Week 5 NFL Previews: AFC North

by Bruce Raffel on Oct 5, 2011 7:02 AM EDT

With the Baltimore Ravens off relaxing on their Bye week, let's take a look at the AFC North to see what their division opponents have planned for week five of the 2011 NFL season. The Cleveland Browns join the Ravens with a Bye this week, but both the Pittsburgh Steelers (2-2) and Cincinnati Bengals are playing on Sunday. Let's take a look at the NFL Previews:

TENNESSEE TITANS (3-1) AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS (2-2)

SERIES

	TITANS	STEELERS
SERIES LEADER		40-29
STREAKS		3 of past 4
COACHES VS. OPP.	Munchak: 0-0	Tomlin: 2-1
LAST WEEK	W 31-13 at Browns	L 17-10 at Texans
LAST GAME	9/19/10: Steelers 19 at Titans 11. Pittsburgh’s Antonio Brown opens game with 89-yard KR-TD as Steelers’ defense holds Tennessee to 238 total yards while forcing 7 TOs (3 INTs, 4 FRs).
LAST GAME AT SITE	9/10/09: Steelers 13, Titans 10 (OT). Pittsburgh K Jeff Reed converts 32-yard FG in 4th quarter & 33-yarder in OT to seal victory in Kickoff Weekend Thursday night primetime opener.
BROADCAST	CBS (1:00 PM ET): Greg Gumbel, Dan Dierdorf. SIRIUS: 117 (Ten.), 92 (Pit.). XM: 225 (Pit.).

STATS

PASSING	Hasselbeck: 88-132-1,152 (3C)-8 (T3C)-3-104.7 (2C)	Roethlisberger: 85-138-1,148-3-5-80.2
RUSHING	C. Johnson: 69-199-2.9-0	Mendenhall: 58-173-3.0-2
RECEIVING	Washington: 23-320-13.9-1	Wallace: 25 (T2C)-454 (3L)-18.2-2
OFFENSE	347.3	359.3
TAKE/GIVE	+2	-10
DEFENSE	299.8	277.0 (2L)
SACKS	Klug (R), Morgan (R): 2	Woodley: 1.5
INTs	McCourty: 2 (T2C)	---
PUNTING	Kern: 41.2	Sepulveda: 50.0
KICKING	Bironas: 28 (10/10 PAT; 6/8 FG)	Suisham: 22 (7/7 PAT; 5/8 FG)

NOTES

TITANS: Seek 4th consecutive win…In past 2, QB MATT HASSELBECK has 5 TDs vs. 1 INT & 119 passer rating. Hasselbeck aims for 5th consecutive game with 100+ passer rating. Has 8 TD passes this season – his most in 1st 4 games of any of his 11 seasons as starting NFL QB…RB CHRIS JOHNSON (101 yards) record 25th career game with 100+ rush yards last week. Johnson (5,907) needs 93 scrimmage yards to reach 6,000 career…WR NATE WASHINGTON spent 4 seasons (2005-08) with Steelers…TE JARED COOK had career-long 80-yard TD rec. last week – longest TD catch by Titans/Oilers TE since WILLIE FRAZIER on 11/6/64 (80).TE CRAIG STEVENS posted 1st TD catch in ’11 last week…Defense allows NFL-low 14 points per game in ’11…LB BARRETT RUUD leads team with 27 tackles…DE DERRICK MORGAN has sack in 2 of past 3…Rookie LB AKEEM AYERS (2nd round, No. 39) recorded 1st career sack last week...S JORDAN BABINEAUX had 97-yard INT-TD return last week, 3rd-longest in franchise history…STEELERS: Club has won 4 of past 5 at home…In 3 career games vs. Titans, QB BEN ROETHLISBERGER is 2-1 & has completed 67 of 93 passes (72 pct.) for 910 yards with 5 TDs & 102.9 passer rating. Roethlisberger has 18-7 (.720) record as starter in Oct…RB RASHARD MENDENHALL has 6 rush TDs in past 7 games…WR HINES WARD (11,838) needs 67 rec. yards to surpass HOFer MICHAEL IRVIN(11,834) for 19th-most in NFL history. Has 100+ rec. yards (109, 103) in 2 of past 3 vs. Titans. WR MIKE WALLACE averages 113.5 rec. yards per game this season (454 total). Aims for 4th consecutive game with 100+ yards at home (102, 104, 126). 11 of WR ANTONIO BROWN’s 15 rec. have been for 1st downs (73.3 pct.) this season…TE HEATH MILLER (298) needs 2 catches to become 1st Pit. TE with 300 career…Defense allows 277 yards per game, 2nd-lowest in NFL this season (BENGALS, 275.5)…In last game vs. Ten., LB JAMES HARRISON had 2 sacks, 2 FFs & FR…S TROY POLAMALU has 3 INTs in 5 career games vs. Titans.

CINCINNATI BENGALS (2-2) AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (1-3)

SERIES

	BENGALS	JAGUARS
SERIES LEADER		11-6
STREAKS		4 of past 5 overall & past 7 at home
COACHES VS. OPP.	Lewis: 1-1	Del Rio: 1-1
LAST WEEK	W 23-20 vs. Bills	L 23-10 vs. Saints
LAST GAME	11/2/08: Jaguars 19 at Bengals 21. Cincinnati QB Ryan Fitzpatrick completes 2 TD passes (2, 10) to WR Chad Ochocinco. Bengals survive 16-point 4th-quarter rally by Jacksonville.
LAST GAME AT SITE	10/9/05: Jaguars 23, Bengals 20. Jacksonville QB Byron Leftwich throws 2 TDs & RB Fred Taylor rushes for 132 yards as Jaguars improve to 3-2.
BROADCAST	CBS (1:00 PM ET): Bill Macatee, Steve Tasker. SIRIUS: 128 (Cin.), 112 (Jax.). XM: 228 (Jax.).

STATS

PASSING	Dalton (R): 72-124-868-4-4-76.9	Gabbert (R): 33-69-387-2-2-62.9
RUSHING	Benson: 77-348-4.5-1	Jones-Drew: 77-391 (2L)-5.1-1
RECEIVING	Green (R): 19-312-16.4-2	Thomas: 20-212-10.6-1
OFFENSE	340.5	264.3
TAKE/GIVE	-1	-2
DEFENSE	275.5 (1L)	335.8
SACKS	Atkins: 2.5	Roth: 2
INTs	M. Johnson: 1	5 tied: 1
PUNTING	Huber: 43.8	Turk: 40.4
KICKING	Nugent: 36 (6/6 PAT; 10/10 FG)	Scobee: 21 (3/3 PAT; 6/6 FG)

NOTES

BENGALS: In 2 starts on road, rookie QB ANDY DALTON (2nd round, No. 35) has completed 37 of 56 passes (66.1 pct.) for 413 yards with 3 TDs vs. 0 INTs & 105.7 passer rating. Dalton had 2 TDs last week (1 pass, 1 rush) & became 1st Cincinnati rookie to pass & run for TD in game since JACK THOMPSON on 11/18/79…RB CEDRIC BENSON posted 14th 100-yard rush game (104) with Bengals last week & Cin. has 12-2 (.857) record in such games. In only meeting vs. Jaguars, Benson rushed for 104 yards on 24 att. (4.3 avg.) with 1 TD. Rookie WR A.J. GREEN (1st round, No. 4) leads AFC rookies in catches (19) & receiving yards (312). Posted 2nd career 100-yard rec. game (118) last week. Green is tied for NFL-best with 3 catches of 40+ yards in ’11…TE JERMAINE GRESHAM had career-best 70 rec. yards last week. Gresham is averaging 15.1 yards per catch in past 2 (8 catches, 121 yards)…Bengals have allowed NFL-low 275.5 yards per game in ’11…DT GENO ATKINS has 2.5 sacks in past 3 games…S REGGIE NELSON spent 3 seasons (2007-09) with Jaguars…JAGUARS: Club aims for 8th consecutive win at home vs. Bengals…Rookie QB BLAINE GABBERT (1st round, No. 10) has 90+ 4th quarter passer rating in 2 of past 3 games…Since ’10 at home, RB MAURICE JONES-DREW has 80+ rush yards in 8 of past 9…Jones-Drew is averaging 97.7 rush yards per game this season (391 total)…WR MIKE THOMAS has reception of 30+ yards in each of past 2 games…TE MARCEDES LEWIS (17) needs 2 TD catches to surpass WR REGGIE WILLIAMS (18) for 3rd-most in franchise history (JIMMY SMITH, 67; KEENAN MC CARDELL, 30). Lewis (2,305) needs 18 receiving yards to move into 5th place in Jaguars history (Williams; 2,322). TE ZACH MILLER registered 1st TD catch of career last week…LB DARYL SMITH registered 6th career INT last game…LB PAUL POSLUSZNY leads team with 30 tackles. Posluszny registered 1st sack of season against Saints in Week 4…S DAWAN LANDRY posted 1st INT as Jaguar last week…DE AUSTEN LANE recorded 1st career sack last game.

Tweet Comment 24 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Hopefully another tough game for the Steelers

I like Tenn in this game. Get those Titans amped up Munchak!

Would love to put another game between us and Cincy, but I think the Bengals have more weapons than the Jags.

"What we've got here is failure to communicate."

by Fandemonium on Oct 5, 2011 9:13 AM EDT reply actions

flacco vs cover-2

Everyone keeps passing over the Bengals and Browns as if they are guaranteed wins. They most certainly are not. Flacco still hasn’t figured out Marvin Lewis’ (Zimmerman) cover 2 scheme and the Browns run a west coast offense w/ a decent Oline. Both teams can give the Ravens trouble. Add in a divisional rivalry spice to it and it could prove to be very tough. We still have to play Cin and Clev twice now and their youth will only improve (as will ours). Lookin forward to the next 3 qts of the season. GO RAVENS

by blizz909 on Oct 5, 2011 9:21 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Flacco still hasn’t figured out Marvin Lewis’ (Zimmerman) cover 2 scheme …

The Ravens’ issues with the Cover 2 have more to do with Cameron than Flacco. You can’t beat that kind of scheme with two wide receiver sets.

Water covers 2/3 of the Earth's surface. Ed Reed covers the rest.

State your case, back it up with facts and reasonable opinions ...
Bruce Raffel

by Ampallang on Oct 5, 2011 9:33 AM EDT up reply actions

With our new TE and receiver speed, it could help cover up some of Cameron’s scheme issues.

The writer formerly known as This White Man Can Jump; Powah Stached; Bear Killer; Da Dude; The Other Bambino; TJ Dropped The Season; Harbaugh Is My Co-Pilot; Billick's Alter Ego; Mr. Poopy Pants.

by El.Dude on Oct 5, 2011 9:47 AM EDT up reply actions

I think Cameron tends to keep more blockers in against 4-3 fronts. Even with that extra help, though, Flacco was running for his life against three or four rushers against Tennessee. I think the best thing we can hope for moving forward is to eventually get a receiver lineup of Boldin/Evans/Smith, and hope we can stretch the field before Flacco gets flattened.

Water covers 2/3 of the Earth's surface. Ed Reed covers the rest.

State your case, back it up with facts and reasonable opinions ...
Bruce Raffel

by Ampallang on Oct 5, 2011 10:12 AM EDT up reply actions

+1

My faith rests on our O-line being able to control the LOS and big running games from Rice. I have little faith in Cam figuring out the Cover 2.

"What we've got here is failure to communicate."

by Fandemonium on Oct 5, 2011 10:33 AM EDT up reply actions

I have little faith in Cam figuring out the Cover 2.

I dont think its overall up to Cam to figure out the cover 2 because I feel like its Joe Flacco. Doing the off season bengels player I beleive it was D. Jones and he said so him self when the bengels go in the cover 2 and etc they easily confuse Flacco there was no Cam Cameron mention its was Flacco who was mention.

What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
Like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore--
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over--
like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?-langton Hughes

yeah I agree with Jimmy and Cary shutting down the other teams WR’s, they’ll make anybody rushing the QB look good - Jaz

by jazz20 on Oct 6, 2011 12:47 PM EDT up reply actions

d jones who? who is that?

jazzy, cam needs to set his QB up to succeed…not max protect 2wr go route possession receiver blah blah blah… we’ve gone over this ad nauseum

by Evan Skev on Oct 6, 2011 1:50 PM EDT up reply actions

the Ravens’ issues with the Cover 2 have more to do with Cameron than Flacco. You can’t beat that kind of scheme with two wide receiver sets.

I strongly disagree with that Amp and majority of the time in the titans game the ravens were not in two wideout set and if im wrong you going to have to prove me wrong. Lee Evans was injured so he wasnt able to strecth the field like he should and when ever Torrey Smith was in the game Flacco would not look his way or not throw to him at all.

The titans defense goal was to cover the short passes and dare the ravens to beat them deep which the ravens couldn’t do because Lee Evans was injured and for what ever reason Flacco just didnt look in Torrey Smith direction .

yeah I agree with Jimmy and Cary shutting down the other teams WR’s, they’ll make anybody rushing the QB look good - Jaz

by jazz20 on Oct 6, 2011 12:42 PM EDT up reply actions

… if im wrong you going to have to prove me wrong.

You disagree with something I’ve said, but the burden of proof is on me? The fact of the matter is that our offensive scheme for that game focused much more on protection than on attacking, and included a great number of two wide receiver sets. Tight ends and backs were frequently kept in to block. The offense didn’t do anything to stretch the field, which let seven or eight defenders sit on short and intermediate routes. I’d love to know what Flacco could have done to improve our chances without hearing about Torrey Smith’s one good quarter of play (out of 16, so far).

If we’re going to start blaming individual players for not transcending the limits of the offensive scheme, then why aren’t we throwing Ray Rice under the bus? He only picked up 43 yards on the ground and ran for less than 4YPC. He looked like a deer in headlights out there. Elite running backs can put their teams on their backs. Who cares if the offensive line wasn’t opening holes? Sanders did more with less! We’re going to be perennial bridesmaids until Rice takes the next step. Why do we blame Cameron every time Rice has a sub-par performance? It might be time to give Williams some more game time; his specific abilities fall within an arbitrarily determined set of parameters that I deem our offense to require in order to be playoff bound.

Water covers 2/3 of the Earth's surface. Ed Reed covers the rest.

State your case, back it up with facts and reasonable opinions ...
Bruce Raffel

by Ampallang on Oct 6, 2011 1:21 PM EDT up reply actions

Tight ends and backs were frequently kept in to block

I dont know about that Amp because I seen plenty of time where Flacco was passing to Ed and Pitta. i’m not saying you wrong but I didnt see tight ends blocking unless they was on the right side helping oher .

The offense didn’t do anything to stretch the field, which let seven or eight defenders sit on short and intermediate routes

Of course because Lee Evans was hurt and like I said many times before when ever Torrey Smith was on the field Flacco didnt pass to him. Torrey Smith said so him self Cam likes to call plays that allows the wideout to go deep and if Torrey Smith was actrally going deep in that titans game and Flacco actrally look his way then I would say the ravens offense would had played much better.

I beleive I said before there was more than one article saying Torrey Smith was open several times in the titans game. I dont know if he was truly running deep routes but if he was running deep routes and Flacco actrally threw to him which turns out to be a complete pass then the titans would have to start accounting for Smith then that opens up room for Boldin, Dickson, Pitta, and rice to do what they do best.

I’d love to know what Flacco could have done to improve our chances without hearing about Torrey Smith’s one good quarter of play (out of 16, so far).

oh gosh that sucks because I already mention his name lol but its true if Flacco would had turned to Smith instead of looking on one side of the field only when ever smith was on the field then that would had open more room for Boldin and the other wideouts/tightends.

If we’re going to start blaming individual players for not transcending the limits of the offensive scheme

I feel like when it comes to the cover 2 Joe Flacco tends to get inconsistent but there has been times where he has been consistent against the cover two like last year when he faced Tamba Bay. I dont think Cam is perfect and yes he does call plays that dont make sense at times but I feel like Flacco plays a part in why the offense is inconsistent at times atleast in the passing game.

yeah I agree with Jimmy and Cary shutting down the other teams WR’s, they’ll make anybody rushing the QB look good - Jaz

by jazz20 on Oct 6, 2011 2:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Cincy and Cleveland won't stick around much longer

Titans will present all sorts of problems for Steelers, both on offense and defense. No Harrison and maybe no Roethlisberger could spell 2-3 start for Pitt., who then go to Arizona (not an easy game) and host Pats in week 7. Conceivably and hopefully would go at least 1-2 in their next three to be 3-4 after seven and in a bad way, as we will be 5-1 by then!

aka 'Rexx'

by Bruce Raffel on Oct 5, 2011 9:57 AM EDT reply actions

Harrison loss will really hurt Pitt

and put even more pressure on Ben and his O-line. After the Ravens game, I put the over/under on number of game Ben would play (survive?) at 8. I am liking the under right now.

"What we've got here is failure to communicate."

by Fandemonium on Oct 5, 2011 10:36 AM EDT up reply actions

Well, I have a decent little streak of predictions going on. Torrey’s breakout game in Week 3, the Texans offense shredding Pittsburgh. Granted neither one of those are too impressive (it was Torreys’s first start, and the Steelers D has been struggling) but I’ll throw another one out there for Week 5, CJ will have his first big day against Pittsburgh, and score atleast two TD’s. Again, I’m not exactly going out on a limb or anything, but on the other hand CJ has not lived up to his new contract so far this season. We’ll see what happens…

"Is adult entertainment killing our children, or is killing children entertaining adults?"
-Marilyn Manson

by StuckInUtah on Oct 5, 2011 10:42 AM EDT via mobile reply actions

fingers crossed for your streak.

"What we've got here is failure to communicate."

by Fandemonium on Oct 5, 2011 10:53 AM EDT up reply actions

Titans 27 Steelets 13

by raven on Oct 5, 2011 12:51 PM EDT reply actions

What?

Steelers score many as we did on Titans!?

aka 'Rexx'

by Bruce Raffel on Oct 5, 2011 12:53 PM EDT up reply actions

Their offense is 27th in scoring this year, and Tenn has one of the best D-Lines in the league. Cannot wait to see that 360 pound DT they have land on top of Bennigans.

Flacco has to trust his receivers to make catches, but shouldn’t throw towards coverage. He needs to attack deep more often, but shouldn’t hold onto the ball so long. He needs to show more awareness in the pocket and move to extend plays, but nothing good comes of him leaving the pocket. He should run with the ball if nobody’s open, but he definitely can’t run with the ball.

Flacco should have the awareness of Roethlisberger, the elusiveness of Vick, the control of the offense of Manning, the leadership of Brady, the accuracy of Brees, and the arm strength of … Flacco? - Ampallang

by Mr MaLoR on Oct 5, 2011 2:07 PM EDT up reply actions

Bennigans

Hadn’t heard that one before, but I like it – I really like it! That yours?

"What we've got here is failure to communicate."

by Fandemonium on Oct 5, 2011 6:06 PM EDT up reply actions

Yes, I have been calling him that for years.

by Mr MaLoR on Oct 6, 2011 4:10 PM EDT up reply actions

lol this guy?

i’d love that as well

Best sig ever, reason 1, reason 2

by Ice0ne (CAJ) on Oct 5, 2011 11:57 PM EDT up reply actions

OR this guy?

Assume this is his sack dance?

"What we've got here is failure to communicate."

by Fandemonium on Oct 6, 2011 7:59 AM EDT up reply actions

The Hassel rules man. He’s a cool, collected dude.

ATTENTION RAVENS TICKET OFFICE:

PLEASE stop selling tickets. Make all tickets PSLs. You are starting more fights in the stands by opening up ticket sales to the general public and giving tickets to opposing teams. This practice puts PSL owners at risk as they are baited or become involved with fights. Sunday night was proof again as 2 fights more fights in Raven “open ticket” seats broke out!!! PSL owners can lose their seats for such problems BUT its the “open tickets” where this shit starts. Same seats every game!!!!

by raven on Oct 5, 2011 1:00 PM EDT reply actions