The Browns and Steelers will play today for the AFC North Division lead at Cleveland.

But football fans in the Tristate won't be able to see that game. Because the Bengals are on the road, their game against Houston will be aired live in the 1p.m. slot.

Pittsburgh is in first place at 4-3, rebounding from a 1-3 start. Quarterback Tommy Maddox has been the difference. The Steelers have scored 28 or more points in each of his four starts.

The Browns have won two in a row to get back to .500, at 4-4. Running back Jamel White leads Cleveland in rushing (390 yards) and receiving (43 catches).

"This is by far the biggest game of the year for us," Browns tight end Aaron Shea said.

The other big divisional game today is in the AFC East, where quarterback Drew Bledsoe's Buffalo Bills will play host to his former team, New England.

STEELERS (4-3) at BROWNS (4-4): The 100th regular-season meeting of these teams will be decided by whether the injury-depleted Cleveland secondary can stop the hot hand of Maddox. Credit Steelers coach Bill Cowher for making the tough call. Since replacing Kordell Stewart with Maddox, the Steelers have averaged 30.5 points and 354.8 yards a game. STEELERS 24-21.

PATRIOTS (3-4) at BILLS (5-3): It's the Bledsoe-Tom Brady reunion game. New England traded Bledsoe on April 21 to the Bills. He has been everything Buffalo has hoped for, throwing for 2,500 yards and 16 touchdowns in eight games. Said Bledsoe: "Tom and I are friends. Obviously, last year was a difficult situation for us on a personal level, mostly because he had what I wanted and I couldn't get it back. That made it a little bit strained, but Tom and I are friends." BILLS 33-31.

RAVENS (3-4) at FALCONS (4-3): Quarterback Jeff Blake will start for Baltimore today and will be in the lineup the following week against his former Bengals teammates. Blake took over for the injured Chris Redman last week and was 29-for-50 passing with one TD and three interceptions (two late in desperation).

Blake, the Bengals' last productive QB, said: "I've been in this league for a while, and this game is `what have you done for me lately?' If you play one good game and have one bad game, you're back on the bench again." FALCONS 27-23.

EAGLES (5-2) at BEARS (2-5): In its last eight games, Chicago is 2-6, including the playoff loss that ended its 2001 season. Philadelphia will up its record against NFC opponents to 5-0. EAGLES 27-13.

COWBOYS (3-5) at LIONS (2-5): The celebration surrounding Emmitt Smith's career individual rushing record masks serious problems with coordinator Bruce Coslet's offense. He couldn't settle on a quarterback in his last two years with the Bengals, and he's having trouble finding one in Dallas. Coslet's Cowboys (13.5 a game), like his final Bengals team, can't score points, either. LIONS 20-13.

TITANS (3-4) at COLTS (4-3): Indianapolis should have no problem moving the ball and scoring points against Tennessee's defense. The AFC South, not the AFC North, is the league's weakest division. And Indianapolis can take a big step toward the division title. COLTS 35-27.

VIKINGS (2-5) at BUCS (6-2): Minnesota's lack of a running game will put a ton of pressure on quarterback Daunte Culpepper, who is certain to pad his total of 12 interceptions. Tampa Bay should have few problems, thanks to its defense. BUCS 17-7.

JETS (2-5) at CHARGERS (6-1): New York quarterback Chad Pennington will make his first road start against one of the league's best defenses. San Diego allows an AFC-low 17 points a game. CHARGERS 24-14.

RAMS (2-5) at CARDINALS (4-3): St. Louis is favored on the road in this NFC West game, and rightfully so. It has scored 65 points in the past two games after scoring just 74 in its first five; the defense has allowed 33 points in the past two games after giving up 125 in the first five. RAMS 27-13.

49ERS (5-2) at RAIDERS (4-3): The Bay Area battle returns to Oakland for the first time since 1979, a Raiders victory. Look for the Raiders to try to attack the 49ers pass defense, especially on third down. The 49ers are last in the NFL in stopping opponents on third downs and are on pace to set a record. Their opponents have converted 54.8 percent of their third downs into first downs. RAIDERS 24-22.

REDSKINS (3-4) at SEAHAWKS (2-5): QB Shane Matthews will make his fifth start this season. He's 2-2. Washington will win the game on the other side of the ball with its improved defense against Matt Hasselbeck. REDSKINS 26-20.

JAGUARS (3-4) at GIANTS (3-4): Another (yawn) wonderful Sunday night game. Go with the home team. Here's something of interest: Giants DE Michael Strahan will try to make Mark Brunell his 45th different sack victim. GIANTS 20-17.

DOLPHINS (5-2) at PACKERS (6-1): A knee brace-wearing, less mobile Brett Favre is worth more than many NFL quarterbacks healthy. The pressure is on the Green Bay offensive line to protect Favre and on running back Ahman Green to carry the ball. Miami's Ray Lucas threw four interceptions last week, and Green Bay is No.1 in the league at plus-12 turnover differential. PACKERS 23-17.

LAST WEEK: 7-7. SEASON: 72-44.