson finished second in the NFL with 158 tackles. That's 58 more tackles than anyone else in the AFC North. This is after Jackson missed the previous 26 games due to two separate pectoral injuries. He also tied for the AFC lead with three defensive fumble recoveries.

Inside linebacker: Ray Lewis, Ravens. There's no doubt that Lewis isn't the same player that he was five years ago and he had trouble getting off blocks after returning from a toe injury. But there's not a better run stopper in the division. With Lewis as the leading tackler, the Ravens finished tied for first in fewest rushing yards per carry (3.5) and second in fewest rushing yards per game (92.5).

Outside linebacker: James Harrison, Steelers. Many would consider nine sacks (which tied for tops on the Steelers) and two forced fumbles a solid season. But Harrison did this after having two back surgeries in March, missing four games with a fractured orbital bone near his right eye and getting suspended one game following his infamous hit on Colt McCoy. Harrison's ability to get to the quarterback was a big reason Pittsburgh finished No. 1 in the NFL in pass defense.

Cornerback: Lardarius Webb, Ravens. If you didn't know what a great season Webb was having, you did in the postseason when he picked off three passes. He led the division with five interceptions and 20 passes defensed. Not bad for a defender that everyone projected to be a nickelback this season. The Ravens also gave up the fewest touchdown passes this season (11).

Cornerback: Joe Haden, Browns. Haden was the headliner for the NFL's second-ranked pass defense and has the potential to be a shutdown corner. He finished sixth in the league (and second in the AFC North) with 19 passes defensed this season. Haden had three games this year with at least three pass breakups, including a career-high five in the season opener against Cincinnati. There were some slips, such as allowing a game-turning catch to A.J. Green and a game-sealing touchdown to Antonio Brown. Haden barely edged out Pittsburgh's Ike Taylor for this spot.

Strong safety: Troy Polamalu, Steelers. This wasn't his finest season, but Polamalu was a major presence on the NFL's top-ranked defense. Always lurking around the line of scrimmage, he finished third on the team with 91 tackles to go along with two interceptions and one sack. His best game came in the last one of the regular season, when his interception set up the game's only touchdown and his sack came from him breaking through the line after perfectly timing the snap.

Free safety: Ryan Clark, Steelers. The obvious choice would be Ed Reed. But even Reed would acknowledge that he struggled for most of the season. He managed three interceptions, his fewest for a 16-game season, and missed tackles toward the end of the season because of a shoulder injury. Clark enjoyed the best season of his 10-year career, leading the NFL's top-ranked defense with 100 tackles. That also ranked second in the AFC North. If you questioned Clark's impact, look at how the Steelers fared without him in Denver, when he had to sit out the playoff game because of a blood condition.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here are the main injuries around the division and what they mean:

BENGALS: Cincinnati could be starting two backups on the right side of the offensive line. Mike McGlynn is taking over at RG for Bobbie Williams, who has been placed on injured reserve. RT Andre Smith (ankle, questionable) didn't practice Thursday and Friday. Anthony Collins would replace Smith, who has been among the most-improved players on the team. DE Carlos Dunlap (hamstring), who has been out for four of the past five games, is probable after being limited in practice all week. RB Cedric Benson (back), CB Nate Clements (hamstring), S Chris Crocker (knee) and LB Manny Lawson (ankle) are all probable.

BROWNS: Cleveland finally made it official and ruled out QB Colt McCoy (concussion), who hasn't practiced since getting hit in the head by Steelers LB James Harrison. Seneca Wallace makes his fifth start for the Browns. TE Ben Watson (concussion, placed on injured reserve), FB Owen Marecic (concussion) and SS T.J. Ward (foot) are also out. WR Josh Cribbs (groin) and RB Montario Hardesty (calf) are questionable. RB Peyton Hillis had full practices all week and wasn't listed on the injury report.

RAVENS: CB Lardarius Webb (toe, questionable) is considered the most serious after not practicing all week. Jimmy Smith and Cary Williams are expected to start for Baltimore at cornerback. LB Ray Lewis (toe, questionable) is expected to return after being sidelined for four weeks. DE Cory Redding (ankle, questionable) returned to practice after missing Wednesday and Thursday. DT Haloti Ngata (back, questionable) has been limited all week but should start. K Billy Cundiff (left calf, questionable) didn't practice this week but that was considered precautionary because he kicked last Sunday with the same injury.

STEELERS: Official designations will come out Saturday because the Steelers play on Monday night. QB Ben Roethlisberger (ankle) practiced for the first time this week, although it was on a limited basis. SS Troy Polamalu (hamstring), C Maurkice Pouncey (ankle) and WR Emmanuel Sanders (foot) all didn't practice.

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

Browns president Mike Holmgren gave a strong vote of confidence to first-year head coach Pat Shurmur during his Wednesday news conference. He said Shurmur will "absolutely" be the Browns' head coach next season and went even further in his support.

"We have a very, very competent young head coach who will be here for a long time," Holmgren said, via The Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Told of Holmgren's support, Shurmur said, "Fortunately our ideas match on a lot of topics. I think that's why we have a chance to move forward."

Hensley's slant: Not surprised about Holmgren's positive remarks regarding Shurmur. A quick hook would say Holmgren made a bad hire. It's interesting how Holmgren had no hesitation in backing his head coach but continued to delay any evaluation of quarterback Colt McCoy in the same news conference. Maybe I'm reading too much into it, or maybe I'm not.

BENGALS: Defensive end Carlos Dunlap practiced for the first time in nearly a month. He's missed four of the past five games with a hamstring injury. “He’s made a lot of progress,” coach Marvin Lewis said, via the Cincinnati Enquirer. Dunlap set a Bengals rookie record with 9.5 sacks last season but has just three this season. Hensley's slant: Dunlap is the team's best edge pass-rusher. He leads the team with 22 quarterback pressures in nine games played, which is over two per game. It's not coincidence that the Bengals' defense has struggled since Dunlap and cornerback Leon Hall were both sidelined.

RAVENS: Unlike another running back in the AFC North, Ray Rice is not talking about getting a new contract. He is in the final year of his rookie deal. "It's hard to think about it now -- I'm being honest," Rice told The Baltimore Sun. "I've had the ability to not even think about it because, No. 1, I respect my teammates. And I didn't want to bring my contract, my personal decisions, my life in ... to this locker room. I have enough respect for the organization to keep it that way." Hensley's slant: This is how I see the Ravens' offseason going: extend the contract of Joe Flacco, use the franchise tag on Rice and see if there is any money left over for guard Ben Grubbs, who probably will end up elsewhere. This will be a big year in keeping the core of Baltimore's offense together.

STEELERS: Head coach Mike Tomlin put a gag order on players talking about James Harrison's one-game suspension, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Safety Troy Polamalu said his coach told the players "just to say no comment." So what was Polamalu's comment on it? "No comment," he said. Hensley's slant: This is a smart move by Tomlin and the Steelers. There's nothing to gain in speaking out against the NFL's ruling. Just ask Harrison, who made fun of the NFL's rules at the Super Bowl and vented his anger at commissioner Roger Goodell this offseason in Men's Journal.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here the major injuries in the division and what they mean:

BENGALS: DE Carlos Dunlap (hamstring, doubtful) hasn't practiced all week and will miss his fourth game in five weeks. CB Nate Clements (hamstring, questionable) returned to practice for the first time this week on Friday, which boosts his chances of playing after missing last game. RT Andre Smith (ankle, questionable) has been limited the past two days and should start. RB Cedric Benson (probable, foot) has been dealing with this injury for two weeks. ... For the Texans, WR Andre Johnson (hamstring) has been ruled out. He will be replaced by Jacoby Jones, which is a major dropoff. This is the seventh missed game for Johnson this season.

RAVENS: K Billy Cundiff (left calf, questionable) has missed the past two practices and is considered a game-time decision. "I’m hopeful. I really am hopeful," coach John Harbaugh said. "We’ll have a backup plan for sure." If he can't go, the Ravens would turn to Shayne Graham, who was in Baltimore's training camp a couple of years ago. LB Ray Lewis (toe, questionable) hasn't practiced all week and is expected to return next week. C Matt Birk (shoulder, probable) returned to practice Friday. ... For the Colts, leading tackler Pat Angerer (knee, questionable) had a full practice Friday after being limited Thursday. TE Dallas Clark (fibula, questionable) and WR Anthony Gonzalez (groin, questionable) both had full practices Friday.

Here are some happenings around the division:

RAVENS: K Billy Cundiff was held out of Thursday's practice with a left calf injury. He wasn't on the injury report Wednesday. It would seem more serious if it was his kicking leg and not his planting one. The injury just adds to a challenging season for Cundiff. His success rate of 76.5 percent ranks 27th in the league. ... For the second straight day, LB Ray Lewis (right turf toe) and center Matt Birk (right shoulder) didn't practice. Lewis isn't expected to play, and Birk is in danger of missing his first game since 2005. He has started 92 straight games. LG Ben Grubbs (toe) returned to practice after missing Wednesday. ... For the Colts, leading tackler Pat Angerer (knee) was limited Thursday after not practicing the day before. WR Anthony Gonzalez (groin) didn't practice again.

BENGALS: CB Nate Clements (hamstring) and DE Carlos Dunlap (hamstring) both didn't practice for the second straight day. RB Cedric Benson (foot) didn't practice Thursday but this appears to be a rest day. He played with the same injury last Sunday. RT Andre Smith (ankle) and S Chris Crocker (knee) both returned to practice Thursday. ... For the Texans, WR Andre Johnson (strained left hamstring) didn't practice Thursday and is considered a game-time decision. "I would say we would probably have a pretty good idea [Friday)]" Kubiak told reporters. "We'll see. It's a touchy situation because we are very fortunate we came out of it a lot better than we thought. At the same time, how quick do we go back and that type of thing?" ... ILB Brian Cushing (rib and knee) missed his second day of practice but he is expected to return Friday, according to Kubiak.

A look at the key injuries around the division:

BENGALS: WR A.J. Green (knee) returned to practice after missing last Sunday's game. But QB Andy Dalton (right shoulder) was unexpectedly limited, although it's likely not serious. OT Andrew Whitworth (thigh) was also limited. DE Carlos Dunlap (hamstring) and DT Domata Peko (foot) both didn't practice.

BROWNS: RB Montario Hardesty (calf) returned to practice with limited participation, which is a sign that he's progressing. RB Peyton Hillis (hamstring) and SS T.J. Ward (foot) have already been declared out by coach Pat Shurmur.

RAVENS: LB Ray Lewis (toe) is questionable, although he is expected to play Thanksgiving night against San Francisco. His backup, Dannell Ellerbe (thigh), is also questionable.

STEELERS: LB LaMarr Woodley (hamstring) returned to practice, which is good news for the Steelers. WR Emmanuel Sanders (knee) had full participation for the first time in weeks, which is even better news for Pittsburgh. QB Ben Roethlisberger (right thumb) was limited in practice but he'll start Sunday night.

Here's your game-day warm-up:

CINCINNATI -- The Steelers are looking to avoid their first 0-3 start in the AFC North when they play the Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium today.

Pittsburgh lost its first two division games this year when it got swept by the Ravens. The Steelers have only had one three-game losing streak in the division since the AFC North began in 2002.

A majority of the ESPN NFL experts believe the Steelers will get their first division victory today. Six of the eight prognosticators have Pittsburgh (6-3) beating the Bengals (6-2), who have won five consecutive games (the longest current streak in the AFC).

ESPN's NFL experts also have the Ravens and Browns winning today. The Ravens (6-2) play at Seattle (2-6), and the Browns (3-5) are home against St. Louis (1-7).

Here are some story lines for today's games:

• BENGALS: The loss of Carlos Dunlap, who is questionable, would hurt the Bengals' pass rush. But the tight end position could be more of a concern. Backup Donald Lee is out and starter Jermaine Gresham is questionable. If Gresham is sidelined today, the Bengals would probably have to promote Chase Coffman from the practice squad since rookie Colin Cochart is the only healthy tight end on the roster.
• BROWNS: Let's keep on an eye on how the Browns use Josh Cribbs. He hinted on Wednesday that he would spend time in the backfield. A day later, he backed off playing running back or quarterback in the Wildcat. There is one certainty: Cribbs will start at wide receiver with Mohamed Massaquoi out.
• RAVENS: Statistics say it will be a rough day for Seahawks quarterback Tarvaris Jackson. The Seahawks have given up 29 sacks, the second-most in the NFL. The Ravens have recorded 26 sacks, the second-most in the league.
• STEELERS: With LaMarr Woodley out, James Harrison has to carry the pass rush again. He had three sacks, six quarterback pressures and a forced fumble last Sunday. Harrison will often line up against Bengals left tackle Andrew Whitworth, who has allowed 1.5 sacks.

CINCINNATI -- I'm here for the big AFC North showdown between the Steelers and the Bengals. This is my third consecutive week covering the Steelers, so I'm starting to feel like a roadie for them. During that time, I've learned you can count on three things: close games, an injury to a linebacker and Ben Roethlisberger throwing for 300 yards.

Roethlisberger is going against the 10th-ranked pass defense in Cincinnati. While there has been a lot of talking about Pittsburgh's pass rush, Cincinnati has generated pressure this year without much blitzing.

Four Bengals defensive linemen have three or more sacks this season (Geno Atkins 3.5, Carlos Dunlap 3.0, Frostee Rucker 3.0, Jonathan Fanene 3.0). Roethlisberger has been sacked 26 times, which is most in the NFL. But he was sacked only once against Baltimore last Sunday.

With the Steelers coming to town Sunday, many feel this is a prime opportunity for the surprising Bengals to win back fans. Well, this would be a good time to just win a home game against Pittsburgh.

Since Paul Brown Stadium opened in 2000, the Bengals are 2-10 there against the Steelers. Cincinnati has lost nine of its past 10 home games to Pittsburgh, including a playoff game in the 2005 season.The only win during this embarrassing stretch came in 2009, when the Bengals swept the Steelers.

This is a big game for the Bengals for many reasons. The Bengals (6-2), who are tied with the Ravens atop the AFC North, could boost their national standing by beating the Steelers (6-3). They could also boost themselves with the local fan base.

The Bengals averaged 45,524 for their first three regular-season home games, which means an average of 20,000 empty seats at Paul Brown Stadium.

Sunday's game ends a string of seven straight blackouts, which had been the longest current streak in the NFL. It marked the first sellout since a game against the Steelers last November.

Of course, the Bengals sell out their games against the Steelers because Pittsburgh brings a large following to the game.

Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap is trying to rally the fan base. "Let's get a blackout going in the stadium," Dunlap said. "Everybody in there wearing all black."

That led to this Twitter posting by beat reporter Joe Reedy of The Cincinnati Enquirer: "Fans have done a very good job when it comes to blackouts over the past year."

Ouch.

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

One week after the Steelers' press coverage helped Pittsburgh stop Tom Brady and the Patriots, this same strategy appeared to backfire against the Steelers in Sunday night's loss to the Ravens, according to The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Pittsburgh gave up 14 third-down conversions by playing man-to-man and remained in that coverage as quarterback Joe Flacco guided the Ravens 92 yards downfield on the game-winning drive (which ended with a 26-yard touchdown pass to Torrey Smith).

"The one thing I have to say, [Steelers defensive coordinator] Dick LeBeau is a tremendous defensive coach, but I did not understand those last three plays from about the 25-yard line," former coach Tony Dungy, now an analyst for NBC, said via the Post-Gazette. "Bump-and-run coverage, really giving them a chance, as Flacco said, to take those shots into the end zone where you get a chance for a long pass interference penalty or the deep touchdown. I didn't understand the defense the Steelers were in there, at the end."

Smith said after the game that the Steelers helped the Ravens by not playing zone on Baltimore's final play.

"The final play was actually supposed to be a speed-out so I could catch the ball and get out of bounds," he said. "But, [William Gay] was in press coverage and I was just able to run past him. I saw he was holding onto me a little bit, and held onto me a little bit earlier. I saw the ball in the air, and I saw the flag out of the corner of my eye, so I gave him a little nudge myself and was able to get open."

Hensley's slant: It was strange to see the Steelers stay in that defense for a couple of reasons. With the way Flacco was converting on third down, the Steelers should have shown some different looks to get Flacco off rhythm. Also, Flacco has a history of struggling against Cover 2 defenses (just ask the Bengals).

• BENGALS: Several Bengals were at the team facility to get a jump on looking at film of the Steelers even though coach Marvin Lewis gave the players the day off following the win at Tennessee, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer. In regard to injuries, Lewis said that linebacker Rey Maualuga (ankle), cornerback Adam Jones (hamstring) and tight end Jermaine Gresham (hamstring) are expected to return to practice on Wednesday. Defensive end Carlos Dunlap (hamstring) said that he was feeling better but still might be day-to-day. Hensley's slant: Getting Dunlap is going to be critical for the Bengals. The way Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has been throwing the ball -- three straight games of at least 320 yards passing -- the Bengals need Dunlap, who has been hot himself. He has a total of three sacks the past two weeks and continually collapsed the pocket at Tennessee.
• BROWNS: Frustration appears to be setting in for the Browns after they lost for the fourth time in five games. Running back Peyton Hillis and quarterback Colt McCoy both declined to talk to reporters in the locker room Monday, and coach Pat Shurmur "was a little brief with some of his answers in his news conference," according to The Cleveland Plain Dealer. "I guess what you take from having worked through tough situations is you keep battling, and that's the message," Shurmur said. "I'm sure you're all getting tired of hearing me saying that, but that's the reality of it. It's like the diet that doesn't sell: Eat less and exercise more. Football, you keep working." Hensley's slant: The Browns should be upset by their performances against San Francisco and Houston, but you have to remember both are division leaders. The real frustration will set in if the Browns can't beat St. Louis (1-7) and Jacksonville (2-6) the next two weeks at home.
• RAVENS: Left guard Ben Grubbs was able to play a full game after getting pain shots in his injured toe. Grubbs, who hadn't played since the season opener, solidified the offensive line with his return. “That's a lot of responsibility to put on one person,” Grubbs said, via The Baltimore Sun. “It's a team win. But hey, I guess I am 2-0 this season.” Hensley's slant: It doesn't take an NFL scout to see how the return of Grubbs got Baltimore's offensive line back on track. Knowing this, it will be interesting to see how the Ravens address Grubbs at the end of the season. After giving a new contract to Marshal Yanda last offseason, the Ravens have to decide whether to put more money into the guard position or part ways with Grubbs.