Bengals: Star WR A.J. Green Expected to Miss Time With Toe Injury
The Ravens are not expected to face star wide receiver A.J. Green when they return from their bye to host the Cincinnati Bengals (Nov. 18). Green has a toe injury that will not require surgery, but will knock him out for at least two games, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Green is one of the NFL's most dangerous receivers, as the Ravens know very well. In Week 2, Green caught three touchdown passes in the first half against Baltimore, which propelled Cincinnati to a 34-23 victory.
The Steelers (5-2-1) are the team to beat in the AFC North, but the Bengals and Ravens are very much in contention in the wild-card picture. The Week 11 Bengals-Ravens game will be critical for both teams, and apparently the Ravens will not have to game plan for Green.
Steelers: With RB James Conner Surging, No Worries About Le'Veon Bell's Absence
After rolling to their fourth-straight win in Baltimore, the Steelers clearly look good enough to win the AFC North even if running back Le'Veon Bell never returns from his holdout. Running back James Conner pounded the Ravens for 107 yards rushing on 24 carries, his fourth-straight game over 100 yards.
Remember when Pittsburgh was 1-2-1 after losing to Baltimore in Week 4, and people were saying the Steelers were in disarray? Forget it. After beating the Ravens on Sunday, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin credited the offensive line for the job it has done blocking for Conner.
"I don't want to take anything away from James, but the big boys up front are opening up holes, and so it's a collective effort," Tomlin said.
Conner is second in the NFL in rushing through Sunday with 706 yards, trailing only Todd Gurley (868 yards) of the Los Angeles Rams. His emergence as one of the league's top backs has been one of the NFL's biggest stories halfway through the season.
Browns: After Four Straight Losses, Browns Focus on Developing QB Baker Mayfield
Kansas City handed the Browns (2-6-1) their fourth straight loss on Sunday in Gregg Williams' debut as Cleveland's interim head coach. The decision to fire head coach Hue Jackson and offensive coordinator Todd Haley last week did not pay immediate dividends for the Browns, but they are focusing on the big picture.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield threw for 297 yards on Sunday, and his development is crucial for the Browns to become a winning franchise again. After he was fired, Jackson told ESPN that he wanted to run an offense that was similar to the offense Mayfield ran in college at Oklahoma. However, Jackson had already given control of the offense to Haley. That led to philosophical differences that resulted in both Jackson and Haley being let go.
The Browns believe they have the right quarterback in Mayfield, but the next step is to find a head coach and offensive coordinator who are the right fit.
