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AFC north

Sporting News, The, Dec 23, 2005

BALTIMORE RAVENS

This appears to be QB Kyle Boller's last season in Baltimore. Coach Brian Billick, who no longer can defend Boller's mistakes and errant throws, also may be gone soon. Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz, a former Ravens offensive line coach, could be a leading candidate for Billick's job.... The Ravens have been taking a hard took at second-year RT Tony Pashos as Orlando Brown's 2006 replacement. Brown (back), placed on injured reserve last week, likely has played his final game for the team. Pashos has improved gradually, but, like Brown, he struggles in pass protection because he lacks speed. The Ravens likely will keep Pashos around to battle for a starting position in training camp. SEE A DIFFERENT GAME: The Ravens have some of the best talent ever assembled in a secondary but still blow a lot of coverages. It's not clear yet if the players aren't smart enough or the coaches don't teach well enough. The Ravens aren't aggressive in their coverages. They don't gamble, which is strange considering the group's athletic ability. Wide open receivers are evidence of communication problems.--Mike Preston

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CINCINNATI BENGALS

The absence of backup RB Chris Perry (ankle) could have a devastating impact because he's such a valuable receiver on third down. Without Perry, RB Rudi Johnson will be forced to carry the rushing load alone. The team also must consider using FB Jeremi Johnson in some short-yardage situations.... DT Shaun Smith has been a pleasant surprise filling in for Bryan Robinson (foot). Smith absorbs double-teams and pushes the pocket with his strength ... TE Reggie Kelly is running better routes, fighting hard to get open and showing more discipline as a blocker. He can catch passes in short-yardage situations but lacks the quickness and speed to get separation. SEE A DIFFERENT GAME: Jeremi Johnson is coach Marvin Lewis' unofficial timekeeper for when to start practice. Johnson always is the last player on the field--by design. His prepractice regimen never changes. He sits in the hot tub for 10 minutes, stretches, gets taped and gets focused. He takes longer than everyone on the team to get ready so that when he hits the field, he can go full speed.--Chick Ludwig

CLEVELAND BROWNS

WR Braylon Edwards (ACL) likely will miss 2006 minicamps and be hard-pressed to play in exhibition games. The team needs Edwards to regain as much of his leaping ability and speed as possible so he can return as an impact player. Dennis Northcutt is Edwards' replacement; he is shifty but lacks top-end speed and drops toe many bails.... The new regime considered ILB Ben Taylor little more than a stopgap for 2005 and believed he wasn't physical enough. But Taylor has played well in the 3-4 and might be a candidate to start in '06. He rarely is caught out of position, he has good tackling technique, and he carries out his assignments well enough to suit coach Romeo Crennel. SEE A DIFFERENT GAME: QB Charlie Frye's resourcefulness in the pocket can be traced to the freedom he was given in college. At Akron, he was allowed to change a play at any time before the snap and be creative after it. With Cleveland, he has to run the play called by coordinator Maurice Carthon, but he still is playing things by ear when setting up to pass.--Steve Doerschuk

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

RB Jerome Bettis has not gotten many carries this season--84 for 287 yards--so he's fresh, and the team should consider using him more. RB Willie Parker will remain the starter because of his big-play ability, but Bettis is effective this time of year because he maintains leverage on sloppy fields and takes advantage of his battering-ram style.... Pro Bowl LG Plan Faneca is effective because he rarely gets knocked off his feet on running plays. The team relies on him for several of its signature plays. Faneca is not only powerful at the point of attack, but he often will hit one player, keep his feet and take out another. SEE A DIFFERENT GAME: To keep players fresh and create confusion, the defense occasionally lines up OLBs Joey Porter and Clark Haggans as defensive tackles. This package works because the team usually blitzes out of it and there are several situational pass rushers on the field at one time. But the line generates very little pressure when it doesn't blitz in that package. Only LE Aaron Smith provides a legitimate pass rush.--Gerry Dulac

AFC north

Sporting News, The, Dec 23, 2005

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