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Bill Cowher wants to teach men about melanoma, a form of skin cancer that led to the death of his wife in 2010. But Cowher's name is in the headlines for another reason as well.

NFL analyst Boomer Esiason recently speculated on a couple of landing spots for Cowher, the former Pittsburgh Steelers coach who is his CBS Sports colleague.

“The only two coaching spots that I think that he would ever come out of retirement for ... one would be the New York Giants and the other one would be the Chicago Bears, because he’s that type of guy,” Esiason told WSCR-AM 670, via the Chicago Tribune. “Being so close to him over the last few years and watching him go through his total personal-life upheaval with the death of his wife and watching how he’s handled that with great dignity and professionalism, I’m just telling you, there is no dirt on that man. This guy is as good as he seems. He’s everything that you’d expect him to be.”

Cowher would instantly become the NFL's hottest coaching commodity if he makes it known he wants to coach again. But I'm not sure we'll ever see that jutting jaw on the sideline ever again. This will mark his sixth season out of coaching.

It was only December when Dan Marino, another one of Cowher's pregame show colleagues, said he didn't think Cowher would coach again.

"I would love to see [Cowher] be the Dolphins' coach or if he wanted to coach again because that would be great for the NFL, but I don't think his mindset is that he wants to coach again," Marino said told the Dolphins' official website six months ago. "And he may change that over time, but my feeling is that he's a pretty straightforward guy that tells the truth most of the time ... and he said on TV that he doesn't have any plans of coming back, and I believe him."

When he left coaching at the end of the 2006 season, his 161-99-1 record ranked him fourth among current-era coaches in career wins. He won a Super Bowl in the 2005 season after six trips to the AFC Championship Game and took the Steelers to the playoffs 10 times.

The Ravens might be hard-pressed to keep their heir apparent to general manager Ozzie Newsome.

Four teams -- the Indianapolis Colts, Chicago Bears, St. Louis Rams and Oakland Raiders -- are reportedly interested in Ravens director of player personnel Eric DeCosta for their general manager openings. The Colts, Rams and one other team have already received permission to interview DeCosta and plan to meet with him in the next couple of days, according to The Baltimore Sun.

DeCosta has long been considered the successor-in-waiting to Newsome, the team's only general manager, who turns 56 in March but has never publicly hinted at retirement. Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti has rewarded DeCosta for his loyalty -- he removed his name from the Seahawks' general manager search in 2009 -- with an increase in pay and responsibility.

"I think Eric knows how highly regarded he is in Baltimore, but when you have a guy as successful as Ozzie Newsome in the job, there's not a ton of promises that you can make," Bisciotti said in March 2010. "I think Eric is smart enough to see what happened with Phil [Savage] and George [Kokinis], and he'll probably limit himself to consideration of just a handful of jobs. His relationship with Ozzie is just as solid as any relationship I've seen in the NFL. He's so happy in his job that I think it will take a perfect job to get his serious consideration. Eric is going to make a great GM someday."

The problem for the Ravens is that the perfect job could be coming DeCosta's way. With four teams in the mix, the competition for DeCosta might result in a deal that he can't refuse.

DeCosta officially became Newsome's right-hand man in the war room in 2005, when Savage left for the Cleveland Browns' general manager job. One team official said DeCosta sets up the draft and Newsome makes the final decisions.

What makes DeCosta attractive to so many teams is his age (40), track record and a thoroughness that highlights his desire for better results.

"We even grade our lunches," DeCosta once said. "If I say it's a 6.2 lunch - all the guys know what that means: pretty good, but not great. A 7.5 is like the Pro Bowl; if I say the soup is a 7.5 today, everybody runs to get the soup."

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

• Atlanta Falcons Pro Bowl receiver Roddy White will provide a good test for Baltimore Ravens first-round pick Jimmy Smith.

Morning take: This is a tough matchup for Smith before the regular season. White is big and physical, and these are the type of No. 1 receivers Smith was drafted to stop.

• Will the Cincinnati Bengals only carry two quarterbacks?

Morning take: Andy Dalton and Bruce Gradkowski are locks to make the team. Dan LeFevour may be expendable if Cincinnati wants to use a roster spot on another position.

• Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Doug Legursky will be the team's starting guard this season.

Morning take: Legursky is a blue-collar player who fits the Steelers well. Tony Hills had the first chance but didn't take advantage in the preseason.

• Young players on the Cleveland Browns will try to impress against the Chicago Bears.

Morning take: The Browns are not a deep team. So I'm curious to see which young players step up and make the team for backup roles.

If you thought the Baltimore Ravens have completely moved on from a botched draft-day trade involving the Chicago Bears, think again.

In a radio interview Tuesday on the "Waddle and Silva Show" in Chicago, Ravens coach John Harbaugh ripped the Bears for not calling in a trade, which resulted in Baltimore missing its No. 26 overall pick last April. Chicago later apologized and said it was a mistake. But the Ravens, who were expected to get an additional fourth-round pick, still aren't buying it.

"It was disappointing," Harbaugh said. "They can get mad at me if they want, but I'm not buying the mistake thing. It wasn't a mistake. They knew what they were doing.

"They put their guy on the phone. They agreed to a pick. They got their guy on the phone. They recognized he wasn't getting calls from the team behind them, and they basically stalled for over a minute, telling us they had called the trade in. They hadn't called the trade in. They said it was a mistake. Those guys have been doing it for a long time, c'mon."

The Ravens still drafted their desired target -- cornerback Jimmy Smith -- at No. 27. But they still feel shafted for doing business with the Bears.

The NFL decided not to punish Chicago by giving Baltimore additional compensation. So it's simply a tough pill the Ravens have to swallow.

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

• Baltimore Ravens linebacker Sergio Kindle says he is cleared and ready to return to football.

Morning take: Optimism is running high with Kindle lately, which is a good thing. The Ravens need help with their pass rush. There is certaintly a spot open for what Kindle potentially offers.

• According to Pro Football Focus, Cincinnati Bengals left tackle Andrew Whitworth was second in the NFL is pass-blocking efficiency.

Morning take: Whitworth is one of the league's most underrated players. Will he make Tuesday's Power Rankings or continue to be underrated? Find out later today.

• Is Chicago Bears returner Devin Hester better than Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger?

Morning take: According to the NFL Network's survey of players, Hester is better. There have been some questionable placements, and this is one of them.

• Does Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy need more than the 2011 season to prove himself?

Morning take: Ideally, yes, a young quarterback needs time to grow with a team. But McCoy likely gets only the 2011 season and half of last season to prove he's the long-term solution.

The AFC North blog continues its series of offseason grudge matches we'd like to see during the NFL lockout.

Enjoy.

Bout No. 1: Bengals receiver Chad Ochocinco vs. Bengals coach Marvin Lewis

Analysis: Before the fight, Lewis calls Ochocinco "mopey," which gets under the skin of the receiver. Ochocinco fights back by calling Lewis a bull and says he's going to ride and tame him for 10 rounds. Instead, Ochocinco enters the ring and Lewis knocks him out quickly in 1.5 seconds, setting a new record. When Ochocinco regains consciousness, he immediately hops up and jumps over the ring ropes before Marvin "The Bull" Lewis can get his hands on him and dish out more punishment. After the fight, Ochocinco says his performance was "embarrassing."

AFC North blog pick: Lewis KO in 1.5 seconds of Round 1

Bout No. 2: Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome vs. Bears GM Jerry Angelo

Analysis: Before the fight, Newsome and Angelo agree on a 50-50 split in compensation. But in a bush-league move, Angelo "forgets" to call the boxing commission, ensuring he gets more of the purse. Highly upset, Newsome agrees to the fight anyway to prove a point and enters the ring with his angry trainer, Steve Bisciotti. Newsome uses his Hall of Fame hands to pick apart Angelo in four rounds. After the fight, Newsome and Bisciotti both say they will not do business with Angelo's camp anytime soon.

AFC North blog pick: Newsome KO in Round 4

Bout No. 3: Browns quarterback Colt McCoy vs. Ravens safety Ed Reed

Analysis: In an effort to improve his skills, the younger McCoy wants to move his training camp to the West Coast but is locked out of the facility. Therefore, "Camp Colt" takes place mostly in parking lots and second-rate gyms. McCoy tries his best, but isn't properly trained to face a future Hall of Famer like Reed, who thoroughly outclasses McCoy for 10 rounds. Reed is on top of his game and easily intercepts McCoy's punches while picking the quarterback apart. At one point, Reed is so hot that his chair catches fire underneath him between rounds. That is the only bad thing to happen to Reed during the fight.

AFC North blog pick: Reed by unanimous decision

Bout No. 4 for middleweight title: Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall vs. Champion Ravens safety Tom Zbikowski

Analysis: Mendenhall sends out several controversial tweets before the fight, immediately losing his endorsement money. Mendenhall tries to write an apology, but it's too late. The crowd is vehemently against the running back. Zbikowski is a huge fan favorite and has looked unbeatable lately. Mendenhall lasts in the ring longer than most but is obviously distracted by his recent trials. Zbikowski gets another knockout, but this time it comes in the second round.

AFC North blog pick: Zbikowski KO in Round 2

Bout No. 5 and main event for heavyweight title: Browns running back Peyton Hillis vs. Champion Steelers linebacker James Harrison

Analysis: This is expected to be a great fight between two top heavyweights. Hillis exploded on the scene last year but suddenly has a string of bad luck after getting on the cover of "Madden NFL 12." Now Hillis can't stay healthy. He suffers thigh and rib injuries in training but wants to fight Harrison for the belt anyway. On his way to the ring, Hillis slips on a banana peel and sprains his ankle. While trying to get in the ring, Hillis also pulls his hamstring. Harrison shows no mercy and punishes a banged-up Hillis for three rounds before the running back's corner throws in the towel.

AFC North blog pick: Harrison by TKO in Round 3

Chad Ochocinco believes his "time is up" with the Cincinnati Bengals, and we agree with the 33-year-old receiver. But the question is where will the former six-time Pro Bowler land this upcoming season?

ESPN's Adam Schefter provided some potential destinations for Ochocinco, who has $6 million left on his contract in 2011. Schefter mentions the New England Patriots, Chicago Bears and Washington Redskins as candidates. All three teams could use some star power at wide receiver next season. Washington, in particular, was very interested in trading for Ochocinco a few seasons ago.

Chances are the Bengals will have a hard time this year trading Ochocinco, who has a high salary and is coming off one of his worst seasons. He caught just 67 passes for 831 yards and four touchdowns. But the Bengals appear willing to release Ochocinco, especially after investing the No. 4 overall draft pick on former Georgia receiver A.J. Green.

Cincinnati started a youth movement at receiver late last season with Jerome Simpson, Andre Caldwell and Jordan Shipley and continued that in the draft. Ochocinco, once a star for the Bengals, now looks like the odd man out with this young group.

Also, in case you can't get enough of Ocho, SportsNation is going heavy on the Bengals receiver to get your take on this past weekend's attempt to ride a bull, which lasted just 1.5 seconds. You can vote on everything from his bull riding to facing Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu.

There was no resolution to the trade snafu involving the Baltimore Ravens and Chicago Bears. The league ruled Friday the Ravens would not get any compensation, despite the Bears botching a trade that cost the Ravens one slot in the first round.

But that doesn't mean the Ravens are willing to quietly sweep this under the rug. Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti ripped the team and its owners after the ruling.

"I'm disappointed in the Bears and the McCaskeys. It is in my opinion a deviation from their great legacy," Bisciotti told Jamison Hensley of the Baltimore Sun. "They concluded that their heartfelt and admirable apology was sufficient for our loss. All of us at the Ravens strongly disagree."

On principle, the Ravens are right to be upset. The honorable thing for the Bears to do would be to give up the pick both sides agreed upon. But everyone knows the NFL is a cutthroat and competitive business. The Ravens were cheated due to the ineptness of another team, and there's nothing that can be done other than to accept a verbal apology.

That mid-round pick could have been a non-entity for Baltimore. Or it could have been a special-teamer or eventual starter who could help the Ravens. We will never know.

But here is what we do know: Bisciotti, general manager Ozzie Newsome and the Ravens probably won't do business with the Bears again any time soon.

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

• The NFL will not grant the Baltimore Ravens compensation for the trade snafu made by the Chicago Bears in the first round.

Morning take: This is not a surprise. The Ravens were given the short end and missed their pick. But in the eyes of the league, no trade was made official so Chicago doesn't have to pay up.

• The Cincinnati Bengals hope third-round linebacker Dontay Moch helps their pass rush.

Morning take: Moch had 30 career sacks at Nevada, and the Bengals hope he can be equally productive in Cincinnati. The Bengals plan to move Rey Maualuga inside and need someone else to step up at outside linebacker.

• The Pittsburgh Steelers hit their top three needs in the first three rounds.

Morning take: Cornerback was probably their biggest need, but they didn't get one until the third round in Curtis Brown of Texas. This likely adds pressure to re-sign veteran Ike Taylor in free agency.

• The Cleveland Browns drafted some attitude with linemen Phil Taylor and Jabaal Sheard.

Morning take: The division is not for the weak at heart. If the Browns are going to eventually compete with Baltimore and Pittsburgh, they need to start putting together a stout defense as well.

The Baltimore Ravens reportedly are seeking more than an apology from the Chicago Bears following a trade snafu that cost Baltimore one slot in the first round of the NFL draft.

According to Peter King of Sports Illustrated, Baltimore is expected to contact the league Friday to try to get the fourth-round pick Chicago agreed upon during the botched trade. Both teams were required to call in the trade and the Ravens did their part. But the Bears dropped the ball and forgot to make the call, causing the trade to fall through and the Ravens to miss their pick.

The Kansas City Chiefs quickly turned in their card and drafted University of Pittsburgh receiver Jon Baldwin at No. 26. The Ravens took their target anyway in Colorado cornerback Jimmy Smith at No. 27 but remain upset with the chain of events.

Bears general manager Jerry Angelo made a public apology to the Ravens Thursday night. But chances are, they don't want to give up an extra draft pick if the trade wasn't made official by the NFL. The Bears still made their selection in their original slot at No. 29 and would prefer to sweep everything under the rug and simply move on.

If you're going by the honor code, the Ravens deserve the pick. The two sides came to an agreement and the Bears were responsible for screwing it up. But the NFL draft is big business where honor doesn't always apply.

After months of hype, Day 1 of the NFL draft is finally in the books. We now have four new players in the division who are expected to make an immediate impact with their respective teams.

But which AFC North club had the best first-round pick Thursday night? That is this week's "Poll Friday" question in conjunction with ESPN's SportsNation.

Was it the Cincinnati Bengals? They turned down a significant trade offer from the Atlanta Falcons to keep the No. 4 overall pick and selected Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green. He is expected to replace Chad Ochocinco as the No. 1 target in Cincinnati.

What about the Cleveland Browns? They accepted Atlanta's generous trade package, which included five draft picks over the next two years and eventually selected Baylor defensive tackle Phil Taylor to anchor the middle of their 4-3 defense. Did the Browns have the best first day?

The Baltimore Ravens missed a spot after a trade went awry with the Chicago Bears but they eventually took Colorado cornerback Jimmy Smith at No. 27. Smith is talented but comes with character concerns. But is he the best pick in the division?

Or did the reigning AFC champion Pittsburgh Steelers get the most for their value at No. 31 by selecting Ohio State defensive end Cameron Heyward? The Steelers are good at capitalizing on prospects other teams miss at the end of rounds. Is Heyward Pittsburgh's next gem?

Cast your vote on which AFC North team had the best first round Thursday night and share your thoughts in the comment section below. We'd love to hear everyone's honest, homer-free assessment of the first round.

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

• Chicago Bears general manager Jerry Angelo apologized to the Baltimore Ravens for a trade gaffe that caused Baltimore to miss one spot in the first round of the NFL draft.

Morning take: I thought something was fishy last night when Baltimore missed its pick. The Ravens were trying to trade down to No. 29 and apparently there was a snag on the other end with Chicago. Baltimore ended up with cornerback Jimmy Smith at No. 27.

• Cincinnati Bengals first-round pick A.J. Green is talented. But who will throw the receiver the football?

Morning take: Right now it's quarterbacks Jordan Palmer or Dan LeFevour. But rest assured the Bengals will not leave this week's draft without a quarterback to compete with that pair.

• Pittsburgh Steelers GM Kevin Colbert is happy to keep all of his picks and still land defensive end Cameron Heyward.

Morning take: I think the Steelers got good value in Heyward at No. 31. The Steelers have other needs but stayed true to taking the best available player on their board.

• The Cleveland Browns were among ESPN.com senior writer John Clayton's Day 1 winners.

Morning take: Cleveland didn't make a splash by trading out at No. 6, but you have to look at the big picture. The Browns now have 18 draft choices in the next two years to help rebuild a thin roster.

Thanks to Carson Palmer, there is a dark cloud of uncertainty hanging over the Cincinnati Bengals. Cincinnati's $100 million quarterback wants out in the worst way and has threatened to retire if he doesn't get his wish.

Palmer's stern demands have put the Bengals in a huge bind this offseason, as the franchise now scrambles to find contingency plans in the event Palmer stays true to his word. Not only that, Cincinnati is coming off a disappointing 4-12 season and has plenty of needs throughout its roster.

Bengals ownership has held firm in saying it will not trade Palmer, leaving both parties at a stalemate. But there are many wrinkles to this saga that have yet to unfold.

With that in mind, here are five questions and answers on Cincinnati's quarterback issue:

Question No. 1: Who is currently on the roster?

Answer: For years, the Bengals have put off drafting an eventual successor at quarterback, and the team is now paying for it with Palmer's surprising threat to retire. Cincinnati's in-house options aren't very good. Carson Palmer's younger brother, Jordan Palmer, is the No. 2 quarterback on the roster. The four-year veteran has seen limited action in four career games and has a 34.4 passer rating. Jordan Palmer is trying to take a leadership role in Cincinnati and rally the receivers to work out together in the offseason. Second-year quarterback Dan LeFevour, No. 3 on the depth chart, is unproven. The Bengals picked up LeFevour off waivers from the Chicago Bears as a rookie last September. Neither quarterback is starting material and it would be surprising if Cincinnati starts next season with either player under center.

Question No. 2: What is available via trade or through free agency?

Answer: Although the Bengals traditionally aren't major players in free agency or the trade market, Cincinnati must an exception if the team wants an experienced quarterback to replace Palmer. As far as trades, Kevin Kolb of the Philadelphia Eagles would be a solid fit for the Bengals. He's young, has some starting experience and is well-versed in the West Coast offense, which Cincinnati is implementing under new offensive coordinator Jay Gruden. Kolb is a backup in Philadelphia to Michael Vick, who was an MVP candidate last season. So for the right price, the Eagles could listen. Other options include Vince Young of the Tennessee Titans and Washington Redskins quarterback Donovan McNabb, who are both on the outs with their teams. The Titans, in fact, could be a good landing spot for Palmer if the Bengals are willing to move him. (We will get to that later.) The free-agent market is thinner. But an interesting option, at least in the short term, could be Ryan Fitzpatrick of the Buffalo Bills. Buffalo has expressed interest in re-signing Fitzpatrick (3,000 yards, 23 touchdowns) after a career year. But the Bills are also could draft their long-term solution at quarterback with the No. 3 overall pick. Fitzpatrick was Palmer's backup in Cincinnati in 2008.

Question No. 3: Who is available in the draft?

Answer: This is the safest route for the Bengals to grab "Palmer insurance." With labor uncertainty, there will no be trades or player movement until a new collective bargaining agreement is reached. But there is guaranteed to be an NFL draft at the end of April. Cincinnati would be wise to grab one of the top quarterbacks in the draft. The Bengals have the No. 4 overall pick and could have a shot at top quarterback prospects Cam Newton of Auburn and Missouri's Blaine Gabbert. But investing such a high pick at quarterback when the team is still unsure about Palmer's future may not be the best route. A quality prospect at the position likely would be available at the top of the second round. Quarterbacks such as Ryan Mallett of Arkansas, Christian Ponder of Florida State and Andy Dalton of TCU could be possibilities there. Mallett showed great throwing ability at the combine but has some off-the-field concerns. But the Bengals have typically gone after those types of players in the past.

Question No. 4: What is Palmer's trade value?

Answer: Palmer is a 31-year-old quarterback whose best years are behind him, but he still has value. He put up a lot of yards (3,970) but not a lot of wins (four) last season. He also tied a career high with 20 interceptions, although some were the result of receivers freelancing and running their own routes. When looking at trade value, you have to examine recent examples. Last year the Eagles traded McNabb to Washington for a second-round pick and a future third- or fourth-round pick, which was conditional. This type of deal seems on par with what the Bengals could receive. Teams just don't give up first-round picks anymore because they're too valuable. So for a veteran such as Palmer, the Bengals could probably land a second-rounder and another pick or two in the middle rounds. Cincinnati also wouldn't have to worry about the $50 million owed to Palmer over the next years. If the Bengals try to call Palmer's bluff and he retires, they get nothing.

Question No. 5: Which teams are potential trade partners?

Answer: Palmer still has a few good years left and could be a solid quarterback in a winning situation. About a third of the league has questions at quarterback. But that doesn't mean every team is a good fit for Palmer. He doesn't want to be part of another long rebuilding process, which is what's going on in Cincinnati. So the Minnesota Vikings, San Francisco 49ers, Tennessee, Miami Dolphins and Oakland Raiders would be ideal landing spots for Palmer, who could be the missing piece to turning these teams into playoff contenders. Other teams with quarterback needs, such as Buffalo and the Arizona Cardinals, have a lot more work to do and are in the same spot as Cincinnati. So Palmer probably would be less interested. All of this is contingent, of course, on the Bengals' willingness to trade Palmer.

Considering all of these factors, Palmer vs. the Bengals is undoubtedly a must-watch situation this offseason.

We touched on this earlier, but the Cleveland Browns officially named Dick Jauron defensive coordinator Friday evening. Jauron, who was most recently a secondary coach with the Philadelphia Eagles, is another person who has ties to Browns general manager Tom Heckert and president Mike Holmgren.

Jauron also comes to Cleveland with plenty of coaching experience at various levels, including two stints as head coach in Buffalo and Chicago, which I think is important. The Browns hired first-time head coach Pat Shurmur earlier this month and inexperienced head coaches have not worked out well in Cleveland. With Holmgren, Jauron and perhaps another veteran assistant, the team could have enough quality experience to make it work.

The role as defensive coordinator will be important in Cleveland. Shurmur is running the offense and calling the plays, which is partly the reason the Browns have yet to find a new offensive coordinator to replace Brian Daboll. But the Browns defense will be run by Jauron.

Cleveland needs to make several upgrades via the draft and free agency and decide if it wants to switch to a 4-3 defense in 2011. Jauron will inherit some talented young players such as rookie cornerback Joe Haden and first-year safety T.J. Ward.

We have an AFC East versus AFC North showdown at Heinz Field to determine who will represent the conference in Super Bowl XLV. The New York Jets (13-5) will visit the Pittsburgh Steelers (13-4) in a rematch of the Jets' 22-17 victory in Week 15.

But this time we're going to narrow our focus to the heart and soul of both teams: the defense. That is what brought the Jets and Steelers this far. The better defense Sunday likely will make the difference in the AFC Championship Game.

So which defense has the best chance to dominate? ESPN.com AFC North blogger James Walker and AFC East blogger Tim Graham break it down.

James Walker: I like the fact that both of these defenses attack first and often can dictate to the opposing offenses the tempo of the game. But when you start comparing the two teams by the numbers, New York's defense doesn't stack up to Pittsburgh's. The Steelers have the advantage over the Jets in every major statistical regular-season category, including average total yards allowed (276.8 to 291.5), points allowed (14.5 to 19), total sacks (48 to 40) and forced turnovers (35 to 30). Pittsburgh's run defense also was fifth best all-time since the start of the Super Bowl era in 1966, allowing just 62.8 yards per game. The Jets allowed an average of 90.9 rushing yards per game. New York also gave up 72 more points than Pittsburgh in the regular season. And based on their average, that's about five games' worth of points for the Steelers. If you want to compare current numbers in the playoffs, the Steelers are also No. 1 in postseason defense, allowing just 126 total yards in a divisional win over Baltimore. The Jets played in two playoff games and are not in the top six. New York has allowed an average of 342 total yards in the postseason, which is a very big discrepancy of 216 total yards per game.

Tim Graham: No, I don't want to compare postseason stats because the Steelers have played one game at home against a wild-card team. The Jets have played two road games against future Hall of Fame quarterbacks and snuffed them both -- in two of the most intimidating stadiums for a visitor to escape in any sport. What the Jets have done the past two weeks would be a remarkable feat even for the "Steel Curtain." The Jets held Peyton Manning to 16 points and made inevitable MVP Tom Brady appear lost. The Patriots scored 21 points, but the last touchdown came against the Jets' prevent defense in garbage time. But even more significant? The Jets won in Pittsburgh five weeks ago. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger took his shots against the Jets and posted a passer rating almost 20 points lower than his season average. The Jets forced more fumbles than the Steelers that night, had more sacks and even recorded a safety. As for that sterling run defense ranking you quoted, in that contest the Jets' running game surpassed the Steelers' average by 44 yards -- an increase of 59 percent.

JW: If you want to throw away the Jets' postseason statistics, then Pittsburgh's superior regular-season numbers over 16 games still apply. There is no way to ignore both, Tim, because Pittsburgh's defense was better no matter how you cut it. In terms of Week 15, I think you're conveniently leaving out that the game was won on special teams. Brad Smith's 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown was the difference. The Steelers' defense allowed just one touchdown, while Pittsburgh's offense outscored New York's offense 17-13. The Steelers also racked up 377 yards against the Jets' defense, which is worse than the 342-yard postseason average I mentioned earlier. In terms of which defense can dominate the AFC title game, you have to take into account the offenses these two teams are facing. There is zero debate that Roethlisberger is a superior quarterback to New York's Mark Sanchez. In fact, if I were ranking the four remaining playoff quarterbacks, Sanchez would be dead last behind Roethlisberger, Aaron Rodgers and even Jay Cutler. Credit Sanchez for having some success against the Colts and Patriots, but those defenses were ranked in the 20s this season. Even Jets linebacker Bart Scott admitted New England's defense "couldn't stop a nosebleed," and he's right. Sanchez has yet to face a defense in the playoffs like Pittsburgh's once it's at full strength with a healthy Troy Polamalu, who missed the first meeting. Sanchez threw for just 170 yards in Week 15, and even then Polamalu’s absence limited what Pittsburgh could do defensively. The Pro Bowl safety makes a huge difference in coverage, stopping the run and freeing up others to pressure the quarterback. The "Polamalu factor" cannot be overlooked with the Steelers' defense, and I think he's going to be a huge headache for Sanchez, especially since Sanchez didn’t get to face Polamalu in the first meeting.

TG: I didn't ignore either the Jets' regular-season or postseason statistics. We simply cannot compare the Jets' postseason numbers to the Steelers'. The sample size is too small, they haven't played the same number of games, and they've played a different caliber of opponent so far in the tournament. The Jets were road underdogs for both of their games, while the Steelers were a home favorite coming off a bye week. You cannot compare them that way. It's apples and grapefruits. You're right when you say Sanchez has yet to face a defense like the Steelers' with Polamalu on the field. But Polamalu didn't exactly look like a superstar against the Ravens -- two tackles, no passes defensed and a whiffed tackle or two. I'll grant that nobody can expect Polamalu to have two straight subpar games, but he just showed there are no guarantees he's going to take over Sunday's game. Maybe the injury is hampering him. But let me ask you: How is Roethlisberger going to solve a mystifying, multilook defense that Manning and Brady couldn't master in the past two weeks? Oh, and one Roethlisberger couldn't defeat five weeks ago? And if you're thinking about replying with "He's had five weeks to figure it out," remember that Brady had no idea what he was looking at last Sunday, and he played the Jets twice this year.

JW: Roethlisberger threw for 264 yards and a touchdown in the first meeting with the Jets and the offense notched 25 first downs, compared to New York's 17. Steelers tailback Rashard Mendenhall led the game in rushing with 99 yards, one touchdown and averaged 5.8 yards per carry. It's safe to say the Steelers were not mystified in the first meeting after gaining 377 total yards of offense. If anything, I think the Jets' defense needs to make more adjustments to stop what Pittsburgh's offense was able to do well in Week 15. Roethlisberger has played against Rex Ryan's defenses plenty of times when Ryan was the defensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens. This will have the familiarity of a division game for Roethlisberger, where Sanchez is seeing Dick LeBeau's defense for only the second time in his entire career and the first time with Polamalu in the lineup, which is a huge difference. Plus, here is the key advantage Roethlisberger has over Manning and Brady: Pittsburgh's elite defense. The Colts and Patriots need their quarterbacks to play lights out and take more risks to beat the Jets because they have shoddy defenses. This game isn't nearly as much on Roethlisberger's shoulders. He can simply play sound, complementary football with the Steel Curtain defense, which will do much better holding down the Jets' offense compared to New York's previous two playoff opponents.

TG: If the roles were reversed on this debate and I were asked to state a case for the Steelers' defense, the first words I would've written would be "Troy" and "Polamalu," and then I would have made the point that the last time the Jets played the Steelers, the Jets' offense scored one touchdown -- a fourth-down Sanchez bootleg that totally fooled the Steelers' defense. The rest was a kickoff return for a touchdown, a safety and some field goals. One touchdown surrendered would seem to support the Steelers, right? Well, it does. I'm guessing you hadn't gotten around to making that point yet. But that fact also goes to show that a dominant defense doesn't mean a team will win. The Jets did surrender more yardage, but you omitted that the Jets ran 15 fewer offensive plays and spent the fourth quarter in a prevent defense, giving the Steelers the entire middle of the field. The Steelers had the better defense in terms of yardage and still lost because the Jets' defense kept them out of the end zone when it counted. Last time I checked, a game never has been decided by yardage or league rankings.

JW: Tim, I really appreciate you repeating my points from earlier about the "Polamalu factor," the Steelers allowing just one touchdown and New York winning the first meeting via special teams on Smith's 97-yard kickoff return. I think you're finally seeing things my way. At this stage of the season the old saying still applies that "Defense wins championships." That is why both teams are here. Since the Steelers have the better defense in the regular season, the better defense in their previous meeting and the better defense in the playoffs, it's safe to say Pittsburgh's defense will be better on Sunday -- and that will be the difference in the Steelers advancing to their third Super Bowl in six seasons.