AFC North Notebook: Can Bengals hold off Steelers?
With a chance to clinch the AFC North this past Sunday, the Cincinnati Bengals lost more than just a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers as starting quarterback Andy Dalton broke the thumb on his throwing hand. Now faced wiith the prospect of making a run toward the postseason with a backup who just threw his first NFL touchdown pass, the Bengals will have to rally around AJ McCarron to win the division.
Cincinnati (10-3) would likely need to win two of its remaining three games, including a Week 16 date in Denver on Monday Night Football, to have any chance of securing a first-round bye. The extra week of healing time for Dalton's thumb could allow him to make it back for the divisional round. Dalton's thumb won't require surgery, leaving a remote possibility that he could be back for the team's regular season finale against Baltimore.
If McCarron is unable to get the Bengals into the win column over the next two weeks against San Francisco or Denver, the finale against Baltimore could loom large if the Steelers continue their December win streak (more on that later). As long as the Bengals take care of business against the 4-9 Ravens, they'll take home the divisional crown thanks to their 5-1 record in the AFC North. Pittsburgh has already dropped two games in the division to Cincinnati and Baltimore.
The gang at WhatIfSports used their simulation engines to see how much of a dropoff there would be the rest of the way and into the playoffs with McCarron behind center. The answer was not so much, at least in the regular season.
Hot in December
The Steelers (8-5) have now won nine straight games in December going back to a home loss to Miami in 2013. With an offense that is firing on all cylinders, they have a realistic chance of running the table and overtaking the Bengals for their second straight divisional title. The biggest hurdle will be this week against the visiting Broncos (10-3), who are likely to have Brock Osweiler at quarterback instead of the still recovering Peyton Manning.
Injuries to opposing starting quarterbacks have played out favorably for Pittsburgh, which may finish the season primarily facing five straight backups. Andrew Luck was not in the lineup for Indianapolis a week prior to Dalton's injury. After Osweiler, the Steelers will see either Matt Schaub or Jimmy Clausen in Week 16 before another matchup with Johnny Manziel in Cleveland for the season finale.
Tough days ahead for Johnny Football
Fresh off guiding the Browns (3-10) to their third win of the season and his second as a starter, Johnny Manziel gets the unenviable task of facing a red-hot Seahawks team in Seattle. If Manziel is able to survive that, he'll take on another of the league's top defenses in another hostile environment against a team fighting for a playoff spot -- the Kansas City Chiefs. Then Cleveland will wrap up the season by welcoming the Steelers to town, who will also be hunting down a postseason spot in Week 17.
Coming into the season, Cleveland expected big things of its run game and defense. Unfortunately it took 14 weeks for both to arrive. The Browns defense sacked 49ers quarterback Blaine Gabbert nine times on Sunday, the most by any team in a game this season. Isaiah Crowell finally came alive on the other side of the ball with a season-high 145 rushing yards and two touchdowns. The Browns rushed for 230 yards total, nearly doubling their previous best for the season.
"Cannonball to the gut"
John Harbaugh will officially finish with his first losing record in his eight years as coach of the 4-9 Ravens after Sunday's humiliating 35-6 home loss to Seattle. Harbaugh's previous worst record with the team was in 2013, when the team finished 8-8. He called the painful season a "cannonball to the gut" during his Monday press conference.
The injury-ravaged Ravens now have 18 players on season-ending injured reserve after Chris Canty suffered a torn pectoral muscle in Sunday's loss to Seattle. Canty joins Terrell Suggs, Joe Flacco, Steve Smith Sr. and Justin Forsett, among others, on the shelf.
Left guard Kelechi Osemele will remain the team's left tackle for the final three games after shifting over and playing well against Seattle. Osemele is due to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason and could see his value skyrocket if he shows he can do the job.
At the beginnng of the season, did anyone think a Week 16 clash between the Steelers and Ravens would be flexed out of prime time?
