Quotes of note from week #2 in the AFC North:
"It’s not pretty," Bengals offensive lineman Bobbie Williams said. "I still feel like the pressure is on us. Everything is on heightened alert. We’re 0-2. We’re not getting it done."
"I’m from
Ohio, I’ve played in windy conditions before," Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger said. "That might be at times the gustiest I’ve ever played in."
"We are inches away from beating these guys," Browns tight end Kellen Winslow said. "Big Ben just comes up with something every time. They are the best defense in the NFL. They are great, not good. We just want to win the division and to do that, we have to beat those guys."
"The schedule is unfortunate, but we understand," Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan said. "It’s really small in the grand scheme of things when you consider what happened in
Houston and what those families are going through. You have to keep it in perspective."
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AFC North
|
|
Team
|
W
|
L
|
T
|
PCT
|
PF
|
PA
|
Home
|
Road
|
AFC
|
NFC
|
DIV
|
Streak
|
|
Pittsburgh
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
1.000
|
48
|
23
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1-0
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1-0
|
2-0
|
0-0
|
1-0
|
Won 2
|
|
Baltimore
|
1
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0
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0
|
1.000
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17
|
10
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1-0
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0-0
|
1-0
|
0-0
|
1-0
|
Won 1
|
|
Cincinnati
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0
|
2
|
0
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.000
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17
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41
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0-1
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0-1
|
0-2
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0-0
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0-1
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Lost 2
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|
Cleveland
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0
|
2
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0
|
.000
|
16
|
38
|
0-2
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0-0
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0-1
|
0-1
|
0-1
|
Lost 2
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Week 2 Scores in the AFC North
Baltimore PPD
Houston PPD
Tennessee 24
Cincinnati 7
Pittsburgh 10
Cleveland 6
Baltimore Ravens
Damage to the roof and possibly other portions of Reliant Stadium forced the postponement of the Ravens versus Texans game to November 9th. The game was initially rescheduled to Monday night September 15th, but the aforementioned damage to the stadium caused by Hurricane Ike forced the postponement until November 9th.
Cincinnati Bengals
Gusts well over 30 mph turned Paul Brown Stadium into a wind machine. Swirling debris pelted the field — one of the referees’ white caps sailed more than 50 yards off his head — and every throw became a gamble. Balls floated and veered, forcing the offenses to keep it simple. Bengals receiver Chad Johnson tormented the Titans’ secondary last November in
Cincinnati‘s 35-6 win, catching a career-high 12 passes and three touchdowns. Titans LB Keith Bulluck warned the aching "Oucho Cinco" before the game to steer clear. All Johnson managed was four harmless catches — he also got flagged for holding and interference — in an offense that has only one touchdown in two games.
Carson Palmer was 16-of-27 for 134 yards with two interceptions. It wasn’t all the quarterback’s fault. The Bengals’ defense had 12 men on the field for one play, sustaining a
Tennessee touchdown drive, and their offense was flagged for having 12 men in the huddle. Bengals TE Ben Utecht was hit in the chest on the game’s first play, was helped off the field and didn’t return. As the game neared its seemingly unreachable end, the stadium was filled with boos and fans heading for the exits early. In many ways, it felt like the bad old days.
Cleveland Browns
As is their way, the Steelers wrecked
Cleveland‘s return to prime time after a five-year hiatus. Pittsburgh has won eight in a row in Cleveland, 16 of 17 in the series and 23 of 26 in a rivalry that has been one-sided since the days Ben Roethlisberger was learning how to throw a football as a kid in Findlay, Ohio. Phil Dawson kicked field goals of 31 and 38 yards, the second one with 3:21 left to pull the Browns to 10-6. Browns coach Romeo Crennel was counting on his defense getting the ball back, but Roethlisberger, as he has always done against
Cleveland, came up with the big play. He scrambled from pressure to buy some time and rifled a 19-yard pass to Heath Miller for a first down at midfield. Willie Parker broke free on a 19-yard run and the Steelers ran out all but the final 26 seconds.
The Browns got the ball back at the end, but Derek Anderson threw two in-completions and was sacked. Earlier in the contest,
Anderson (18 for 32 and 166 yards) threw two interceptions, one setting up Roethlisberger’s scoring pass to Hines Ward, and the second that ended the Browns’ best shot at a TD on the final play of the first half.
Cleveland finally got its offense going and crossed midfield in the final two minutes of the first half after struggling to move the football, but the turnovers by
Anderson precluded the Browns from making a game of it.
Pittsburgh Steelers
On a less-than-ideal night for football or any other outdoor activity, the Pittsburgh Steelers made it a perfect 10 over the Cleveland Browns. Ignoring his sore right shoulder and wind gusts of 60 mph, Ben Roethlisberger threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Hines Ward as the Steelers made it 10 straight wins over their closest rival, beating the Browns on Sunday to extend the NFL’s longest current winning streak between two teams. During the game, it was disclosed on TV that Roethlisberger sustained a separated shoulder last week in a win over
Houston. But Big Ben didn’t seem bothered as he completed 12 of 19 for 186 yards and improved to 10-0 in NFL games in his home state.
Jeff Reed kicked a 48-yard field goal in tricky conditions and the Steelers held off a late rally by the Browns, who were hoping this would be the year they finally challenged
Pittsburgh for supremacy in the AFC North. Willie Parker finished with 28 carries for 105 yards. One play after dropping a touchdown pass at the front of the end zone in traffic, Hines Ward made up for it with an easy grab for six points in the second quarter. On third-and-9, Ward got loose in
Cleveland‘s secondary, and with cornerback Terry Cousin unable to catch him,
Pittsburgh‘s wideout had no trouble hauling in Roethlisberger’s pass for the game’s first score and only touchdown.
Week 3 Match-ups and Predictions
Cleveland at
Baltimore
Cleveland swept the season series in 2007. Jamal Lewis rushed 45 times for 156 yards and 2 TD in those 2 games. The Browns have scored just 1 TD in 2 games this year.
Derrick Mason caught 17 balls for 148 yards in 2 games versus the Browns in 2007. The Ravens totaled just 1 sack against the Browns in 2007. Joe Flacco completed 15 of 29 passes for 129 yards in his debut.
ITH PREDICTION –
Cleveland 20
Baltimore 17
Cincinnati at
New York Giants
Cincinnati has registered only 1 offensive TD in its first 2 games. Their defense has surrendered 406 rushing yards. They have lost 9 of their last 11 road games. Chad Johnson and TJ Houshmandzadeh have combined for only 11 receptions for 129 yards and no points scored.
The Giants have not started 3-0 since 2000. RB Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward rushed 28 times for 203 yards and a TD versus
St. Louis last week.
ITH PREDICTION –
New York 27
Cincinnati 20
Pittsburgh at
Philadelphia
Since 2005
Pittsburgh is 19-3 when RB Willie Parker rushes for 100 yards or more.
With starting WR Kevin Curtis and Reggie Brown out versus
St. Louis, WR Desean Jackson (6-106), Greg Lewis (5-104) and Hank Baskett (2-102) helped the Eagles become the 1st NFL team since the Kansas City Chiefs in 2000 to have 3 100- yard receivers in a single game. In the loss to
Dallas,
Jackson had 6 catches for 110 yards. The Eagles are now 9-1 when Brian Westbrook scores a rushing and receiving TD in the same game (9-0 before the loss to
Dallas).
ITH PREDICTION –
Philadelphia 31
Pittsburgh 23
Last Week Record: 2 – 0
Season to Date: 4 – 1
