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After firing Eric Mangini on Monday, some coaching names are starting to surface for the Cleveland Browns. Yesterday it was Perry Fewell. Today it's Mike Mularkey.

The Denver Broncos and Browns are among the teams waiting to interview Mularkey, who is the offensive coordinator of the Atlanta Falcons. Here is more from NFC South blogger Pat Yasinskas.

Mularkey has done a good job in Atlanta as offensive coordinator. But he flamed out as a head coach, going just 14-18 in two seasons with the Buffalo Bills from 2004 to 2005.

Browns president Mike Holmgren said Monday that he will exhaust every avenue to get the best head coach possible to Cleveland. It's still very early in the process, but the first two names to go public haven't been overwhelming.

A primetime game in Week 8 is the subject of this week's "Take your pick." The AFC North blog asks, which team will win Sunday night between the Pittsburgh Steelers (5-1) and New Orleans Saints (4-3)?

This is a high-profile matchup of the past two Super Bowl champions -- and only one will prevail. Will it be the Steelers, who narrowly escaped last week's game against the Miami Dolphins thanks to a controversial call late in the fourth quarter? Or will the reigning champion Saints right the ship at home?

Did the Cleveland Browns help Pittsburgh by exposing the Saints last week? Or was that loss a wakeup call for New Orleans to come back stronger Sunday in the Super Dome? Pittsburgh is tied for the NFL's best road record (3-0) but that certainly will be tested.

So take your pick between these two former champions. You can share your thoughts below, or to our division inbox and AFC North Twitter. We will run the best responses throughout the week.

Here are seven notes and observations from Week 7:

[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Gene J. PuskarThe Steelers could be vulnerable against the run without defensive end Aaron Smith.
• Lost in the Pittsburgh Steelers' controversial win against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday was the probable season-ending triceps injury to Aaron Smith. This is a huge blow to Pittsburgh (5-1), because Smith is the prototype 3-4 defensive end and one of the biggest leaders in the locker room. This could be the second straight season-ending injury for Smith, who has been one of the NFL's most underrated players. The Steelers are very hard to run against when Smith is healthy, but the defense suffers mightily when he's out. Defensive end Brett Keisel (hamstring) is also banged up, making it possible that Pittsburgh will start backups Ziggy Hood and Nick Eason this week against the reigning champion New Orleans Saints. Hood, a 2009 first-round pick, must grow up fast for the Steelers.
• Although they narrowly escaped Miami, the Steelers are now tied with the New York Jets, Tennessee Titans and Dolphins for the NFL's best road record at 3-0. All three of these teams are physical and play a consistent style, home and away. Pittsburgh must continue its road success; four of its next six games are away from Heinz Field.
• Here is a suggestion for the Cincinnati Bengals: It's time to hold a players-only meeting. The Bengals' season is on the brink after a 2-4 start, and there are so many leaks in this sinking ship that players need to talk it out amongst each other without coaches around and demand everyone look in the mirror to figure out how to improve. Cincinnati's issue isn't with one player or one position or one side of the football. It's been a team-wide failing with different culprits, including coaching.
• It's officially time to wonder if too many offseason activities negatively impacted Bengals receiver Chad Ochocinco. I've had this theory for a couple weeks, but wanted to be fair to Ochocinco and allow enough time and games to be played before I brought it up. Ochocinco had two nationally televised shows in the offseason and another just starting with teammate Terrell Owens that airs on Tuesdays. Ochocinco received a lot of press and knew he would get heat if he struggled this season, prompting his "birth control" comment. So far Ochocinco's production has been inconsistent and his attention to detail is waning. Ochocinco had a 100-yard game Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. But quarterback Carson Palmer got on him about running the wrong routes, and the receiver also dropped an easy pass that went through his hands. Many Bengals are suffering mental errors this season, but Ochocinco has been one of the biggest offenders.
• Kudos to the Cleveland Browns' coaching staff and head coach Eric Mangini for pulling out the bag of tricks before the bye week. Many teams use the extra week of preparation to add wrinkles and practice trick plays. But the Browns (2-5) decided there was no time better than the present to run a tricky fake punt that worked to perfection against New Orleans. Tailback Peyton Hillis also caught the Saints' defense by surprise with a 13-yard pass. Cleveland's staff has struggled this season, particularly with second-half adjustments, and needs to be more creative with things like this to spark the team.
• The Browns will spend the bye week determining whether it's best to stick with rookie quarterback Colt McCoy or turn back to one of their veteran quarterbacks -- Seneca Wallace or Jake Delhomme. In my opinion, McCoy has played well enough to keep the job. Against the past two Super Bowl champions, McCoy put up Cleveland's season-high passing yards (281) against Pittsburgh and was the winning quarterback against the Saints. In two starts, McCoy has thrown for 355 yards and completed 65.3 percent of his passes. With the Browns coming off a huge win, there's no reason to disrupt things with another shakeup at quarterback.
• What happened to Baltimore Ravens cornerback Fabian Washington on Sunday? Washington had his worst day as a Raven, allowing three touchdown passes to the winless Buffalo Bills (0-6). His play was so bad that Baltimore head coach John Harbaugh benched Washington in favor of Josh Wilson in the fourth quarter. Washington has had solid games this season, but he was awful against the Bills. He will have a lot of corrections to make during the bye week.

ATLANTA--The Atlanta Falcons are blowing out the Cincinnati Bengals, 24-3, at halftime.

Here are some notes at intermission:

• Falcons receiver Roddy White talked trashed this week, and he is certainly backing it up. White is torching Cincinnati's secondary and already has six catches for 157 yards and a touchdown. The Bengals did not double White, Atlanta's top receiving threat, in the first half and that was the wrong move. Neither Adam Jones nor Leon Hall could contain White in single coverage in the first half.
• I'm still seeing the same sloppiness Cincinnati had before the bye. Among the mistakes in the first half were the Bengals jumping offsides twice, having 12 men on the field twice, a Chad Ochocinco drop and a holding penalty that negated a big kickoff return by Jones. It's tough enough to beat your opponent. But the Bengals are still making it tougher on themselves with penalties.
• Bengals tailback Cedric Benson is running well, but he will probably be phased out of the offense in the second half because of Atlanta's big lead. Benson has rushed for 57 yards on 12 carries and is fighting hard for extra yards. But Cincinnati will be passing the ball a lot in the second half.
• I'm curious to see what type of character Cincinnati has and how this team responds in the second half. The Bengals do not want to fall to 2-4 in a competitive AFC North. Cincinnati will either wither away and go home quietly or fight hard to get back in the game and get momentum for next week.

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

• Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed (hip) is still unsure if he will play Sunday against the Buffalo Bills.

Morning take: After putting Jared Gaither on injured reserve, a roster spot is waiting for Reed if he wants to play. But Reed also has the luxury of sitting Sunday and getting two more weeks to heal.

• The running game of the Cincinnati Bengals could be pivotal against the Atlanta Falcons.

Morning take: The Bengals need to leave Atlanta with a win any way they can. If a ball-control offense is the way to go, Cincinnati tailback Cedric Benson needs a big day.

• The Cleveland Browns are sticking with struggling cornerback Eric Wright as the starter.

Morning take: As we mentioned earlier this week, Wright is in a slump and giving up too many big plays. This is a big game for him against the New Orleans Saints, because the Browns will re-evaluate everything during their bye week.

• Pittsburgh Steelers backup defensive end Nick Eason will start in place of the injured Brett Keisel (hamstring) against the Miami Dolphins.

Morning take: Eason and Evander Hood have been in the rotation all season as backups. Look for both to share plenty of reps at defensive end Sunday.

Overtime ruined our picks once again last week. The Baltimore Ravens were close to cementing a perfect week until they allowed the New England Patriots to overcome a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter.

So the quest for another perfect week continues. Here are the AFC North blog picks for Week 7 (all times are ET):

Cleveland Browns (1-5) at New Orleans Saints (4-2), Sunday at 1 p.m.

Skinny: This week the Browns talked so much about James Harrison that I question their focus on the reigning Super Bowl champs. Cleveland goes 1-6 into its bye week.

Pick: Saints, 28-13

Buffalo Bills (0-5) at Baltimore Ravens (4-2), Sunday at 1 p.m.

Skinny: Tim Graham of the AFC East blog wonders if a UFL team can beat the Bills. That's enough confirmation for me.

Pick: Ravens, 30-7

Pittsburgh Steelers (4-1) at Miami Dolphins (3-2), Sunday at 1 p.m.

Skinny: The test gets tougher for Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. But the Steelers make enough plays to leave Miami with a win.

Pick: Steelers, 21-14

Cincinnati Bengals (2-3) at Atlanta Falcons (4-2), Sunday at 1 p.m.

Skinny: I expect Cincinnati's best effort because this is an important game. But I'm still not sure the Bengals fixed all their issues.

Pick: Falcons, 24-21

Last week: 1-1

Overall: 11-6

Comment: At least two games are in the bag this week.

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

• Upon his return after contemplating retirement, Pittsburgh Steelers Pro Bowl linebacker James Harrison says he won't change his playing style.

Morning take: Harrison has played one way his entire career -- and that's aggressive. He may lose some money, but it won't do him or the Steelers any good to play at three-quarter's speed.

• Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Adam Jones is returning home to Atlanta to play the Falcons.

Morning take: Jones could play a bigger role this week, because starting cornerback Johnathan Joseph has an ankle injury. Falcons receiver Roddy White is already pumped to face Cincinnati's secondary.

• Baltimore Ravens standouts Haloti Ngata and Michael Oher were both passed up by the Buffalo Bills.

Morning take: It's no secret that drafting poorly is a sure way to stay at the bottom of the NFL. The Ravens often take advantage of bad teams like Buffalo passing over quality players.

• The status of receivers Josh Cribbs (concussion) and Mohamed Massaquoi (concussion) remain up in the air.

Morning take: The Browns will need all the help they can get against the reigning Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints. A return by either player would help Browns rookie quarterback Colt McCoy.

See what Chad Ochocinco started?

After a slow start to the season, the Cincinnati Bengals' (2-3) Pro Bowl receiver said he's going back to his trash-talking roots against the Atlanta Falcons (4-2). He sent packages to Atlanta's secondary this week, which is vintage Ochocinco.

But not to be outdone, Atlanta receiver Roddy White took a page from Ochocinco's playbook and made this video, which was transcribed Thursday by Joe Reedy of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Here is a recap of what White had to say about the Bengals:

• "They do a lot of talking before the season started and now we're gonna shatter their dreams, hearts and desires on Sunday."
• "This is not really a big game for us. It's just the next game on the schedule. Unfortunately it's against the Bengals and they think they're good. I don't even know their record – I think they're like 2-4."
• "I'm gonna get working on the DBs that they have. I don't even know these guys' names. But hey, I'm gonna go at them."

Not knowing Cincinnati cornerbacks Johnathan Joseph and Leon Hall -- one of the NFL's best tandems -- is a bit disrespectful. But other than that, the Falcons and Bengals shouldn't have issues with their two receivers adding spice to this matchup.

The AFC North blog will be in Atlanta covering the Bengals and Falcons this weekend, which could be a must-win game for Cincinnati.

Explosion or implosion.

The Cincinnati Bengals will take one of these two routes in the next few weeks, and it starts Sunday with a huge road game against the Atlanta Falcons (4-2).

So far the reigning AFC North champions are one of the NFL's biggest underachievers. Coming off a playoff appearance, Cincinnati is only 2-3 after back-to-back losses to the Cleveland Browns and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Coming off the bye, Bengals coach Marvin Lewis told his players this week that there are no more excuses. With so much talent, strong personalities and a head coach in the final year of his contract, the Bengals will be a must-watch team in the second half of the season. You're either going to see a talented group come together or a train wreck.

Here are several reasons it could go either way.

Reasons for a Bengals explosion:

The talent is immense. The Bengals are considered major underachievers because their talent is playoff-caliber. This is the deepest and best collection of players of the Lewis era. It's a good mix of youth and experience on both sides of the football. Cincinnati hit on recent draft picks such as Johnathan Joseph, Leon Hall and Keith Rivers to build the defense and went with veteran free agents Cedric Benson and Terrell Owens to improve the offense. Early production from 2010 first-round pick Jermaine Gresham and third-rounder Jordan Shipley is also a positive sign this group will come together.

Quarterback play will improve. Bengals starting quarterback Carson Palmer was drilled in the media during the bye week. In his last game, he threw three interceptions in a loss to Tampa. He is on pace for 19 picks this year, which would be the second-highest total of his career. But Palmer has too much natural ability to play this badly all season. He may not be the quarterback he was in 2005, but Palmer is certainly capable of playing better, and that would be a major plus for Cincinnati's offense. Despite all the criticism, the Bengals are No. 7 in the NFL in passing offense. A few improvements and fewer turnovers by Palmer would get the offense back on track.

Defense hasn't hit its stride. Cincinnati's defense isn't playing poorly, but the unit hasn't reached its form of 2009, either. The Bengals were fourth in the league in total defense a year ago, and it was the primary reason Cincinnati swept the AFC North and made the playoffs. So far Mike Zimmer's group has been little better than average, ranking No. 13. The Bengals have given up at least 23 points in all three losses. And the pass rush has been a major problem -- it was something Zimmer addressed during the bye week. Cincinnati's defense showed flashes of what it's capable of in a 15-10 win over the Baltimore Ravens. The Bengals need more performances like that one to help turn around the season.

Reasons for Bengals implosion:

Brutal schedule. One of the downsides to winning a division title is you get a first-place schedule the following year. Cincinnati needed a fast start but didn't get it. Now the Bengals have to survive a brutal stretch that includes seven of eight upcoming games against teams with winning records. We will find out all we need to know about the Bengals in the next few weeks when they face Atlanta (4-2), the Miami Dolphins (3-2), Pittsburgh Steelers (4-1) and Indianapolis Colts (4-2) in consecutive weeks. They also have games against the New Orleans Saints (4-2) and New York Jets (5-1). Had Cincinnati beaten Cleveland and Tampa Bay, the Bengals could afford a few stumbles. Now there is little room for error. The Bengals have to go 8-3 the rest of the way to finish 10-6 and have a legitimate shot at the wild card in the AFC.

Strong personalities. The AFC North blog predicted in training camp that this team needed to win early or things could snowball. We're already seeing several signs of frustration with the Bengals. Running back Cedric Benson said earlier this season that he wasn't happy about Cincinnati's pass-heavy play calling. Receivers Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco both want the football, but only one can shine in a given week. Ochocinco recently admitted the offense lacks chemistry and he's trying old gimmicks to get back to form. Overall the Bengals have done a fairly good job of keeping their frustrations in house. But more losing will only bring things to the surface.

Lewis' contract status a lingering issue. Lewis entering the final year of his contract was one of several key topics during the offseason, but it has mostly gone away since the beginning of the regular season. As we approach the second half, expect this topic to resurface regardless of whether the Bengals are winning or losing. Lewis was the 2009 NFL Coach of the Year after leading the surprising Bengals to the postseason. But he and the team were unable to reach an agreement on a new deal. It is no secret in NFL circles that coaching the Bengals isn't easy, and Lewis has earned a lot of respect for the job he has done in Cincinnati. Lewis doesn't seem opposed to the idea of becoming a free agent. But will it have an impact on the way the team responds?

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

• Will the Cleveland Browns be able to run against the top-ranked run defense of the Pittsburgh Steelers?

Morning take: No one has been able to do it so far. The Steelers take a lot of pride in stopping the run, and it doesn't help that tailback Peyton Hillis (quad) is banged up.

• Pittsburgh offensively will open the playbook more with the return of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

Morning take: It couldn't have been anymore closed. The game I covered in Tampa Bay, Charlie Batch threw three passes in the second half.

• Baltimore Ravens Pro Bowl defensive lineman Haloti Ngata (knee) says he will play against the New England Patriots.

Morning take: Baltimore will need Ngata to control the line of scrimmage. He may be the team's early MVP after five games.

• Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer went back to the fundamentals during the bye week.

Morning take: Defense isn't the main issue on this team, but the unit can still play better. Cincinnati certainly can improve getting to the quarterback.

Here are some thoughts on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 24-21 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals:

What it means: The reigning AFC North champions look more like pretenders than contenders. The Bengals are in a funk, losing two in a row and falling to 2-3 on the season. Cincinnati entered the year with high expectations. But with the Baltimore Ravens (4-1) and Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1) both playing well, Cincinnati is quickly falling behind in the division race.

What I liked: Bengals running back Cedric Benson finally got it going against a Bucs defense which has struggled against the rush. Benson rushed for 144 yards on 23 carries and averaged 6.3 yards per carry. Cincinnati's offensive line is built to run the football and this was the best running performance of the season.

What I didn't like: The Bengals let a fourth-quarter lead slip away at home, as Tampa pulled off 10 straight points with less than two minutes left in the win. Also, in what's becoming a weekly occurrence, the Bengals were too sloppy and inconsistent. Cincinnati had nine penalties and four turnovers, including a pick six thrown by Cincinnati quarterback Carson Palmer, who had three interceptions total.

What's next: Cincinnati enters the bye week sputtering and with plenty of problems to fix. The Bengals' season now reaches a critical stage. They have a tough upcoming schedule that likely will make or break this year, starting with an Oct. 24 road game against the Atlanta Falcons (4-1).

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a bye this weekend. But quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was on the minds of readers in our AFC North community.

Let's answer some questions.

A.J. Balbo from Savannah, Ga., wants to know if the Steelers will stick to their ball-control formula once quarterback Ben Roethlisberger returns.

James Walker: Not exactly, A.J. The Steelers did what was best to win games and executed it very well. But Pittsburgh is a much more balanced and dangerous offense with Roethlisberger, and it wouldn't be wise not to use the two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback. The Steelers are 31st in passing and rarely took chances. But Roethlisberger thrives on making big plays and you will see a less conservative offense with Pittsburgh the rest of the season.

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Daniel Saikali from Glendora, Calif., writes: I've heard a lot about Roethlisberger's focus since his suspension. Have you noticed that he's really changing?

Walker: It's not my responsibility to play amateur psychologist, Daniel. Roethlisberger knows his past mistakes and what he has to do better in the present and future. All I can say is he's saying the right things and his actions over time will reflect whether he's making progress.

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Tracey Oliver from New York wants to know if the Steelers can win a Super Bowl without Roethlisberger.

Walker: Despite how our Power Rankings turned out a couple of weeks ago, no, the Steelers cannot win a Super Bowl this year without Roethlisberger. They proved they can still win games. But Roethlisberger is the player who gives them a legit shot at a seventh championship.

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Kovacs from Santa Monica, Calif., writes: I understand that you'll continue to be a little bearish on the Browns until wins pile up. That's fair. What is your evaluation of the progression of the team from last season to this season?

Walker: Good question as usual, Kovacs. Progress is being made in Cleveland. The team is more competitive now than it was a year ago, and depending on how quickly some of the younger players develop, it will only increase. I predicted the Browns would win five or six games this year and be competitive. They are doing the latter but it's not showing up in the standings so far.

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TEverette11 via Twitter writes: I think the Browns deserve more credit. In lieu of their own mistakes first three games, don't you feel they should be undefeated?

Walker: Let's not get crazy after one win, TEverette. The Browns have been competitive but they're not playing like a 4-0 team. Cleveland is getting credit this week for beating the Cincinnati Bengals. Now they need to focus on beating the tough Atlanta Falcons (3-1).

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Joseph from Victoria, Texas, wants to know if rookie quarterback Colt McCoy will play this season.

Walker: Never say never, Joseph, but the plan is for McCoy to sit this year. The past three games McCoy has been one play away. But Jake Delhomme (ankle) is getting healthy, which means McCoy's chances of playing this year greatly decrease.

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Austin from Alamo, Calif., writes: James, you and John Clayton have been quick to say Joe Flacco has become elite after beating the Steelers last weekend. I don't buy it.

Walker: Austin, I never called Flacco elite and rarely like to use that word in general. Clayton, on the other hand, does view Flacco as an elite NFL quarterback. I disagree and believe Flacco still has room to grow. But I think his win over Pittsburgh shows growth in his development.

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Raj from Baltimore writes: Any update on Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed?

Walker: Reed is eligible to come off the physical unable to perform list after Baltimore's sixth game against the New England Patriots. I've seen Reed in the locker room after games but haven't had the chance to talk to him. He seems to be walking around fine and progressing well.

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Matt from Surprise, Ariz., writes: Any idea how we can get a bit more protection for Carson Palmer?

Walker: The Bengals offensive line isn't built to be good pass blockers. It's more of a run-oriented unit. The problem is Cincinnati made all these acquisitions in the offseason to throw the ball without accounting for the offensive line. The one player who I think can help is Andre Smith. He was the No. 6 overall pick in 2009 and has some potential, but Smith still has to improve to be a starter. If the Bengals can get the best out of him in the next few weeks and months, I think that will help.

Comment and complain department

David from Cleveland writes: I saw what you wrote about T.J. Ward in your "Seven-step drop" and I couldn't agree more. The Browns NEED a player on their team that strikes fear into the opposing team so we no longer come off as the pushovers of the AFC North and hopefully this win proved we can hang with teams that have more talent than us.

Scott from Cleveland writes: I find it pretty disappointing that you would have anything positive to say about a cheap shot on a defenseless receiver. Ward's hit on Jordan Shipley was a blatant cheap shot and that is why the league discourages such play. I assume Shipley will be thrilled to know of your support of Ward becoming an enforcer. Shame on you.

Walker: There were two sides that I presented on this issue, and I found it interesting that some people only saw the one side they wanted to see. Scott, I'm not condoning Ward's late hit and wrote he deserves his fine. What I'm saying is Cleveland's defense has been soft for a long time. I covered the team and saw year after year what poor and weak tackling can do to a defense. As David understood, the Brown finally have an aggressive hitter in the secondary, and I'm not sure you want to encourage Ward to turn that off, because it's the best part of his game. The NFL is extremely fast, and if the Browns have to choose between Ward playing too aggressive at times or too passive, it's in Cleveland's best interest for Ward to remain aggressive.

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Jim from Cleveland writes: James, I do not understand you. When it comes to the Browns you are the most negative person ever. You should be the first one to know that Browns fans are the most loyal and optimistic fans in the NFL. At the same time I respect you for everything you say about them, but it is annoying to hear your negative comments about them every week. The Browns may not have enough talent like you say, but they can win.

Walker: I'm confused, Jim. You agree with my assessment of the Browns, but you're upset that I point out their deficiencies? Keep in mind that this is a zero homerism blog. I wrote that when I first started covering the AFC North, because it's the best and only way to provide objective and honest reporting of all four teams. Therefore, if your team -- in this case Cleveland -- isn't playing well I'm going to point out all the reasons why. If your team is playing well I will point out all the reasons why, as well. I find that pretty simple. There are plenty of homer sports sites on the internet. But this space is not one of them.

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Ariana from Hamden, Conn., writes: The Ravens are like the Steelers, the Steelers aren't like the Ravens. They're like a better version of Baltimore.

Walker: Nice riddle, Ariana. I had to read that five times, but I think I see where you're going.

AFC North Homer of the Week

Conrad Cox from Jacksonville, Fla., writes: I think we are seeing too many stories on the Bengals and Steelers. What about the Ravens? Get real. They are by far the best team in the AFC North, beating both the Jets and the Steelers. The Browns beat the Bengals and we smoked them. Get Real!

Walker: I'm starting to wonder if people make stuff up to be the Homer of the Week. Conrad, it's funny that your explanation of Baltimore losing to the Bengals is that the Browns beat Cincinnati and the Ravens "smoked" Cleveland. Did you notice Baltimore needed a fourth-quarter comeback against the Browns? I'm not sure "smoked" is the right word.

If you have future questions, comments or complaints, feel free to send them to our division inbox or AFC North Twitter.

Here is the final injury report for Week 5 in the AFC North (all times are ET):

Denver Broncos (2-2) at Baltimore Ravens (3-1), Sunday at 1 p.m.

Broncos

Out: RB Spencer Larsen (ankle), Knowshon Moreno (hamstring)

Questionable: CB Andre' Goodman (quad), LB Wesley Woodyard (hamstring)

Ravens

Out: OT Jared Gaither (back), WR Donte' Stallworth (foot), LB Tavares Gooden (shoulder), DL Paul Kruger (knee)

Questionable: LB Edgar Jones (thigh), LB Jason Phillips (illness), S Tom Zbikowski (thigh)

Probable: TE Todd Heap (shoulder), RB Le'Ron McClain (shoulder), RB Ray Rice (knee), CB Fabian Washington (illness)

Atlanta Falcons (3-1) at Cleveland Browns (1-3), Sunday at 1 p.m.

Falcons

Questionable: WR Michael Jenkins (shoulder), LB Curtis Lofton (knee), LB Sean Weatherspoon (ankle)

Browns

Out: OL John St. Clair (ankle)

Questionable: QB Jake Delhomme (ankle), RB Peyton Hillis (thigh), C Alex Mack (shoulder), DL Shaun Rogers (ankle, hip), DL Kenyon Coleman (knee), DL Robaire Smith (back), S Nick Sorensen (calf)

Probable: RB Jerome Harrison (thigh), WR Josh Cribbs (ankle), WR Brian Robiskie (hamstring), TE Robert Royal (calf), OL Shawn Lauvao (ankle)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1) at Cincinnati Bengals (2-2)

Bucs

Probable: LB Adam Hayward (illness), LB Niko Koutouvides (ankle), DE Kyle Moore (shoulder), WR Maurice Stovall (back), TE Kellen Winslow (knee)

Bengals

Out: WR Jordan Shipley (concussion), DL Jonathan Fanene (hamstring),

Doubtful: S Roy Williams (knee)

Probable: WR Chad Ochocinco (groin), LB Dhani Jones (hamstring), CB Johnathan Joseph (forearm), DL Pat Sims (knee), RB Bernard Scott (hamstring)

The AFC North blog split it's two division games in Week 4, as the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns pulled off big wins.

Now it's time to look ahead to Week 5 picks, which involves three AFC North teams playing outside the division. Here are the AFC North blog picks (all times are ET):

Denver Broncos (2-2) at Baltimore Ravens (3-1), Sunday at 1 p.m.

Skinny: The Broncos and AFC West teams in general have always been good matchups for the Ravens. Baltimore shows maturity by avoiding a Steelers hangover.

Pick: Ravens, 28-17

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1) at Cincinnati Bengals (2-2), Sunday at 1 p.m.

Skinny: The Bucs are coming off the bye and I don't like the way the Bengals are playing. But Cincinnati should still win a closer-than-expected game at home.

Pick: Bengals, 21-17

Atlanta Falcons (3-1) at Cleveland Browns (1-3), Sunday at 1 p.m.

Skinny: Believe it or not, the Browns are actually 10-2 all-time against the Falcons. I like trends as much as the next person, but I'm not biting on this one.

Pick: Falcons, 21-14

Last week: 1-1

Overall: 8-4

Comment: Not a bad start so far.

The Cincinnati Bengals (2-2) announced Thursday that this weekend's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1) is officially a sellout. Therefore, the Bengals will avoid their first blackout of the season.

There were several issues that put this game at risk. First, the Reds are in the MLB playoffs and will compete with the Bengals with a home game Sunday against the Philadelphia Phillies. The Bengals are also struggling after losing to the previously-winless Cleveland Browns (1-3) and this week's matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers does not appear attractive.

But the Bengals overcame those factors and reached their 55th consecutive sellout. The game will be aired live in the Cincinnati area.