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Three things to know about Sunday's AFC Championship Game between the Baltimore Ravens (13-4) and New England Patriots (14-3):

It's only fitting: The Ravens and Patriots have been the best teams in the AFC all season, so it's only right that they settle it on the field to see who represents the conference in the Super Bowl. Baltimore and New England did not meet during the regular season. The teams last met in 2010 when New England won in overtime. The Patriots and Ravens also split two meetings in 2009, with New England winning in the regular season and Baltimore winning in the playoffs.

Quarterback disparity: New England's biggest advantage will be at the most important position: quarterback. The Patriots have Tom Brady, who is coming off an NFL-playoff record six touchdown passes and 363 yards passing against the Denver Broncos. Brady is peaking at the right time. Meanwhile, Baltimore counterpart Joe Flacco is inconsistent. Flacco had another shaky postseason outing against the Houston Texans on Sunday, completing 14 of 27 passes for 176 yards and two touchdowns. Clearly, Flacco must play better at New England.

Patriots' D needs to keep momentum: Was it New England's defense, or was it the opponent? The Patriots played their best defensive game of the season, holding the Broncos to just 10 points and 252 yards. New England baffled Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow, holding him to 136 yards passing and sacking him five times. New England will be tough to beat if its defense maintains this level of play. Of course, the Ravens have more dynamic weapons on offense and present a stiffer challenge than the Broncos.

The New England Patriots (13-3) got the easiest matchup possible in the divisional round by drawing Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos (9-8). But as the Pittsburgh Steelers found out Sunday, nothing is guaranteed in the postseason.

So who wins Saturday's playoff game between New England and Denver? Take your pick.

Will it be Tom Brady and the Patriots advancing to the AFC Championship Game? New England is a huge favorite. The Patriots romped the Broncos in Denver, 41-23, in Week 15. Should we expect more of the same at Gillette Stadium?

Or will Tebow's magical run continue? Denver looked good against a tough Pittsburgh team. The Broncos now have momentum and will try to take advantage of New England perhaps gaining rust after two weeks off.

Using our SportsNation poll, vote for who wins Saturday's divisional round game between the Patriots and Broncos. You can also share your thoughts in the comments section below.

» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

FALLING

1. Cleveland Browns: The Browns finished the preseason with optimism and were favorites to beat the rebuilding Bengals at home. But Cleveland continued its longstanding trend of playing poorly in regular-season openers. The Browns fell to 1-12 in Week 1 since returning to the NFL in 1999. Cleveland had too many penalties (11) and some odd, unexplainable mental errors. The Browns have another winnable game Sunday against the Manning-less Colts. If Cleveland blows this one and falls to 0-2, it's going to be a rough season.

2. Pittsburgh Steelers' defense: Pittsburgh's defense has been too good for too long to write off. But the Steelers did look old and two steps slow on that side of the football in Sunday's loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Pittsburgh's defense has eight starters over 30. The unit had a poor game against the Green Bay Packers in the Super Bowl and struggled again in Week 1. That is a concern. Baltimore had surprising success running and passing against the Steelers. We will see in Week 2 how Pittsburgh's proud unit bounces back against Seattle.

3. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers quarterback: Roethlisberger had a great preseason but accounted for five turnovers in Week 1. He threw three interceptions and lost two fumbles. The Steelers can't win when Roethlisberger is this careless with the football. The offensive line certainly didn't help. Pittsburgh allowed four sacks.

RISING

1. Ravens' defense: Baltimore tied a team record with seven turnovers against Pittsburgh. I thought about breaking down the accolades individually in this "Stock Watch," but there were too many good performances. Defensive end Terrell Suggs had three sacks and became Baltimore's all-time sack leader with 70.5. Pro Bowl defensive tackle Haloti Ngata had four tackles, caused a fumble and tipped the ball at the line for a Ray Lewis interception. And Ed Reed had two picks off Roethlisberger for another multi-interception game.

2. Joe Flacco, Ravens quarterback: Flacco finally got over the hump of beating Pittsburgh with Roethlisberger under center. Now, he can move on with the rest of his season. Few quarterbacks have faced more offseason scrutiny that Flacco. He responded with 224 yards and three touchdowns against Pittsburgh. The pass protection was good and Flacco took advantage. He looks ready to make a jump in Year 4.

3. Cincinnati Bengals: The inexperienced Bengals showed some moxie with a come-from-behind road win over the Browns. Cincinnati scored 14 unanswered in the fourth quarter and did it without their starting quarterback, Andy Dalton, who was out with a forearm injury. Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis has said numerous times that he likes this young group.

BALTIMORE -- It may go down as the most unpopular prediction in AFC North blog history. But after Sunday's game, it's also the most accurate.

The Baltimore Ravens are the new favorites in the AFC North. I wrote it in July -- to the shock and chagrin of many -- and I’m saying it again. After Baltimore's 35-7 blowout win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, it's especially true.

I didn't have a good feeling about the Steelers this offseason. I trust my gut on these things. Pittsburgh struggles after Super Bowls (trend alert) and had too much bad news outside of football (focus alert). The Steelers also are a year older and a year slower. Father Time is undefeated in athletics.

Meanwhile, the Ravens quietly closed the small gap on their biggest rival in the offseason, getting better, younger and faster. All those facets were on display during one of the most lopsided games in this rivalry.

The victory was a measure of revenge for the Ravens, who were knocked out of the playoffs by Pittsburgh last season. Baltimore finally -- and convincingly -- cleared the Steelers' hurdle.

"It's a new year," Ravens middle linebacker Ray Lewis said. "2010 and all the other years are way behind us. ... New pieces, new faces."

Ravens tailback Ray Rice described the win as a "physical, executed beatdown."

"It was domination," Ravens Pro Bowl linebacker-defensive end Terrell Suggs said.

Both statements are accurate.

With the exception of a fake extra point, the Ravens didn't trick their way to victory. They lined up and pounded Pittsburgh. By midway through the third quarter, the Steelers had no answers other than a lot of pushing and shoving.

Pittsburgh committed seven turnovers. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had one of his worst games. He threw for 280 yards and a touchdown but also had three interceptions and two lost fumbles. The Ravens also dominated in the trenches.

Rice (107 yards) ran wild. Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco (224 yards, three touchdowns) had good pass protection and was masterful. The Steelers were two steps behind the Ravens the entire game.

"That's pretty easy to assess, ladies and gentlemen. We got handled in all three phases today," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "We accept responsibility for the plays that we made and didn’t make."

The Ravens will go as far as Flacco takes them. The early signs are positive, as Flacco played his best game (117.6 passer rating) against the Steelers.

Flacco was poised and made several of the best throws of his career. A 27-yard touchdown pass to receiver Anquan Boldin against tight coverage in the first quarter displayed Flacco's natural ability. He has seen enough of the Steelers' coverages that he should be more familiar with them than most quarterbacks.

In his fourth season, Flacco was criticized heavily this offseason by media and opposing players, including Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley. The monkey is off Flacco's back for now. He turned the Steelers into believers while staying even-keeled about his performance.

"There's always going to be critics," Flacco said. "Turn around, 10 weeks down the road and something might happen. Then, OK, [the criticism] is back again."

Pittsburgh looked slow on defense. That's probably the Steelers' biggest concern.

There were signs of cracks in the defense late last season when the Green Bay Packers ripped the Steelers for 288 yards passing in Super Bowl XLV. Pittsburgh brought back the same group this year, and the unit didn't get any younger or faster. Eight of Pittsburgh's 11 starters on defense are 30 or older. At some point age will catch up to the Steelers. Perhaps we are seeing the start of it in Week 1.

"I'm not ready to judge it from a speed standpoint," Tomlin said when asked about the defense. "We didn't turn around enough ball carriers. We didn't get off well enough on third down. We didn't create turnovers. Usually speed is a part of that equation, but I'm not ready to say that at this juncture."

Pittsburgh need not push the panic button yet. Yes, the Ravens are division favorites, but that doesn't mean the Steelers are out of the hunt. Barring injuries, both teams will make the playoffs, but the teams' roles have clearly reversed. Pittsburgh must catch up to the Ravens in the division for the first time in a long time.

The Steelers, who play host to the Ravens on Nov. 6, will try to avoid an 0-2 start next week at home against the Seattle Seahawks. Pittsburgh is too tough and too talented to go away.

"One game doesn’t knock anybody out of the playoffs," said Ravens safety Ed Reed, who had two interceptions. "We've seen that year in and year out. Those guys improve at the latter part of the season always. We know for a fact Pittsburgh will bounce back."

Here are some thoughts on the Cincinnati Bengals' 27-17 victory against the Cleveland Browns at Browns Stadium:

What it means: It means the Bengals aren't the worst team in the NFL. The Bengals came in last twice in ESPN.com's Power Rankings, and I keep voting against it. Perhaps the Browns should be considered for the No. 32 spot. Cleveland lost at home to a rebuilding Bengals team playing its second-string quarterback (Bruce Gradkowski) for significant playing time. The Browns continued their longstanding trend of losing season openers. Cleveland is now 1-12 in Week 1 since returning to the NFL in 1999.

What I liked: The Bengals started fast and showed a lot of poise in the fourth quarter for a young team. Cincinnati jumped out to a 13-0 lead, gave up 14 unanswered points, then dominated the fourth quarter. Bengals running back Cedric Benson had a huge day, rushing for 121 yards and a touchdown.

What I didn't like: It's a new era in Cleveland, but the Browns looked similar to previous years with sloppy play. Cleveland committed 11 penalties for 72 yards. The Browns also started slow at home. That forced second-year quarterback Colt McCoy to throw way too many times (40), which wasn't Cleveland’s intention entering the game. Also, you never want to see a starting quarterback injured, particularly in his NFL debut. Bengals rookie quarterback Andy Dalton was knocked out of the game with an arm injury.

What’s next: The Browns will try to get their first win against the Manning-less Colts in Indianapolis next week. The Bengals, who are tied with the Baltimore Ravens atop the division, will play a road game against the Denver Broncos.

A few thoughts on the Baltimore Ravens' convincing 35-7 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers:

What it means: Baltimore finally beat Pittsburgh in a big game -- and it wasn't even close. It has been years since the Ravens overcame Ben Roethlisberger & Co. when it mattered. Pittsburgh knocked Baltimore out of the playoffs two of the past three years. It was also Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco’s first win over the Steelers when Roethlisberger was under center.

Turning point I: The first drive set the tone for Baltimore. The play calling was sterling, and the Ravens marched 66 yards on three plays. Flacco threw this best pass of the day -- a 27-yard throw in tight coverage to Anquan Boldin. Baltimore’s offense was a couple of steps ahead of Pittsburgh the entire game.

Turning point II: The first drive of the second half went even better for the Ravens. Pro Bowl defensive tackle Haloti Ngata crushed Steelers tailback Rashard Mendenhall on the first play after intermission. Mendnenhall fumbled, and it was recovered by Ngata. That set up a touchdown catch by Ravens tight end Ed Dickson. The Ravens, who never trailed, led 29-7.

Turnover city: The Ravens forced seven turnovers, tying a team record. The Steelers were sloppy and outplayed in every area. Roethlisberger had two fumbles and three interceptions. Ravens safety Ed Reed (two) and linebacker Ray Lewis (one) intercepted Roethlisberger.

What happened to the Steelers' run defense? I don't know whether I've seen Pittsburgh's run defense play this poorly in a long time. The Steelers were No. 1 against the run last season, and their D is usually air-tight. But the lanes were open from the beginning when Ravens tailback Ray Rice took the first carry 36 yards. Rice finished with 107 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

What’s next: The Ravens will try to improve to 2-0 with a road game against the Tennessee Titans. The Steelers will look to pick up the pieces and avoid an 0-2 start next week at home against the Seattle Seahawks.

BALTIMORE, Md. -- The Baltimore Ravens lead the Pittsburgh Steelers 21-7 at halftime.

Here are some notes at intermission:

• Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco is ready for this game. He made some of the best throws in the first half that I've seen from him in four seasons. The first was a 27-yard touchdown pass to Anquan Boldin against good coverage by Steelers cornerback Bryant McFadden. The other was a throw down the seam to tight end Ed Dickson, although it was called back because of a holding penalty. Flacco completed his first six passes in the game and looks in control.
• Baltimore is bringing a lot of extra linebackers and defensive backs on the blitz. The Steelers are countering with delayed runs and draws that are working. Pittsburgh tailback Rashard Mendenhall has 44 yards on eight carries.
• Ravens running back Ray Rice has fresh legs and is running well. Rice usually struggles against Pittsburgh but has 89 rushing yards and two touchdowns (one rushing, one receiving) in the first half. His first run of 36 yards up the left sideline was started by a good kickout block by offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie.
• Ravens rookie cornerback Jimmy Smith injured his ankle on the opening kickoff and didn't return in the first half. His return is questionable. Steelers middle linebacker James Farrior also is sidelined. But no injury was reported. Farrior started the game and it’s unknown if it was a coach's decision or injury to sub him for Larry Foote.

BALTIMORE, Md. -- Here are the players you won't see in Sunday's game between the Ravens and Steelers.

Ravens

• CB Chykie Brown
• LB Michael McAdoo
• C Bryan Mattison
• WR Tandon Doss
• LB Sergio Kindle
• DL Brandon McKinney
• LB Jason Phillips

Steelers

• QB Dennis Dixon
• WR Jerricho Cotchery
• OL Ramon Foster
• OT Chris Scott
• LB Chris Carter
• CB Curtis Brown
• RB Jonathan Dwyer

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

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 1:

Getting over the hump: The Baltimore Ravens have somewhat downplayed the big-picture significance of this week's matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Yes, it's just one game. But it's also an opportunity for the Ravens to make a huge statement. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has had Baltimore's number. Pittsburgh has beaten the Ravens in all the significant games the past few years, including two postseason games after the 2008 and 2010 seasons. If the Ravens want to win the AFC North, they have to get over the Steelers hump eventually. Week 1 would be a good time for Baltimore to get over that hurdle.

Sacking Ben: One of the biggest keys for Baltimore will be sacking Roethlisberger. The Ravens' pass rush struggled last season. They registered just 27 sacks in 16 games. New Ravens defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano wants to change that. Baltimore plans to be more aggressive with its blitzing. Pittsburgh's offensive line has struggled at times with blitz pickups in the preseason. Keep an eye on this facet of the game.

Dalton’s debut: Cincinnati Bengals rookie quarterback Andy Dalton will make his regular-season debut Sunday against the Cleveland Browns. The Bengals are counting on Dalton this year. The second-round pick has had mixed results in the preseason. Dalton has talent around him, but it's a young group trying to learn how to play together. Avoiding turnovers will be key.

Shurmur's first game, too: Rookie head coach Pat Shurmur will try to do what Cleveland's previous four coaches could not, which is win his Browns debut. Cleveland is 1-11 in season openers since returning to the NFL in 1999. The Browns have not won a regular-season opener since 2004.

Haden vs. Green: A fun matchup to watch will be the game within the game between Browns cornerback Joe Haden and Bengals receiver A.J. Green. The pair are former first-round picks from the SEC and played against each other in college. Haden is now Cleveland's No. 1 corner and will be asked to shut down Green, who is projected to be Cincinnati's top receiver. This should be a good rivalry to watch for years to come.

Everyone is familiar with star players like Troy Polamalu, Ed Reed, Peyton Hillis and Cedric Benson. But who will be the lesser-known X factors in these Week 1 matchups?

Here are some additional players who could make an impact Sunday's games in the AFC North:

Lee Evans, WR, Baltimore Ravens

Experience: Eighth season

Analysis: Baltimore traded for Evans to add speed to its receiving corps. Pittsburgh and other teams often stacked the box against Baltimore's offense. Opponents didn't respect the Ravens' ability to throw deep. That's where Evans can be a difference-maker. He has the speed to blow by defenders for long gains. If Evans makes a big play or two this weekend, that increases Baltimore's chances against Pittsburgh.

Antonio Brown, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

Experience: Second season

Analysis: The last time Brown played the Ravens, he got behind Baltimore corner Lardarius Webb for a huge catch in the playoffs to set up Pittsburgh's game-winning touchdown. Brown has carried that momentum into the preseason. He's been Pittsburgh's most productive receiver in exhibition games and won the job as the team's third receiver. The Ravens have to account for Brown, in addition to Hines Ward, Mike Wallace and Heath Miller.

Leon Hall, CB, Cincinnati Bengals

Experience: Fifth season

Analysis: The high-profile matchup between Bengals receiver A.J. Green and Browns No. 1 corner Joe Haden will get a lot of press. But in contrast, Hall will be asked to shut down Cleveland's passing game, led by quarterback Colt McCoy. Hall recently received a big contract extension. He would like nothing better than to make a few big plays against Cleveland in Week 1 to justify his pay raise.

Ahtyba Rubin, DT, Cleveland Browns

Experience: Fourth season

Analysis: The Bengals are not hiding the fact they want to run the football. Look for Benson to get a lot of carries to test the young defensive line of the Browns. That's where Rubin comes in. He's the only proven player on Cleveland's front four. Rubin will team with rookie first-round pick Phil Taylor as the biggest pieces to Cleveland's run defense. If Rubin is disruptive to Cincinnati's rushing attack, that will go a long way toward stopping the Bengals' offense.

The Baltimore Ravens added a Pro Bowler to their offensive line on Sunday. ESPN's Adam Schefter reports the Ravens agreed to terms with Pro Bowl center Andre Gurode to a one-year deal.

Here are some thoughts on the move:

• I like that the Ravens haven't been afraid to patch holes on their roster. Baltimore recently traded for receiver Lee Evans, signed left tackle Bryant McKinnie, and just solidified the center spot with Gurode. These were three big question marks on the team several weeks ago. That is no longer the case.
• What does this mean for veteran center Matt Birk? He's coming off knee surgery. This could be a sign the Ravens aren't confident in Birk heading into the Steelers game. Gurode has been a starter most of his career and will be the starter in Baltimore. It's just a matter of how quickly Gurode can pick up the offense with just one week of practice.
• I keep harping on the point that defensive lineman Haloti Ngata still has the franchise tag. The Ravens could add a couple more solid players if they reach a long-term agreement with Ngata. An extension was expected weeks ago, but talks clearly have been more difficult than expected.

The Cleveland Browns announced their 2011 practice squad.

Here is the six-man group:

• OL Dominic Alford
• OL Jarrod Shaw
• FB Tyler Clutts
• RB Quinn Porter
• DL Brian Sanford
• WR Rod Windsor.

The Browns also claimed quarterback Thaddeus Lewis, linebacker Quinton Spears and defensive lineman Emmanuel Stephens off waivers.

The Baltimore Ravens announced their 2011 practice squad.

Here is the eight-man group:

• RB Damien Berry
• G/C Justin Boren
• QB Hunter Cantwell
• DB Danny Gorrer
• T Bryan Hall
• FB Ryan Mahaffey
• S Mana Silva
• LB Chavis Williams

The Cincinnati Bengals announced their 2011 practice squad.

Here is their seven-man group:

• FB James Develin
• LB DeQuin Evans
• CB Brandon Ghee
• WR Andrew Hawkins
• QB Dan LeFevour
• OT Matthew O’Donnell
• DT Jason Shirley

The Bengals also acquired receiver Brandon Tate, center/guard Mike McGlynn and tight end Mickey Shuler off waivers.

The Cincinnati Bengals added depth to their young group of receivers Sunday. ESPN's Adam Schefter reports Cincinnati claimed former New England Patriots receiver Brandon Tate off waivers.

Cincinnati is going young at the position and Tate, 23, fits the description. He was productive as New England's third receiver last season, catching 24 passes for 432 yards three touchdowns.

I'm curious to see where Tate fits in Cincinnati.

The Bengals already have a good No. 3 receiver in Jordan Shipley, who caught 52 passes primarily from the slot in 2010. First-round pick A.J. Green is the team's No. 1 threat, and Tate would have to beat out Jerome Simpson to crack the starting lineup. Otherwise, Tate enters the regular season as the No. 4 or No. 5 receiver on Cincinnati's depth chart, next to Andre Caldwell.