AFC Notes: Bengals, Browns, Ravens, Steelers

Bengals

• The Bengals have ruled out QB Brandon Allen (knee) and LB Logan Wilson (ankle) from Monday’s game after being unable to practice this week. (Ben Baby)
• Bengals S Brandon Wilson (hamstring) was a full participant in Saturday’s practice after being listed as questionable.  

Browns

• Scott Petrak of BrownsZone.com notes that G Wyatt Teller will be out with an ankle injury and will be replaced by T Chris Hubbard.
• Browns’ S Andrew Sendejo is also out and will be replaced by S Sheldrick Redwine. Petrak notes that S Tedric Thompson may see his first action with the Browns due to Sendejo’s absence.
• According to Petrak, Browns’ HC Kevin Stefanski is optimistic about CB Denzel Ward, TE David Njoku, TE Austin Hooper, and WR Khadarel Hodge playing on Sunday.

Ravens

Ravens’ LB Yannick Ngakoue is set to face one of his former teams this week in the Jaguars but told the media that he is going to be treating it as just another game, even though he forced a trade from Jacksonville this year.

“I’m just treating it as another game,” Ngakoue said, via Kevin Patra of NFL.com. “We need the rest of these wins to get to where we need to get to. At the end of the day, I had my time with Jacksonville, you know that’s not a secret. At the end of the day, I’m just going to treat it like another game, another Sunday.”

Ravens’ DL Calais Campbell also formerly played for the Jaguars and is going into the matchup with the expectation that there will be trash talk that is all in good fun.

“I’ve been in contact with a bunch of the guys over there, just because in football, you develop a brotherhood and friendship,” Campbell said. “So, a lot of those guys I’m real, real tight with. So it’s going to be fun competing and talking trash along the way and having some fun with the old team.”

Steelers

Steelers WR Diontae Johnson has had an issue with drops this season but doesn’t feel those moments define him as a player.

“I’ve been dropping the ball, but I don’t let that define me as a person or a player, and I know what I’m capable of doing,” said Johnson, via Brooke Pryor. 

Johnson said Ben Roethlisberger approached him with encouragement when he got benched after his dropped passed in Week 14. 

“It showed that he cares about me. Some players wouldn’t even do that,” said Johnson, via Pryor. 

Johnson mentioned that he was surprised by getting benched after his second drop against the Bills, but believes it was a fair decision by OC Randy Fichtner.

“At the end of the day, I have to catch the ball. Plain and simple,” said Johnson, via Pryor.

• The Steelers listed RB James Conner (quadriceps) as questionable for Monday’s game after being limited in Saturday’s practice. (Adam Caplan)
• Pittsburgh ruled out OL Kevin Dotson from Week 15 after sustaining a shoulder injury in last week’s game against the Bills. (Brooke Pryor)
• Pryor notes that OL J.C. Hassenauer “appears likely” to start at left guard.
• Steelers tried out C Zach Shackelford. (Aaron Wilson)