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Nearly a full month into free agency, the Steelers finally signed their first player Tuesday. It was -- yawn -- Leonard Pope.

Not excited about adding a backup tight end? Well, this is essentially a repeat of last year, when the Steelers' big free-agent signing was wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery. Let's face it, Steelers free agency contains as much action as a Sarah Jessica Parker flick. Everyone knows this, and that's why no one is wringing their Terrible Towel over the inactivity.

The Steelers find players in April, not March. They hit on first-round picks every year -- at least in recent memory -- and develop undrafted prospects into starters. No one has built their team through the draft quite like the Steelers this decade. If the season started today, only one of the projected starters (safety Ryan Clark) joined the Steelers as an unrestricted free agent.

The Steelers need this remarkable track record in the draft to come through for them again. In some ways, this is the most important draft of the Mike Tomlin era. I'm not saying this is a crucial draft in terms of finding immediate starters. But the pressure is on the Steelers to find "potential" starters for the 2012 season.

The organization lost a piece of its history when it parted ways with wide receiver Hines Ward, linebacker James Farrior, defensive end Aaron Smith, nose tackle Chris Hoke and guard Chris Kemoeatu this offseason. Some have downplayed these departures because none were major contributors last season. Farrior was a part-time player, Ward was being phased out, Kemoeatu was benched and Smith and Hoke were both injured. The Steelers, though, could have used their experience as backups this season.

The loss of these veteran safety nets makes injuries a major concern. Two starters -- running back Rashard Mendenhall and nose tackle Casey Hampton -- are candidates to start the regular season on the physically unable to perform list (and miss at least the first six games) after ACL surgeries this offseason. Tomlin has expressed concern about whether right tackle Willie Colon and wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders can shake their injury histories. And the Steelers have to be worried about Maurkice Pouncey's ankle, LaMarr Woodley's hamstrings and Doug Legursky's shoulder.

If Hampton is placed on the PUP, the starting nose tackle would likely be an out-of-position Ziggy Hood. If Legursky is hurt, the current top backup at guard is John Malecki. If Colon goes down, the Steelers have to turn to the often-struggling Jonathan Scott. If Sanders can't play, the third receiver would be ... well, no one right now. These are all painful scenarios for the Steelers.

This is where the draft comes into play for Pittsburgh. Taking the right college player has always kept the Steelers in the mode of reloading, not rebuilding. No one knows whom the Steelers will select with the 24th overall pick. It could be Alabama inside linebacker Dont'a Hightower, Georgia offensive lineman Cordy Glenn, Stanford tight end Coby Fleener or someone not even linked to Pittsburgh. Based on the Steelers' history, the only certainty is that the pick will become an impact player.

Since 2000, the Steelers' first-round selections have been wide receiver Plaxico Burress, Hampton, guard Kendall Simmons, safety Troy Polamalu, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, tight end Heath Miller, wide receiver Santonio Holmes, linebacker Lawrence Timmons, Mendenhall, Hood, Pouncey and defensive end Cameron Heyward. The only one who didn't quite live up to expectations is Mendenhall, and he is hardly a major disappointment, having led the team in rushing for the past three seasons. This great run is more amazing when you consider that only two (Burress and Roethlisberger) were selected in the top half of the first round. Even the Ravens, who are known for excelling in the draft, have had two busts during this span with quarterback Kyle Boller and wide receiver Travis Taylor.

Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert, one of the underrated decision-makers in the NFL, can't explain this string of success.

"We've been fortunate," he told reporters at the NFL owners meetings. "We are capable as anybody of making a mistake. We never keep score. There's only one score that matters and that's the last game of the year."

If the Steelers had been keeping score, they would realize their success goes beyond the first round. They have come away with current starters in the second round (linebacker Woodley), third round (wide receiver Mike Wallace), fourth round (cornerback Ike Taylor), sixth round (wide receiver Antonio Brown) and seventh round (defensive end Brett Keisel). And don't forget about the undrafted finds like Legursky, right guard Ramon Foster and running back Isaac Redman.

This is why the Steelers don't have to write a $100 million check to free agents. This is why the Steelers can sign one player in the first 28 days of free agency and not sweat about it. Pittsburgh's way of business is about patience and faith. The Steelers believe in their front office to select the right college players and they believe in their coaching staff to develop them. It's a proven system that has led to five AFC North titles in 10 seasons and three trips to the Super Bowl during that span.

As players come and go, the Steelers' goals never change. Like Tomlin always preaches: "The standard is the standard."

"If you have a desire to be in this league for a length of time, you are going to roll with the punches and the ebb and flow, the evolution of the game," Tomlin said at the NFL owners meetings. "Thankfully, I've been in the game long enough to see a little bit of that. Those who are able to sustain success are pliable and flexible."

And the organizations that are able to sustain success are often quiet in free agency and make the most noise in the draft.

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.

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

Bengals cornerback Leon Hall is on schedule to be ready for the start of training camp after a torn Achilles ended his season in November.

Hall won't participate in offseason minicamps, but he's already been doing some light running and jumping off boxes less than three months after his surgery.

"With the Achilles, and really with any injury, you don't want to come back too early," Hall told the team's website. "As important as I think the [offseason training activities] and minicamp are, it's just as important that you don't want to go into an OTA or minicamp practice and take a step back and miss the start of training camp. Early September, we'll answer some questions."

Hensley's slant: Getting Hall back at full strength is essential to the Bengals' defense. He is Cincinnati's best player on defense and is a difference maker. In the first nine games with Hall, the Bengals gave up eight touchdown passes. In the last seven regular-season games without him, they allowed 12 touchdown passes.

BROWNS: Tight end Ben Watson told the Boston Herald that he doesn't feel any residual effects from the three concussions that he suffered last season. He was placed on injured reserve in December but plans on playing his ninth NFL season. "I’m great," Watson said. "Three or four days after the last incident, I felt normal. I passed all my cognitive tests. I didn’t have any headaches." Hensley's slant: Watson's production dropped significantly in his second season with the Browns. His receptions went from 68 to 37 and his receiving yards plummeted from 763 in 2010 to 410 last season. The Browns might diminish Watson's role in favor of getting Evan Moore more involved.

RAVENS: The Baltimore Sun's Mike Preston believes John Harbaugh gets overlooked as one of the NFL's top coaches. "He already has beaten the best, including [Pittsburgh's Mike] Tomlin twice last season," Preston wrote. "But Harbaugh gets left out because of the stigma attached to being a longtime special-teams coach, and he also happens to be the coach of one of the NFL's most dominating personalities, inside linebacker Ray Lewis." Hensley's slant: It's hard to question Harbaugh's record since he became the Ravens head coach. He became the fourth NFL coach since the 1970 merger to guide his team to the playoffs in his first four years and his 48 victories (including playoffs) ranks as the third-most in the league over the past four seasons. But the true test to Harbaugh's coaching will come when the Ravens make the transition from future Hall of Famers (and team leaders) Ray Lewis and Ed Reed.

STEELERS: Cornerback Ike Taylor became the third player to restructure his contract to help the salary-cap strapped Steelers, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The details of the new contract are unknown. Also, Steelers executive Omar Khan took himself out of the St. Louis Rams' general manager search, the Post-Gazette reported. Khan, 35, has been an executive with the Steelers and their chief contract negotiator the past 11 years. Hensley's slant: Both moves will really help the Steelers get out of their cap predicament, especially the return of Khan. My guess is it didn't take much convincing to get Taylor to restructure his contract. He was probably in a helping mood after how the playoffs ended for Pittsburgh.

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.

Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor owned up to his struggles in Sunday's 29-23 wild-card playoff loss at Denver after not speaking to reporters after the game.

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.

After congratulating Tim Tebow and the Broncos on Twitter, Taylor added: "I apologize for playing the worst game at the wrong time apologize to my teammates steelernation and family. Luv y'all to def."

Taylor was very emotional after the game, staring at the ground in front of a ripped-up locker.

He gave up several big plays and will likely be remembered for costing the Steelers the game. But Taylor has had a Pro Bowl-type season and shouldn't shoulder all of the blame.

The Steelers put him in a precarious position by putting him on an island against Thomas, because they were more committed to stopping the run than the pass. Still, it's hard to forget Thomas shoving Taylor out of the way on his way to the winning score.

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."

DENVER -- Ike Taylor sat in front of a ripped-up locker, staring blankly down at the floor.

The player who got beat on the winning play in the Pittsburgh Steelers' 29-23 overtime loss to the Denver Broncos represented what every player and coach was feeling. Frustrated. Shocked. Confused.

Taylor didn't talk in the locker room where the frame that had his No. 24 on it was ripped down, leaving fragments of wood scattered around him. But he didn't have to speak. His expression said it all: What just happened?

The heavily favored Steelers were upset by the Broncos because they underestimated Tim Tebow. Pittsburgh dared the struggling quarterback to beat the NFL's top-ranked defense by throwing deep, and he did it again and again.

The Steelers were gashed by Tebow for 20 points in a near record-setting second quarter. The defending AFC champions were knocked unceremoniously out of the playoffs on the first play of overtime by the arm of Tebow.

Pittsburgh wasn't just undone by another dramatic Tebow finish. The Steelers were punched in the gut because they believed Tebow couldn't beat them throwing the ball and they paid for it.

"On defense, we felt like we let the team down," Steelers linebacker James Farrior said. "We felt like we had a good grasp of what they were going to do to us or try to do us. They came out and made way more plays that we thought they were capable of making."

This isn't to say that the Steelers had the wrong strategy. Playing aggressive man-to-man defense with no help over the top essentially forced Tebow to win the game. And, based on Tebow's numbers, that's exactly the game plan that Pittsburgh defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau and everyone else in the football world would've written up.

In the final three weeks of the regular season, Tebow was 4 of 22 (18.1 percent) on throws over 15 yards for one touchdown and three interceptions, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Against the Steelers, he was 6 of 11 (54.5 percent) on those passes for two touchdowns and no interceptions.

It was out of character for Tebow as well as the Steelers' defense. The NFL's No. 1 pass defense had given up six completions of 30 yards or more in 16 games. Tebow connected on five of them in one game against Pittsburgh.

It's hard to second-guess the Steelers to take this approach. But you could criticize them for sticking with it.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin was asked whether he was surprised by Tebow's passing.

"The number of [passing] attempts wasn’t surprising," he said. "The number of long completions was."

After not allowing one passing yard in the first quarter, the Steelers couldn't stop Tebow in the second as their cornerbacks couldn't hold up in single coverage. Taylor allowed a 51-yard throw to Demaryius Thomas and then William Gay gave up a 30-yard touchdown to Eddie Royal, putting the Broncos up 7-6.

On the next drive, Taylor was faked out by a stutter step by Thomas, resulting in a 58-yard gain. Tebow ran in an 8-yard quarterback draw over fill-in safety Ryan Mundy to put Denver ahead 14-6.

"They are the No. 1 defense and we are the No. 1 offense running the ball, so I feel like they wanted to make a statement and stop the run," Thomas said of the Steelers. "I don't know if they forgot about the passing game."

The Steelers won't make that same mistake again against Thomas, Tebow and the Broncos. After Pittsburgh rallied to tie the game in regulation, the Broncos won the toss and quickly won the game by catching the Steelers guessing.

On the first play from scrimmage, Mundy crept up to the line of scrimmage as Pittsburgh loaded the box and took a step forward when Tebow made a play-action fake. That allowed a clear passing lane to Thomas on a deep slant because Taylor had played him to the outside.

Thomas caught the ball at the Denver 40, stiff-armed Taylor at midfield and outran everyone to the end zone for an 80-yard touchdown.

Many will rightfully blame Taylor for the mistake. But the Steelers' defensive call has to shoulder some responsibility, too.

"I felt like I could have given [Taylor] more help," Mundy said. "But that was our run-stopping defense."

Mundy was one of many backups pressed into action for the Steelers because of health reasons. Pittsburgh was without its leading rusher (Rashard Mendenhall), leading tackler (Clark), Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey, left tackle (Max Starks) and two starting defensive linemen (Brett Keisel and Casey Hampton).

Plus, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was playing on one leg because of a high ankle sprain. It was a painful game in many different ways.

"You can never say how much it can affect because we weren’t out there," Clark said. "The thing you look at is, even with the guys we had in there, we had opportunities to win this game and Denver made plays. You can’t take that away from them by saying we were hurt and it would have been different if we were out there because you don’t know."

What the Steelers knew, or at least thought they knew, was Tebow couldn't beat them.

Tebow finished last in the NFL with a 46.5 completion rate this season, the lowest mark by a qualifying quarterback since Akili Smith in 2000, according to ESPN Stats & Information. He is also the first quarterback to start a playoff game after completing less than half of his passes in the regular season since Scott Zolak of the New England Patriots in 1998, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

But the Steelers were wrong. Tebow finished with 316 passing yards against a pass defense that had allowed 171.9 yards.

When overtime was about to begin, Hines Ward was talking to receivers about plays in anticipation of the defense forcing a three-and-out on the first drive. Then he heard the cheers of the crowd and knew something had terribly gone wrong.

Once again, the Steelers were in disbelief.

"This will stick with [us] a lot as one of the worst games we ever lost," said Ward, who declined comment on his future with the team. "I thought last year losing the Super Bowl [was worse], but this is fresh on our minds and the way we lost is disappointing."

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

Browns players said they're not looking for revenge in Sunday's reunion with Steelers linebacker James Harrison.

It was three weeks ago when Harrison delivered the infamous helmet-to-helmet blow on Cleveland quarterback Colt McCoy, who suffered a concussion and hasn't played since. Harrison was suspended without pay for the hit.

Asked if the Browns "owe" Harrison, Cleveland wide receiver Josh Cribbs said via The Associated Press, “I would say so. But we’re not going into this game thinking about getting even with him. We’re going into this game trying to win it. It’s nothing personal with him. We’d like to knock their guys out as well, but within the whistle, according to the rules."

Harrison has been fined six times in the past three seasons. Two of those fines came as a result of delivering concussions to Browns players.

Browns coach Pat Shurmur shot down the notion that his players are looking to retaliate.

"Do you mean start a fight? A bench-clearing brawl?" Shurmur said, via The Cleveland Plain Dealer. "No. What I want my guys to do is play fast and physical from the snap until the whistle. I think I understand where you guys are going with this, but I think it's very important you play fast and physical within the rules."

Hensley's slant: There should be a lot of pushing and shoving after the whistle based on the bad blood between the teams. But it would be surprising to see the Browns cross the line. After the fallout from the Harrison hit, everyone knows the league will be watching closely and isn't going to tolerate misconduct in this game.

BENGALS: Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis hinted that the scores from the Chiefs and Raiders games won't be posted during the Bengals' game, according to the team's website. If the Jets lose (the result of their game should be known before the Bengals take the field), Cincinnati would make the playoffs if either one of those AFC West teams lose. Asked if he's made a decision on whether to allow the scores from the Chiefs and Raiders games to appear in the stadium, Lewis said, "That's my business." Hensley's slant: It's hard to argue with Lewis, who seemingly has made all the right moves with this young team (nine starters are 25 or younger). If he believes those scores would distract his players, the Bengals shouldn't show them. Of course, Lewis wants his players to focus on one scenario: If they win, they're in.

RAVENS: Baltimore players said they don't care that the Bengals sold out Paul Brown Stadium for the second time this season. "It doesn’t matter,” Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis said, via The Cincinnati Enquirer. “We don’t have to worry about selling out. We have to worry about trying to keep people out and things like that. We have a different vibe in Baltimore, and that’s a credit to our city, that’s a credit to our fans. So, that’s something they have to worry with, not us.” Hensley's slant: What the Ravens should really be concerned about is winning in Cincinnati, which has been their trouble spot for years. Baltimore has lost on five of its past six trips there including the past two. And, with all the playoff ramifications surrounding this game, this Sunday could be the most hostile environment that the Ravens have faced yet at Paul Brown Stadium.

STEELERS: Pittsburgh cornerback Ike Taylor told The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that the Pro Bowl snub will fuel him going forward. "Obviously, I am not doing enough," he said. "I am going to continue to ask coach to put me on the team's best receiver. My teammates, my coaches, they know what I can do." Hensley's slant: There's no doubt that Taylor has been impressive this season. As the Tribune-Review pointed out, Taylor has only allowed 41 catches all season. Still, I would have given the Pro Bowl nod to Cleveland's Joe Haden over Taylor, even though more players from the NFL's top-ranked defense deserved to be on the team.

CINCINNATI -- A week after watching their AFC North rival celebrate a statement game at their expense, the Steelers delivered a rebuttal for those who doubted their defense could close out opponents.

William Gay's fourth-quarter interception in Steelers territory did more than put Pittsburgh (7-3) back atop the AFC North (a half-game ahead of the Ravens and Bengals). This was about redemption. This was about vindication. This was about carrying the team to victory instead of relying on Ben Roethlisberger's arm to save them.

The Steelers' defense has been very good all season, based on statistics and how players run to the ball. This group elevated itself by shutting out the Bengals in the fourth quarter for a 24-17 victory, proving a steel will in the final minutes of a game.

The Bengals have thrived in these spots throughout their surprising season, coming back in the fourth quarter four times. This time, however, Cincinnati ran into a more motivated team. Maybe the Steelers' defense needed last week's kick in the gut from the Ravens to get that fighter's mentality back.

The Steelers, who were on a historic pace for takeaway futility, forced two interceptions on the final three drives. They limited rookie quarterback Andy Dalton to 22 yards passing in the final quarter. It was a performance worthy of a "curtain" call.

“We told ourselves going into the game that we’re playing pretty good defense, but we can’t continue to win games without getting turnovers,” Steelers nose tackle Casey Hampton said. “We just haven’t been finishing. It feels good to finally be able to finish somebody.”

The weakness of one of the best defenses of the past decade has been just that. After Joe Flacco led a 92-yard drive to beat the Steelers in the final seconds just seven days ago, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ran a list of "fourth-quarter failures" during the week. According to the website Cold, Hard Football Facts, the Steelers have allowed eight game-winning drives that ended in the final two minutes of games since 2007 -- the most in the NFL over that span.

That's why not wavering on these fourth-quarter stands at a blustery Paul Brown Stadium was so important. Pittsburgh's pride was at stake.

"We always want the opportunity to be on the field," safety Ryan Clark said. "We feel like those are the moments that we can rise up and allow our team to win a game."

Dalton, a rookie who is looking poised beyond his years, didn't make it easy on the Steelers. He never forced the ball in the first three quarters, throwing it away rather than risk a turnover. There were times when he displayed a knack for fading back in the face of pressure to make some outstanding throws.

It was a performance that will go down as a loss for the Bengals, but they certainly earned some respect in going drive-for-drive with the defending AFC champions.

"I don’t think this team has to worry about being able to play with the so-called elite in the AFC -- we can and we will," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said.

When Dalton and the Bengals were marching to tie the score in the fourth quarter, the Steelers' players said they weren't thinking of the Ravens game or any previous ones. Not buying it. The flashbacks were coming fast and furiously.

Last week, the Ravens were at the Steelers' 26-yard line before scoring the winning touchdown. This game, with Pittsburgh ahead by a touchdown, the Bengals were on the Steelers' 25 with 2:33 left. It was time to check the DVR to see if it was a repeat.

That was until Gay, who allowed the game-winning touchdown last Sunday, jumped the route and made his first interception of the season. Gay also caused the other interception in the fourth quarter, batting the ball to linebacker Lawrence Timmons in Steelers territory.

If you believe Gay is the defense's weak link, then the Steelers were as strong as it today.

"That’s what the game is about: Forget about what happened last week and come out and make plays," Clark said. "To me, he won the game."

Gay was certainly a playmaker in a Steelers' season that has had few of them. He had a hand in two interceptions in a span of 10 minutes, doubling Pittsburgh's total from the first nine games.

The Steelers were tied for the fewest takeaways in the NFL with four, which was on pace for the fewest in NFL history. In a season when their defense has been described as old and slow, the more accurate criticism has been the inability to make game-changing plays.

It's been a strange reversal of fortune for the Steelers, who finished third in the NFL with 35 forced turnovers a season ago. Rather than explain the lack of them this year, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin seemed happy that they're finally coming now.

"That’s what you got to do particularly moving forward," Tomlin said of the turnovers. "As we get into the thick of this thing, people play better execution-oriented football. It makes those type of splash plays even more important because there will be less room for error."

The Steelers were helped by the fact that the Bengals' top playmaker on offense, wide receiver A.J. Green, didn't play in the second half because he injured his knee on the spectacular 36-yard touchdown grab in the first quarter. But the Steelers' defense wasn't helped by its offense, which went three-and-out on its first three drives of the fourth quarter.

Needless to say, don't try to dampen this victory for the Steelers, who notched their first win over a team leading a division this season. You'll get shut down just like Dalton and the Bengals.

"We feel like we’ve been through hell and back," cornerback Ike Taylor said of the past week. "We have a lot of veteran guys who know what they need to do when it comes down to the end of the game. This Steelers defense has been holding this down for a long time. Check the track record."

Here's a top matchup heading into Sunday's Bengals-Steelers game along with a take from Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc.

MATCHUP OF THE DAY

WHO: Bengals WR A.J. Green vs. Steelers CB Ike Taylor

BREAKDOWN: The fourth overall selection in this year's draft, Green has been an impact player, leading NFL rookies in receptions. (40), receiving yards (599) and touchdown catches (5). He can stretch the field, producing five catches of more than 40 yards -- which ranks third in the NFL. Green has a catch of at least 20 yards in four straight games and has scored a touchdown in three of the past four games. Taylor has had a strong season and is considered one of the top cornerbacks in the AFC. Quarterbacks are completing less than a third of their passes when throwing in the direction of Taylor, who is coming off a below-average game against the Ravens' Anquan Boldin. Taylor has broken up three passes and doesn't have an interception this season.

WILLIAMSON'S TAKE: "Should be a great matchup and Pittsburgh will almost always put Taylor on the opposing No. 1 wide receiver. Cincinnati's offense is all short quick passing. They will take three or so shots deep though per game -- almost always to Green and often off play action. But I think overall, Taylor matches up very well with Green. Green has superb leaping ability and ball skills, but Taylor has very good size and comparable speed. Taylor is also far more refined at his craft and Green is a slender guy that still is not real strong, especially at the line of scrimmage against press man, which is what Taylor will and should do a lot of in this matchup."

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

Texans fullback Lawrence Vickers said he's "geeked up" to play his former team and admitted to the Cleveland Plain Dealer that he was hurt by the Browns' decision not to re-sign him last year.

"And I know they're pretty much geeked up, too," Vickers told The Plain Dealer. "We all had this game circled on the calendar."

Vickers said he never heard from them after his 2010 exit interview, but he knew his time was up after Cleveland drafted fullback Owen Marecic in the fourth round. Vickers' powerful run-blocking helped Jerome Harrison and Peyton Hillis lead the team in rushing the previous two seasons.

Asked how much the Browns' running game misses him, he said, "My focus is on Lawrence Vickers. I'm on to the next chapter. I wish Peyton and all their running backs the best."

Hensley's slant: Injuries have factored into Cleveland's struggles in running the ball this season, but not having Vickers has contributed to the Browns falling to 29th in the NFL in rushing. His lead blocking was a big reason why the Browns ranked No. 8 in rushing in 2009 and why Hillis ran for 1,177 yards and 11 touchdowns last season. The Browns thought Vickers' style wouldn't fit into their new West Coast offense. Wonder if the front office is rethinking that decision now?

• BENGALS: Middle linebacker Rey Maualuga (ankle) continues to work off to the side, and outside linebacker Thomas Howard (hamstring) remains limited in practice. But the Bengals don't seem too concerned because of their depth at linebacker, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer. Backup middle linebacker Dan Skuta and outside linebacker Brandon Johnson didn't play much in the first five games, but they've filled those spots "seamlessly." Hensley's slant: The way the Bengals have played well without Maualuga and with Howard at less than full strength is more a reflection of the team's defensive line. The strong rotation up front has allowed Cincinnati to plug anyone at linebacker and remain effective. The defensive line is the backbone of perhaps the most underrated defense in the NFL.
• RAVENS: Left guard Ben Grubbs continues to practice and even lined up with the first-team group during drills, according to MASNSports.com. Grubbs hasn't played since the season opener against the Steelers because of a toe injury. "Anytime you can get a player like Ben back, that's big because he played extremely well in the first game," offensive coordinator Cam Cameron said. "We'll see. He is probably going to be a game-time decision. We'll take Ben back at any point in time." Hensley's slant: The loss of Grubbs has been a bad domino effect for the Ravens. Andre Gurode has struggled a lot the past two games at guard, which has cause left tackle Bryant McKinnie to help out more to the inside. Because McKinnie can't put all of his focus on protecting the blind side, the pass protection on the edge has declined. So, the return of Grubbs would be big for the Ravens.
• STEELERS: The first-half Most Valuable Player isn't really a player, according to The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. It's defensive backs coach Carnell Lake. The former Steelers player is receiving the most credit for adding the physical element to the Steelers' secondary. Hensley's slant: When Pittsburgh ranked No. 1 in pass defense in the past, it usually was the result of the Steelers' pass rush. But this year, it's the defensive backs who have really stepped up. Ike Taylor is having a Pro Bowl-type season, and William Gay has rebounded after a rough start.

It's no secret that the New England Patriots' passing game revolves around Wes Welker. He is the league leader in receptions (51) and targets (75), and he's the only player with at least 55 targets who hasn’t dropped a pass yet this season.

But what's the secret to stopping him? Steelers safety Ryan Clark has an idea.

"As far as my part, anytime you get guys who are going to catch-and-run and who run a lot of inside routes, you have to pound on them," Clark told The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "You have to be physical with them and hit them and have to jam them. That's what you have to do."

The Steelers have held Welker relatively in check. In the past three meetings, Welker has averaged seven catches for 70 yards. He has scored one touchdown.

Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin indicated that Ike Taylor, the team's best cornerback, will not shadow Welker. Taylor usually covers a receiver lined up to the outside, and Welker generally works out of the slot.

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

The Browns have made no commitment to Colt McCoy to be their starting quarterback beyond this season, team president Mike Holmgren said at Thursday's news conference.

"I know it's not healthy to change quarterbacks," Holmgren said via The Plain Dealer. "But you have to find that person. ... Colt is just a pup. He's getting banged around out there. He will play this season and ... we'll evaluate how he does at the end of the season. That's an important part of the equation."

McCoy has averaged 21.6 incompletions over his past three games. His 28.5 QBR is 23rd in the NFL, just above recently benched quarterbacks Donovan McNabb and Rex Grossman.

"[McCoy] is a rookie [actually, a second-year player] with a new coach, new signal-caller, new system," Holmgren said. "Are we committed to him? Absolutely. Does it guarantee him the starting position? I want him to do well. Everyone's rooting for him."

Hensley's slant: This is a major shift from April 2010, when McCoy said Holmgren compared him to Steve Young and Joe Montana because of his intangibles. This vote of no confidence comes after 13 up-and-down NFL starts for McCoy. One of the reasons why the Browns have failed to challenge for the AFC North title consistently is the lack of a franchise quarterback. Until they get one, Cleveland will always be chasing the Steelers and the Ravens.

• BENGALS: Right guard Bobbie Williams didn't hold back when he compared Andy Dalton to Carson Palmer, who was traded to the Raiders on Tuesday. “Just to be politically correct, Andy brings something that Carson doesn’t -- and I’m not knocking Carson -- a little bit more passion," Williams told the team's website. "I’m not saying Carson isn’t passionate, but Andy brings a little bit more.” Hensley's slant: There have always been questions about Palmer's leadership ability. In his defense, it can be hard to take control of a locker room that has the likes of Chad Ochocinco in it. Still, even as a rookie, Dalton is getting teammates to follow him.
• RAVENS: The Ravens' secondary got an unexpected surprise when first-round pick Jimmy Smith (high ankle sprain) and Chris Carr (hamstring) both returned to practice, according to MASNSports.com. Smith has been sidelined since the season opener , and Carr has missed the past two games. Three Ravens didn't practice Thursday: wide receiver Lee Evans (ankle), guard Ben Grubbs (toe) and linebacker Jarret Johnson (back). Hensley's slant: There really is no need to rush Smith and Carr back for Monday's game against Jacksonville rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert, who threw for 109 yards last Sunday in a loss to the Steelers. Baltimore needs both cornerbacks to be at full strength when the Ravens play at Pittsburgh on Nov. 6.
• STEELERS: Pittsburgh defensive tackle Ziggy Hood told The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that if you get to Arizona quarterback Kevin Kolb, you stop wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. Kolb has been sacked an average of 3.2 times per game, which is even more than Ben Roethlisberger (3.0). Hensley's slant: It also helps to have a guy who can cover Fitzgerald. Ike Taylor likely draws that assignment after just allowing his first touchdown. The Steelers can't afford to have flashbacks of Fitzgerald from that Super Bowl victory.

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

To sum up the third week in the AFC North: There were three first-quarter touchdowns by a Ravens rookie (wide receiver Torrey Smith), two last-minute game-winning scores (by the Steelers and Browns) and one missing offense (at least that's the rumor in Cincinnati, where there were 20,000 empty seats for a home opener).

As a result, there's a three-team tie atop the AFC North with the Browns, Ravens and Steelers all sporting 2-1 records. The Bengals have lost two straight to fall into sole possession of last place.

At this moment, no other division has three teams in first place, although that could change in the NFC East if Dallas beats Washington on Monday night.

• BROWNS: In filling in for running back Peyton Hillis (illness), Montario Hardesty ran 14 times for 67 yards and caught three passes for 19 yards. His 10-yard catch on fourth-and-4 was a key play on the game-winning touchdown drive, as the Canton Repository pointed out. Hensley's slant: There's no question that the Browns need Hillis to return. But Hardesty's play should have earned him some more well-deserved playing time.
• BENGALS: With running back Cedric Benson possibly serving a three-game suspension from the NFL, the Bengals are bringing in Larry Johnson for a tryout, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. Johnson was signed in 2009 by the Bengals after Benson suffered a hip flexor injury. Hensley's slant: Losing Benson for a three-game stretch would be a substantial blow to Cincinnati. After watching Andy Dalton suffer through some growing pains Sunday, it's apparent that he can't carry the team, especially in third-and-long situations.
• RAVENS: Baltimore decided to replace injured left guard Ben Grubbs (toe) with Andre Gurode instead of Mark LeVoir, and the results were much better than last Sunday's outing in Tennessee, according to The Baltimore Sun. Unlike a week ago, the offensive line opened big enough holes to allow running backs to average 9.3 yards per carry and gave Joe Flacco enough time to find Smith deep downfield. Hensley's slant: Gurode is one of the most accomplished backup offensive linemen that the Ravens have ever had. The only surprise is that Baltimore waited one week before putting him in the lineup to fill in for Grubbs.
• STEELERS: Cornerback Bryant McFadden was scratched for the second time in three games because of a hamstring injury, according to The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. William Gay started in McFadden's place. Hensley's slant: The Steelers had better get their secondary in order before playing next week against Matt Schaub and the Texans. That includes Ike Taylor, who got saved by an overthrown pass after getting faked out on a double move.

Quarterbacks don't like Ike. That is, Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor.

He's only been targeted seven times in the first two games of the season, according to The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. In fact, he's only given up one catch and that was for seven yards.

"He is playing at a high level," Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin said. "He has performed to this point, and we are pleased with what he is doing."

Taylor shut out banged-up Ravens wide receiver Lee Evans in the opener. He then gave up a catch to Seahawks wide receiver Mike Williams last Sunday.

The bigger challenge comes Sunday when he lines up to cover Indianapolis wide receiver Reggie Wayne. Even with Kerry Collins at quarterback, Wayne still has 11 catches for 172 yards (15.6-yard average) and one touchdown.

Taylor's fast start is commendable considering he is playing with a thumb that he broke in the first preseason game.