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Week 2 of the preseason is in the books for the AFC North division. Let's see who's stock is rising and falling.

Falling

1. Cincinnati Bengals' starters: Cincinnati's first team is getting hammered in the preseason. The Bengals are being outscored 41-10 in the first half when starters get a majority of playing time. That is inexcusable for the preseason. Starting slow is a habit the Bengals need to break. This team is too inexperience and not good enough this year to overcome these kind of deficits in the regular season.

2. Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton: Cincinnati's second-round pick added two more interceptions Sunday night against New York. One interception was a drop and deflection from receiver A.J. Green, and the second was a pass that sailed too high. Dalton also had a poor exchange with tailback Cedric Benson that resulted in a fumble and a 17-yard loss. The growing pains continue for Dalton. He threw for 86 yards, two interceptions and had a 16.4 passer rating against the Jets.

3. Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive line: Via injuries and inconsistent play, the Steelers' offensive line remains a work in progress. Two left tackles -- Jonathan Scott and Marcus Gilbert -- both went down with injuries in Pittsburgh's 24-14 preseason win over the Philadelphia Eagles. Pittsburgh's offensive line also is having trouble keeping players off quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. He played well but was sacked twice and hit several more times by Philadelphia.

Rising

1. Steelers' defense: Pittsburgh's first-team defense looked in midseason form with a healthy Troy Polamalu in the lineup. The Steelers baffled Eagles quarterback Michael Vick and forced three interceptions. Pittsburgh treated the first half like a regular-season game and was fast and physical. The Steelers return all 11 starters from last year, which is extremely valuable following the NFL lockout.

2. Browns quarterback Colt McCoy: Cleveland's second-year quarterback continued his solid preseason with a three-touchdown performance against the Detroit Lions. McCoy didn't throw for many yards (96). But he ran the offense efficiently for the second straight week.

3. Ravens receiver Lee Evans: It was a successful Ravens debut for Evans, who was recently acquired in a trade with the Buffalo Bills. He tied for the team lead with three catches for 68 yards in Baltimore's 31-13 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. The biggest play came on a hookup between Flacco and Evans for 43 yards. But Evans not only showed deep speed, he showed versatility. Evans' two other receptions came on a quick slant and out route for first downs.

Three things to watch for in Cincinnati's preseason game against the New York Jets on Sunday night. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET.

Will the effort be there? This sounds like a silly question for a preseason game. But neither the Bengals' starters nor the backups showed up ready to play in last week's 34-3 drubbing to the Detroit Lions. Cincinnati looked shell-shocked and sloppy. The Bengals turned over the football, didn't play hard and were battered in every phase of the game by Detroit. Cincinnati is a rebuilding team. It needs to play better now to start building confidence.

What strides will rookie quarterback Andy Dalton make? The Dalton era in Cincinnati got off to a rough start. His first throw was intercepted and he finished with 69 yards and an interception. Dalton needs to show growth in his second career start. The Bengals are relying on the second-round pick to be the starting quarterback in Week 1 against the Cleveland Browns.

What to make of the defense? Two seasons ago, Cincinnati was No. 4 in total defense. Last season, the Bengals were No. 15. This unit wants to get back to its 2009 form but looked more like the 2010 version last week. The Jets' star-studded offense should be another good test for the Bengals' defense.

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

• The Pittsburgh Steelers' pass protection remains a work in progress.

Morning take: Pass protection has been an issue for years in Pittsburgh. Too many blitzers are running free this preseason. The Steelers need to correct that.

• Will the Cincinnati Bengals improve during their Week 2 preseason game against the New York Jets?

Morning take: It can't get much worse than last week's 34-3 drubbing to the Detroit Lions. The Bengals, particularly the starters, need to show up ready to play.

• Baltimore Ravens rookie quarterback Tyrod Taylor is developing well.

Morning take: I was impressed with Taylor last week in training camp. He will make the Ravens as a sixth-round pick. But can Baltimore, which has title aspirations, trust Taylor to be the No. 2 quarterback?

• Cleveland Browns tight end Evan Moore may have suffered a concussion in Friday's preseason loss to Detroit.

Morning take: Moore had a solid game (two touchdowns) and a solid camp. But injuries have always held him back. Staying healthy will be key.

The Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns completed Week 2 of the preseason Friday night.

Here are some observations:

Lions 30, Browns 28

The Good

• Backup tight end Evan Moore continues to be Cleveland’s secret weapon. Moore capped another stellar training camp this week by leading the Browns with three catches for 40 yards and two touchdowns. Moore was on track to make an impact last season before he got injured. If Moore stays healthy, he could be a matchup problem for opponents.
• Second-year quarterback Colt McCoy had another solid outing. McCoy didn’t throw for many yards (96) but had three touchdowns. McCoy is seeing the field a lot better this year. He also looks more comfortable in a West Coast system. McCoy has thrown for 231 yards with four touchdowns and zero interceptions this preseason.

The Bad

• Cleveland's pass protection was shaky against Detroit. McCoy was getting battered by the Lions' first-team defense. He took several tough shots that should make Cleveland's coaches cringe for a second preseason game. Starting tailback Peyton Hillis did not play, and that impacted some of the team's blitz pickups.
• Friday night's second half put Cleveland's lack of depth on display. Cleveland's backups blew a 15-point lead by allowing 17 unanswered points to Detroit's reserves. The Browns' starters played well for the second week in a row. But the first team must stay healthy at nearly every position this season for the Browns to remain competitive.

Ravens 31, Chiefs 13

The Good

• New Ravens receiver Lee Evans made a solid debut. He showed deep speed, good routes and playmaking ability. Evans caught three passes for 68 yards. His best play was a 43-yard reception when he got behind the defense. Evans also made two third-down conversions, on a slant and an out route, to keep drives alive.
• Baltimore tailback Ray Rice was productive. Rice rushed for 44 yards on seven carries, which included a nifty 26-yard touchdown scamper in the second quarter. Rice showed he can make defenders miss once he gets to the second level. Rice was bottled up at the line of scrimmage too often last season because of poor blocking.

The Bad

• Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco looked off and missed several throws he usually makes. Flacco found himself scrambling around a lot against the Chiefs. He also had a couple of odd plays where the ball slipped out of his hand during a pass attempt. Flacco was 12 of 24 for 124 yards. Ironically, his best throws were to Evans, and they only practiced together for a week.
• Baltimore's punt returning left a little to be desired. Cornerback Lardarius Webb and safety Tom Zbikowski fumbled punt returns. Webb lost his fumble, and Zbikowski’s was recovered by Baltimore. Ball security will be something special teams coach Jerry Rosburg will look to fix quickly this week.

The Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns will continue their preseason games Friday night. Baltimore will host the Kansas City Chiefs, while Cleveland hosts the Detroit Lions.

Here are a pair of storylines for each AFC North team:

Ravens

• Will the Ravens improve the offense line? Baltimore allowed six sacks last week against the Philadelphia Eagles. Three were against starting tackles Michael Oher and Oniel Cousins. The Ravens moved Cousins to right guard and will start rookie Jah Reid at right tackle against Kansas City. Reid is a raw prospect trying to learn on the fly. We will find out where he stands in his first NFL start.
• This game marks the Ravens debut of wide receiver Lee Evans. The veteran deep threat was acquired in a trade with the Buffalo Bills. Evans will be the starter opposite Anquan Boldin. Evans is the speedy receiver Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco has lacked the past several years. The pair will look to build chemistry in this game.

Browns

• Can Cleveland second-year quarterback Colt McCoy continue his momentum? McCoy had a near-perfect preseason debut last week against the Green Bay Packers. He was 9-of-10 for 135 yards and a touchdown. McCoy also led the offense to two touchdown drives. Detroit should offer a stern test. The Lions' defense looked stout in last week’s 34-3 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.
• Another fun matchup to watch will be Browns corner Joe Haden against Lions Pro Bowl receiver Calvin Johnson. Both are two of the best, young players at their respective positions. Johnson beat Bengals cornerback Leon Hall for a touchdown last week. Haden will try to prevent "Megatron" from having a big first half tonight.

Here are the latest happenings Wednesday in the AFC North:

• The Pittsburgh Steelers waived former second-round pick Limas Sweed.
• Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti reaffirms his confidence in offensive coordinator Cam Cameron.
• Ravens receiver Lee Evans officially changed to No. 83 on Wednesday.
• Cleveland Browns running back Peyton Hillis tweaked his hamstring in practice.
  
• Here's a new one: Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis shoots down Brett Favre rumors.
• Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh was fined $20,000 for slamming Bengals rookie quarterback Andy Dalton last week.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton looked like a rookie making his first NFL start last week. His first pass was intercepted. His next two attempts to throw resulted in an incompletion and a sack.

The Bengals' offensive line didn't help. Dalton had pressure in his face often. Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh nearly ripped Dalton's head off on one play. Dalton finished 11 of 15 for 69 yards and an interception.

Week 2 of the preseason is important for Dalton. The Bengals now have tape to critique of Dalton's first game and need to see growth Sunday against the New York Jets.

Dalton's next step is to play with more poise. Detroit's pressure bothered him and forced several bad throws, including the interception. The Bengals' offensive line also has to block better.

Dalton has the tendency to float his deep balls. That needs to be corrected if the Bengals plan to take shots down the field with athletic receivers A.J. Green and Jerome Simpson. Dalton didn't take many deep chances downfield against Detroit. The Bengals need to test his arm more against the Jets.

Finally, Dalton and the Bengals need to be more competitive. I know it's just the preseason. But a young team like the Bengals cannot afford to continue laying eggs. It's hard to lose a preseason game by 31 points. Effort was definitely an issue.

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

• The Baltimore Ravens moved right tackle Oniel Cousins to right guard in practice this weekend.

Morning take: This is the best move right now for Baltimore. It's unknown if Cousins will do well at right guard, but it's clear he's struggling at right tackle. The Ravens have three preseason games to figure it out.

• Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor (thumb) will likely have surgery but should be ready for the regular-season opener against Baltimore.

Morning take: Taylor and the Steelers do not have anything to prove in the preseason. Getting healthy for the Ravens should be the biggest priority.

• The Cincinnati Bengals defense was stunned by its poor performance in a 34-3 loss to the Detroit Lions.

Morning take: Neither the starters nor the reserves played well for Cincinnati. The team needs to study this film and fix all that went wrong quickly.

• The Cleveland Browns' West Coast offense looked good in their 27-17 victory over the Green Bay Packers.

Morning take: Browns head coach Pat Shurmur also is the offensive coordinator and did a good job Saturday. I don't overrate the preseason, but Cleveland's offensive concepts looked solid compared to the past two seasons.

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

• The Cleveland Browns are ready for their 2011 preseason debut against the Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers.

Morning take: The AFC North is 0-3 in the preseason. Although it doesn't count, maybe the Browns can get the division's only victory this week.

• Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor will be out at least two weeks with a broken thumb.

Morning take: Pittsburgh's primary goal is to avoid injuries. Fortunately for the Steelers, Taylor likely will be ready for the season opener against the Baltimore Ravens.

• The Cincinnati Bengals continue to have a rough offseason following Friday's 34-3 preseason loss to the Detroit Lions.

Morning take: I spent last night trying to convince Bengals fans on Twitter that it's just the preseason. But "Bengaldom" is looking for hope and didn't get much solace in last night's performance.

• The Ravens' offensive line is looking for redemption.

Morning take: This has been a major issue for Baltimore since last season. The Ravens didn't do anything in the preseason opener to show the problem is solved.

The Cincinnati Bengals and reigning AFC champion Pittsburgh Steelers made their 2011 preseason debuts Friday.

Here are some observations:

Lions 34, Bengals 3

The Good

• Bengals running back Cedric Benson looked sharp. Benson rushed for 37 yards on six carries. The Bengals' offense will be leaning on Benson a lot this season, and he looks ready.
• Middle linebacker Rey Maualuga was active. He recorded five tackles and two tackles for a loss in limited action. Maualuga looks more comfortable moving inside. He played outside linebacker the past two seasons.

The Bad

• It was a rough debut for rookie quarterback Andy Dalton. His first throw against Detroit was intercepted. His second throw sailed wide on third down. Dalton's third pass attempt resulted in a sack. He didn't do much against Detroit's first team but moved the ball some against Lions' backups. Dalton showed decent accuracy. He finished 11-of-15 for 69 yards and an interception. But the rookie still has a lot of work ahead.
• The Bengals didn't look ready to play. That was the most concerning thing. Detroit came out with a lot of energy and pounded Cincinnati on offense, defense and special teams. The Bengals' offense struggled to move the football. Their special teams fumbled the first kickoff and missed a field goal. The defense didn't stop the bleeding by allowing two early touchdowns. Detroit led 24-3 at halftime.

Redskins 16, Steelers 7

The Good

• Pittsburgh backup running back Isaac Redman continued his good summer. Redman led the Steelers with 42 rushing yards on five carries. He had a nice 22-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Redman is having a great training camp and he is firmly entrenched as Pittsburgh's No. 2 running back behind starter Rashard Mendenhall.
• Backup receiver Antonio Brown led the Steelers with four receptions for 64 yards. Brown came on strong late last season. He continued that momentum Friday. His longest catch was for 29 yards. Brown is competing for the No. 3 receiver job with veteran free-agent signing Jerricho Cotchery.

The Bad

• The Steelers failed to avoid injuries. No. 1 cornerback Ike Taylor hurt his thumb against Washington. Steelers president Art Rooney II told Pittsburgh station KDKA that Taylor's thumb is broken. Teammate and safety Ryan Clark also suffered a stinger and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger appeared to have a minor hand injury.
• The Steelers didn't do anything to calm concerns about their pass defense. Starting corner Bryant McFadden didn't play and Taylor was injured in the game. But Redskins quarterback Rex Grossman had a lot of success through the air against Pittsburgh. He was 19-of-26 for 207 yards and a touchdown. Grossman had a 109 passer rating.

The Cincinnati Bengals will begin the Andy Dalton era Friday night against the Detroit Lions. The AFC North blog spent this week in Georgetown, Ky., to monitor Dalton and the Bengals in preparation for this game.

What can you expect from Dalton tonight?

Here is an early scouting report:

• Dalton and the first-team offense will play longer than usual, according to Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis. Starters in the first preseason game typically play a series or two. But Cincinnati's coaching staff wants to get its young players like Dalton and receivers Jerome Simpson and rookie A.J. Green used to playing together. Don't be surprised if Dalton gets at least three series against Detroit.
• Green and Simpson are doing well in training camp. That's a good sign for Dalton. The rookie quarterback already established a good rapport with his starting receivers. Expect Dalton to give Green and Simpson several opportunities to make plays.
• Dalton is a better athlete than advertised. I was surprised how well he moves out of the pocket. Dalton also is thicker in the upper and lower body than Cleveland Browns counterpart Colt McCoy. Dalton may get a chance to show his surprising athleticism.
• The challenge for Dalton is not to make rookie mistakes. He threw a few interceptions in practice this week, which is expected. Most were because of poor reads or miscommunications with receivers. Dalton has to eliminate those mistakes in game situations.

GEOREGTOWN, Ky. -- The Cincinnati Bengals will begin their 2011 preseason Friday against the Detroit Lions. One of Cincinnati's big storylines will be the new-look, West Coast offense led by first-year offensive coordinator Jay Gruden.

The AFC North blog and several media members recently spoke with Gruden to get his thoughts on a variety of topics leading into the preseason:

(On what Gruden wants to see from his offense Friday)

Jay Gruden: We just want to set a standard for ourselves and what kind of team we want to be. It starts in the preseason. How are we going to come off the ball? How are we going to break the huddle? The little things that we're going to do. Are we detailed in our assignments and what's our physicality going to be? Are going to be soft, or are we physical? We want to be a physical football team.

(On how much of the new offense is installed)

Gruden: I think enough right now. I think these guys have enough in where we can keep people off balance. We will add as we go on. Depending on who we play and what defenses we're playing, we might change some things up. But right now I think we're in good shape.

(On the speed of the installation process)

Gruden: I can always install plays. People have to slow me down. I can install 50 plays a night, but that's not what's good for this team. What's good for this team is giving them a chance to win and giving them a chance to succeed. It's enough things in for them to be successful on the field and knowing what to do.

(On right tackle Andre Smith)

Gruden: He looks very good. I don't know what he looked like before. I heard it was not very good (laughs). But he looks good to me right now. We're excited that he's a candidate to start at right tackle. He needs to play. He needs to practice. He's got to get the reps if he's going to play. We need to see if that foot will hold up. Right now it's holding up, so we're excited about it.

(On receivers A.J. Green and Jerome Simpson)

Gruden: Well, those two guys on the outside are very athletic. You almost have to take a different approach as a quarterback when those two guys are running down the field. If a defensive back has his back turned, you have to give [the receiver] a chance. A lot of times you want to tell a quarterback, "It's either us or nobody." But with these two guys you can throw it up high and let them go get it. A.J. has made about four of those already in this camp and Jerome had three in the last two days. So that's a [great] option for the quarterback. It sure makes him look good.

It's been a busy day of transactions in the NFL. Here are the latest happenings in the AFC North:

• The Pittsburgh Steelers signed their first-round pick, defensive end Cameron Heyward on Friday.
• The Baltimore Ravens are still in play for free-agent fullback Vonta Leach.
• After a roster purge, the Cincinnati Bengals re-signed running back Brian Leonard for two more years.
• Former Browns cornerback Eric Wright spurned Cleveland to sign with the Detroit Lions.

Albert Haynesworth could be the Baltimore Ravens' worst nightmare this offseason.

Two years ago Haynesworth became the first defensive lineman in NFL history to command a $100 million contract when he signed with the Washington Redskins. That enormous number was previously reserved for quarterbacks.

This offseason Haloti Ngata is the next dominant defensive lineman seeking a long-term contract. The Ravens protected themselves by using the franchise tag on Ngata, but the team has stated publicly it has every intention of making Ngata a career Raven. It's also possible the franchise tag may not exist in the new collective bargaining agreement, which only increases the urgency.

In 2009 Haynesworth was the top interior defensive lineman in the NFL and received a seven-year, $100 million deal from Washington with $41 million in guarantees. Haynesworth has since become a bust with the Redskins. Now a case can be made that Ngata, who is 27 and in his prime, is the top interior defensive lineman. Ngata has been to back-to-back Pro Bowls and was the only defensive lineman to make ESPN.com's Power Rankings of the top-10 defensive players.

Expect Haynesworth's deal to be the measuring stick in negotiations with Ngata. It would be surprising if Ngata received $100 million from Baltimore, but the guaranteed number ($41 million) could be comparable.

Ngata's representation will certainly ask for more than Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. The 2010 No. 2 overall pick signed a five-year contract worth approximately $60 million. If the Ravens reach a long-term deal with Ngata this summer, expect Suh's contract ($60 million) and Haynesworth's contract ($100 million) to provide the parameters.

Sometimes looking back at the past can help project the future.

Is that the case for upcoming meetings between Cleveland Browns cornerback Joe Haden and new Cincinnati Bengals receiver A.J. Green?

These two top-end athletes will take their SEC rivalry to the AFC North in what should be great, one-on-one battles twice a season. Haden was a first-round pick for Cleveland in 2010, while Green was this year's No. 4 overall pick for Cincinnati.

So who has the advantage in this high-profile matchup? Judging by their two games in college, Haden at Florida got the upper hand against Green at Georgia.

• In 2009, the Gators won a blowout over the Bulldogs, 41-17. Green was a non-factor. Haden held the receiver to just three catches for 50 yards and zero touchdowns. Green's biggest play in the game was a 19-yard reception. But other than that, Green had trouble shaking Haden.
• In 2008, Florida won another blowout, 49-10. Green had more success this time, with five receptions for 91 yards. Probably worth noting is Green's quarterback that year was Matthew Stafford, who turned out to be the No. 1 overall pick of the Detroit Lions. To Haden's credit, he intercepted Stafford in the game and returned the pick 88 yards.

Considering the possible variations of man and zone coverage, we double-checked the accuracy of these numbers with ESPN.com SEC blogger Chris Low, who says Haden was on Green "for much of the game."

Haden was 2-0 against Green in college and performed well in both meetings. Will Haden continue to have Green's number in the AFC North?

We don't have to wait long to find out. The Browns will host the Bengals in Week 1, where Haden likely will draw the assignment of covering Green in his NFL debut.

Can't wait!