The 9-1 49ers have a stranglehold on the NFC West and can clinch the division with a victory and either a loss or tie by Seattle on Sunday or a tie and a Seattle loss.

The 7-3 Ravens lead the AFC North, and are tied for the AFC’s best record.

The combined 16-4 record (.800) of the two teams is tied for fourth-best between Thanksgiving Day combatants since 1970.

It will be Baltimore’s John vs. San Francisco’s Jim, and Jim, and according to NFL Network’s Mike Mayock, who will help call the game with Brad Nessler, this matchup is one to watch:

When you combine the surprising success of San Francisco, along with Baltimore being pretty much where you expect them to be, we’ve got one of the best games of the season on Thursday night.

In a national teleconference to promote the game earlier this week, Jim mentioned how brotherly love goes out the window once competition is involved:

Leading up to this, John has talked freely and openly about football with me. Now, it’s more talking in code. I’m being serious. I can see there are limitations to what he’s telling me. I thought love had no boundaries, but now I see that it does.

— Jim Harbaugh, on football communication with John since the 2011 NFL schedule was announced

For John’s part, it is a continuation of competition that has gone on since they were kids:

We were in the same room for 16 years, and we had to draw a tape line. If you stepped across, there was a fight. The last time we fought, I was 27. He was the quarterback for the Bears. He got up to 6-4, 230 pounds. I was 195, something like that. He takes us on vacation to Florida, we’re on the beach, and we get into this wrestling match. It’s getting a little aggressive and works its way over to the water. He gets a shot in; I get a shot in. I’m starting to think maybe I can hang with the big little brother. Next, he grabs me in a headlock, picks me up, and slams me into three feet of water. My head is on the sand underneath the water. Of course, he’s not going to drown me, but I’m thinking maybe he’s snapped. My dad’s trying to pull him off, but he’s too strong. I’m going to drown. Before I died, he pulled me up. He didn’t do mouth-to-mouth; that would have been against the rules. I then realized I’m never going to fight my brother again. He’s too big.

— John Harbaugh on his brother

The first-ever coaching matchup between two brothers in NFL history is a testament to their father, Jack, himself a former college head coach:

Their father gave them a gift; by making them and teaching them how to compete. If we can instill competition in our kids, that’s all we want. We want them to go out in the world and compete.

— NFL Network’s Marshall Faulk on the relationship between Jack Harbaugh and his sons, Jim and John

Baltimore is coming off a 31-24 victory over AFC North rival Cincinnati at home last Sunday:

NOTE OF THE WEEK: SMITH SOARS

• Ravens rookie WR Torrey Smith leads the NFL with a 20.3 yardsper-catch average (29 receptions for 590 yards).
• Impressively, 4 of Smith’s 5 TD receptions have covered at least 25 yards (74, 41, 38, 26 and 18 yards), and he’s averaging a sensational 39.4 yards per TD catch.
• Smith now owns the Ravens’ single-season (590) and single-game (165 vs. Cin. last week) records for receiving yards by a rookie.
• Never before has a Ravens’ wideout posted dual 150-yard receiving games in a season (165 vs. Cin. and 152 at STL).
• Smith also owns the top two receiving yards performances by a rookie in the NFL this season.
• Smith’s 590 receiving yards this season rank second in the NFL among all rookies (635, Cincy’sA.J. Green).
• Last week, Smith joined Ken Burrow (2 in 1971) and Randy Moss (3 in 1998) as the only rookies in NFL history to have multiple games with at least 150 receiving yards and a touchdown catch.

WEEK 12 QUICK HITS:

• The Ravens have won 15 of their last 16 games at M&T Bank Stadium. Baltimore is 24-5 at home under head coach John Harbaugh, tied (New England) for the NFL’s most home wins since 2008 (as of games played by 11/20).
• The Ravens aim for their eighth consecutive win at home and sixth this season (5-0 in 2011).
• Baltimore’s seven-game winning streak at home currently ranks as the NFL’s second longest (Green Bay is first at 10 games).
• Baltimore aims to reach 8-3 for just the second time in team history (2010 season).

STOUT VS. NFC: Dating back to the 2008 campaign, when head coach John Harbaugh took over in Baltimore, the Ravens have posted a 10-5 record (.667) vs. the NFC, good for the fourth-best mark among AFC teams against the “other conference” during that span.

AFC’s BEST RECORDS VS. THE NFC
(since 2008)
1t. New England Patriots 12-2 .857
1t. Tennessee Titans 12-2 .857
3. Pittsburgh Steelers 10-4 .714
4. Baltimore Ravens 10-5 .667

San Francisco is working on an eight-game win streak, and beat NFC West rival Arizona 23-7 last Sunday at home:

WINNING WAYS: With the win last week vs. Arz. (11/20), head coach Jim Harbaugh became just the 3rd rookie head coach in franchise history to start his career with a 9-1 record.

• The 49ers have won eight consecutive games, making Coach Harbaugh’s eight-game winning streak the fourth longest by a rookie head coach since the 1970 NFL/AFL merger, according to Elias Sports Bureau. Jim Caldwell’s Colts won 14 in a row in 2009. Steve Mariucci’s 49ers won 11 in a row in 1997. Ted Marchibroda’s Colts won nine in a row in 1975. Bobby Ross’ Chargers won seven straight in 1992.
• With a 9-1 record to start 2011, the 49ers are tied for the 4th-best start since the team joined the NFL in 1950, behind 1984 (15-1); 1990 (13-1); 1997 (11-1); 1989 (9-1).
• Harbaugh became the first rookie head coach in franchise history to inherit a team with a losing record and lead them to a 9-1 start in his first season.

GOLDEN NUGGETS:
A HOT START

• With a 9-1 record to start 2011, the 49ers are tied for the 4th-best start since the team joined the NFL in 1950, behind 1984 (15-1); 1990 (13-1); 1997 (11-1); 1989 (9-1).

ROAD WARRIORS

• With a 4-0 record on the road, the Niners join the Green Bay Packers as the only two teams in the NFL to remain undefeated away from home.

THAT’S THE DIFFERENCE

• The 49ers have outscored their opponents 256-145. The +111 scoring differential ranks 2nd in the NFL.

A SHORT FIELD

• The 49ers have started 25 drives in their opponents territory, ranking 1st in the NFL, and have scored 81 points on those drives, ranking 3rd in the NFL.

YOU WANNA START SOMETHING?

• The 49ers average starting field position is at their own 33.1-yard line, ranking 1st in the NFL.

LONG WAY TO GO

• The 49ers rank 1st in the NFL with an opponents average starting field position of the 24.3.

BRINGING IT BACK

• The 49ers rank t-1st in the NFL with 7 PRs of 20+ yds, while ranking 2nd in the NFL with a KOR avg. of 28.0 yds.

POINTS HARD TO COME BY

• The 49ers have allowed just 145 points on the season, ranking 1st in the NFL for the fewest points allowed.

SHORT AND TOUGH

• The 49ers have allowed just 16 first downs on 3rd and less than 4 yds. (15 of 33 – 48.5 pct.), ranking 2nd in the NFL.

EFFICIENCY ON D

• The 49ers defense has allowed opponents to score on just 24.0 pct. of their possessions, ranking 1st in the NFL.

STICKY FINGERS

• The 49ers have only committed 9 turnovers on the year, ranking t-1st in the NFL for fewest turnovers (Houston – 9).

PRODUCTIVE ON FIRST

• The 49ers offense has gained 4+ yds. on 52.2 pct. (142 of 272) of their first down plays, ranking 4th in the NFL.

THE COMEBACK TRAIL: Four, 4th quarter come-from-behind-win epitomizes the never quit attitude the 49ers embody this season. One player in particular can parallel his career to the theme, QB Alex Smith. Smith is now tied with NYG QB Eli Manning for the most comeback wins by an NFL QB this season.

Smith became just the second quarterback in franchise history to record 3, 4th qtr. comebacks on the road (QB Joe Montanta – 4 in 1989 and 3 in 1990).

Sunday’s 1 pm (CBS) game in M&T Bank Stadium may prove to be everything the NFL Kickoff opener was not Thursday night — a healthy dose of strong defense.

In our second edition of “From the notes …” for Week 1, we look inside the weekly PR game notes produced by the Steelers and Ravens PR departments and the NFL Communications office via the Elias Sports Bureau.

Pittsburgh won the AFC North last season with a 12-4 record. The Steelers were the AFC Champions, and the club advanced to Super Bowl XLV, where they lost to the Green Bay Packers:

SUDDEN START: Due to the labor impasse the 2011 offseason was all but lost, leaving just over a week for teams to sign undrafted rookies, free agents and their own draft picks that they selected back in late April.

For the Steelers the main focus was on resigning their own players to keep a nucleus in tact that had reaped tremendous success over the past few years.

Pittsburgh’s appearance last year in Super Bowl XLV marked the franchise’s third trip to the title game since 2005. The Steelers bring back 20 players that started in that Super Bowl.

Pittsburgh will also return 18 players that started at least 11 games last season, including 15 players that started 14 or more games.

Key players that the Steelers resigned in the offseason included CB Ike Taylor, LB LaMarr Woodley, OT Willie Colon, OT Jonathan Scott, K Shaun Suisham and NT Chris Hoke. Pittsburgh also signed LB Lawrence Timmons to a five-year contract extension.

Colon, who prior to spending the entire 2010 season on injured reserve, started all 50 games he played for Pittsburgh. He will add to an offensive line that led the NFL in rushing last season.

Pittsburgh also added a key veteran free agent in WR Jerricho Cotchery, who previously spent seven seasons with the New York Jets where he started 65-of-103 games played and totaled 4,514 yards on 358 receptions with 18 touchdowns. In Cotchery’s first preseason game with the Steelers he recorded two receptions for 49 yards and one touchdown.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:
Steelers Team Notes

• Pittsburgh looks for its ninth straight win on Kickoff Weekend, which is the longest current streak in the NFL.
• The Steelers look to improve to 41-32-4 all-time on Kickoff Weekend.
• The Steelers are looking to improve to 19-12 all-time against the Baltimore Ravens.
• Pittsburgh looks to improve to 9-7 on the road against the Ravens.
• The Steelers look to win their fifth straight road game and improve to 20-13 on the road during the Mike Tomlin era (2007-present).

Steelers Individual Notes
Head Coach Mike Tomlin

• Looks to improve his opening day record to 5-0, becoming the only active NFL head coach to be undefeated on opening day (John Harbaugh, 3-0).

QB Ben Roethlisberger

• Needs six touchdown passes to equal 150 for his career, becoming only the second Steelers’ quarterback to reach the mark (Terry Bradshaw).
• Looking to improve to 5-0 in Week One games. In four previous opening week games he has totaled 879 yards, on 67-of-91 passing with nine TDs and two interceptions for a QB rating of 127.5.
• Has beaten Baltimore the last seven times he has played them, including the postseason.

RB Rashard Mendenhall

• Needs two rushing touchdowns to tie Walter Abercrombie (22) for the 10th-most in the team’s history.
• Needs 123 yards to pass Kordell Stewart (2,561) for the 14th most rushing yards in franchise history.

FOR OPENERS: Pittsburgh is 40-32-4 all-time on Kickoff Weekend. The Steelers have won eight straight openers, which is the longest streak in the NFL. The eight consecutive season-opening wins mark the team’s longest streak and the 40 wins in openers are the most in the AFC.

This marks the fourth time Pittsburgh and Baltimore have played a season opener and the first since 2003, when the Steelers won 34-15 at home. Pittsburgh is 2-1 against the Ravens in season
openers. This will mark only the second season opener the Steelers have played in Baltiomore, after Pittsburgh won 20-13 at Baltimore in 1998.

Pittsburgh’s 16-10 overtime win over the Atlanta Falcons in last year’s season opener was the team’s eighth straight on Kickoff Weekend, having defeated Tennessee (13-10, OT) in 2009, Houston (38-17) in 2008, Cleveland (34-7) in 2007, Miami (28-17) in 2006, Tennessee (34-7) in 2005, Oakland (24-21) in 2004 and Baltimore (34-15) in 2003.

The Steelers are 8-7 when opening on the road since 1970, including winning their last season opener on the road, 34-7 at Cleveland in 2007. It was Mike Tomlin’s first game as head coach. The last Pittsburgh loss on the road in an opener was a 30-14 setback to the New England Patriots on Sept. 9, 2002.

Baltimore was 12-4 in the regular season last year, and finished second behind Pittsburgh in the AFC North. The Ravens were a Wild Card team and advanced to the AFC Divisional Playoff, where they lost to the Steelers:

RAVENS/STEELERS LIKELY TO BE CLOSE: In five of the last eight games played between the Ravens and Steelers, the margin of victory has been 3 points. The difference in another was 4 points and then 7 points in last January’s Divisional Playoff round. (In that game at Heinz Field, the Ravens had a 21-7 halftime lead, but lost 31-24 when the Steelers scored a TD with less than three minutes left.)

Date – Score; Stadium
1/15/11* – Steelers 31, Ravens 24;  Heinz
12/5/10 – Steelers 13, Ravens 10; M&T Bank
10/3/10 – Ravens 17, Steelers 14; Heinz
12/27/09 – Steelers 23, Ravens 20; Heinz
11/29/09 – Ravens 20, Steelers 17 (OT); M&T Bank
1/18/09* – Steelers 23, Ravens 14; Heinz
12/14/08 – Steelers 13, Ravens 9; M&T Bank
9/29/08 – Steelers 23, Ravens 20 (OT); Heinz
* Playoff games; rest are past six regular season contests

NOTE OF THE WEEK: The Ravens’ defense has ranked No. 3 in fewest points allowed per game for three consecutive seasons (2008-10). Since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, only eight teams have produced three straight campaigns with a top 3 scoring defense. Baltimore’s current three-year run is the first since Dallas’ four straight top 3s from 1993-96.

CONSECUTIVE SEASONS WITH TOP-THREE SCORING DEFENSE
(Since 1970 AFL-NFL Merger)
Team – Seasons (Years)
Dallas Cowboys – 4 (1993-96)
Los Angeles Rams – 4 (1974-77)
Minnesota Vikings – 4 (1973-76)
San Francisco 49ers – 4 (1984-87)
Baltimore Ravens – 3 (2008-10)
Chicago Bears – 3 (1984-86)
Miami Dolphins – 3 (1971-73)
Pittsburgh Steelers – 3 (1974-76)

RICE HITS 100: The Steelers’ stout defense has only allowed one 100-yard rusher in their last 50 games (dating back to 2007). That player is Ravens RB Ray Rice, who posted 141 yards on 30 carries on 12/27/09.

FROM THE NFL PR OFFICE: A look at the Steelers-Ravens game from the notes provided by the NFL PR staff and the Elias Sports Bureau:

STEELERS: Head coach Mike Tomlin is 4-0 on Kickoff Weekend … Incl. postseason, QB Ben Roethlisberger is 9-2 (.818) as starter vs. Ravens & has 17 TDs vs. 9 INTs & 84.8 passer rating. Has thrown career-best 158 consecutive passes in regular season without INT, longest such streak by Steelers QB since Kordell Stewart (159 consecutive passes without INT in ’01) … RB Rashard Mendenhall (1,273 rush yards, 13 rush TDs in ’10) joined Willie Parker (1,494 rush yards, 13 rush TDs in ’06) as only Steelers w/ 1,200+ rush yards & at least 13 rush TDs in season … WR Hines Ward (11,702) needs 133 receiving yards to surpass HOFer Don Maynard for 20th in NFL history. In ’10, WR Mike Wallace (7) tied HOFer John Stallworth (7 in ’84) for most 100-yard rec. games in season in club history … Steelers allowed NFL-low 62.8 rushing yards per game last season, 5th-fewest per game in NFL history … LB James Harrison became 1st Steeler to post double-digit sacks in 3 consecutive seasons (16 in ’08; 10 in ’09; 10.5 in ’10) … Incl. playoffs, LB LaMarr Woodley has 8.5 sacks vs. Bal., most vs. any opponent.

RAVENS: Incl. postseason, John Harbaugh has led Ravens to 36 wins as head coach, 3rd-most in NFL since ’08 (Colts, 38; Steelers 38). Harbaugh is 3-0 on Kickoff Weekend … QB Joe Flacco had 3,622 passing yards & 25 TDs in ’10, both rank 2nd in Ravens history. Flacco is 19-5 (.792) as home starter & has completed 419 of 671 passes (62.4 pct.) for 5,125 yards w/ 29 TDs vs. 13 INTs & 92.3 rating … For career, RB Ray Rice averages 121.4 rush yards per game when he has 25+ att. (607 total in 5 games) … RB Ricky Williams will make Ravens debut … WR Anquan Boldin posted 5 rec. for 118 yards (23.6 avg.) with TD catch in last game vs. Pit … WR Lee Evans will make Ravens debut. Evans (5,934) needs 66 rec. yards to reach 6,000 career … S Ed Reed had NFL-best 8 INTs in ’10. Since ’02, Reed leads NFL with 54 INTs … LB Terrell Suggs (68.5) needs 2 sacks to surpass Peter Boulware (70) for most sacks in Ravens history. Incl. postseason, Suggs has 15.5 career sacks vs. Pit … LB Ray Lewis led team with 145 tackles in ’10.

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Sometime later today, an announcement (should be a simultaneous Tweet by the NFL and NFLPA) announcing the end of the lockout will put into motion a chaotic series of events that be will unlike anything ever seen in league history, including the potential start of free agency Monday afternoon, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter.

A year ago, the NFL’s 2010 Kickoff guide that is filled with notes and quick-hit stories distributed to the media was titled “Back to Football.” The league, which doesn’t miss much in PR opportunities, should have held that slogan until this year.

It will be football in overdrive as five months of transactions will be condensed into a little over a week. The free-agent period will be dizzying, once the two sides finally figure out how the timing of when the new league year actually begins.

We’ll find out how the horse-trading on the final items shakes out (including any opt-out language, discipline procedures, new drug testing protocols, etc.). There will be a lot of “who won?” and “who lost?” from media once all of the terms are made public.

Here is the 25-page PDF summary pending agreement NFLPA reviewed with player reps Wednesday, pre-owners `final’ document (via ESPN on Friday, and forwarded to BlogAndTackle.net by Howard Balzer (@HBalzer721 on Twitter) - Obviously, some of this changed over the weekend, but good snapshot of where sides were late last week : NFLPA Summary 7-22-11

Finally, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith will stand together at a podium, and unlike last week’s NFL press conference with glum faces among owners, this one will have smiles, weary but with a sense of accomplishment.

The other people with smiles are ones you don’t see on your TV. The everyday employees of clubs and the league office that reduced salaries or gave furloughs should see their money restored now that a full season will be played. They were all unnecessarily caught in the middle of the labor war, as employees in the NBA are finding out now during their own lockout.

Yes, football is back, and there is so much to do and digest. Players, agents and GMs will never work so hard as they will once the new CBA is in force. It will be fast and furious, and those who are the most prepared and have digested the new rules will succeed, whether it is a GM will a solid battle plan, an agent who has strong working relationships with those GMs or players who find the right team to sign with thanks to their agent and a cooperative GM.

All are intertwined in this intricate dance that will look more like a quick step than a slow waltz once the doors are opened. The media can go back to covering the on-field stories, instead of being part lawyers, accountants and court reporters during this Summer of Lockout.

Here is how the national media sees the weekend’s developments & when/how the NFL will resume business:
With end of NFL lockout at hand, it’s time to focus on football again (Don Banks, SI.com; 7/24/11)
Making sense of the new CBA and how it will affect the game (Peter King, SI.com; 7/25/11)
Path to NFL normalcy begins with players’ board approving deal (Michael McCann; SI.com; 7/24/11)
NFL unlocked? Inside election day (Andrew Brandt, NationalFootballPost.com; 7/25/11)
Report: Team facilities to open as early as Tuesday (Brad Biggs, NationalFootballPost.com; 7/25/11)
Yes! Knucklehead season almost over (Gene Wojciechowski, ESPN.com; 7/25/11)
Sources: Deal to end lockout reached (Adam Schefter, ESPN.com; 7/25/11)
2011 free agency: It’s going to be wild (John Clayton, ESPN.com; 7/25/11)
But what about after the NFLPA vote? (AJ Perez, FOXSports.com; 7/25/11)
Lockout Judgements: Winners, losers, turning points (Clark Judge, CBSSports.com; 7/25/11)
Players, owners finally get done what politicians cannot (Mike Freeman, CBSSports.com; 7/25/11)
Advantage: Players (Pete Prisco, CBSSports.com; 7/25/11)
Latest timeline confirms that free agency could start Tuesday (Mike Florio, ProFootballTalk.com; 7/25/11)
NFL players, you are now free to move about the league (Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times; 7/25/11)
DeMaurice Smith proves more than capable standing up to owners (David Steele, SportingNews.com; 7/25/11)
Agreement in place: Players will vote once document is done (Albert Breer, NFL.com; 7/25/11)
Teams, agents have major concerns for once doors open (Steve Wyche, NFL.com; 7/25/11)

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As we found out not more than 15 minutes after the NFL’s press conference at the Atlanta Gateway Marriott announcing their vote and going over the particulars of the league’s proposal, the howls of protest via social media by players and leaking of two NFLPA emails from Smith and NFLPA general counsel Richard Berthelsen seemed to suggest that the players were blindsided by the owners.

It should have been clear (but wasn’t at the time) that the men lined up behind Goodell during the press conference — NFL Executive VP of Labor/League Counsel Jeff Pash, Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson, New York Giants owner John Mara, Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney II and Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt — never once smiled, even wearily, as the months of negotiations were at an end.

They knew what we were finding out. The road to ratification is filled with bumps that could still derail the process. It’s easy (in some respects) to get 32 people to agree to a proposal (the supplemental revenue sharing deal brokered during the day between the owners was a bigger story that got lost in the later events). It’s harder to get 1,900 people to share one vision, especially when there are competing personal interests inside the group.

No one likes being backed into a corner, and players who are hyper-competitive by nature, couldn’t contain their reactions on social media, giving fans and media a real-time look into how negotiations are dissected by those directly affected by the proposed terms.

Both sides get a timeout for part of the day on Friday as the NFL owners and key staff travel to New England for the funeral service for Myra Kraft, the wife of Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft, this morning. News will be scarce for a bit out of respect, but the cycle should pick back up this afternoon.

Today could bring closure with a players’ vote and negotiations on the final sticking points, or we could have more confusion as players force Smith to take a step back and re-form consensus before approving the deal offered by the owners. No one really knows how this will fall out today (although ESPN is reporting Friday that the players will likely not today, according to Chris Mortenson).

The players released a statement Friday from NFLPA President Kevin Mawae:

Player leadership is discussing the most recent written proposal with the NFL, which includes a settlement agreement, deal terms and the right process for addressing recertification. There will not be any further NFLPA statements today out of respect for the Kraft family while they mourn the loss of Myra Kraft.

Key issues are an early opt-out from the agreement (NFL says it is a full 10-year deal with no opt-outs; NFLPA reportedly wants an opt-out clause with a penalty after seven years) and the recertification of the NFLPA as an union (various points of contention).

What we do know is that the owners have put the resumption of football (as well as the public perception of that) back in the players’ lap. The expectation left hanging in the air last night that there was a deal between the sides, even as the NFL was careful to say that it still took ratification from the NFLPA Executive Board.

The hot potato has been passed to Smith and the players, and we’ll find out soon if either side drops it.

Here is clarity and perspective on what Thursday meant and what the next few days might bring:
Labor agreement remains in limbo (Peter King, SI.com; 7/22/11)
After tumultuous Thursday, labor talks headed for wild weekend (Don Banks, SI.com; 7/22/11)
Owners pressure players to deal (John Clayton, ESPN.com; 7/21/11)
We have a (proposed) deal (Andrew Brandt, NationalFootballPost.com; 7/21/11)
Players scoff at trumpeting of labor ‘agreement’ (Jason Cole, Yahoo! Sports; 7/21/11)
NFL owners try to pull a fast one on players (Bryan Burwell, St. Louis Post-Dispatch; 7/22/11)
NFL owners vote for tentative labor deal (Judy Battista, New York Times; 7/21/11)
NFL players mull owners’ proposed CBA (AJ Perez, FOXSports.com; 7/22/11)
Welcome to the dog days of dizzying NFL drama (Lisa Olson; AOL/Sporting News; 7/22/11)
Players don’t vote on CBA, rip ‘gamesmanship’ of owners (Mike Freeman, CBSSports.com; 7/21/11)
Players, fans aren’t as idiotic as owners think they are (Ray Ratto, CBSSports.com; 7/21/11)
Players delay vote on owners’ proposal to end lockout (Eric Edholm, ProFootballWeekly.com; 7/21/11)

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That changed today as ESPN.com’s Chris Mortenson reported on what the NFL owners are proposing as their potential two-day meeting heads to a one-day conclusion in Chicago before talks between the owners and players resume later this week.

The quick outline, based on Mortenson’s report:

• Players receive 48 percent of all revenue
• Owners will not take $1 billion cost credit off the top as in past CBA
• Owners will get some credits for stadium construction
• Rookie wage scale will be included, but adjustments are still being made
• Teams must spend between 90-93 percent of salary cap
• The proposed 18-game regular-season schedule is negotiable, not mandated
• New 16-game Thursday night TV package in 2012 to be revenue driver
• Retired players to get increased health and pension funding

Also, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, when an agreement is reached, those unsigned players who have been in free-agent limbo with four, five and six years of service will be unrestricted free agents, and the franchise tag will still be in existence.

A good deal tends to be where both sides give a little and leave not getting everything. If this is the eventual framework, the players take a lesser percentage of all revenues (below 50 percent), owners can’t take as much off the top as they wanted and teams have to spend more of the cap.

This is the key trial balloon, as whoever leaked the info to Mortenson had to have done so with some blessing of league higher-ups. Now we wait for the players’ reaction and the negotiations to restart soon.

There is a long way to go — and a lot can still go wrong — but this is the first real hope of a resumption of NFL football since the owners locked out the players in mid-March after talks broke down.

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Most, myself included, expected Judge Susan Nelson of the U.S. District Court to rule in favor of the players in their preliminary injunction attempt to lift the lockout as part of the Brady v. NFL case. What was also expected was a stay from Judge Nelson to hold the lockout in place until an appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit could be filed by the NFL.

So, Judge Nelson’s ruling to lift the lockout immediately, but to not issue a stay of her order until the NFL’s appeal could be heard has thrown the league into chaos on several points, some of which are not entirely clear to legal analysts specializing in sports law in the first hours following the issue of the order.

First, here is Judge Nelson’s full 89-page order issued Monday, April 25.

The NFLPA issued a statement Monday night:

Re: Brady, et al. v. NFL

We are class counsel along with Dewey LeBoeuf on behalf of the 10 named plaintiffs in the Brady lawsuit as well as the 1800 members of the soon to be Brady class. We are pleased with the ruling granting the plaintiffs preliminary injunction to lift the NFL owners’ illegal lockout issued this afternoon by Judge Susan Richard Nelson. We believe that this 89-page well-reasoned decision is totally consistent with prior precedent, governing caselaw as well as administrative rulings on all the issues raised by the NFL Defendants. We are confident that this ruling will withstand any appeals.

De Smith, co-class counsel and Executive Director of the NFLPA said; “I’m happy for our players and for our fans. Today, those who love football are the winners.”

In addition, plaintiff Osi Umenyiora stated: “Today’s ruling is a win for the players and for the fans that want to see a full NFL season in 2011. The lockout is bad for everyone and players will continue to fight it. We hope that this will bring us one step closer to playing the game we love.”

- James W. Quinn, Class Counsel

The NFL also issued a statement following the order:

We will promptly seek a stay from Judge Nelson pending an expedited appeal to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. We believe that federal law bars injunctions in labor disputes. We are confident that the Eighth Circuit will agree. But we also believe that this dispute will inevitably end with a collective bargaining agreement, which would be in the best interests of players, clubs and fans. We can reach a fair agreement only if we continue negotiations toward that goal.

The league, according to SI.com’s Peter King has filed two motions with Nelson’s court: a motion of clarification, seeking more info on the practical implications of the ruling, and a motion to stay the ruling while the Eighth Circuit hears the NFL’s appeal.

There are three possible outcomes, according to King. One, a stay which would keep the lockout in place until the Circuit Court hears and rules; two, no stay and an order to begin the 2011 NFL league year at her discretion; and three, passing the decision of a stay to the Eighth Circuit, which could take about a week to decide.

Judge Nelson’s order has set the following in motion:

The NFLPA via an email, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, advised players of their legal right to report to work at club facilities on Tuesday, April 26. It is unclear how many team player reps are telling players to report. Some like the Lions’ Kyle Vanden Bosch, have told players not to report for a day until the dust settles, while the Steelers’ rep Ryan Clark is telling teammates to report to work, according to ProFootballTalk.com.

Late Monday, according to Schefter, the NFL Management Council has told teams to let players into buildings on Tuesday, but also recommended keeping weight rooms closed and to have security in place to avoid any potential confrontations or photo opportunities for the media.

That advisement from the Management Council will avoid an awkward situation where team security directors, which assist players during normal labor times, would have been the ones turning the players away at the facilities or changing access codes the players use in some cities to access parking and the facilities.

ProFootballTalk.com is reporting that coaches have been told not to be in contact with players until the league has had a chance to seek a stay of Judge Nelson’s order.

Even if the league year is ordered to begin, there is plenty of uncertainty of if the previous CBA would apply going forward. Teams will also have some minefields in antitrust law to navigate, according to sports law professor Michael McCann in SI.com.

In the same article, McCann says the NFL’s appeal will hinge on two points: lack of jurisdiction by Judge Nelson because the National Labor Relations Board is yet to rule on the legality of the NFLPA’s decertification order and lack of irreparable harm to the players.

The league’s lawyers, led by David Boies, made those arguments in front of Judge Nelson in preparation for their appeal to the Eighth Circuit.

According to ESPN legal analyst Lester Munson, the owners may try to impose new work rules, or try to negotiate a new deal with the players, or try to do both.

Andrew Brandt of NationalFootballPost.com says that there is plenty that could still happen in the wake of Judge Nelson’s decision.

The league also faces a mid-May hearing in front of Judge David Doty as he will rule on potential award damages in the lawsuit filed by the players over the owners’ current television contracts. Those contracts would have provided a substantial “war chest” in a lockout. Judge Doty ruled for the players in March, and he will decide on those damages and if there should be an injunction on the TV contracts.

One major question also looms over the NFL Draft to be held over three days later this week. Teams were previously told that the only trades that could take place were ones involving draft picks in the 2011 and future drafts only. With a lifting of the lockout, no one is sure whether deals can be made involving current roster players under contract (for instance, Eagles QB Kevin Kolb).

The next week or so will be unique in NFL history on many levels. In any case, with less than three days before the 2011 NFL Draft, the chaos potential is very high for a league used to order in conducting its business off the field.

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However, the victor in Judge Nelson’s ruling will have a short-lived time to celebrate as there will be an immediate appeal on the injunction ruling by the losing side. That means the real leverage for one side won’t be decided until the appeal is heard in front of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.

To revisit the issues behind Brady v. NFL, National Football Post’s Andrew Brandt, who is also reporting on the labor fight for ESPN.com did a primer on March 18 for NFP.

Brandt did an update on April 20 which touched on the mediation brokered by Judge Nelson in advance of her decision and where the situation may be headed in the coming weeks.

Another pressure point will come May 12 when Judge David Doty will hold a hearing to decide damages in the TV lockout-funding case brought by the players against the owners. A major award to the players of money that the owners expected to have as a “war chest” in the lockout could also shift leverage. Doty ruled against the owners in the suit in early March.

Late last week, there were reports that some NFL players were interested in having a seat at the mediation table in Minneapolis. The NFLPA, through its’ NFLLockout.com web site, made an email public from an unspecified law firm looking for 70 potential clients to intervene in the mediation, which broke off April 20.

Meawhile, unlike the previous mediation talks in Washington with George Cohen of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, where details were leaked almost daily, the mediation under Judge Arthur Boylan was done under a gag order which carried real legal issues if it was violated. The mediation talks under Judge Boylan were suspended on April 20 to resume May 16.

That doesn’t mean there wasn’t news from the NFL in past two weeks. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell held several conference calls with season-ticket holders of the Dolphins, Chargers, Giants and 49ers to go over the league’s positions on the labor issues.

The NFL also released its’ 2011 regular-season schedule. And ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter found that the league built in some safeguards to have a complete schedule even if the first three weeks are not played as planned.

In short, the league has asked Indianapolis to hold hotel rooms for another week to play Super Bowl XLVI on Sunday, February 12 if needed. The league would also take away one of the two weeks between the conference championship games, so teams would have to head to Indy the day after winning their respective conference titles for Super Bowl week. Also, every Week 3 game has been safeguarded as the teams off in a particular bye week match up to their Week 3 opponent.

So, according to ESPN, the season could start as late as October 2 (Week 4) and a full 16-game schedule could be played.

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The league and NFLPA are in uncharted waters with Goodell and Smith at the helms for this negotiation. At some point an agreement will be reached. The how and the how long are the unknowns. So, it is appropriate to pull back the curtain on the two men who are the faces and driving forces for their respective sides.

SI and SI.com’s Peter King wrote the personality piece on Goodell, “The Man of the Hour” for the Feb. 7 edition, and some parts are worth noting as the two sides try to reach an agreement.

First is on his relationship with his employers, the 32 NFL owners.

Goodell will have trusted lawyers and owners by his side during the negotiations, but make no mistake: This will be a deal the commissioner drives, in meetings both with the NFL Players Association and its head, DeMaurice Smith, and with leaders of the 32 franchises. One ownership source says Goodell’s level of trust among the owners is so high that if he recommends an agreement that passes muster with the players, it will easily get the three-quarters vote (24 of 32 teams) necessary for passage.

One thing Goodell has proven in private is that he will staunchly defend the “shield” as he calls it. Michael Vick ran afoul of it with his dogfighting activities, and learned first-hand.

But the commissioner has a cold and confrontational side that serves him well in staring down miscreants and business adversaries alike. “The way Roger talked to me when I was still hiding from what I’d done was such a slap in the face,” says Michael Vick. “Like, ‘Don’t you lie to me!” With stronger language than that. It was rough.”

Goodell was also key in the negotiations with the city of Cleveland to get a new stadium and an expansion franchise in 1996 that would take over the old Browns colors and records after the original Browns franchise moved to Baltimore to become the Ravens.

“There would not have been a deal without Roger,” says Cleveland’s chief negotiator Fred Nance. “No way. He came into a city under siege and was hard-nosed and stubborn. But he was sensitive to figuring out what we had to have to make a deal, and how much he could compromise knowing he had the owners to answer to whatever he did.”

Goodell and Chairman of NBC Universal Sports & Olympics Dick Ebersol are good friends, and the league and network are business partners, but this exchange shows where Goodell draws the line, and what the negotiations between the league and the players’ association might be like.

Now, fast-forward to the 2009 negotiations between the NFL and NBC over extending the network’s broadcast contract for 2012 and ’13. The NFL, according to Ebersol, insisted on a rights fee of $600 million a year, though NBC wasn’t getting a Super Bowl in either of those seasons. Ebersol and Goodell had a few back-and-forth discussions, and Goodell finally said the NFL wouldn’t take a dime less than $600 million.

“There was a coldness and a ‘that’s it’ tone in Roger’s voice that was chilling,” says Ebersol. “At his heart Roger can be a cold son of a bitch. I think the people on the other side of the negotiating table are going to hear that in the coming months. He’s going to show mettle, and he’s going to do what he thinks is best for the National Football League. It’s what he’s always done.”

On the other side of the table is Smith, who was profiled by SI’s Jim Trotter in “The Fighter” for the Feb. 21 issue.

When Smith took over the reins of the NFLPA, he was replacing a legendary and dominant figure in Gene Upshaw, who passed away in 2008. Smith had plenty of Upshaw’s observations and notes to work from as he prepares to negotiate with the NFL.

Smith reaches into his papers and pulls out a program from a 1991 union meeting. Former executive director Gene Upshaw, preparing to speak to player reps, wrote some introductory remarks in cursive on the back of the program. Smith begins reading to himself, then stops halfway through and recites: The owners will always take short-term loss for long-term gain.

Upshaw governed the NFLPA as a lone figure, but Smith’s style is more inclusive, trying to give the players a larger voice in the direction the PA will take in the coming weeks.

Smith doesn’t believe in secrecy. Before his election he told players he wanted them to take more control of their careers and their futures, and that if they were unwilling to educate themselves and be more involved in the process, he wasn’t the man to lead them. The other candidates included Troy Vincent and Trace Armstrong, two former players who’d served as union presidents, and a prominent lawyer, David Cornwell, who once worked in the league office. Smith was elected by a vote of 32-0.

His negotiating style is framed by a current player representative.

As much as Smith relishes a fight, he also knows he’ll have to make concessions to strike a deal. He has presented the league with a proposal for a rookie wage scale and made a counteroffer regarding the league’s proposal to reduce the players’ share of revenues. “De is a very intense guy, but he’s also a realist,” says All-Pro center Jeff Saturday, the Colts’ player-representative. “He’s not just a hype man. He’s telling you there are going to be things we’re going to have to compromise on, and here’s why. You have to be up front and honest. Not everything is going to go the players’ way. He’s done a good job of balancing that, so the guys understand that we’re in this to get this thing finished and to get a new agreement in place.”

Where the NFLPA has been effective is that unlike Upshaw, Smith isn’t afraid to prod the NFL’s power players. Earlier in Trotter’s story, Smith references the term “3-D chess” to describe the intricate game between the owners and players. Here is an example of one “chess” move.

One of the ways Smith tries to determine the power players in the league is by “poking the elephant” to see the reaction he’ll get. He has filed multiple legal challenges, including a complaint that the NFL left money on the table in its TV contract extensions in exchange for guarantees that the owners would be paid in 2011. (The special master in the case ruled that the league would have to compensate the players but did not nullify the agreements; the NFLPA is appealing that decision.) Smith has also charged the owners with colluding to limit player movement and earnings during the 2010 free-agency period. (That complaint is pending.)

And another “elephant-poking” move on Smith’s board:

Consider the collusion case. When the union leaked word that it would be filing suit, Smith received a call from Goodell urging him not to go forward. At that point Smith asked if the owners would make certain concessions during the lockout if he dropped the claim. Goodell asked for 30 days to consult the owners. Eventually he came back and said there would be no concessions. Those close to Smith say the endgame was not necessarily to get the concessions but to determine whether Goodell had the influence to get the owners to budge.

In both articles there are stories about Goodell’s and Smith’s upbringings, and how particular incidents in their lives shaped how they see the world today. The two men are not dissimilar in makeup, but both will have to work hard to find common ground.

They don’t have the close personal relationship at this point that their predecessors, Upshaw and Tagliabue, had. But both seem to have the strength to shut out the rhetoric that each side has to spew in labor negotiations, find a way to get things their side needs, and most importantly, allow the other side to save face when the deal is done.

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The nastiest matchup of the weekend is the first on the docket: Baltimore at Pittsburgh. The teams have waged wars in the AFC North over the years, and 2010 was no exception. Each team scored 27 points total in the two games, and the games are as physical as any in the NFL over the previous decade.

The Ravens continued to have playoff success on the road as they beat Kansas City last Sunday 30-7 in New Arrowhead. It was the third straight season with at least one playoff victory for Baltimore, the only club in the NFL to do so over the period. QB Joe Flacco joined Bernie Kosar (1985-87) and Dan Marino (1983-85) to start a playoff game in each of their first three seasons in the league. The Ravens will try to advance to the AFC title game for the first time since the 2008 season.

Pittsburgh survived the loss of QB Ben Roethlisberger to a four-game suspension to get to a 3-1 start which included a home loss to the Ravens. The Steelers won six of their last seven games, including a road win at Baltimore for the division title. Roethlisberger Has thrown a personal-best 158 straight passes without an INT, the longest for the Steelers since QB Kordell Stewart had a streak of 159 consecutive pass attempts without an interception in 2001.

The teams split the regular season meetings, with the Ravens winning in Pittsburgh 17-14 in October, and the Steelers winning in Baltimore 13-10 in December.

The last time the clubs met in the playoffs, Pittsburgh advanced to Super Bowl XLII with a 23-14 victory in Heinz Field. Pittsburgh S Troy Polamalu’s 40-yard INT-TD of Flacco with 4:24 to play in the fourth quarter sealed the Steelers’ 6th AFC title.

Pittsburgh owns a 2-0 record over the Ravens in playoff games. In fact, the Steelers are undefeated (4-0) against NFL teams representing the city of Baltimore (2-0 vs. Colts – ’75 & ’76 AFC Divisional Playoff, 2-0 vs. Ravens – ’08 AFC Championship, ’09 AFC Divisional Playoff).

Thanks to the game notes produced by the two clubs’ PR staffs and notes provided by the NFL PR staff, here is a look at the key notes for the Ravens and Steelers going into the AFC Divisional Playoff Game.

BALTIMORE RAVENS

RAVENS-STEELERS = EPIC BATTLES: In five of the last six games played between the Ravens and Steelers, the margin of victory has been 3 points, including both games earlier this season when the Ravens won at Pittsburgh, 17-14, and the Steelers won in Baltimore, 13-10. The fourth-game differential? Four points.

CROSSING ENEMY LINES: In just 10 all-time postseason games on the road, Baltimore has tied for the third-most away playoff victories in NFL history. In fact, Baltimore produced six playoff road wins this past decade (2000-09), tied with the Cowboys (1970s) for the most in a single decade.

MOST ROAD PLAYOFF VICTORIES (since 1960)
Road Playoff Games-Road Wins
Dallas Cowboys 23-9
Tennessee Titans 21-8
Baltimore Ravens 10-7
New England Patriots 16-7
Pittsburgh Steelers 16-7
St. Louis Rams 20-7

PLAYOFF PICKS: In 14 playoff games, the Ravens’ “D” has forced 29 INTs, including 17 thefts in their last eight postseason contests. Baltimore’s 29 INTs rank as the most in NFL postseason play since 2000, while the 551 INT return yards also stand first (NE is second with 429). Four of those picks have been returned for touchdowns.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

RUN STUFFERS: The Steelers shattered the team record for rushing yards/game allowed in 2010 by giving up just 62.8 yards per game. The previous mark was 74.7 rushing yards/game set in 2001.

The Steelers ranked first in the league and allowed a season-low 30 yards rushing in Week 8 at New Orleans.

Additionally, the Steelers’ rush defense finished as one of the
best since the NFL merger. Pittsburgh’s 62.8 average is third-lowest, behind only the Ravens’ 60.6 in 2000 and the Vikings 61.6 in 2006.

IMPOSING THEIR WILL: The Steelers averaged 120.3 rushing yards per game in 2010, which ranked seventh in the AFC and 11th in the NFL.

The Steelers outrushed 14 of their 16 opponents in 2010, averaging nearly 60 more yards on the ground than their opponents.

Pittsburgh has achieved this success despite having a number of injuries to the offensive line. On the year, the Steelers started five different combinations on the offensive line.

GIMME THE BALL: The Steelers tallied 35 takeaways in 2010, which ranked second in the AFC and third (tied) in the NFL.

The Steelers ranked second in the AFC and second in the NFL with a plus-17 (+17) turnover advantage (35 takeaways, 18 giveaways).

RAVENS-STEELERS FROM THE NFL PR OFFICE: TEAMS MEET for 3rd time in postseason. Steelers are 2-0 vs. Ravens in playoffs.

RAVENS: John Harbaugh joins Barry Switzer as only head coaches in NFL history to win playoff game in each of his 1st 3 seasons … Club has 7-3 road playoff record, best postseason road winning percentage (.700) in NFL history (minimum 5 games) … QB Joe Flacco became 1st QB to start & win at least 1 playoff game in each of his 1st 3 NFL seasons. Has 4-2 postseason record. Flacco had Ravens playoff-best in passing yards (265), TD passes (2) & passer rating (115.4) last week … In past 3 postseason games, RB Ray Rice is averaging 128.3 scrimmage yards per game (283 rush, 102 receiving). Incl. playoffs, club has 14-4 record (.778) when Rice has 80+ rush yards in game. For career, Rice averages 121.4 rush yards per game when he has 25+ attempts (607 total in 5 games). RB Willis McGahee has 4 rush TDs in past 4 postseason games … WR Derrick Mason had 6 receptions for 80 receiving yards in last regular-season meeting at Pit … WR Anquan Boldin had 5 receptions for 118 yards (23.6 avg.) with 1 TD in last game vs. Steelers. In only career postseason game vs. Pit. (SB XLIII w/ Arz.), Boldin had 8 receptions for 84 yards (10.5 avg.). Recorded 2nd postseason TD reception of career last week … TE Todd Heap became 6th TE since Super Bowl era (since 1966) with 10 receptions (10) & 100 receiving yards (108) in playoff game last week … Ravens have 29 INTs in 14 postseason games, incl. 3 INTs last week … In 8 career postseason games, S Ed Reed has 7 INTs. Club allows 12.2 points per game in postseason in franchise history … Bal. has not allowed RB to gain 100+ rush yards in 14 consecutive postseason games (tied for 2nd-longest current streak, Redskins, 17; Steelers, 14) … LB Ray Lewis has 2 sacks in past 3 postseason games … LB Terrell Suggs has 7 sacks in past 6 postseason games … Ravens had 5 players selected to Pro Bowl (K Billy Cundiff, LB Lewis, DT Haloti Ngata, S Reed & LB Suggs).

STEELERS: Have won 31 postseason games, 2nd-most in NFL history (Cowboys, 33) … Pit. has 14-8 (.636) record in Divisional Playoffs … Steelers have won an NFL-record six Super Bowl titles … Club has 18-9 (.667) record at home during playoffs … QB Ben Roethlisberger is 8-2 (.800) in postseason & has completed 172 of 278 (61.9 pct.) for 2,239 passing yards w/ 15 TDs vs. 12 INTs & 87.2 passer rating. Has thrown career-best 158 consecutive passes without INT, longest such streak for Steeler since Kordell Stewart (159 consecutive passes without INT in ’01) … RB Rashard Mendenhall (1,273 rush yards, 13 rush TDs) joined Willie Parker (1,494 rush yards, 13 rush TDs in ’06) as only Steelers w/ 1,200+ rush yards & at least 13 rush TDs in season … WR Hines Ward (76) needs 1 catch to surpass HOFer Thurman Thomas (76) for 5th-most receptions in playoff history … WR Mike Wallace (7) tied HOFer John Stallworth (7 in ’84) for most 100-yard receiving games in season in Steelers history. Had career-best in catches (60), receiving yards (1,257) & TDs (10). Aims for 4th consecutive 100-yard receiving game … TE Heath Miller has 2 TD catches in 3 home postseason games … C Maurkice Pouncey became 1st Steelers rookie center to start all of his team’s games … Pit. has not allowed 100-yard rusher in 14 consecutive postseason games, tied w/ Bal. for 2nd-longest current streak (Redskins, 17) … Steelers allowed NFL-low 62.8 rushing yards per game this season, 5th-fewest rushing yards allowed per game in NFL history … LB James Harrison became 1st Steeler to post double-digit sacks in 3 consecutive seasons (16 in 2008; 10 in 2009; 10.5 in 2010) … LB LaMarr Woodley has 8 sacks in 4 career postseason games. LB James Farrior had 6 sacks this season, 2nd-most of career (6.5 in ’07) … Club had 3 players selected to 2011 Pro Bowl (LB Harrison, C Pouncey, S Troy Polamalu).

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It’s a chance to take stock of each conference after 13 weeks and 12 games with one-liners on each of the teams. Below are some stats, observations and conjecture as we look ahead to the final four weeks.

First, here is a look at the AFC by divisions. Records are through Week 13:

AFC East

New England Patriots (10-2): Patriots have won last four, including huge win over the Jets to solidfy their claim as AFC’s best team behind conference-best (+110) scoring differential; road to AFC title will go through Gillette Stadium and coach Bill Belichick.

New York Jets (9-3): Despite 3-1 stretch, Jets went from potentially being in line to host AFC title game to very vulnerable after shredding of New York’s vaunted D by the Patriots.

Miami Dolphins (6-6): Dolphins continue to confound with 5-1 road mark, but 1-5 home record — that will be main reason they will not make playoffs as well as offensive woes (-23 point differential).

Buffalo Bills (2-10): Bills finally saw results after 0-8 start with two straight victories, but close loss to Steelers and blowout defeat to Vikings has slowed Buffalo’s progress.

AFC North

Pittsburgh Steelers (9-3): Steelers have grabbed choke-hold of AFC North after winning the war in Baltimore last week behind QB Ben Roethlisberger and stout defense; now Pittsburgh could host AFC Divisional Playoff at always-tough Heinz Field.

Baltimore Ravens (8-4): Only home loss of season so far to Steelers was costly as Ravens may have three straight playoff games on the road instead of one or two home games; predicted high-production offense has gone cold at bad times.

Cleveland Browns (5-7): Cleveland continues to be a “tough out” thanks to solid running game behind RB Peyton Hillis; if they get QB (and maybe head coach) situation settled in offseason, could be 2011 team to watch in AFC.

Cincinnati Bengals (2-10): The wheels have completely come off the cart for one of the preseason favorites to win the division — nine-game losing streak may spell the end of the Marvin Lewis era in Cincinnati.

AFC South

Jacksonville Jaguars (7-5): Jaguars, after 3-1 stretch, find themselves on top in the division, despite worst point differential among all division leaders (-43) — only question is can they hold off slumping Colts?

Indianapolis Colts (6-6): Colts’ injuries have finally taken a toll; forget Peyton Manning for a moment, being in position of having to pass so much has allowed opponents to tee off in crucial situations — but Indy can still catch Jaguars for division title.

Houston Texans (5-7): Lack of strong starts have doomed Texans, 1-5 in their last six games — last chance for Houston (and maybe coach Gary Kubiak’s job) comes with Monday night visit by Ravens in Week 14.

Tennessee Titans (5-7): When you didn’t think anybody else could surpass Minnesota as NFL’s best soap opera, here comes the Titans; normally unflappable coach Jeff Fisher has had to deal with Vince Young, Randy Moss and owner Bud Adams in recent weeks.

AFC West

Kansas City Chiefs (8-4): Chiefs seem to have control of the division after a three-game win streak and perfect 6-0 home mark; can they hold off the Raiders and Chargers over the final four weeks?

Oakland Raiders (6-6): Progress has been slowed by 3-2 mark in last five games, but 4-0 division record could be factor if they get help before Week 17 showdown at traditional rival Chiefs.

San Diego Chargers (6-6): Amazing how one loss changes things after blowout defeat by Raiders last week that stopped four-game win streak; season on the line vs. Chiefs this week.

Denver Broncos (3-9): A three-game losing streak coupled with Spygate-like scandal in London finally cost Josh McDaniels his coaching job; Eric Studesville gets his audition but the supporting cast is not there.

And now for the NFC by divisions:

NFC East

Philadelphia Eagles (8-4): The Eagles are tied for the division lead, but arguably have the NFC East’s toughest schedule left with two games vs. Dallas and one each against the Giants and Vikings — for what was originally expected to be a transition year, a lot is still on the table.

New York Giants (8-4): Giants are playing as well as any team in NFC right now, but head coach Tom Coughlin’s team must navigate Minnesota, Philadelphia and Green Bay the next three weeks to stay in the division and Wild Card mix.

Washington Redskins (5-7): The Redskins season has become a trainwreck as head coach Mike Shanahan has had to deal with several distractions, including DT Albert Haynesworth’s suspension for conduct detrimental; the Skins defense should be suspended as well, allowing the fifth-most points in the NFC.

Dallas Cowboys (4-8): The Cowboys have gotten off the deck to become a team no one wants to face down the stretch; Dallas could play spoiler in the NFC East and help Jason Garrett remove the interim coaching tag.

NFC North

Chicago Bears (9-3): The Bears have won five straight to hold the division lead by one game thanks to resurgent play by QB Jay Cutler and LB Brian Urlacher; Chicago has murderous final four weeks capped by Week 17 visit to Packers.

Green Bay Packers (8-4): Despite injuries, Packers are firmly in the playoff mix, but key Week 12 loss at Atlanta looms large as well as final three games against New England, Giants and Chicago — win those and Green Bay will have earned its postseason ticket.

Minnesota Vikings (5-7): A change in head coach to well-respected assistant Leslie Frazier has helped the mood in Minnesota, but the final four weeks will be all about Brett Favre’s literal limp to the finish of his career (I think).

Detroit Lions (2-10): Some of the strides made early in the season by the Lions have been erased by the current five-game losing streak; coach Jim Schwartz is still looking for consistent winning formula.

NFC South

Atlanta Falcons (10-2): The hottest team in the NFC with six straight wins, the Falcons may do something no Atlanta NFL team ever has — host the NFC Championship Game in January; but they have to get through Week 16 Monday Night game vs. Saints.

New Orleans Saints (9-3): The defending Super Bowl champions are playing like it for first time all season with a current five-game win streak as the Saints try to go stride-for-stride with the Falcons; back-to-back road contests at Baltimore and Atlanta in Weeks 15-16 are New Orleans’ key games.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-5): The air has finally come out of the Buccaneers’ balloon with two straight losses, but Tampa Bay is just one game out of a Wild Card spot with favorable matchups in the next three weeks before Week 17 at Saints.

Carolina Panthers (1-11): The Panthers just want the season to be over, and the housecleaning will begin soon after starting with head coach John Fox; Panthers are a NFC-worst minus-153 in point differential.

NFC West

St. Louis Rams (6-6): The Rams have quietly put themselves in position to make the playoffs out of a weak NFC West, but don’t mistake St. Louis as a weak team — QB Sam Bradford is one of the league’s feel-good stories of 2010, and division could come down to Week 17 tilt at Seattle.

Seattle Seahawks (6-6): The Seahawks are in position to capture the NFC West, but head coach Pete Carroll’s squad still has worst point differential among NFC teams with a winning record (-49); Week 17 vs. St. Louis could be the decider.

San Francisco 49ers (4-8): San Francisco not officially dead in NFC West race, but last gasp could come this Sunday vs. Seattle; if they win, they still have games vs. St. Louis and Arizona — teams they have already beaten in 2010.

Arizona Cardinals (3-9): Cardinals have gone south for the winter as they have lost seven straight and hold NFC’s second-worst point difference (-138), but have three winnable games in final four weeks.

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