| AFC North | ||||||||||||
| Team | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA | Home | Road | AFC | NFC | DIV | Streak |
| Baltimore | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 86 | 33 | 2-0 | 2-0 | 3-0 | 1-0 | 1-0 | Won 4 |
| Cincinnati | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 | 98 | 85 | 1-1 | 2-0 | 3-1 | 0-0 | 2-0 | Lost 1 |
| Pittsburgh | 1 | 2 | 0 | .333 | 48 | 54 | 1-1 | 0-1 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 0-1 | Lost 2 |
| Cleveland | 1 | 3 | 0 | .250 | 69 | 89 | 0-2 | 1-1 | 1-2 | 0-1 | 0-2 | Won 1 |
Baltimore Ravens (4-0)
Who would have believed a 4-0 start would occur for the Ravens?… The first time ever… Remarkable performance by a defense that has been golden in the second half of 4 games… The Ravens have outscored their opponents by a combined 43-3 in the second half… Clutch performances by the offense in back-to-back games featuring game winning scores in the last minute of each contest… The offense has looked anemic at times, yet how scary can the Ravens be if the offense begins to play to its potential?…Let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves yet, but there’s no denying that this team has a "special" look about it…
The Ravens uncharacteristically failed to muster a decent rushing attack picking up only 56 yards on 21 carries against a Chargers defense that was determined to take the running game away… Hats off to OT Jonathan Ogden who completely neutralized LB Shawne Merriman on Sunday… LB Bart Scott continues to play at a Pro Bowl level with a key interception that turned the game’s momentum in the first half with an INT from QB Phillip Rivers… I miss the old Ray Ray dance with the Nelly tune in the background, the toned-down version did nothing for me… Thank goodness for "Marty-ball", The Ravens may have been in trouble if he would have opened it up in the second half… The Chargers were able to register a solid rushing attack, mainly in the first half. For the game they picked up 150 yards on 41 carries. Is there such a thing as running the ball too much? Yes, that’s "Marty-ball"…QB Steve McNair was 17 for 30 for 158 yards, 2 TDs and 2 INTs… The team used all of its timeouts in the 3rd quarter leaving them with no ability to stop the clock in the final drive of the game except for the 2:00 minute warning…
Cincinnati Bengals (3-1)
The Bengals were beaten rather soundly at home by the New England Patriots by the score of 38-13… As ITH suggested in last week’s column, the Bengals are vulnerable to a team that can rush the football without starting LB Odell Thurman and LB David Pollack, both of whom are out for the year (suspension and injury respectively)… The Bengals defense yielded 236 rushing yards on 41 carries by RB Lawrence Maroney and RB Corey Dillon… Palmer was hit repeatedly, sacked four times and lost a pair of second-half fumbles that set up touchdowns and turned the game into a blowout… Palmer was 20-of-35 for 245 yards in his least-productive showing since his return from a major knee injury… “It’s tough to say after a loss like this, but hopefully well be able to look back in a month or two and say we needed this,” Palmer said. “I don’t know if we were too cocky or too confident, but I know this is a team that we should’ve beat. Hopefully, we’ll get another shot at them. I know if we play our best football, we can beat them.”…
Bengals WR Chris Henry was inactive, punishment for his latest off-field incident. Henry, one of six Bengals arrested in the last nine months, was a passenger in a vehicle stopped early Monday morning. Linebacker Odell Thurman, who was behind the wheel, was charged with drunken driving and was suspended by the NFL for the remainder of the 2006 season… RB Rudi Johnson was limited to 65 yards on 14 carries…
Cleveland Browns (1-3)
The Browns rallied from 18 points down and won for the first time this season, 24-21 over the Oakland Raiders on Sunday… QB Charlie Frye threw for 3 TD passes to lead the comeback effort, but almost repeated his problem from a week before by throwing a costly interception late in the game that the Raiders failed to capitalize on…With Cleveland leading by three points, Frye led the Browns down to the 6 before throwing an ill-advised ball across the field that was intercepted by DB Nnamdi Asomugha with 3:58 left… "I thought it was a bonehead play by me,” Frye said. "I forced it. That was a no-no that late in the game.”… RB Reuben Droughns ran for 100 yards on 25 carries for Cleveland after missing last week’s game with a shoulder injury…
Cleveland’s two first-half scores came after long kickoff returns by KR Joshua Cribbs….A 65-yard return set up K Phil Dawson’s 28-yard field goal, and after Jordan’s touchdown run, Cribbs took the kick back 53 yards. That led to Frye’s 2-yard pass to former ravens TE Darnell Dinkins that cut it to 21-10 with 58 seconds left in the half… Frye then completed TD passes to WR Joe Jurevicius and TE Kellen Winslow, the former coming after a 58 yard punt return by WR Dennis Northcutt…Cleveland played much of the game without its two starting CBs. Gary Baxter (injured chest muscle) was inactive and Leigh Bodden left late in the first quarter with an injured ankle…"We feel fortunate to come out of here with a win,” Browns coach Romeo Crennel said…
Pittsburgh Steelers (1-2)
The Steelers were idle this week.
Week 5 Predictions
Cincinnati is idle this week.
Baltimore at Denver
The Broncos seem to have problems with physical football teams from the AFC North. The Ravens also have historically played well in front of a national TV audience. They will also remember last year’s close call in Denver that resulted in a 12-10 loss in a game that was theirs for the taking. Which team do you suppose improved more since 2005? You’re right.
Baltimore 24 Denver 13
Cleveland at Carolina
The Browns were fortunate to have taken last week’s game from the Raiders. They were the beneficiaries of rather poor special teams play by the silver and black. They won’t be so fortunate in their second straight road game facing a Panthers team that is beginning to find its stride.
Carolina 30 Cleveland 9
Pittsburgh at San Diego
The Chargers return home licking their wounds after a gut wrenching defeat at the hands of the Ravens. The Chargers were able to run against the Ravens defense at times, especially early on in the game. Will Marty Schottenheimer allow QB Phillip Rivers to throw the ball this time? The Steelers come off of their bye week desperate for a win to keep pace in the AFC North. Look for them to continue to build on their running game, which was successful against the Bengals. If QB Ben Roethlisberger is healthy, he should have success against a Chargers secondary that looks like it may be prone to giving up yards. Last year the Steelers won this match-up on a late field goal. They will have an easier go of it this time around.
Pittsburgh 27 San Diego 10
ITH Record
Last week: 2-1
Overall: 8-4
