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AFC north

Sporting News, The, Oct 25, 2004

BALTIMORE RAVENS

Rookie WR Clarence Moore has outstanding potential. He has great size (6-5, 211) and speed and often burns cornerbacks in practice. He must develop the upper-body strength needed to battle corners in press coverage, but he has great desire and attacks the ball when making catches.... The team wants to take advantage of PR R.J. Sams' explosiveness. He has scored a touchdown in each of the past two games and is averaging a league-best 14.8 yards per return. Look for the Ravens to use him more as a third-down back. DEFENSIVE SYSTEM CHECK: The defense is built to allow ILB Ray Lewis to roam free and make tackles sideline to sideline. But in the past two games, the Chiefs and Redskins were able to tie up Lewis. He doesn't fight off blocks as well as he used to, but there is something wrong with the scheme up front. The linemen no longer are occupying two blockers, which allows offenses to attack the defense straight on instead of running stretch plays.--Mike Preston

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CLEVELAND BROWNS

FS Earl Little needs to step it up or young Chris Crocker might get the starting nod. Little plays well in space, has a good short burst to the ball and prides himself on making interceptions. But his lack of bulk hurts him, and he struggles against the run. He doesn't have an interception through six games, which might show his quickness is eroding.... The return of RT Ryan Tucker, the team's best all-around offensive lineman, and DT Gerard Warren, the club's most talented defensive lineman, from three-game absences boosted the offense and defense in the win over Cincinnati. DEFENSIVE SYSTEM CHECK: The team figured to blitz more in coordinator Dave Campo's second season with the club, but that hasn't happened for the most part. Not taking chances with the 4-3 scheme got the Browns nowhere in the Week 5 loss to Pittsburgh; the conventional rush didn't make the Steelers nervous. There was more blitzing against the Bengals in Week 6, and that could continue. It would help.--Steve Doerschuk

CINCINNATI BENGALS

WR Chad Johnson is losing patience because QB Carson Palmer is having difficulty getting him the ball in the face of double coverage, and Johnson is dropping passes because he's pressing. Johnson is an elite player because he's a threat to score on any catch, but his focus and concentration need to improve.... RCB Tory James is anticipating well, getting a good break on the ball and showing fine ball skills. DEFENSIVE SYSTEM CHECK: The unit is in shambles. The linemen struggle to get aligned properly, the linebackers overpursue, and the defensive backs are out of position. DTs Tony Williams and John Thornton are getting sealed off by centerguard combination blocks. Linebackers moving in to fill the void are getting blocked by a guard or fullback. By the time the safeties react, the running back is into the secondary for a big gain. The inability to contain the run keeps opponents out of third-and-long situations. Worst of all, the tackling is poor.--Chick Ludwig

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

CB Chad Scott (knee) could be out for the season. He'll be replaced in the starting lineup by Willie Williams, who is not as fast or athletic as nickel back Rieard0 Colclough or CB Ike Taylor, but he figures to make fewer mental mistakes.... The loss of NT Casey Hampton (knee), also likely for the season, is a bigger blow because he was the heart of the team's run defense. Hampton often drew double-teams, creating space for ILBs James Farrior and Larry Foote to make tackles. The backup is Chris Hoke, who until this season never had played a snap in a regular-season game. Hake plays a different style than Hampton, relying more on quickness and hand speed to beat blocks. DEFENSIVE SYSTEM CHECK: The defense has been more aggressive under new coordinator Dick LeBeau, and that was one of the unit's objectives coming into the season. One of the ways LeBeau has instilled the new approach is with more blitz packages. The result: more sacks, pressures and takeaways.--Gerry Dulac

AFC north

Sporting News, The, Oct 25, 2004

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