ESPN NFL

According to our ESPN.com panel, the Cincinnati Bengals remain the leading candidate in the Andrew Luck sweepstakes.

The Bengals once again rated last in ESPN.com's NFL Power Rankings. They held the same ranking entering the preseason. Cincinnati didn't do anything to change that perception the past several weeks.

For the record, I voted the Bengals No. 31. I saw the Carolina Panthers play the Bengals in the third preseason game and thought Cincinnati was a notch better.

But it's clearly a rebuilding year for the Bengals. Rookie quarterback Andy Dalton will be one of the biggest keys.

If the rookie second-round pick plays better than expected, the young Bengals will have a chance to upset a few teams. But if Dalton flames out, the Bengals will have trouble beating anyone. That would put them firmly in the Luck sweepstakes.

Cincinnati will have a good gauge of where the team stands Sunday when it travels to play the Cleveland Browns, who are also rebuilding under rookie head coach Pat Shurmur.

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

• Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will sit Thursday's preseason finale against the Carolina Panthers.

Morning take: Roethlisberger looks ready for the regular season. He will have two weeks to rest, while backups Dennis Dixon and Charlie Batch compete for the No. 2 role.

• Running back Peyton Hillis could be the next Cleveland Brown to get a contract extension.

Morning take: This has been a great year for Hillis, who is on the cover of "Madden NFL 12." There are concerns about his durability. But there's no question he's one of the top players on the team.

• Which players are on the roster bubble for the Baltimore Ravens?

Morning take: I like the battle at running back between Jalen Parmele and rookie Anthony Allen. Both probably can help as backups. But only one will make the 53-man roster.

• Cincinnati Bengals running back Cedric Benson and new corner Kelly Jennings are out for Thursday's preseason finale against the Indianapolis Colts.

Morning take: Benson has been out of town resolving his legal issues and probably doesn’t need to take the pounding anyway. Jennings could use the work but it’s too soon after just getting traded.

Here are the most interesting stories Friday evening in the AFC North:

• Browns guard Eric Steinbach’s season could be in doubt because of a back injury, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
• Steelers rookie Marcus Gilbert is making a push for left tackle, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes.
• Here is John Thornton's take on the Cincinnati Bengals' preseason win over the Carolina Panthers.
• Edward Lee of the Baltimore Sun writes that Ravens receiver Torrey Smith wants to focus on concentration following several drops.

Three things to watch for in Cincinnati's preseason game against the Carolina Panthers Thursday night. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET.

Show up ready: I feel like a broken record, but the Bengals need to show up early in preseason games. So far it's been a turnover-fest for the starting offense and many points allowed for the first-team defense. Through two preseason games, Cincinnati is being outscored 41-10 in the first half when starters get most of the playing time. The Bengals are a young team in need of confidence. Setting the tone at home against Carolina would help.

Strides from Andy Dalton: Cincinnati's second-round pick threw one interception in his first preseason game. Then, Dalton threw two picks and fumbled a handoff with tailback Cedric Benson last week against the New York Jets. These are not encouraging signs for Cincinnati's projected Week 1 starter. Dalton needs to play better and make strides in the right direction against Carolina. So far he's thrown for just 155 yards, zero touchdowns and three interceptions in two exhibitions.

Defending Cam Newton: A lot of eyes nationally will be on Newton, Carolina's No. 1 overall pick who will start at quarterback Thursday night. This is a chance for the Bengals' defense to defend a dual threat at quarterback. Cincinnati’s starting defense improved last week and is expected to lead the team in 2011.

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

• How much has Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger changed his image?

Morning take: Roethlisberger has done about as much as he can do in one year. But this isn't an overnight fix. Roethlisberger will have to continue this path for the long haul.

• Running back Ray Rice wants to stay with the Baltimore Ravens for the long term.

Morning take: Rice's contract ends after this season. The Ravens will be looking to give Rice the first large extension of his career following what should be another productive year.

• The Cincinnati Bengals could have an important preseason game upcoming against the Carolina Panthers.

Morning take: This will be a meeting between Carolina rookie quarterback Cam Newton and Cincinnati's Andy Dalton. Both will be looking to lock down the job while out-dueling one another.

• The Cleveland Browns are eager to get back to work.

Morning take: The Browns have a lot to learn and a short amount of time to do it. Training camp can't start soon enough for this team, which is in transition with a rookie head coach in Pat Shurmur.

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

• Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed says he's still not 100 percent after last year's hip surgery.
• Pittsburgh Steelers safety Ryan Clark discusses everyone's favorite topic in the division: Joe Flacco.
• Do Carolina Panthers fans miss Cleveland Browns backup quarterback Jake Delhomme?
• There are reasons for optimism with the Cincinnati Bengals.
• Here is a recap of this week's chat on the AFC North.

Earlier this week, the AFC North blog broke down a list of top free-agent cornerbacks. Two players we identified were Richard Marshall and Carlos Rogers, who could be intriguing options for the Pittsburgh Steelers if they do not re-sign veteran Ike Taylor.

On Thursday we caught up with Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. to get his take Marshall and Rogers.

Matt, let's start by getting your general thoughts on both corners and whether they fit in Pittsburgh.

Matt Williamson: Rogers and Marshall are probably the best two guys out there who would be cheaper corners. They're Steelers type of signings. They came into the league as high picks and Pittsburgh didn't end up getting them. But now they're coming off their first contract and still have a good pedigree. You can see why they were high picks. They're not busts at this level. The problem with both of those guys is neither had a very good year. I think both are better players than they showed last year. I'm sure some of that was playing on a bad team, especially with Carolina. Their offense always went three-and-out and Marshall was on the field a ton.

Could down years by Marshall and Rogers play to the Steelers' advantage in negotiations?

Williamson: Yes. The Steelers probably liked both guys coming out of college, they're not far removed and coming off down years. But all of a sudden they come to Pittsburgh and have LaMarr Woodley and James Harrison coming off the edge and their job gets a lot easier. So I think that could play very much to Pittsburgh's advantage and something they could be strongly considering.

What are some of the differences between the two corners?

Williamson: Rogers drops a lot of interceptions, which would fit right in with how the Steelers have been with Taylor. I would say Rogers is probably a little bit better in terms of man coverage, where Marshall is a little bit better off as a zone guy, which the Steelers are going to do more of. But there's not a ton of huge differences. I think they're both in the same boat. Rogers had the better year of the two. Marshall struggled and he took a lot of penalties, too, and Rogers is better in that regard.

There is Williamson's take. Now we want yours. Would Marshall and/or Rogers be viable replacements if Taylor leaves Pittsburgh in free agency? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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

• Baltimore Ravens tailback Ray Rice is staying in great shape despite the NFL lockout.

Morning take: Rice isn't playing around. He's in a contract year and the Ravens should be strong contenders, making this a very important season for various reasons.

• Will Auburn quarterback Cam Newton be back in Paul Brown Stadium. ... as a member of the Carolina Panthers in the preseason?

Morning take: It's very possible. Newton is up for consideration with the Panthers at No. 1 and the Bengals at No. 4. That doubles the chances of Newton playing in Cincinnati this summer.

• Colorado cornerback Jimmy Smith is scheduled to meet with the Cleveland Browns.

Morning take: Smith could be an option for the Browns if he drops to the second round. Smith has first-round talent but comes with some character concerns.

• Baylor defensive tackle Phil Taylor visited with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday.

Morning take: Taylor, at 340 pounds, could be an option to learn behind nose tackle Casey Hampton. The Steelers need to get younger on the defensive line.

Let's start by saying I'm torn on Cam Newton.

The former Auburn quarterback has a ton of athletic ability that could make him a future Pro Bowler. Yet, after watching Newton this season and talking to people around the league, I'm also convinced he is one of the biggest boom-or-bust candidates of the past few years.

If a hit-or-miss prospect like Newton is drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals, his career probably will go bust. That is why the potential pairing of Newton and the Bengals would be disastrous for both sides.

Last week NFC South blogger Pat Yasinskas explained why the Carolina Panthers should take Newton with the No. 1 overall pick. This week I will explain why Newton and the Bengals, who hold the No. 4 pick, must avoid each other at all costs.

Remember Carson Palmer?

Eight years ago, Palmer was the safest possible pick in the 2003 draft. He had the prototypical size and arm strength and played in a pro-style offense at USC. He was considered a can't-miss prospect, and the Bengals took him No. 1 overall.

Eight years later, Palmer is a disgruntled, battered quarterback who has never won a playoff game or reached his full potential. The 31-year-old has been "Bengalized" and wants out of Cincinnati, which is why the team is interested in Newton in the first place. Palmer told the Bengals to trade him or he's retiring. He has no intentions of playing another down in Cincinnati.

This year, Palmer joined teammate Chad Ochocinco and former Bengals Corey Dillon and Takeo Spikes as players who all grew tired of the losing. It would be sad to see Newton suffer the same fate in Cincinnati, which hasn't had back-to-back winning seasons in 29 years or won a playoff game in two decades.

The Bengals do not have a strong support system in place to cater to Newton, who is a raw talent and needs time and patience to develop. Cincinnati hired first-year offensive coordinator Jay Gruden from the UFL; he will be learning on the job this season while trying to implement a West Coast offense. It's questionable if Newton can even thrive in that system after playing in a shotgun/spread formation at Auburn. Is Cincinnati's coaching staff creative enough to alter the offense to fit Newton's unique abilities?

Newton also would enter the toxic situation of replacing Palmer. All through training camp, Newton would have to answer Palmer questions, which are distracting and unrelated to his development. In addition, the possibility still lingers of Palmer having a change of heart and wanting his job back, which the Bengals are hoping for. How would Newton handle that?

Fair or unfair, Newton would draw instant comparisons to draft bust Akili Smith in Cincinnati, who was taken No. 3 overall by the Bengals in 1999. Both players transferred from junior colleges to have one productive year in Division I before skyrocketing up the draft boards. Because of this, Bengals fans would be on edge before Newton threw his first NFL pass. Newton is already a lightning rod for controversy and doesn't need the added pressure.

In terms of personnel, the Bengals' offensive line is in shambles, starting tailback Cedric Benson is a free agent and the team is looking to go younger at receiver. Cincinnati's best receiver, Ochocinco, could be trade bait once a new collective bargaining agreement is reached. Pairing two strong personalities like Newton and Ochocinco is probably a bad idea anyway, especially with Newton trying to get his NFL career off the ground.

Another hurdle to Newton’s getting his career started on the right path would be facing the vicious defenses of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens a combined four times per year. I've seen Baltimore and Pittsburgh ruin the confidence of many young quarterbacks, and some were never able to recover.

Can you imagine Steelers outside linebacker James Harrison blasting Newton from the blind side next season? Or Ray Lewis coming up the middle, unblocked, to stick his helmet in Newton's chest? Pro Bowl safeties Ed Reed and Troy Polamalu could have field days picking off Newton's passes.

Ask Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy, who went 0-3 against Pittsburgh and Baltimore and threw two touchdowns and eight interceptions last season as a rookie. It's a nightmare for an inexperienced quarterback to play the Steelers and Ravens twice a year. Newton's chances for a long and successful career are much better facing those elite defenses only once every several seasons.

Time will tell whether Newton will be a great NFL quarterback or a draft bust. But for all the reasons above, Cincinnati is the worst possible destination for Newton to ply his trade. He'd be better off in Carolina, Buffalo, Arizona, San Francisco, Washington, Minnesota or just about any team not in southern Ohio.

For the betterment of both sides, Cincinnati, do the right thing.

Pass on Cam Newton.

BEREA, Ohio -- Although the Cleveland Browns fired Eric Mangini on Monday, the team doesn't have to look far for its best option to replace him.

"The Big Show" is already in the building.

With a so-so list of possible candidates that includes former Carolina Panthers head coach John Fox and Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg, there's only one person who can generate the type of buzz and instant credibility Cleveland desperately needs -- and that person is Browns president Mike Holmgren.

Cleveland's best chance to turn this struggling franchise around quickly is for Holmgren to get back to what he does best. He's been out of coaching for two years but never lost the itch to return to the sidelines. Holmgren is 161-111 (.592 percent) in 17 seasons as a head coach.

But at 62, it's now or never for Holmgren. With three Super Bowl appearances and one championship already on his résumé, Holmgren would be by far the most accomplished coach to roam the sideline for Cleveland since the franchise returned to the NFL in 1999.

Browns players -- although unsure about Holmgren's thought process -- seemed excited about the possibility as they cleaned out their lockers for the final time this season.

"I'd be excited," Browns Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Thomas said. "He's a proven winner."

“Obviously, yeah, because I’ve been with him in Seattle,” said Browns quarterback Seneca Wallace, who played four years under Holmgren. “I know how he coaches. I know what he looks for and I know what he wants. But at the end of the day, I know he’s going to make the right decision for us.”

Before anyone mentions other big-name coaches such as Jon Gruden or Bill Cowher, here’s the harsh reality about the Browns: It’s not a very attractive job for A-list head coaches. Cleveland changes regimes every two or three years. It's an unstable organization that lacks talent and has trouble competing with AFC North heavyweights Baltimore and Pittsburgh.

A-listers will pass on Cleveland for better opportunities. Therefore, the only big-name coach the Browns have a chance to land this year is Holmgren.

Cleveland can maximize its investment with Holmgren returning to the sidelines. The Browns are heading in the direction of running a West Coast offense, and there's no better person than Holmgren to make a seamless transition.

"It would be great," Wallace said of implementing a West Coast offense. "I think in this division, it could be good. I've been in that system and went to a Super Bowl in that system, and we have the talent to do that on offense."

After firing Mangini on Monday, the grace period is officially over for Holmgren. There are no more scapegoats to pin a poor season on. Everything that happens, starting in 2011, is officially on Holmgren's watch.

Holmgren may very well choose to stay in the luxury suites and watch someone else like Mornhinweg or Fox coach the Browns in 2011. But it would be risky for Holmgren to stake his reputation on someone without nearly the same credentials as a head coach.

Browns general manager Tom Heckert is more than capable of running the full operation of the front office with input from Holmgren. The time is now for Holmgren to be more hands-on and call the shots from the sidelines.

Here are seven notes and observations from Week 17 in the AFC North:

[+] Enlarge
Jason Miller/US PresswireEric Mangini has likely coached his last game in Cleveland.
• Let's start with the Cleveland Browns and their coaching situation. President Mike Holmgren is expected to meet with Browns head coach Eric Mangini at 9 a.m. ET Monday where all indications are that Mangini will be fired. Mangini entered the year on the hot seat and won just five games for the second straight year. He's 10-22 in two seasons and Cleveland ended on a four-game losing skid, capped by an embarrassing, 41-9 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. Holmgren probably made up his mind a couple of weeks ago when the Browns lost back-to-back games to the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals. But the past two weeks against Pittsburgh and the Baltimore Ravens proved to be further confirmation Cleveland hasn't made enough progress to bring Mangini back for a third season.
• If Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis expects major changes in the organization, then he's probably not coming back for a ninth season. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Lewis will not stay with the Bengals unless significant upgrades are made. Lewis hinted at similar demands last offseason, but the Bengals finished 4-12 and he has no leverage this time. Coming off a Coach of the Year award and a playoff appearance in 2009, Lewis still didn't get what he wanted and, thus, didn't sign an extension. The AFC North blog reported earlier this season that one point of contention was the lack of an indoor practice facility. Bengals owner Mike Brown is extremely difficult to budge when it comes to spending millions of his dollars when, in his mind, it isn't necessary. That's been Brown's history, and it seems very unlikely he would suddenly change in the next couple of days. Therefore, both sides appear headed for a mutual parting this week.
• Looking ahead to both coaching searches, neither job is very attractive. Cleveland is more desirable than Cincinnati because Browns owner Randy Lerner is willing to pour a lot of money and resources into his team. Cleveland also has a solid front office and scouting department led by Holmgren and general manager Tom Heckert. Also keep in mind, both jobs have the brutal task of trying to beat the Steelers and Ravens twice a year, which will certainly weigh heavily in the minds of potential candidates. Therefore, even if the Browns tried to make a run at a top-tier coach like Jon Gruden, he will probably have better options and decline. That would make Holmgren and former Carolina Panthers coach John Fox among the early favorites. As president, of course, Holmgren has the first shot at the job if he wants it. In Cincinnati, the Bengals also have an in-house favorite lined up in defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, who received a three-year extension last year. He will come relatively cheap and the players are familiar with his system.
• For those looking forward to the NFL draft, the Bengals will have the No. 4 overall pick in April, and the Browns hold the No. 6 pick. Both teams will have a chance to land an impact player in these slots.
• I have mixed feelings about altering playoff seeding, because winning your division is a solid accomplishment and teams deserve to be awarded. But when a seven-win team (Seattle Seahawks) gets a home game and a 12-win team (Baltimore) is on the road probably for the entire playoffs, something is wrong. The Ravens are just one of four teams with 12 victories this season. They had significantly better seasons than Seattle (7-9), Indianapolis (10-6), Philadelphia (10-6) and Kansas City (10-6). Yet all of these aforementioned teams will host playoff games. The Ravens are being penalized for having another powerhouse (Pittsburgh) in their division, while these other teams do not.
• Here is an early wild-card angle to watch: Ravens receiver Anquan Boldin will face Todd Haley, Boldin's former offensive coordinator in Arizona and current head coach with Kansas City. Boldin got into a much-publicized shouting match on the sidelines with Haley during the playoffs two years ago with the Cardinals. Both parties have since moved on, but there could be some attention drawn to it since their first reunion comes in a must-win game. Expect Boldin to brush off the topic. But I'm sure deep down he would rather send Haley home packing this season than have it the other way around.
• The Steelers will host a divisional-round game on Jan. 15 at Heinz Field as the No. 2 seed, and it could be one of three opponents. Here is the breakdown: If the Colts beat the Jets Saturday night, Indianapolis will go to Pittsburgh regardless of the outcome of Sunday's wild-card game. If the Jets win, Pittsburgh will await the winner of Baltimore and Kansas City. The Steelers matchup well with all of those teams. But I'm sure most followers of the AFC North would prefer Baltimore and Pittsburgh to meet in the AFC title game, not in the second round.

» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 17:

Can the Ravens beat Palmer? Few quarterbacks have had as much success against the Baltimore Ravens' vaunted defense as Carson Palmer. The Cincinnati Bengals quarterback is 9-3 in his career as a starter against Baltimore, including three in a row dating to last season. After beating Baltimore in Week 2, Cincinnati will be going for its second straight season sweep of the Ravens.

What about Flacco? On the flip side, Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco has a return meeting against the team he struggled with most this season. Flacco threw a career-high four interceptions in Baltimore's 15-10 loss to the Bengals in Week 2. The bad performance was a turning point for Flacco, who has only four picks in his past 13 games. The Bengals will try to confuse Flacco again, but the third-year quarterback has shown no signs of struggling in recent weeks. Flacco has led the Ravens to a 5-1 record in the past six games.

Will McCoy bounce back? Continuing our theme of starting quarterbacks, if there is one word to describe Colt McCoy of the Cleveland Browns during his football career, it would be "successful." So how will McCoy respond to his first awful game at the pro level? The Browns are about to find out as their rookie quarterback prepares for the Pittsburgh Steelers this week. McCoy left the University of Texas as college football's all-time winningest quarterback. The 2010 third-round pick played solid football until he ran into Baltimore's defense and threw three interceptions. McCoy doesn't have an easy task against Pittsburgh's No. 2-ranked defense.

Cleaning up special teams: Pittsburgh had a nice bounce-back game on special teams in last week's 27-3 win over the Carolina Panthers. Pittsburgh's kick coverage was shredded by the New York Jets in Week 15, but the Steelers didn’t allow any big returns and forced two fumbles (recovering one) against the Panthers. Covering kicks has been an issue for Pittsburgh the past couple of seasons, yet the team has cleaned up a lot of those mistakes this season under first-year special-teams coach Al Everest. It was a good sign for the playoff-bound Steelers to keep those struggles at just one game.

Easy playoff scenarios: The Week 17 playoff scenarios are simple for the Ravens (11-4) and Steelers (11-4). Both teams are already in the playoffs, but a Pittsburgh win would clinch the AFC North and a first-round bye. For Baltimore, it can win the AFC North and a first-round bye with a win and a Pittsburgh loss. Both games are at 1 p.m. ET.

» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Here are five nuggets of knowledge about Week 16:

Fiery Joe: What's gotten into Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco lately? Flacco, who earned the nickname "Joe Cool" to describe his temperament, has been very fiery. In the past few weeks, Flacco has argued with officials and gotten into a heated exchange with veteran receiver Derrick Mason on the sidelines. In his third season, Flacco is playing well and showing more emotion than ever, and it's part of his evolution as an offensive leader in Baltimore. Is this a good thing? "I think so," Ravens defensive end/linebacker Terrell Suggs said in a conference call this week. "We have a very loose locker room, and it's good to see Joe have a little bit of fire to him."

Stopping the run: Ravens running back Ray Rice is coming off his most complete game of the season with 233 total yards and two touchdowns. He will present a stiff challenge for the Cleveland Browns' run defense, which has struggled. The Browns have been pushed around at the line of scrimmage the past two weeks, allowing 380 rushing yards in losses to the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals. Cleveland has been a tough team all season, but you have to wonder if that toughness is starting to fade down the stretch.

Third-down woes: Another reason Cleveland's defense is wearing down: The offense can't move the chains. In the past three games, the Browns are an abysmal 6-for-32 (18.7 percent) on third-down conversions. Cleveland cannot sustain long drives and, even after getting turnovers, usually settles for a field goal or quickly gives the ball back to the other team. Browns offensive coordinator Brian Daboll is on the hot seat after not being able to get his group going all year.

Young receivers: With Terrell Owens (knee) on injured reserve and Chad Ochocinco (ankle) ailing, expect to see a lot more from third-year Bengals receivers Jerome Simpson and Andre Caldwell. They were taken in the second and third rounds, respectively, in 2008 and projected to be major contributors by now. But opportunities and production have been sparse. Simpson and Caldwell got extended playing time last week against the Browns, combining for six receptions for 129 yards. Both are auditioning for bigger roles in 2011.

Extended rest: After picking up a 27-3 victory against the Carolina Panthers, the Steelers get 10 days to rest for their regular-season finale against Cleveland on Jan. 2. Pittsburgh will look to avenge last year's 13-6 loss in Cleveland, which helped keep the Steelers out of the playoffs. The game will be meaningful for Pittsburgh in the standings if Baltimore beats the Browns on Sunday.

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

• The Baltimore Ravens (10-4) need to beat the Cleveland Browns (5-9) to remain in contention for the AFC North title.

Morning take: The Pittsburgh Steelers' blowout of the Carolina Panthers puts pressure on Baltimore to keep pace. Can Steeler Nation really root for Cleveland this weekend?

• Meanwhile, Pittsburgh showed no mercy during a 27-3 victory over Carolina.

Morning take: This was a very business-like game by the Steelers. They put the Panthers away early and offered no hope for an upset.

• Cleveland Browns Pro Bowl kick returner Josh Cribbs explains why he's playing hurt.

Morning take: Cribbs hasn't made much of an impact after dislocating four toes in November. But he deserves credit for toughing it out and not complaining about his ailments.

• San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers says he's ready for the Cincinnati Bengals and the cold weather.

Morning take: This is a must-win game for San Diego (8-6). Rivers is on a nice run this season but it won't mean nearly as much to him if he doesn't make the playoffs.

Here are some thoughts on the Pittsburgh Steelers' 27-3 blowout victory over the Carolina Panthers:

What it means: Pittsburgh improves to 11-4 and gets one step closer to securing the AFC North division title and a first-round bye in the playoffs. The Steelers will wait for the result of this weekend's game between the Baltimore Ravens (10-4) and Cleveland Browns (5-9). If Baltimore loses, Pittsburgh clinches the division and has the option of resting key players in its Week 17 game against the Browns. If the Ravens win, both Baltimore and Pittsburgh have to play out the final week.

What I liked: The Steelers responded well after a short week of preparation and suffering a tough loss this past Sunday to the New York Jets. Pittsburgh put away the lowly Panthers (2-13) early, taking a 20-0 halftime lead. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (320 yards, two total touchdowns) and receiver Mike Wallace (four catches, 104 yards, one touchdown) led the offense, and the defense allowed only three points, which is tied for the lowest total of the season. It was a complete, business-like performance for Pittsburgh against a really bad team. The Steelers also didn't suffer any major injuries.

What I didn't like: There were a couple of things to nitpick with the Steelers. The biggest is that Pittsburgh's struggles in the red zone continued. The Steelers were 2-of-6 in the red zone and need to do much better converting touchdowns against better competition. Also, Roethlisberger was involved in two fumbles. One was a fumbled exchange with rookie center Maurkice Pouncey that appeared to be the fault of the quarterback. The second was a handoff attempt to Isaac Redman in the second half.

Underrated contributor: Steelers rookie receiver Emmanuel Sanders is coming on strong late in the season. Sanders has developed as a viable option in the slot and had four catches for 54 yards. Sanders is fearless and competitive, and it looks like Pittsburgh has another good find in the third round.

Miller returns: After missing the past two games with a concussion, Pittsburgh starting tight end Heath Miller returned and made an immediate contribution. The offense looked much better with Miller's receiving and solid run blocking. He recorded a team-high five receptions to go with his 73 yards.

Streak broken: Steelers kicker Shaun Suisham has done a good job of replacing longtime Pittsburgh kicker Jeff Reed. Suisham made two field goals in the first half but his streak of 12 straight makes ended when he missed a 41-yard attempt at the end of the first half.

What's next: The Steelers have a good opportunity to rest and get healthy with 10 days to prepare for their Jan. 2 rivalry game against the Browns. Last year the Browns split the season series with Pittsburgh, picking up a 13-6 win in Cleveland.