Bleacher Report - AFC North

Risk of Signing Larry Johnson Pays Off For Bengals in Win over Browns

Dan Parzych — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 20:28:37 -0500

The Cincinnati Bengals received some criticism for the signing of running back Larry Johnson after his release from the Kansas City Chiefs a few weeks ago. After Sunday's win over the Cleveland Browns, the Bengals appear to have made the right move.

With an improved offensive line, Johnson showed the Bengals why signing him for insurance he was worth the risk after his 107-yard rushing performance against the Browns in Cincinnati's 16-7 win over Cleveland.

Johnson was signed by the Bengals as insurance in case running back Cedric Benson's hip injury would keep him out longer than expected.

With another player on the roster with a history at being the No. 1 running back, head coach Marvin Lewis felt better about resting Benson for the second-straight week against the Browns.

Along with Johnson, he felt confident enough to rest Benson because of the impressive play of rookie running back Bernard Scott the last three weeks.

After rushing for 119 yards in his first career start against the Oakland Raiders last week, Scott ran for 87 yards on just 18 carries against a Browns defense ranked 29th in yards allowed per game with 159.9.

In seven games with the Chiefs this season, Johnson struggled with a weak offensive line, averaging just 2.7 yards-per-carry while rushing for just 377 yards and zero touchdowns.

In his first two games with the Bengals, he is averaging 4.7 yards-per-carry—thanks to an improved offensive line.

From 2005-06, Johnson was arguably one of the top running backs in the NFL, running for a combined 3,539 yards and 37 touchdowns.

Part of the reason why Johnson was able to find such success was because the Chiefs had one of the top offensive lines in the league.

Now that he has an improved offensive line, it should be interesting to see how the Bengals can use him as another option at running back.

It may be just one game, but the Bengals and their fans have to be excited about Johnson breaking the 100-yard mark in just his second game with his new team.

Dan Parzych is the Cincinnati Bengals Examiner for Examiner.com

He is also the founder of WhoDeyBengals.com

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Ravens-Steelers: A One-Round Prize Fight To Save Baltimore's Season

Tyler Springs — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 05:35:56 -0500

For fans of the Baltimore Ravens, there exists no phrase in the English language that evokes as much hate as "Pittsburgh Steelers."

The words themselves are difficult to say without a sarcastic sneer on one's face—testimony to the acrid feelings shared by all Baltimoreans on any given Sunday when "that black and gold team" wins.

No fans are more familiar with Ben Roethlisberger's habit of escaping the pocket and finding an open receiver; no team knows and respects and loathes the other team's defense as Baltimore despises Pittsburgh. The mere mention of last year's AFC Championship game gets the blood pumping at exponentially high levels in fans crossing the Ostend Street bridge toward the stadium gates.

Not even the Bronx Bombers themselves eclipse the Steelers' mark for "Most Hated Baltimore Opponent." I won't speak to Pittsburgh's most hated opponent, but here's evidence of the lengths the team will go to make sure the Ravens feel unwelcome.

Pick your generic insult: Somewhere, that jab will be sold on a t-shirt outside M&T Bank Stadium in the hours before tonight's game.

Whatever the normal price of your ticket may be, it just went up $100. If you think you've seen Ray Lewis fired up this season, you haven't even come close. All-black Ravens jerseys or normal home colors, rain or shine, NBC or Section B, Row C, this is a game you will not want to miss, wherever you pledge your team allegiance. It is, like most years, the best game the AFC North has to offer.

Last year, the margin of victory in each of the three games between these teams was a single digit (three, four, and nine).

This year's editions of each rank in the top 10 in total defense, points allowed and rushing yards allowed. Both have had two tight losses to division leader Cincinnati and other games where they were oh-so-close but could not pull out a win.

With records near the .500 mark, both teams would love to have this game to help their push for the sixth AFC playoff spot, but the Ravens need it most. As they stand at 5-5 with games still to play at Green Bay, home against Chicago and then in Pittsburgh on Dec. 27, their season is riding on the outcome of this game.

Fans are well aware that the conditions of tonight's game are such that the Ravens are already in a good position to succeed. Clear weather, relatively low winds and 71,000 of their loudest, closest friends will support them in their efforts, but simply having Uncle Mo' on their side won't be enough to get the job done.

Thanks to Derrick Johnson, the Ravens have been spared the experience of facing Steelers starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who has completed more than 68 percent of his passes this season and has an uncanny knack for wriggling out of tight situations.

This is a colossal advantage for Baltimore, because backup quarterback Charlie Batch was also injured in last week's Steelers-Chiefs contest, the task of leading the Steelers' offense now falls to third-stringer Dennis Dixon, a man who has exactly one pass attempt in his two years in the NFL.

Dixon's lack of experience should give the Ravens plenty of opportunities to create confusion; the ideal result would be for Dixon to struggle so much that the Pittsburgh offense becomes one-dimensional, allowing the Ravens to focus on running back Rashard Mendenhall and eliminate any hope Pittsburgh has of sustaining long scoring drives.

The flip side is that Dixon gives the Ravens more to worry about, since he is quick on his feet and dangerous in the open field in a way that Roethlisberger simply is not.

When the Ravens offense takes the field, the key is distribution.

In recent weeks, Joe Flacco has thrown 62 percent of his passes to wideout Derrick Mason or running back Ray Rice, which is a departure from early-season games in which complementary receivers Mark Clayton, Todd Heap and Kelley Washington were more involved.

Offensive coordinator Cam Cameron needs to implement a balanced attack in which the Steelers cannot target one receiver without the risk of giving up a big play. Additionally, backup running backs Willis McGahee and Le'Ron McClain should carry the ball at least 5-10 times between the two of them to change the pace of the offense and make sure Rice doesn't tire early.

If the Ravens are forced to rely on their inconsistent special teams play, they will have sorely missed their mark.

For the Steelers, this game will be about minimizing the decisions Dixon must make in the pocket and finding different ways to get the ball into the hands of Mendenhall and wideouts Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes as quickly and safely as possible.

The running game will most likely be the focus of Ray Lewis and Co., so Pittsburgh offensive coordinator Bruce Arians, if he is wise, should use Dixon's ability to scramble on pass plays to his advantage.

I expect the Steelers to play their normal brand of smash-mouth defense with or without injured safety Troy Polamalu; their bigger problem is fixing the play of their special teams unit, which allowed a crucial touchdown to Kansas City last week. Return man Stefan Logan will also need to make a big play if the offense sputters under Dixon's control, or the Steelers may be out of luck.

Although the season's end is a long way away, the winner of tonight's matchup will determine which team sets themselves on the path to the final playoff spot. Because they still have a home game left against the Ravens, the Steelers would be less hurt by a loss, but that's not the case for Baltimore.

This is a make-or-break game with all the trappings of playoff intensity. If the Ravens lose, they cannot point the finger at anyone but themselves.

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Steelers Must Go Old School Against Ravens: Win It With Defense

Nick Signorelli — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 14:41:29 -0500

I have said numerous times this year, that this is not your parent's Pittsburgh Steelers football team. No longer is this unit forced to run the ball on first and second down, then hope for a decent pass on third.

The 2009 Steelers can win in the air. Ben Roethlisberger is one of the NFL elite, and they normally rely on him to take the game over, when it is on the line. When the Steelers travel to Baltimore on Sunday, Roethlisberger won't be able to save them, he will be inactive.

Dennis Dixon will make his first career start due to the concussion like symptoms Roethlisberger suffered when he took a knee to the head in overtime against the Chiefs last week.

For the Steelers to come out of Baltimore with the victory, they are going to have to do it old school. The defense is going to have to shut the Ravens down, keep them out of the end zone, and possibly put some points on the board themselves.

The Steelers defense will be without Troy Polamalu yet again this week, but they will have to play at their highest level of the year.

The Ravens strength at the beginning of the season was Joe Flacco putting the ball in the air. Lately, Ray Rice has been the gear that turns the wheel in Baltimore. The Steelers defense is the best in the league against the run, allowing 139 yards less than the second place Bengals, and under 70 yards per game.

The key to success for the Steelers will be keeping Rice in check and forcing Joe Flacco to beat them through the air. Ike Taylor is going to have to lock down Derrick Mason, and keep him under 100 yards receiving.

The other key for a Steelers victory will be running the ball, which against Baltimore, is easier said than done. Haloti Ngata returns to the Ravens line up for the first time in a month.

There are some injury issues that the Ravens defense is concerned with as well. Both Ray Lewis (foot) and Ed Reed (undisclosed illness / foot) are questionable, while Terrell Suggs has been ruled doubtful, meaning he likely will not play.

Brendon Ayanbadejo and Fabian Washington have both been placed on IR, while Samari Rolle is on the PUP list, so none of them will be playing the rest of this year.

Dennis Dixon is going to have to play mistake free football for the Steelers to be successful. He needs to not try to be Roethlisberger, and when his receivers are not open, do what you did best in college, take off running. Dixon will have to go through his progressions, check the check down, then take off running if no one is open.

On offense, the Steelers are going to have to limit mistakes and run the football to exploit the injuries the Ravens have, and to give the defense as much rest as they possibly can.

For the Steelers to win, they are going to have to do it with defense. They will have to play old school football, like only the Steelers can.

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Steelers-Ravens: Will This Be a JV Game?

Nick Signorelli — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 14:02:22 -0500

When the NFL schedule was released, Steelers and Ravens fans alike were shocked that these two AFC powerhouses would not meet until this late in the season. It does make some sense, building the anticipation for the battle.

Not only that, but this late in the season, the games would take on more meaning. With two games left to play in the last six, these two teams would have to win to earn their playoff rights.

Although that remains true, it is not the AFC North crown they will be fighting for. Cincinnati already has a strangle hold on that. The Steelers and Ravens will be battling for the wild card, and maybe both.

When the Steelers visit Baltimore on Sunday night, in the match up Ravens fans spent the off season hoping for, at home, in prime time, are they getting what they had hoped for? I don't think so.

Most Ravens fans looking at the Steelers injury report would normally be ecstatic. Ben Roethlisberger, Troy Polamalu, Aaron Smith, Chris Kemoeatu, and Charlie Batch have all been ruled out for the Sunday matchup.

In addition, Travis Kirschke is questionable and may not play.

Normally, this would shoot the odds of the Ravens through the roof. With second year pro Dennis Dixon making his first career start, even though he was the third stringer just six days ago, the Ravens defense, one of the best in the league, would eat him alive.

Maybe not.

Though their injury report is not as bad as the Steelers, some of the names on the Ravens report give Steelers fans some hope that they have a chance.

Terrell Suggs is listed as doubtful, along with Ed Reed and Ray Lewis as questionable. Lewis is still expected to play, but will be slowed down by a foot injury. Reed has some undisclosed illness along with a foot injury as well.

Either way, this game is still important to both teams wild card chances, even if it is the JV playing.

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Breaking News: Ben Roethlisberger Will Not Play Vs. Ravens Due To Concussion

Matt Miselis — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 11:51:28 -0500

In the disappointing loss to the Kansas City Chiefs last Sunday, Pittsburgh held their breath when quarterback Ben Roethlisberger went down with a "concussion-like injury."

The entire Steelers staff, lead by head coach Mike Tomlin, wanted to observe Roethlisberger's progress, and would make a decision as to whether or not No. 7 would play.

Earlier this week, Roethlisberger was rumored to start against the Baltimore Ravens, their division rivals, on Sunday.

Many tests were taken throughout the week, making sure Roethlisberger could hold his own in a match up like this.

As of Friday, he was determined a game-time decision. But that did not last long, according to Fox Sports .

According to FOX.com, Roethlisberger will not play against their rival Sunday, in what could be the biggest game of the year.

Both the Steelers and Ravens are fighting for playoff spots, and with the blow already to Troy Polamalu, they are taking it safe by resting their quarterback this week.

Due to Charlie Batch requiring season-ending surgery earlier this week, former Oregon quarterback Dennis Dixon will make his first career start.

The Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers will square off in one of the NFL's more heated rivalries Sunday Night.

Matt Miselis is an NFL writer for BleacherReport.com.

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Cleveland Browns-Cincinnati Bengals Week 12 Preview

luise mary — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 06:01:40 -0500

A last-minute collapse against one of the worst teams in the NFL kept the Cincinnati Bengals from increasing their lead in the AFC North. Possibly getting Cedric Benson back Sunday for a meeting with the lowly Cleveland Browns might be just what they need to bounce back.

Cincinnati (7-3) opened the season with a 16-12 loss to Denver after giving up a fluky 87-yard touchdown catch with 11 seconds left. The Bengals then surprisingly won seven of eight, posting an 18-12 victory at Pittsburgh on Nov. 15 to move into sole possession of first in the division.

They were in prime position to expand that lead last Sunday as the other three teams in the North lost, but the Bengals gave up 10 points in the final 33 seconds to fall 20-17 at Oakland. Cincinnati committed eight penalties, fumbled three times and missed a field goal to see its three-game winning streak come to an end.

The Bengals are 5-0 in the North and looking to become the first team in franchise history to win all six division games in a season.

“I think it’s more disappointing because everybody lost and we also lost,” safety Chris Crocker said. “We’re not happy that we didn’t get another game up on our division opponents. That’s probably the most disappointing thing. This was a team we should have beat.”

Cincinnati has another chance to increase its hold on the North, as Pittsburgh visits Baltimore on Sunday night while it hosts the last-place Browns (1-9).

The Bengals have won two straight and eight of the last 10 meetings with the Browns. A 31-yard field goal by Shayne Graham with four seconds left gave them a 23-20 overtime victory in Cleveland on Oct. 4.

Possibly having Benson back could help Cincinnati continue that dominance.

Benson didn’t play last week due to a hip injury suffered against the Steelers, but coach Marvin Lewis said the running back “seems to be very close” to returning.

Benson has rushed for 859 yards and six touchdowns, but rookie Bernard Scott—a sixth-round draft pick from Abilene Christian—has emerged in the last two games.

He returned a kickoff 96 yards for the only touchdown against Pittsburgh while gaining 33 yards on 13 carries after Benson left the game. Scott ran for 119 yards on 21 carries last week.

“Bernard has earned an opportunity to continue to play ,” Lewis said. “He’ll have a chance, and he’ll get some opportunities one way or the other. If Ced is back and playing, Bernard will still play a considerable amount this week.”

Larry Johnson also could see more time on the field in his second game since signing with Cincinnati. He ran twice for five yards against the Raiders.

The Bengals will be facing a defense that is ranked last in the NFL, giving up 402.0 yards per game—154.9 on the ground.

Cleveland was on the verge of its second win last week but allowed a one-yard TD pass as time expired to fall 38-37 at Detroit.

The Browns, who have lost five in a row and 14 of 15, showed some improvement offensively, gaining a season-high 439 yards.

“The real positives are, we have been struggling offensively, and to have a game where we don’t turn the ball over, to be able to get the production that we got and move the ball as effectively as we had, that’s real progress and it’s positive,” coach Eric Mangini told the Browns’ official Web site.

Brady Quinn is looking to build on the best game of his career when he faces the Bengals for the first time. He completed 21 of 33 passes and set personal bests with 304 yards, four TDs and a 133.1 passer rating last week.

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Baltimore Ravens Have Playoff Possibilities But Remain a Longshot

Jarrett Carter — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 11:58:05 -0500

Yeah, the math is still in favor of the Ravens . But a look at the schedule, the injuries, and the failures of the past gives no indication that the math will add up to a Ravens playoff berth.

The good news is that the remaining six contests are split between M&T Bank Stadium and the road, and two of those home games are against woeful Detroit and beatable Chicago.

The bad news? Two games remain against Pittsburgh, and just one loss would likely be the death knell on a Ravens wildcard. And then there’s the road games against Green Bay and Oakland, which no one would classify as locks for this struggling Ravens squad.

Injuries are a concern. Terrell Suggs is out with one of those knee injuries that most players think will shelve them for two games, but will likely amount to a month’s worth of Sundays.

Ray Lewis’ ankle has been tweaked , Ed Reed’s shoulder and neck are still a concern, and this is all before the NFL’s hardest hitting game of the year come this Sunday.

And even if injuries were the least of there concerns, the broken-winged Ravens’ offense hasn’t impressed in the last few weeks, Colts-loss-hard.html" target="_blank">culminating in last Sunday’s Billick-esque field goal parade against the Colts . Do we really believe that it will pick up in time for the balance of the Steelers games, and against three NFC North foes?

It’s possible, and Ravens fans are deservedly hopeful for better days ahead given the weekly exploits of Ray Rice and a capable passing tandem in Joe Flacco and Derrick Mason.

But the tri-force of chain moving can’t do it alone, and the defense must rediscover its lock-down ways this Sunday; lest the season be the championship run that got away.

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Cam Cameron's Play Calling Continues to Set Joe Flacco and Company Back

Matt Miselis — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 01:05:00 -0500

As the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers renew their rivalry for the first time this season in Pittsburgh, disappointment is what the team, the ownership, and the city of Baltimore are feeling up to this point.

With a record of 5-5, the Ravens have won just two of their last seven games due to a lack of consistency.

First, it was the offense lighting up the board with the points, coming out of the gates as one of the best in the league. At that time, the defense was not up to form, showing signs of aging as they were near the bottom in passing defense.

In the second half of the season, a shift has occurred for the purple and black. While the defense has been one of the best in the past month, the offense has failed to score 20 or more points in the past three games.

With the playoff race getting tighter, the Ravens must find a way to score the necessary touchdowns instead of the field goals. However, where must the debating start? Obviously Mark Clayton needs to step up as the second receiver, along with Todd Heap, who has been quiet as of late.

These questions need to be put to the test by offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, who has done no good for this offense in the past month.

Look, the offense was made out to be one of the best in the league after the first weeks, where the defense was nowhere near the league's best. Inconsistency has been a great deal of concern throughout the season, especially in a few of the games where the offense has let the team down.

Yet who seemed to be a good manager of the offense, Cameron has taken a great deal of heat for the disappointments, and he deserves all of the blame. What was one of the top rushing attacks in the league last season has turned more into an offense dedicated to the pass.

All I can ask is, why? Other then Derrick Mason and Ray Rice, no receiver has stepped up his game where passing can be the best priority. When the offense actually runs the ball, sooner or later Rice breaks out for a rush of 10-plus yards, wearing out the defense.

Well, the plan was brought into action Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts and cost them a win that would have helped them greatly after the struggles from many teams within the AFC.

Baltimore was in range of new kicker Billy Cundiff, who made four field goals (46, 44, 38, 36) but missed a 30-yard field goal in the third quarter.

In a third and long situation, the best option was to run the ball. Rice broke out for some key big runs on the drive, and gaining a few extra yards would have set up a nice opportunity for Cundiff to redeem himself. Le'Ron McClain could have also been used as a fresh back on third and long, with possibly having a huge chunk of yards to possibly get a first down.

But Cameron decided to give Joe Flacco the shot of making the smart play on this particular down. The result: a short pass to Rice, who was covered by three defenders, resulting in an interception.

Wow! Even though Flacco is making good strides as a young quarterback, with no clear receiver open, Joe had to force a pass he didn't want to make, and a turnover cost the Ravens a possible win.

Defenses are beginning to predict the Ravens' offense. They know the ball in the air is either a deep pass to Mason or short drop to Rice.

Because of this, the offense is continuing to suffer, and Cameron is getting farther away from the running game every time.

In some of the media stations throughout the Maryland area, some writers have called for Cameron to get fired. Yes, it is his only second year, but the offense is going in an opposite direction because of the calls he is making.

Yet I assure you he will return next season. With John Harbaugh as head coach, his good friend Cam will be running the offense once again.

Now don't take anything personal here. I think Harbaugh is a likeable coach who is a great motivator and always has a positive attitude.

He won't take it to the next level, though, if he cannot have the top of the line coordinator who can make something out of his offense.

Joe Flacco is the franchise quarterback for the Ravens and continues to grow into one. Certainly general manager Ozzie Newsome will get a receiver either in the draft or free agency after failing to do so last season.

However, whether Cam realizes or not, he is beginning to feel the pressure of not executing on offense, which shall continue throughout this season and the future that 2010 brings.

So a message to Cam Cameron: Utilize the running game, don't put the full load on Flacco, and success can happen.

If not, in a few years you will be out of a job once again, this time with not many places to turn.

Matt Miselis is an NFL writer for BleacherReport.com. He is also a writer for the Baltimore Ravens on fanhuddle.com.

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NFL Week 12 Picks, Predictions, and Upset Specials Galore!

Nick Signorelli — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 23:01:15 -0500

Overall 89-41

Last Week 14-2

My best week to date. The only two games I got wrong were the Steelers losing to the Chiefs (who didn't get that one wrong?), and the Bengals at the Raiders (again, predicted this?).

I also picked two of the three upset specials, hitting on the 49ers covering against the Packers, and the Colts defeating the Ravens.

I called for the Saints to beat the Bucs, but thought that Tampa would cover. Hey, no one is perfect.

Now that I have a separated shoulder from patting myself on the back, it is time to get into Week 12, since there will be three games on Thursday.

I would also like to take this opportunity to say Happy Thanksgiving to everyone that is taking the time to read this. I hope that everyone has a blessed day and enjoys a day full of getting fat and watching football.

Thanksgiving Games.

Green Bay @ Detroit

Injuries have hit both of these teams, especially the Packers. Al Harris and Aaron Kampman are either on IR or on their way to it. You would think that would be a disadvantage for the Packers, but this is the Lions, and Matthew Stafford isn't playing.

Packers win, 27-13.

Oakland @ Dallas

Oakland is coming off of the upset of the week, defeating the Cincinnati Bengals. The Cowboys struggled against the Redskins.

Lightning will not strike twice for Oakland and the Cowboys will handle them.

Cowboys win, 31-17.

New York Giants @ Denver

The Broncos are in desperate need of a win, while the Giants have had trouble and winning last week is not a cure-all. The losing problem for the Broncos is infecting the team, and they are on the verge of self-destructing.

Last week we witnessed Brandon Marshall and Knowshon Moreno shouting at each other after a Moreno fumble in the end zone. Josh McDaniels has his work cut out for him.

Giants win, 24-10.

Five Star Picks of the Week

Indianapolis @ Houston

The Texans lost a heart breaker to the Titans on Monday night, and this week they have to play against the undefeated Colts. The Colts are due to lose, and the Texans are basically in a playoff game.

If Houston loses, they fall to 5-6. Doubt can creep in and destroy this team, who is looking for their first playoff birth and winning season in franchise history.

Indy can ruin the Texans' season by winning this game.

Colts win, 34-17.

Chicago @ Minnesota

The Bears need to thank the Lions for being so bad, or they would be the worst team in the NFC North.

Minnesota knows that if the Patriots can beat the Saints on Monday Night Football (Upset Special Alert), they will be tied for the best record in the NFC, with home field advantage at stake.

Minnesota is not going to let up, and the Bears will get pounded.

Vikings win, 34-13.

Washington @ Philadelphia

Clinton Portis is still out, as is Ladel Betts. The Redskins are trying to play spoiler to the Eagles, but they just don't have enough weapons in their arsenal to even keep up with them.

Eagles win, 28-17.

Pittsburgh @ Baltimore

This is probably the most painful thing I have ever had to do.

Ben Roethlisberger is saying he is going to play, but is he really 100 percent after taking a knee to the head in overtime against the Chiefs?

The Ravens took the Colts to the closing minutes last week. Guard Chris Kemoeatu is injured, and lets be honest, this game is in Baltimore.

As much as I want to pick Pittsburgh to win, and as much as I hope I am wrong on this:

Ravens win, 21-17.

Kansas City @ San Diego (-13.5)

Even though the Chiefs beat the Steelers in overtime last week, winning their second game in a row, they still do not look like the kind of team that can be consistent week in and week out. I don't think they have a chance to win on the road at San Diego, who beat the Broncos last week, in Denver.

KC's bubble is about to burst.

Chargers win, 31-13.

Upset Specials of the Week

Miami (-3.5) @ Buffalo

Miami is not the same team they were with Ronnie Brown. Even though they beat the Panthers last Thursday, I am not sold on them being a legit playoff contender (sorry Hotnuke).

Buffalo is playing with a ton of inspiration with interim coach Perry Fewell, and I think they will cover and win.

Bills win, 21-20.

Cleveland @ Cincinnati (-14)

Do you think the Vegas odds makers forgot that the last time these two teams played, the Bengals won with about :02 seconds left in OT, with a field goal that may have been no good?

The Bengals are going to win, but they will not cover the 14-point spread.

Bengals win, 27-17.

Arizona @ Tennessee (-3)

Kurt Warner, like Ben Roethlisberger, was knocked in the head last week, and also said that he is going to play this week. Mistake.

The Titans secondary is playing like last year, and Warner is going to have his hands full. The big difference is, Arizona is not going to be able to stop Chris Johnson, and the Titans are going to continue their winning streak.

Titans win, 28-21.

Seattle (-3) @ St. Louis

Neither team is playing very well, but the Rams stayed with the Saints until late in the game a couple of weeks ago.

The Seahawks' entire team may be on the injury report.

Many people believe that the Rams are horrible, and I agree, but Steven Jackson will be too much for the Seahawks.

Rams win, 17-13.

Tampa Bay @ Atlanta (-14)

Atlanta is on a four-game losing streak, and though Tampa is not a very good team, 14 points is a lot to give up when your team is not playing well. Matt Ryan is playing more like a rookie than he did when he was a rookie.

Falcons win, 24-13.

Carolina @ New York Jets (-3)

Carolina is fighting for their playoff lives, while the Jets, who started the season at 3-0, look nothing like the team that beat the Patriots earlier this year.

Mark Sanchez is playing like a rookie, while Jake Delhomme is not playing as bad as he did at the beginning of the season.

Panthers win, 17-14.

Jacksonville (-3) @ San Francisco

Most people gave up on Jacksonville, except Jacksonville.

San Francisco started the season off as a surprise pick to go to the Super Bowl, but that talk is now dead and gone.

The Jaguars are going to pound the 49ers.

Jaguars win, 27-10.

New England @ New Orleans (-3)

A fitting game for Monday night and will be the best game of the week.

New England had the Colts all but defeated two weeks ago, before Bill Belichick gave the game to the Colts, and basically home field advantage through the AFC playoffs.

The Saints are a great team, but they have not played against a team as good as the Pats. This will be a high-scoring game, and if you like to gamble (which I am not saying you should, and if you do it is not my fault if you lose money, so don't blame me) bet the over (56).

Patriots win, 37-31.

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What Are Bengals Fans Thankful for?

Russell Wight — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:28:05 -0500

As I celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday with my family, I begin to think about what I am thankful for regarding the 2009 Cincinnati Bengals.

Despite a couple of bumps in the road, the season has been an enjoyable one for Bengals fans. The team is 7-3 and all alone atop the AFC North.

What are Bengals fans thankful for?

Carson Palmer's Health

Carson Palmer has remained relatively healthy. A lot of credit needs to go to the offensive line. Protecting Palmer was a big concern of mine heading into this season. The line has played well so far.

Palmer has shown no signs of the elbow injury that caused him to miss all but four games last year. He has been playing with an injured left thumb, but it has not seemed to bother him. Palmer has also been displaying an ability to move in the pocket and even run the football that we have not seen before.

Running Game

Cedric Benson is averaging 95 yards per game on the ground. His consistent production has helped transform the Bengals offense into a balanced attack that controls the clock and plays smart, effective football. Bernard Scott and Brian Leonard have also been key contributors in the running game.

The offensive line deserves credit when it comes to the team's ability to run the football.

Defense

I cannot say enough about the attitude and intensity that defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer has brought to Cincinnati. The Bengals are allowing 84 rushing yards per game, good enough for second in the NFL. Cornerbacks Leon Hall and Johnathan Joseph have repeatedly shut down the opposition's top receiving threat, forcing quarterbacks to find other options.

Attitude

After the season-opening loss to Denver, this team could have imploded with a "here we go again" mentality. It would not have been surprising given the recent history of this franchise. However, they put the loss behind them and won the next week in Green Bay.

They are 5-0 in their division with the Cleveland Browns coming to Cincinnati on Sunday. A perfect record against AFC North opponents would be great, but this team has bigger goals.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Why the Baltimore Ravens Aren't Getting Bad Calls

Jarrett Carter — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:13:10 -0500

A tongue-in-cheek column from the Sun’s Peter Schmuck—who artfully jabs at the Ravens' predilection to lose close games in the waning minutes—brings up an interesting point that I’ve been meaning to address for a couple of weeks, about the growing movement of "us vs. refs" here in Charm City.

Bottom line: the Ravens have received very few bad calls this season. They’ve made bad plays, they’ve been out of position, and, yeah, sometimes they get jobbed on a play. But for the most part, it’s been pretty fair against the Ravens, particularly in the closing minutes.

If you have any hope of getting over the sense of the Ravens getting cheated out of games, you first have to acknowledge that the Ravens defense hasn’t been very good. All of the disputed refereeing comes against the defense. Rarely do you see refs miscalling false starts or holding against the Birds.

If you can accept that premise, you can further open yourself up to football enlightenment for the ages. The Ravens get very little pressure up front, which makes any NFL quarterback worth his salary look like a superstar.

Since the Ravens do not have any corner backs worth their salary, Ravens fans are often compensating for the lack of talent on the corner by lamenting a lack of fair judgment on the part of the refs.

Think about it. For every big pass-interference call you’ve seen that eventually costs the Ravens games, how many replays have shown the corners scrambling to catchup to the play? If they are on their job, they are already in place to make a play at the point of the ball’s arrival; there should be no question about excessive contact or interference.

If they were ready on every single play, they wouldn’t have to get ready and be caught on a 50/50 call.

Furthermore, many of the games the Ravens lost, could’ve been won with a better field goal kicker. If you have Billy Cundiff or Matt Stover lining it up against the Vikings, and possibly against Cincinnati the second time around, the Ravens are looking at 7-3 and control of the AFC North.

You aren’t even thinking about what influence the refs wield over the games.

This isn’t to say that referees don’t make bad calls, but it is to say that in a digital, social networking world, there’s very little room for various NFL officiating crews to exact a measure of game-influencing disdain against a team that doesn’t make the wheels on the NFL bus go ’round.

The Ravens have some Hall of Fame players in the twilight of their careers, have a great fanbase, and maintain healthy rivalries with each of their divisional opponents.

The NFL isn’t interested in losing this, and we should angle our frustration with the team into a misguided perception of the league’s marketing priorities.

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Cincy Fans Feel the Frustration This Season wIth Bengals' Shayne Graham

Dan Parzych — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:01:11 -0500

After last weekend's Cincinnati-Bengals-Examiner%7Ey2009m11d23-Bengals-17-Raiders-20-Cincy-allows-Oakland-to-score-10-points-in-final-minute-of-game" target="_blank">20-17 loss to the Oakland Raiders , Cincinnati Bengals fans have recently expressed their frustration with kicker Shayne Graham, who missed a 37-yard field goal in the third quarter.

While it's hard to blame the loss on him individually considering Bengals wide receiver Andre Caldwell fumbled the kickoff with 17 seconds left, it’s obvious how important Graham’s missed field goal was later in the game.

Not only are fans frustrated with his missed attempt from the loss to the Raiders, but they are beginning to become frustrated with his performance through the first 10 games this season—especially with everything that occurred in the offseason.

Graham seemed unhappy with the way negotiations talks worked out between him and the Bengals during the offseason. After he was placed with the franchise tag in February, he signed a one-year deal worth $2.483 million at the end of April.

After the signing, he expressed his desire was a long-term deal from the Bengals or from whichever team was willing to sign him.

With the way the ninth-year kicker has performed as a Bengal, it seemed as if Mike Brown and company would have to issue granting Graham his wish for a long-term deal. He holds five records with the franchise, including highest field goal percentage in a season (91.2), most points in a season (131), field goals in a season (31), most field goals in a game (seven), and consecutive field goals made (21).

Prior to the 2009 season, Graham was the team's all-time leader for field goal accuracy at 87.5 percent and ranked fourth on the NFL all-time list with an 85.6 percent kicking accuracy. With these types of statistics, it's hard to imagine the Bengals not offering him the long-term deal he desired.

However, the Bengals may be relieved the long-term deal was never offered in the offseason with the type of numbers Graham has put up this season.

Through 10 games, Graham is having not only his worst season as a Bengal, but his career. His 37-yard field goal attempt against the Raiders that fell wide right is only one of the five attempts he's missed on the season (12-of-17).

His field goal percentage (70.6) this season is the worst of Graham's nine-year career. Other than his first two seasons in the league with the Buffalo Bills and Carolina Panthers, his lowest kicking percentage came in 2006 (83.3).

The loss to the Raiders was the first time Graham missed a field goal in a game the Bengals came up on the losing end for. His previous misses came in wins against the Steelers (twice), Browns, and Ravens.

Week 11 consisted of five games (Falcons-Giants, Redskins-Cowboys, Colts-Ravens, Bengals-Raiders, Titans-Texans) decided by three points or less in which a kicker on the losing team missed a field goal during the game. Each of these five games could have ended differently had certain field goals been made instead of missed.

Last week is the perfect example of how important kickers are in the NFL. If the Bengals make a deep run at this year's playoffs, how are they supposed to feel comfortable with Graham if they need to rely on him for a pressure situation?

Despite his struggles this season, all that Cincinnati fans can do is pray Graham will come through if needed for the remainder of the season. If not, it would be no surprise if the Bengals decided to part ways with him in the offseason.

Dan Parzych is the Cincinnati Bengals Examiner for Examiner.com

He is also the founder of WhoDeyBengals.com

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With Special Teams in Disarray, Steelers Make Roster Moves

Nick Signorelli — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:48:37 -0500

It has become painfully clear the the Steelers' special teams are in trouble. They have allowed four kick returns for touchdowns this year, not exactly a way to return to the Super Bowl.

Last week, the Steelers released Arnold Harrison, who was immediately signed by the Cleveland Browns (not that it will help them). To fill his roster spot, the Steelers signed Donovan Woods as his replacement.

It was clearly a good decision, as the Chiefs returned the opening kick off for a touchdown on Sunday. Mike Tomlin insisted that the Steelers would not put a Band-Aid on the problem by playing starters on special teams. So if the starters are going to remain off of special teams, how do we fix this problem?

Today, heads rolled in Pittsburgh. Donovan Woods was released, along with Keiwan Ratliff. To replace them, Rocky Boiman and Corey Ivy were signed to the active roster. In addition, running back Justin Vincent was released from the practice squad, and guard Jonathan Palmer was added to it.

Bringing in Boiman to replace Woods was really a no-brainer.

Boiman was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the fourth round of the 2002 draft. Since then, he has spent time with the Cowboys, Colts, Eagles, Chiefs, Titans again, and now with the Steelers.

Two good things can come of this. One is that

Boiman will be able to contribute immediately on special teams because there is no way he could possibly do worse that Woods and Harrison.

The other thing is that being under the guidance of the Steelers' line backers and coaches, Boiman's original potential could be unlocked, and he could become a contributor over time.

The decision to sign Corey Ivy is a little bit more curious. Ivy did play for the Baltimore Ravens for three seasons (2006-2008) before being signed by the Cleveland Browns in 2009. However, he did not make the cut for the regular season.

Maybe the Steelers decided to sign Ivy so they would not have to play against him when the Steelers square off against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night. Baltimore just placed corner Fabian Washington on season ending injured reserve due to a knee injury and could have been calling Ivy because of how his familiarity with the Ravens system.

Either way, the Steelers are hoping that this is more than the Band-Aid fix that they had with Harrison and Woods, and that Ivy and Boiman will help fix their issues on special teams.

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Philadelphia Eagles Waive CB Jack Ikegwuonu; Sign CB Geoffrey Pope

Bob Cunningham — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:51:00 -0500

Jack Ikegwuonu, once thought to be a steal in the fourth round, has officially worn out his chances in Philadelphia as the team waived the underachieving cornerback today.

In his place, the Eagles signed Geoffrey Pope (6'0 186), a cornerback off the Cincinnati Bengals' practice squad. Pope will immediately take Ikegwuonu's place on the 53-man active roster.

How much time Pope will see has yet to be determined, but it will most likely happen on special teams, if he's even active on game days. P.J. Hill, another mid-season pickup for the Eagles this year, has spent most of his time as a healthy scratch so expect Pope to do the same.

However, if the Eagles feel like they need someone else to strictly play special teams, he could stay active over a guy like Quintin Demps.

Realistically, Ikegwuonu wasn't going to get much playing time anyway. Asante Samuel, Sheldon Brown, Macho Harris, Ramzee Robinson, and Dimitri Patterson (not necessarily in that order) were all ahead of Ikegwuonu. However, it spoke volumes that a guy like Robinson, who was only with the team for a week, was seeing time over Icky.

I had said that during training camp he appeared to lack the closing speed that a corner needs, most likely due to his knee injury before the draft two years ago. It's a shame because watching him you could tell he knows how to play the game, but in this league your body has to hold up or you're going to get replaced.

That's why Icky is going through now, and barring a magical comeback as a safety, his days in the NFL are most likely numbered.

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Ravens Rally Towels are a Horrible Idea

Jarrett Carter — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:15:39 -0500

You have to wonder if Ravens marketing staff keeps up with blogs, because if they asked us humble scribes of day-job avoidance, they would’ve known that marketing Rally Towels for the Pittsburgh game was the worst idea to hit Baltimore since Target gift cards at the Mayor’s office.

Prior to this Sunday’s Ravens-Steelers game (Nov. 29, 8:20 p.m.), the Baltimore Ravens and Under Armour will provide over 71,000 fans with purple and white rally towels as they enter the gates of M&T Bank Stadium.

The Ravens are encouraging fans to wear all purple and waive their rally towel for the nationally-televised Sunday Night Football broadcast.

I get that we hate Pittsburgh, want their stadium to melt in boiling ketchup, etc. But stealing their idea to energize our hate does nothing for the outsiders who’ll watch the game and say, “not only do these maroons wear purple camo, but they wave fake terrible towels.”

The idiots down the road tried this . It failed miserably and drew the laughter of friend and foe alike. Don’t do this Ravens. Please, don’t do this.

Technorati Tags: Baltimore Ravens , Pittsburgh Steelers

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Cincinnati Bengals Week 11 Report Card

Russell Wight — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 07:42:50 -0500

The Cincinnati Bengals reverted back to their old ways on Sunday and it resulted in a loss to the Oakland Raiders. Turnovers and penalties were aplenty as the Bengals missed an opportunity to distance themselves from the rest of the division. Every team in the AFC North went down on Sunday.

Technically, the Bengals didn't lose anything. They are still one game up on the Steelers and, of course, hold the tiebreaker. I am going to give the Bengals a pass on this one. They did not play well. The real test is going to be how they respond this week against another supposedly inferior opponent, the Cleveland Browns.

Offense

The Bengals jumped out to a 14-0 lead and looked to be in total control. The Raiders defense made adjustments, kept consistent pressure on Carson Palmer, and held the Bengals to just a field goal for the remainder of the game.

Penalties, fumbles, and the offensive line breaking down should give the offense plenty to work on in preparation for this week's game. Bernard Scott rushed for 119 yards on 21 carries in place of the injured Cedric Benson, but 61 of those yards came on one play. Grade: C .

Defense

Unlike the Raiders, the Bengals defense was not able to get pressure on the opposing quarterback. Cincinnati was unable to sack Bruce Gradkowski, who was making his first start of the season. Johnathan Joseph and Leon Hall both played well, allowing just one reception for Darius Heyward-Bey.

Morgan Trent got turned around on a Louis Murphy's 38-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter that tied the game. The defense was able to hold the Raiders under 300 yards of total offense.
Grade: B .

Special Teams

Shayne Graham missed a 37-yard field goal. Andre Caldwell's fumble on a kick return late in the fourth quarter led to Sebastian Janikowski's field goal that gave the Raiders the lead.
Grade: D .

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Cleveland Browns: Have They Hit Rock Bottom?

ExJx Brooks — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:05:29 -0500

Although the Cleveland Browns aren't the only 1-9 team right now, they are the worst team in the league.

They lost to the only team in NFL history to go winless in a 16—game season this past Sunday. Yes—they lost to the Detroit Lions.

From top to bottom this organization is horrible.

The ownership is cheap, the general manager was crap, and now their "lack there of" head coach has shown not to be as good as thought. With their best player, Josh Cribs, being mainly a return specialist, this team is just plain bad.

Not that it would make much difference, but with a lot of their supposed better players banged up things aren't going to change.

Bad play calling, inexperience, and simply a lot of bad decisions have driven a team that finished 10—6 two years ago and barely missed the playoffs to a 1—9 start this year.

I'd say they have a chance to redeem some dignity with the last three games of season against Kansas City, Oakland, and Jacksonville, but at the rate they are going I'd be stupid to even speculate one win against these games.

As we all know anything is possible, so who knows? One thing is for sure with the next three games against Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and then San Diego they are theoretically looking at a 1—12 record going into the last three games.

So what's next?

They need to take a hint from their cross town baseball counterparts, the Cleveland Indians, and just clean house. From top to bottom they need to make changes.

The quarterback situation has been an issue since coming back into the league. They signed Tim Couch in the 1999 draft then proceeded to beat the crap out of him for five years by failing to hire him a decent offensive line.

Other quarterbacks have suffered the same fate—Jeff Garcia, Kelly Holcomb, and Charlie Frye.

The combination, and I say combination because the Browns have failed to designate a true starting QB the past two seasons, is now terrible. It probably has fans wishing for the days of Tim Couch.

Brady Quinn is way overpaid and way overrated. Dereck Anderson has proven that the 10—6 season was the fluke, and not last year's poor effort.

The Browns have second string and third string quarterbacks rotating in and out of the starting position. With no true starting QB in Cleveland the team lacks identity and a leader. This is the first thing that needs to be addressed as far as the players.

Since the passing game is struggling you would think that the running game would be decent. Yeah right!

Even with the once dominant Jamal Lewis, the Browns have failed to establish any sort of a run game. Lewis, there leading rusher, has yet to break 500 rushing yards after ten games and the only rushing scores have come from Anderson.

This only shows the Browns unending inability to put together a good offensive line or at least keep a good one healthy.

As always the defense is a whole different story. Well not really, they stink too.

Rated 32nd overall in yards per game and 28th in points allowed per game, what more needs to be said.

The defense as a whole needs restructuring.

The coaching staff is atrocious. Many of the the mistakes made on the field are due to bad design. Eric Mangini needs to go and so does the rest of the staff.

The fans are looking for someone to blame. Just pick someone, anyone and you'd be right. That is how bad it has gotten.

In a city where the only hope of a championship is the Cleveland Cavaliers, something needs to change. Something needs to give.

The reality is that this year's team is a dud. There are the bad attitudes and resentment and a 1—9 record, plus ten years of failure. It's time for big changes, a lot of them and quickly.

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Can the Steelers Run the Table and Win the AFC North?

Nick Signorelli — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:38:04 -0500

Having lost to the Cincinnati Bengals twice this year, winning the AFC North is going to be a tall task for the defending Super Bowl champions. With six games left to play, the Steelers are going to need help to complete that task.

First, the Bengals will have to lose two games more than the Steelers in order for the Steelers to over take them for the crown.

Bengals' remaining games

Cleveland Browns

Even though the Browns took the Bengals to the last seconds of overtime before losing to them in week four, that more than likely will not happen again. Cincinnati is coming off an embarrassing loss to the Oakland Raiders and will probably pound the Browns.

Detroit Lions

The Lions are a joke of a team that the Bengals should easily beat. With only two victories in the last year and a half, this should be a cakewalk for the Bengals unless they are looking ahead to the Vikings.

@ Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota is the most complete team left on the Bengals' schedule. They post a staunch defense and two offensive weapons, Brett Favre and Adrian Peterson, that will be too much for the Bengals to handle.

@ San Diego Chargers

The Chargers have come alive and have now taken the AFC West lead. The Chargers will need this game for playoff positioning, and Cincy has proven they are not that good when they travel across the country.

Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs were lucky against the Steelers, and the Bengals will probably need this game after losing to the Vikings and Chargers.

@ New York Jets

The Jets are a decent team, but they are having normal problems for a team that has a rookie quarterback. They will not be able to stop the Cincinnati attack.

I look at the Bengals going 4-2 for the rest of the year, with a final record of 11-5.

That means for the Steelers to win the AFC North, they will have to end the season with a 12-4 record. The Steelers currently have four losses, so they will have to win the rest of their regular season games if they hope to pass the Bengals.

@ Baltimore Ravens

It is uncertain that Ben Roethlisberger will play against the Ravens, and Troy Polamalu is out. The Ravens will be playing without Terrell Suggs, so the pass rush will not be as devastating as it would be, and if Dennis Dixon can play as the Steelers hope, they can overcome the Ravens.

Oakland Raiders

The Raiders had a stroke of luck against the Bengals, but they were at home, and the Steelers will be playing with urgency.

@ Cleveland Browns

The Browns already lost to the Steelers in Pittsburgh, and by losing to the Lions, the Browns are on pace to be the worst team in the NFL.

Green Bay Packers

The Packers have taken many hits to their defense with Aaron Kampman and Al Harris being placed on IR. Green Bay probably could not have defeated the Steelers with them, so they shouldn't be able to without them.

Baltimore Ravens

Two days after Christmas, the Steelers host the Ravens, and both teams should be back to full strength by that point. Look for the Steelers to end the Ravens' season, knocking them out of the playoff hunt.

@ Miami Dolphins

The biggest strength of the Dolphins was their wildcat offense, but without Ronnie Brown, the Fins just do not match up with the Steelers.

Not saying that the six games that the Steelers play are going to be easy, but the Steelers, if they can fix their special team woes, have a very realistic shot at running the table, forcing the Bengals to lose no more than one game.

If the Steelers can do that, then the AFC North crown could very well be theirs. The Bengals will have the pressure on them to not let the Steelers catch them. If the Bengals do so, they await a possible rematch with the Steelers come playoff time.

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The Case For Troy Polamalu Winning The NFL MVP.

Nick Signorelli — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:05:48 -0500

Before any of you start to tell me how crazy I am, at least hear me out. I know that the award always goes to an offensive player. This year, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees are fighting it out, and one of them are going to win. I know this.

Next, you will probably say something to the effect, Polamalu has missed too many games to be considered the MVP. How can someone who has missed more than half the season be the MVP?

My answer to that is simple. MVP stands for Most Valuable Player, right?

In the Steelers opening game against the Tennessee Titans, Polamalu was a complete animal before he injured his knee. The Titans were held to seven first downs in that half. While Polamalu had seven tackles, two for losses, and an interception.

After the injury to Polamalu, Tennessee marched 71 yards in three plays for a touchdown.

Polamalu missed the next three games, in which the Steelers lost two of them, both pass plays in the closing seconds of the game. In both instances, Polamalu would have been playing the zone in which the winning score was thrown.

Before anyone asks how I know that, it is because both touchdowns were thrown to the strong safety side of the field.

Polamalu came back against the Cleveland Browns, in which he had four tackles and an interception.

The next week, Polamalu had six tackles, all of them solo, and 2 passes defensed.

Against the Denver Broncos, Polamalu had three solo tackles, an interception, and two passes defensed.

Polamalu also added on tackle, in three plays against the Bengals, also knocking Cedric Benson out of the game.

This is not taking into account the intangibles that Troy Polamalu brings to the table. Between his ability to cover the entire field, blitz from anywhere, and fake the blitz, and get back to his zone faster than anyone else in the game.

Anyone that watches the Steelers on a regular basis knows that, when Troy Polamalu is in the game, the Steelers defense is a completely different unit. They play with more physicality, because they know that Troy will be able to cover any mistakes that anyone on the field makes.

I know that Troy Polamalu will not win the NFL MVP award, but if he does not win at least the Steelers MVP this year, then someone that does not deserve the award is going to get it.

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With Roethlisberger and Batch Injured, What Is Next for Steelers?

Nick Signorelli — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:19:47 -0500

One game back of the Cincinnati Bengals, the Pittsburgh Steelers entered the weakest part of their schedule. With the exception of playing the Baltimore Ravens twice, the only potential playoff team the Steelers play against is the Miami Dolphins.

The only position on the Steelers that looked the most set on Sunday morning was the quarterback. Not anymore.

In the beginning of overtime, Ben Roethlisberger took a knee to his head and the injury, as Mike Tomlin says, is concussion-related. Charlie Batch stepped in, and his first pass was a 19-yard strike to Santonio Holmes for a first down.

The reason the Steelers brought back Charlie Batch was for situations such as this. To come in for a drive, or a game or two while Ben Roethlisberger was injured. Now, Batch is injured as well.

Details are sketchy at this point, but Batch has an injury to his wrist, which will require surgery, and keep him out of action for up to six weeks.

In the 2007 draft, the Steelers selected Oregon quarterback Dennis Dixon in the fifth round of the NFL draft. Dixon was believed to have first-round potential, but due to a torn ACL during his senior season, Dixon fell to the fifth round. Dixon was drafted to eventually backup Ben Roethlisberger.

With the injury to Roethlisberger and Batch out of commission, Dixon is next in line to be under center for the Steelers, but is he ready?

Dixon spent his rookie season rehabilitating his ACL, and even though he was not going to get much playing time, the Steelers kept him on the team roster because they knew if they were to put him on the practice squad, another team would sign him away.

Dixon was kept off of the IR because they wanted him to be able to continue practicing with the team. Dixon did just that.

Through the offseason, Dixon stayed in Pittsburgh working with Limas Sweed on his timing and learning the playbook. He has made a commitment to become the player teams thought would be available in the draft, prior to injury.

Dixon has waited patiently on the sidelines, carrying his helmet and clipboard, waiting for his chance to play. He may be getting his chance.

Sunday night, the Steelers will travel to Baltimore to play the Ravens. The Ravens are known as a blitzing team that loves to apply pressure to the quarterback. Even without Terrell Suggs, they are going to be sending people at who ever is under center.

Roethlisberger is known for keeping plays alive, scrambling when necessary, and making plays on the run. Dixon does not have the experience of Roethlisberger, but he can run considerably better than him.

In the preseason, it was obvious that Dixon was trying to stay in the pocket and show the Steelers that he was not going to be a run-first quarterback. As the preseason wore on, Dixon started to show his running abilities when plays broke down.

Two games behind the division leaders, the Steelers are entering their first "must-win" game. If the Steelers cannot defeat the Ravens, they will fall three games back (if the Bengals win) of Cincinnati, and lose their grip on the inside track to the wild-card playoff position.

If Roethlisberger does play, and gets further injured, then the Steelers' season could be over. Dixon may be called upon to play against the Ravens, and the Steelers future could rest upon Dennis Dixon.

This is Dixon's chance to prove that the Steelers made the right decision drafting him in the fifth round, and the other 31 teams made a mistake in not taking the chance on him.

Either way, we are going to find out how good of a job the Steelers' scouts did in evaluating Dixon, and if the Steelers found the steal of the draft.

Update: profootballtalk.com is now reporting that the Steelers have contacted the agents for Cleo Lemon and Jeff Garcia, who will both be in Pittsburgh for work outs on Tuesday.

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Charlie Batch Out Six Weeks, Dennis Dixon Next in Line

Nick Signorelli — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:46:25 -0500

When Ben Roethlisberger was injured in overtime of the loss to Kansas City, the announcer stated that Charlie Batch was one of the best backups in the NFL.

Not anymore.

According to ESPN and profootballtalk.com , Batch suffered a wrist injury, which will require surgery. Batch will be out for four to six weeks.

Head coach Mike Tomlin stated that the injury to Roethlisberger is "concussion related." Even though Roethlisberger said after the game he would "be fine," the Steelers' depth at the position has taken a serious setback.

If Roethlisberger is unable to play against the Baltimore Ravens Sunday night, that would put the ball in the hands of second-year pro Dennis Dixon.

In his senior season at Oregon, Dixon was leading the Ducks to an undefeated season and was one of the leading candidates for the Heisman Trophy. However, with two games left in the season, Dixon suffered a torn ACL, ending his year.

At the time, he was believed to have first round potential but fell to the Steelers in the fifth round. Dixon has worked hard to keep his roster spot and may finally get a chance to show what he can do in a real football game.

The one thing that Dixon brings to the table that Roethlisberger and Batch don't is amazing speed. He has speed similar to that of the young Mike Vick, though he does not have the arm strength.

Either way, Dixon may be getting his first start of the year, and he may be doing so against a Baltimore Ravens team that will be fighting for their playoff lives.

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Matt Stover Beats, then Loves the Ravens

Jarrett Carter — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:00:47 -0500

Each member of the “bring Matt Stover back” cavalcade awakes this morning with a sense of validation. The greatest Raven of all-time came back to beat his former club in the kind of field goal-laden game that made him a Baltimore legend.

And it couldn’t have hurt him more .

“I am emotionally exhausted,” he said in the Colts’ locker room. “I’m toast. I may not show it, but I’m toast. That’s hard, especially against friends and a team you love so much. I don’t mind saying it: I love the Ravens. Hey, what was I doing when the Colts hadn’t signed me yet? I was coming to Ravens games.”

You had a feeling the irony would wrinkle the Ravens’ plans to defeat the unbeatable Indianapolis Colts, and in many respects, you kind of wanted the Ravens to feel what a mistake it was to let a local sports mainstay kick it around for a hated rival.

At 5-5, and with the offense churning out the "six yards and a cloud of questions" possessions of yesteryear, there is no solace in knowing that Matt Stover cares about the team that he put in the dirt yesterday afternoon.

No solace, but for even the most hard core Ravens fan, perhaps the tiniest kick of satisfaction.

Technorati Tags: Baltimore Ravens , Indianapolis Colts , Matt Stover

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Why the Cleveland Browns Should Cut Hank Poteat

Richard Baird — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:48:12 -0500

Imagine this scenario...

It's third and six and you are playing the Cleveland Browns. You look at the wide receiver matchups to get an early read on who might be open. You see your slot/possession receiver lined up against the Browns nickel cornerback. That cornerback in Hank Poteat. Bingo! Found your mismatch!

All season long, Hank Poteat has been the target of choice on important plays. Sunday's pass interference against the Lions to cost us the game was just the latest and most egregious in a whole series of bad plays by the veteran. Of all the players that Mangini brought from the Jets, none has been as worthless as Hank Poteat. Even Brett Ratliff, who hasn't played, has made a bigger contribution by not being on the field.

It's time to cut ties with Poteat. There is a reason he's been on several different teams. He has been released by Pittsburgh, Carolina, Tampa Bay, New England, and the Jets. With the dearth of cornerback talent in the league, teams don't let players that are worth anything go that many times. I would rather see Coye Francies play and get experience than watch Hank Poteat get overmatched again and again.

Please, whoever the new GM will be, do the Browns a favor and go get a cornerback! Draft a cornerback, sign a cornerback, get a cornerback out of the UFL, do something, because this defense isn't going to stop anybody until there is a credible cornerback who can cover and tackle across from Eric Wright.

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Backsliding Pittsburgh Steelers Have Their Backs Against the Wall

Nick DeWitt — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:59:58 -0500

Someone must have forgot to tell the Steelers that return season doesn't start until after Christmas.

In the past eight games, the Steelers have allowed some type of return for a touchdown. In the last two games, it has cost them in the final tally.

Before the opening kickoff, Steelers radio broadcaster Tunch Ilkin stated that he thought the Steelers would not allow another return for a touchdown for the remainder of the season.

Oops.

But the Steelers' loss Sunday to lowly Kansas City goes well beyond Jamaal Charles' 97-yard jaunt to start the game.

This was a team loss. In fact, it's the only thing the Steelers did as a team on Sunday.

Let's break it down.

Offense

Ben Roethlisberger had another huge passing day, completing 32-of-42 attempts for 398 yards and three touchdowns.

It would have been a wonderful day, nearly a career day, if not for the fact that he also threw two interceptions, was sacked three times, continually held the ball too long, and failed miserably in the fourth quarter to make plays to win the game.

Another red-zone interception by Roethlisberger also puts a damper on his statistical marvels. That interception, returned to the Pittsburgh six, was a back-breaker. After that, the offense was erratic at best and at worst an unmitigated disaster.

But let's not just pin this one on Big Ben. He had some help.

Mike Wallace fumbled in the first quarter after a long completion by Roethlisberger, killing a promising drive at midfield.

Several passes were dropped, and at times it seemed as if Ben and the receivers were playing two different games.

However, as has been the case since Mike Tomlin came aboard in 2007, some of the worst blame lies with the man in the offensive coordinator's headset: Bruce Arians.

The toss play in overtime will go down as one of his worst calls ever. Worse, he chose to run the toss play (which is a low percentage play for the Steelers anyway) with his slowest running back.

No offense to Mewelde Moore, but I'm not running many toss plays with him.

If Arians absolutely had to run the toss play on third down, he should have sent in Willie Parker to carry the mail.

The best choice, however, would have been to not run the toss play at all.

How about a power running play with Rashard Mendenhall, the best back on the team? Mendenhall was gaining tough yards on the Kansas City front seven. Why not let him push for two yards?

The worst crime of that toss play was that the Steelers were on the fringes of believable field goal range.

At worst, Jeff Reed could have come in and attempted a kick to win the game. After Moore lost two yards on the toss, the Steelers were beyond his range and forced into a Daniel Sepulveda punt.

Defense

So we're back to this? In the first half, the Steelers' vaunted defense allowed no points, not a lot of yards, and even less hope for a Chiefs offense mired in a season-long funk.

In the second half, the Chiefs offense was spotted marching down the field to tie and, later, to win the game.

We're back to playing halves and quarters instead of games.

Do not say it's about Troy Polamalu.

The defense broke once again when the game was on the line.

Forget the sparkling statistics. Games are won and lost in the fourth quarter based on whether defenses are successful or not.

On Sunday, the Steelers couldn't hold the Chiefs back. In the second half, the Chiefs scored on drives of 62 and, even more uncharacteristically, 91 yards. Their overtime drive encompassed 76 yards.

The problems range anywhere from poor tackling to lack of pressure. It almost seems as if Dick LeBeau is afraid to blitz without his prized safety in the lineup.

Special Teams

Stop me if you've heard this before.

The Steelers allowed a long return for a touchdown thanks to poor tackling and poor pursuit.

So, now what?

Will Tomlin cut another player, hoping that one person will change everything or will send the message that the players need to step it up?

It's obviously not all on the players.

It's time to start turning up the heat on Bob Ligashesky and Chris Amos, our friendly neighborhood special teams coordinators.

If this doesn't get fixed, someone's job will have to be taken away. The Steelers have struggled for years with kick coverage, which is something so basic that it should be an unquestioned strength.

Last year, to make matters worse, the Steelers owned the league's top coverage units. Things looked bright.

The players are the same. The results are opposite.

It's time to step in and scare some people into thinking their jobs are on the line.

It's also time to put some of your starters out there to cover kicks. The veteran defensive players (and even some of the offensive players) know how to make big tackles. Let's see it.

The best tackle of the day was on a return.

Too bad it was Mendenhall chasing down defensive star (read that sarcastically) Andy Studebaker after Roethlisberger tossed up a gift.

Maybe Mendenhall should play special teams. At least Studebaker didn't score.

I'm not sure anyone even bothered to breathe on Jamaal Charles.

Coaching

Mike Tomlin, this one's on you too.

The Steelers were flat. Worse yet, they were flat coming off a big loss to a division rival. Worse yet, that division rival lost, meaning that if the Steelers had even eked out a win Sunday, they would be back within sight of first place.

Both of the coordinators called poor games. Arians called an OK game, but the big calls define you, and his biggest call of the day was a failure of epic proportions.

LeBeau is afraid to blitz regularly without Polamalu. He needs to face his fear. Ty Carter is playing great whenever he's called upon.

Let him play Troy's game as well as he can. The results, particularly in the second half, cannot be much worse than they've been already.

I won't even mention the special teams again. I didn't really see them on Sunday anyway.

If Pittsburgh plays that game against Baltimore, their biggest rival in recent seasons, they will not only lose, but they will be physically destroyed.

It's time to get the boys motivated again. It's also time to get them playing as a team.

The Steelers didn't look like much of a team on Sunday. They looked like 53 guys playing football.

They need to play together.

Thanks to Cincinnati, it's not too late.

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Upsetting Loss for Cincinnati Bengals in Oakland

Russell Wight — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 07:52:31 -0500

The titanic struggle between Cleveland and Detroit caused me to miss the beginning of the Bengals game. Since the Browns are a division opponent, I suppose I should have been rooting for the Lions. However, I really didn't care who won the game. I was just glad it didn't go into overtime.

When the local CBS affiliate finally switched to the Bengals and Raiders, it was already 7-0. A solid running game and precise passing by Carson Palmer allowed the Bengals to control the clock in the first half, holding the ball for over 21 minutes. Carson Palmer had two rushing touchdowns, leading the way to a 14-7 halftime advantage for the Bengals.

The Raiders defense is sound. They were in the Bengals backfield all day and hit Palmer hard several times, causing him to fumble the ball once. Except for a 61-yard run by Bernard Scott, they contained the Bengals offense in the second half. Turnovers and penalties didn't help the Bengals offense either.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fine. There you have it. I am writing this post in the final minutes of the game. The Raiders just scored a touchdown to tie the game. Andre Caldwell fumbled on the ensuing kickoff and now Sebastian Janikowski is about to attempt a 33-yard field goal.

Excuse me while I go puke.

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Analyzing the Pittsburgh Steelers Safeties' Ability To Defend the Pass

TJ Jenkins — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:17:51 -0500

Yesterday we took a look at the Pittsburgh Steelers cornerbacks and their pass coverage skills, today we're going to look at the Steelers safeties and their ability to defend the passing attack.

As with the corner situation, three Steelers safeties have taken at least 25 percent of the snaps at either the free safety or strong safety position: Troy Polamalu, Ryan Clark, and Tyrone Carter.

Only Clark has taken over 50 percent of the defensive snaps at the position due to Polamalu being injured and Carter playing in his stead.

With his latest injury keeping him out for what appears to be at least one month, let's take a look at the long haired Samoan standout from the University Of Southern California .

In 242 defensive plays, Polamalu has been targeted by opposing quarterbacks 19 times and has given up 10 completions for a total of 52.6 percent.

Though leading the safety position in tackles, he's also leading in yards allowed with 122 yards total, yards after the catch with 55 and missed tackles with two. He's also given up one touchdown.

To his credit though, he also leads in interceptions with three (in limited time) and passes defended with two.

Opposing quarterback's only average a passer rating of 50.7 against the former Trojan.

Moving onto his replacement, Tyrone Carter we see a player who has taken 287 snaps at the safety position whilst filling in as an injury replacement for both Polamalu and Clark.

He's been targeted 13 times, allowing only six receptions (46.2 percent) for 34 yards.

Carter has picked off two passes, both against the Denver Broncos on Monday Night when he was filling in for Clark, but has also allowed two touchdown passes, more than the entire Pittsburgh secondary combined.

Opposing quarterbacks average a measly 53.0 rating against the backup safety of the defending champs.

On to the stud of the Pittsburgh secondary in 2009, Ryan Clark.

The former LSU Tiger has 40 tackles this season, effectively wrapping up the ball carrier all but one time.

Add to that impressive tackling statistic the fact that he's intercepted two passes, deflected one and has not allowed a touchdown all year long and you've got the safety that everyone expects Polamalu to be.

Clark has only allowed three receptions out of 12 attempts this year for 17 total yards and a 5.7 average, the same as Carter.

In fact the longest pass he's allowed in his coverage this year was a nine yard completion.

Perhaps the most impressive statistic is the rating that quarterbacks have when throwing against the vicious hitter, a stunning 0.0.

As you can clearly see, the leader of the secondary this year is not Polamalu, perhaps due to injury or perhaps due to Clark stepping his game up to match and/or surpass that of his counterpart.

Clark is the quintessential safety for any team and it's hard to believe that the Steelers will allow him to part ways with the team any time soon.

Using the statistics given, Clark is actually the best safety in the NFL when one takes into consideration the amount of time he sees on the field.

As always, TJ Jenkins' work can also be found at the Pittsburgh Pigskin Blog and at Sports Jabber .

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Every AFC North Team Falls, Race for Conference Title Still Up for Grabs

Nick Signorelli — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 19:45:07 -0500

Sunday was supposed to be a day where the AFC North dominated the NFL.

Beginning the day, the Ravens were taking on the NFL leading Indianapolis Colts. Even though the Colts were undefeated heading into the game, the Ravens, with their dominating defense, were still one and a half point favorites to win the game.

The Steelers were traveling to Kansas City, in a game where they were supposed to dominate the lowly Chiefs.

Meanwhile, the Browns played a Lions team that has won only one game in the last season and a half.

Finally, the division leading Bengals visited the Oakland Raiders, who just benched their franchise quarterback in favor of a former fifth round pick.

The Ravens took the Colts to the limit. Indianapolis, with a two point lead, had to punt to the ever dangerous Ed Reed. Instead of just going down, Reed tried to be the play maker that he is and lateraled the ball. Reed fumbled, Indianapolis recovered, and the Ravens fell to 5-5.

Soon after, the Pittsburgh Steelers fell. After handling the Chiefs most of the day, the Steelers allowed the Chiefs back into the game. In overtime, Ben Roethlisberger took a knee to the head, knocking him out of the game. Charlie Batch came in and immediately marched the Steelers into field goal range.

Bruce Arians called a sweep, Mewelde Moore gets tackled for a two yard loss, which took the Steelers out of field goal range. A minute later, Matt Cassel moves the Chiefs to the two yard line, and Mr. Irrelevant kicks a game winning field goal.

Cleveland did no better. With the lead, and only seconds to play, Matthew Stafford threw the ball into the end zone hoping for a win. What he got was pass interference in the end zone as the clock struck 0:00. With one, un-timed down, Matthew Stafford threw his fifth touch down of the game, and with the extra point the Lions won 38-37.

Against the Raiders, the Bengals had the chance to end the race in the AFC North, taking a three game lead on the Steelers and a four game lead on the Ravens with a win.

Instead, lightning struck, and the AFC North race remains wide open.

Bruce Gradkowski threw a 29 yard touchdown pass to rookie Louis Murphy to tie the game at 17 with 33 seconds left. The play was replayed, but the score was upheld.

Cincinnati was going to get the ball back with 30 seconds and all three time outs left, to try to mount a game winning drive.

Return man Andre Caldwell then fumbled the kickoff at the 17 yard line.

After three kneel downs, Raiders' kicker Sebastian Janikowski kicked a 33 yard field goal to win the game.

With the chance to put the final nail in the coffin of the Steelers and Ravens, the Bengals came up one fumble short.

Now the AFC North race is in the same position as it was before the first game began on Sunday.

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Cincinnati Bengals' Bernard Scott Has Career Day Against Oakland Raiders

Dan Parzych — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 19:26:46 -0500

The Cincinnati Bengals knew they could rely on backup running back Bernard Scott">Cincinnati Bengals knew they could rely on backup running back Bernard Scott to carry the load against the Oakland Raiders if running back Cedric Benson was unable to go.

Turns out they were right.

One week after scoring the game's lone touchdown on a 96-yard kick return in an 18-12 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field, Scott recorded his first career 100-yard game in his first career game as a starter for the Bengals.

Unfortunately, Scott's performance wasn't good enough as the Bengals continued their struggles in Oakland: losing to the Raiders 20-17. He finished the day with 119 yards on the ground, including a 61-yard run in the third quarter. He also hauled in three receptions from Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer for 32 yards.

Scott showed the Bengals last week he was capable of handling the load at running back when he replaced Benson in the second half against the Steelers. The fact he was able to gain 33 yards on 13 carries against the NFL's No. 1 ranked rushing defense gave the team high expectations for him against the Raiders on Sunday.

The Bengals knew this would be the perfect week to rest Benson to provide him with extra time to recover from a hip injury he re-aggravated in the first half of last week's game against the Steelers. The Raiders rushing defense ranked 29th in the NFL entering Sunday's game; allowing 155.6 yards per game on the ground.

Even with Benson on the bench, the Raiders still allowed the Bengals to run for 177 yards on the ground and average 4.1 yards-per-carry. Along with Scott's performance, running back Brian Leonard contributed by running for 35 yards on 12 carries.

Still, the fact that the Bengals were unable to leave Oakland with a win after an impressive performance from the ground game has to be heart breaking, especially since they could have been closer to claiming their first division title since 2005.

After the Steelers 27-24 loss in overtime to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Bengals failed to take advantage and increase their lead in the AFC North. With upcoming home games against the 2-8 Detroit Lions and 1-9 Cleveland Browns, Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis has to feel more comfortable knowing he can rely on Scott should Benson need more time to rest his hip injury.

Dan Parzych is the Cincinnati Bengals Examiner for Examiner.com

He is also the founder of WhoDeyBengals.com

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