AFC North: Week 4

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In the Hood: The AFC North - AFC North: Week 4

Posted On: 9/25/08

Written By:

Eric Buckner

Notable Quotables from week #3 in the AFC North:

"Right now, we're not a very good football team," Browns Head Coach Romeo Crennel said. "We're going to have to do a lot better or this thing's really going to get away from us."

“It felt great getting in twice,” Ravens running back Le’Ron McClain said. “Down there on the goal line, inside the 5, we said we have to score touchdowns. We told the coaches to run the ball.”

"It's definitely a tough situation, a situation we never envisioned ourselves being in," said Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer. "We got to keep coming together as a team. It may sound crazy but we have improved, but not enough."

"[The Eagles] had a great scheme," Steelers receiver Hines Ward said. "We didn't have all 11 guys on the same page. They had our whole offense confused at times."

AFC North
Team	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA	Home	Road	AFC	NFC	DIV	Streak
Baltimore	2	0	0	1.000	45	20	2-0	0-0	2-0	0-0	2-0	Won 2
Pittsburgh	2	1	0	.667	54	38	1-0	1-1	2-0	0-1	1-0	Lost 1
Cincinnati	0	3	0	.000	40	67	0-1	0-2	0-2	0-1	0-1	Lost 3
Cleveland	0	3	0	.000	26	66	0-2	0-1	0-2	0-1	0-2	Lost 3

Week 3 Scores in the AFC North

Baltimore 28 Cleveland 10

New York Giants 26 Cincinnati 23 OT

Philadelphia 15 Pittsburgh 6

Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore turned two of Derek Anderson's interceptions into a pair of touchdowns during a 50-second span of the third quarter, and the Ravens further damaged an already agonizing season for the Browns with their victory Sunday.

Ed Reed returned one of the interceptions 32 yards for a score, and Le'Ron McClain scored his first two NFL touchdowns on a pair of 1-yard runs -- both during a 21-point third quarter that enabled Baltimore to turn a 10-7 halftime deficit into an 18-point lead. Back from a knee injury, Willis McGahee rushed for 64 yards and a touchdown for the Ravens, who were forced to take last week off when Hurricane Ike postponed their game at Houston. Maybe it was the layoff, but Baltimore looked sluggish in falling behind 10-7 at halftime. But the Ravens took the lead for good by taking advantage of a turnover on the Browns' first possession of the third quarter. Kellen Winslow was hit by Ray Lewis while trying to catch a pass; and Chris McAlister plucked the ball from the air and took the interception to the Cleveland 12. Four plays later, McClain scored. Reed then stepped in front of tight end Steve Heiden, caught Anderson's pass and sprinted into the end zone for his fourth career interception return for a touchdown.

Cincinnati Bengals

Eli Manning threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Boss to seemingly give the New York Giants a 23-20 victory. However with 1:50 left on the game clock, Carson Palmer and the Bengals drove 71 yards and got a 21-yard field goal from Shayne Graham on the final play of regulation. A 17-yard pass from Carson Palmer to TJ Houshmandzadeh had provided Cincinnati with a 20-16 advantage before Boss put the Giants on top.

But Palmer drove the Bengals again, hitting Houshmandzadeh on passes of 20, 8, 16 and 9 yards to set up Graham's tying field goal. Graham also kicked field goals of 22 and 30 yards for the Bengals, who are 0-3 for the first time since 2003, coach Marvin Lewis' first season. Chris Perry, who rushed for 74 yards on 20 carries, also scored on a 25-yard run. On the day, Palmer was 27 of 39 for 286 yards. The Bengals, who scored a total of 17 points in losing to Baltimore and Tennessee, took a 13-10 halftime lead by scoring on their final three possessions of the half. The key to the success was Palmer's ability to hit quick swing passes, crossing patterns and flanker screens against an all-out pass rush that sacked him four times in the first half -- and six times overall.

Cleveland Browns

Derek Anderson had another trying day in an effort to generate some offense for Cleveland, which was picked by many to be a contender in the AFC North. Anderson went 14-for-37 for 125 yards, was sacked five times and threw three interceptions. “We didn't execute and pretty much gave them 14 points off turnovers," he said. "I'm just frustrated. I expect more out of myself."

The Browns have scored only two touchdowns in their three defeats. The last team to reach the playoffs after losing its first three games was the 1998 Buffalo Bills. D’Qwell Jackson’s pickoff set up a 19-yard touchdown pass from Anderson to Jerome Harrison on the first play of the second quarter. "In the second half we played poor football," Head Coach Romeo Crennel said. "We got penalties and gave them scores on turnovers." Asked about the 0-3 start, former Ravens running back Jamal Lewis (56 yards on 12 carries) said, "It's pathetic. I don't know what else to say." Anderson has yet to pass for 200 yards this season; he threw for at least 200 yards in 11 games last year. LB Shantee Orr left with a concussion in the third quarter and did not return.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Ben Roethlisberger had a bandage on his throwing hand and winced while dressing. Considering he was persistently chased, battered and stomped by the Philadelphia Eagles, the damage could've been worse.

A swarming Eagles D had nine sacks, forced a safety and got three turnovers in the defensive battle. Roethlisberger had no time to throw and Willie Parker couldn't find any room to run. Juqua Parker had 2½ sacks as the Eagles kept blitzing Roethlisberger, banged him around and eventually knocked him out of the game. Roethlisberger hurt his throwing hand on the last sack and was replaced by Byron Leftwich when the Steelers got the ball with just over two minutes left. Coach Mike Tomlin said X-rays on Roethlisberger's hand were negative and he's expected to play next week. "You've got to give it to them," Roethlisberger said. "They are a very good team. They got after us." Parker, who had 243 yards rushing in the first two games, was held to 20 yards on 13 carries. The Steelers have lost 8 in a row in Philadelphia dating back to 1965. Casey Hampton left with an injured groin and has been ruled out of the week 4 match-up with the Ravens. Willie Parker has a sprained left knee and has also been ruled out for the Ravens game.

Week 4 Match-ups and Predictions

Baltimore at Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh did not get into the red zone versus Philadelphia until its final drive. They did not have a play of 20 yards or more until there were less than 2 minutes left. The Eagles recorded 9 sacks in the contest. Baltimore sacked Ben Roethlisberger 3 times last season in his lone start versus the Ravens; in 2 starts in 2006 he was sacked 14 times. Baltimore has attempted 90 rushes in its first 2 games. Le’Ron McClain has rushed 36 times for 152 yards and 2 TD in 2 games. Ed Reed has returned 4 INT for TD in his career.

ITH PREDICTION – Pittsburgh 17 Baltimore 16

Cleveland at Cincinnati

Cleveland has scored 2 TD’s in 3 games this season. Dating back to last season they have averaged just 11.3 points in their last 6 games. Braylon Edwards has just 8 catches for 73 yards and no TD’s this season. Cincinnati RB Chris Perry has 60 carries in 3 games; he had 73 career carries entering the season. Chad Ocho Cinco has caught 8 passes for 88 yards and no TD’s this season.

Carson Palmer threw for more yards in week 3 (286) than he did in Cincinnati’s first 2 games combined (228).

ITH PREDICTION – Cincinnati 28 Cleveland 27

Last Week Record: 2 - 1

Season to Date: 6 – 2

Photo by Sabina Moran