By: Tony Meale

The 2012 NFL Draft is just one week away so we’ve pulled together a mock draft featuring the first and second rounds for the NFC East. Do you agree with the picks? Comment below.

AFC North

Ravens

For all the talk about how the Ravens are getting old – and they are – they still came within one dropped pass of the Super Bowl last year. It shouldn’t surprise anyone if Baltimore comes that close again or goes even further, but if the Ravens are going to do it with Ray Lewis, it needs to be this year or next.

In the past, Baltimore has typically been more concerned with drafting the best player available than with filling needs – and it’s hard to argue with the success that strategy has produced. But seriously, can the Ravens get a receiver?

Joe Flacco, believe it or not, is a good quarterback. A 48-24 record. Two trips to the AFC Championship. At least one playoff win every year. Two wins over the Steelers last season.

Yeah, not bad.

As for Ray Rice, call me crazy, but he’s the best running back in football. He can run, he can catch, he can pass-protect – and unlike Arian Foster and now Adrian Peterson – he’s durable.

The Baltimore defense, meanwhile, is the Baltimore defense. Depth is a concern at a spot or two, but with Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, you know this unit is going to be Super Bowl-caliber come playoff time.

But back to receivers. Anquan Boldin is good, but he’s 32 and he can’t do it alone. He led the Ravens in catches last year despite missing two games. Torrey Smith has game-breaking speed – and that’s certainly a good thing to have – but he’s more of a burner than a receiver.

After that, who do we have? Dennis Pitta and Ed Dickson? Those guys won’t lose games, but they aren’t going to win them, either.

A wideout like Stephen Hill would be a good first-round pick, but the Ravens will likely draft defense (think Alabama linebacker Dont’a Hightower) or invest in the trenches (think Ohio State offensive tackle Mike Adams). Neither pick would be bad, but it wasn’t a linebacker or an offensive lineman that cost the Ravens a trip to the Super Bowl last year.

It was a receiver.

Browns

The Browns need offense. A lot.

In 2011, Cleveland went 0-6 against the AFC North, 1-7 on the road and scored 20+ points just twice.

Yes, the Browns are that bad.

Which is why selecting Morris Claiborne fourth overall – as some say the Browns should do – is a tad perplexing. Sure, he could be a staple of the Cleveland secondary for the next decade, but the Browns had statistically the second best pass defense in football last season. The offense was 29th.

Provided the Browns don’t trade the fourth pick, they should take Trent Richardson. Running backs have become devalued in recent years, but there’s no denying Richardson’s beastly tendencies – and his sub-4.5 40. He’s a tough, pass-catching, between-the-tackles runner who could be the heart and soul of a team that desperately needs, well, a heart and soul.

The football fan in me would like to see the Browns draft Justin Blackmon at 4 and Brandon Weeden at 22, but Cleveland appears interested in Ryan Tannenhill. Plus, there will be decent wideout options at Pick 22, including Kendall Wright.

If the Browns do draft Tannenhill, what becomes of Colt McCoy? Does Cleveland simply give up on him? McCoy has been far from impressive, but in his defense, who exactly has he had to throw to? I’m not saying McCoy is the quarterback of the future, but Browns fans should take McCoy’s performance thus far with at least a slight grain of salt – because he has no pieces around him.

If I’m Cleveland, I go RB/WR in the first round to give McCoy some weapons. With three of the top 37 picks – and 13 overall – the Browns can draft a quarterback later if they so choose.

Bengals

The Bengals boast three of the top 53 picks, including two of the top 21 – thanks largely to the coup owner Mike Brown pulled off by unloading the cantankerous Carson Palmer to the Raiders. Cincinnati went from worst in the AFC North in 2010 to a playoff team in 2011, and the pieces are in place for the Bengals to make a playoff push in 2012.

Cornerback and wide receiver are among the Bengals’ most pressing needs, but don’t be surprised if they draft an offensive lineman in the first round – either Stanford’s David DeCastro or Georgia’s Cordy Glenn. Protecting Andy Dalton, who showed great promise as a rookie, is a top priority, but so too is opening holes for BenJarvus Green-Ellis, whose acquisition from New England may have been one of the offseason’s more underrated transactions. Cedric Benson had his moments in Cincy (three straight 1,000-yard seasons) but was at times unreliable (12 fumbles the last two years).

While it appears Mike Wallace will re-sign with Pittsburgh, the Bengals should be doing everything they can to get him. A.J. Green, who last year averaged 16.3 yards per catch and tallied 43 first-down receptions, was phenomenal as a rookie, but the Bengals lack a true No. 2. Jordan Shipley and Jermaine Gresham are solid pass-catchers, but it would behoove the Bengals to draft at least one wideout. Michael Floyd is an option if he were to fall to Pick 17, but there are too many solid secondary options to pass up on, including Dre Kirkpatrick and Stephen Gilmore.

While Pittsburgh and Baltimore remain the class of the division, Cincinnati has unquestionably the brightest future – not to mention the potential to win the AFC North.

Steelers

The Steelers enter the offseason with more questions than usual:

Will Mike Wallace be back? How will Ben Roethlisberger and Todd Haley get along? How will the franchise cope without former mainstays Chris Kemoeatu and James Farrior, among others?

And yet, Pittsburgh has two bigger questions that need answering: Can Big Ben stay upright? And who is carrying the ball?

Big Ben is one of the game’s elite quarterbacks, and his freelancing style of play has helped the Steelers to three Super Bowl appearances in less than a decade. But Roethlisberger, who just turned 30, still takes way too many hits. Part of that is the result of the way he plays; the other – and maybe bigger – part is the offensive line. Doug Legursky, Maurkice Pouncey, and Willie Colon are solid, but the Steelers would be wise to draft Ohio State’s Mike Adams if he’s available at Pick 24.

The tailback situation is even more tenuous. Rashard Mendenhall’s bum knee might cost him the entire season, and Isaac Redman – with one career start – is first in line to get the bulk of the carries. In other words, the Steelers need a running back. Investing a second-round selection in Boise State’s Doug Martin would be worth it.

>> more: Mock Draft AFC South | Mock Draft AFC East | Mock Draft AFC West | Mock Draft NFC North | Mock Draft NFC South | Mock Draft NFC East | Mock Draft NFC West

Tony Meale is a freelance writer for MLB.com, cincinnati.com and ffjungle.com, among others. His fantasy football work has led to guest appearances on several radio outlets, including ESPN Radio and Sirius Radio. He has a Master’s in Journalism from Ohio University and has been recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists for outstanding work. A Cincinnati native, he is currently writing a book on one of the great sports stories never told. Follow Tony Meale on Twitter @tonymeale.

Randy Moss could make sense for the Baltimore Ravens in 2012. The Randy Moss question is getting posed by Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun, who thinks that the wide receiver could still have something to offer. With Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin already on the roster, this could give the Ravens a nice deep threat down one of the sidelines. That would certainly open up the field for the tandem of quarterback Joe Flacco and running back Ray Rice to work even better.

Rumors are certain to continue for most of the NFL offseason when it comes to a player with such a storied past as Moss. His talent has never really been the question though, but rather what his motivation and work ethic would consist of in his next stop. There’s a reason that he has already played for five different franchises and that he doesn’t have a concrete offer from a team for the 2012 NFL season.

The last time that Moss put up significant numbers was in 2009, when he caught 83 passes for 1,264 yards and 13 touchdowns. He made Tom Brady a better quarterback for the three years he called New England home, but has found almost no success in the past two seasons. If Baltimore is willing to give him a chance, Moss should make show a willingness to take a big pay cut in order to prove that he just wants to play the game. Maybe an incentive laden contract would work for both sides.

Do you think Baltimore is a good fit for Randy Moss? Should the franchise just avoid the drama associated with him?

The Baltimore Ravens finished the 2011 season with a 12-4 record, earning themselves a first round bye in the playoffs. The Ravens dominated their AFC North counterparts, winning all six games, including their games with future possible playoff opponents, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. In terms of fantasy stars, the Ravens had several, but who are the biggest surprise and disappointments, and which star can say they were the Ravens 2011 fantasy MVP?

MVP – Ray Rice

The fourth-year back from Rutgers continues to improve each season and is now known as one of the best running backs in the NFL. He accumulated more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage this season and scored 15 touchdowns. On the ground, he rushed for 1,364 yards, while he made 76 receptions for 704 yards. It was his third straight season of rushing for more than 1,200 yards and earning more than 550 in the passing game. He is an easy one of the top three running backs off the board, especially in PPR leagues.

Biggest Surprise – Torrey Smith

The rookie from Maryland had a solid season, lining up opposite of Anquan Boldin. He made 50 catches for 841 yards and scored seven touchdowns. With other rookie studs like Victory Cruz, A.J. Green and Julio Jones getting all the notoriety, Smith constantly had solid performances without getting the same recognition. That is something that will change, especially if he has a great run in the playoffs. As a second-round draft pick, Smith wasn’t expected to be the second receiver, but an injury to Lee Evans forced him to that role and it is a spot he will not be moving from anytime soon.

Biggest Disappointment – Joe Flacco

While Flacco still had a solid season, throwing for 3,610 yards and 20 touchdowns, he could have done a lot more for this offense. He threw 12 interceptions and lost six fumbles and continues to struggle to improve his game from when he burst onto the pro scene in 2008. A year ago, he had the best season of his career, but failed to live up to the expectations his past success have made for him. With their stellar defense and Rice controlling the offense, Flacco doesn’t necessarily need to do more, but if he wants to hear his name mentioned with the best, he needs to.

For a closer look at All-Injury teams for all major fantasy positions and biggest stars and busts from each NFL team, click here.

More from this contributor:

LeSean McCoy is Top Fantasy Running Back in 2011

Backup Running Backs to make Splash in 2011

Don’t Give up on These Players too Early

Drafting Individual Defensive Players?

Top 2011 Fantasy Football Rookies

Hobson Lopes has been playing fantasy football for more than 10 years and can be followed on Twitter @HobsonLopes.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

BALTIMORE (WJZ)– The Baltimore Ravens earn their way to the playoffs this year, and the team wants fans to know they couldn’t have done it without you. That’s why they put some lucky ticket-holders in the spotlight Thursday.

Kai Jackson has more on the big surprise.

Baltimore Ravens fans are passionate with Purple Pride. But it’s more than just spirit even broadcasters admit that fans can bring pain to opponents.

When the Ravens beat the Browns at home on Christmas eve, it capped a perfect season at home– eight wins, no losses.

“On behalf of the players and the coaches, we are giving the game ball to the Ravens fans for this 8 and 0 season,” John Harbaugh, head coach for the Ravens, said.

Thursday, Coach Harbaugh made good on his promise.

“I just wanna say what a pleasure it is to accept this on behalf of all Ravens fans and I’m honored to be here to represent,” Ravens fan Delray Smith said.

Three fans were chosen at random to receive actual game balls in used in the Ravens victory over Cleveland.

“Well, that’s about what I feel like right now, I got a game ball! Thank you very much to the Ravens!” Billie Armstrong, another Ravens fan, said.

A perfect season at home is a tough thing for any team to achieve even when they hitting all cylinders. Yet, Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh says he gives a great deal of credit to Ravens fans.

And fans give that credit back to the Ravens.

“It’s just an honor and pleasure to sit up there every week and watch these guys play. And I guess the twelfth man really is important for you guys,” Ravens fan Michael Shue said.

The Ravens have won 18 of their past 19 games at M&T Bank Stadium.

Browns left tackle Joe Thomas can’t think of anyone he’d rather spend Christmas Eve with than Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs.

Suggs always gives Thomas his best battles of the season, and Thomas considers him one of the best — if not the best — outside linebacker in the NFL.

“We’ve got to make sure it’s not the Terrell Suggs show,” Thomas said. “He’s going to make his tackles, he’s going to get a sack every now and then, but you’ve got to do whatever you can, whether it’s doubles, chips, run-action, play-action, you’ve got to make it a tough day — otherwise he’s going to make it tough on you.”

In the first meeting Dec. 4, a 24-10 Ravens win, Suggs had four tackles, one sack, two tackles for loss and a pass broken up.

“I think we did a pretty decent job, but he’s a guy that you don’t really shut out in a game,” said Thomas, a four-time Pro Bowler. “You just try to minimize his impact because he’s such a good player that he’s going to get his plays. You’ve just got to make sure that he doesn’t take over the game. That’s kind of the key with him.”

Suggs has 13 sacks this season, tied for fifth in the NFL and tied for third in Ravens history. It tops his previous career high of 12 in 2003. His 13 career sacks against the Browns in 17 games are his second most against any team. His seven forced fumbles against Cleveland are his tops against any team.

“He’s right up at the top of the class, there’s no question,” Thomas said. “He’s such a disruptive force — run and pass. . . . That’s why he fits so well with the Ravens because they like those guys that are kind of the jack of all trades.”

– Mary Kay Cabot

OWINGS MILLS, Md. – Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh arrived for work in a good mood Tuesday morning following the San Francisco 49ers’ victory Monday night over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

And with good reason: The Ravens moved back into first place with the Steelers’ loss.

“He was coming in: ‘Did you see that game? Who won?’” quarterback Joe Flacco said about Harbaugh. “OK, we all know who won the game. We know you’re way more excited now than you were two days ago. You could definitely tell he was excited, and we should be. We’re obviously in a better position because of what happened.”

The 49ers’ win over the Ravens’ AFC North rival put the Ravens (10-4) back in first place in the AFC North and into the second seed in the playoff standings.

The Ravens’ embarrassing 34-14 loss to the San Diego Chargers on Sunday night knocked them out of first place in the division for a day, and they fell from the top-seeded team in the AFC to fifth. Now, they’re second behind the New England Patriots.

The Ravens own the tiebreaker edge over the Steelers (10-4) after sweeping the annual series. They are in position to earn a first-round bye and a home playoff game provided they win their final two regular-season games against the Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals.

“Man, it was a fun to watch,” Harbaugh said. “It was pretty cool. The fact that if we win both games now, we will win the division, that means a lot. That’s really meaningful. It’s a tough league, and we have to win every week.”

However, the Ravens would have preferred to not require assistance.

“It’s a gift, but we wish we didn’t have to get it that way,” linebacker Terrell Suggs said.

The Ravens are 7-0 at home heading into their home game Saturday against the Browns.

And they’re undefeated in their previous games against Cleveland and Cincinnati this season.

“We’ve just got to take care of business,” Suggs said. “We’re playing two teams that know us very well, two division foes, so it’s going to be interesting. We’ve got to get back to doing what we do best, and that’s playing Ravens football.”

Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh arrived for work in a good mood Tuesday morning following the San Francisco 49ers’ pivotal victory Monday night over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

And with good reason: The Ravens moved back into first place with the Steelers’ loss.

“He was coming in: ‘Did you see that game? Who won?’” quarterback Joe Flacco said of Harbaugh. “OK, we all know who won the game. We know you’re way more excited now than you were two days ago. You could definitely tell he was excited, and we should be. We’re obviously in a better position because of what happened.”

The 49ers’ win over the Ravens’ AFC North rival puts the Ravens (10-4) back in first place in the AFC North and seeded second in the playoff standings.

The Ravens’ embarrassing 34-14 loss to the San Diego Chargers on Sunday night knocked them out of first place in the division for a day, and they fell from the top-seeded team in the AFC to fifth. Now, they’re ranked second in the playoff seeding behind the New England Patriots.

The Ravens own the tiebreaker edge over the Steelers (10-4) after sweeping their annual series earlier this season. They are now in position to earn a first-round bye and a home playoff game provided they win their final two regular-season games against the Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals.

“Man, it was a fun to watch,” Harbaugh said. “It was pretty cool. The fact that if we win both games now, we will win the division, that means a lot. That’s really meaningful. It’s a tough league, and we have to win every week.”

However, the Ravens would have preferred to not require assistance.

“It’s a gift, but we wish we didn’t have to get it that way,” outside linebacker Terrell Suggs said.

The Ravens are 7-0 at home heading into Saturday’s game at M&T Bank Stadium against the Browns.

And they’re undefeated in their previous games against Cleveland and Cincinnati this season.

“We’ve just got to take care of business,” Suggs said. “We’re playing two teams that know us very well, two division foes, so it’s going to be interesting. We’ve got to get back to doing what we do best, and that’s playing Ravens football.”

All season long the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens have been battling back and forth for the lead in the AFC North. On Sunday night the Steelers retook the lead in the division-for now-when the Ravens lost to the San Diego Chargers by a score of 34-14. The loss drops the Ravens to 10-4 while the Steelers have a record of 10-3.

The best part about the Ravens usual choke job is that earlier this week I wrote my thoughts on Flacco whining about his team being disrespected by the media. It seems that Flacco believes that he and the Ravens deserve more attention than the Steelers, the New England Patriots and especially Tim Tebow. Then in typical Flacco and Ravens fashion they went out and proved exactly why they don’t get the respect the other teams do.

Nobody is perfect. The Green Bay Packers lost for the first time today and even the mighty Tebow couldn’t overcome the Patriots today. Championship caliber teams only allow this to happen once or twice though. The Ravens have now lost four times to teams they should have beaten. The first loss was against a Titans team that just lost to the previously 0-14 Titans. Loss two was to a 4-10 team and all the Ravens managed was a measly, meaningless touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Next the Ravens lost to a Seattle Seahawks team that is currently 7-7 but most agree it would be a joke if Seattle were a playoff team. Then finally the Ravens lost yesterday to a Chargers team that has some talented players that are finally playing well but a Ravens team aiming for the number one seed should not be beat by 20 points by anybody.

The Steelers have a half game lead over the Ravens in the AFC North but they have yet to play this week. Pittsburgh will play the Monday night game against the San Francisco 49ers. If the Steelers beat the 49ers they will move a full game ahead of the Ravens. If the Steelers lose in San Francisco then the Steelers will move back into a tie atop the AFC North but the Ravens hold the tiebreaker.

The big question for the Monday night game is Big Ben. The Steelers quarterback has been suffering from an ankle injury and is questionable for the game. Roethlisberger did manage to practice the last two days and some theorize now that the Ravens have lost and the Steelers can get the division lead that Roethlisberger will try to play.

On the opposite side of the ball James Harrison will be out for the Steelers after being suspended one game for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy two Thursdays ago. Playing in Harrison’s place will be Jason Worilds. Worilds is just a second-year player but has started the last four games in LaMarr’s Woodley’s place. Woodley will be back in the lineup on Monday so that allows Worilds to move to Harrison’s spot.

The Steelers need to win the game not only to hold the lead in the division but also to try and grab the number one overall seed in the AFC. Currently the Patriots are the number one seed because today’s win over the Denver Broncos gives them a half-game lead over the Steelers until the Monday Night game. If the Steelers are victorious over the 49ers then the Steelers will pull even with the Patriots and the tiebreaker would give the Steelers the number one seed.

Sources:

Denis Poroy, Philip Rivers leads San Diego Chargers to 34-14 rout of the Baltimore Ravens, The Washington Post

The last several generations of Lee Andrew Henderson’s family were Pittsburgh born and even though he was born in Alabama he has been a long time fan of the Pirates, Steelers and Panthers. Lee Andrew Henderson can be found on Twitter @LeeAHenderson

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SAN DIEGO — Before the opening kickoff Sunday night, the Baltimore Ravens knew that the Tennessee Titans and New York Jets had both lost, meaning that for a franchise-record fourth consecutive year, they were going to the playoffs.

But that’s never what this regular season has been about for these Ravens. Their goal has always been to win the AFC North and get home-field advantage for the playoffs. But thanks to an abysmal performance where the Ravens allowed San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers to go down the field with little resistance all night, that goal just got a lot harder to attain.

The humbling 34-14 loss at Snapdragon Stadium before an announced 67,242 conjured all the old concerns, from the Ravens’ inability to deal with a quarterback with a quick release and dangerous receivers, to Joe Flacco’s continued inconsistency to the team’s struggles on the road.

The last one has become perhaps the biggest concern with the Ravens (10-4) now needing help to win the division and get a home playoff game. The Pittsburgh Steelers could take first place of the AFC North outright with a victory Monday night over the San Francisco 49ers.

The Chargers, who have won three straight to sit one game back of the Denver Broncos in the AFC West, scored on their first three drives to take a 17-7 halftime lead and then put the game away with two touchdowns in the third quarter.

San Diego scored 27 straight points before Flacco hit rookie wide receiver Torrey Smith on a late 36-yard touchdown pass.

Rivers connected for a 28-yard touchdown pass with Malcom Floyd, who beat rookie Jimmy Smith in the right corner to give the Chargers a 24-7 lead. Smith and fellow cornerback Cary Williams were picked on all night by Rivers.

Flacco followed the Floyd touchdown by throwing his first of two third-quarter interceptions, setting up a three-yard touchdown run by Ryan Mathews to give San Diego a 31-7 lead.

Rivers, who wasn’t sacked once by the team that leads the league in that category, was 17 for 23 for 270 yards and a touchdown. The Chargers’ 34 points were seven more than Baltimore has given up in a game this season. Flacco was 23 for 34 for 226 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.

— Baltimore Sun