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The Baltimore Ravens are among three teams interested in Steelers free-agent quarterback Dennis Dixon, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The St. Louis Rams and Denver Broncos are also in the running for Dixon, who is not expected to return to Pittsburgh.

The Ravens have been inconsistent in how they've addressed the backup quarterback position recently. In 2010, Baltimore spent $3.8 million on Marc Bulger to have veteran insurance behind Joe Flacco. In 2011, the Ravens went with rookie sixth-round pick Tyrod Taylor.

One reason why the Ravens could go with Bulger in 2010 was the uncapped year, but it's definitely a major philosophical switch to go from a playoff-tested quarterback in Bulger to a raw prospect like Taylor. Of course, Baltimore hasn't needed a backup, because Flacco has never missed a start in his four-year career (64 straight, the third-longest current streak in the NFL). But the Ravens' playoff chances would get decimated if Flacco got hurt, and the team had to turn to Taylor for an extended period.

Dixon, 27, the No. 3 quarterback last season for Pittsburgh, has made three career starts in his four seasons with the Steelers. He has a 2-1 record, with one touchdown and two interceptions. Dixon's first start came against the Ravens in 2009, when his interception in overtime set up the winning field goal.

Here are the backup quarterback situations for the rest of the AFC North:

BENGALS: Cincinnati is set with journeyman Bruce Gradkowski. When Andy Dalton was hurt in last year's season opener, Gradkowski rallied the Bengals to a 27-17 win at Cleveland.

BROWNS: At this point, the Browns are going with Seneca Wallace, the team's backup for the past two seasons. But the depth chart could get moved around if Cleveland drafts a quarterback in the early rounds. If the Browns don't take a quarterback, Wallace won't be competing with Colt McCoy for the starting job, the team said.

STEELERS: Besides Ben Roethlisberger, the only quarterbacks on the roster are Troy Smith and Jerrod Johnson. The Steelers likely will bring back Byron Leftwich or Charlie Batch. The favorite to return is Leftwich, who reportedly drew interest from the Colts.

The Oakland Raiders received three badly needed compensatory draft picks.

While these picks are far from ensuring the team they are going to get contributors, it does help salvage a weak class. Oakland received picks in the third, fourth and fifth rounds in next month’s draft. Oakland has the first comp pick in the third (No. 95) and fifth (No. 168) and the second comp pick of the fourth round (129). The comp picks will be added at the end of the third-through-seventh rounds. Comp picks cannot be traded.

The picks more than doubled Oakland’s draft class. Oakland has its own picks in the fifth and sixth rounds. It’s certainly not ideal that Oakland has to wait until the 95th pick to join the draft and having two picks in the first 129 picks is a tough road, but the Raiders’ draft is in better shape than it was going into Monday.

Under the rules for compensatory draft selections, a team losing more or better compensatory free agents than it acquires in the previous year are eligible to receive compensatory draft picks.

In 2011, Oakland lost free agents Nnamdi Asomugha, Robert Gallery, Bruce Gradkowski, Zach Miller and Thomas Howard and signed Kevin Boss and Stephon Heyer. Teams do not get credit for comp pick consideration for cutting players.

San Diego will receive a comp pick in the seventh round (No. 248) even though it did suffer a net loss of compensatory free agents last year. Under the league’s formula, the compensatory free agents lost by San Diego were ranked lower than the ones they signed (by a specified point differential based upon salary and performance). San Diego lost Darren Sproles and Kevin Burnett, while it signed Takeo Spikes and Travis LaBoy.

In total, 15 teams received a total of 32 picks.

Grading Alex Smith's play during the San Francisco 49ers' 6-1 start has become one of the more fascinating pursuits of this 2011 NFC West season.

Smith, long a divisive subject among 49ers fans, remains one even during the team's best start since 1998.

It's easy to see why.

Smith ranks among the top 10 quarterbacks in NFL passer rating. He has led three fourth-quarter comeback victories, all on the road. Yet he ranks only 18th in yards per attempt and 24th in yards per game. And despite occasionally setting a high standard for Total QBR, Smith ranks only 24th in the ESPN statistic measuring how quarterbacks impact their teams' chances for winning.

We've had almost as much fun debating the merits of QBR as we've had debating all things Smith, but any quarterback stat ranking Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady and Drew Brees above all others, with Tim Tebow dead last, must be onto something.

Let's set aside the stats for a moment. Fourth-quarter comeback victories have long served as the measure of a quarterback's mettle. Pro Football Reference has done outstanding work in defining and validating them. From their work, we're able to see all fourth-quarter comeback victories for the 49ers since 1960. We can also generate a list for all NFL quarterbacks this season -- a list showing Smith atop the NFL with three, all on the road.

The chart breaks down 2011 fourth-quarter comeback victories by quarterback and venue. Smith and the New York Giants lead the league with three. Smith is the only one with three on the road. A quick look at them:

• At Cincinnati, Week 3: With the 49ers trailing 6-3 in the fourth quarter, Smith completes 4 of 8 passes for 48 yards during a 10-play, 72-yard touchdown drive. The 49ers win the game, 13-8.
• At Philadelphia, Week 4: The 49ers won this one in the fourth quarter on the strength of their running game and defense. Smith completed 9 of 9 passes for 179 yards and two touchdowns in the third quarter, when the 49ers erased most of a 20-point deficit. He completed 4 of 8 passes for 22 yards, no first downs and a sack in the final 15 minutes.
• At Detroit, Week 6: Smith and the passing game struggled most of the way, but with the game on the line, Smith found Delanie Walker for the go-ahead touchdown on a fourth-down play with 1:56 remaining.

Now, on to the chart ...

Rookie quarterback Andy Dalton looks like he'll be ready to start for the Bengals at Denver after returning to practice Thursday, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. He injured his right wrist during Sunday's win over the Cleveland Browns.

Per the Enquirer, Dalton didn't appear to have any problems throwing short passes to running backs or longer ones to wide receivers. A second-round draft pick, Dalton didn't throw during the media-viewing portion of practice Wednesday.

He was 10 of 15 for 81 yards and one touchdown in his NFL debut. If Dalton is unable to play, the Bengals would turn to backup Bruce Gradkowski.

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.

Thoughts from the Jets 27-7 preseason win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

WHAT IT MEANS: Rebounding from a so-so performance last week, the New York Jets improved in all phases and defeated the helpless Cincinnati Bengals on a rainy Sunday night at New Meadowlands Stadium. Plaxico Burress was the star, but this was more than a one-man show. Midway through the preseason, the Jets (1-1) have to feel good about themselves. And there appeared to be no major injuries.

LIKE OLD TIMES: Burress made his Jets debut and gave the rain-soaked fans what they wanted -- a moment to talk about. The moment came with 51 seconds left in the second quarter, when he made an over-the-shoulder, 26-yard touchdown catch. With his back to Mark Sanchez, Burress threw his 6-foot-5 body into a dive, securing the high, arching pass as he skidded across the wet turf.

With that one play, Burress announced his return to football. After nearly two years in prison, he was back, demonstrating the kind of athleticism you wouldn’t expect from a 34-year-old receiver that spent that much time in the big house. It came against a backup cornerback named Fred Bennett, but that didn’t matter. It was all about body control, hand-eye coordination and sticky hands.

Burress played 30 of 32 plays in the first half, finishing with three catches for 66 yards. Translation: A smashing debut.

SANCHEZ ROCKS: After an efficient but largely non-descript performance last week, Sanchez (12-for-20, 173 yards, two TDs) delivered some big plays in the passing game. The protection was better this week, thanks to the return of All-Pro center Nick Mangold. He led the offense to two touchdowns (drives of 16 and 99 yards) and a field goal in seven possessions, wrapping up the night with a 10-play, 99-yard touchdown drive.

Until then, the Sanchez-led offense was like the weather -- blah. In fact, the Jets started 0-for-6 on third down. The turning point was a 43-yard pass to a wide-open Dustin Keller, providing good field position after being backed up at their 1. From there, Sanchez hit Keller on a third-down catch, setting up the Burress highlight-film catch.

WIDE-OPEN OFFENSE: For the second straight week, the Jets relied heavily on a three-receiver attack. In fact, they used their “11” personnel package (3 WRs, 1 TE, 1RB) on 19 of 32 plays in the first half. With Derrick Mason (knee) sitting out, they used Burress, Santonio Holmes (16-yard TD) and rookie Jeremy Kerley in three-wide packages.

NO GROUND AND POUND: By placing an emphasis on the passing attack -- a necessity, given the new parts -- the running game was out of sync. LaDainian Tomlinson got the start with Shonn Greene (foot) out of the lineup, and the 32-year-old looked a bit sluggish. He rushed for 16 yards on nine carries. Tomlinson got a lot of work, appearing in 31 of 32 plays in the first half. Joe McKnight and Bilal Powell didn’t see significant time until the second half.

OPPORTUNISTIC D: The Jets roughed up the offensively challenged Bengals, intercepting three passes -- Eric Smith, Jim Leonhard and Brashton Satele. The three turnovers set up 17 points for the Jets, and that was pretty much the story of the game. Keep in mind, the Bengals no longer have Carson (I Wanna Retire) Palmer at quarterback. They started rookie Andy Dalton and replaced him with journeyman Bruce Gradkowski.

WELCOME MAYBIN: Bills castoff Aaron Maybin, the 11th overall pick in the 2009 draft, made his presence felt in his Jets debut. After only three days of practice with the team, Maybin recorded a strip sack on Bengals third-string QB Jordan Palmer. Hey, that might have been enough to grab a spot on the 53-man roster.

GEORGETOWN, Ky. -- The Cincinnati Bengals began their second week of training camp with a full-padded practice Monday night.

Here are several notes and observations:

• Bengals receiver Jerome Simpson was the star of this practice. Simpson caught a pair of impressive deep balls from backup quarterback Bruce Gradkowski in team drills. One was a jump ball over a defender for 20-plus yards and the other was a streak down the right side of the field for a touchdown. Simpson is out to prove that last season's strong finish was not a fluke.
• Similar to Cleveland, the Bengals' new West Coast offense still has some kinks to work out. There were three false starts in team drills by Simpson, rookie receiver A.J. Green and right tackle Andre Smith. Rookie quarterback Andy Dalton's timing also looked off with several receivers. Dalton threw an interception right to middle linebacker Rey Maualuga in what likely was a miscommunication between the quarterback and receiver.
• Keep an eye out for undrafted rookie tight end Colin Cochart. I don't know much about him -- Cochart is from South Dakota State. But Cochart made several really nice blocks against the first-team defense on Monday. The rookie could be an early sleeper in training camp.
• On the injury front, Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap had a wrap around his knee and did not practice. Backup running back Bernard Scott (hamstring) and corner Adam Jones (neck) also sat out. Cincinnati safety Gibril Wilson (knee) is returning from an ACL tear and practiced for the first time. He got into a brief scuffle with running back Jonathan Williams in team drills.

We’re still waiting for movement on Oakland cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, the top free-agent prize on the market. There has been some developments.

The San Francisco 49ers are going to unload cornerback Nate Clements. That means they are clearing salary-cap room at the same position Asomugha plays. More smoke, folks, more smoke.

The Jets are currently considered the 49ers’ fiercest competitor for Asomugha right now. The Jets still have cap room left after agreeing to a monster deal with receiver Santonio Holmes earlier Wednesday. Jets star cornerback Darrelle Revis says his team wants Asomugha badly.

While the Raiders wait to see what happens with Asomugha, they will wave goodbye to quarterback Bruce Gradkowski. He has agreed to a deal with Cincinnati.

It was evident throughout the offseason that Gradkowski would leave. He was a favorite of former coach Tom Cable. Jason Campbell will be backed up by Kyle Boller. Gradkowski had somewhat of a cult following in Oakland. Despite his limitations, he did often ignite the Raiders’ offense. He was a good Raider, who always gave the team his best effort. He was the anti-JaMarcus Russell and he’ll always have a warm spot in the hearts of many Oakland fans for that very reason.

• The Raiders signed rookie running back Taiwan Jones, fourth-round pick. It will be fun to watch the speedy Jones in training camp.

• The Brandon Mebane talks are heating up. Denver is one of a few teams trying to grab the Seattle defensive tackle. Denver has a huge need and could pay big to get Mebane.

• Count Colts safety Melvin Bullitt as one of those was surprised by Eric Weddle’s record contract with the Chargers.

• Raiders linebacker Kamerion Wimbley admitted he could sign a long-term deal to help the Raiders’ salary cap. He has been franchised by the team for 2011. This could help the team add some free agents.

The Cincinnati Bengals could not get Carson Palmer to return and mentor rookie quarterback Andy Dalton this season. Therefore, the Bengals went to Plan B Wednesday, agreeing to a two-year contract with veteran quarterback Bruce Gradkowski, who most recently played for the Oakland Raiders.

Gradkowski has 20 career starts, which could be needed if Dalton falters this season. Dalton, Cincinnati's second-round pick, enters the season as the starting quarterback despite zero NFL experience.

Gradkowski and veteran backup Jim Sorgi were considered the two favorites to take the place of Palmer, who demanded a trade and threatened to retire. Both free agents have a lot of experience, while at the same time won't threatened Dalton's place as the new franchise quarterback.

This week, Gradkowski will join Dalton, Jordan Palmer and Dan LeFevour as Cincinnati's quarterbacks in training camp.

Well, this is interesting.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting the Oakland Raiders are in a bidding war with Bay Area rival San Francisco over 49ers’ safety Dashon Goldson.

The 49ers want the talented Goldson back and he will not be cheap. The Raiders’ pursuit of him means a few things.

First, it means the Raiders are not afraid of being a player in free agency despite a pre-lockout signing flurry of their own players, a tight salary-cap situation and several in-house priorities.

It also likely means they don’t want to pursue free-agent safety Michael Huff. Or , at least, they are looking at adding Goldson first. It could also be another indication that cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha will be going elsewhere.

Goldson would likely team with Tyvon Branch if he signs with Oakland. Goldson is a good athletic player. He had a solid, not great season in 2010.

The Raiders’ salary-cap situation is not debilitating, but I’d be surprise if the Raiders have room to do a ton of work. I have no idea how Goldson’s pursuit affects the Raiders’ ability to keep tight end Zach Miller.

But whether or not the Raiders land Goldson, the pursuit means the Raiders are playing the free-agent game.

If the 49ers lose Goldson (they already lost linebacker Takeo Spikes to San Diego and are expected to lose defensive tackle Aubrayo Franklin), they could ramp up an effort to snare Asomugha.

Meanwhile, the Bengals and Seahawks are bidding for Oakland guard Robert Gallery. He has already said he won’t come back to Oakland. Former Oakland head coach Tom Cable is Seattle’s offensive line coach. Also, Oakland quarterback Bruce Gradkowski is talking to Cincinnati. He is not expected back in Oakland.

We continue our position-by-position look at the way the free-agent seasons of the NFC East teams could be affected by the proposed return to the system that makes players unrestricted free agents after just four years of service time. Over the past couple of days, we've done cornerbacks, running backs, guards, outside linebackers and safeties. Today, we look at quarterbacks. And since Jon Kitna has proved himself a more-than-capable Tony Romo backup in Dallas and Eli Manning is as durable as any quarterback in the league, we're focusing on two of the division's teams.

NFC East teams in need

Redskins: Mike Shanahan has said he likes John Beck and is willing to give him a chance at being the starter. Rex Grossman, once re-signed, will hope to challenge for the position. Donovan McNabb is still on the roster, but there's no chance he'll be back. Clearly, if they intend to be a serious contender this year, Washington could use an upgrade at the most crucial position in sports. But with so many other needs, and with the projected first round of next year's draft deep at the quarterback position, it might not make sense for the Redskins to devote resources (especially long-term dollars) to a 2011 answer that isn't a long-term answer. So maybe they hunt for a veteran who can compete for the job in training camp, but they're not going to be looking to make a big commitment to a free-agent quarterback. Fortunately, the field leans heavily toward the former group.

Eagles: The Eagles are actually very strong at the position at the moment. But assuming they trade Kevin Kolb once the lockout ends, they will need to find a veteran backup for starter Michael Vick, a running quarterback whose style puts him at risk of injury. They like the way Mike Kafka has developed in a reserve role, but he's not the kind of guy they could put into a game right now, should Vick get hurt, and expect to win it. The Eagles are a win-now, go-for-it team and they'll want someone more reliable in there if Vick has to miss a game or two.

Top five potential unrestricted free-agent quarterbacks

1. Matt Hasselbeck. Looks like he's out in Seattle, and if healthy he can probably help someone as a starter. If they could get him for one year, he'd make a lot of sense for the Redskins. But I wonder if a place like Miami or Minnesota might give him more than one year and a chance to start.

2. Alex Smith. Sounds as if he's staying in San Francisco. But if he were to leave, he probably has the most upside of this somewhat underwhelming bunch. Hard to see why he'd justify much more of Shanahan's faith than Beck, however.

3. Bruce Gradkowski. Has some starting experience over the past couple of years in Oakland, and he's managed to have a modicum of success with it. Seems to have an ability to get guys around him to play hard for him. Another guy who'd be a better short-term option in Washington but likely isn't worth investing any real part of the future in. Might make sense as the Vick backup in Philly.

4. Kerry Collins. If the Eagles are looking for a backup with experience who can competently manage a game should their starter have to leave due to injury...well...

5. Billy Volek. Career backup probably doesn't fit what either of these teams is looking for, though some have speculated that he could wander east from San Diego with new Panthers coach Ron Rivera and be the stopgap starter until Cam Newton is ready.

Predictions that mean nothing: Eagles wait to see if Vince Young becomes available and pounce if he does. If not, they sign Gradkowski. Redskins go with what they have, filling other needs and hoping to be or get in position to draft their franchise quarterback next April.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- While the four AFC West teams all made some sound choices on the second night of the NFL draft, no one in the division made a big splash Friday.

But it almost started with one.

In the minutes before the start of the second round, there was buzz that the Oakland Raiders were in talks with New England about the No. 33 pick with the hope of landing Nevada quarterback Colin Kaepernick. The Raiders (along with the Broncos and the Chiefs) worked out Kaepernick and the strong-armed Californian seemed like a perfect future Raider. But in the end, the Patriots kept the pick.

Three picks later, Oakland’s Bay Area rival, San Francisco, traded up with Denver to take Kaepernick. There went the AFC West’s interest in adding a high-profile quarterback in the 2011 draft.

Thus, Jason Campbell and Tim Tebow can rest easy. They should be fine for the 2011 season. What happens in the 2012 draft is up to them.

We in the AFC West have kept a keen eye on the quarterback position. Denver looked at each of the top seven prospects and there was a school of thought that it would take one in the second round. Oakland was connected to both Kaepernick and Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett.

Yet, both Oakland and Denver skipped the falling Mallett before he was taken by New England at No. 74. Taking Mallett had to be tempting for both teams. New Broncos leader John Elway was said to be intrigued by Mallett’s raw ability. The cannon-armed player is a prototypical Al Davis quarterback. Perhaps Davis would have taken Mallett at No. 81 if he was still there. But after failing to land Kaepernick, the Raiders were more than content to use the No. 48 pick on Penn State offensive lineman Stefen Wisniewski, the nephew of current Oakland assistant offensive line coach and former Raiders lineman Steve Wisniewski. Oakland coach Hue Jackson said Friday night Wisniewski is the team’s new center. That’s a nice score at No. 48.

With the seven top quarterbacks off the board, there are no more quarterbacks who appear capable of making an impact in 2011. Iowa’s Ricky Stanzi could be a prospect in the fourth or fifth rounds. Both Denver and Kansas City like him. But he is strictly a developmental prospect.

So, it’s status quo at quarterback in the AFC West.

In Denver, that means Tebow has taken another step to the field in 2011. Earlier this week, Elway stood behind the second-year quarterback by saying he was his biggest fan. Elway said he believes Tebow will develop into a standout, but he does need to make improvements as a pocket passer.

Denver still has veteran Kyle Orton, but I’d expect the Broncos to try to trade him once the lockout is resolved. I think the fact that Denver didn’t take a quarterback early means it believes in Tebow for the short term.

I’ve long agreed with this tack. Denver, which took three defensive players and a starting right tackle prospect in Miami’s Orlando Franklin in the first three rounds, was better served by adding to a depleted roster and giving Tebow a chance at the beginning of the John Fox era. If Tebow fails in 2011, Elway can then turn to the 2012 draft, perhaps even uniting with fellow Stanford stud quarterback Andrew Luck.

Had Oakland grabbed Kaepernick, he probably would have sat behind Campbell in 2011. Davis is a fan of Campbell, who was acquired from Washington during the draft last year. Oakland then gave him an extension for the 2011 season and Jackson has often sung his praises this offseason. Campbell was up-and-down in 2010, but he did make some big plays in key moments.

In a lot of ways, I think not trading for Kaepernick was a strong move by Oakland. Had he fallen to No. 48 that would have been another story, but Oakland did well to add Wisniewski and speedster cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke, who was the No. 81 pick. Oakland probably would have had to trade that pick and more for Kaepernick.

Quarterback is a luxury pick for a team that needed reinforcements on the offensive line and in the secondary. Plus, the presence of Kaepernick could have adversely affected Campbell, who was replaced by backup Bruce Gradkowski three times last season. Once Gradkowski was put on injured reserve, Campbell was much more relaxed in the final month of the season and he seemed to respond to not having to look over his shoulder.

If Campbell excels in 2011, the need for Kaepernick will be moot. If Campbell lacks consistency again, there will be another Kaepernick-type to pursue in 2012.

Some players in the AFC West are working hard. They aren’t on the field, but their current work is designed to get everybody back on the field. Let’s take a look at the AFC West union representatives:

Denver Broncos

Rep: Safety Brian Dawkins

Co-alternates: Guard Russ Hochstein and quarterback Kyle Orton

My thoughts: Dawkins has long been involved in the union. He is one of the most connected players in the NFL with the union. The Broncos will be well informed during this time of uncertainty.

Kansas City Chiefs

Rep: Center Rudy Niswanger

Co-alternates: Safety Jon McGraw and linebacker Andy Studebaker.

My thoughts: There isn’t much star power in this group. But all three representatives are well respected in the locker room.

Oakland Raiders

Rep: Tight end Zach Miller

Co-alternates: Linebacker Ricky Brown and quarterback Bruce Gradkowski

My thoughts: Miller is personally invested in this fight. He needs to know whether he’ll be an unrestricted or a restricted free agent when this dispute is settled.

San Diego Chargers

Rep: Center Nick Hardwick

Co-alternates: Defensive lineman Jacques Cesaire and tackle Jeromey Clary.

My thoughts: Hardwick has long been in involved in players’ rights. He’ll keep his teammates well informed.

As usual, Al Davis stole the show on a day he announced the hiring of a head coach.

Like the day when Tom Cable was promoted in 2008, much of Tuesday’s press conference focused on the team’s former coach. Cable replaced Lane Kiffin. Offensive coordinator Hue Jackson now replaces Cable.

Jackson sat next to Davis as he tore down Cable as Cable did when Davis tore down Kiffin. Kiffin lost his case against Davis. Cable is now fighting Davis in a grievance. Cable, who was hired in Seattle as offensive line coach and assistant head coach Tuesday is trying to recoup $120,000 in fines levied by Davis.

Both the San Francisco Chronicle and Oakland Tribune had solid coverage of Tuesday’s Oakland reality show.

Here are my thoughts on some highlights:

On the Cable talks: Davis is clearly starting his legal case against Cable. Many of Davis’ issues with Cable stemmed from 2009 before Davis kept him for another year.

On the pending free agency of star cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha: Davis said Asomugha is great and said he hopes he can re-sign Asomugha. I still expect Davis to be aggressive in his attempt to re-sign Asomugha. I’m surprised Davis wasn’t more verbally forceful about his hopes to keep Asomugha.

Davis continued to support quarterback Jason Campbell: It's clear Davis will stick with Campbell for the short term and he likes him more than backup Bruce Gradkowski. Davis compared Campbell to names from the past prior to the season the way he did with JaMarcus Russell before him. The truth is Campbell is 29. I have no problem with Oakland going back to him in 2011 and giving Jackson more time to work with him. But the time is now for Campbell.

Davis addressed Russell: Davis said Russell was a good person, but he has some personal issues. Davis admitted the failure of the No. 1 pick in the 2007 draft.

Meanwhile, Jackson said he will be the primary play caller and Al Saunders is an offensive coordinator candidate. I have no problem with Jackson calling the plays. He did a terrific job in 2010. The Raiders were sixth in the NFL in scoring, It would be strange if Jackson didn’t keep the gig.

Jackson was his usual enthusiastic self and said all the right things, including that the Super Bowl is the team’s goal.

Meanwhile, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Ravens have promoted secondary coach Chuck Pagano could to defensive coordinator. It had been reported that the Raiders would pursue Pagano for the same job.

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

FALLING

1. Brodie Croyle’s future: Croyle had a chance to make himself some money on Sunday at San Diego. He failed to take advantage of it. The prospective free agent was awful as a replacement for Matt Cassel in a 31-0 loss to the Chargers. Croyle -- now 0-10 as an NFL starter -- completed 7 of 17 passes for 40 yards. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Croyle did not complete any of his eight pass attempts that traveled 10 or more yards. That type of performance will not attract interest from other teams in the offseason. It also has to make you wonder if the Chiefs will be interested in bringing him back.

2. Eric Studesville’s future in Denver: Studesville probably had to be perfect as Denver’s interim coach to have any chance of keeping the job next season. The Broncos’ 43-13 loss to the lowly Cardinals on Sunday will not help Studesville’s cause to keep the job beyond the next three weeks.

3. Oakland’s ability to finish: The Raiders have to be kicking themselves after a 38-31 loss at Jacksonville. Oakland led 17-7 at halftime and watched the Jaguars score 31 points in the second half, including 21 points in the third quarter. It resulted in a loss that severely damaged Oakland’s playoff hopes.

RISING

1. San Diego’s run defense: Now, that’s the way to fix a problem. In Week 13, San Diego’s top-ranked run defense was throttled by Oakland. The Raiders had 251 yards rushing in a 15-point San Diego loss. A week later, the Chargers held the Chiefs to 48 yards rushing and 67 yards of total offense in a shutout win. The Chiefs have the No. 1-ranked run offense in the NFL, but it was neutralized against the recharged San Diego defense.

2. Ryan Mathews, Chargers running back: After not playing for a month because of a nagging ankle injury, the No. 12 overall pick in the April draft performed well against the Chiefs. Mathews had 65 yards and starter Mike Tolbert had 66. Mathews ran hard and showed his great strength on a touchdown run in which he kept himself from falling to the turf. Mathews has a lot of skills and, after a tough stretch, has proven he can help San Diego balance its offense.

3. Jason Campbell, Raiders quarterback: Campbell made some critical mistakes in judgment at the end of the game, but overall, he had his best performance as a Raider in the loss to Jacksonville. This is a critical stretch for Campbell. If he can finish strong, Oakland probably will be comfortable enough with his play to keep him as its starter next season. If he falters, the Raiders will at the very least bring in some competition. Campbell seems to have benefited by not having to look over his shoulder for Bruce Gradkowski now that the backup is on injured reserve. If Campbell plays like he did against the Jaguars in the next few weeks, he probably will secure his immediate future with the Raiders.