By Dean Michaels

BALTIMORE

The Ravens are tied atop the AFC North with a 6-2 record and focused on a return to the postseason for the fourth consecutive season

QB JOE FLACCO looks to become the first quarterback ever to start a postseason game in each of his first four seasons in the Super Bowl era

RB RAY RICE has continued his role as a dual threat again this season. Rice has 948 scrimmage yards and is on pace (1,896) to become the first Raven with at least 1,700 scrimmage yards in three consecutive seasons

On defense, the Ravens lead the AFC in sacks (26) through Week 9 and are on target (52) to register the second-most sacks in franchise history (60 in 2006).

BUFFALO

QB RYAN FITZPATRICK is on track (1,930; 3,860) to become the third Buffalo quarterback to pass for more than 3,800 yards in a season, joining DREW BLEDSOE (4,359 in 2002) and Pro Football Hall of Famer JIM KELLY (3,844 in 1991)

Former undrafted free agent RB FRED JACKSON leads the AFC with 803 rush yards and is on target (1,606) to become only the second Bill with 1,600 rush yards in a season (O.J. SIMPSON, 2,003 in 1973; 1,817 in 1975). Jackson is also on pace (1,194; 2,388) to record the fourth-most scrimmage yards in NFL history (CHRIS JOHNSON, 2,509 in 2009; MARSHALL FAULK, 2,429 in 1999; TIKI BARBER, 2,390 in 2003)

Buffalo's defense has an AFC-best 15 interceptions this season and can challenge for the most in franchise history (36 in 1962; 33 in 1960; 32 in 1965).

CINCINNATI

Rookie QB ANDY DALTON has led the Bengals to five consecutive wins and a 6-2 record (tied for first place in AFC North) at the halfway mark. Dalton needs four wins to join BEN ROETHLISBERGER (13 in 2004), JOE FLACCO (11 in 2008), MATT RYAN (11 in 2008) and KYLE ORTON (10 in 2005) as the only rookie quarterbacks to have at least 10 wins in a season in the Super Bowl era...Rookie wide receiver A.J. GREEN, who was selected No. 4 overall, leads NFL rookies in catches (40) and receiving yards (599) and is on pace (80 receptions, 1,198 receiving yards) to surpass CRIS COLLINSWORTH (67 receptions, 1,009 receiving yards in 1981) for the most receptions and receiving yards by a rookie in franchise history.

CLEVELAND

The Browns have committed to building through the NFL Draft, and that begins with 2010 third-round pick COLT MC COY. The Texas product has passed for 1,764 yards this season and is on track (3,528) to become the fourth Browns quarterback to reach 3,500 yards (DEREK ANDERSON in 2007, BERNIE KOSAR in 1986 and 1989, BRIAN SIPE in 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983) in a season...Rookie WR GREG LITTLE ranks second among NFL rookies with 31 receptions and can challenge the Browns rookie reception record (KEVIN JOHNSON, 66 in 1999)

Second-year CB JOE HADEN leads the NFL's No. 1 ranked pass defense (165.3 yards per game) with 10 passes defensed.

DENVER

QB TIM TEBOW is 2-1 since being named the starter in Week 7 and has the Broncos in the thick of the AFC West race

Denver newcomer RB WILLIS MC GAHEE has 623 rushing yards in seven games and is on pace (1,335) to surpass his career-high of 1,247 in 2005 (with Buffalo). McGahee needs 377 rushing yards to become the first Denver running back to rush for 1,000 yards in a season since 2006 (TATUM BELL, 1,025)

WR ERIC DECKER is tied for an AFC-high with six touchdown catches and is on track (12) to tie ROD SMITH (12 in 2000) and LIONEL TAYLOR (12 in 1960) for the third-most touchdown receptions in a season in franchise history

Rookie LB VON MILLER is on track (6.5; 13) to surpass MIKE CROEL (10 in 1991) for the most sacks by a Denver rookie since sacks became an official statistic in 1982. Miller can also challenge JEVON KEARSE's NFL rookie sack record of 14.5 in 1999.

HOUSTON

The Texans are in first place in the AFC South with hopes of reaching the postseason for the first time in franchise history

RBs ARIAN FOSTER (656; 1,312) and BEN TATE (623; 1,168) lead the AFC's top rushing attack (155.1 rush yards per game). Foster and Tate are on track to become the NFL's first running back duo to register 1,000 rushing yards apiece in a season since the Panthers' tandem of JONATHAN STEWART (1,133) and DE ANGELO WILLIAMS (1,117) in 2009

Texans defensive coordinator WADE PHILLIPS has led a resurgence on the defensive side of the ball for a club that finished with the 30th-ranked defense a year ago. Through Week 9, Houston has allowed an NFL-low 274 yards per game. LB BRIAN CUSHING leads the team with 61 tackles and can lead the Texans in tackles for the second time in three years.

INDIANAPOLIS

Selected as a Pro Bowl starter each of the past two years, veteran WR REGGIE WAYNE has 39 receptions and aims to register at least 80 catches for the seventh consecutive season

Rookie RB DELONE CARTER leads the team in rushing yards (313) through Week 9 and ranks second among AFC rookies (DANIEL THOMAS, 314)

All-Star DE DWIGHT FREENEY has 4.5 sacks and aims to reach the double-digit mark in four consecutive seasons for the second time in his career (2002-2005). LB PAT ANGERER leads the team with 97 tackles and is on target to record 100+ for the first time in his career.

JACKSONVILLE

Rookie QB BLAINE GABBERT, who continues his development as an NFL quarterback, has a reliable option in All-Star RB MAURICE JONES-DREW. Jones-Drew ranks second in the AFC with 740 rushing yards and is on track (1,480) for the second-most rushing yards in a season by a Jaguar (FRED TAYLOR, 1,572). A second-round selection in the 2006 NFL Draft, Jones-Drew (57) needs six rushing touchdowns to surpass Taylor (62) for the most career rushing touchdowns in club history

LB PAUL POSLUSZNY leads the team with 66 tackles and is on pace (132) to register 100+ tackles for the second consecutive season.

KANSAS CITY

Head coach TODD HALEY is focused on leading the Chiefs to back-to-back division titles for the first time in franchise history...Fifth-year WR DWAYNE BOWE has totaled 646 receiving yards and is on pace for a career-best 1,292. On defense, LB TAMBA HALI has six sacks and is on track (12) to join MIKE BELL, NEIL SMITH and Pro Football Hall of Famer DERRICK THOMAS as the only players with double-digit sacks in back-to-back seasons in Chiefs history

CB BRANDON FLOWERS has team-high four interceptions and can lead the Chiefs in the category for the second time in three years (five in 2009).

MIAMI

Acquired via trade by the Dolphins in July, RB REGGIE BUSH has started to heat up. Bush is on track (591; 1,182) to reach 1,100 scrimmage yards for the second season in his career (1,307 in 2006)

WR BRANDON MARSHALL (46) needs 54 receptions in the remaining eight games to join MARVIN HARRISON and Pro Football Hall of Famer JERRY RICE as the only players to have 100 receptions in four seasons in NFL history (WES WELKER is also on pace)

LB CAMERON WAKE is on track (5.5; 11) to reach double-digit sacks for the second straight season (14 in 2010). LB JASON TAYLOR (134.5) needs 7.5 sacks to surpass Pro Football Hall of Famers JOHN RANDLE (137.5) and RICHARD DENT (137.5) and MICHAEL STRAHAN (141.5) for the fifth-most all-time.

NEW ENGLAND

Two-time MVP QB TOM BRADY leads the AFC with 2,703 passing yards and is on track (5,406) to surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (5,084 in 1984) for the most passing yards in a season in NFL history (DREW BREES is also on pace). Brady set the NFL single-season mark with 50 touchdown passes in 2007 and is on pace (20; 40) to join Marino (48 in 1984; 44 in 1986) as the only QBs in NFL history to have two seasons with 40+ touchdown passes

WR WES WELKER is on track (960; 1,920) to surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer JERRY RICE (1,848) for the most receiving yards in a season in NFL history. The veteran wideout also leads the NFL with 66 catches and is on pace (132) for the second-most receptions in a season in league history, trailing only MARVIN HARRISON (143 in 2002).

NEW YORK JETS

The Jets hope to capture their first AFC East title since 2002

QB MARK SANCHEZ is on target (1,775; 3,550) to join KEN O'BRIEN (3,888 in 1985; 3,690 in 1986), JOE NAMATH (4,007 in 1967) and VINNY TESTAVERDE (3,732 in 2000) as the only Jet QBs to reach the 3,500-yard passing mark in a season. Sanchez has 13 touchdown passes and is on track (26) to challenge Testaverde's club record of 29 TD passes in 1998

RB LA DAINIAN TOMLINSON (13,533) needs 130 rushing yards to surpass JEROME BETTIS (13,662) for the fifth-most rushing yards all-time

Pro Bowl CB DARRELLE REVIS (four) needs three interceptions to surpass his career-high of six in 2009.

OAKLAND

The Raiders seek to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since Super Bowl XXXVII

Newly-acquired QB CARSON PALMER will lean on RB DARREN MC FADDEN to set the tone on the ground. McFadden has 614 rushing yards in seven games and is on track (1,315) to join Pro Football Hall of Famer MARCUS ALLEN (1,759 in 1985) as the only players in franchise history to post a 1,300-yard rushing season. McFadden, who rushed for 1,157 in 2010, can join Allen as the only players in Raider history with consecutive 1,100-yard rushing seasons

On special teams, second-year KR-WR JACOBY FORD had a 101-yard kickoff-return touchdown in Week 6 and holds the franchise record with four career kickoff return-touchdowns.

PITTSBURGH

QB BEN ROETHLISBERGER is on track (2,632; 4,679) to break his franchise single-season record of 4,328 passing yards in 2009

WR MIKE WALLACE has 868 receiving yards through nine games and is on target (1,543) for the most receiving yards in a season in Steelers history (YANCY THIGPEN, 1,398 in 1997)

On defense, LB LA MARR WOODLEY has an AFC-best nine sacks in eight games and is on track (16.5) to surpass teammate JAMES HARRISON (16 in 2008) for the most sacks in a season in club history. Woodley can become the first Steeler to register four seasons with 10+ sacks in franchise history (11.5 in 2008; 13.5 in 2009; 10 in 2010).

SAN DIEGO

QB PHILIP RIVERS ranks third in the AFC with 2,469 passing yards this season and is on pace (4,938) to join PEYTON MANNING (six, 1999-2004; five 2006-2010) and DREW BREES (five, 2006-10) as the only quarterbacks ever with at least four straight seasons with 4,000 passing yards. Rivers (147) needs three touchdown passes to become the third player in Chargers history with 150 career touchdown passes (DAN FOUTS, 254; JOHN HADL, 201)

Rivers' top receiving threat, All-Star TE ANTONIO GATES (554), needs 33 catches to surpass CHARLIE JOINER for the most career receptions in franchise history

S ERIC WEDDLE is tied for an NFL-best with five interceptions and is on target (10) to tie CB ANTONIO CROMARTIE (10 in 2007) for the most interceptions in a single-season by a Charger.

TENNESSEE

Titans newcomer MATT HASSELBECK has 2,014 passing yards this season and is on track (4,028) to reach 4,000 passing yards for the first time in his 13-year NFL career. Hasselbeck has 13 touchdown passes in eight games and can challenge his single-season career-best of 28 touchdowns in 2007

On defense, CB JASON MC COURTY has started all eight games at cornerback opposite of CB CORTLAND FINNEGAN. A former sixth-round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, McCourty leads the team with two interceptions.

NFL 2011 - Halfway Home: AFC Midseason Projections