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CLEVELAND — Baltimore Ravens kicker Steve Hauschka has struggled to make the big kicks this year, and it’s one of the reasons the team is 4-4.



Hauschka missed another field goal for the second straight week. The kick would have given the Ravens a 3-0 lead over the Cleveland Browns in the first quarter. His missed attempt was for 36 yards.



Baltimore worked out kickers Billy Cundiff and Mike Nugent last week but continued to back Hauschka. The kicker also missed a potential game-winning kick against the Minnesota Vikings earlier this year.



It will be interesting to see if Hauschka bounces back in this game.

CLEVELAND — It didn’t take long for the first injury in the game between the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens.



On the opening kickoff, Baltimore’s reserve defensive back Haruki Nakamura suffered a severe right leg injury and was carted off the field. The injury halted play for several minutes.



Nakamura is one of the team’s top special teams players, but based on his reaction he could be lost for the season.

Bill Belichick defended his decision to go for it on fourth down as criticism mounted Monday of the call that led to the New England Patriots stunning loss.

PITTSBURGH (AP) -The Pittsburgh Steelers have not yet updated the condition of star safety Troy Polamalu, who injured his left knee for the second time this season during their 18-12 loss to Cincinnati.

Trash Talk: Jets quarterback will endure the fury of a New England defense that didn’t get a vote of confidence from its coach Sunday night against the Colts.

Rk	Tm
1	NO	1	1	1	1
2	IND	2	2	2	2
3	MIN	3	3	3	3
4	CIN	4	5	5	4
5	PIT	5	6	6	5
6	NE	8	4	4	7
7	DEN	6	7	8	6
8	DAL	7	8	7	8
9	ATL	9	10	9	9
10	ARI	10	11	10	11
11	PHI	13	9	11	12
12	SD	12	12	14	10
13	HOU	14	13	12	13
14	BAL	11	15	13	14
15	NYG	16	14	15	16
16	GB	17	16	19	15
17	MIA	18	18	17	20
18	NYJ	19	19	18	17
19	CHI	21	17	21	18
20	SF	22	22	16	19
21	CAR	15	24	23	23
22	JAC	25	20	20	21
23	TEN	20	21	25	25
24	BUF	23	23	22	24
25	SEA	24	25	24	22
26	WAS	26	26	26	26
27	OAK	27	27	29	27
28	KC	29	28	28	29
29	DET	30	32	27	28
30	STL	28	30	32	30
31	TB	31	29	30	32
32	CLE	32	31	31	31

The top four teams in ESPN’s most recent NFL Power Rankings found ways to win Sunday.



That doesn’t necessarily mean the order should remain the same.



The second-ranked Colts’ victory over the Patriots was surely more impressive than the top-ranked Saints’ victory over the Rams. The fourth-ranked Bengals’ victory over the Steelers was surely more impressive than the third-ranked Vikings’ victory over the Lions.



And yet teams cannot control who they play.



I’m tempted to move the Colts back into the top spot based on their latest victory and the Saints’ less impressive showings lately.



How do you see it?



And now, on to the power rankings revisited …



The reckoning: Seven games featured lower-ranked teams defeating higher-ranked teams:

• (28) Kansas City 16, (27) Oakland 10. There’s a reason I started the Chiefs’ defense in the NFC West Gridiron Challenge.
• (26) Washington 27, (7) Denver 17. The Broncos cannot do this to us after we all reluctantly admitted they were good.
• (22) Jacksonville 24, (18) New York Jets 22. It’s fun to watch big talking teams struggle.
• (21) Carolina 28, (9) Atlanta 19. Who had the Panthers higher than anyone else last week? The guy who watched them dismantle Arizona.
  
• (20) San Francisco 10, (19) Chicago 6. The Broncos are struggling at quarterback, but the Bears can have Jay Cutler.
• (16) Green Bay 17, (8) Dallas 7. A must-win game for the Packers, and they won it.
• (12) San Diego 31, (11) Philadelphia 23. That midseason wakeup call never fails the Chargers.

Still to play: (14) Baltimore at (32) Cleveland on “Monday Night Football.”



Reality checks: It’s time to reassess what we thought about the Broncos and Falcons. It’s also time to recognize the Bengals as the team to beat in the AFC North.



Rising in defeat: The Rams gave the Saints all they wanted. New Orleans needed a kickoff return for a touchdown to buy some breathing room in the second half. The Bucs and Seahawks also showed some good things in defeat.



Northbound in a hurry: The Chargers have won four in a row. The Titans have won three in a row. Both teams played themselves out of contention early. Tennessee’s hill probably remains too steep to overcome, but San Diego again looks like the favorite in the AFC West.



My early favorite for the No. 1 spot: Indianapolis. The Colts barely beat the Patriots. The Saints struggled to beat the Rams. Advantage, Colts.