Upon further review: Bengals

Revisiting the Cincinnati Bengals' 34-27 win over the Cleveland Browns at Paul Brown Stadium:

Bengals fans were scratching their heads this offseason when trying to decide who would be the Bengals' No. 2 target this season.

Was it going to be Armon Binns, Brandon Tate or Mohamed Sanu? Was tight end Jermaine Gresham going to step up this year? Everyone overlooked Andrew Hawkins. It's easy to do because he's 5-foot-7, 180 pounds.

Through the first two weeks of the season, Hawkins has emerged as the Bengals' top playmaking option next to A.J. Green. He might not be able to keep up this pace throughout the season, but he is certainly turning heads right now. As the Bengals' slot receiver, Hawkins leads the team in receiving yards (142) and ranks second to Green with 10 catches.

His shining moment came Sunday against the Browns when he caught a short pass from a scrambling Andy Dalton and zigzagged his way through the Cleveland defense for a 50-yard touchdown. It was the decisive score in the game because it answered a Browns' touchdown and put the Bengals ahead, 31-17, with 11 minutes to play.

Not too bad for a former CFL player who wasn't a lock to beat out Jordan Shipley for the slot receiver job this summer.

"Hawk is so talented when he's got the ball in his hands and when he's got some space," Dalton said. "For him, it's just getting him the ball -- find ways to get him in that space. That shows what kind of plays he can make and shows what kind of runs he can make after the catch."

STAT THAT STICKS: 5 -- Punt returns for touchdowns by Adam Jones in his six-year career. It might be time to have him field more punts. His last three returns have gone for 63 yards, 4 yards and the 81-yarder for a touchdown Sunday against Cleveland.

OVERHEARD: "We're really almost going to have to put [A.J. Green] on the sideline some and go to work. I think for the first time everybody realized that. People don't like to see 18 beating them on "SportsCenter." He had some great plays today, he's a very good player and we'll continue finding things to shake him clean." -- Head coach Marvin Lewis on defenses focusing on Green, who had 58 yards on seven catches.

WHAT'S AHEAD: The Bengals (1-1) head to Washington for the Redskins' home opener. The Redskins (1-1) are coming off a 31-28 loss at St. Louis.

18 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/54727/upon-further-review-bengals-13
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Upon further review: Ravens

Revisiting the Baltimore Ravens' 24-23 loss at the Philadelphia Eagles:

Ravens coach John Harbaugh said it's fair to question the play-calling. Actually, it would be hard not to do it.

The Ravens had five situations in the second half when they needed one or two yards to convert a third or fourth down. Every time, they threw the ball instead of handing it off to running back Ray Rice. Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco threw four incompletions and one interception.

The most debated decision was passing late on the final drive. Needing one yard for a first down, Flacco threw an incompletion to Dennis Pitta on third down and threw too high to Rice on fourth down. There was less than a minute remaining in the game, but the Ravens had two timeouts that they never did use.

"You could have called a draw or something there, but you know they were bringing some heat, and they were hugging the backs, too," Harbaugh said after the game. "You know what I mean … it was man coverage, so it would have been hit or miss. We tried some draws, we tried some traps, and even some passing situations, some second-and-longs, and we really weren't hitting that stuff either, so I think that's a fair thing to talk about."

Much of the blame will be placed on offensive coordinator Cam Cameron. But it's unknown whether Cameron called those plays or Flacco decided to check out of them at the line. Either way, in critical situations, the Ravens need to give the ball to the running back that they just gave $24 million guaranteed over the next five seasons.

"I am not the playcaller," Rice said. "I just do what I'm asked to do when my name is called. There were some times that we were third-and-short and I would have loved to see our fullback get some more calls. We have a great fullback in Vonta Leach and he can get us first downs."

STAT THAT STICKS: 1 -- Completion by Joe Flacco on seven attempts covering at least 15 yards downfield in the second half. It was a different story in the first half, when Flacco was 2 of 3 with a 21-yard touchdown pass on those throws.

OVERHEARD: "They play dirty. They take shots after the play, a lot of dirty stuff after plays. We weren't going to back down. We weren't going to take that. Anytime someone thinks they're a bully, you got to step up or they'll keep doing it." Leach on the Eagles.

WHAT'S AHEAD: The Ravens (1-1) face the New England Patriots (1-1) in a rematch of last season's AFC Championship Game. This time, however, the game will be played at M&T Bank Stadium, where Baltimore has won 12 straight.

18 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/54725/upon-further-review-ravens-12
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Upon further review: Steelers

Revisiting the Pittsburgh Steelers' 27-10 win over the New York Jets on Sunday at Heinz Field:

When Mike Wallace reported to the Steelers after missing all of the offseason workouts, training camp and the preseason, the big question was how long it would take the Pro Bowl wide receiver to pick up Todd Haley's new offense. Based on his play in the first two weeks of the season, Wallace has proven to be a fast learner.

Wallace has looked just as quick as last year and has run crisp routes. Even though he doesn't lead the Steelers in catches or yards (Antonio Brown currently does), Wallace has scored touchdowns in his first two games, including the decisive one Sunday against the Jets. On third-and-16, Wallace leapt in the air in front of cornerback Antonio Cromartie and somehow got his feet down inbounds on the right side of the end zone for a 37-yard score.

It put the Steelers ahead, 20-10, in the third quarter, and it more importantly showed that Wallace had no rust after being away from the team for seven months. This marked Wallace's 16th career touchdown catch that covered at least 30 yards.

For the season, Wallace has nine catches for 111 yards. That pales in comparison to his fast start last year, when he had 16 catches for 233 yards and one touchdown after two games. But Wallace's production is probably more than what many were expecting from Wallace after his lengthy holdout.

Wallace acknowledged that his numbers would be better if he had showed up for training camp. "I think I'm moving in the right direction and I'm helping my team," Wallace told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

STAT THAT STICKS: 56.3 -- Percent of Ben Roethlisberger's passes completed under duress or hit while throwing since the start of last season, the highest percentage in the league.

OVERHEARD: "This is sacred ground here at Heinz Field. It's a very tough place for opponents to come in and play." Defensive end Brett Keisel told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette after the Steelers won their 10th straight home opener.

WHAT'S AHEAD: The Steelers (1-1) travel to face an AFC West team for the second time in three weeks when they play at Oakland (0-2), which managed one touchdown in a 22-point loss at Miami on Sunday.

17 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/54723/upon-further-review-steelers-16
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Upon further review: Browns

Revisiting the Cleveland Browns' 34-27 loss at the Cincinnati Bengals:

In the season-opening loss against the Eagles, the Browns defense played well enough to win and the offense flopped. In the Week 2 loss at Cincinnati, Cleveland's offense broke out with rookies Trent Richardson and Brandon Weeden while the defense and special teams faltered.

Unlike last season, the Browns have already shown potential on both sides of the ball. The challenge for Cleveland is to put together a complete game.

Even though the Browns dropped to 0-2, there is renewed optimism in the Browns offense, which ranked 29th in the NFL last season. Richardson recorded his first 100-yard rushing game, and Weeden cracked 300 yards passing for the first time. The Browns scored 27 or more points for the first time since Week 2 of last season.

But these impressive performances by these first-round rookies didn't result in a win because the defense gave up three touchdowns through the air and the special teams allowed an 81-yard punt return for a touchdown (there were six players who missed an opportunity to tackle Adam Jones).

"Defensively we let the guys down today," linebacker Scott Fujita said. "It was nice to see T-Rich get a little swagger and see his big-play ability and breaking tackle. But we gave up 34 and that's not acceptable."

STAT THAT STICKS: 8 -- Total points that the Browns have lost by in their first two games. Last season, Cleveland's average margin of defeat was 8.7 points.

OVERHEARD: "If you ask any team in the NFL if they go into a game without their two starting cornerbacks, it's gonna be pretty difficult. The two guys, they start for a reason. It's because they're the best cornerbacks on the team." Strong safety T.J. Ward after the Browns allowed three passing touchdowns without Joe Haden (suspended) and Sheldon Brown (neck stinger).

WHAT'S AHEAD: The Browns (0-2) return home to play the Buffalo Bills (1-1), who are coming off a 35-17 rout of the Kansas City Chiefs. Cleveland has started 0-3 in three of the past four seasons.

17 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/54720/upon-further-review-browns-9
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Wake-up: Already tight at top of AFC North

Trying to decipher the Week 2 results in the AFC North is like trying to decode the Rosetta Stone. Well, at least Ben Roethlisberger knows what I mean. The Steelers won despite not having James Harrison and Troy Polamalu. The Ravens lost even though the Eagles turned the ball over three times in the red zone. The Browns lost a game in which rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden threw for 322 yards and didn't throw an interception. The Bengals won even though they allowed a Browns rookie to gain 100 yards rushing against them for the first time in nine years.

What does this all mean? The season starts at Square One for nearly everyone in the division. The Ravens, Steelers and Bengals are tied with a 1-1 record. The Browns (0-2) have put up more of a fight this year, but they're still last after their 11th straight AFC North loss.

BENGALS: Middle linebacker Rey Maualuga talked to Browns running back Trent Richardson after the game and told reporters that his earlier remark (he described Richardson's debut last week as "nothing spectacular") was was never intended to be "a hit" on the rookie. "He's a great player," Maualuga said, via the Cincinnati Enquirer. "That's what they didn't put on there, the good things I said about him. And so, you know, he came out. He made a statement. He had a good game." Richardson totaled 145 yards and two touchdowns against the Bengals. My guess is Maualuga will only have compliments about Redskins running back Alfred Morris, who faces Cincinnati next Sunday.

BROWNS: The Plain Dealer's Bud Shaw believes Weeden should have won over many critics even in defeat. "Weeden's age and first-round draft status make fast-tracking him mandatory. Sunday's performance -- 322 yards passing, two touchdowns, no interceptions or fumbles -- cleared the way for that to continue," Shaw wrote. "After witnessing the nadir, everyone involved -- fans, coaches, teammates -- are less stressed today for having seen the possibilities." Just as many wanted to bench Weeden after his dismal debut, no one should think Weeden is suddenly over the hump after a successful Week 2 performance. There's still a lot of growing to do.

RAVENS: The Baltimore Sun's Mike Preston said the play-calling was the most disappointing aspect of the Ravens' loss at Philadelphia. "Oh my, we're still looking for [Ray] Rice," Preston wrote. "Did he have a cold or virus? The entire offense was a no-show in the second half against Philadelphia, and when that happens, the Ravens should go back to old reliable. It should have been be Rice time." Rice finished with 22 touches, but he didn't get the ball on the Ravens' final drive.

STEELERS: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Ron Cook thinks the play of safety Ryan Clark was key to shutting down the Jets on Sunday. "He made plays just about every way a defensive player can," Cook wrote. "Rushing the passer? Check. Stopping the run? Check. Breaking up a deep pass? Check. Dishing out brutal hits? By now, after watching the man play here for six-plus seasons, you know that's a check." What shouldn't be overlooked is the fact that the Steelers' last two losses (both at Denver) came when Clark couldn't play.

17 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/54709/wake-up-already-tight-at-top-of-afc-north
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Steelers lose players, not physical identity

Not only were the Pittsburgh Steelers without two former NFL Defensive Players of the Year, they were without two players who have defined their defense. The reason why Pittsburgh avoided an 0-2 start is the Steelers didn't make excuses and they didn't lose their physical identity.

The Steelers beat the New York Jets, 27-10, at Heinz Field. Correct that, the Steelers beat up the Jets. Pittsburgh shut down the Jets offense, holding New York to 219 total yards. The Steelers defense knocked around the Jets running backs and nearly knocked out Shonn Greene. The aggressive press coverage took out New York's wide receivers for the final three quarters. The Steelers were the hungrier team, and that showed in how they swarmed to the ball carriers and delivered shots to the receivers.

It's easy to put an asterisk by the Steelers' defensive effort because it came against Mark Sanchez. There's no argument that it was a bigger challenge to stop Peyton Manning last week than Sanchez on Sunday. But this was the same Jets offense that put up 34 points against the Bills a week ago.

The toughness of the Steelers defense came through in how it rebounded from its first two drives in which it allowed 10 points and 151 total yards. When the Jets marched down the field to go ahead 10-6 in the second quarter, there had to be some thoughts of how the Steelers defense struggled without Troy Polamalu in 2009. But, for the rest of the game, it was Sanchez who doubted his every move.

"We settled down," Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor told reporters after the game. "I think everybody was hyped for this game. Looking at what them boys did last week, they handled their business on offense."

Over the final eight drives, the Steelers allowed seven first downs and three of them were off Pittsburgh penalties. The Jets managed to cross midfield only twice in that span, and the closest New York got to the end zone was the Pittsburgh 30-yard line. And this is against a Steelers defense that didn't have two players who have combined for 12 career Pro Bowls.

Without Polamalu and James Harrison, the Steelers don't present the same fear or unpredictability. Quarterbacks are always aware of Harrison breathing down their necks and Polamalu roaming along the line of scrimmage. Teams aren't sweating the likes of linebacker Chris Carter and safety Ryan Mundy. The biggest disappointment in the defense was the lack of game-changing plays. There were no interceptions or forced fumbles. There were only two sacks. This was the hole in the NFL's top-ranked defense's game last year.

But the Steelers' physical play on defense did make an impact, even if it didn't officially go down as a sack. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Sanchez started the game by completing 4 of his first 5 passes for 80 yards and a touchdown. Then, after a roughing the passer penalty from Steelers linebacker Lawrence Timmons with 13:51 remaining in 2nd quarter, Sanchez went 6 of 22 for 58 yards.

What it's impossible to take away from this defense is its results, or the lack of results from the Jets. Take away Tim Tebow's 22-yard run, and Pittsburgh limited the Jets to 3.2 yards per carry. It looked like Mundy had knocked out Greene from the game after one shot in the first half. The Steelers roughed up the Jets' wide receivers, which is why Sanchez was 1 of 7 on third downs in the second half and why Santonio Holmes had one catch in the final three quarters.

The Pittsburgh defense rubbed off on its offense in the fourth quarter. The Steelers running backs broke tackle after tackle as the offense took 10 minutes, 13 seconds off the clock. It did seem like old times for the Steelers as quarterback Ben Roethlisberger shrugged off blitzers and wide receiver Mike Wallace caught a long touchdown pass.

Even the Steelers defense was back to its stingy ways. Pittsburgh knows it's better (and yes, older) with Polamalu and Harrison. But after playing their first game without both of them in the lineup, the Steelers know they can do more than survive. They have enough punch left to thrive.

 

17 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/54678/steelers-lose-players-not-physical-identity
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Flacco was right to rip replacement refs

Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco is going to make headlines across the country for ripping the replacement referees. The league shouldn't fine him for his comments. The NFL needs to listen to him.

"The NFL and everybody always talk about the integrity of the game. I think this is kind of along those lines," Flacco said after the Ravens' 24-23 loss at Philadelphia. "Not to say these guys are doing a bad job, but the fact that we don't have the normal guys out there is pretty crazy."

Flacco said he hates complaining because he doesn't want to "sound like a baby." But Flacco's criticism of the replacement officials is warranted. In fact, I wish other players would follow suit. Flacco is only saying what most fans and reporters are thinking.

The replacement referees lost control of the Ravens-Eagles game early and often. There was shoving. There were fights. It was obvious that the players had no respect for any man with a whistle. It was hard for anyone to take the replacement refs seriously when they couldn't keep track of timeouts and had two two-minute warnings in the fourth quarter. The officials took forever to sort out calls, which is why the game lasted 3 hours, 38 minutes.

The most debated call was the offensive pass interference penalty on Ravens wide receiver Jacoby Jones on a touchdown catch that would've put Baltimore ahead, 27-17, with 5:29 remaining. If anything, it looked like defensive pass interference on Nnamdi Asomugha, who never turned to face the ball. It only made matters worse when the official didn't throw a flag. He mistakenly tossed out his blue beanie.

I'm not suggesting the referees cost the Ravens the game. Flacco's second-half flop (8 of 25 passing) and the Ravens' suspect play calling (throwing the ball on third and fourth downs when they needed one yard on the final drive) played just as big of a factor in Baltimore's first loss of the season.

But the replacement referees are impacting games in a very negative way. There were more embarrassing calls in the Steelers-Jets game (like Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor getting called for interference when he never touched Santonio Holmes). As Flacco said, this is affecting the integrity of the game. This situation isn't getting any better. It's only getting worse.

17 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/54700/flacco-was-right-to-rip-replacement-refs
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Wrap-up: Steelers 27, Jets 10

Thoughts on the Pittsburgh Steelers' 27-10 win over the New York Jets on Sunday at Heinz Field.

What it means: The Steelers avoided their first 0-2 start in a decade and moved into a first-place tie with the Ravens and Bengals, all of whom are 1-1. The Pittsburgh defense didn't just show it could survive without two former NFL Defensive Players of the Year, linebacker James Harrison and safety Troy Polamalu, the Steelers proved they could dominate without them, holding the Jets to 219 total yards.

Roethlisberger looks like Roethlisberger: A week after throwing an interception returned for a touchdown, Ben Roethlisberger looked like his old self in the home opener. The Jets were successful in getting pressure on Roethlisberger, but he did his trademark moves to shrug off defenders and complete passes downfield. Connecting with 10 players, Roethlisberger was 24 of 31 for 275 yards and two touchdowns.

Rude homecoming for Holmes: It looked like Santonio Holmes was going to get the better of his former team when the Jets wide receiver caught a 14-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter. That was one of the last times anyone heard from Holmes. Shadowed by Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor, Holmes had one catch in the final three quarters. Taylor was flagged for pass interference in the second half, but he never touched Holmes. It was an embarrassing call by the replacement referees.

Closing it out: The Steelers never abandoned the running game even though they had good reason to do so. After getting very little out of the ground game for three quarters, Pittsburgh ran the ball eight times for 31 yards in a marathon fourth-quarter drive that took 10 minutes, 13 seconds off the clock. It was the longest drive in terms of time for the Steelers in five years. Isaac Redman broke several tackles on that grind-it-out series, including the two-yard touchdown run. Pittsburgh dominated time of possession, 36:36 to 23:14.

What's next: The Steelers make their second trip to an AFC West opponent in the first three weeks of the season, traveling to Oakland. The Raiders are 0-2 for the first time since 2007.

17 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/54673/wrap-up-steelers-27-jets-10
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Halftime update: Steelers-Jets

Here are some observations from the first half of the Steelers-Jets game:

• Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is hurting the Jets on short passes. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Roethlisberger was 8 of 9 for 93 yards on passes 10 yards or shorter. He hit Heath Miller on a one-yard touchdown pass late in the second quarter, putting Pittsburgh ahead, 13-10.

• The Steelers need to get Jonathan Dwyer more involved in the second half. Isaac Redman was tackled behind the line on half of his six carries.

• Former Seelers wide receiver Santonio Holmes made his mark in his return to Pittsburgh. He beat Ike Taylor for a 14-yard touchdown in the first quarter.

• Steelers safety Ryan Mundy, who is filling in for Troy Polamalu, knocked running back Shonn Greene temporarily out of the game. Greene went to the locker room with a head injury but returned to start the second half.

17 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/54666/halftime-update-steelers-jets
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Wrap up: Eagles 24, Ravens 23

Thoughts on the Baltimore Ravens' 24-23 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.

What it means: For the third straight season, the Ravens fell to 1-1 after failing to follow up a strong performance in the season opener. Baltimore, which never trailed in the second half, couldn't stop Michael Vick on a third-and-goal, 1-yard sneak that put the Eagles ahead with 1:55 remaining. On their final drive, the Ravens never crossed midfield as Joe Flacco went 2 of 6, including an incompletion to Ray Rice on fourth down. It closed out a game filled with fights, turnovers and Eagles injuries.

Flacco falters: Flacco had a strong six quarters to begin the season, but he struggled mightily in the second half. He was 8 of 25 for 140 yards after halftime. It started with his first drive in the third quarter, when he was intercepted throwing into triple coverage. Flacco's best throw, a touchdown pass to Jacoby Jones, was negated by a questionable offensive pass interference penalty.

Tucker's strong leg: Justin Tucker delivered three long kicks: 56, 51 and 48 yards. His 56-yarder before halftime was four yards longer than his career best in college. Last season, then-Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff was 1 of 6 on kicks beyond 50 yards.

Slipping at goal line: The Ravens came up with three turnovers in the red zone, including an interception by Bernard Pollard (who was later injured and didn't return) in the end zone and a forced fumble by Lardarius Webb. But Baltimore couldn't make critical stops at the goal line. Two of the Eagles' touchdowns came from 1 yard out, including Vick's game-winner.

What's next: The Ravens play their second prime-time game when they play host to the New England Patriots on Sunday night. It's a rematch of last season's AFC championship game. But wide receiver Lee Evans and Cundiff are no longer on the Ravens. The Patriots were upset at home by the Arizona Cardinals, 20-18, on Sunday.

17 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/54653/wrap-up-ravens-eagles
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