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Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 10:

Roll with him: Both the Texans and Jaguars will look to their primary backs -- Arian Foster and Maurice Jones-Drew, respectively -- early. It’s more important for Jacksonville to gain some control over time of possession and to get a lead that will allow for MJD to run often. The Jaguars will be adjusting to playing defense without injured Aaron Kampman. Minus their primary pass-rush threat, the Jaguars likely will allow Matt Schaub more time to throw. Yes, the Texans have the league’s worst pass defense. But Jacksonville’s is 28th and also super-susceptible to big plays. And Houston has more big-play threats.

Old connection: Kerry Collins and Randy Moss have history, even if it’s ancient history. Vince Young was limited Friday, and while he’s technically a game-time decision it appears increasingly likely that Collins will sub for Young (ankle) on Sunday in Miami. No matter who's playing quarterback, how much of an impact can the Titans get from Moss after a week’s work? And will the Dolphins' coverage immediately create space for Chris Johnson in the run game? That’s what the team was expecting by making the move.

Jason Allen beyond special teams: He was a late waiver claim this week, but the Texans' pass defense is struggling. Allen’s likely to have a role on special teams right away in light of the loss of Dominique Barber. Gary Kubiak has completely backed rookie cornerback Kareem Jackson and I don’t anticipate a change. But if David Garrard is getting good protection and throwing well, will the Texans stick with a troubled group or look to change something up, at least in a nickel package?

Slowing Owens: The Colts have gotten better play from Kelvin Hayden recently, but their second corner and nickel corner have been question marks. Deshea Townsend, who’s been filling in as nickel, was cut this week. The Bengals will try to keep Terrell Owens hot, as the Colts continue to recover from injuries in the defensive backfield. Jacob Lacey should be better his second week back. Jerraud Powers said he expects to be back. Justin Tryon is questionable. If it’s Hayden, Powers and Lacey as the top three, Indianapolis should be able to keep things in front of them.

Minus Daniels: The Texans will be without Owen Daniels (hamstring) but that doesn’t mean they cannot be effective throwing to tight ends. Joel Dreessen and James Casey accounted for nine of the team’s 21 catches and 105 of their 267 passing yards last week in a loss to San Diego. Houston should have Schaub keep targeting the duo and look to expand Casey’s role. He’s a guy that can do some damage, and they should see what he can do with increased opportunity.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Five things I learned from the Colts' 30-17 win over the Texans at Lucas Oil Stadium Monday night:

Next man up just goes and goes and goes: You’re as tired of reading that line as I am of writing it. But on this night the Colts went collectively deeper into their depth than usual. And guess what? The subs produced.

Jacob Tamme is not Dallas Clark, but six catches for 64 yards and a touchdown is a pretty good tight end contribution. (He’s the 27th player to catch his first-career touchdown from Peyton Manning.) Subbing for the injured Joseph Addai as the lead back, Mike Hart looked very good as he took 12 carries 84 yards before suffering an ankle injury late that prevented him from finishing the game. Justin Tryon filled in for Jerraud Powers at right cornerback, often across from Andre Johnson, and the Texans got Johnson the ball just seven times, for nothing longer than 28 yards.

The expectation is you produce when called upon, and if you’re the guy who doesn’t do it after so many have, then how much grief would you be in line for?

“You never want to be that guy, that guy who doesn’t perform, that guy who doesn’t step up when called upon,” Hart said. “I think management does a great job of bringing in players that can come in and do well when guys go down and that’s what I tried to do.”

Said Manning of Tamme: "It was nice to see a guy that had a calm, cool look to him the entire night. That is encouraging to see."

Houston’s play calling will be second-guessed -- a lot: In some ways this was similar to the Week 3 loss to Dallas.

In the first half of that game Arian Foster got only eight carries and Johnson got only two catches, while the Texans had 21 snaps of offense and 11:51 of possession.

In the first half of this game, Foster got only eight carries and Johnson got only two catches while the Texans had 24 snaps of offense and 11:12 of possession.

“Our plan was to be a balanced football team,” coach Gary Kubiak said. “We wanted to do some things early. A couple of runs were called early that ended up being passes... I don’t think we’d have had any problem being a balanced football team had we made a third down.”

The Texans were 0-for-6 on third downs in the first half: a third-and-10 sack, a third-and-6 incompletion, a third-and-2 incompletion (followed by a fourth-and-2 incompletion), a third-and-5 sack, a third-and-10 pass to Johnson for 9 yards and a third-and-4 incompletion.

Sure, the Texans would have been able to be balanced had they converted some of those. It's what Kubiak looked to for conversions that was questionable.

Foster finished the game with 15 carries for 102 yards and a score. That was good for a 6.8 average. On four of those third downs, giving it to him would have seemed to have been more prudent than throwing it. At least give him one of two chances when you needed only 2 yards.

“When we dialed up the run, we were good,” left tackle Duane Brown said. “When we dial up the pass, we’ve got to be good enough to hold up.”

Maybe Kelvin Hayden is re-emerging: A healthy Hayden was supposed to provide a big boost to the Colts' pass coverage this season, but through six games he’d not been nearly as good as I expected he’d be.

Against the Texans, with both Jerraud Powers and Jacob Lacey out, Hayden was working with the inexperienced Tryon on the other side and Deshea Townsend as the nickelback.

Hayden stepped in front of an ill-advised Schaub pass intended for Kevin Walter and waltzed to a 25-yard touchdown that gave the Colts what felt like an insurmountable 14-0 lead early in the second quarter.

“I think that’s what you want to do as a player, continue to make progress week in, week out,” he said. “I want to work on just doing my job, and when you do your job, things happen. As you can see, I didn’t do anything special, I just did my job…

“I think I started slower than I expected, I don’t have an answer for it. But it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. They say at corner you have to have a bad memory, so I don’t remember it.”

Hayden also had five tackles, including one for a loss.

Houston's Brian Cushing not making the impact we expected: He didn’t really explode until midway through his rookie year, but then he set a standard. It’s one he has not met in the three games he’s played since returning from his season-starting four-game suspension for a violation of the league’s policy against performance enhancers.

This was his first game in the middle, where he’s been shifted to replace DeMeco Ryans, who's out for the season with an Achilles injury. Press box statisticians credited Cushing with just five tackles and he also had a pass defensed. But a team with a struggling secondary and a less-than stellar pass rush needs more from Cushing.

“I think he did a pretty darn good job,” Kubiak said. “And I think we played hard. We’ve got to improve each week and he’s the best guy [in the middle] that gives us a chance to do that.”

The move to the middle took Cushing away from tight end coverage.

“He’s a great player, though, I think he’s just fine inside,” Tamme said.

Strongside linebacker Philip Wheeler will work to get it back: Wheeler was supposed to be the next emerging linebacker for the Colts, but he was replaced in the starting lineup against the Texans by rookie Pat Angerer, who started and played well for an injured Gary Brackett in the Week 6 win at Washington.

Evidently, coaches found that production too good to leave on the sideline.

“They didn’t really explain too much about it, they just made a decision, I guess,” Wheeler said. “I’m not happy with the decision, but I can’t do anything right now about it. I’ve just got to keep my head up and play ball when I get in the game. I’m not sure what’s the case with it. No hard feelings to Pat, when he’s out there I think he’s going to play well.”

INDIANAPOLIS -- Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon are both active for the Colts today for their game at Lucas Oil Stadium against the Chiefs. And Aaron Francisco is the strong safety who will replace Melvin Bullitt in the lineup.

Collie’s been battling a foot injury and Garcon has missed action with a hamstring injury. Word is the Colts will open in three wide.

Considering how banged-up the Colts have been, they’ve got to feel good that all of their starters who were in question are dressed.

Cornerback Jacob Lacey, who’s usually part of the nickel package when healthy, is out with a foot injury. Deshea Townsend is his likely replacement.

Defensive end Tyson Jackson is out for the Chiefs.

Here’s the complete Colts list of inactive players:

• CB Jacob Lacey
• RB Donald Brown
• G Jacques McClendon
• G Jaimie Thomas
• DE Jerry Hughes
• S Bob Sanders
• WR Anthony Gonzalez
• LB Kavell Conner

The Colts may care less about preseason results than any team in the NFL.

So losing at Green Bay in their third preseason game wasn’t a huge deal.

But the pounding the first team took, even with several key players out with injuries, while playing into the second half will certainly require some detailed film review and correction.

In the end it was 59-24 shellacking.

Some observations:

• [+] Enlarge
  Jeff Hanisch/US PresswirePeyton Manning was less than pleased with the pace of play at times.
  Brace for a debate about the relocated umpire. Peyton Manning was clearly upset about not being able to go forward at his preferred pace while waiting for Garth DeFelice to back out into his new position in the backfield. The Colts were flagged twice for an illegal snap. I don’t think the league’s going to reconsider the relocation -- which puts the umpire in a safer spot but reverts to old positioning in the final two minutes of both halves. But Manning will surely ask Bill Polian to seek some clarification on how it can and cannot interfere with tempo issues.
• Manning connected on two TDs. He made a fantastic throw to Reggie Wayne (seven catches for 96 yards and a TD) and had a great run away from pressure and throw to Joseph Addai. But an intercepted pass aimed for Pierre Garcon and the loss of a fumble while running from trouble on a third-and-long qualified as bad moments.
• The Colts recovered quickly from the Manning pick by forcing and recovering a Brandon Jackson fumble, a play started by Clint Session in his first preseason action. He was anxious to hit and made the most of that one.
• The Indy defense ran at least one play with dime personnel in which Gary Brackett was the lone linebacker on the field and safety Melvin Bullitt lined up as a backer up at the line. Rodgers threw short to Jackson, and Bullitt, who’d dropped back, quickly closed the space and dropped him.
• Addai had a big run on the first play from scrimmage and a nice run after catch on that Manning throw, showing nice zip and feel with the ball in his hands both times. But he took a shot while playing defense after the interception and suffered a concussion right about when he would have been leaving the game anyway.
• Brackett (right hand) and Jacob Lacey (concussion) left the game with new injuries. Those meant Pat Angerer and DeShea Townsend were in the game earlier than other second-teamers. It’s not the news the Colts wanted to hear considering they started the game without key players already hurt: Dallas Clark, Charlie Johnson, Marcus McCauley, Devin Moore, Jerraud Powers and Jeff Saturday.
• Kelvin Hayden didn’t have terrible intent when he pushed the ball away while officials were looking spot it. But he still should know better. And drawing a delay penalty for doing so is not very Colt-like or heady.
• The pass defense gave up far too many plays (and Green Bay was without receiver Greg Jennings). But when Rodgers is throwing red-zone darts against man coverage in the end zone, I don’t know how corners are going to fare better than Lacey and Townsend did on scoring passes from close range.

ESPN.com NFL Power Ranking (pre-camp): 1

ANDERSON, Ind. -- They could have made a bid at an undefeated regular season and their hopes for a Super Bowl win were snuffed out by an onside kick and an untimely pick.

So it should concern the rest of the AFC South that the 2010 Indianapolis Colts appear to be better than last year’s version.

They get two high-quality players, who were injured for most of last year, back in safety Bob Sanders and receiver Anthony Gonzalez. The Colts added a third edge rusher and a blocking tight end in the draft.

“Coach [Jim] Caldwell wants us to be a consistent team and not one that plays really well one week and not one that goes into a slump the next couple of games and then comes back,” Peyton Manning said. “I think we have been pretty consistent. Our offseason work, our execution and our attention to detail in training camp make a difference.

“But what has happened in the past doesn’t guarantee you anything for this 2010 season. We have some new players, new coaches and it is up to us to go out and form the identity of his team and to go out and try to win games this season.”

THREE HOT ISSUES

1. Can Sanders stay on the field? The thing that makes him so good is the same thing that makes him so injury prone. He throws himself around like a torpedo, and suffers the consequences. He’s upbeat and happy right now to be spending his time on the field and with coaches and teammates instead of in the training room with medical staff.

“I don’t think you can put yourself in less danger on the field,” Sanders said when I asked if there was any way he could be less reckless to try to preserve himself. “We’re football players so we’re going to be physical. It’s a physical game. I make tackles. You just never know what’s going to happen. You just have to play your best, hope for the best, I pray and put it in God’s hands and just try to do my job.”

When he’s out there, he’ll be more creative than when we last saw him playing consistently. Second-year defensive coordinator Larry Coyer is much more willing to blitz than Ron Meeks was.

As good as Melvin Bullitt's been as Sanders’ replacement, Sanders is a game-altering presence when he’s out there. Sanders is making plays in camp. If he’s out there, the Colts’ defense could be fantastic.

2. Will offensive line changes amount to an upgrade? Left guard Ryan Lilja was let go, so at least one spot will be filled by someone new. Tony Ugoh looked like the early choice, but he’s been pulled back to tackle to work for the injured Charlie Johnson, so Jamey Richard is in play. Richard might shift to center while Jeff Saturday recovers from a knee scope, which could open the door for rookie Jacques McClendon, if he’s healthy, or someone like Jaimie Thomas.

The talent pool now includes McClendon and tackle Adam Terry, but there was no overhaul. Pass protection combined with Manning’s ability to get the ball out quick meant few sacks, but the team needs to run better for balance. Short-yardage bugaboos have been a factor in season-ending losses the past two years.

New offensive line coach Pete Metzelaars has a chance to make minor alterations that could have a bearing, and a quality-blocking tight end like Brody Eldridge could even help revive the once bread-and-butter stretch play.

3. Will secondary depth hold up? Bill Polian purged the roster of some injury-prone corners, then saw third-round pick Kevin Thomas go down shortly after the draft with a serious knee injury. Kelvin Hayden, Jerraud Powers and Jacob Lacey should be a fine top three, but if one gets hurt, Deshea Townsend or Marcus McCauley, who were available recently, could be the next option.

If the Colts have to go that deep down the depth chart, their pass rush will be even more vital. But how many teams would love for the fourth cornerback to be a primary issue heading into a season?

BIGGEST SURPRISE

It’s hard to find them with a very low-key team that drafts and grooms the bulk of its players. Polian’s harped on short-yardage failures, but then the team didn’t add a sure fire starter to the line with Andy Alleman (already gone), Terry and McClendon.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

Before the Colts could start to sort things out, injuries dictated they move offensive linemen around. Saturday is out 2-6 weeks after a knee scope, and Johnson and McClendon are sidelined. It would have been nice to see Metzelaars have a full deck for a long stretch in order to best hold competitions and compare and contrast players. The sooner they resolve the lineup and start to build cohesion, the better. Now it’s probably going to be later than would be ideal.

OBSERVATION DECK

• [+] Enlarge
  AP Photo/Darron CummingsExpect more surprises out of Larry Coyer's defense this season.
  In Year 2 of Coyer’s tenure as defensive coordinator, I expect the Colts will be more exotic with an occasional surprise look or package -- perhaps most often utilizing their depth at safety where Sanders, Antoine Bethea and Bullitt make for three starting-caliber players.
• While the defensive line shows fantastic speed and strength, Mitch King looked the least smooth during the drill in which linemen weave through blocking dummies, turn a corner and try to strip a quarterback. For those excited about him, an adjusted timetable might be advisable.
• As the punter and kickoff man, Pat McAfee is electric. But teams in the market for a kickoff specialist might want to keep an eye on Garrett Lindholm, who looks like he can regularly put the ball in the end zone.
• Powers carries himself exceptionally well. During a break in one practice, as most guys went to the cool-down tent or took themselves out of football mentality for a minute, he picked the brain of Reggie Wayne. Powers already has become a media favorite, too.
• Manning could make good money if his only job was to put on clinics about how to best loft red-zone passes to the pylons in the back corners of the end zones.
• Joseph Addai knows what he’s doing on every play, and Donald Brown is smart enough to follow his lead, though Brown doesn’t shine in pass protection one-on-ones versus linebackers. The Colts will be just fine if the line can block for the runners, and maybe even if it can’t. Brown’s had more than a year to get pass protections down. If that keeps him off the field any this year, it’s no one’s fault but his.
• Better didn’t mean great for the interior defensive line in 2009. Daniel Muir and Antonio Johnson continue to improve, and Fili Moala will make for a third 300-pounder in there. He appears to be comfortable and ready to contribute.
• The Colts haven’t emphasized the return game and, at times, it’s felt almost like they de-emphasized it. But undrafted rookie Brandon James is a miniature speedster who is in position to win at least the punt-return job. He could give Manning and the offense a short field once in a while.
• John Chick, who joined the Colts from the Canadian Football League, could win the fourth defensive end spot if he shows a good learning curve and durability.

Baltimore Ravens

Potential unrestricted free agents: DL Justin Bannan, DL Dwan Edwards, CB Corey Ivy, WR Derrick Mason, TE L.J. Smith, WR David Tyree, CB Frank Walker, WR Kelley Washington

Potential restricted free agents: OT Jared Gaither, K Billy Cundiff, S Dawan Landry, CB Fabian Washington, P Sam Koch, OG Chris Chester, QB John Beck, QB Troy Smith, OT Tony Moll, FB Le'Ron McClain, LB Prescott Burgess, WR Mark Clayton, WR Demetrius Williams

Franchise tag: None

What to expect: The Ravens have a ton of quality free agents. It will be interesting because Baltimore is the only division team which has to abide by the "Final Eight Plan" for making the divisional playoffs. This will restrict Baltimore from making a lot of moves. Therefore, expect the team to keep most of its key restricted free agents while trying to explore the trade market. On the unrestricted side, the Ravens are negotiating with receiver Derrick Mason and are expected to keep him. But two players who could get some interest in the open market are defensive linemen Dwan Edwards and Justin Bannan. Baltimore likes both players but could lose at least one.

Cincinnati Bengals

Potential unrestricted free agents: K Shayne Graham, FB Jeremi Johnson, RB Larry Johnson, DT Tank Johnson, TE Reggie Kelly, OG Bobbie Williams, S Roy Williams, TE J.P. Foschi

Potential restricted free agents: LB Brandon Johnson, LB Rashad Jeanty, OL Evan Mathis, C Kyle Cook, DE Frostee Rucker, CB David Jones, LB Abdul Hodge, QB Jordan Palmer, TE Daniel Coats, DT Shaun Smith

Franchise tag: None

What to expect: The Bengals have yet to announce their tenders, so this list could change by Thursday evening. But traditionally they are not big spenders in free agency and will stay true to that even with an uncapped year. Cincinnati could make one or two decent outside signings that may help the team. Finding a receiver would be the most likely target. The most interesting in-house name is offensive guard Bobbie Williams, who likely will test the market. Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer also would like to keep veteran Roy Williams and Tank Johnson. But the team hasn't made a major push for either player before they're let loose Friday.

Cleveland Browns

Potential unrestricted free agents: WR Mike Furrey, TE Michael Gaines, OG Rex Hadnot, CB Hank Poteat, OL Ryan Tucker, OG Billy Yates

Potential restricted free agents: RB Jerome Harrison, LB D'Qwell Jackson, FB Lawrence Vickers, S Brodney Pool, S Abram Elam, DE Matt Roth

Franchise tag: None

What to expect: Cleveland has the money to spend and the biggest talent deficit. So look for the Browns to attempt to make up ground in free agency. Major names like defensive end Julius Peppers and tailback Thomas Jones have been mentioned as possibilities for Cleveland, but that remains to be seen. Internally, the Browns should be interested in keeping Harrison and Vickers in their backfield. Jackson also has value. None of their unrestricted players are priorities for the team and will be allowed to hit free agency.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Potential unrestricted free agents: QB Charlie Batch, LB Rocky Boiman, S Tyrone Carter, S Ryan Clark, DE Nick Eason, WR Joey Galloway, DE Travis Kirschke, RB Willie Parker, CB Deshea Townsend , FB Carey Davis, OG Darnell Stapleton

Potential restricted free agents: OT Willie Colon, CB William Gay, P Daniel Sepulveda, TE Matt Spaeth

Franchise tag: K Jeff Reed

What to expect: The Steelers are pretty predictable. Pittsburgh intends to keep all of its restricted free agents, get a long-term deal complete with Reed, who has the franchise tag, and let nearly all of their unrestricted free agents test the market. The exception is Clark, who the Steelers targeted as a priority but has yet to reach a long-term extension before Friday's deadline. Negotiations have been ongoing and should go to the final hour to decide whether both sides can come to an agreement or allow Clark to test the market.

» AFC Free Agency: East | West | North | South » NFC: East | West | North | South

An early look at the free-agent situation in the AFC North.

Note: These projected lists reflect notable unrestricted free agents for each team. The NFL will not issue an official list of free agents until the signing period begins March 5.

Baltimore Ravens

Unrestricted free agents: DL Justin Bannan, K Billy Cundiff, DL Dwan Edwards, CB Corey Ivy, WR Derrick Mason, TE L.J. Smith, WR David Tyree, CB Frank Walker, WR Kelley Washington

Key figures: Derrick Mason is contemplating retirement. But if he wants to play, the Ravens have every intention of keeping their leading receiver. Look for Baltimore also to make a push for another significant addition at receiver to assist the development of budding quarterback Joe Flacco. Sleeper players on this list include the two defensive linemen: Justin Bannan and Dwan Edwards. The Ravens like both players and will probably make a push to keep at least one on the roster. Baltimore also lacks cornerback depth and might elect to bring back Frank Walker, despite his penchant for giving up big plays and committing penalties.

Cincinnati Bengals

Unrestricted free agents: K Shayne Graham, FB Jeremi Johnson, RB Larry Johnson, DT Tank Johnson, TE Reggie Kelly, DT Shaun Smith, OG Bobbie Williams, S Roy Williams

Key figures: Bobbie Williams is an interesting name. He’s one of Cincinnati’s most consistent offensive linemen over the last several years, but he turns 34 in September. Kicker Shayne Graham, who was franchised last season, had a solid career in Cincinnati. But he missed kicks in big spots, potentially ending his run with the Bengals. Running back Larry Johnson was third string in Cincinnati and should get more playing time elsewhere in 2010.

Cleveland Browns

Unrestricted free agents: WR Mike Furrey, TE Michael Gaines, OG Rex Hadnot, CB Hank Poteat, OL Ryan Tucker, OG Billy Yates

Key figures: This is not an impressive list as most of Cleveland's key free agents -- such as Jerome Harrison, Lawrence Vickers and D'Qwell Jackson -- are restricted. Mike Furrey is a high-character player that coach Eric Mangini likes on his football team, and he might be retained. The remaining players on this list likely will hit the open market. The Browns have an interesting decision to make with Harrison, who led the team in rushing after a tremendous second half of the 2009 season. Harrison could garner some interest as a restricted free agent if the Browns do not offer a high enough tender.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Unrestricted free agents: QB Charlie Batch, LB Rocky Boiman, S Tyrone Carter, S Ryan Clark, DE Nick Eason, WR Joey Galloway, NT Casey Hampton, DE Travis Kirschke, RB Willie Parker, K Jeff Reed, CB Deshea Townsend

Key figures: The Steelers are aiming to keep most of their key veterans, while infusing some youth through the draft. All indications are the team will offer extensions to safety Ryan Clark and kicker Jeff Reed. Pro Bowl nose tackle Casey Hampton is the biggest name on this list. But he's a strong candidate for the franchise tag, because there is no full-time replacement on the roster. This offseason probably will mark the end of tailback Willie Parker's tenure in Pittsburgh. Parker, 29, helped lead the Steelers to two Super Bowl wins during his career. But various ailments since initially breaking his leg in 2007 hampered his production.

Posted by ESPN.com's James Walker

Team needs: Offensive linemen, defensive linemen, cornerback

	G Fiume/Getty Images
	The Steelers could use California center Alex Mack if he drops to them at the end of the first round.

Dream scenario: An ideal scenario for the Steelers would be for them to have a smorgasbord of quality offensive linemen available with the final pick in the first round (No. 32 overall). The NFL draft tends to have teams make a run at certain positions in spurts. But if linemen such as Cal center Alex Mack, Oregon center Max Unger or a quality tackle such as Michael Oher of Mississippi somehow make it through the first 31 picks, Pittsburgh would have a happy draft room. To the chagrin of some fans, the Steelers retained their entire O-line front five from their Super Bowl XLIII victory over the Arizona Cardinals. Depth is sorely needed on the offensive line as the Steelers let go of veteran linemen Kendall Simmons and Marvel Smith. There is very little competition behind the starters and that position always faces the prospect of injuries.

Plan B: If the dream scenario fails to materialize, Pittsburgh can simply take the best available player. The Steelers have done it many times, drafting players they don't need right away but who will later develop into solid players. Pittsburgh could use help on the defensive line, which is aging but still has quality starters such as Aaron Smith, Brett Keisel and Casey Hampton. Cornerback also is a position of need after the loss of starter Bryant McFadden to Arizona in free agency. Pittsburgh is confident in William Gay but needs additional corners behind him and the aging Deshea Townsend to serve as backups and play in obvious passing situations.

Scouts Inc.'s take: "If I were a betting man, I would say the Steelers are going to go with an interior offensive lineman. But it certainly wouldn't shock me if they went with a defensive lineman. If you look at their defensive line, they're all 30-plus. And it takes those guys with the 'five technique' time to learn. None of them ever do it in college. So it takes a couple years of grooming. If you look at how successful they've been, Brett Keisel was a seventh-round pick and Aaron Smith was a fourth, and they didn't come in the league right away and handle that job. It's time to get young blood in to learn from the guys, rotate in and take snaps here and there. Two years ago, when Aaron Smith went down, their season completely crumbled. So that position might be their No. 1 need. If they can find a legit D-end to teach, that would be ideal. But those guys don't grow on trees." -- Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc.

Who has final say: General manager Kevin Colbert makes the final calls on Pittsburgh's 53-man roster and will do so during the draft on April 25-26. But there will be group input from head coach Mike Tomlin and his staff as well.

	Getty Images
	Laveranues Coles, Domonique Foxworth and Matt Birk headline this year's free-agent additions in the AFC North.

Posted by ESPN.com's James Walker

NFL free agency was created to improve the competitive balance and shake up rosters on an annual basis. This year is no different.

The AFC North lost a wealth of talent over the past two weeks, as teams outbid and traded for players such as Bart Scott, Jason Brown, Kellen Winslow Jr., T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Bryant McFadden.

Therefore, meet the replacements -- AFC North style. There are no Shane Falcos in this group, although Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco developed that "The Replacements"-inspired nickname with his team last year.

Nonetheless, these players filling in will have a major impact on the success of their respective AFC North teams next season.

Gay

William Gay, CB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Replacing: Bryant McFadden

Reason for hope: Gay began to earn a decent amount of playing time during the second half of the Steelers' season, and there was no significant drop-off in production. He impressed the coaching staff so much that even when McFadden returned from a broken arm, the team still didn't want to keep Gay off the field. Now he gets to play full time.

Reason for concern: Sometimes the hardest adjustment for a cornerback is jumping from being a situational player to a full-time starter. Gay will no longer defend a team's No. 3 or No. 4 receiver. If he proves not to be ready for that jump, Pittsburgh will hope to get one more year out of aging veteran and longtime starter Deshea Townsend. It will be interesting to see how the Steelers replace McFadden, now with the Cardinals.

Foxworth

Domonique Foxworth, CB, Baltimore Ravens

Replacing: Chris McAlister/Samari Rolle

Reason for hope: Combined with teammate Fabian Washington, Foxworth gives the Ravens one of the fastest cornerback tandems in the NFL. The Ravens run a lot of blitz packages from their 3-4 defense and need to make sure nothing gets behind them in case the call doesn't lead to a sack. Usually, safety Ed Reed will play deep centerfield to protect against the big play. But with two speedy corners, the coaching staff can move Reed around more next year and allow him even more flexibility, which is scary.

Reason for concern: Until last season in Atlanta, Foxworth had the label of "career backup." Sure, he was backing up two good corners in Champ Bailey and Dre Bly in Denver. But it is somewhat of a risk to pay a player $27 million after one season of starting with the Atlanta Falcons. Foxworth will have to answer those critics who will question his inexperience. Someone will have to step up since the Ravens waived McAlister and Rolle might see the same fate or be used as a nickelback.

Birk

Matt Birk, C, Baltimore Ravens

Replacing: Jason Brown

Reason for hope: The Ravens lost up-and-coming center Brown -- a free agent who signed with the Rams -- but signed a six-time Pro Bowler in Birk. He has been one of the best centers in the NFL for the past decade and will bring stability and more veteran leadership to the offensive line that already has tackle Willie Anderson. Birk also will help bring along a young signal-caller in second-year quarterback Flacco.

Reason for concern: In signing Birk, the team gained experience but also got six years older at the position. Birk will be 33 at the beginning of the 2009 season and has some wear and tear on his body after playing in the trenches for 12 seasons. He has started all 16 games the past three seasons. The Ravens are hoping that clean bill of heath continues for Birk in 2009.

Gooden

McClain

Tavares Gooden or Jameel McClain, ILBs, Baltimore Ravens

Replacing: Bart Scott

Reason for hope: The Ravens have two potential replacements for Scott, now with the Jets. Therefore, they have twice as good a chance to find a suitable replacement in time for next season. Gooden was a third-round pick in 2008 from the University of Miami and a player who impressed fellow Hurricane Ray Lewis. The veteran Lewis has tutored many linebackers before, including Scott, and will have to teach another young player the position. McClain was an undrafted surprise from the University of Syracuse and registered 2.5 sacks in limited playing time. Sometimes he is compared to Scott in Baltimore because both players were undrafted.

Reason for concern: Scott is as physical a linebacker as there is in the NFL. He did a lot of the dirty work, such as blowing up fullbacks and offensive linemen at the point of attack to allow teammates like Lewis and Terrell Suggs to clean up and make plays. Both Gooden and McClain have ability. But it remains to be seen if either can bring that same type of physicality in what is essentially a "bodyguard” role for Lewis, Suggs, Reed and others.

Coles

Laveranues Coles, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

Replacing: T.J. Houshmandzadeh

Reason for hope: Coles is a savvy veteran receiver who has meshed well with a lot of different quarterbacks. Last year, he developed good on-field chemistry with Brett Favre and should have no problems playing with Carson Palmer, who remains one of the league's best quarterbacks when healthy. Coles should fit in seamlessly.

Reason for concern: Coles is no longer a game-breaking receiver. He will be asked to replace current Seahawk Houshmandzadeh's tremendous production, but Coles is not the type of player who will record 90 to 100 receptions per season. Therefore, a combination of players will have to make up for those numbers, whether it is Chad Ocho Cinco having a monster year or Coles combining with one of the younger receivers to equal Houshmandzadeh's output.

Royal

Robert Royal, TE, Cleveland Browns

Replacing: Kellen Winslow Jr.

Reason for hope: First-year Browns coach Eric Mangini is familiar with Royal after battling the former AFC East division rival Buffalo Bills during Mangini's days with the New York Jets. The signing is out of respect for Royal's ability and hopes that he can bring some stability to the position. There is also depth with teammates Steve Heiden and Martin Rucker.

Reason for concern: Current Buccaneer Winslow is a unique talent and a top-five player at his position when healthy. Browns fans have become accustomed to tremendous production from that position over the years with Ozzie Newsome in the 1980s and Winslow most recently, but Royal is simply not that caliber of player.

Bowens

David Bowens, OLB/ILB, Cleveland Browns

Replacing: Andra Davis or Willie McGinest

Reason for hope: Bowens, who just signed Wednesday night, has the versatility to play inside or outside in a 3-4 defense. Mangini had Bowens for two seasons as coach of the New York Jets. Bowens will be able to start right away and help the younger players quickly adapt to the new scheme. With 32.5 career sacks, he should also bring a much-needed pass rush to Cleveland.

Reason for concern: Bowens was mostly a career backup who is now being asked to be a full-time starter in Cleveland. At 31, he is a stopgap player who will be able to teach the young players the position for a few seasons. Bowens never has had more than 41 tackles in a season. Bowens is talented enough to do his part, but he is not the difference-maker defensively that the Browns have long searched for. McGinest is not on the Browns' roster and Davis signed with the Broncos.

Posted by ESPN.com's James Walker

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

• Take a look at potential cornerback prospects for the Baltimore Ravens, who have the No. 26 overall pick.

Morning take: The common thread is they are all slightly undersized. But the Ravens have never been afraid to take undersized players as long as they can perform.

• Could the Pittsburgh Steelers be looking for a cornerback as well?

Morning take: Potentially. The Steelers still have a chance to re-sign pending free agent Bryant McFadden but have a contingency plan (Deshea Townsend, William Gay, the draft) if it doesn't work out.

• While Pittsburgh and Baltimore are looking at corners, the Cincinnati Bengals are looking at offensive tackles.

Morning take: If 51 sacks last season and an elbow injury to Carson Palmer doesn't tell Cincinnati to get protection, nothing will.

• The Cleveland Browns hired linebackers coach Matt Eberflus from the University of Missouri.

Morning take: I'm not sure what to make of head coach Eric Mangini's constant hiring from the college ranks. There will be a lot of college coaches in Cleveland adjusting to dealing with pro players.

Posted by ESPN.com's James Walker

	Donald Miralle/Getty Images
	Linebacker LaMarr Woodley, right, is playing well at a critical time for the Steelers.

PITTSBURGH -- Steelers Pro Bowl safety Troy Polamalu playfully described the recent mannerisms of teammate and linebacker LaMarr Woodley.

"He was depressed. He was eating a lot and gaining a lot of weight," Polamalu said smiling.

The topic was the month-long slump of Woodley, who went the final four games during the regular season without registering a sack. The usually stout Woodley had 11.5 sacks in his first 12 games before suddenly hitting a dry spell.

Woodley responded well by coming up big in last week's 35-24 playoff victory over the San Diego Chargers. Woodley recorded five tackles and two sacks of quarterback Philip Rivers, including a key sack near San Diego's end zone in the second half that nearly knocked Rivers out of the game.

Known for his physical style and hard hitting, Woodley was in fine form again, just in time for Pittsburgh's AFC Championship Game Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens.

"I was aware but it wasn't a big thing for me," Woodley said of his sack drought. "We were winning, and when you're winning football games that's all that counts. There's plenty of guys around the league that have a lot of sacks and aren't where we are right now."

Woodley, who is in his second season but first as a starter, may have hit the wall at the 12-game mark. Coaches and teammates say that's debatable as Woodley has played consistent football in other areas -- stuffing the run and applying pressure to the quarterbacks -- despite the lack of sacks.

One of the biggest plays Woodley made this season came during his sack drought. Woodley forced an errant pass by Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, which was intercepted by Steelers cornerback Deshea Townsend and returned for the game-winning touchdown in Week 14.

"I think as a true rookie, [wearing down] might have been the case because you don't have to deal with this many games, but I don't think I saw that in his play this year," Steelers linebacker coach Keith Butler said. "A lot of times guys are nicked up late in the year and they just get well."

Woodley proved that even younger players can benefit from a bye week. As Butler alluded to, Woodley was dealing with a calf muscle injury late in the season. Woodley never made excuses, but it did hinder his first step and explosiveness.

But the Steelers' earning a bye week allowed Woodley -- as well as several other key Steelers -- to get healthy. Now Woodley has his second wind for the stretch run.

Busting Out of a Slump Date Opponent Tackles Sacks Dec. 7 Dallas 5 0 Dec. 14 at Baltimore 2 0 Dec. 21 at Tennessee 3 0 Dec. 28 Cleveland 2 0 Jan. 11 * San Diego 5 2 * Playoff game

As teammate and NFL Defensive Player of the Year James Harrison continues to get double-teamed on the other side, it will be important for Woodley to continue to produce from the other side. Pittsburgh's top-rated unit was at its best when both players were wreaking havoc on opposing offenses.

"He's played pretty good throughout the season," Butler said of Woodley. "Everybody goes through dry spells. James Harrison has 16 sacks and he didn't get sacks in every game. They came in bunches for him too. So I don't think this was anything unusual for LaMarr. He plays hard."

A key quality of the Steelers' defense is that the unit has overcome individual slumps and injuries to continue to play high-quality football. It's one of the reasons Pittsburgh is one game away from its second Super Bowl appearance in four seasons.

"We always say if one guy makes the play, we all make the play," Polamalu said. "As long as we're successful, we all win championships together. We all get the same size Super Bowl ring."

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

Perhaps concerned that the New York Giants' distractions were grabbing too many headlines, the Cowboys have responded in a big way. In a story that was first reported by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Clarence Hill, Cowboys wide receivers Terrell Owens, Roy Williams and Patrick Crayton requested and were granted a meeting with offensive coordinator Jason Garrett to express their concern that quarterback Tony Romo was relying too heavily on close friend and Pro Bowl tight end Jason Witten.

An interception late in a 20-13 loss to the Steelers is apparently what prompted the meeting, but things have been boiling for a while. Immediately following Sunday's game, T.O. indicated that he was open on the game-deciding play. Romo, under heavy pressure from Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley, threw a ball to Witten that was intercepted and returned for a touchdown by cornerback Deshea Townsend. According to a source at Valley Ranch, the meeting between Garrett and the three receivers took place Monday.

This latest controversy couldn't have come at a worse time for the Cowboys. Coach Wade Phillips -- surprise -- said he didn't know anything about the meeting and tried to downplay its significance, but linebacker Bradie James told ESPN's Ed Werder a different story. He felt the need to step in and play peacemaker.

"Whenever the fire gets blazing, I know," James said. "Sometimes, I don't want to step on anybody's toes, but we all talk.

"It just is what it is ... It's just two different guys, two different personalities and they know what's at stake. They know that everybody needs them. And there's no dislike. It's just sometimes, not everybody is going to see eye to eye. That's what makes a football team."

Werder, who attempted to speak to T.O. but was rebuffed, provided a detailed account that suggests a growing divide between Owens and Romo. He reported that T.O.'s upset that Romo and Witten hold private meetings in which they create plays for upcoming games and don't include him in their plans. Of course, this sounds like complete paranoia on T.O.'s part, but that's beside the point now.

In his recent confessional with Deion Sanders on the NFL Network and in repeated interviews, T.O. has said it's not his job to suggest things to the coaches. But he apparently made an exception Monday. Roy Williams expressed his frustration with his limited role in the offense to me following Sunday's game and other players said that Romo passed up an open Crayton on the final possession.

Someone at Valley Ranch has to put a lid on this mess before Sunday, and it's certainly not going to be the head coach. Meanwhile, the most quotable owner in the league is nowhere to be found. He appeared earlier in the week to clarify his head-scratching comments regarding Marion Barber's toughness and hasn't been heard from again.

Werder reports that an unnamed current player is comparing Owens' behavior to what led to problems with Jeff Garcia in San Francisco and Donovan McNabb in Philadelphia.

"He's insecure about it," the player said of Owens. "The thing that bothers me more than anything about this problem is that it's always something with him -- San Fran, Philly and here; always something. And he brings other people into it. You know, he talks to Sam Hurd and Roy Williams, who just got here and doesn't really know these guys. T.O. talks to him and so now he probably thinks Witten politics with Tony for the ball.

"That's so far from the truth. You think Tony is throwing to him because that's his buddy? His best buddy is Bobby Carpenter, and that's not helping him too much. It's crazy to think that, and I hate that he acts that way."

Funny, funny line there at the end. An absolute classic. But seriously, the thing that bothers me more than anything is that Garrett allowed this secret meeting to take place without the presence of Romo and Witten. Did he not think about trying to get everyone on the same page? And who was on lookout as T.O., Crayton and Williams went sneaking down to Garrett's office?

This sort of thing doesn't seem out of character for T.O., but I'm surprised by Williams and Crayton. Williams is going to be here long after T.O.'s gone and it behooves him to be on the same page as the franchise quarterback. Crayton, who confirmed that the meeting took place, suggested that the "positive tone" in the meeting meant the players weren't really complaining about Romo. Give me a break.

What does T.O. want to come out of this? Maybe the Cowboys should not allow Romo and Witten to room together so they can't create plays behind his back.

The Cowboys are about to play their biggest game of the season, and they now find themselves in the middle of another controversy. If they beat the Giants on Sunday night, all this will die down quickly. If they lose, "The Meeting" may turn into this season's Cabo.

To suggest that two players are meeting privately to draw up their own plays is both absurd and childish. Yes, Romo and Witten are close. But they're not designing the Cowboys' offense.

T.O.'s been hell on quarterbacks throughout his entire career. The only surprise is that it took this long for him to turn on Romo. They'll try to put on a brave front after Sunday's game -- maybe T.O. will even shed tears -- but this type of behavior will have a lasting impact on the team.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

PITTSBURGH -- I've known Jason Witten pretty well for almost seven years. He was the guy who showed up at Tony Romo's apartment a couple days after the infamous Seattle bobble and dragged him to a sports bar (Dave and Buster's) in an attempt to get a sense of normalcy.

Witten	Romo

Witten called him every day until Romo started acting like himself again. The two players have been best friends and road-game roommates since entering the league together in 2003. And that's why Witten tapped his chest for the TV cameras to indicate that Romo's back-breaking interception was actually his fault. A few minutes later, he walked into the locker room and delivered the same message to the rest of the offense.

The two players have run that little curl pattern 500 times. Witten's supposed to read the defender and either turn inside or out. But Sunday night, he slipped at the top of the route and the ball was delivered to the waiting hands of Deshea Townsend.

Of course, Townsend is now telling everyone that defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau knew exactly where that pass was going from the moment the Cowboys lined up. But if Witten's where he's supposed to be, there's no guarantee Townsend makes the play.

Witten remained at his locker until every single reporter left. Unlike a lot of players, he wasn't looking for a back exit. As Drew Bledsoe once explained to Romo after that fateful day in Seattle, "You need to let this one hurt for a little while."

I don't think Witten will have any problem with that.

"This [game] didn't get away from us," he told one columnist. "It was given away. Like I said, Christmas came early for the Pittsburgh Steelers."

Posted by ESPN.com's James Walker

	AP Photo/Rob Carr
	Pittsburgh cornerback Deshea Townsend scores on an interception return Sunday.

PITTSBURGH -- Although the Steelers didn't officially clinch a postseason berth Sunday, it is safe to punch their playoff ticket following a 20-13 victory over the Dallas Cowboys.

The Steelers improved to 16-5 in December games since 2004, which is the time of year the elite NFL teams position themselves for the final push.

The AFC North-leading Steelers (10-3) have mastered the art of winning ugly.

With three games remaining, the Steelers (10-3) are one game up on next week's division opponent, the Baltimore Ravens (9-4), and hold a two-game lead on the division-leading New York Jets (8-5) and Denver Broncos (8-5) for the No. 2 seed in the conference. Still at stake is an important first-round bye and home-field advantage up until to the AFC title.

With the exception of the turnover battle, the Steelers were outplayed throughout the game. Dallas finished with more passing yards (194-168), rushing yards (95-70) and first downs (15-13). But after trailing 13-3 midway through the fourth quarter, Pittsburgh tightened up and ran off 17 unanswered points in the final seven minutes, 15 seconds of the game.

"People get too preoccupied with style points," Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said. "That was a beautiful football game because we displayed mettle and we hung together."

Tomlin is right. At this point, style points are pointless. The Steelers will go back to work and try to correct their mistakes and they feel a lot better about doing so with another victory in hand.

Here is what else we learned about Pittsburgh in its win over Dallas:

Big-play Deshea

Part of Pittsburgh's theme this year has been a different hero stepping up every week, and against the Cowboys, it was Deshea Townsend's turn.

The veteran cornerback is in his 11^th season and one of the oldest players (33) on the defense. But Townsend made a huge 25-yard interception return for a touchdown that produced the game-winning score for Pittsburgh with 1:40 remaining.

Deep in its own territory, Dallas took a chance late by throwing against the Steelers on second down, and Townsend picked off a pass intended for Cowboys tight end Jason Witten (six catches, 62 yards).

"It was a great pass -- right at eye level," Townsend said smiling. "I saw the tight end and nothing else was there."

Townsend's teammates were genuinely elated for him making the big play against Dallas.

He's had an up-and-down season. Townsend began the season as the starter, suffered an injury and and returned to the lineup as a backup.

But Townsend never complained and took advantage for one of the biggest plays of his career.

"He is a team guy," Tomlin said. "He doesn't care about anything but winning. ... It is great that he had an opportunity to make a significant play like that for us, because he is as deserving as anyone."

(Read full post)

Posted by ESPN.com's James Walker

PITTSBURGH -- In a game full of Pro Bowl talent, an unlikely hero emerged in the final two minutes of Sunday's 20-13 Steelers' win over the Dallas Cowboys.

Call him "Big-play Deshea."

Pittsburgh cornerback Deshea Townsend returned a Tony Romo interception 25 yards late for the go-ahead touchdown to improve the Steelers to 10-3 on the season. The Steelers showed grit by overcoming a 13-3 fourth-quarter deficit to score 17 unanswered points in the final 7:15 of the game.

The win helps Pittsburgh tremendously in terms of securing the coveted No. 2 seed in the AFC. The New York Jets (8-5) lost Sunday to the San Francisco 49ers to put Pittsburgh two games up on the Jets with three games remaining. The Denver Broncos (8-5) also are in the running but are a long shot to catch Pittsburgh.

The Steelers also survived with a split in their series with the NFC East in four games. The Steelers have an important AFC North contest next week against the Baltimore Ravens.