AFC North Notes: Bengals, Ravens, Steelers

Bengals

Bengals HC Zac Taylor said with the bye coming up and the team winless, it was time to see what fourth-round rookie QB Ryan Finley could do as the starter. 

“Our objective is to win the next game,” Taylor said, via Bengals.com. “We need to see a rookie. It takes more than one game to figure out what we have there. We’ll give him a chance to do that.”

Taylor admitted that it was “not an easy conversation” with Andy Dalton when he informed him of their decision. 

“The hard thing now is when you’re 0-8 and you made that switch because the quarterback is the problem and that’s the furthest thing from the truth,” Taylor said. “He’s done a lot things to keep us going here and he’s spent a lot of time and effort and energy into getting us a win and it hasn’t happened and it’s unfortunate because he’s represented the franchise the right way over the last nine years and he’s done everything you would ask in that regard. Not an easy day. Not an easy conversation.”

Ravens

• According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Ravens were the other team interested in Jets S Jamal Adams. 
• Ravens signed WR Willie Snead to a one-year extension. (NFLTR)

Steelers

Steelers S Minkah Fitzpatrick showed out in his first game against his former team on Monday, picking off two passes that proved vital for Pittsburgh’s win against the visiting Dolphins. After the game, Fitzpatrick had a huge smile plastered across his face, though he claimed it was unrelated to beating the team he forced his way off of. 

“I think any game if I ever had two ‘picks’ I would have a smile on my face after the game,” Fitzpatrick said via the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s Chris Adamski. “It is my former team and my former teammates, and I have all the respect in the world for them. But it’s an NFL game — if I had two picks next week or last week, I would still have a smile on my face.”

• Steelers RB James Conner suffered a sprained AC joint in Monday night’s win and left the stadium with his arm in a sling, though it was likely precautionary. (Ian Rapoport)
• Steelers HC Mike Tomlin said G Ramon Foster is in the concussion protocol, while RB Jaylen Samuels (ankle) should be good to go for next week’s game against the Colts. (Gerry Dulac)
• Conner, DT Daniel McCullers (ankle), C Maurkice Pouncey (calf), and RB Benny Snell (knee) could all be limited in practice this week. (Missi Matthews)