| Team | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA | Home | Road | AFC | NFC | DIV | Streak |
| Baltimore | 9 | 2 | 0 | .818 | 249 | 147 | 5-1 | 4-1 | 6-1 | 3-1 | 3-0 | Won 5 |
| Cincinnati | 6 | 5 | 0 | .545 | 277 | 233 | 2-3 | 4-2 | 4-3 | 2-2 | 3-1 | Won 2 |
| Pittsburgh | 4 | 7 | 0 | .364 | 239 | 254 | 3-2 | 1-5 | 3-6 | 1-1 | 1-2 | Lost 1 |
| Cleveland | 3 | 8 | 0 | .273 | 170 | 238 | 1-5 | 2-3 | 2-6 | 1-2 | 0-4 | Lost 2 |
Baltimore Ravens (9-2)
The Ravens had their most complete game at home versus the Pittsburgh Steelers in their long standing rivalry by dominating the game from start to finish in a 27-0 shutout. The offense had instant success scoring on its first drive moving 56 yards on 6 plays culminating with at QB Steve McNair TD pass to TE Todd Heap. Baltimore gained field position after a series of punts and scored again on 8 plays with RB Jamal Lewis punishing Steelers defenders to go up 14-0. Lewis ran for 66 yards and a TD and Heap had 7 catches for 58 yards and a score. McNair was 18 for 24 for 140 yards before being replaced by QB Kyle Boller with a little over 10 minutes to go. The defense had its most dominating performance ever against the Steelers limiting their rushing attack to just 21 net yards and sacked QB Ben Roethlisberger 9 times tying a team high for sacks in a game. The sacks included a flattening of Roethlisberger by LB Bart Scott who came in unabated with a driving hit to the QB’s chest which left him breathless on the turf. Baltimore is 5-0 since Brian Billick fired Offensive Coordinator Jim Fassel and began calling plays on his own.
Cincinnati Bengals (6-5)
The Bengals won their second straight on the road by shutting out the Cleveland Browns 30-0 to remain 3 games behind the Ravens in the AFC North title race. Picking off QB Charlie Frye 4 times, the Bengals recorded their first shutout since 1989, a span of 269 games. QB Carson Palmer threw 3 TD passes and finished 25 of 32 for 275 yards completing 2 of his TD throws to WR Chris Henry. The Bengals made it look easy from the outset, scoring on three of their first four possessions in opening a 17-0 halftime lead. With very ample time to throw, Palmer picked apart Cleveland’s injury-depleted secondary. He went 16 of 20 for 175 yards in the opening half as the Bengals racked up 15 first downs and only punted once. Palmer, though, was more impressed by Cincinnati’s defense, which held the Browns to 203 yards and forced five turnovers. "The defense was huge," he said. "They got us fired up. We were jumping around with every turnover. Our defense has taken a lot of criticism, so for them to get this shutout is huge. I can’t remember when we got a shutout."
Cleveland Browns (3-8)
The Browns solidified their hold on the AFC North basement as a result of their embarrasing home loss to the Bengals. "This is pretty low," said coach Romeo Crennel, 9-18 in two seasons with Cleveland. "Last year I was pretty low, too. I wasn’t really expecting this." About the only positive for the Browns was keeping WR Chad Johnson out of the end zone. Cincinnati’s fun-loving playmaker had promised to leap into Cleveland’s notorious Dawg Pound to celebrate his score. That didn’t happen, but Johnson finished with seven catches for 123 yards, giving him 573 in the past three games. "I don’t think this game was so much easy as we executed," Johnson said. "We took what they gave us. We just came in and got a win." Following an interception, Edwards approached Frye and the two exchanged words. At one point, a heated Edwards grabbed Frye by his jersey and teammates moved in between them to calm things down. Edwards continued to rant about something as Frye turned his back and walked back to the bench. Edwards didn’t make any friends with his comments, and his latest antics could cause a rift with Browns fans and Frye, who was sacked four times and roughed up all afternoon.
Pittsburgh Steelers (4-7)
It was Pittsburgh’s most lopsided defeat since a 37-7 whipping by Dallas in the 1997 season opener. "A very pitiful performance out there today," Steelers coach Bill Cowher said. "Where we go from here is we’ve got to line up and play this thing out. It starts next week." The Steelers had won two straight following a 2-6 start, but their resurgence was emphatically squelched by their bitter archrival, who got all the points they needed with a touchdown on their opening possession. It was the second time this year that the Steelers were shut out; the last time Pittsburgh was blanked at least twice in a season was in 1989. QB Ben Roethlisberger had this to say about the big sack by LB Bart Scott, "That’s probably the hardest I’ve ever been hit in my life. I didn’t see the guy coming."He hit me clean, hit me front side and I just kind of remember my head hitting the ground.’ "They got after it. You can’t get mad at the line; they did a good job," Roethlisberger said. "There were so many things they had to pick up." After a while, the only thing Roethlisberger could do was try to find a place to hide.
PREDICTIONS:
Baltimore (9-2) at Cincinnati (6-5)
The Bengals return home after 2 victories on the road and need this game to have any opportunity at all to win the division title. A victory by the Ravens would sew up that title as the tiebreakers are in the Ravens favor if they would lose their remaining games and the Bengals win out. The Bengals have racked up big yardage against the Saints and the Browns, but the Ravens defense is a completely different animal. The Ravens appear to have their rushing attack cranked up with a well rested Jamal Lewis, and that could be troublesome for the Bengals unless they can get ahead of the Ravens early on. Once again, RB Rudi Johnson will be a major barometer to watch if the Bengals are to succeed. Remember when WR TJ Houshmandzadeh proclaimed that the Bengals were better than the Ravens and that the Ravens know it? The Ravens haven’t forgotten.
Baltimore 27 Cincinnati 17
Kansas City (7-4) at Cleveland (3-8)
You would think that the Browns would have gotten a couple of wins with 3 straight games at home, but instead they’re looking down the barrel of a 3rd straight loss. The Chiefs are a legitimate playoff contender and are coming off a big win at home versus the Broncos with an additional 2 days of rest before traveling to Cleveland. They are also getting injured players healthy and returned to the field. The Browns are moving in the opposite direction, and appear to be on the edge of the cliff and the Chiefs should be able to push them over. After playing well for almost a month, the Browns have returned to their mistake-prone ways.
Kansas City 30 Cleveland 10
Tampa Bay (3-8) at Pittsburgh (4-7)
Both teams are coming off of very large defeats, with the Buccaneers a bit more rested after being pasted by the Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day. The Steelers do return home after 2 road games and ITH can’t imagine a scenario whereby they lose at home to the Bucs. Cowher will reach into the hearts of the Steelers for whatever pride remains from the defending champs, and handle the Bucs at home this Sunday.
Pittsburgh 29 Tampa Bay 10
Last Week: 1 – 1
Season to date: 20 – 16
PROGRAMMING NOTE: Join the GAMETIME crew, Ravens mascot Poe, Ravens cheerleaders and other surprises at Della Rose’s Avenue Tavern in White Marsh prior to the Ravens @ the Bengals on Thursday Nov. 30 at 6:30PM. There will be authentic autographed memorabilia given away and there is a free sign up for a Toyota raffle — the prize being a brand new 2007 Yaris!
