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On Monday we learn the NFL future of former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor. Could he stay in the Buckeye state to join the Cleveland Browns or Cincinnati Bengals?

Both were among the reported 17 teams to send representatives to Pryor's workout. That indicates there is some level of interest from the NFL's two Ohio teams.

Earlier this summer, we provided all the reasons why the Browns should take a flier on Pryor. Browns president Mike Holmgren loves taking developmental quarterbacks. Pryor is a raw prospect who could use the tutelage of quarterback gurus Holmgren and head coach Pat Shurmur. If it doesn't work out, the Browns need help at receiver, too. Pryor ran the 40-yard dash in 4.41 seconds.

The Bengals also need as much talent as possible. They are starting rookie quarterback Andy Dalton, who is off to a slow start this preseason. Veteran journeyman Bruce Gradkowski is the backup, but the third quarterback spot is wide open. Jordan Palmer and Dan LeFevour are both expendable, and Pryor's athletic ceiling is much higher. He also spent time this offseason working with former Bengals quarterback Ken Anderson.

It would make sense for both Ohio teams to consider Pryor this afternoon in the supplemental draft.

Jim Harbaugh's reverence for Bill Walsh has been palpable since the San Francisco 49ers named him head coach this offseason.

Harbaugh has sought to round up old coaching tapes featuring Walsh installing game plans. He has embraced Walsh's offensive philosophy, pledging to run a similar version of the West Coast system. He has paid homage to 49ers tradition. Before Walsh died in 2007, he backed Harbaugh at Stanford, where Walsh was twice head coach. Walsh even spoke to players at Harbaugh's first spring practice.

Harbaugh has also been around the NFL long enough to know the league has produced a long list of outstanding coaches, even if few match Walsh in terms of success and overall legacy.

Lindy Infante was one of those coaches in Harbaugh's eyes.

"Lindy doesn't get near the credit that Bill Walsh does," Harbaugh said this offseason, "but in many ways they are equals in terms of football minds. I never played for Bill Walsh, but there's no question in my mind."

This statement struck me as profound, but context is key. Harbaugh wasn't comparing their careers. He was comparing football acumen. One of the things Harbaugh admires most about Infante, who coached him in Indianapolis and is now retired, applies directly to Harbaugh's current challenge with the 49ers.

"It would be the ability to make a quarterback really play well," Harbaugh said.

Not just any quarterback, but quarterbacks with limitations.

"I went to the Pro Bowl playing for Lindy and up until that point, I wasn't thought of as a good quarterback at all," Harbaugh said. "But coaching made a difference."

Bernie Kosar and Don Majkowski enjoyed their best statistical seasons with Infante coaching them.

All of this came to mind Thursday during our blog discussion measuring Don Coryell's impact on Walsh and, by extension, on the 49ers.

Coryell never won a championship as a head coach, but he affected modern football tremendously through his innovative scheming.

Walsh served as Coryell's offensive coordinator before landing at Stanford and, two years later, with the 49ers. Though Walsh and Infante never worked together, Coryell influenced both. Infante expanded upon Coryell's innovations while serving as offensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals during the early 1980s. The concepts became staples within offenses around the league, including the one Infante taught to Harbaugh while both were with the Colts during the 1990s.

Infante, reached by phone at his Florida home, spoke specifically of the option routes Coryell used in San Diego to make Chargers tight end Kellen Winslow more dangerous.

The way Infante tells it, he was studying the Chargers' offense under Coryell when something unusual stood out on film. San Diego would run what appeared to be the same play from the same formation, but Winslow seemed to be acting on his own.

The first time, Winslow might run 12 yards and break toward the outside right. Ten or 12 plays would pass, and then the same play would come up again, but this time Winslow would run a tight hook to the inside, getting open for a first down. A quarter might pass and the same play would appear, with Winslow breaking across the field to his left.

"I kept writing these things down and diagramming them and I sat back and said, 'It looks to me like they are giving Winslow the right to go where he wants to go,' " Infante said. "We started playing around with what we call the 'Y' or tight end option. The first day out on the practice field, we had a full scrimmage and I said, 'Here goes, we're going to find out whether this thing is going to work.' "

It worked.

"By about the third or fourth time we ran it, Kenny Anderson and the tight end, Danny Ross, ended up on the same timing-type situation, but the quarterback got to the point where he could tell where the receiver was going to go way before he went," Infante said. "He was trying to get the ball there early and we had the ball hit Danny Ross in the face because he couldn't get turned around fast enough. We had to do some on-the-job training, but that is what got us thinking."

If the tight end could make such adjustments, Infante thought, why couldn't wide receivers do the same? If wide receivers could do it, why not the running backs? Before long, receivers could have as many as five options on a particular route based on the coverage, blitzes and the other factors.

Ross caught 71 passes for 910 yards and five touchdowns in 1981. He was on pace for even bigger numbers a year later, finishing the strike-shortened 1982 season with 47 catches for 508 yards in just nine games. Ross went to the Pro Bowl that season.

"It evolved to the point where we were doing a lot of option-route running, a lot of route adjustments after the snap of the ball and the quarterback would have the right to change certain plays if certain things were going on," Infante said. "It was exciting because it was inventive and you had to feel free to go and try to invent something. When I started coaching with Harbaugh, they brought me in to Indianapolis and the idea was I would bring my offense with me."

Harbaugh finished his playing career under Ted Marchibroda (Baltimore Ravens), Mike Riley (San Diego Chargers) and Marty Mornhinweg (Detroit Lions). He coached under Bill Callahan in Oakland before becoming a head coach at the University of San Diego and then Stanford.

The lockout has prevented Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman from installing their offense with the 49ers. The coaching staff has used the time to refine exactly how they'll present information to players once the lockout finally does end.

Players might not know it, but former coaches will influence the process, at least indirectly.

"For this offense, there's a lot of Lindy Infante principles," Harbaugh said, "but I don't think it's exclusive to this offense. You talk about the option routes. The smash route now is a universally run route, but that was Lindy Infante.

"From a quarterback standpoint, I learned from him that there were more ways to read a route than just through a progression. I learned how to throw people open from him, that covered did not mean covered. That is a huge part of football now. The whole option game, the option routes, the smash concepts -- all those things I learned from him. He was very technical, very detailed. Just a different way to understand the passing game is what I learned from him."

What key event significantly changed the fortunes of the Bengals -- for better or worse? Give us your take and we’ll give you our definitive moment May 18.

Despite their struggles the past two decades, the Cincinnati Bengals also have a collection of good moments in their history. Using our SportsNation poll, we ask Bengals fans to sift through the good and bad to select the most defining moment in franchise history.

Was it in 1968, when Hall of Fame coach Paul Brown started the franchise? Brown was a great football mind who brought his knowledge and successful track record to Cincinnati.

Twelve years later, the Bengals made their best draft pick by selecting left tackle Anthony Munoz, another Hall of Famer. Munoz protected quarterbacks Ken Anderson and Boomer Esiason and helped lead Cincinnati to two Super Bowl appearances.

Speaking of Super Bowls, was the last-minute loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIII Cincinnati's defining moment? The Bengals nearly won it all for the first time before 49ers quarterback Joe Montana worked his magic. Cincinnati hasn't come close to winning a Super Bowl since.

Or was Mike Brown taking over as owner the team's biggest defining moment? Brown has been criticized heavily in Cincinnati, which hasn't won a playoff game in 20 years under his leadership.

Let us know the Bengals' most defining moment. If you vote Other, give us your suggestion in the comments area below.

Notable players: OT Anthony Munoz, QB Boomer Esiason, RB James Brooks, RB Ickey Woods, DL Tim Krumrie, WR Eddie Brown, S David Fulcher

Analysis: If not for the late-game heroics from San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana, the 1988 Cincinnati Bengals would have earned the franchise's first and only Super Bowl title. Instead, they join a long list of great teams that are often forgotten after losing in the big game.

With the Bengals leading by three points, Montana drove San Francisco 92 yards for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter to seal a 20-16 victory in Super Bowl XXIII. Montana's game-winning touchdown throw to receiver John Taylor with 34 seconds remaining has been replayed constantly and is a reminder of how close the Bengals were to winning the Super Bowl.

But being that close to a title is what makes the '88 Bengals the best team in franchise history.

Cincinnati's explosive offense led the NFL in scoring with 448 points and in total yards in '88. Esiason threw for 3,572 yards and 28 touchdowns, and the Bengals nearly had two 1,000-yard rushers in Ickey Woods (1,066 yards) and James Brooks (931 yards).

The '81 Bengals also won the AFC and are a close second. Coincidentally, Cincinnati lost to San Francisco in the Super Bowl that year as well.

Most impressive win: Despite Cincinnati lighting up the scoreboard all season, the AFC Championship Game was a defensive battle against the Buffalo Bills.

The Bengals had to win with toughness, holding the Jim Kelly-led Bills to 181 total yards in a 21-10 victory. Cincinnati held Buffalo to 45 yards rushing and forced three turnovers. The Bengals also ran the ball 50 times for 175 yards in the win to set up their Super Bowl showdown with San Francisco.

Research room: The Bengals had seven Pro Bowlers in '88. Esiason, Munoz, Brooks, Brown and tight end Rodney Holman represented the AFC on offense. On Cincinnati's defense, Fulcher and Krumrie also earned Pro Bowl nods.

The Ickey Shuffle: To the casual football fan, probably the most memorable aspect of the run made by the '88 Bengals was the invention of the "The Ickey Shuffle."

Woods came up with a famous (infamous?) touchdown dance that consisted of a stutter-step to each side, then a spike of the football. Artistically, "The Ickey Shuffle" wasn't all that great. But it became one of the most well-known touchdown celebrations in NFL history.

Honorable mentions:

1981: This remains the only other Bengals team to play in a Super Bowl. Quarterback Ken Anderson had a career year, throwing for 3,754 yards, 29 touchdowns and a 98.4 passer rating.

2005: The best team of the Marvin Lewis era, Cincinnati went 11-5 and won the AFC North. But a first-quarter knee injury to quarterback Carson Palmer led to a quick playoff exit against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

1975: Another first-round playoff exit makes this a quality but forgotten team. The Bengals were very well-balanced in '75 and ranked in the top seven in total offense (No. 2) and total defense (No. 7).

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

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Falling

Boldin

1. Anquan Boldin, Cardinals WR. The Pro Bowl wideout nearly overshadowed the Cardinals' victory Sunday by essentially calling out his head coach for not being "man enough" to tell him about his deactivation in person. On the field, Boldin is as manly as any wide receiver to play the game. In this instance, Boldin should have been man enough after the game to take his case directly to Ken Whisenhunt instead of reporters crowding around him in the locker room at Soldier Field. Don't get me wrong: I've got nothing against players popping off after games. It's good blog fodder. It's also bad form, particularly for a player with Boldin's credentials. The Cardinals had just improved to 4-0 on the road while taking a two-game lead in the NFC West. Their offense had just played its best game. That wasn't the time for an inactive player to hog the spotlight.

Smith

2. Alex Smith, 49ers QB. Let the record show that Smith played a good game against the Titans. That was the word from coach Mike Singletary, anyway. The bottom line, of course, is that the 49ers lost another game with Smith as their starter, and the other team caught three of Smith's passes. The 49ers have lost both of his starts this season and seven of his last nine. When they needed Smith to rally them in the fourth quarter Sunday, Smith locked onto receiver Josh Morgan without enough regard for safety Chris Hope, who picked off the pass. Smith needs a victory over the Bears on Thursday night for Singletary's words of support to resonate with fans.

Mora

3. Jim Mora, Seahawks coach. Seattle's performance in falling behind the Lions by 17 points at home suggested Mora's harsh words for the team failed to gain traction following a blowout defeat at Dallas a week earlier. That seems like a bad sign. Yes, Seattle is learning new systems on both sides of the ball. Yes, the team has dealt with significant injuries this season. That's life in the NFL. The Lions are also learning new systems. They are even breaking in a rookie quarterback (the Lions probably would have won that game if Daunte Culpepper had been the quarterback). The Seahawks were as healthy for this game as they've been all season. Falling behind 17-0 at home to the laughable Lions is simply inexcusable. Perhaps this is the week Seattle responds to Mora's challenges.

Rising

Warner

1. Kurt Warner, Cardinals QB. With five touchdown passes against the Bears, Warner passed Ken Stabler, Steve DeBerg, Joe Ferguson, Bobby Layne, Norm Snead and Ken Anderson on the all-time list. He needs two more to reach 200 touchdown passes for his NFL career. Warner's fifth and final scoring pass against the Bears killed any chances for a Chicago comeback. Whisenhunt had prematurely handed over the offense to Matt Leinart, whose interception helped fuel a Bears rally. The Cardinals were on their heels when Whisenhunt sent Warner back into the game. Warner immediately connected with Larry Fitzgerald for a 13-yard gain. A penalty for leg whipping against left tackle Mike Gandy negated the play, but Warner had nonetheless proved his head remained in the game.

Hawthorne

2. David Hawthorne, Seahawks LB. Lofa Tatupu's legacy as a middle linebacker remains secure in Seattle. He was a three-time Pro Bowl choice and the key addition to a defense that helped the Seahawks reach Super Bowl XL following the 2005 season. Hawthorne has somehow outperformed Tatupu when given chances this season. That's a tremendous credit to Hawthorne. With Tatupu on injured reserve, Hawthorne picked off two passes against the Lions. He had two sacks against Dallas the previous week. He had a 16-tackle game against the Bears earlier in the season. The Seahawks will need to find a place for Hawthorne beyond this season if he builds on what is already an impressive start to his career.

3. Cardinals tight ends. You know the Cardinals' offense is functioning at a high level when tight ends Anthony Becht and Ben Patrick are catching touchdown passes in the same game. The Arizona passing game goes through Fitzgerald and the other wide receivers, but the tight ends could get more chances as the Cardinals embrace two-tight end personnel groups. The Cardinals averaged 6.3 yards per rushing attempt against the Bears when playing with one back and two tight ends. Similar groupings could become more common in the longer-term future if Boldin talks his way out of Arizona -- particularly if the tight ends show they can catch the ball.