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

Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall vowed to play this season and didn't rule out being ready for the Sept. 9 season opener in Denver.

“There’s always the possibility,” Mendenhall told Pittsburgh reporters, via the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “I’ll be back at some point. It’s just a matter of what point that is.”

Mendenhall, who tore the ACL in his right knee on Jan. 1, is entering the final year of his contract. Asked if there was any chance he wouldn't play in 2012, Mendenhall said, “I don’t see that happening at all.”

Hensley's slant: There's really no chance that Mendenhall will be ready for the season opener. Even if he tried, he wouldn't be effective. The presumed timetable is putting him on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) and seeing if he can play after six weeks. Mendenhall wants to play as soon as possible because he doesn't want to go into free agency with teams questioning his health.

BENGALS: With the Bengals seeking a replacement for safety Chris Crocker, defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer has joked that they'll be the first team in history to play with three corners. Former Bengals defensive back Artrell Hawkins says don't laugh. "A lot of these guys are interchangeable and Marvin (Lewis) has moved more that way," Hawkins told the team's official website. "It's a matter of getting value with one guy at a couple of spots. It's like a defensive tackle playing fullback on the goal line. It's harder to game plan for and in this day and age, it's the more you do, the more you stay around. Because other teams have been successful that have tried it, other teams are willing to try it." Hensley's slant: The biggest question mark on defense remains safety. If they did go with three corners, Jason Allen does have experience at safety. But most expect the Bengals to go with Taylor Mays.

BROWNS: The Cleveland Plain Dealer's Terry Pluto thinks the Browns should keep Colt McCoy as the primary backup to Brandon Weeden. "If there is a choice between a 31-year-old (Seneca) Wallace making $3 million a year and McCoy at $550,000 -- remember, these contracts are not guaranteed -- why not go with McCoy?," Pluto wrote. "He is younger, cheaper and far more likely to take a step forward in his career than Wallace. If McCoy is smart, he will 'compete' for the starting job, embrace the backup role if that's his assignment, and the Browns would be wise to give him the chance to do so." Hensley's slant: As regular readers of the blog know, I've been saying the Browns should go with McCoy as the backup since the Browns drafted Weeden.

RAVENS: Linebacker Terrell Suggs is expected to start rehabbing his Achilles injury in mid-June ... Rookie second-round pick Courtney Upshaw was working at Jarret Johnson's linebacker spot, and Paul Kruger was filling in at Suggs' position. ... Rookie second-round pick Kelechi Osemele worked at left guard with the first-team offense. Hensley's slant: Osemele still has to work on his technique in switching from college tackle to NFL guard. But he definitely looks the part. At 6-foot-5, 333 pounds, Osemele is a space-eater on the interior.

It was difficult to get through the mailbag this weekend because there were so many sympathy emails for Terrell Suggs from Steelers fans. OK, so they weren't exactly expressing sympathy. Now, on to the mail ...

Chuck K. from Bison, S.D., writes: As a die-hard Browns fan, I've had my share of agony as with all Browns fans. Do you feel the Browns have turned the corner, and have set the foundation in this year's draft to compete?

Jamison Hensley from AFC headquarters: The Browns have significantly upgraded themselves at running back and right tackle in this draft. Trent Richardson is going to be very productive, and Mitchell Schwartz is a big step up from Tony Pashos. The key, however, is at quarterback. It always is in the NFL. Brandon Weeden is better than Colt McCoy. He is more accurate and has a stronger arm. But is he the franchise quarterback that the Browns have long sought after? Just look at the difference when a team hits and misses on a rookie quarterback. The Bengals went from a four-win team to a playoff one with the help of Andy Dalton. The Jaguars went from an eight-win team to a five-win one with Blaine Gabbert.

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Bob R. from Brunswick, Ohio, writes: You guys all make the same mistake when it comes to the Steelers depth chart. Steve McLendon is the backup nose tackle. If Casey Hampton is not ready from the outset, McLendon will start. The Steelers are fairly high on him. Alameda Ta'amu will provide depth.

Hensley: You are certainly right that I haven't mentioned McLendon enough. After the Steelers drafted Ta'amu, defensive line coach John Mitchell made a point to express confidence in McLendon. "Everybody wants to discard McLendon, let me tell you this, hold your opinion until the season is over," Mitchell said. "I'm just saying keep your opinion until after the season, you make the decision." This insinuates that McLendon will have a bigger role this season. But Ta'amu is more likely the future of the position. The Steelers moved up in the fourth round to get Ta'amu for a reason.

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John from New York writes: Any chance the Bengals are using one out of their stable of cornerbacks to broker a trade at another position of need (safety, for example)?

Hensley: It's true that the Bengals have more depth a cornerback than safety. They now have six corners who were originally drafted in the first round. It wouldn't surprise me if Jason Allen gets a look at safety. He has experience there and might find more playing time by moving. At this point, an unproven Taylor Mays is penciled in as the strong safety next to Reggie Nelson.

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Eric from New York writes: This stat surprised me ... left guard Jason Pinkston: Allowed one sack in 16 starts as a rookie last season. That isn't bad for a fifth-round pick! Was he decent or was he pushed around a bit and just got lucky that the Browns had mobile quarterbacks? What can we expect from him next year?

Hensley: Pinkston was a pleasant surprise last season. It's tough to ask a fifth-round pick to step in as a starter immediately. In the AFC North, only Baltimore got as much out of a fifth-round pick last season with defensive end Pernell McPhee (six sacks). While it's impressive that Pinkston allowed only one sack, Pro Football Focus graded him as one of the league's worst offensive linemen. But it says something about the Browns' confidence in him when they part ways with Eric Steinbach. Cleveland seems committed to Pinkston.

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Rusty from Wilmington, Ohio, writes: Now that the free agency and draft frenzy are over, as you look at the Bengals' roster, where do you still see holes?

Hensley: There's not many, which is good reason for optimism. The Bengals have upgraded themselves at so many positions from guard to running back to cornerback. I wouldn't say there are holes, but a couple areas of concern. Cincinnati lost two of its top three receivers in free agency (Jerome Simpson and Andre Caldwell) and added two receivers in the draft (Mohamed Sanu and Marvin Jones). The Bengals would have been served better to add an experienced No. 2 wide receiver to a young offense. The other position to watch is safety after the team cut Chris Crocker. Taylor Mays has potential, but there is a risk involved because he didn't play many defensive snaps last season.

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Josh from Wayne, N.J., writes: What's the word on Michael McAdoo in Baltimore? It seemed obvious that they put him on IR last year to avoid having to put him through waivers for the practice squad. So there must be something they like in him. Any idea if he has a chance to contribute this year?

Hensley: His chances of contributing this season increased when Terrell Suggs injured his Achilles. You're right that last season tipped off the Ravens' interest in McAdoo. After he went undrafted in the supplemental draft, the Ravens did more than sign him. General manager Ozzie Newsome had an agreement with McAdoo to keep him on the season-opening roster before placing him on injured reserve. That was a way of redshirting the raw pass-rusher because the Ravens didn't want to risk losing him by trying to sneak him on the practice squad. McAdoo, who showed flashes in last year's preseason finale (a sack and a forced fumble), needs to bulk up to get on the field this year. The 6-foot-7 McAdoo was listed at 245 pounds at the end of last season.

Did the Cincinnati Bengals address the right spot in the secondary?

The Bengals' major focus this offseason was cornerback. Cincinnati used the 17th overall pick on Alabama's Dre Kirkpatrick after signing Adam Jones, Terence Newman and Jason Allen in free agency.

There's no arguing that cornerback was an area of need for the Bengals. No one knows if Leon Hall will be ready to start the season after last year's Achilles injury, and Nate Clements will be 33 by the time the season ends. But Cincinnati went overboard at this position. The Bengals now have six cornerbacks who were originally drafted in the first round. Not everyone is going to make the final cut.

The position in the secondary that the Bengals failed to address early in the draft was safety. After cutting starter Chris Crocker in early April, the team is putting a lot of faith in Taylor Mays, a 2010 draft pick of the San Francisco 49ers who has very little on-field experience in Mike Zimmer's defense.

Last season, Mays played 57 out of a possible 648 defensive snaps while missing seven games because of injuries. The biggest knock on Mays has been his coverage skills. But judging by their moves this offseason, the Bengals were more concerned about their depth at cornerback than Mays' ability to step up as a starter.

Over the next week, the AFC North will feature one player who is "On the spot" leading up to the NFL draft. That's a player who is holding a starting job now, but could lose it depending on how his team drafts.

Taylor Mays, Bengals safety

Who he's replacing: Chris Crocker, who was released on April 6. He started 44 games for the Bengals over the past four seasons.

NFL résumé: Mays was a 2010 second-round pick for the 49ers who was traded to Cincinnati last August in exchange for a 2013 seventh-round pick. He played 57 out of a possible 648 defensive snaps last season while missing seven games due to injuries.

Analysis from Matt Williamson, of Scouts Inc.: Reggie Nelson is now set as the Bengals' free safety, but they are weak at strong safety. This is a team now that doesn't have many glaring needs, so they might be active to improve at this spot. But, outside of Alabama's Mark Barron, this is a draft devoid of quality options for strong safeties. Mays might be safe when it is all said and done.

Potential draft replacement: Mark Barron, Alabama

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

Ben Roethlisberger will travel to Europe in June, but the Steelers' starting quarterback is looking at it as a working vacation.

Roethlisberger told Yahoo! Sports that playing golf in Ireland and Scotland -- a scheduled 12 courses in 10 days -- will get his mindset right for the upcoming football season.

“Golf is such a mental challenge, and as frustrating as it can be sometimes, it can definitely make you stronger,” Roethlisberger said. “Playing some great courses in a setting like Ireland and Scotland will be pretty awesome, but it is also a great way to keep your mind sharp. You really have to think your way around and get the grips with the course and the difficulties it offers you. I am a pretty cerebral guy, so it is perfect to have that kind of activity in the offseason that keeps your brain ticking.”

Hensley's slant: No one can argue that Roethlisberger is tough and strong-willed. But he will take some shots for calling himself "a pretty cerebral guy." Hey, if Joe Flacco thinks he is better than Peyton Manning, then Roethlisberger can think he's a cerebral quarterback like Manning.

BENGALS: The team released safety Chris Crocker because of durability concerns. The Bengals, however, will miss his ability to quarterback the secondary, according to cornerback Leon Hall. "The big thing that Crock gave us was being able to get people lined up because he knew the defense inside and out," Hall told the team's official website. "We're going to need the young guys to step it up mentally. We're all going to have to do that because Crock was so good at making the adjustments." Hensley's slant: The Bengals will likely be more athletic at safety without Crocker, but they won't get the same experienced voice from the current candidates to replace him. Taylor Mays, Jeromy Miles and Robert Sands have a combined six NFL starts.

BROWNS: Someone posing as Alabama running back Trent Richardson has been using Twitter recently to make it seem as if the draft prospect was interested in getting drafted by the Browns, according to the Akron Beacon Journal. Several Cleveland media outlets, including the Beacon Journal, had been reporting the tweets as if they were actually coming from Richardson. The account (trentrich03), which has more than 16,000 followers, is not real, according to Josh Maxson, an associate communications director for the University of Alabama's athletic department. Hensley's slant: This is just the latest example of social media gone wrong. Perhaps someone should have been tipped off when the imposter Richardson tweeted, "Love the brownie mascot. Bring back the elf." I still think the Browns will take Richardson with the fourth overall pick, so maybe we'll hear his real feelings about the elf soon.

RAVENS: Baltimore was among four teams who sent offensive line coaches to watch center Peter Konz's workout at Wisconsin last week, according to the Carroll County (Md.) Times. Konz, who has been linked to the Ravens in the first round, bench-pressed 225 pounds 23 times, five more than he did at the NFL scouting combine. He also did offensive line drills for an hour. According to the Carroll County Times, Konz has pre-draft visits scheduled with the Ravens, Bengals, Cowboys and Titans. Hensley's slant: Konz makes sense for a lot of reasons for Baltimore. He could start immediately at left guard and eventually replace Matt Birk at center. The biggest red flag is his medical history. He wasn't able to participate in the NFL scouting combine in February because of an ankle injury and he's scheduled for a medical recheck in Indianapolis this week.

The Bengals didn't cut Chris Crocker on Friday because of one game, but they do part ways with some bad memories by releasing the starting strong safety.

While several Bengals made mistakes in last season's 31-10 playoff loss at Houston, Crocker's errors are the ones that will be remembered as what stood in Cinicnnati's way of winning its first playoff game in 21 years.

He dropped a sure interception that could have been returned for a touchdown, which would have tied the score in the third quarter. Then he failed to push Arian Foster out of bounds on a 42-yard touchdown run, which was the game-clinching score in the fourth quarter.

“It’s sad that I don’t have a chance to redeem myself and get to start all over again here this season," Crocker told the Cincinnati Enquirer, "but the league is unfortunate and cruel that way sometimes.”

Crocker, 32, showed character by talking to reporters immediately after the playoff loss. He was a defensive captain for the Bengals and was named the team's Good Guy by the Cincinnati media.

On the field, Crocker had some lapses. He struggled in covering athletic tight ends, and he wasn't strong in run support. He finished seventh on the Bengals in tackles this season, and seventh in passes defensed (four). Crocker also didn't intercept a pass.

The Bengals told him that durability was the biggest reason for his release, according to Crocker. He missed the last half of 2010 after injuring his MCL, but he played in all but 47 of the team's 1,066 defensive snaps last season, according to the Enquirer.

“I know as a player I feel a certain way, but not everybody in the building felt the same way,” Crocker told the Enquirer. “This was one of the best stops of my career. I got to go to the playoffs two of my three full seasons here.”

The Bengals could promote Taylor Mays, a 2010 second-round pick, to Crocker's spot, or they could draft a safety. Cincinnati has three of the first 53 picks in the upcoming draft.

While Ed Reed and Chris Crocker would disagree, a majority of those participating in this week's SportsNation poll say Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward was not a dirty player.

In a poll that drew more than 11,000 votes, 62 percent say that Ward didn't cross the line as an aggressive and violent football player. Ward, who announced his retirement Tuesday, has drawn criticism over the years for his hits, and was named the NFL's dirtiest player in a 2009 Sports Illustrated poll.

Here are some comments from the blog and the mail bag regarding Ward's style of play:

Go to War Mrs. Agnes: Dirty Player? Depends on if you're a Steelers fan or not!

Tommy2Steel: After 14 years in the league and consistently delivering those bone-jarring hits, if he truly wanted to end someone's career, I would think the list would be long and distinguished -- but there is no list because it never happened. He was fearsome and he was not afraid to lay the wood to you, but he was not out to end anyone's career.

JustBeWarned: When so many players say you are a dirty player, the argument is over. He's a dirty player. Fans and writers have never been within 10 feet of Hines Ward. What's broadcasted on TV isn't enough for us to be able to judge for ourselves.

Steelers6XSuperbowl Champs: The question is "Is Hines a Dirty Player?" My response is I don't care. All I know is he caught 1,000 passes for a load of yards and was a big part of winning us two Super Bowls. I admit that I usually see things from a black and gold prospective. But you know what, the Steelers have been fun to cheer for since I was a kid and they have six Championships to show for it. Hines will be missed!!!!

Ohiodeclan: Ward was the dirtiest player on a team with a long history of dirty players.

pusencer: Ward was a hard-nosed blocker and played a physical style of ball. He wasn't dirty and played within the rules. The only questionable hit I ever saw him make was on Rivers a couple years back. It was a bit high, but clean. He just didn't see it coming. He should be a Hall of Famer. I'm a browns fan, glad to see him retire. I never saw him as dirty, but definitely intense and physical.

Bob from Winston Salem, N.C.: Concerning Hines Ward being dirty, I would more often call him the King of Unnecessary Roughness. Ward ended Keith Rivers' rookie season with an unnecessary play. The play is going out of bounds, Rivers is at jogging speed trailing the play, Ward lines him up and lays him out breaking his jaw in two places. You cannot break a players jaw with a legal hit. Ward's helmet went up under Rivers facemask. Ward could have just knocked him sideways and instead he took the free lay out hit. Dirty? Perhaps. Unnecessary? Absolutely. If he did that to Tom Brady, Ward would be suspended for a year!

Unlike Hines Ward at his retirement press conference, there are players around the league who won't be shedding a tear that he is leaving the game.

That includes Bengals safety Chris Crocker, who told the team's official website that Ward "was a dirty player."

You can give Ward a lot of labels but "dirty" should not be among them. He was aggressive, violent, and, yes, often annoying to linebackers and defensive backs alike.

It's true that Ward was named the NFL's dirtiest player in a 2009 Sports Illustrated poll. So, it's not just Steeler-hating fans who are calling Ward out. It's his peers.

Still, this doesn't mean that Ward is dirty. When you play Ward's style, you're not going to gain many friends around the league. Players don't like it when they're running along minding their own business and find themselves face first in the ground a second later. And they really don't like it when it's a 6-foot wide receiver who put them there.

But Ward never stomped on someone's face during a game. He didn't even stand over them to taunt after a hit. In fact, there was one hit where Ward leveled Ravens safety Ed Reed and waved to signal for a trainer immediately afterward. That's not dirty.

Others have a different opinion like Crocker, who said Ward "tried to end people's careers and that's not the way the game is supposed to be played."

Crocker said Ward punched him in the face at the snap of the ball in 2009, a year after Ward's blindside block broke the jaw of Bengals linebacker Keith Rivers and ended his rookie season.

"He was a dirty player, but he made a lot of plays," Crocker said. "They used him perfectly to suit his abilities and he was a big-time player for them. Some people might think of him as a borderline Hall of Famer, but I think the fact he helped them win two Super Bowls and all the things he did for that team make him deserving."

This really is the greatness of Ward. How many players are criticized and respected in the same breath? He was one of the all-time best villains for opposing teams. He was the type of player that you wanted to have as a teammate but hated (and feared) to line up against.

“I love Hines as a player and I told him that,” Reed said last summer. “But I told him also for a long time, ‘You’re a dirty player because I know how you play.’”

Players won't miss keeping their heads on a swivel when Ward was on the field, but they will always remember the passion and intensity that he brought to every play.

The AFC North is running a series where every position will be ranked and what could change at that position.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

1. STEELERS: Pittsburgh had the top-ranked pass defense, and it wasn't all about the pass rush this time. Actually, the pass rush was extremely inconsistent this season, so that No. 1 ranking is more of a reflection of the Steelers' secondary. Cornerback Ike Taylor and free safety Ryan Clark had career years. Taylor's season, though, was marred by a late-season decline that ended with him getting stiffed-armed by the Broncos' Demaryius Thomas on the touchdown that ended the Steelers' season. Clark had the best season of any safety in the division, which is saying a lot when Troy Polamalu and Ed Reed are in the AFC North. He finished second in the division with 100 tackles. Polamalu was solid, but didn't play up to his usual spectacular level. William Gay was a pleasant surprise, taking back the starting cornerback job that he lost in 2010. What could change: Gay is an unrestricted free agent, but it shouldn't take much to retain him. Look for rookie cornerbacks Cortez Allen and Curtis Brown to make more of an impact in their second seasons.

2. RAVENS: This group exceeded expectations, and did so in a surprising manner. Instead of starting Domonique Foxworth and Chris Carr at cornerback, the Ravens finished fourth in pass defense with Lardarius Webb and Cary Williams. Webb was the division's top cornerback, recording five interceptions and breaking up 20 passes (and that doesn't include three interceptions in the playoffs). Williams was a physical presence at corner. The biggest disappointment was Reed, who intercepted three passes -- his fewest in a season where he played more than 12 games. The Ravens' other safety, hard-hitting Bernard Pollard, provided more of an impact than Reed. First-round pick Jimmy Smith endured an up-and-down rookie season. What could change: Smith should take over for Williams as a starting cornerback this season. Foxworth is expected to get cut, and the same could happen to Carr. Both backup safeties, Tom Zbikowski and Haruki Nakamura, are free agents, but I suspect Nakamura will get re-signed.

3. BROWNS: Joe Haden showed signs of being a shutdown corner, even though he failed to make an interception. He held his own against some of the best receivers in the NFL, from Larry Fitzgerald to Brandon Marshall. His worst games came against Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green. While Haden is among the division's best cornerbacks, Sheldon Brown was the worst starting corner in the AFC North. Brown's biggest asset is the experience he provides to a young secondary. The defensive backfield was hurt by the loss of strong safety T.J. Ward, who missed the final 10 games with a foot injury. Teams took advantage of Ward's replacement, Usama Young. Free safety Mike Adams beat out Young for a starting job in training camp. Dimitri Patterson was a reliable nickelback, breaking up a dozen passes. What could change: The Browns might replace Adams, who is a free agent, and they could give rookie seventh-round pick Eric Hagg a shot at doing so. Cleveland is very interested in bringing Patterson back. It wouldn't be a surprise if Patterson starts in place of Brown.

Three AFC North teams entered the playoffs, and all three can point to one or two players who hurt their chances of advancing in the postseason.

So, who is the biggest postseason goat in the division this season? Here are the candidates:

Chris Crocker, Bengals safety. Down 17-10 in the third quarter in Houston, the Bengals had a chance to tie the game when Crocker broke on T.J. Yates' pass and put himself in position to pick off the Texans rookie quarterback. But the ball bounced off Crocker's hands with only Yates standing between him and the end zone. "Hindsight is 20-20 now. I feel bad enough," Crocker said. "I picked that ball nine out of 10 times. This time, I didn’t pick it off when it mattered the most."

Billy Cundiff, Ravens kicker. With the Ravens trailing 23-20 with 11 seconds remaining in New England, Cundiff hooked a 32-yard field goal wide left. And I mean wide left. Cundiff went from being a Pro Bowl kicker in 2010 to living the position's worst nightmare a year later. "It's a kick I've kicked a thousand times in my career," Cundiff said. "I just went out there and didn't convert. That's the way things go. There's really no excuse for it."

Lee Evans, Ravens wide receiver. Two plays before that kick, Evans had a 14-yard, game-winning touchdown pass in his hands -- for a second. Undrafted rookie Sterling Moore slapped the ball away from Evans in the end zone when it looked like Evans seemed to relax. It didn't look like he had possession of the ball when his second foot landed. “Honestly, the most disappointing part of all this ... that I feel personally that I let everybody down," Evans said.

Ike Taylor, Steelers cornerback. In a 29-23 loss in Denver, Taylor allowed catches of 51 and 58 yards before giving up the 80-yard game-winner on the first play in overtime. On the final play, he got beat to the inside by Demaryius Thomas and then got stiff-armed by the Broncos' wide receiver at midfield. Taylor didn't speak to reporters after the game but he tweeted: "I apologize for playing the worst game at the wrong time."

Go ahead and register your vote or let me know what you think in the comments section below. I'll follow up by the end of the week.

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

Bengals offensive coordinator Jay Gruden signed a three-year, $3.6 million extension to remain with the team, a league source confirmed to The Cincinnati Enquirer. The extension was first reported by an Orlando television station.

The Enquirer reported that the terms of the extension are similar to what defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer received when he stayed with the team two years ago.

This extension comes a day after Gruden declined an interview request from the Rams for their head-coaching position. Gruden made an impact in his first season as the Bengals offensive coordinator with his work with rookie quarterback Andy Dalton.

Hensley's slant: Perhaps the biggest key in developing a quarterback is continuity. Keeping Gruden means keeping Dalton in the same system with the same coaching. The next step for the Bengals' passing game is finding a more reliable No. 2 wide receiver.

BROWNS: The Browns' timeline for hiring an offensive coordinator could be affected by other teams filling their head-coaching vacancies, according to The Akron Beacon Journal. Cleveland coach Pat Shurmur has been talking to offensive coordinator candidates, but it's unclear whether any formal interviews have occurred. "Candidates with options and deadlines" have been communicating with the organization, a league source told the paper. Hensley's slant: The biggest splash the Browns can make is hiring either Brad Childress or Mike Sherman. But this unaggressive approach suggests the Browns might just promote from within. Quarterbacks coach Mark Whipple, a former offensive coordinator at the University of Miami, would be the top candidate currently on staff.

RAVENS: Ed Reed isn't concerned that he finished the regular season with three interceptions, the lowest total for a full season in his 10-year career. “They’re not throwing my way. What do you want me to do?” Reed said, via The Baltimore Sun. “They’re not throwing my way. I can remember two interceptions that really touched my hands, and I didn’t make the play, but I’m not getting action. So this question is for the other teams and the other quarterbacks.” Hensley's slant: Don't be surprised if Reed makes an impact in the playoffs after a quiet regular season. He has seven interceptions in nine postseason games. And remember that two picks were taken away two years ago in Indianapolis by penalty. Reed won't drop a pass thrown at him like Cincinnati's Chris Crocker did last week in Houston.

STEELERS: Pro Bowl safety Troy Polamalu won his appeal of a $10,000 fine for using a cell phone on the sideline of a game, a league source told the NFL Network. The league fined Polamalu on Oct. 16 because he used his cell phone near the Steelers' bench during a game against Jacksonville. He reportedly made a brief call to his wife after leaving the game with concussion-like symptoms. Hensley's slant: This is no surprise because it was a bad call by the league in the first place. Remember the NFL had fined Polamalu more than Texans defensive end Antonio Smith (who has to pay $7,500 for pulling off the helmet of Ravens guard Andre Gurode) and Lions tight end Brandon Pettigrew (who has to pay $7,500 for a chop block). That just didn't make sense.

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

DENVER -- The AFC North flopped in wild-card weekend because a strength of the division turned into a weakness. The defenses of the Steelers and Bengals, both of whom spent time atop the NFL, failed to deliver in the postseason.

In a 31-10 loss at Houston, the Bengals gave up 188 yards rushing when the league's seventh-ranked defense allowed an average of 104.7 yards on the ground in the regular season. In the 29-23 overtime loss at Denver, the Steelers surrendered 316 yards passing when the NFL's top-ranked defense yielded 172 yards through the air in the regular season.

The fortunes of these defenses may have changed if a defensive back didn't flinch under pressure. For the Bengals, safety Chris Crocker dropped an interception that could have been returned for a touchdown in the third quarter and got ran over by Arian Foster on a 42-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. For the Steelers, cornerback Ike Taylor allowed catches of 51 and 58 yards before giving up the 80-yard game-winner on the first play in overtime.

The AFC North could boast last week when it was the only division to send three teams to the playoffs. Now, the pride of the division rests on the Baltimore Ravens, who play host to the Texans in Sunday's divisional round.

Here is what the local columnists are saying:

BENGALS: The Cincinnati Enquirer's Paul Daugherty believes the Bengals' playoff appearance was a gift. "It might be patronizing to pat the Bengals on their collective helmet and thank them for a season well played," Daugherty wrote. "That doesn't mean it's wrong. This season amounted to a 17-game dress rehearsal for better days."

BROWNS: The Plain Dealer's Bud Shaw says he doesn't want team president Mike Holmgren to blow up the team. He just wants him to step it up. "As the Browns' top executive, his team is 9-23 in his first two seasons," Shaw wrote. "The Browns blundered badly time and again, and raised more questions than they answered about the head coach, quarterback and feature running back."

RAVENS: The Baltimore Sun's Peter Schmuck thinks the Ravens won't be out of whack after a week off work. Unlike Baltimore's last first-round playoff bye in 2006, the Ravens had a few days of practice this past week. "Funny, but if memory serves, there were some veterans who thought Harbaugh had a little too much drill sergeant in him when he showed up here for the 2008 season," Schmuck wrote. "Now, you've got the team leaders fully on board with the program, which has been proven out by four straight appearances in the postseason."

STEELERS: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Ron Cook suggests not putting all of the blame on Taylor, saying the Steelers didn't do enough to stop the run and didn't sack Tim Tebow. "One by one, Steelers front-office people, coaches and players stopped by to console cornerback Ike Taylor," Cook wrote. "Too bad the players didn't do more to support Taylor on the field. If they had, maybe the Steelers still would be in the AFC playoffs instead of home this morning trying to figure out how they lost to the Denver Broncos."

HOUSTON -- The Texans were playing their first playoff game, but it looked like the Bengals were the ones who had never been in the postseason. Careless mistakes -- all self-inflicted misery -- led to 24 straight points by the Texans and a sobering 31-10 defeat Saturday to end the Bengals' surprising season.

It's the kind of effort you want to forget. It's the type of game film you burn. But the best thing the Bengals can do going forward is burn it into their memories.

Cincinnati will be back in the playoffs. It would be surprising if the Bengals didn't return with quarterback Andy Dalton, wide receiver A.J. Green and two first-round picks in this year's draft.

Remember, the Bengals were supposed to be in the race for Andrew Luck this season, not in a playoff field pursuing the Lombardi trophy.

When the Bengals get back, they have to remember the brutal lesson taught to them at a deafening Reliant Stadium: To win in the playoffs, you have to make plays. The Bengals missed out on their first playoff win in 20 years -- the longest current streak of playoff futility in the NFL -- because Texans defensive end J.J. Watt caught the ball and Cincinnati safety Chris Crocker did not.

Watt returned his interception 29 yards for a touchdown late in the first half to give the Texans a lead they wouldn't relinquish. But Crocker dropped the chance at picking off a pass he could have returned for a score that would have tied the game in the third quarter.

"There are a lot of guys who need to take this experience and build upon it," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. "I think you can look and see what the Texans have been fighting their butt off to get in this position. They keep putting players together. And they reap the benefits. We have to go beyond this."

This season has been a major success for the Bengals even though there were plenty of failures that got broadcast in their first nationally televised game of the season.

Cincinnati's run defense continued to crumble, giving up 153 yards to Houston's Arian Foster a week after allowing 191 yards to the Ravens' Ray Rice. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Foster gained 102 of those yards before getting touched by Cincinnati. Crocker made another blunder when he failed to push Foster out of bounds on a 42-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

Lewis made the head-scratcher of a decision to use both of his replay challenges in the first half. It was compounded by the fact that both challenges failed. Asked whether he was concerned about using up all of his challenges so early, Lewis said, "I wasn't worried about that."

There was even the embarrassment of getting penalized for having 12 men in the huddle on the first third-down play of the second half.

The loss meant the Bengals haven't won a playoff game in 7,768 days. The mindset in the Bengals' locker room, however, was the days ahead.

"We know we can win. We know we can win in the playoffs," defensive tackle Domata Peko said. "We’ll have a good offeseason and we’ll be back again. But this time, we’re going to make a better run. It sucks that we lost, and it’s sad. But look around this locker room -- there are a lot of young guys here. We just have to get better, and the sky is the limit."

The difference between winning and losing in the playoffs comes down to handling the pressure.

The Bengals controlled most of the first half, but everything changed in a span of less than a minute. The turning point was Dalton's interception at the line of scrimmage by Watt, who ran 29 yards for a touchdown late in the first half.

This came three plays after the Texans tied the game with a field goal. So, in a matter of 56 seconds, the Bengals went from being up by three points (10-7) to being down by seven (17-10).

"I didn't really see exactly what happened," said Dalton, who was 27-of-42 for 257 yards and three interceptions. "I just saw it got batted or whatever and then he was running the other way."

The Bengals had a chance to respond with 2:39 left in the third quarter when Crocker broke on T.J. Yates' pass and put himself in position to pick off the Texans rookie quarterback. But the ball bounced off Crocker's hands with only Yates standing between him and the end zone. It would have tied the game at 17.

"Hindsight is 20-20 now. I feel bad enough," Crocker said. "I picked that ball nine out of 10 times. This time, I didn’t pick it off when it mattered the most."

Crocked added, "I just dropped it. Maybe I was thinking of what I was going to do before I actually caught it. Who knows? It was an easy interception."

The Bengals dropped to 1-7 against teams that currently have winning records this season. But Cincinnati wasn't supposed to beat anyone this season.

The Bengals were coming off a 4-12 season that included the longest in-season losing streak in team history (10 losses in a row). Last season, they ranked 22nd in scoring and 24th in points allowed. They were considered the worst team in the NFL entering this season (Cincinnati was No. 32 in the preseason ESPN Power Rankings).

Now, Cincinnati is shooting for back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time in 30 years. In order to do that, the Bengals have to prove they've learned from Saturday's brutal lesson.

"If we can hit [in the draft] like we did this year with the two special guys [Dalton and Green] we got this year, this is going to be a real special football team next year," Bengals left tackle Andrew Whitworth said. "In my six years in the league, even though we ended this season in disappointment, this is the greatest upside that I’ve ever felt this team had."

HOUSTON -- Here are my thoughts on the Cincinnati Bengals' 31-10 loss at the Houston Texans:

What it means: The Bengals extended the longest current streak in NFL playoff futility. Cincinnati now hasn't won a postseason game in 21 seasons. Careless mistakes led to the Bengals' third postseason loss in seven seasons. After allowing 24 straight points, Cincinnati fell to 1-7 against teams with winning records. It was a disappointing way to end a season in which the Bengals went from 4-12 in 2010 to a playoff team this season.

Turning point: An Andy Dalton pass was intercepted at the line by Houston's J.J. Watt, who ran 29 yards for a touchdown late in the first half. This came three plays after the Texans had tied the game with a field goal. So, in a matter of 56 seconds, the Bengals went from being up by three points (10-7) to being down by seven (17-10). Cincinnati never recovered.

Costly drop: Bengals safety Chris Crocker had a chance to tie the game in the third quarter, but an interception bounced off his hands. It would have likely been a touchdown because only quarterback T.J. Yates stood between Crocker and the end zone. Three plays later, Crocker failed to provide help for a faked-out Adam Jones on a 40-yard touchdown pass to Andre Johnson that put the Bengals behind 24-10. In the fourth quarter, Crocker didn't push Arian Foster out of bounds on a fourth-quarter touchdown run.

Seeing red: Head coach Marvin Lewis made the head-scratcher of a decision to use both of his replay challenges in the first half. It was compounded by the fact that both challenges failed. That meant the Bengals couldn't contest a play after 4:33 in the second quarter.

Dalton's turnovers: Dalton threw three interceptions after only one in his previous six games. Of course, he wasn't helped by the pressure generated by the Texans' front seven.

Can't stop the run: It was another bad day for the Bengals' run defense, especially when it came to defending the outside. Foster ran for 153 yards and two touchdowns. This comes one game after the Ravens' Ray Rice ran for 191 yards and two touchdowns.

Wide right again: Bengals kicker Mike Nugent missed wide right on his first field goal attempt, which was nine yards longer because of a third-down sack. He sliced it wide right just like he did last week against Baltimore. This was his fourth miss in the past three weeks.

What's next: The Bengals head into what should still be a bright future. Cincinnati has two first-round picks as it looks to address the running back, guard and safety positions.

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.