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

The Tim Tebow touchdown pass that beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in overtime shouldn't have counted.

That's the assertion of the San Jose Mercury News, which says the Broncos should have been flagged for illegal formation. Using a pre-snap picture, the paper points out that Denver had six players -- and not the required seven -- on the line of scrimmage.

It appears that the tight end lining up next to the left tackle is not on the line. Based on that, the officials should've thrown the flag and moved the Broncos back five yards. Instead, Tebow threw an 80-yard pass to Demaryius Thomas on the first play in overtime.

Former head of officiating Mike Pereira was asked by the Mercury News whether it was an illegal formation.

"Watch on any Sunday. This is a good formation compared to many. They are not technical with this," Pereira said.

Hensley's slant: This is one of many plays that highlight how bad the officiating was for that game. There was a Ben Roethlisberger pass that was ruled incomplete that should have been a fumble because it wasn't a forward pass. But the officials said the play was whistled dead, and the Steelers went on to score. So both sides benefited from and were hurt by the officials throughout the game.

BENGALS: The Cincinnati Enquirer's Joe Reedy officially called the Carson Palmer trade one of the "all-time steals in league history" after coach Hue Jackson, who helped orchestrate the deal on Oct. 18, was fired by Oakland. The Raiders were 4-2 at the time of the trade and finished 8-8 and out of the playoffs. The Bengals get the Raiders' first-round pick, which turned out to be the 17th overall. Hensley's slant: Most people thought it was a steal the day it happened. The Raiders, the only team that would be bold enough to send two high draft picks for a 31-year-old quarterback, continue to be the NFL's most unstable franchise. The next head coach will be Oakland's seventh in the past 10 seasons, following Bill Callahan, Norv Turner, Art Shell, Lane Kiffin, Tom Cable and Jackson.

BROWNS: The Cleveland Plain Dealer's Tony Grossi offered up another candidate to be the Browns' next starting quarterback: Kevin Kolb. He disappointed in his first season with the Cardinals (going 2-6 as the starter) and is due a $7 million roster bonus from Arizona in March. Grossi believes Kolb would be more effective in the West Coast offense that he ran in Philadelphia, where his quarterbacks coach was Pat Shurmur. Hensley's slant: There's no doubt that Kolb is a better fit in Cleveland's system that the one in Arizona, which attacks downfield more aggressively. But I don't see the Cardinals cutting their ties with Kolb after giving him $21.5 million guaranteed six months ago. Getting Kolb seems more like wishful thinking at this point.

RAVENS: The team confirmed that offensive coordinator Cam Cameron was at the Texans-Bengals wild-card playoff game to do some advance scouting. “He’s done that quite a few times over the years when we’ve had bye weeks and stuff like that,” coach John Harbaugh said, via The Baltimore Sun. “So that’s something that I think he likes to do. It gives him a feel, watching the game live, scouting the game live. It’s not so much X’s and O’s as it is a feel for the tempo and things like that. That’s something he likes to do, and he’s done that over the years.” Hensley's slant: Cameron hasn't turned the Ravens into a top-10 offense yet (they were No. 15 this season) but he's done a solid job considering the quality of defenses that Baltimore has faced. The Ravens have played 11 games against top-10 defenses this year. The only top-10 defense that the Ravens didn't play (outside of itself) was the Philadelphia Eagles. So it's status quo for Baltimore when it lines up against Houston and the league's second-ranked defense.

This is Friday Forecast, where we'll see how my predictions hold up against our readers'. This week, I will go against lawdogg1214 (who correctly matched my total points for the Bengals-Texans game). The other reader who qualified, Phat1963, didn't record picks.

Here are our predictions for AFC North games on wild-card weekend:

Jamison Hensley

Texans 24, Bengals 17

Steelers 20, Broncos 6

lawdogg1214

Bengals 24, Texans 17

Steelers 35, Broncos 13

PREDICTION BREAKDOWN

Texans 24, Bengals 17: While most of the attention has been on the rookie quarterbacks, this one will come down to the running game. If the Bengals can stop the run, they win. If they can't -- like the past six games -- they're going to be in trouble. I just can't see Cincinnati patching up that run defense against the likes of Houston's Arian Foster and Ben Tate, both of whom helped the Texans run for 144 yards against the Bengals last month. In the Bengals' past five losses, they've allowed eight rushing touchdowns.

Steelers 20, Broncos 6: Starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is hobbled by a high ankle sprain. Running back Rashard Mendenhall is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury. And Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey has been out all week with his ankle injury. This is the time where the Pittsburgh defense steps up and takes over the game. Expect the Steelers to force some turnovers (which has been a rare occurrence this season) against Tim Tebow, who has lost five fumbles in his past five games, and keep a team out of the end zone for a third consecutive game. Those takeaways will lead to some easy scoring opportunities for the banged-up offense.

Here's your Sunday game-day warm-up:

CINCINNATI -- The AFC North is expected to come up big today, at least according to ESPN NFL experts. The Ravens and the Bengals are overwhelming favorites in Sunday's NFL picks.

It's no shocker that everyone selected the Ravens to beat the winless Colts today in Baltimore. It did, however, come as a surprise that nearly everyone (six of eight prognosticators) chose Cincinnati to defeat the AFC South-leading Houston Texans. Here are my picks for today's games.

When it comes to today's AFC North games, being able to stop the run and establish the run are the main storylines:

BENGALS: No other team in the NFL has rushed more times than the Texans (432 attempts). In fact, no other team in the league has rushed more than 400 times this season. The Bengals have allowed 3.6 yards per carry, which is third-best in the NFL.

RAVENS: Teams have run the ball 418 times -- second-most in the NFL -- against the Indianapolis Colts. The Ravens have showed a renewed commitment to the running game, giving the ball to Ray Rice 20 or more times in three consecutive games. He needs 74 yards for his third 1,000-yard season in a row.

As everyone knows, the Browns and Steelers played on Thursday night. There will be blogs posted on both those teams starting Monday.

If you have a question about the AFC North, send it to my mailbag. It's Saturday morning, so let's open up some mail ...

Devin from Ontario, Canada, writes: Why haven't the Steelers been able to take the ball away this year?

Jamison Hensley from AFC North headquarters responds: There are two reasons. The first one is obvious: the Steelers need to catch the ball. There have been several interceptions that have been dropped. That would add to the total. The other factor is the pass rush. Of the top eight teams in takeaways, five (Green Bay, San Francisco, Baltimore, Detroit and Houston) rank in the top half of the league in sacks. When you get pressure on the quarterback, you force rushed throws that lead to interceptions and you can strip the ball from the quarterback. LaMarr Woodley and James Harrison have had good stretches in rushing the passer, but the Steelers need to do a more consistent job as a defense.

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Gene from San Diego writes: How would you grade Baltimore's defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano at this point in the season? They are still producing, but been a bit lapse the past few games. I like his mentality and that he infuses the young players.

Hensley responds: Pagano gets an A, and it's tough to argue otherwise. He vowed to be aggressive when he took over for Greg Mattison and he's backed that up this season. The Ravens are among the best in sacks, takeaways and points allowed. This has been a high-impact defense.

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Hensley responds: The New York Jets. This might surprise you because the Jets wasted a prime opportunity when they lost at Denver. But New York should win its next three games: home against Buffalo, at Washington and home against Kansas City. Under that scenario, the Jets would get to 10 wins if they win two games in the final three weeks of the regular season: at Philadelphia, home against the Giants and at Miami. This is a team that knows what it takes to get to the postseason after advancing to the AFC championship game the past two years.

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Hensley responds: McCoy's stock has increased by completing over 70 percent of his passes the past two weeks. But he needs to start increasing points on the scoreboard. The Browns have scored over 17 points just once this season; Cleveland has yet to score a touchdown in the first and third quarters. As I've said repeatedly, you can put all the blame on McCoy because of the supporting cast around him. But the quarterback has to take responsibility for an offense struggling this much, no matter what the circumstances.

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Hensley responds: I cover the AFC North, so the blogs and columns will focus more on those teams. So I don't consider myself a "Baltimore homer." I'm just doing my job as the AFC North blogger. I also didn't have anything to do with making the 49ers go cross-country on four days rest. You can direct your anger at the NFL schedule makers for that one. I think Jim Harbaugh already has.

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Hensley responds: Thanks for being a part of the chat (shameless plug: it happens every Wednesday at 2 p.m.). I still feel that the Bengals will finish with nine wins. Your reasoning is sound. I agree that Cincinnati should beat the Browns, Cardinals and Rams. I think the rematches with the Steelers and Ravens will result in losses again (although it will be close again). And even though the Texans lost Schaub, they still have Arian Foster, Andre Johnson and the NFL's top-ranked defense. At this point, I predict the Bengals will lose that one. Of course, I will say that forecasting games is a week to week proposition. So, these picks are far from locked in.

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Hensley responds: I'm a blogger and an analyst. My views shouldn't be shaped by where I live. It's funny how Ravens fans feel I "disrespect" the Ravens and other fans feel I'm a "Ravens homer." As far as your first question, the Ravens have better wins than the Steelers (including a sweep of Pittsburgh) but they have more embarrassing losses than the Steelers. There wouldn't be an argument if Baltimore had beaten Seattle and Jacksonville. The Ravens would the undisputed best team in the AFC. Those losses hurt the resume. Pittsburgh has been the more consistent team overall.

BALTIMORE -- Thoughts on the Ravens' 29-14 win against the Texans:

What it means: The Ravens again showed why they're one of the best teams in the AFC by putting away the Texans, who were playing without wide receiver Andre Johnson and linebacker Mario Williams. Baltimore remained in first place and improved to 4-1 for the second straight season. Down 14-13 in the third quarter, the Ravens scored on four of their next five possessions to finish off their third consecutive win.

Thumbs up: Ravens defense. If it seemed as though the Texans were in Ravens territory all game, it's because they were. Houston crossed midfield on six of its first seven drives. But the Ravens gave up only two touchdowns (one came on a fumble recovery by an offensive lineman in the end zone) and made a strong fourth-down stand in the first half.

Joe Flacco takes hits, delivers them: Flacco took a beating but came through when the Ravens needed him. He was accurate on the intermediate passes on the opening drive and made the two big plays (completions of 51 and 56 yards) in the second half. Flacco finished with two turnovers (a fumble and interception).

Just for kicks: Pro Bowl kicker Billy Cundiff converted five field goals (from 43, 48, 25, 33 and 40 yards) and recorded six touchbacks. This is the second time that Cundiff has made five field goals in a game for the Ravens.

Cooking with Rice: Ray Rice outplayed reigning NFL rushing champion Arian Foster, running for 101 yards and making five catches for 60 yards. His 27-yard run set up the game-clinching touchdown.

What's next: The Ravens play next Monday night at the Jaguars (1-5), who have lost five games in a row.

Various preseason games and traveling to training camps prevented me from putting together a recent mailbag. Therefore, we never posted our latest "Homer of the Week."

This week's award goes to a Cleveland Browns fan.

• Cory Hart from Shelby, Ohio, writes: After watching the first two preseason games I'm going to make a prediction: The Browns will go 10-6 this season and be the sixth seed in the playoffs. They will then beat the New England Patriots in the first round but will ultimately lose to the Houston Texans, who will go to the Super Bowl but will lose to the Atlanta Falcons. Colt McCoy will throw for 3,800 yards and 28 TDs with 9 INTs and Peyton Hillis will rush for 1,500 yards with 13 TDs and catch for 700 yards with 7 TDs. That is how I see this year for my team.

Walker: Wow, Cory. I don't know if I'm more shocked you think the Browns will beat the Patriots in the playoffs or the Houston Texans are going to the Super Bowl. And McCoy and Hillis should be first-round picks in fantasy drafts with these projections. Be careful not to overrate the preseason, Cory. Congrats on being our "Homer of the Week."

Last summer, the Cincinnati Bengals began contract negotiations with then-No. 1 cornerback Johnathan Joseph. It seemed like a good-faith effort to keep Joseph in Cincinnati long term before he became an unrestricted free agent in 2011.

But the Bengals never offered Joseph the type of deal he was looking for. Joseph eventually became an unrestricted free agent and bolted to the Houston Texans, leaving a big hole in Cincinnati's secondary.

One year later, ESPN.com's AFC North blog has learned the Bengals will soon begin contract discussions with new No. 1 cornerback Leon Hall. Like Joseph in 2010, Hall is entering the final year of his rookie contract.

Will the outcome be different? Or will history repeat itself in Cincinnati?

It's hard to build a consistent winner if the Bengals continue to let their top draft picks get away. Joseph and Hall were back-to-back first-round draft picks in 2006 and 2007, respectively. The pair developed together and gradually helped lead the Bengals to a playoff bid and AFC North title in 2009.

Joseph and Hall had the potential to be one of the NFL's top corner duos for many years. Now, half of that pair is split.

The good news is Cincinnati has more than enough cap room this summer to make a solid pitch to Hall. The 26-year-old corner has 18 career interceptions for the Bengals and hasn’t missed a game in four seasons.

The purge in Cincinnati is well-documented. With Joseph, Carson Palmer and Chad Ochocinco gone, Hall is one of the few core players left from Cincinnati’s most recent playoff team.

There are no guarantees. But it appears the Bengals are interested in making Hall a part of their future.

Two of the top free agents in the AFC North signed with the Houston Texans this past week. Former Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Johnathan Joseph and former Cleveland Browns fullback Lawrence Vickers agreed to multiyear deals and are expected to lead Houston's playoff push in 2011.

But that road will include two stops against familiar foes. Vickers and Houston will play at home against the Browns on Nov. 6, and Joseph will return to Cincinnati to play the Bengals on Dec. 11 at Paul Brown Stadium. Both contests could be important if any of these three teams are in contention late in the season.

Vickers and Joseph were fan favorites and wanted to stay with their respective teams. Fans of the Browns and Bengals were upset that both players left, and they will get a shot later this year to add salt to the wound.

It's been an eventful day for the Cincinnati Bengals.

First, the team traded receiver Chad Ochocinco to the New England Patriots for two draft picks -- which was a wise move. But late Thursday, the Bengals also lost No. 1 cornerback Johnathan Joseph, who agreed to a five-year deal with the Houston Texans. That, folks, wasn't so wise.

For months we've predicted in the AFC North blog that the Bengals would lose Joseph. They had two chances to keep the up-and-coming corner -- last summer and in the winter before the lockout -- and Cincinnati kept dropping the ball by offering Joseph less than market value.

Joseph liked Cincinnati and gave the Bengals every chance to keep him. Cincinnati even had more than $35 million in cap space at its disposal due to mandatory spending in the new collective agreement.

But Joseph knew in the back of his mind that he would have no shortage of suitors once the lockout ended. Reportedly, the Texans, Bengals and Detroit Lions were all vying for his services, with the Texans eventually winning out. He joins a playoff contender with a big need at cornerback, and Joseph should do well there.

Meanwhile, the Bengals have to pick up the pieces in their secondary. For years I felt Joseph was the team's best defender and the player who made Cincinnati's defense go. He was excellent in coverage and one of the team's few defensive playmakers. Joseph also made fellow corner Leon Hall better, as well as the rest of the secondary.

The Bengals were counting on Adam Jones for insurance in case Joseph bolted in free agency. But Jones' legal woes puts that plan in jeopardy.

Cincinnati needs to start using that immense cap space ASAP, and it can start by patching the huge hole Joseph leaves behind.

In our latest edition of "Poll Friday" in the AFC North, we ask our community who should be the starting fullback next season for the Baltimore Ravens?

Pending free agent Le'Ron McClain wants more carries in the offense and likely has to leave Baltimore to get it. That puts the Ravens in the market for a more traditional fullback, whose primary focus will be creating holes for starting tailback Ray Rice.

Baltimore has been linked this offseason to two of the best blocking fullbacks in the NFL: Lawrence Vickers and Vonta Leach. Both are available, but which player is the better fit?

Would Ravens fans prefer Vickers, who is very familiar with the AFC North after spending five seasons with the Cleveland Browns? Vickers punished defenders in the division while paving the way for running backs like Peyton Hillis, Jerome Harrison and Jamal Lewis to have successful seasons. Can Vickers do the same for Rice in 2011?

Or would Ravens fans rather have Leach? He made his first Pro Bowl last season blocking for tailback Arian Foster, who rushed for 1,616 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2010. Can Leach help Rice reach similar numbers?

Using our SportsNation poll, vote on whether Baltimore should go after Vickers or Leach in free agency. You can also share your thoughts in the comment section below.

One of the Ravens' biggest free agents this summer is fullback Le'Ron McClain, who started the past four years for Baltimore. But as McClain gains more experience, he wants more opportunities to show his talent -- and that includes running the football.

"I just want to take my game to another level," McClain told the Baltimore Sun. "No disrespect to anybody, not [offensive coordinator] Cam [Cameron], not John Harbaugh, not Ray Rice or Willis [McGahee]. I just don't want to disrespect my game anymore, like I feel like I've done these last two years."

McClain voiced his opinion about getting more carries last year, but it didn't influence Baltimore's coaching staff. Chances are, nothing has changed and McClain will have to take his talents elsewhere.

Meanwhile, the Ravens will be in a market for a more traditional, blocking fullback. Lawrence Vickers of the Cleveland Browns and Vonta Leach of the Houston Texans are two of the best in the league. Both are available and likely on Baltimore's summer wish list.

ESPN.com revealed its most high-profile and perhaps controversial Power Rankings to date on Tuesday. This week we ranked the glamour position of quarterback, which always makes for a heated debate.

Two AFC North quarterbacks made the top 10. Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers was a no-brainer. He's played in three Super Bowls, winning two. Roethlisberger finished No. 5 in the rankings behind Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers. I voted Roethlisberger fourth and Rodgers fifth, but you can make a strong case for both quarterbacks, who are at the top of their game.

But what is debatable is whether Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco deserves to be on this list.

Is Flacco a top-10 quarterback? He was tied for the final spot with Tony Romo of the Dallas Cowboys to make the cut. I've watched more Flacco games in person than anyone on the panel and he didn't make my top 10. I had Flacco rated No. 12 on my ballot behind Romo (No. 10) and Matt Schaub (No. 11) of the Houston Texans.

In three seasons, Flacco has yet to beat the Steelers when Roethlisberger is at quarterback and needs to perform better in the postseason. Therefore, I cannot consider him elite. Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome recently echoed these sentiments.

But I've liked Flacco's skills from Day 1, and I believe he's ready for a breakthrough season in his fourth year. He has a lot of natural ability, and once he combines that with more consistency and big-game performances, he will be dangerous.

Flacco also is showing more edge and leadership in the past year, which I think is needed for any starting quarterback. Flacco has the tools. He just needs to put it all together in 2011.

ESPN.com's Quarterback Power Rankings

1. Tom Brady, Patriots

2. Peyton Manning, Colts

3. Drew Brees, Saints

4. Aaron Rodgers, Packers

5. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers

6. Philip Rivers, Chargers

7 (tie). Michael Vick, Eagles

7 (tie). Matt Ryan, Falcons

9. Eli Manning, Giants

10. (tie) Joe Flacco, Ravens

10. (tie) Tony Romo, Cowboys

Walker's Quarterback Power Rankings

1. Tom Brady, Patriots

2. Peyton Manning, Colts

3. Drew Brees, Saints

4. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers

5. Aaron Rodgers, Packers

6. Philip Rivers, Chargers

7. Michael Vick, Eagles

8. Eli Manning, Giants

9. Matt Ryan, Falcons

10. Tony Romo, Cowboys

ESPN.com's NFL team is doing something innovative this offseason. For the first time, we are compiling positional Power Rankings, similar to how we rank teams on an annual basis.

Readers will get our take on the best of the best at each position, which is sure to fuel debate. Our first installment Tuesday involved ranking the top 10 receivers in the NFL.

The AFC North was the only division that did not get a single player on this list. That brings us to this question: Is Mike Wallace a top 10 receiver?

Wallace, who caught 60 passes for 1,257 yards in 2010, finished No. 12 in the voting. I did not vote for him in the top 10.

As I explained in the Power Rankings piece, Wallace has just one year as a starter and still has to improve in certain areas before he's considered an elite receiver. His route-running on short and intermediate passes is getting better, but it's nowhere near some of the best at his position.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin use to label Wallace a "one-trick pony," and after this season Tomlin said at the Super Bowl that Wallace now has "one and a half tricks." I think that's an accurate assessment from Pittsburgh's coach of where Wallace stands right now.

All of the receivers in the top 10 -- led by Andre Johnson of the Houston Texans, Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals and Calvin Johnson of the Detroit Lions -- are more polished than Wallace. But once Wallace adds more routine plays to his deep speed, which could happen as early as this upcoming season, he could be among the NFL's top receivers.

» NFC Decisive Moments: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

It wasn't the prettiest or most exciting play in the Baltimore Ravens' landmark win Sunday over the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints. But it was the most symbolic.

With Baltimore leading by a field goal and needing a late fourth-quarter stop -- something the Ravens have struggled with all year -- Saints Pro Bowl quarterback Drew Brees made his biggest mistake of the day by throwing an interception. Brees stepped up in the pocket with less than two minutes remaining and tried to throw over Ravens defensive lineman Haloti Ngata, who tipped the ball. It landed in the hands of fellow lineman Cory Redding. It was the first interception of Redding's career, and the Ravens added a field goal to seal the 30-24 victory.

Baltimore (10-4) entered its game against the Saints (10-4) having blown back-to-back fourth-quarter leads to the Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans. Baltimore's last two opponents outscored the Ravens 25-0 in the fourth period.

But Redding's decisive moment was a step in the right direction for the Ravens. This is the time of year when good teams finish games, and Baltimore now has the momentum it's looking for during its push to the playoffs.

Let's dig into the weekend mailbag.

Bengals fan from Sardinia, Ohio, writes: With Brett Favre retiring and Tarvaris Jackson in his last year, do you think the Minnesota Vikings would be willing to trade for Carson Palmer? If so what kind of compensation do you think they would get?

Walker: The trade market for Palmer is going to be interesting because he makes $11.5 million next year. Any team willing to trade for Palmer has to pay him like an elite quarterback when that's no longer the case. The AFC North blog reported Saturday that Palmer would not accept a pay cut this offseason to stay with the rebuilding Bengals (2-11). That could increase Palmer's chances of a trade or release from Cincinnati. But the Bengals also have to be careful. If word gets out that Cincinnati is willing to release Palmer to avoid paying that high salary, teams could simply wait for the quarterback to become available and negotiate a lower salary as a free agent. That way teams won't give the Bengals any compensation.

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Hank from Westbrook, ME, writes: Do you see the Bengals giving Bernard Scott more playing time in the last three games?

Walker: Scott only got four carries last week, so it's hard to say. But I agree the Bengals should use Scott more down the stretch. In all likelihood, starting running back Cedric Benson will not return to Cincinnati. I'm not sure Scott can be a feature back, but the Bengals need to find out what his strengths are. Scott is averaging 4.8 yards per carry this season.

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Jon Teams from Barboursville, W.Va., writes: What is the deal with Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians? Why has he not tried to utilize the run more?

Walker: It's a combination of having various injuries on the offensive line and having quarterback Ben Roethlisberger back under center. Pittsburgh ran the ball best when it had to. For the first month of the season, tailback Rashard Mendenhall was the only consistent offensive threat the team had. The Steelers were also healthy up front. Now the entire playbook is available with Roethlisberger and they pass a lot more, and the offensive line isn't healthy and blocking as well.

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Peter from Virginia writes: Which offense is in more disarray at this point: Steelers or New York Jets?

Walker: The Steelers are having offensive line issues and the Jets are having quarterback issues. Both can really stall an offense. But it's harder to overcome poor quarterback play. So I would say the Jets have bigger issues at the moment.

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Will from Alexandria, Va., writes: What do you think about the Steelers' chances in the playoffs? Do you think they can beat the New England Patriots?

Walker: I think the Steelers' chances are much better if they don't play the Patriots. Otherwise, the Steelers have as good a chance as anyone if they can get healthy.

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Adam Gardner from Bel Air, Md., writes: Do you think Joe Flacco will ever become the Ravens' team leader, call audibles, and be up there with Peyton Manning and Tom Brady?

Walker: I never understood the expectations for Flacco to become Manning or Brady, who are two future Hall of Famers. I think Flacco is doing fine at this stage of his career. He has three playoff wins and is having a solid third season statistically. Ray Lewis is the leader of the Ravens, and that won't change until he retires. Flacco, for now, can just play well down the stretch and lead by example.

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Brandon Crawford from Sykesville, Md., writes: With the Ravens really struggling on the offensive line, how much of this can you contribute to the loss of offensive tackle Jared Gaither?

Walker: That's a good question, Brandon. I almost forgot about Gaither, because he hasn't been available to the team all season. Gaither can be solid when he wants to be and could've helped Baltimore this year. But too often the Ravens had to stay on top of Gaither, and that gets tiring for an organization. He lost too much weight in the offseason and subsequently got hurt, and I think that was the final straw. Gaither is no longer a good fit with Baltimore, and I don't expect him to return next year.

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B. Susi from Orlando, Fla., writes: I know you like the Troy Reed and now the Heath Heap mash-up. But what about the terror that would be James Lewis? Now THAT would be a terrifying linebacker.

Walker: Wow, B. Susi. That's an automatic Hall of Famer. The only weakness I can think of would be...long snapping???

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Troy Reed from Walkerville, AFCN, writes: Okay, I will admit it: Troy Polamalu is better than both me and Ed Reed.

Walker: What?!? No way. Please read this tweet explaining your greatness. Neither Polamalu nor Reed could do that alone. Only you can, Troy Reed. You're the best safety in NFL history!

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Matt writes: Can you please comment on Brian Daboll and his status as the Cleveland Browns' offensive coordinator?

Walker: Sure, Matt. Daboll is in major trouble. A lot has been written about Eric Mangini's future because he's the head coach. But I think the verdict is pretty much in on Daboll. The offense hasn't made any progress in two years, and it has to be driving offensive guru and Browns president Mike Holmgren crazy. I think Cleveland's failure to develop second-round picks Mohamed Massaquoi and Brian Robiskie also reflects poorly on Daboll.

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Becky from Galloway, Ohio, writes: I was wondering why in December the "Battle for Ohio" between the Bengals vs. Browns couldn’t be played in The Shoe [at Ohio State]. It would be a sellout. Even if OSU got a million both teams would still make a tidy sum. I work with a number of Bengals and Browns fans. and we would all go no matter cost of tickets.

Walker: Interesting idea, Becky. But there are a couple of issues I see with this from the NFL's perspective. For starters, one team would be losing a home game every year. Would it be fair for the Browns or Bengals to play just seven annual home games and one at a neutral site, while other teams get eight? Also, home teams make a lot of money off concessions, parking and other things during the game-day experience. That's not something the Browns or Bengals would want to give up to Ohio State.

Comment and complaint department

Ken from Long Beach, Calif., writes: As terrible as the Oakland Raiders have been the past few seasons I would gladly trade ownership with them. Living in L.A. I have seen the freak show that is Al Davis, but one thing remains certain about him; he wants to win. I am not sure I can say that about Mike Brown. I love my Bengals but I can't wait for L.A. to get a team so I can file my fan free agency and get the heck out of Mike Brown's land of despair.

Jacob from Cincy writes: I watched DeSean Jackson take a 10-yard pass 91 yards to the house, I thought back to how we passed him up in the draft and how the guy we passed him up for has been inactive all season. Where would the Bengals be if they drafted Jackson over Jerome Simpson?

Walker: Jacob, Simpson would probably play like Jackson in Philly and Jackson would be a bust in Cincy. Just kidding. It would have made a big difference in Cincinnati's offense. Ken, so many Bengals fans are at the end of their rope. I've held firm in saying it's good fandom to stick with your team. The Bengals haven't had back-to-back winning seasons in 28 years. Why leave now?

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Joe from Cincinnati writes: "Cleveland Browns (5-8) at Cincinnati Bengals (2-11), Sunday at 1 p.m. Blasik's comment: The Bengals have better personnel than the Browns, and Colt McCoy will be a little rusty coming back. As much as I love to see the Bungles lose, this streak has to end sometime, right? Walker's score: Bengals, 17-16" -- I feel all Bengals fans knew, or at least had a sneaking suspicion, that you hate the Bengals and were extremely biased against them. But your stating how much you love to see them lose makes it woefully apparent.

Walker: Joe, when did I change my name to Amanda Blasik? We had a guest predict games this week. Please read the blog again. Also, for those who think I'm too harsh on the Bengals, read last year's coverage. For those who think I'm a Bengals homer, read this year's coverage.

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David from Fontainebleau, France, writes: I think it is incredibly unlikely that the Panthers take Stanford QB Andrew Luck with the No. 1 pick of the draft as you suggested they would. They just picked Jimmy Clausen and Tony Pike this year. Three picks on the QB position in two drafts? I don't see it happening.

Walker: David, it's probably too early to predict the top of the draft board, but keep in mind that Clausen was a second-rounder and Pike was a sixth-rounder. Clausen hasn't showed anything for the 1-12 Panthers to get a vote of confidence for next year. Carolina also will have a new coaching staff in 2011 that's not tied to these draft picks, and a new coach always has the tendency to bring in his own players. I wouldn't rule it out.

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Barry Veet from Hazleton, Pa., writes: Just wanted to tell you in my fantasy football playoffs this week I was down 61 points with only Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson left. I came back and was up 1.6 points until Schaub threw that INT in OT. Talk about an unbelievable heartbreak, losing by .4 after an improbable comeback.

Walker: Tough way to end your season, Barry. I assume Ravens cornerback Josh Wilson probably isn't your favorite player.

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Will from Nashville, Tenn., writes: Hey, James. Thanks for not posting that comment comparing the Bengals and the Heat until after the Heat went on a seven-game winning streak and making me look like a fool for the question. At 9-8 when I did post the comment, the Heat were a little more disappointing and it maybe would have drawn a little better comparison to the Bengals. Way to show some respect to a loyal reader.

Walker: You are correct, Will, and my apologies. We get a lot of questions in our inbox and sometimes we can't always get to them immediately. By the time I got to yours, it was outdated.

AFC North Homer of the Week

We didn't have a strong batch of homer comments this week (good job, everyone). So we had to dig deep and find one of the runners-up from last week.

Enjoy.

Andy from Canada writes: Hey, James. Longtime reader and much respect. I am driving down to Buffalo regardless of weather for the game this weekend and Peyton Hillis will break 200 yards rushing. Post me if I'm right, and post me if I'm wrong. I have faith. Thanks.

Walker: Andy, Hillis did get 108 rushing yards. But I'm sure you didn't anticipate his three fumbles. Nonetheless, Hillis is having a great year.

If you have any additional questions, comments or complaints, please send them to our AFC North inbox.