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Terrell Owens is campaigning to get back into the NFL, and his current targets are his first team and the team in which his previous quarterback plays for.

Owens went on “The Drive” on 95.7 The Game in San Francisco, in an interview that will air Monday, and said he’d like to play for either the 49ers or the Raiders. Let’s get this straight: Owens would like to play for any team. But thus far, there have not been any takers. Owens was out of football in 2011, and he turns 39 in December.

Yes, he’s a hard sell.

Yet, he is pushing for a chance to reunite with quarterback Carson Palmer. They played in Cincinnati together in 2010, and Owens worked out with Palmer and some Oakland receivers this offseason.

“If I had to prefer a team, I’d probably want to end where I started, but other than that, that’s not possible, but at the same time, anything can happen. That being said, there’s really only one team left in the Bay Area who I haven’t played for, that really, at this point in time is a viable option, and that’s the Oakland Raiders,” Owens said, “Given the opportunity, if that’s on their radar for me to come in and help them win some ball games, and ultimately help them try to win a championship, then I’ll take that challenge on.

"I definitely feel I have a lot of football left in me. I think Carson knows that. The guys that saw me running around, those receivers, they saw me first hand, so it’s just a matter of someone giving me an opportunity to make that happen. If that’s the case with the Raiders, I’ll assess that when the time comes.”

The reality is, it doesn’t matter if Owens is interested in playing for the Raiders. There are a lot of people in the world who would like to play for the Raiders. What matters is what Oakland’s brass wants. Thus far, it appears Oakland is satisfied with its young core of receivers. As I have expressed often, I think it is the right call.

Let’s see what fifth-round pick Juron Criner can do. Taking away repetitions from him in favor of a rusty 38-year-old with a history of being a locker-room distraction doesn’t make any sense.

In other AFC West news:

Tight end Dallas Clark reportedly visited the Patriots this week. He recently visited the Chiefs.

In an Insider piece, Mel Kiper says he thinks Kansas City linebacker Justin Houston will build upon his strong rookie season.

Denver signed fifth-round pick Malik Jackson. He is the team’s second draft pick to sign.

ALAMEDA, Calif. – Carson Palmer gave himself a refresher course this offseason in what watching football without the modern convenience of high definition is like.

It brought him back to the late 1980s, when he watched football just because he liked what he saw without knowing the complications of the game.

This time around, it was for the benefit of his NFL career.

As part of his indoctrination into the West Coast offense, Palmer, 32, watched as much of the scheme's attack as he could. He went all the way back to the Bill Walsh San Francisco 49ers.

“It was pretty cool going back to those days,” said Palmer this week during a break in the Raiders’ organized team activities. “There were no HD films back then, so it was kind of gritty. … It brought me back to when I was 8 years old and I just wanted to see (San Francisco running back) Roger Craig score a touchdown. … You look at the game so differently now, but it was a good learning experience.”

Palmer’s West Coast cram sessions included several incarnations of the scheme. However, a primary focus was the 2010 and 2011 Houston Texans. Palmer watched every game the team played the past two seasons.

New Oakland offensive coordinator Greg Knapp was Houston’s quarterbacks coach in those seasons. Knapp is bringing a version of the West Coast offense to Oakland. He is a disciple of the 49ers’ West Coast offense and has used versions of it as a coordinator in San Francisco, Atlanta, Oakland (in 2007-08) and in Seattle.

Palmer was in a West Coast offense in his first year at USC, at age 18. In a season during which he will turn 33, Palmer must adjust to the offense in what will be a crucial year for him personally. The previous Oakland regime traded two premium draft picks for Palmer last season in a desperate attempt to stay in the playoff hunt when starter Jason Campbell went down for the season with a broken collarbone.

Oakland was 4-2 when Campbell went down. It was 4-6 after acquiring Palmer from the Bengals. Thrown into the Oakland system after holding out in Cincinnati, Palmer’s rust showed as he threw 16 interceptions and 13 touchdown passes for the Raiders.

Palmer is now comfortable in Oakland, and though he is still adjusting to Knapp’s system, he says he is thrilled with the playbook because Knapp’s offense has so many variations. There are some classic West Coast schemes, but there is also zone-blocking running and other modifications. Palmer said he believes it is the most varied offense he has been in.

He thinks it will blend nicely with Oakland’s speed at receiver. Mostly, Palmer is confident his transition to the offense will be easy because of Knapp himself.

“He’s been fantastic with me,” Palmer said. “He’s amazing. He is a teacher in addition to a coach. … It will really help me get this offense down.”

New Oakland coach Dennis Allen said Palmer was a major reason why he chose to hire Knapp as his offensive coordinator. He said Palmer’s ability to adjust to Knapp’s offense made the Palmer-Knapp pairing a “great fit” in Allen’s mind.

Allen scoffs at concern that Palmer might not be athletic enough to run Knapp’s offense. He has repeatedly said he thinks that Palmer is athletic as Matt Schaub, who flourished under Knapp in Houston. Palmer often ran around the field freely Tuesday in addition to participating in a multitude of plays, including several deep passes, which mesh with his big arm.

“He moved around today,” Allen said Tuesday. “He’s plenty athletic.”

Allen also said the key is to be flexible -- not only on offense, but on defense, where the 4-3-based Raiders will use multiple front-seven sets. Allen -- who was Denver’s defensive coordinator last season -- saw the benefit of in-season coaching when the Broncos went to an option offense for Tim Tebow midway through the season. He said Tuesday he learned from that experience.

“We are running the 'West Coast offense,' but we’re going to do a lot of things,” Allen said. “We are going to take advantage of what Carson does best.”

While hopes are high in Oakland that Palmer will show he was worth the high price, some worry about the fit. Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. is in that camp.

“I have a lot of concerns with Palmer adjusting to the Raiders’ new offense,” Williamson said. “First off, it was the former staff/philosophy that wanted Palmer. He doesn’t anticipate routes well. When the receiver becomes open, Palmer throws it. Therefore, defensive backs get a better break on the ball and run-after-the-catch potential is more limited. Also, he has heavy feet and not a movement-based quarterback, which is ideally what they now want in Oakland. I do think Knapp will adapt his system to fit Palmer -- he will have to.”

To help Palmer adjust to playing for Knapp, Oakland signed Matt Leinart to be his backup. Leinart backed up Palmer at USC and the two Heisman Trophy winners have a close bond. Leinart was in Houston the past two seasons.

Leinart said this week he is happy to help Palmer with any nuances of Knapp’s offense. He said keys for Palmer will be to use bootlegs and rely on what should be a strong running game.

"I'm here for Carson, to help him with reads, to let him know that certain things are very good, just to stay on it," Leinart said. "Because when you're taught a new offense, there's things that you're not used to; you're used to doing it a certain way. Sometimes the reads are a little different. I told him today, 'Just stick with this route because it's a great route for us. It's going to be a great route for us.'"

And if he needs any reassurance, all Palmer has to do is flip on the old, gritty, grainy game film of the West Coast offense of yesteryear.

Gary Kubiak has backed up and coached John Elway. He has been a long-time competitor of Peyton Manning.

Kubiak is worried about Elway and Manning combining forces in Denver, where the veteran quarterback signed last week. Here is what Kubiak, head coach of the Houston Texans, thinks of the pairing:

"That's a hell of a combination there,” Kubiak said the NFL owners meetings. “That's powerful. It's great for their organization. It's a big move by John and the organization on this guy, probably the greatest quarterback ever to play the game. He seems healthy, ready to go, so it's a big move by them. They've got a good football team already. They're sitting in the playoffs last year. Their defense played well over the course of the season.

“I think everybody had better worry about it. It's a very powerful combination."

Other AFC West news:

ESPN’s John Clayton reports that the Chargers are continuing to talk to their free-agent defensive tackle Antonio Garay.

Chiefs coach Romeo Crennel told the Kansas City Star that his team has no glaring holes and will wait until after the draft to see where it stands at nose tackle.

San Diego coach Norv Turner likes being under the radar in the AFC West chase.

Unless there is a dramatic change, it appears Cincinnati defensive end/linebacker Manny Lawson will not be signing with the Raiders. Oakland is looking for a starting strongside linebacker, and may wait for the draft to get one. Another player in whom Oakland has reportedly shown interest, Giants defensive end Dave Tollefson, reportedly will visit the Packers.

Adam Caplan reports that Cincinnati backup linebacker and special-teams player Dan Skuta visited the Chiefs. He is a restricted free agent, but Kansas City would not owe the Bengals any compensation if the Chiefs signed him to one because he was an undrafted free agent.

The Raiders will reportedly have a pre-draft visit with Alabama defensive tackle Josh Chapman, a good run-stuffer from a great defense. All teams typically conduct several pre-draft meetings, so a visit with a college player might not necessarily mean much.

Cincinnati receiver Andre Caldwell tweeted that he has signed with the Broncos.

Caldwell, 26, has been a backup, possession-type and would be a back-of-the-rotation player for Denver. He had 37 catches for the Bengals last season; in 2009, he had 51 catches for 432 yards.

The Broncos are reportedly interested in reuniting new quarterback Peyton Manning with former teammate Brandon Stokley. If signed, he too would be a rotational receiver.

In other AFC West news:

The Raiders are reportedly are among the teams interested in Giants defensive lineman Dave Tollefson. The Bay Area native was on the Raiders practice squad in 2007. There is no movement on the Manny Lawson front. The Raiders are among several teams interested in him.

The New England Patriots lost their leading rusher for the past two years -- BenJarvus Green-Ellis -- to the Cincinnati Bengals. Green-Ellis agreed to a three-year contract with Cincinnati on Wednesday.

But the reigning AFC champions viewed Green-Ellis as expendable. The Patriots drafted a pair of running backs in Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen last year, and both have a lot of potential. New England also has change-of-pace tailback Danny Woodhead who can help on third down and passing situations.

The Patriots should be fine with this trio of rushers. Talent is not a concern, just inexperience. Ridley and Vereen both showed flashes, but Green-Ellis was so sure-handed that he was the tailback head coach Bill Belichick trusted most. New England used Green-Ellis and Woodhead almost exclusively in the playoffs, when the season was on the line.

New England has the option of signing an affordable free agent or adding another rookie to the pile in the draft. But it looks like Ridley, a 2011 third rounder, is the favorite to be the starter next season. Woodhead and Vereen may both play supporting roles for a team that probably will throw 60 percent of the time anyway.

Quarterback Tom Brady, receivers Wes Welker and Brandon Lloyd and tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez will be the stars of New England's offense. The young running backs just have to complement the passing game by making the most of their carries and not fumbling.

The free-agent running back market has been slow to develop and Michael Bush has been a part of that unexpected lag.

But interest in the Raiders running back's services has been picking up. ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting Bush will visit the Seattle Seahawks on Tuesday. In Seattle, he’d be reunited with former Oakland head coach Tom Cable and former Raiders tight end Zach Miller.

Bush has already visited the Bears (where former Oakland starting quarterback Jason Campbell recently signed) and he is supposed to visit Cincinnati Monday. Former Oakland head coach Hue Jackson is on the Bengals’ staff.

At this point, it seems like Bush will not get a contract to start. Because of that, you would think he would consider remaining in Oakland as Darren McFadden’s partner. But because the Raiders have some cap restrictions and other needs (they are still hunting for several cornerbacks, including Shawntae Spencer and Tracy Porter), re-signing Bush right now may not be a top priority.

But if the market for Bush cools down, perhaps a return to Oakland would become more realistic.

First, the franchise tag took several top-rated safeties off the board for the needy New York Jets. Now, the Cincinnati Bengals dished out the latest blow over the weekend by re-signing starting safety Reggie Nelson.

The Jets reportedly made an offer to Nelson, who agreed with the Bengals following a two-day visit in New York. The Jets options at safety are getting thin this offseason.

New York still needs to find two starting safeties. Jim Leonhard is an unrestricted free agent who had a season-ending knee injury in December and probably won't be ready when camp opens. Eric Smith struggled mightily last season and was beat on plenty of plays.

It's getting more and more difficult for the Jets to find replacements in free agency. It looks like New York's choices are now limited to former Washington Redskins safety LaRon Landry and/or the draft. Alabama's Mark Barron is a possibility with the Jets' pick at No. 16. Barron has a lot of physical traits the Jets would like.

The New York Daily also reports the Jets recently expressed interest in O.J. Atogwe. But he's on the downside of his career, and I don’t think he's a good fit for what the Jets need.

NFL Network is reporting that the Denver Broncos and the Tennessee Titans are not just competing for Peyton Manning, but also for Atlanta pass-rusher John Abraham.

Abraham will turn 34 in May, but he can still be effective. He had 9.5 sacks last season. He is a consistent pass-rusher who has 112 sacks in 12 NFL season. He's reached double-digits in sacks in three of the past five seasons.

Adding Abraham to a pass-rush that includes Von Miller and Elvis Dumervil would give Denver one of the very best pass-rushes in the NFL.

In other AFC West news:

NFL Network is reporting the 49ers will sign Oakland special teams ace Rock Cartwright, pending a physical. Cartwright was a pivotal part of the Raiders’ locker room. The loss would sting some.

In addition to visiting with former St. Louis cornerback Ronald Bartell on Thursday, the Raiders are showing a lot of interest in New Orleans cornerback Tracy Porter. That makes total sense. He played for new Oakland head coach Dennis Allen in New Orleans. Porter is visiting Cincinnati. Expect the Raiders to expires interest in several cornerbacks. It’s their biggest need area.

Bob Glauber of Newsday tweeted that the Colts are not inclined to pursue tampering charges against Kansas City coach Romeo Crennel for comments he made about Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning on Saturday at the NFL combine.

From what I hear, I don’t expect the NFL to pursue charges, either. I expressed my thoughts on the silly saga Monday.

In other AFC West news:

The word at the combine was Cincinnati free-agent Jonathan Fanene could fit in with the Broncos. He is a versatile 4-3 player who can play both defensive end and tackle.

Another tidbit uncovered at the combine is that Oakland will be looking for linebackers aggressively in free agency and in the draft. Kamerion Wimbley and Aaron Curry are potential candidates for release in Oakland as the Raiders work to get under the salary cap.

It was a good day at the combine for potential AFC West prospects. Defensive tackles Dontari Poe of Memphis and Fletcher Cox of Mississippi State, and middle linebacker Luke Kuechly of Boston College all performed well at the combine Monday. The Broncos might be interested in Poe and Cox, and the Chiefs might look at Kuechly.

There is a report that the Jets will allow linebacker Bart Scott to seek a trade. He’s a 3-4 linebacker. I don’t see the two teams in the AFC West that run a 3-4, Kansas City and San Diego, making a run at Scott through a trade.

He is getting older and is on the decline. Perhaps if he becomes a free agent and is inexpensive, there could be interest. The Raiders will run some 3-4 looks, and it is possible it becomes a 3-4 defense based on its personnel heading to training camp, according to coach Dennis Allen, and it will need linebackers. I’m not sure if Scott would be the type of player the Raiders would pursue.

One team to keep an eye on in the Brandon Carr pursuit is Dallas. Word at the combine was the Cowboys could make an aggressive run at the Chiefs’ cornerback.

The AFC North is running a series where every position will be ranked and what could change at that position.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

1. STEELERS: Pittsburgh had the top-ranked pass defense, and it wasn't all about the pass rush this time. Actually, the pass rush was extremely inconsistent this season, so that No. 1 ranking is more of a reflection of the Steelers' secondary. Cornerback Ike Taylor and free safety Ryan Clark had career years. Taylor's season, though, was marred by a late-season decline that ended with him getting stiffed-armed by the Broncos' Demaryius Thomas on the touchdown that ended the Steelers' season. Clark had the best season of any safety in the division, which is saying a lot when Troy Polamalu and Ed Reed are in the AFC North. He finished second in the division with 100 tackles. Polamalu was solid, but didn't play up to his usual spectacular level. William Gay was a pleasant surprise, taking back the starting cornerback job that he lost in 2010. What could change: Gay is an unrestricted free agent, but it shouldn't take much to retain him. Look for rookie cornerbacks Cortez Allen and Curtis Brown to make more of an impact in their second seasons.

2. RAVENS: This group exceeded expectations, and did so in a surprising manner. Instead of starting Domonique Foxworth and Chris Carr at cornerback, the Ravens finished fourth in pass defense with Lardarius Webb and Cary Williams. Webb was the division's top cornerback, recording five interceptions and breaking up 20 passes (and that doesn't include three interceptions in the playoffs). Williams was a physical presence at corner. The biggest disappointment was Reed, who intercepted three passes -- his fewest in a season where he played more than 12 games. The Ravens' other safety, hard-hitting Bernard Pollard, provided more of an impact than Reed. First-round pick Jimmy Smith endured an up-and-down rookie season. What could change: Smith should take over for Williams as a starting cornerback this season. Foxworth is expected to get cut, and the same could happen to Carr. Both backup safeties, Tom Zbikowski and Haruki Nakamura, are free agents, but I suspect Nakamura will get re-signed.

3. BROWNS: Joe Haden showed signs of being a shutdown corner, even though he failed to make an interception. He held his own against some of the best receivers in the NFL, from Larry Fitzgerald to Brandon Marshall. His worst games came against Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green. While Haden is among the division's best cornerbacks, Sheldon Brown was the worst starting corner in the AFC North. Brown's biggest asset is the experience he provides to a young secondary. The defensive backfield was hurt by the loss of strong safety T.J. Ward, who missed the final 10 games with a foot injury. Teams took advantage of Ward's replacement, Usama Young. Free safety Mike Adams beat out Young for a starting job in training camp. Dimitri Patterson was a reliable nickelback, breaking up a dozen passes. What could change: The Browns might replace Adams, who is a free agent, and they could give rookie seventh-round pick Eric Hagg a shot at doing so. Cleveland is very interested in bringing Patterson back. It wouldn't be a surprise if Patterson starts in place of Brown.

ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper is offering another mock draft . Let’s check out his first-round picks for the AFC West teams:

*11. Kansas City: Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly

My take: Expect to see Kuechly connected to the Chiefs often in the next two months. I like the pairing. He has a chance to be a tremendous 3-4 inside linebacker in the NFL. He could be part of a standout group of linebackers. Romeo Crennel is on the cusp of assembling a great defense and this instinctive player would be a great addition.

18. San Diego: Notre Dame receiver Michael Floyd

My take: This is an interesting pairing. Floyd has a chance to be a dynamic receiver in the NFL. The only way I see this pairing work is if Vincent Jackson leaves as a free agent, which is a possibility. Otherwise, the Chargers have more pressing needs.

25. Denver: Penn State DT Devon Still

My take: This would be a terrific value pick for Denver. I think the Broncos will be looking for the best defensive player or top running back available at No. 25. Adding a player like Still could continue Denver’s improvement on defense.

*A coin flip with Seattle next week will determine whether the Chiefs will have the No. 11 or No. 12 pick. Oakland traded its first-round pick (No. 17) to Cincinnati as part of the trade for quarterback Carson Palmer.

So much for New England Patriots fans rooting for Andy Dalton.

The Houston Texans won their first ever playoff game over Dalton and the Cincinnati Bengals in convincing fashion, 31-10. That means New England's next opponent will be determined in Sunday's wild-card matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4) and Denver Broncos (8-8).

Patriots fans may now want to root for more Tim Tebow magic. New England (13-3) is trying to avoid being one-and-done for the third consecutive year, and the Patriots manhandled Denver, 41-23, in the regular season.

The reigning AFC champion Steelers would be the toughest possible matchup for New England in the divisional round. Pittsburgh beat New England, 25-17, in Week 8. The Steelers are hurting on offense. But Pittsburgh is a veteran team and a tough out for anyone in January.

Suzy and Mort discuss their matchup to watch, Marcellus wonders if anyone can pull off a big upset, and in Did You Hear That?, The Caveman talks about which quarterbacks could struggle during wild-card weekend.

Our latest edition of "Poll Friday" is a good one. With the playoffs starting this weekend, which team will prevail and make it to the Super Bowl from the AFC?

There are several teams capable of making a title run, starting with the New England Patriots (13-3). They have won eight straight games and have home-field advantage throughout the postseason. Is this the year Tom Brady and Bill Belichick get back to the big game?

What about AFC North powers like the Baltimore Ravens (12-4) and Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)? Baltimore can beat you in a lot of different ways offensively and defensively. Pittsburgh is the reigning AFC champs and will be a tough out, despite suffering big injuries recently.

Those are the favorites. But there also are dark horses like the Cincinnati Bengals (9-7), Houston Texans (10-6) and Denver Broncos (8-8) if you like the other teams in the field.

Using our SportsNation poll, vote on which team represents the AFC in the Super Bowl. You can also share your thoughts in the comment section below.

The New England Patriots will be idle for the first round of the playoffs. This will give New England a chance to rest and improve before its playoff debut Jan. 14.

In the meantime, here are some questions for the Patriots during the bye week:

1. Will the Patriots learn to start fast?

New England started a disturbing trend the past two weeks. The Patriots have fallen asleep in the first half before making a pair of furious comebacks. They overcame deficits of 17 and 21 points the past two weeks against the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills.

Perhaps the Patriots were dealing with complacency during their eight-game winning streak. But New England must start fast in the playoffs. The Patriots won't face the Dolphins and Bills in the playoffs. New England needs to put together four good quarters or the team can be one-and-done. The Patriots learned that hard lesson their last two postseason appearances.

2. Can the defense step up?

The AFC is filled with tough defenses. Four of the NFL’s top seven defenses are in the AFC playoff bracket. New England will face one of those great defenses as early as next week. Can the Patriots’ leaky unit match the intensity?

The defenses of the Pittsburgh Steelers (No. 1), Houston Texans (No. 2), Baltimore Ravens (No. 3) and Cincinnati Bengals (No. 7) are all capable of giving Tom Brady and New England’s offense some issues. If Brady only puts up 23 points in a playoff game, for example, can New England’s defense hold an opponent to 20 points?

That may be the big scenario that could determine if the Patriots make it to Indianapolis. Their defense needs to step up.

3. Who stars in the running game?

New England's running game has been on and off this season. There were stretches when it has been really good and stretches when it has disappeared from the offense.

This time of year is when playoff teams need to be able to run the ball. The Patriots obviously are a passing team. But they need enough balance to prevent opponents from dropping everyone back in coverage.

Patriots running backs Stevan Ridley, BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead have all had their moments this year. But neither player has fully taken over the reigns at the No. 1 tailback.

Lately Ridley’s had the hot hand. He may be the answer going into the playoffs. But Ridley is a rookie and the Patriots need to make sure during this bye that he’s ready to perform and not make rookie mistakes in the high-stakes playoffs.

4. Who would New England rather face?

The AFC East blog did a poll earlier this week asking Patriots fans which team would they rather see at Gillette Stadium on Jan. 14. The overwhelming consensus was Tim Tebow and Denver.

I understand why New England fans would want Tebow. The Patriots pounded the Broncos earlier this season and Tebow is struggling down the stretch. But I think the safer scenario is for the Bengals to win and travel to Gillette Stadium. The chances of Denver beating the Steelers aren’t great. The Bengals winning wouldn’t leave anything to chance.

But I think everyone agrees the team the Patriots don’t want to face is the reigning AFC champion Steelers, who beat New England earlier this year. Yes, running back Rashard Mendenhall (knee) is out for the year and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has a bum wheel. But the Steelers remain a tough out for anyone.

It also would mean New England has to beat Pittsburgh and Baltimore in back-to-back weeks to get to the Super Bowl. That’s the toughest road possible for the Patriots.