| AFC North | ||||||||||||
| Team | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA | Home | Road | AFC | NFC | DIV | Streak |
| Baltimore | 12 | 3 | 0 | .800 | 334 | 194 | 6-1 | 6-2 | 9-2 | 3-1 | 5-1 | Won 3 |
| Cincinnati | 8 | 7 | 0 | .533 | 356 | 308 | 4-3 | 4-4 | 6-5 | 2-2 | 4-1 | Lost 2 |
| Pittsburgh | 7 | 8 | 0 | .467 | 330 | 298 | 5-3 | 2-5 | 4-7 | 3-1 | 2-3 | Lost 1 |
| Cleveland | 4 | 11 | 0 | .267 | 232 | 342 | 2-6 | 2-5 | 3-8 | 1-3 | 0-6 | Lost 3 |
Baltimore Ravens (12-3)
The Baltimore Ravens trounced the Pittsburgh Steelers for the 2nd time in 2006 by the score of 31-7. The victory marked the 1st time in team history that the team was able to sweep the season series with their division rivals. With the Colts loss to the Texans, the Ravens now hold the 2nd seed in the AFC playoff bracket, which would give them a bye in the opening round if the team defeats the Buffalo Bills this Sunday.
The Ravens were able to overcome 3 turnovers, which will ususally get you beat on the road. QB Steve McNair connected on 21 of 31 pass attempts for 256 yards 3 TDs and 2 INTs. RB Jamal Lewis pounded out 77 yards on 24 carries and scored the game’s final TD. WR Mark Clayton contributed big with 108 receiving yards and a TD.
The defense was once again dominating picking up 5 sacks of QB Ben Roethlisberger and had 2 interceptions, 1 each from S Dawan Landry and S Ed Reed. "We’re in a prime position to get home-field advantage," LB Ray Lewis said. The way we’re playing defense and the way our offense is clicking, we’re going to be a hard team to beat in the playoffs." McNair is 10-4 against Pittsburgh. The Steelers were 2 of 14 on third downs, with both conversions coming on penalties, and 3 of 26 against Baltimore this season.
Cincinnati Bengals (8-7)
The Cincinnati Bengals lost their 2nd straight game on the road, this time to the Denver Broncos by the score of 24-23 as the team botched the snap on an extra point attempt that would have tied the game with 46 seconds remaining. Instead, the Bengals have now lost control of their wild card playoff position needing to win against the Steelers on Sunday and hoping that the Jets are upset by the Raiders; or a Broncos loss (vs. 49ers) and a Chiefs win (vs. Jaguars). The Bengals lost for the eighth straight time in Denver despite big games from WR TJ Houshmandzadeh (nine catches, 94 yards) and RB Rudi Johnson (30 carries, 129 yards and a TD). QB Carson Palmer, who played with a sore passing shoulder, completed 21 of 40 passes for 209 yards. "My shoulder was fine. I felt fine. I felt great," Palmer said. "I just didn’t play great." Neither did WR Chad Johnson, who got the better of CB Champ Bailey in a game in 2004 when he caught seven passes for 149 yards and one score. This time, "Ocho Cinco" had three catches for 32 yards. "The first half might have been my worst first half ever," he said. "I dropped a ball, I lose a ball on the fumble. It didn’t play out the way it should have played out."
Cleveland Browns (4-11)
The Cleveland Browns were defeated at home rather soundly by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 22-7 on Sunday. The victory by Tampa was its 1st on the road in the 2006 season. QB Derek Anderson was picked off 4 times, once by LB Derrick Brooks who scored a TD, and finished the game 10 of 27 for 123 yards. Anderson, filling in for the 3rd consecutive week for injured starter Charlie Frye, completed nearly as many passes to Tampa Bay’s defense as he did to his receivers, who dropped several balls. He separated his right shoulder in the 4th quarter when he got sacked and DT Chris Hovan landed on him. QB Ken Dorsey came in and was sacked on his first play.
"I made some stupid mistakes," Anderson said. "It’s frustrating. We felt good going in, but we never got it going."
One of Cleveland’s only positives was RB Reuben Droughns who gained 92 yards on 19 carries. Browns DE Kamerion Wimbley’s two sacks gave him 10, the most by a Cleveland rookie. WR Braylon Edwards, whose attitude and behavior has irked coach Romeo Crennel, didn’t start for undisclosed reasons and finished with two catches for 7 yards.
Pittsburgh Steelers (7-8)
The Pittsburgh Steelers ran into a dominant Ravens defense as they lost 31-7 at home on Sunday. If this was Bill Cowher’s last home game as Steelers coach, and there is a possibility it was, his players didn’t throw much of a going-away party. With QB Ben Roethlisberger (156 yards passing, two interceptions) and RB Willie Parker (29 yards on 13 carries) again having rough afternoons against the NFL’s top defense, the Steelers (7-8) became the first defending Super Bowl champions since the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2002 to miss the playoffs.
"We just didn’t play the way we played last year," WR Hines Ward said, pointing to a season-long problem with turnovers — 35, including three more in Week 16. "You never give yourself a chance to win when you turn it over."
The Steelers tried to rally by winning five of six following a 2-6 start, but now can finish no better than 8-8 — the same record they had in 1980, the year after they won the fourth and last of the Super Bowls under coach Chuck Noll.
"Nobody expected us to be in this position," LB James Farrior said. "Everybody is going to have to pick themselves up after this." The Steelers were out-gained 634-423 and outscored 58-7 in the two losses to the Ravens.
Predictions:
Buffalo (7-8) at Baltimore (12-3)
The Ravens are 6-1 at home and need to win to ensure that they receive a bye in the opening round of the playoffs. The Bills are 3-4 on the road this year and were eliminated from the playoff chase with their loss at home to Tennessee on Sunday. Most of the Bills games have been close this year with 7 of their 8 losses ending in an average margin of only 5.7 points (not including their blowout loss to the Bears.)
Baltimore 24 Buffalo 13
Pittsburgh (7-8) at Cincinnati (8-7)
Even though they need help, the Bengals can still make the playoffs with a win over the Steelers. Pittsburgh has nothing left to play for, but pride, and they will live with the distraction that the media will blow up of whether or not Bill Cowher returns in 2007. The last time these teams met at Paul Brown Stadium, QB Carson Palmer was seriously injured by the Steelers in their 2005 playoff tilt. The Bengals need no more inspiration this Sunday.
Cincinnati 30 Pittsburgh 10
Cleveland (4-11) at Houston (5-10)
The Texans are playing at home for the 2nd straight week and are juiced up over their 1st ever win against the Colts. The Browns are 2-5 on the road this year and can match their home record of 2-6 with a loss at Houston.
Houston 24 Cleveland 16
ITH RECORD: Last week: 1-2
Season: 25-23
