AFC North News & Notes

HALFWAY HOME:  AFC MIDSEASON PROJECTIONS
 
BALTIMORE:  JOHN HARBAUGH aims to guide the Ravens to a third consecutive postseason bid…QB JOE FLACCO has 12 touchdown passes and is on target (24) for the second-most touchdown passes in a season in franchise history (VINNY TESTAVERDE, 33, 1996)…WR ANQUAN BOLDIN has been a reliable target for Flacco in his first season as a Raven.  Boldin has five touchdown receptions and is on pace (10) to join MICHAEL JACKSON (14 in 1996) as the only Ravens players to record double-digit touchdown receptions in a season…On defense, DT HALOTI NGATA leads the club with five sacks and is on target (10) to become the first NFL defensive tackle since WARREN SAPP (10) in 2006 to reach 10 sacks in a season.

CINCINNATI:  Major offseason acquisition WR TERRELL OWENS has reached 1,000 receiving yards nine times in his career and is pace (770; 1,540) to join Pro Football Hall of Fame WR JERRY RICE (14) and Titans WR RANDY MOSS (10) as the only players to have at least 10 seasons with 1,000 receiving yards in NFL history…QB CARSON PALMER has 2,103 passing yards and is on track (4,206) for the most passing yards in a season in Bengals history.  Palmer holds the single-season club record with 4,131 passing yards in 2007…CB LEON HALL is tied for first in the AFC with four interceptions and is on track (eight) for a new career-high (six in 2009).
 
CLEVELAND:  RB PEYTON HILLIS, who was acquired via trade by the Browns in March, leads the team with 644 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns.  Hillis is on pace (1,288 rush yards, 14 rush TDs) to join JIM BROWN, LEROY KELLY and MIKE PRUITT as the only running backs in franchise history to have 1,000 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns in a season…TE BENJAMIN WATSON leads the team in receptions (31) and receiving yards (360) and can challenge to become the third Browns tight end to reach 800 receiving yards in a season, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer OZZIE NEWSOME and KELLEN WINSLOW.

PITTSBURGH:  Under the guidance of MIKE TOMLIN, the Steelers are tied for first place in the AFC North and are off to a 6-2 start for the fourth consecutive season…RB RASHARD MENDENHALL (seven) is on pace to tie FRANCO HARRIS (14 in 1976) for the most rushing touchdowns in a season in franchise history…WR MIKE WALLACE (507) is on target to register 1,014 receiving yards, which would be the first 1,000-yard season of his career…On defense, the Steelers have allowed an NFL-low 15.4 points per game through Week 9 and aim to lead the league in the category for the second time in the past three seasons (13.9 in 2008).  LB JAMES HARRISON (seven) seeks to become the first Pittsburgh player to have three consecutive seasons with double-digit sacks.