ESPN NFL

Here are the latest happenings Thursday in the AFC North:

• Scouts Inc. rates Pittsburgh Steelers linebackers James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley as Top 10 pass rushers.
• Cleveland Browns quarterback Jake Delhomme says his ankle is steadily improving.
• Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle Andre Smith says he's getting back to form and will prove critics wrong. The AFC North blog broke down Smith's performance against Cleveland here.
• The Baltimore Ravens are unsure if Tim Tebow will be active as the No. 2 quarterback of the Denver Broncos on Sunday.
• As a bonus link, your AFC North blogger is dominating the AFC East blog and NFC West blog in fantasy football this year. (I have to hold it down for our division.)

Baltimore Ravens receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh caught a game-winning, 18-yard touchdown reception in last week's win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The catch was a relief for "Housh," who joined the team late and is trying to fit into an all-star cast that also includes former Pro Bowlers Anquan Boldin, Derrick Mason, Ray Rice, Todd Heap and Le'Ron McClain.

Afterwards the AFC North blog caught up with Houshmandzadeh, who was excited and very optimistic about the prospects of Baltimore's offense improving as the season goes on.

"We could literally, no lie, be like the Rams or Arizona of the last few years," Houshmandzadeh said. "With the guys we got and the quarterback [Joe Flacco]? We should be scoring and we got a defense, too. We should be smacking people like the Florida Gators with Tim Tebow. That's the type of weapons we have, and we have a defense where if we get that lead, it's over."

Houshmandzadeh mentioned he hopes last week's key drive late against Pittsburgh was the spark the Ravens needed to get the offense rolling. Baltimore's offense is off to a slow start in four games, ranking just 22nd in the NFL at 306.5 yards per game.

The Ravens (3-1) will host the Denver Broncos (2-2) Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium.

Let's see what's in the weekend mailbag.

Becky from Galloway, Ohio, writes: Do you think Marvin Lewis not getting a new contract will impact the Cincinnati Bengals this season?

Walker: Not right away, Becky. Lately this topic has been low key in Cincinnati but could grow as the season wears on. I hear that not much is currently going on between the two sides. Perhaps Lewis and the Bengals decided to focus on the regular season now that it's here. But things can change if Cincinnati gets off to a hot start.

---

Jeff Chernauskas from Westerville, Ohio, writes: Do you really think Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin would not start Ben Roethlisberger against the Cleveland Browns?

Walker: There is very little chance Roethlisberger isn’t the starter when he returns, Jeff. I'm not big on "what if" questions, but the only way I see this as even a remote possibility is "if" Dennis Dixon started 4-0 and lit up the scoreboard. The chances of that happening are not great. Tomlin said he didn't want to back himself into a corner, and I take that at face value. He doesn't want to be boxed in for comments he made a month ago in the event something completely unforeseen happens in the next four games.

---

William Banik from Houston writes: Why didn't the Steelers put Byron Leftwich on IR?

Walker: I'm not sure why you believe that's a good idea, Williams. Putting Leftwich on injured reserve would sideline him for the season. When I talked with Leftwich this week, he seemed very optimistic about his progress. The timeline is two to four weeks for his knee injury, and that’s a huge difference between sitting Leftwich for the season.

---

Rob Spencer from Las Vegas, Nev., writes: What happened to the Browns' Chris Jennings?

Walker: Jennings is now a former running back of the Browns, Rob. He was released last week during the team’s final roster cuts. The Browns pretty much had to choose between Jennings and 2009 draft pick James Davis, and Davis showed more potential in the preseason.

---

Stephen from El Dorado, Ariz., writes: Why did Baltimore sign T.J. Houshmandzadeh when they already have a bevy of possession-type receivers on the roster?

Walker: This wasn't in the plans until two things happened, Stephen. First, Donte' Stallworth broke his foot, and second, T.J. Houshmandzadeh was released by the Seattle Seahawks. Baltimore's open receiver spot and Houshmandzadeh’s willingness to play for cheap because Seattle is paying him made for a good match. The Ravens also traded Mark Clayton to the St. Louis Rams, and Stallworth is expected to return about midway through the season.

---

Comment and complaint department

Here are comments and complaints this week from our AFC North community.

RC from Baltimore writes: I saw a story in USA Today about the issues some teams are having with ticket sales. They listed the Cincinnati Bengals as a team that may have TV blackouts of their home games this year. The Bengals haven't had consecutive winning seasons in forever. They wake up last year and sweep the division, bringing all of their fans out of the woodwork and on to every blog and chat boasting of their conquests both past and future. Now we hear that these same die hard amazing fans don't actually show up for the games. Come on, Bengal fans, you have a good team to cheer for this year. That doesn't happen much in your town. Get off your butts and buy a ticket like big boys. I say we ban these knuckleheads from posting on the blog until they sell out their home games.

Rob from Bowling Green, Ohio, writes: What's with all of these Bengal fans saying that it doesn't matter who our backup QBs are because Carson Palmer is the only one who will bring the team success? Not all injuries are season ending, and if No. 9 goes down for a game or two, we're going to need someone who can keep the Bengals in playoff contention.

Ben from Pensacola, Fla., writes: The Browns finish ahead of the Steelers? That's pretty hilarious. I hope the same people that believe that are around to admit how wrong they were when the Steelers win the AFC North.

Amr from Hazleton, Pa., writes: For the most part the Steelers are ranked low because Big Ben will miss a quarter of the season. If the Steelers come out 2-2 or 3-1 how could they not be the favorites? Ben should be playing this season with more to prove then ever before. No matter the outcome beforehand they should be able to pull off 10-2 with Ben. Twelve wins should lock up a wildcard spot and maybe the division.

Kovacs from Santa Monica, Calif., writes: Fearless Prediction: Browns will be in first place in the division after Week 2 and still in the bottom five of ESPN's Power Rankings. A 0-2 Steelers team will still be in the top 15.

(Editor's note: With zero wins and losses, the Steelers were rated No. 18 this week by our panel.)

Nflreaction via Twitter writes: I agree with everything, save for the Browns. I think they edge out the Bucs and show signs of life to start the season.

Charlie D from Baltimore writes: I had to comment on how disappointed I am with the Ravens' decision making. While it doesn't hurt to have T.J, Houshmandzadeh, I wish we hadn't signed him. We didn't really need him, and Ozzie Newsome and John Harbaugh keep on neglecting the secondary to the point that it is just ridiculous. Baltimore is about smash-mouth, physical defense. That is the Ravens' identity. All this offensive stacking is nice, but we can't forget what the Ravens do best. Re-sign Chris McAlister!

William Wang from Germantown, Md., writes: I don't understand why everyone is so down on the Ravens' secondary. I know Ed Reed is an absolute beast, and his loss will hurt, but Tom Zbikowski is a capable replacement. Josh Wilson, Fabian Washington and Chris Carr are all solid starters. Also, Lardarius Webb will be returning soon. Besides, how often do teams throw to their fourth or fifth wide receivers?

There are no glaring "Homer of the Week" comments this time. Good job, everyone.

T.J. Houshmandzadeh in, and Mark Clayton out.

That's the best way to sum up the Baltimore Ravens' Labor Day, as ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports the team traded Clayton to the St. Louis Rams for a late-round draft pick.

Clayton showed flashes, but was mostly a disappointment in Baltimore. Despite being a former first-round pick, Clayton never developed enough consistency to be a great NFL receiver. There were times when he would record more than 100 yards receiving and then completely disappear the next two or three games, which was puzzling.

The inconsistency was part of the reason Baltimore traded for Anquan Boldin this offseason, to take Clayton out of the starting lineup. But Monday's signing of Houshmandzadeh made Clayton expendable.

The bad news is Baltimore didn't get much value for Clayton. But adding Houshmandzadeh to the roster and trading Clayton is a significant upgrade in my book.

The preseason is finally over. All four AFC North teams were in action Thursday night for their exhibition finales.

Here are some notes from each game:

Pittsburgh Steelers 19, Carolina Panthers 3

The Good

• Rookies Emmanuel Sanders and Jonathan Dwyer both made strong cases in their final chance to impress before Saturday's cuts. Dwyer, a sixth-round pick, led the Steelers in rushing for the second straight week with 86 yards on 20 carries. Sanders, a third-round pick, led Pittsburgh in receiving with 66 yards and a touchdown. Both players were up and down in training camp but came on strong late in the preseason to likely earn roster spots.

The Bad

• The huge negative was the left knee sprain to quarterback Byron Leftwich, who was expected to be Pittsburgh's Week 1 starter. Leftwich was hit low in the first half and didn’t return. Now his status is in question for the regular-season opener, where quarterbacks Dennis Dixon or Charlie Batch may have to step in against the Atlanta Falcons.

Cleveland Browns 13, Chicago Bears 10

The Good

• We mentioned quarterback Colt McCoy's perfect 13-for-13 passing earlier in the AFC North blog. So let's shift the focus to Cleveland running back James Davis, who likely claimed a roster spot. The backup was on the bubble but led the Browns in rushing with 66 yards against Chicago. Davis also caught five passes for 53 yards and showed good elusiveness to break tackles. Davis was the talk of the preseason last year when he led the Browns in rushing. But he's been quiet this exhibition season until Thursday.

The Bad

• Browns rookie running back Montario Hardesty's much-anticipated debut ended poorly as he suffered another knee injury. Hardesty missed all of training camp and three preseason games with a right knee injury. After seven carries, he hurt his left knee and was on crutches after the game. Hardesty came to Cleveland with a reputation of being injury-prone in college.

Baltimore Ravens 21, St. Louis Rams 27

The Good

• Baltimore rookie WR David Reed showed flashes. Reed recorded 138 yards on four kickoff returns. The fifth-round pick also caught three receptions for 65 yards. Reed is on the bubble but helped his case to be one of the final receivers to make the team.

The Bad

• We also mentioned Ravens quarterback Troy Smith earlier. But let's discuss the most unnecessary move we've seen in the AFC North this preseason, which was Dannell Ellerbe stopping at the goal line to taunt the Rams before scoring a defensive touchdown. Where to start with this one? First, the Ravens were losing. Second, it was the preseason. Third, Ellerbe is fighting for playing time and made a good defensive play look unprofessional. Baltimore coach John Harbaugh cleary wasn't happy with Ellerbe's antics.

Cincinnati Bengals 30, Indianapolis Colts 28

The Good

• The Bengals finally got great quarterback play from backups Jordan Palmer and J.T. O'Sullivan. Both players have been inconsistent this preseason but had their best efforts against Indianapolis. O'Sullivan was 9-for-12 for 102 yards, and Palmer was 10-for-14 for 114 and two touchdowns. This should bring a little bit of calm in relation to Carson Palmer's replacements heading into the regular season.

The Bad

• Cincinnati had another double-digit penalty game with 11 infractions. Sure, a lot of backups played Thursday, but there were some on the field who will contribute in the regular season. Cincinnati doesn't seem concerned about its penchant for penalties. But we will see if it disappears or carries over when the games count.

Here are the latest happenings Wednesday in the AFC North:

• Peter King of Sports Illustrated predicts the Pittsburgh Steelers will win the Super Bowl this year.
• Jamison Hensley of the Baltimore Sun reports Ravens quarterback Troy Smith will play the entire preseason finale Thursday against the St. Louis Rams.
• Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes about Browns rookie Colt McCoy's chance to impress.
• Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com looks at Cincinnati's kicking competition between Mike Nugent and Dave Rayner.

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

• Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger tells Scott Brown of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review he intends to train in Pittsburgh during his conditional six-game suspension.

Morning take: It's probably best that Roethlisberger stays in town and keeps his focus on football. The most important thing for him is to stay sharp and in shape.

• Aaron Wilson of the Carroll County Times shares some insight on the Baltimore Ravens' trade for former Seattle Seahawks cornerback Josh Wilson.

Morning take: I like this move. It improves the secondary and doesn't require another player (Willis McGahee?), which hurts depth elsewhere. Wilson will help immediately, and Seattle gets a conditional draft pick.

• Joe Reedy of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports Bengals coach Marvin Lewis defends his team's medical staff after a bad week involving former players Antonio Bryant and Rashad Jeanty.

Morning take: This is a smart move by Lewis, because the Bengals cannot afford to lose the trust and confidence of their players.

• Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal takes a look at Sports Illustrated's 5-11 prediction for the Cleveland Browns.

Morning take: The Browns won five games last year with less talent. But the AFC North will be brutal this year.

Here are the latest happenings Thursday in the AFC North:

• Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chad Ochocinco has a new cereal coming out called "Ochocincos."
• ESPN's fantasy football experts debate whether Ochocinco or Michael Crabtree is more valuable.
• After missing training camp with a knee injury, Cleveland Browns rookie running back Montario Hardesty returned to practice Thursday.
  
• Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is fine with former coach Bill Cowher's recent comments about maturity.
  
• Baltimore Ravens linebacker Jameel McClain (knee) intends to play Saturday against the New York Giants.

We are halfway through the preseason. Therefore, it's a great time to take a look at the NFL's most important position: Quarterback.

Here is an update on how AFC North starting quarterbacks are performing so far:

Carson Palmer

Team: Cincinnati Bengals

Stats: Three starts, 292 yards, two interceptions, 67.4 completion percentage.

Analysis: With so many new receivers, Cincinnati's passing offense remains a work in progress. Palmer has been decent, but not great, in limited action during the Bengals’ three preseason games. I like the fact that he's making a strong effort to develop a rapport with receiver Terrell Owens, and they are getting more comfortable each week. Palmer's passer rating (67.2) took a hit last weekend after throwing two interceptions against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Joe Flacco

Team: Baltimore Ravens

Stats: Two starts, 192 yards, one touchdown, 60.7 completion percentage.

Analysis: There are high expectations for the Ravens' offense, which is why this unit has taken some heat recently in the Baltimore media. The Ravens' starters are not playing poorly on offense, but they aren't scoring many points, either. A fake punt led to the first team's only touchdown last week against the Washington Redskins. With a solid 93.2 passer rating, Flacco is playing efficiently and not turning over the football. Flacco also hinted that Baltimore isn't showing everything this preseason.

Jake Delhomme

Team: Cleveland Browns

Stats: Two starts, 193 yards, one touchdown, 78.3 completion percentage.

Analysis: Sporting a 116.1 passer rating, Delhomme is playing as well as the Browns could hope for in the preseason. He's been accurate and decisive in his reads, and Delhomme even played well through rainy field conditions last week against the St. Louis Rams. There are a lot of concerns about Delhomme this season. But based on his preseason performance, Delhomme has done everything in his power to quiet those concerns.

Ben Roethlisberger

Team: Pittsburgh Steelers

Stats: One start, 76 yards, one interception, 75.0 completion percentage.

Analysis: Despite a poor deep throw to Mike Wallace that was intercepted, Roethlisberger played well overall in his 2010 debut against the New York Giants. He completed 6 of 8 passes in limited playing time, and it appears Roethlisberger might start again Sunday against the Denver Broncos, despite his conditional six-game suspension. Meanwhile, Byron Leftwich and Dennis Dixon are battling it out to start in Week 1. Dixon has performed better so far against lesser competition. That is why the Steelers intend to get the third-year quarterback some playing time with the first team against Denver to see what he can do.

Three AFC North teams played their second preseason game Saturday night.

Here are some thoughts and observations:

Pittsburgh Steelers 24, New York Giants 17

The Good

• The quarterback play was solid across the board for Pittsburgh. Ben Roethlisberger made his 2010 debut and completed 6 of 8 passes for 76 yards and one interception with the first-team offense. His interception was thrown short on a deep pass intended for receiver Mike Wallace, which was Roethlisberger’s only poor pass of the night. Byron Leftwich had his best preseason game, throwing for 95 yards and a touchdown. His 68-yard bomb to Wallace in the second quarter was the highlight of the game for Pittsburgh. Dennis Dixon continued his sharp preseason by completing 7-of-8 passes for 82 yards. Dixon also added 27 yards rushing, as he pushes for more opportunities with the first team.
• Reserve tailback Isaac Redman continues to make a strong impression. "Red-zone" lived up to his nickname with a tough, 12-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. He recorded 34 yards on six carries and averaged 5.7 yards per attempt. The AFC North blog predicted this week that Redman will make the 53-man roster, and he continues to help his case.

The Bad

• Steelers No. 1 cornerback Ike Taylor was ejected in the first quarter following his fight with New York receiver Hakeem Nicks, who also was ejected. Sure, it's the preseason, but Taylor is a veteran who should know better. Pittsburgh cannot afford to lose its top cornerback under these circumstances in the regular season.
• The defense was pretty good overall, but there was one drive by New York that will get some attention in Pittsburgh's film room. Third-string quarterback Rhett Bomar marched the Giants 75 yards for a touchdown against Pittsburgh's first-team defense. The Giants were short-handed with starter Eli Manning (head) and backup Jim Sorgi (shoulder) sitting out. The defensive standards are always high in Pittsburgh, which is why the Steelers have to be disappointed that New York's third-string quarterback had a successful drive in the first half.

Baltimore Ravens 23, Washington Redskins 3

The Good

• Baltimore linebacker/defensive end hybrid Terrell Suggs is rounding back into form. Suggs was consistently in Washington's backfield Saturday, recording a sack, a tackle for loss and an additional hit on the quarterback. Baltimore's pass rush looks improved, and Suggs' resurgence from a poor 2009 season is a big reason. Baltimore had four sacks and seven hits on the quarterback.
• Backup quarterback Marc Bulger had his best preseason game. He completed 13 of 16 passes for 130 yards. Bulger was solid during my time in Baltimore's training camp last week, and it's clear he's solidified the No. 2 quarterback job behind starter Joe Flacco.

The Bad

• Despite the low point total, the Ravens allowed 206 passing yards to Redskins quarterback Donovan McNabb. Backup Rex Grossman threw for 195 yards. Nineteen of Washington's 20 first downs were passing, and the Ravens allowed five pass plays of 23-yards or more. Baltimore doesn't have many weaknesses, but opponents will continue attacking the secondary until the Ravens prove they can cover receivers consistently.
• Baltimore's offense stalled on third down. The Ravens were 1-for-10 in third-down efficiency. That number should be better with all the weapons Baltimore has on offense. But putting everything together remains a work in progress.

Cleveland Browns 17, St. Louis Rams 19

The Good

• Starting quarterback Jake Delhomme continues to play well. Despite a slow start, Delhomme put up good numbers for the second straight preseason game, completing 12 of 16 passes for 127 yards and a touchdown. Delhomme handled the rainy weather conditions in Cleveland well, and was decisive. He zipped a 6-yard pass to tight end Ben Watson through good coverage for a second-quarter touchdown.
• One Browns player who stood out was fullback Lawrence Vickers. He punished Rams linebackers and defensive backs. The Browns like their big package with Vickers blocking for running back Peyton Hillis, who had a team-high 12 carries for 51 yards.

The Bad

• Cleveland did not take care of the football. The Browns are a bad-weather team, but sure didn't play like it. Cleveland had five turnovers (three fumbles, two interceptions) and didn't force any on defense. Browns head coach Eric Mangini despises sloppy play, and the Browns must play much smarter.
• Surprisingly, the Browns' pass rush didn't show up. Cleveland had zero sacks against the shaky offensive line of the Rams, who are projected to be one of the worst teams in the NFL this season. St. Louis passed 34 times without allowing a sack.

Here are the latest happenings Monday evening in the AFC North:

• Baltimore Ravens cornerback Lardarius Webb (knee) does not want to play in the preseason.
• Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy suffered a sprained thumb but is expected to play Saturday against the St. Louis Rams.
• The future likely is now for Pittsburgh Steelers first-round pick Maurkice Pouncey.
• Here is another training camp diary from Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Jonathan Fanene.

This AFC North blogger has officially retired from the popular "Madden" video game series. Free time during football season is just too scarce.

But this weekend I rented a copy of "Madden 11" for (cough, cough) research purposes. Our community wants to know how the AFC North will play out this season. So we simulated an entire season.

Here is what you can expect in 2010:

Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4, first place)

• It will be a great year for the AFC North as three division teams make the playoffs. The Steelers will win the division at 12-4. I couldn't figure out how to sit quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for six games. So the Steelers were dominant in the regular season, sweeping the division (6-0) for the second time in three years.
• Outside linebackers LaMarr Woodley (14) and James Harrison (15) will combine for 29 sacks this season, According to "Madden 11." Woodley, who is in the final year of his contract, will be a very rich man next year if that's the case. Darnell Dockett of the Arizona Cardinals will lead the NFL this season with an amazing 21 sacks.
• Roethlisberger will be solid, but not spectacular. The "Madden 11" simulation projects he will throw for 3,242 yards, 25 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. To no surprise, he also will get sacked 46 times this season.
• Tailback Rashard Mendenhall will have another good season -- 1,092 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. Receiver Hines Ward keeps plugging along this season with 82 catches for 1,109 yards and eight touchdowns.
• According to "Madden 11," receiver Mike Wallace doesn't step up in his first year as a starter, recording just 40 catches for 556 yards and three touchdowns. Wallace had more yards (756) and more touchdowns (six) last season as a backup.

Cincinnati Bengals (10-6, second place)

• Receiver Chad Ochocinco will back up his offseason trash-talking with a monster year. "Madden 11" projects he will grab 80 receptions for 1,388 yards and nine touchdowns in 2010. The Terrell Owens factor helps. Ochocinco's yards will be second in the league behind Andre Johnson (1,397) of the Houston Texans.
• Owens is a decent addition. Besides being a decoy for Ochocinco, he records 54 catches for 652 yards and five touchdowns. First-round pick and tight end Jermaine Gresham will shine in his rookie season with 67 receptions for 529 yards.
• According to the simulation, tailback Cedric Benson will prove 2009 was no fluke. He will rush for 1,049 yards and six touchdowns. Benson's numbers are slightly down because of Cincinnati's penchant for throwing the ball more this season. Backup Bernard Scott also was solid with 408 rushing yards.
• Quarterback Carson Palmer will return to form and make the Pro Bowl, "Madden 11" says. Palmer will throw for 3,556 yards, 29 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. His yards rank fourth in the NFL. Palmer also stays healthy and plays all 16 games.

Baltimore Ravens (9-7, third place)

• Quarterback Joe Flacco also is stellar in his third season, with a 87.5 passer rating, 3,550 yards, 27 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Flacco's passer rating is third in the NFL behind Drew Brees and Tony Romo.
• Beware fantasy buffs: "Madden 11" projects running back Ray Rice will get hurt this season. He records just 789 yards and two touchdowns. Backup Willis McGahee fills in with 508 rushing yards, and fullback Le'Ron McClain adds 445 rushing yards and four touchdowns.
• The Anquan Boldin acquisition was solid in his first season in Baltimore. He notches 61 catches for 896 yards and a team-high 11 touchdowns. Derrick Mason's production will drop off significantly, according to "Madden 11," as he records just 44 receptions for 639 yards. Those totals are his lowest as a Raven.
• Linebacker Ray Lewis will lead the team once again with 98 tackles and three interceptions. But this simulation projects the secondary will be a disappointment. Cornerbacks Lardarius Webb and Fabian Washington combine for just three interceptions and 25 tackles. Both will be hurt at different points of the season. The Ravens will be just 2-4 in the AFC North, according to "Madden 11."

Cleveland Browns (4-12, fourth place)

• Many expect the Browns to struggle this season, so a 4-12 projection isn't surprising. The game predicts Cleveland will be 0-6 against the AFC North and 2-10 against AFC opponents.
• The simulation also predicts Browns starting quarterback Jake Delhomme will be brutal this season. He will have a 61.3 passer rating and throw for 2,811 yards, 11 touchdowns and 19 interceptions.
• Tailback Jerome Harrison will not be able to stay hot, according to "Madden 11." He will rush for 737 yards and two touchdowns, while averaging just 2.6 yards per carry.
• No one will step up at receiver. Mohamed Massaquoi will grab 62 receptions but for just 533 yards (8.5 yards per catch). Josh Cribbs will be a bright spot and surprise with 59 catches for 712 yards and five touchdowns. Cribbs also leads the NFL in kickoff return average (29.8 yards with a long of 86 yards) and makes the Pro Bowl. "Madden 11" believes Brian Robiskie will disappoint with just 23 catches for 117 yards (5.0 yard average) no touchdowns.

Playoffs

• This simulation projects the AFC North will be successful in the wild-card round. The Bengals will pull off a road upset against the Indianapolis Colts in a shootout, 38-35. The Ravens also will travel to beat the Denver Broncos, 20-16, to advance.
• But the season stops in the divisional round for the Bengals, according to "Madden 11." The New York Jets pound the Bengals in the playoffs for the second straight season, winning 27-17. The simulation believes the Ravens will continue their hot streak in the playoffs by going to Heinz Field to defeat the AFC North champion Steelers at home, 21-17.
• The Ravens will be in the AFC Championship Game for the second time in three years. This time "Madden 11" predicts Baltimore goes to the Super Bowl as an AFC wild-card by beating Rex Ryan and the Jets in a rematch from the regular season, 20-17.
• Ten years after winning their only Super Bowl in franchise history, the Ravens weren't so lucky this time, according to "Madden 11." The Minnesota Vikings will beat the Ravens in Super Bowl XLV, 27-14, as Vikings tailback Adrian Peterson rushes for 160 yards and two touchdowns. Peterson gets Super Bowl MVP honors. Meanwhile, Flacco struggles on the big stage, throwing for only 144 yards.

So that's how the 2010 season will play out, according to "Madden 11." It looks like the Steelers will win the division, but the Ravens will advance to the Super Bowl.

How accurate was this game simulation?

This week's "Take your pick" in the AFC North involved the Cincinnati Bengals' quarterback situation.

After three combined interceptions in last week's preseason opener, we asked "Bengaldom" to choose between Jordan Palmer and J.T. O'Sullivan as the No. 2 quarterback. Here were some responses from our division inbox and AFC North Twitter:

Let's go Jordan!

Joel from Boston writes: Keep Jordan Palmer. Fantastic dreams of him turning into Carson Palmer aside, this kid has flashed real potential much more often than J.T. Sadly, I think we've seen all of J.T.'s "potential" in the NFL, and it ain't much! Put Jordan on the line in preseason every moment that Carson's not in there, and we should have a decent backup for years to come.

Jay writes: I would take Jordan Palmer over O'Sullivan any day. O'Sullivan can't even complete passes and he throws interceptions, while Jordan has had more completions. And while Jordan throws interceptions, I think with time he will overcome them.

LeiterCincy 22 via Twitter writes: Palmer. Not even close. He doesn't throw into triple coverage. He has a good arm, he just doesn't trust it yet.

Jim Luellen from West Milton, Ohio, writes: I choose Jordan as the backup. He's young and has some promise if he can get more reps.

Let's go J.T.!

Kenny M. from Bluefield, W.Va., writes: First off, they both looked terrible against the Dallas Cowboys, but J.T. has started in this league for the San Francisco 49ers. "Baby brother" should not be on Cincy's roster because he is not a very good NFL QB. I choose J.T., and I hope he does not have to take a snap all year.

NVanholt via Twitter writes: J.T. O'Sullivan at least has some recent real-game experience.

DBtrill82 via Twitter writes: Gotta go O'Sullivan until Jordan can prove himself.

Brian from Millersville, Md., writes: As for who should be second on the roster to spell Carson, without more film to watch, I have to go with O'Sullivan. Jordan made too many poor choices against Dallas' third string to make me think he has a chance to succeed against most teams' starters. J.T. appears to at least have the vision to not give the ball away all the time. So they could fall back on their defense and try to win as the Cardiac Cats were doing all of last year, by the skin of their teeth.

AFC North final say

James Walker: "Jordan O'Sullivan"

If you have any future "Take your pick" ideas, send them to our AFC North inbox.

BEREA, Ohio -- Former Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren admits that he still thinks about the outcome of Super Bowl XL. Seattle lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 21-10, in a game filled with questionable calls that went against the Holmgren-led Seahawks.

More than four years later, referee Bill Leavy put Super Bowl XL back in the spotlight by recently admitting he blew some calls in the game. On Tuesday Holmgren, now president of the Cleveland Browns, reacted to the news.

"Of course I was disappointed at the time, and because it was the Super Bowl, I still think about it on occasion," Holmgren said. "But like anything in this business, if you let it linger it's going to have an adverse effect on what you do moving forward.

"We didn't play our best football that day. Had we played better and coached better, those calls might not have made a difference. Everyone is human and everyone makes mistakes, and you can't hold one person accountable for the final outcome of that game."

Several former Seahawks applauded Leavy's admission but said the loss still stings.

"On a whole, unless they're going to come out and say 'Hey, here's the trophy and here's your ring,' it's not going to make a difference," Browns quarterback and former Seahawk Seneca Wallace said.

Added former Seahawk Bobby Engram: "I hope [Leavy] feels better about himself. He's human and we all make mistakes. I'm sure he was trying his hardest, but it was difficult for us to overcome some of those missed calls."

Holmgren led two different franchises -- Seattle and Green Bay -- to Super Bowls and is now in his first year attempting to turn around the Browns, who finished 5-11 last season.

This has been a sore topic for Steeler Nation in recent years -- and now it's coming to the surface once again.

NFL referee Bill Leavy publicly admits that he made bad calls that contributed to the Pittsburgh Steelers' 21-10 victory against the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL.

"It was a tough thing for me," Leavy said. "I kicked two calls in the fourth quarter and I impacted the game, and as an official you never want to do that."

Leavy never explained which two calls he blew in the Super Bowl. But the chatter over the years often point out several controversial plays in the game, including a holding call that negated a long reception by Seattle tight end Jerramy Stevens, and an illegal blocking call against Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. There are also questions of whether Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger got in on his 1-yard touchdown run in the first half, but we won't go too deep into the particulars.

Either way, it's an interesting development from Leavy despite the fact that it comes several years later. I covered that game in Detroit and felt at the time it was poorly officiated, especially for a Super Bowl.

What's your take?