My grades for the AFC at the third-quarter point of the 2002 season:
Baltimore Ravens (6-6)
Brian Billick has done an amazing job following the offseason's salary-cap bloodletting. The Ravens can still say they are in the playoff race even though their true chances are remote. Billick gave Jeff Blake the starting job the rest of the year to try to finish the season on a winning note. It's remarkable that this team could lose around a dozen starters and be only two games off last year's 8-4 pace at the three-quarters pole. To do it mostly without linebacker Ray Lewis, defensive end Michael McCrary and cornerback Chris McAlister is even more remarkable. Jamal Lewis is back from a knee reconstruction and is more of a power runner than ever. He's gained 1,044 yards, but among the top backs, he's the hardest to tackle behind the line of scrimmage. The defense hits hard. Mike Nolan's 3-4 defense is hard to hit for big plays. What could have been a 4-12 season gives optimism that the team could bounce back from cap hell faster than expected.
Grade: A. (First-quarter: B; Midseason: B)
Buffalo Bills (6-6)
Going into the season, the Bills knew they were a defense away from making the playoffs. Still, thanks to quarterback Drew Bledsoe and halfback Travis Henry and a great receiving corps, the Bills can still talk about the playoffs. Bledsoe endured what every quarterback playing without a defense suffers -- he started to watch his interception totals rise during the third quarter. Still, at nine interceptions, Bledsoe has had a remarkable season. Eric Moulds and Peerless Price each have had 1,000-yard seasons and have combined for 16 of Bledsoe's 21 touchdown passes. Henry has rushed for 1,108 yards and 11 touchdowns. Unfortunately, the Bills offense hit a phase in which it started to slow down in the red zone and settle for field goals. When your defense gives up 28.2 points a game, field goals aren't enough. Of the 14 AFC teams in contention, the Bills are in the worst shape on tiebreakers because they have six losses in the conference. It's been a fun run, and Tom Donahue, who held a November combine for unemployed players, has already started working on next year's defensive improvements. He signed linebacker Greg Favors and defensive end Marcus Jones. It's still hard to believe that the Bills' defense has only six interceptions.
Grade: B. (First-quarter: B-minus; Midseason: B-plus)
Cincinnati Bengals (1-11)
The white flag of surrender started when president Mike Brown started dispatching two offensive coaches to start scouting college players on the Saturdays before games. That signaled two things. First, that the Bengals, who have the league's smallest scouting staff, wanted early reports for the top pick in the draft. Second, that there probably won't be much of a structural change after the season. Coach Dick LeBeau may not be back, but Brown probably will promote from within to find his next coach. LeBeau and staff decided to ride the throwing arm of Jon Kitna to keep the team competitive and he has done that. Kitna has the offense consistently scoring more than 20 points a game, but the team continues to trip when it gets near the end zone toward the end of games. The defense has been the biggest disappointment, giving up 27.9 points a game. A case is being made by Kitna to keep him as the starter next year and look at other positions in the draft. Of course, wouldn't Kitna have looked better had the Bengals added an offensive weapon such as tight end Jeremy Shockey, who would have helped them even more in the red zone? Levi Jones looks like a good choice at left tackle, but he obviously didn't get the Bengals over the top. Of course, who could?
Grade: F. (First-quarter: F; Midseason: F)
Cleveland Browns (6-6)
Cleveland BrownsAll right, the 13-6 loss to the Panthers was awful and probably killed their playoff chances. But all along, the Browns looked like a team heading toward next season's playoffs not this season's. Given some work along the offensive line, a good offseason program for William Green and one more impact player on defense, the Browns should be in good shape next season. The mistake would be pointing fingers at quarterback Tim Couch. Sure, his numbers aren't great. In terms of quarterback ratings, he's 29th at 73.8. He has 14 interceptions and 13 touchdowns. But no quarterback with his tenure has had to wait as long for a running game to develop, and it's finally starting to show now that Green is getting into a grove. The defense has fought through injuries in the secondary all season, which is why they have given up 15 touchdown passes. The defense needs to tighten up on the ground, but it has only surrendered five rushing touchdowns. The Browns have lost so many close games -- four by seven points or less -- that a few plays would have made the difference between them and the division-leading Steelers.
Grade: B-minus. (First-quarter: C; Midseason: C)
Denver Broncos (7-5)
What's happened to the defense? LaDainian Tomlinson burns them for 220 yards rushing Sunday and catches 11 passes. Quarterbacks are completing more than 66 percent of their passes against them, and the unit has only eight interceptions. In five losses, the Broncos have surrendered between 23 and 34 points, not what you expect from the league's fourth-ranked defense. They have given up 26 defensive touchdowns. Too many. Still, the Broncos are in the playoff race. Rookie runner Clinton Portis will go over 1,000 yards this weekend and is a viable candidate for Rookie of the Year. Brian Griese has recovered from his knee injury and should get back as a starter. This season must be killing coach Mike Shanahan emotionally. He's lost three games in the past two months on last-play field goals. Five conference losses will play against the Broncos in tiebreakers and it has to be scary that the Broncos' current record is 4-5 in the AFC. But Shanahan isn't about to give up.
Grade: C. (First-quarter: B-plus; Midseason: A)
Houston Texans (3-9)
No one should be surprised that quarterback David Carr and coach Dom Capers are still battling teams week in and week out. Winning usually isn't in the cards for first-year expansion teams. The team may be ahead of the curve, and they are improving each week and may slip in a few more before the end of the season. Capers' 3-4 defense ranks 10th and is filled with veterans. Teams are rushing only 4.1 yards a carry against them and the defense doesn't give up too many big plays through the air. Even more amazing is that opposing quarterbacks are completing only 56 percent of their passes against the Texans. A second year of free agency and the draft should add another impact player or two on defense to give them more ability to force turnovers. They have only 16 turnovers in 12 games. That number will grow next year. Carr, meanwhile, is on the verge of being sacked an NFL record 72 times. He's at 64, and the offensive line has been giving up between six to eight sacks a game, so it's not out of the question that the sack record could fall within two weeks. That number alone points to where the Texans will concentrate most of their efforts with 14 draft choices next year. Averaging only 3.4 yards a carry, the Texans need a running back. They need help at tackle if Tony Boselli isn't ready next year. Still, they are right on schedule as being a competitive team.
Grade: B. (First-quarter: B; Midseason: B)
Indianapolis Colts (8-4)
Don't let the No. 2 ranking on defense fool you. Tony Dungy's impact with his "Cover 2" scheme has been significant, but this isn't the league's second-best defense even though it is so much better than last year. The Colts hit a section of their schedule in which they've played a bunch of unproductive quarterbacks. Still, the Colts are on a roll. The most important stat is that the Colts are only giving up 17 points a game instead of 30 from a year ago. Defensive end Dwight Freeney, who has eight sacks, is making a late rush for defensive rookie of the year honors. The team came together before the game against the Eagles and decided it had to get off to better starts. Three times, they fell close to three touchdowns behind in first half of games, which all turned out to be losses. Peyton Manning is in a groove and Marvin Harrison should break the NFL's single-season receiving record in the next two weeks. A concern has to be all of the injuries halfback Edgerrin James has endured. Still, he's battling at 3.5 yards a carry. If he stays healthy, he will probably get 1,000 yards. The next two road games against the Titans and Browns will determine where the Colts fit in the playoff picture.
Grade: B. (First-quarter: A; Midseason: C)
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THINGS TO WATCH IN THE AFC
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 1. 1. Three homes games at Heinz Field will be a supreme challenge to new Steelers kicker Jeff Reed, who has nine field goals in his first two NFL games. Reed may be too young to care about the bad field, but the next three home games will test his character. It's a 50-50 proposition for kickers to make field goals in Heinz Field. Winds coming off the river are tricky. The re-sodded field is torn up and will cause problems with footing. How Reed kicks may determine how well the Steelers will do if they get a home game or two in the playoffs.
 2.The Raiders' run defense will be tested over the next four weeks. They are currently giving up 95.2 rushing yards a game and 3.9 yards per carry. Over the next four games, the Raiders face LaDainian Tomlinson, Ricky Williams, Clinton Portis and Priest Holmes. Ouch.
 3. The good part of the Dolphins' three games in 12 days is that two of the games are against 3-9 teams, the Bears and the Vikings. As the Patriots found out in November, they didn't have to play their best to beat some of the struggling teams in the NFC North. The Dolphins can't afford to lose to the Bears or Vikings because it's likely they will split their other two games -- home against the Raiders and on the road against the Patriots in the season finale. Going 2-2 would give the Dolphins a 9-7 season and may cost them a division title.
 4. The Colts and Titans each have a good chance to make the playoffs because of their schedule. Let's say the Colts lose to the Titans Sunday, leaving the teams tied atop the AFC South at 8-5. The Colts don't play a team with a winning record down the stretch (at Cleveland and at home against the Giants and Jaguars). The Titans host the Patriots in a Monday night game and have road trips to Jacksonville and Houston, who have combined 8-16 records.
5. Watch for AFC offensive stars to shatter records well before the end of the season. Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon, who has 350 completions, should beat Warren Moon's completion record of 404 in Week 15 at Miami. Gannon is averaging 29 completions a game. He should break Dan Marino's attempts record of 691 by the final week. Colts receiver Marvin Harrison should break Herman Moore's reception record of 123 by Week 15 against the Browns. He has 109. Chiefs halfback Priest Holmes, who has 22 total touchdowns (19 rushing) should break Marshall Faulk's touchdown record of 26 and Emmitt Smith's record for rushing touchdowns (25).
— John Clayton
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Jacksonville Jaguars (5-7)
Tom Coughlin was caught on camera Sunday shaking his head when Steelers placekicker Jeff Reed banged six field goals to beat him. Coughlin's 5-7 season might have been different had he had a good field goal kicker. He's gone through three, and the situation is still under review. Reed, by the way, was one of the kickers Coughlin worked out but didn't sign. The Jaguars knew going into the season that they didn't have much of a margin of error in games. Salary-cap purges over the past two years have removed many of their playmakers. There have been other disappointments. Despite having good young players at defensive tackle, the Jaguars are surrendering 127.7 rushing yards a game. The offense hasn't been exciting. Mark Brunell has only 13 touchdown passes and now heads into the final four games with an injured finger that will make it tougher for him. Like Baltimore, though, the Jaguars weren't supposed to sniff the playoffs this year. Coughlin kept the Jaguars competitive, but he still can't afford to lose the intensity during the final four games.
Grade: B-minus. (First-quarter: A; Midseason: C)
Kansas City Chiefs (6-6)
It's been a wild ride for Dick Vermeil. The league's second-rated offense is averaging a league high 30.8 points a game, and Priest Holmes is putting up MVP numbers. Too bad the defense's inability to consistently stop foes has been thwarting the chances to make the playoffs. The Chiefs are giving up 402 yards a game. That's the second worst in NFL history. Vermeil isn't giving up even though the finishing schedule doesn't get any easier. Trent Green has had a solid season, particularly when you consider his starting receivers are his third and fourth options. Eddie Kennison and Johnnie Morton have combined for only 68 catches. Marvin Harrison gets that alone in half of a season. Still, great offense and bad defense often finish 8-8. Vermeil would love to finish 3-1 and beat that number by one victory.
Grade: B. (First-quarter: B; Midseason: B)
Miami Dolphins (7-5)
When Jay Fiedler led the Dolphins to a come-from-behind 24-22 victory over the Broncos, the Dolphins looked like the best team in the AFC. Maybe they were, but that victory cost them a chance to run away with the AFC East. Fiedler broke his right thumb, and Ray Lucas didn't match Fiedler for production at the quarterback position. Lucas was 2-4 filling for Fiedler, who returns for the Dolphins' tough December. Starting with the Monday night game against the Bears, the Dolphins have three games in 12 days. That's particularly tough for a team that has faded in December in recent years. The biggest concern has to be how Ricky Williams will hold up for three games of pounding in that short a time. Williams has carried the offense with 1,284 yards and a 4.6 yard average. He could reach 1,500 yards during that three-game stretch, which would cost the Dolphins next year's first-rounder. The Saints, currently owed a second, would love that upgrade. The defense also has to hold out. Last Sunday in the snow and cold in Buffalo, a third-quarter turnover seemed to take all of the emotion out of the defense. In the tight AFC East race, the Dolphins can't afford many more falls.
Grade: B-minus. (First-quarter: A; Midseason: B-minus)
New England Patriots (7-5)
It was pretty easy to figure that the Patriots would go 3-1 the past four weeks. They had games against the Vikings, Bears and Lions during the past month. What was strange was how they struggled to win what should have been easy games. Coming up is the time the Patriots can claim the AFC East. Three of their next four games are AFC East home games, which means the road to the division title goes through Foxboro. It will be interesting to see if the Patriots adjust their strategy. Actually, the Patriots' run-to-pass ratio isn't bad, passing on 62 percent of their plays. Figuring that the next four games will be in cold weather, Antowain Smith, averaging only 16 carries a game, should get more action. For these final four games, the defense has to tighten up. Despite ranking 13th in the league, the Patriots have some scary defensive numbers. They are giving up 4.6 yards a carry. They have given up 30 defensive touchdowns. Tom Brady proved that last year wasn't a fluke. He's posting Pro Bowl numbers. He's completed 300 passes and has 24 touchdown passes.
Grade: B-minus. (First-quarter: B; Midseason: C-plus)
New York Jets (6-6)
This is where the 2-5 start has come back to haunt the Jets. After a slow start Monday night against the Raiders on the road, the Jets proved that they can compete with Oakland. Quarterback Chad Pennington moved the ball. Curtis Martin has recovered from his early-season ankle problems and is again a threat. The defense gave up yards, but toughened near the goal line. But the loss to the Raiders was devastating because it's going to be hard for the Jets to make the playoffs with their current 6-6 record. Still, coach Herman Edwards won't give up. Since the first five games, the Jets' defense has come together. Better tackling gives the defense promise for the final four games. And Pennington is legit. He's completing a league-best 69.5 percent of his passes and has only thrown six interceptions. He doesn't back down under constant pressure, and the exposure before a national audience Monday night didn't rattle him.
Grade: B. (First-quarter: F; Midseason: C-minus)
Oakland Raiders (8-4)
Everyone worried about the fourth quarter of the season because of the age of many of the Raiders' starters. Their 28-20 closing schedule matches the Chiefs as the toughest among the AFC contenders. Receiver Tim Brown said Monday night that the four-game losing streak brought the Raiders closer as a team. While everyone gets lost in the great numbers being put up by quarterback Rich Gannon, the offensive line is playing phenomenally. It's possible that two starters -- center Barret Robbins and right tackle Lincoln Kennedy -- could go to the Pro Bowl, and left tackle Barry Sims deserves consideration, too. Gannon is getting all the time in the world to work his magic, and the blocking of the offensive line is one of the reasons he has tied an NFL record with nine 300-yard games in his first 12 games. The Raiders still have to worry about their defense. They have surrendered 20 touchdown passes, and at times, the defense has been vulnerable against good running backs. The Raiders believe they can go to the Super Bowl, and during the past quarter, they played as though they can.
Grade: A. (First-quarter: A; Midseason: C)
Pittsburgh Steelers (7-4-1)
The Steelers haven't played great. Despite all the contract extensions given to the best young defenders, the Steelers rank 16th statistically. Overall, the Steelers have beaten only one team, the Colts, with a winning record. Thanks to an easy schedule, the Steelers should be able to finish 10-5-1 and have a shot at a first-round bye and maybe a home game. Tommy Maddox makes them so much more potent on offense, and that became evident when Kordell Stewart filled in for him. Stewart drove the team for field goals. Maddox gets touchdowns. Had Maddox started the entire season, he might have had 30 touchdown passes, a number Stewart never achieved as a Steelers starter. The easy closing schedule (21-27) should allow the team to fight off injuries. And the Steelers have been a banged-up team. Several stars have been out. Jerome Bettis has been hurt most of the season. So has center Jeff Hartings. Linebacker Kendrell Bell was hurt early with an ankle injury, but he should make a big impact down the stretch. The Steelers may have been disappointing during the regular season, but they are dangerous heading toward the playoffs.
Grade: C. (First-quarter: C-minus; Midseason: A-minus)
San Diego Chargers (8-4)
Marty Schottenheimer is doing miracles here, even though the Chargers have gone 2-3 after their 6-1 start. He beat the Broncos on Sunday even though he had five rookies playing key roles on offense and two starting on defense. The Chargers win if they can hang around until the fourth quarter. Their losses come when they fall 10 points behind because they don't have the passing potency to overcome big deficits. LaDainian Tomlinson is a special running back who has had two 200-plus yard rushing days. The cheap shot by Broncos guard Steve Herndon that broke the ankle of defensive tackle Jamal Williams last Sunday was a big blow. He was one of the league's best run-stoppers, a definite candidate for the Pro Bowl. Quarterback Drew Brees is solid and a great leader. The team believes in him. Despite a patchwork offensive line, Brees has been sacked only 15 times.
Grade: B. (First-quarter: A-minus; Midseason: A-minus)
Tennessee Titans (7-5)
The Titans' season will be determined Sunday in their AFC South showdown against the Colts. They were able to whip the Colts in October (23-15) and another victory would tie up the division. This has been a tough season for the Titans. They have had defensive end Jevon Kearse on the field for only a quarter. For the second consecutive year, the secondary has killed the Titans. They've surrendered 25 touchdown passes. Opponents are completing 62.9 percent of their passes against them. As always, coach Jeff Fisher has fought through the problems to have the team in position to make the playoffs. But, it's do or die. Quarterback Steve McNair is banged up, but he's a warrior. Eddie George is only averaging 3.4 yards a carry, but he's on pace to get his 1,000 yards. The loss of receiver Kevin Dyson for a month with a hamstring injury hurts, but the Titans win when McNair spreads the ball around.
Grade: B-minus. (First-quarter: D; Midseason: B)
John Clayton is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.
