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At least four teams have called the Cleveland Browns about the fourth overall pick in the upcoming draft, sources told the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

One of the teams believed to be in the mix is the St. Louis Rams. That would mean dropping to No. 6. Just say no. Why? The Browns can say goodbye to an elite offensive playmaker in running back Trent Richardson if they trade down. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers would immediately grab Richardson at No. 5.

Another potential trade partner is the Philadelphia Eagles. This would require the Browns to fall to No. 15. Cleveland really has to say no to this one. Why? It's a pipe dream to think wide receiver Michael Floyd is going to be available at this spot. He's going to get drafted by Buffalo (No. 10) or Arizona (No. 13).

The top offensive prospects who should be on the board in the middle of the first round are guard David DeCastro and wide receiver Kendall Wright. Two additional second-round picks are not worth this dropoff. Plus, general manager Tom Heckert indicated 17 days ago that the Browns would consider falling back as far as No. 8. The Eagles' spot is out of that range.

As I mentioned earlier this week, the Browns shouldn't trade back. They need playmakers, not picks. Their draft should be based on quality, not quantity.

Still, there's a good chance that the Browns will trade back. Heckert's track record shows he likes to acquire extra picks. And, as ESPN Insider Bill Polian pointed out, Mike Holmgren's teams often find their running backs later in the draft or through free agency.

But Richardson is one of those special types of backs. He has the toughness to excel in a division like the AFC North and he has the potential to immediately affect an offense like Adrian Peterson did.

If Holmgren doesn't believe me, he should consult with his good friend and ESPN analyst Jon Gruden before thinking of trading back.

“The easiest thing to do is turn around and hand the ball to somebody 300 times a year,” Gruden said in a conference call. “Everybody says, ‘Don’t take a running back. You can get those guys in the fifth, sixth or seventh round.' You go try to find Trent Richardson in the fifth, sixth or seventh round."

Gruden added, “He’s a beast. He broke all of Emmitt Smith’s high school rushing records in Florida. I’ve seen him run over people, run around people, he protects the ball, he can catch it, can pick up blitzes. He might be the strongest human being on the planet."

Just because teams are interested in the No. 4 pick doesn't mean the Browns should be interested in giving it up. Just say no.

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

A shocked Ben Roethlisberger wants answers from team president Art Rooney II following the "retirement" of offensive coordinator Bruce Arians.

"When I get back, I'm going to go up to Mr. Rooney's office and ask him what he wants from me, what he wants from this offense, because I think that's a viable question for him," Roethlisberger told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review at the Pro Bowl in Honolulu. "He's our owner and our boss, so I really would like to know kind of what he wants and where he sees our offense going because I'd like to tell him where I see us going."

The Steelers announced Arians had retired, but he later said his contract wasn't renewed by the team. Arians had been the only offensive coordinator in coach Mike Tomlin's five seasons as Steelers head coach.

Roethlisberger, who is close with Arians, invited him to Hawaii as his guest for the Pro Bowl, but Arians decided not to go after he was no longer with the team.

Roethlisberger was described as being "miffed" by the timing of the Steelers' move with Arians.

"We feel like we are really close to being an elite offense," Roethlisberger told the Tribune-Review. "For your leader to be gone is kind of a shocker for us, but you've got to be ready for it, and whatever the Rooneys and coach Tomlin decide is our next step. I think the [Steelers'] mind was made up, and B.A. was kind of ready to move on as well."

Hensley's slant: Roethlisberger has to be worried about the direction of the offense. Team sources told ESPN's Chris Mortensen that Rooney wants the offense to go back to its blue-collar identity of the past. The trouble is, the Steelers are built to throw the ball with one of the best young and fast receiving groups in the league. You can criticize Arians' play calling. But it's hard to argue that the Steelers should go back to a run-first offense.

BENGALS: Mike Zimmer is returning for his fifth season as the Bengals defensive coordinator, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported, after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hired Rutgers' Greg Schiano as their head coach. Zimmer also had been in the running for the Miami Dolphins job before Joe Philbin was hired. While Zimmer is coming back, defensive backs coach Kevin Coyle is expected to be named the Dolphins' defensive coordinator. Hensley's slant: If the Bengals had their way, this is how it would have played out. Cincinnati didn't want to lose Coyle, but it was more important to keep Zimmer. The Bengals defense will remain a top-10 one under his direction.

BROWNS: Brad Childress is close to becoming the Browns' offensive coordinator, sources told The Plain Dealer. For more, click on the AFC North blog posted last night. Hensley's slant: My take on the probable hiring will be posted shortly.

RAVENS: In his introductory news conference as the new Colts head coach, former Ravens defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano said he went from an all-time low -- the loss in the AFC championship game was his most devastating one ever -- to an all-time high. “As fate would have it, I’ve got to be honest with you, I thought for sure that I was going to be coming to Indy to play for a world championship," Pagano said, via The Indianapolis Star. "That’s what I thought I was going to be coming here for, and certainly not standing before you today as the next head football coach of the Indianapolis Colts." Hensley's slant: Don't be surprised if Pagano takes some Ravens with him. Pagano's first target should be outside linebacker Jarret Johnson, who will be a free agent, because he'll need a leader who can explain the defensive system to the other players. It would be like when Rex Ryan brought Bart Scott along to the New York Jets. Defensive line coach Clarence Brooks could also follow Pagano to Indianapolis.

Now I'm back from my brief vacation, here are the most interesting stories Tuesday in the AFC North:

• Baltimore Ravens tailback Ray Rice was ranked No. 56 in the NFL.com's top 100.

Morning take: This feels low, but it’s difficult to say for sure until the other 55 players above Rice are revealed. Rice is one of the most dynamic and versatile running backs in the NFL.

• The Pittsburgh Steelers are choosing to mostly rest during the lockout.

Morning take: It's an interesting approach for an older team that has it together. Pittsburgh (along with Green Bay) had the longest season in 2010 and hopes the extra off period helps.

• Cincinnati Bengals kicker and former Ohio State Buckeye Mike Nugent shares his thoughts on Jim Tressel's resignation.

Morning take: Nugent arrived at Ohio State the same year as Tressel in 2001. Nugent turned out to be the most reliable kicker during Tressel's tenure.

• Are the Cleveland Browns doing the right thing by collecting quantity over quality in the draft?

Morning take: The Browns aren't thinking that way. In their minds, they acquired more picks with the intention of getting good players in lower draft slots. It comes down to the confidence of the front office to get the job done.

Looking at his impressive game tape, there is no question on the field that former Colorado cornerback Jimmy Smith plays like a Raven.

But can Baltimore's newest addition keep his act together off the field? That is the biggest -- and perhaps only -- question surrounding Smith.

Coming off a successful 12-4 season, the Ravens were able to land one of the top pure talents in this year's draft by taking Smith with the No. 27 pick on Thursday. But the reason they were able to draft Smith so high was because many teams wouldn't touch him after a series of red flags.

Smith is often compared to both Nnamdi Asomugha for his physical abilities and troubled Tampa Bay corner Aqib Talib for his actions off the field. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel recently reported a laundry list of character concerns involving Smith, which included three failed drug tests, two alcohol-related violations and an arrest for third-degree assault.

The Ravens said they did a lot of homework on Smith's background and are comfortable with their decision.

"What I like about Jimmy [is he] came right out from the beginning and has been forthright with everything that’s happened to him," Baltimore coach John Harbaugh told reporters Thursday night. "He's had a lot of situations. He didn't try to hide anything. He put it all out there for the whole world to see. He's going to have to deal with that, and we're going to have to deal with that."

The Ravens took a character risk last year with second-round pick Sergio Kindle, who also is talented but fell down draft boards after some poor choices in college. Kindle came to Baltimore and got arrested for DUI in December. Although unrelated to character questions, Kindle also fractured his skull while falling down a flight of stairs last summer and it's unknown when he can return to football.

Smith joins the Ravens with an even longer list of concerns. Baltimore is a classy organization which will do all it can to help Smith, but the Ravens can only do so much. Most of the responsibility is on Smith to take ownership for his actions and mature as a person.

Whether Smith turns out to be the next Asomugha or Talib in Baltimore remains to be seen. But the talented rookie has a golden opportunity in front of him to contribute right away for a potential Super Bowl contender.

» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 15:

Failing to protect Flacco: Something has gone terribly wrong with the Baltimore Ravens' pass protection. Once pretty solid, Baltimore's offensive line has allowed quarterback Joe Flacco to be sacked 13 times in the past three games. Baltimore allowed four or more sacks only once in the first 10 games. But Flacco has been sacked at least four times in three consecutive weeks against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans. Lack of communication and poor recognition of blitzes are the primary reasons the Ravens are struggling up front. The New Orleans Saints have a blitz-happy defense and could cause a lot of problems for Baltimore's passing game.

Finishing strong: Despite a lot of criticism for blowing a 21-point lead in the second half against Houston, the Ravens have made no apologies for winning ugly. But one thing that is a concern is Baltimore's inability to finish teams late. The Ravens (9-4) have held fourth-quarter leads in all four losses this season. Also, in the past two weeks, Baltimore has been outscored 25-0 in the fourth quarter. An interception return for a touchdown by Josh Wilson saved the Ravens against the Texans last week in overtime. But they could make a big statement by playing four complete quarters Sunday against the defending Super Bowl champs.

The replacements: The Pittsburgh Steelers are banged up heading into their game against the New York Jets. Therefore, backups need to play well. Reserve tight end Matt Spaeth could start for Heath Miller (concussion) for the second straight game, and safeties Will Allen and Ryan Mundy are expected to fill in for the injured Troy Polamalu (lower leg). Spaeth struggled last week with one catch for four yards against the Cincinnati Bengals. He also had a dropped pass. Allen and Mundy have primarily played on special teams, but might have to fill in for Polamalu the next two games, because Pittsburgh has a short week and will play Dec. 23 against the Carolina Panthers.

Full circle: The Bengals will have an interesting revenge game this week against the Cleveland Browns. At 2-11, Cincinnati's NFL-high 10-game losing streak started Oct. 3 against Cleveland, and the Bengals have a chance to end it against the same opponent. It has been more than two months since Cincinnati last experienced a win, and frustration is at an all-time high. Bengals receiver Terrell Owens recently criticized ownership and the coaching staff for the team's losing ways, and injuries continue to mount. A win against an in-state and division rival would be a good remedy for Cincinnati's various issues for at least a week.

Bigger plays: If the Browns are to beat the Bengals, a key area Cleveland must improve is getting more big plays from its offense. The Browns are averaging 9.5 points in their past two games, and have only two offensive plays of 30 yards or more in that span. Both were receptions by receiver Mohamed Massaquoi, for 37 and 34 yards, respectively. Defenses do not fear Cleveland's passing game and have stacked the box to try to stop tailback Peyton Hillis, who has 1,070 yards rushing. With a quarterback change to rookie Colt McCoy, the Browns hope to have better success throwing downfield.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh has never beaten Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Neither has quarterback Joe Flacco, or the other Ravens who joined the team within the past four seasons.

Similar to Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, Roethlisberger has been one of the biggest thorns in the side of the Ravens (8-3). Roethlisberger is 5-0 against Baltimore since 2007 and 7-2 in his career against his biggest rival. The only two losses came in 2006, which was the year of Roethlisberger's motorcycle accident.

"That's a horrible stat," Ravens linebacker/defensive end Terrell Suggs admitted this week.

Can Baltimore break its five-game losing streak against Roethlisberger in Sunday's matchup against Pittsburgh (8-3) at M&T Bank Stadium? With first place in the AFC North hanging in the balance, this would be a perfect time for the Ravens to end their drought.

The AFC North blog teamed up with its resident scout -- Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. -- to map out four ways the Ravens can beat the two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback.

1. Bring pressure, collect sacks

Analysis: Roethlisberger was sacked eight times in his two losses as starting quarterback this season against the New Orleans Saints and New England Patriots. The Buffalo Bills also sacked Roethlisberger five times during last week's 19-16 overtime win for the Steelers. That was a common theme in the three games Pittsburgh's offense struggled under Roethlisberger. Rushing the passer hasn't been Baltimore's strongest area, but it seems to be improving and getting more disruptive as of late. Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman was flushed out the pocket several times and looked uncomfortable last week in Baltimore's win.

"I would come after them," Williamson said. "I think Pittsburgh's blitz recognition, as a whole, is a weakness. Their blockers don't pass off blitzers very well, and a lot of Pittsburgh's linemen don’t have a lot of experience, including Maurkice Pouncey, who is their best guy."

2. Win the pre-snap battle

Analysis: Something I believe the Steelers do very well is mask their blitzes. Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau is very good at showing different fronts to confuse the quarterback with who's coming and who's dropping into coverage. By the time Pittsburgh shows its coverage, it’s too late because there’s pressure on the quarterback. I think the Ravens and defensive coordinator Greg Mattison can better implement disguises in their defense to confuse Roethlisberger. If so, Roethlisberger's penchant for holding the ball too long could result in sacks and perhaps a big turnover or two.

"I don't think Roethlisberger is a very good pre-snap quarterback," Williamson explained. "A guy like Peyton Manning is tremendous pre-snap, recognizing the defense well before the ball is even snapped. Ben is more reactionary, more sandlot: The ball is snapped, this is what I see, now make something happen and get it there."

3. Take advantage of offensive line woes

Analysis: Pittsburgh's offense line is banged up and has a lot of moving parts. The Steelers lost starting left tackle Max Starks (neck) for the season and have rotated players at both guard positions. Baltimore's defensive line, led by Pro Bowler Haloti Ngata, should be able to win most battles at the line of scrimmage. That would stuff Pittsburgh's running game and put Roethlisberger in a lot of 3rd-and-long situations.

"If you look at the Steelers' guards, they are really bad, and [tackle] Jonathan Scott on the edge is a real problem," Williamson said. "There's a lot of one-on-one matchups there that favor Baltimore's defensive front. We saw a huge one last week with [Buffalo] defensive tackle Kyle Williams."

4. Use Ed Reed to take away the deep ball

Analysis: In his first press conference after returning from his four-game suspension, Roethlisberger noticed something while watching the games on television. "It looks like Mike Wallace got faster," Roethlisberger said. The quarterback was very excited about the prospect of connecting with Wallace on big plays this year, and the pair hasn't disappointed. Wallace is having a breakout season, already setting new career highs in yards (792) and touchdowns (eight). Wallace is averaging 22.0 yards per reception, as he has been able to consistently get behind the defense. This is where Reed comes in. The dynamic safety was absent from the first meeting due to offseason hip surgery. But Reed is back and making big plays again. He already has four picks in five games. If Reed can help keep Wallace under wraps, a big part of Pittsburgh's offense will be taken away from Roethlisberger.

"I think they will take shots downfield every game if they can," Williamson said of the Steelers. "Ben is a very good deep thrower and it ties in very well with Wallace, who is obviously an elite deep threat with crazy speed. Pittsburgh is aggressive in that way. They don't have any reservations about throwing deep, and I think they want to go deep no matter what defense they're playing."

If Baltimore can accomplish these four things, it has a great chance of ending its five-game losing streak against Roethlisberger. This is one of the many great chess matches in this rivalry, where the winner will have the inside track to capture the AFC North division title.

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

• For the Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3), it was better to be lucky than good in an overtime win over the Buffalo Bills (2-9).

Morning take: Bills receiver Steve Johnson dropped a wide-open touchdown in overtime to allow the Steelers to pull it out. But a win is a win.

• The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-4) were not happy with the officiating in a 17-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens (8-3).

Morning take: The pass-interference call before halftime was questionable. But the Ravens have been on the short end of plenty of calls. Ask Roddy White.

• Quarterback Jake Delhomme (two interceptions) had a shaky game but earned his first win with the Cleveland Browns (4-7).

Morning take: Expect a lot more questions at quarterback this week, as Delhomme's performance didn't silence many critics.

• At 2-9, the Cincinnati Bengals have plenty of questions.

Morning take: The Bengals aren't very interesting now. But Cincinnati will be interesting in the offseason, when it likely makes major changes after a disappointing year.

BALTIMORE -- Ravens Pro Bowl tailback Ray Rice could barely contain himself.

Following Baltimore's 17-10 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, the always-energetic Rice was already looking forward to next Sunday's AFC North showdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

"It all boils down to this," Rice said. "When you have the Steelers coming in here, it's all set up to be a big game. The records are what they are, we're both 8-3, and it's no excuses."

The Ravens, who are playing great football, beat the Steelers at Heinz Field last month while Ben Roethlisberger served his four-game suspension. If the Ravens are truly the best team in the division, they must prove it by pulling off a rare season sweep over Pittsburgh. Since 2000, the Ravens have swept the Steelers only once, in 2006.

For the Steelers (8-3), it's fair to say they weren't at full strength in their first meeting with Baltimore. But if Pittsburgh is really the dominant team in the AFC North, it must do what no opponent has done at M&T Bank Stadium this season: win. The Ravens are 5-0 at home.

May the smartest and most physical team win.

"We just don't like them, but we respect them," Ravens defensive end/linebacker Terrell Suggs said of Pittsburgh. "It's going to be championship football."

The Steelers are winning, but they didn't look impressive in their overtime victory over the lowly Buffalo Bills (2-9) on Sunday. Pittsburgh survived 10 penalties, a fumble and a dropped touchdown pass by Buffalo's Steve Johnson in the extra period.

Meanwhile, the Ravens believe they have momentum. "We wanted to take care of business to get to this game," said Rice, who rushed for 85 yards on 20 carries against Tampa Bay. "The season was set up the way it was supposed to be. I'm just glad we took care of business against everybody else for it to be set up like this."

Here are other observations from Baltimore's win over the Bucs:

Ravens' D peaking at the right time: Baltimore's defense is playing its best football of the season. The Ravens rattled Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman, who completed 17 of 37 passes for just 162 yards. He padded his stats with a touchdown late in the fourth quarter as the Bucs tried to rally. Baltimore also held Tampa Bay tailback LeGarrette Blount to 55 yards rushing. Since giving up a late touchdown in the loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Nov. 11, the Ravens have played inspired on defense. They've allowed only 23 points in their past two games.

Derrick Mason gets it going: There was a lot of discussion in Baltimore last week about Mason's heated sideline altercation with Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco. Both players said they quickly moved past their differences and proved it against the Bucs. Flacco made a concerted effort to get Mason involved. The veteran receiver led Baltimore with eight receptions for 87 yards and a touchdown. He was targeted 13 times and was effective.

"We've got so many guys that are able to catch the ball that defenses just have to try to pick and choose what they're going to stop," Mason said. "They were playing me one-on-one or off-coverage a lot, so Joe looked my way today."

Injury concerns: Two key players to watch for the Ravens this week will be Ravens starting left tackle Michael Oher (knee sprain) and safety Dawan Landry (concussion). Both players were hurt in the second half and didn't return, but each believes he'll be ready to play against the Steelers.

Offense has tale of two halves: Baltimore's offense was explosive in the first half and stalled in the second half. The Ravens scored 17 points in the second quarter points to give them a lead they would never relinquish. Flacco put up good numbers, throwing for 289 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He had a passer rating of 103.2. But with the defense performing well, Baltimore appeared content to playing it safe in the second half and didn't do too much on offense. The Ravens' offense will need four strong quarters against Pittsburgh. "The second quarter was huge for us," Flacco said. "Without that, we weren't able to accomplish too much."

BALTIMORE -- Here are early thoughts on the Baltimore Ravens' 17-10 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers:

What it means: The Ravens (8-3) remained in first place in the AFC North by earning another big win. Next week Baltimore will host the Pittsburgh Steelers, who beat the Buffalo Bills on Sunday in overtime. Baltimore will be going for the season sweep after beating Pittsburgh at Heinz Field earlier this season.

What I liked: Baltimore went for big plays early. Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco connected with tight end Todd Heap for a 65-yard touchdown in the second quarter. It was the longest play from scrimmage this season for Baltimore and the longest catch of Heap's career. The Ravens also benefited from a controversial pass interference call to set up a Derrick Mason touchdown catch and a 17-3 halftime lead. Flacco and Mason also put last week's sideline altercation behind them, combining for eight receptions for 87 yards and a touchdown. Baltimore's defense mostly rattled and confused young Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman, who threw for just 162 yards and got most of his production late in the fourth quarter.

What I didn't like: The Ravens' offense could have done more in the second half to take some of the pressure off the defense. But it appeared they were content with taking the air out of the ball after getting a two-touchdown lead. The Ravens also have two injury concerns: starting left tackle Michael Oher (sprained knee) and safety Dawan Landry (concussion). Neither player returned after leaving.

What's next: The Ravens have their biggest game of the season coming up against the Steelers in what should be another great installment in this rivalry. The winner has the inside track to win the division. The loser will be fighting for a wild card.

BALTIMORE, Md.--The Ravens lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 17-3, at intermission.

Here are some notes at halftime.

• Baltimore took control of the game on an easy read and throw by quarterback Joe Flacco to a wide open Todd Heap for a 65-yard touchdown. Tampa Bay had a blown coverage and left Heap streaking down the seam for what turned out to be the longest catch of his career. It was also Baltimore's longest play from scrimmage this season.
• After last week's sideline altercation, it appears Flacco is making a concerted effort to get Derrick Mason the football. Mason has a team-high seven receptions for 74 yards and a touchdown in the first half. Flacco and Mason had a heated exchange in the win over the Carolina Panthers but both players said this week they've moved past it.
• Baltimore safety Ed Reed appears to be getting healthy. He nearly had two interceptions in the first half on a pair of tipped balls. Reed has been all over the field and has five pass defenses already in the first two quarters.
• A key inactive for Baltimore was starting guard Chris Chester. Backup Tony Moll filled in for Chester at right guard and hasn't had many issues in the first half.

Here are some thoughts on the Pittsburgh Steelers' 19-16 overtime victory over the Buffalo Bills:

What it means: Although it was an extremely hard-fought game, the Steelers continued their trend of taking care of business against bad teams and improved to 8-3. Pittsburgh's three losses this year have come against teams with winning records. The Steelers also put pressure on the Baltimore Ravens (7-3) to keep winning within the division. The Ravens host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday evening.

What I liked: Key players stepped up in key moments for Pittsburgh. Steelers' quarterback Ben Roethlisberger didn't have his best game. But he led a late scoring drive in overtime and had an 18-yard scramble in the fourth quarter to set up a pair of big field goals for Pittsburgh. New Steelers kicker Shaun Suisham made both clutch field goals in the fourth quarter and overtime, which surely will acclimate him in Pittsburgh's locker room. He was 4-for-4 on field goals for the day. Suisham connected on field goal kicks of 45, 46, 48 and 41. Steelers safety Troy Polamalu also made an interception off a tipped ball late in the fourth quarter to prevent the Bills from scoring a potential go-ahead touchdown.

What I didn't like: The Steelers took a 13-0 point lead into halftime and didn't put the Bills away. Pittsburgh's offense sputtered in the second half and the defense allowed some big plays to get Buffalo back in the game with 13 unanswered points. It was a fight for every yard the rest of the game. Pittsburgh also played sloppy, as tailback Rashard Mendenhall fumbled and the Steelers had a high number of penalties (10 for 107 yards) for the second straight week.

What's next: Pittsburgh has to play a lot better next week for it's biggest game to date of the season. The Steelers will travel to M&T Bank Stadium to battle the rival Ravens with first place on the line in the AFC North. The Ravens won the previous meeting at Heinz Field during the final game of Roethlisberger's suspension. Pittsburgh will look to avoid the season sweep in what should be another great game in this heated rivalry.

BALTIMORE, Md. -- Here are the players you won't see in Sunday's game between the Ravens (7-3) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-3).

Ravens

CB Fabian Washington

WR Marcus Smith

S Tom Zbikowski

LB Dannell Ellerbe

OL Chris Chester

DL Brandon McKinney

DL Lamar Divens

TE Ed Dickson

Bucs

QB Rudy Carpenter

CB Elbert Mack

FB Erik Lorig

OL Will Barker

OL Derek Hardman

DL Frank Okam

DL Kyle Moore

WR Preston Parker

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

• Is Baltimore Ravens tailback Ray Rice primed for a big game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers?

Morning take: Baltimore's offense is at its best when Rice is running well, and Tampa has allowed six 100-yard rushers in the past eight games.

• Pittsburgh Steelers rookie receiver Emmanuel Sanders continues to make strides.

Morning take: Sanders seems to be getting better every week. His development is a good addition to Pittsburgh's passing game.

• The Cincinnati Bengals lost their NFL-high eighth straight game Thursday against the New York Jets.

Morning take: I don't see things getting better next week either against the reigning champion New Orleans Saints.

• Here is a further look at Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator Brian Daboll.

Morning take: Daboll has been a lightning rod for Browns fans. He has to do a much better job of getting the Browns going down the stretch or his job is in jeopardy.

The Nov. 28 game between the Baltimore Ravens and Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be flex-scheduled and moved back to 4:15 p.m. ET, the NFL announced Tuesday.

The FOX television network picked these teams, which are both 6-3, as a spotlight game for Week 12. The Ravens and Bucs were initially scheduled to play at 1 p.m. ET.

In addition, the NFL announced the Week 12 matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles (6-3) and Chicago Bears (6-3) also will be "flexed" to 4:15 p.m. ET. During the final seven weeks of the season, the NFL can change times to get the best games on prime time and late afternoon on Sunday.

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

• Will the Pittsburgh Steelers' second trip to Florida against the Miami Dolphins turn out as fruitful as their first in Tampa?

Morning take: Miami is inconsistent but capable of beating anyone in the NFL. This is the toughest road test for Pittsburgh thus far.

• Coming off a tough overtime loss to the New England Patriots, will the Ravens bounce back Sunday against the Buffalo Bills?

Morning take: According to "Walker's AFC North picks," yes -- and in a big way.

• The Cincinnati Bengals' defense will try to improve against the high-powered Atlanta Falcons.

Morning take: Although defense isn't the primary reason the Bengals are 2-3, Mike Zimmer's unit can play better. Besides two games against Baltimore and Carolina, this group hasn't played to the same level as a year ago.

• Cleveland Browns president Mike Holmgren was "very, very pleased" with last week's NFL debut of rookie quarterback Colt McCoy.

Morning take: This is a strong endorsement and perhaps a clue to what the front office will be thinking during the bye week. Based on McCoy's performance against the New Orleans Saints, the rookie has a chance to secure the starting job beyond Sunday.