There is a great disturbance in the force.

A division typically owned by the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens gets thrown off kilter every now and again by the Cincinnati Bengals.

But the Cincy Kitties don't usually put together playoff-caliber teams two years in a row. This year looks to change that. And it could continue for a spell after that thanks in part to a phenomenal 2012 draft and a team making all the right moves recently.

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The talk Thursday seemed to be about reports indicating the tight end could be a big part of offensive coordinator Todd Haley's offense.

That's assuming Haley feels the "focal" points of the offense are the guys throwing and/or moving the ball in a forward (hopefully) direction. Because it's not as if Miller was only a situational player. In fact, one could make the argument he's been the team's offensive MVP the last two years.

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What's really in a sound byte? If Steelers WR Antonio Brown ends up receiving a restricted free agency (RFA) tender offer in 2013, instead of a contract extension, will he really attend OTAs, taking a different path from his teammate, WR Mike Wallace?

As quoted by Ed Bouchette, Brown said "Whatever the case may be, I plan on being here," referring to his future contract situation and OTAs.

What about WR Emmanuel Sanders, who's in the same position as Wallace is now, and Brown will be next year (RFA)? Not to try to get into the business of predicting the future (Spurs to win it all), but this seems the darkest times in the Wide Receiver Extension Battles of the early 2010 decade.

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It’s interesting – if not intentional – that NBC Sports would hire both lawyer-contact-hater Mike Florio and former Dirtiest Player in the NFL designee Rodney Harrison for its primetime football show, "Football Night in America." Contrast is important for talk-show style analysis.

Now, add the former Steeler to the mix – an enemy to both Harrison and Florio, or so it may seem – stir contents and watch them boil.

Former Steelers WR Hines Ward will join all 982 analysts on NBC’s pregame show this season, the same show that once hired Steelers RB Jerome Bettis upon his retirement.

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For Tennessee in 2012, it's not about who they brought in, it's who they're bringing back.

And when the Steelers travel to Nashville for an early-season Thursday night game, they'll face a Titans team that overcame several hurdles in 2011 to finish a respectable 9-7, just out of the money for the post-season.

It's unlikely the Steelers put the same kind of whipping they did in Week 6 of 2011, when the running game destroyed Tennessee en route to a 38-17 win. This figures to be one of the tougher opponents they'll face.

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It's unclear what former Steelers QB Kordell Stewart means by "needing closure." The 39-year-old former player who last suited up in 2005 - for the Baltimore Ravens...as a punter - announced his retirement from the NFL Wednesday, a move that was unexpected, in the sense that everyone assumed Stewart had done that very thing several years ago.

Not to knock the guy too much - who knows, maybe he's coming out with a reality show in the near future and needed some promotion - but to put it mildly, he had been bumped to the mid pages several years back, much like Ron Burgundy's second place finish in a hot dog eating contest.

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On paper, the Eagles had lots going for them in 2011. Fresh off the signing of Nnamdi Asomugha, the momentum of Michael Vick, the ascension of LeSean McCoy, dynamic big play ability from DeSean Jackson.

So what happened?

Jackson's pre-season contract dispute, Vick's inevitable injury, Asomugha adapting to a new system, all these things took their tolls on the Eagles, and they limped to an 8-8 finish.

The NFL should be wary of the Eagles in 2012, because they have nowhere to go but up. The Steelers should expect a hungry Eagles team in Week 5 at Heinz Field.

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The Steelers announced Tuesday they have come to terms with third round draft pick, LB Sean Spence.

His signing, on the first day of the second OTA session, leaves only their first round pick, OG David DeCastro, unsigned. With Cincinnati having signed OG Kevin Zeitler, the 27th overall pick of the draft, on May 25, the table appears to be set for DeCastro's signing.

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Tribune-Review reporter Mark Kaboly transcribed a bit of Steelers CB Ike Taylor's appearance on TribLive Radio, and it will very likely be the talking point for the rest of this session OTAs.

Taylor spent the weekend in Las Vegas with his teammate, WR Mike Wallace, and Taylor said Wallace is frustrated with his contract situation. What he also said was much more newsworthy.

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Steelers back-up quarterback hopeful Troy Smith has been a part of the Steelers for a few months, but he's already mixing things up with two traditional rivals.

Speaking to AP reporter Will Graves, Smith mentioned a set-back he had with tonsillitis his rookie season, before saying he would have given Ravens QB Joe Flacco a run for for the team's starting quarterback position. Smith was a fifth round draft pick of the Ravens in 2007. Baltimore drafted Flacco in the first round of 2008, and when Smith - the team's back-up behind Kyle Boller in 2007 - fell ill, Flacco took the job and never looked back.

He turned his opinions toward the Cleveland Browns, saying the franchise has made "some baffling decisions" recently.

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The Raiders are undergoing a complete overhaul from its previous administration. And with few draft picks on which to begin building a foundation (six picks, none in rounds 1 or 2), new head coach Dennis Allen has quite the undertaking.

Hosting the Steelers in Week 3 doesn't make it any easier on him, or new offensive coordinator Greg Knapp or defensive coordinator Jason Tarver.

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For the most part, I've been fairly critical of the role of Pro Football Talk in the media landscape covering the NFL.

At the same time, I respect the opinions of the site, and its founder, Mike Florio. They're entitled to those opinions, as am I, as are you.

My main contention is the style in which he writes. Sometimes, it seems the presumptions he makes are a bit off-the-mark. And his offensive character assassination of Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin on Monday is the most recent - and probably best - example of his own news creation.

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NFL Around The League writer (and BTSC friend) Brian McIntyre wrote an interesting piece on Steelers NT Steve McLendon, expounding on the work done by Tribune-Review writer Mark Kaboly. The subject of both articles was to show McLendon as a potential starter among the Steelers defensive line.

They both certainly make a good case for it, but they seem to be missing the forest for the trees. Odds are excellent McLendon will be the starter in Week 1.

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According to an ESPN poll of a random sample of 1,500 Americans, the Steelers are the third-most popular team in the NFL.

The poll was conducted by asking participants 12 years of age and older which team was their favorite. Since 1994, this survey has polled 390,000 Americans, and the results are cumulative.

The Dallas Cowboys were No. 1 with 8.8 percent of the vote. The Green Bay Packers were No. 2 at 7.2, barely edging out the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants, who both had 7.1 percent, good for third place.

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Memorial Day reaches all of us in different ways. For some, it's a nice day off, celebrating the commerce-driven message of it being the official start to the summer.

For others, it is about remembering what was sacrificed by those before us. One of the many great things about the Behind The Steel Curtain community is its reliance on history and storytelling.

While this story was not written by a member of our community (at least not to my knowledge), what ran through my mind, other than the emotion of knowing my grandfather was one of the fortunate few who survived D-Day (he rode one of the gliders the story talks about), was the BTSC Community will want to read this.

And so here it is, courtesy of Pittsburgh-based agent Ralph Cindrich.

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A rematch of the 2010 AFC Championship Game for the home opener sounds like the makings of another great game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New York Jets.

Two teams that ended their 2011 seasons on down notes, two teams looking to climb back to the top of their respective divisions.

Two teams needing every win they can get to keep pace with an outstanding rival within their division.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers are on the road in Week 1, and will take on the team that ousted them from the playoffs in January, the Denver Broncos.

Taking a look at where the Broncos are in May, it will be a daunting task. But one the Steelers need to get used to. With perhaps the toughest schedule overall they've had since 2008, this isn't the last good team they'll play in 2012.

They're only the first.

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Reports indicate Giants WR Hakeem Nicks' foot surgery was successful. hat's a good thing for Nicks and the Giants. And Steelers fans should be resigned to understanding why WR Mike Wallace is not participating in OTAs.

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Following up on a story we ran Friday in regards to the possibility of former Steelers linebacker James Farrior retiring, his agent, Ralph Cindrich, responded to a question posed via Twitter about it.

Cindrich's response suggested Farrior, the 13 year veteran, is waiting for a "championship opportunity."

Will one of those present itself for Farrior? It's an interesting question.

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Allegedly, former Colts K Mike Vanderjagt still knows how to choke.

Only this time, it wasn't at the end of a playoff football game between the Indianapolis Colts and the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was the throat of a student after he taunted Vanderjagt by chanting "Wide Left! Wide Left!" in reference to his missed kick at the end of the 2005 NFL Divisional Playoff game between the Colts and Pittsburgh.

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Ralph Cindrich, the agent of former Steelers LB James Farrior, said his free agent client is in discussion right now with the Pittsburgh Steelers about retirement. Cindrich said this on FM 93.7 The Fan radio in Pittsburgh Friday afternoon.

Farrior, a free agent, was released by the Steelers this off-season in the team’s roster purging. WR Hines Ward was also released, only to return to Pittsburgh to announce his retirement after testing the free agency market.

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We've seen a few storylines emerge as the Steelers powered through the first week of Phase 3 OTAs. Some good things, some bad things, and a lot to look forward to starting with the next set of three OTA sessions beginning May 29.

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It's as if the local fish wraps were hunting for CB Keenan Lewis exclusively after OTAs finished up in Pittsburgh Thursday.

And he had plenty to say, such as quotes in both the Tribune-Review and the Post-Gazette indicating Lewis sees himself joining the AFC's Pro Bowl team in 2012.

Lofty individual expectations are good. They show where a player's head is. Lewis, apparently, is very optimistic about his chances of starting opposite CB Ike Taylor this year, to say the least.

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Steelers CB Cortez Allen appears to be the man to beat for the nickel back position this season, writes Tribune-Review's Mark Kaboly.

That seems the easiest of what promises to be a training camp full of positional battles. If Allen showed anything his rookie year, it's the ability to handle slot coverage duty, and could very well grow to be better in that area than his predecessor, William Gay.

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Tribune-Review columnist Dejan Kovacevic has an interesting column in regards to Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger's somewhat passive-aggressive response to an off-season that saw him called out for extending plays, fired his buddy offensive coordinator and a supposed overhaul of the offensive scheme.

Kovacevic's column isn't slanted the way the headline "Kovacevic: Get Over It, Ben" implies. It's actually more pro-Roethlisberger, but the message is true; he needs to get over it and perform. It's a message given to every pro athlete, whether directly or indirectly, and how that message is taken is all in the delivery of it.

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It's a simple proposition for Steelers 5-time Pro Bowl OLB James Harrison.

If suspended Saints LB Jonathan Vilma loses in his lawsuit against NFL Commission Roger Goodell, he feels it shows Goodell has too much power.

If Vilma wins, however, according to Harrison, "the floodgates will open."

The floodgates of media attention will open over Harrison's comments, that's for certain.

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With new offensive coordinator Todd Haley kept under media lockout, analysts and fans alike have been making projections as to what the Steelers offense will look like in 2012.

There's a hint or two here and there, but the biggest wrinkle will no doubt be the inclusion of the fullback position once again.

It appears as if David Johnson will assume a dual-role this year, one part blocking back, other in-line protector.

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Most people are aware Steelers WR Mike Wallace is not attending OTAs. Most are even more keenly aware he's doing it because he wants a contract extension, and not the $2.7 million restricted free agent tender offer the Steelers have given him.

There seems to be a split in SteelerNation on whether Wallace is doing the right thing - or even the ethical one. Turns out, there's a long list of Steelers who will not graduate OTAs with 100 percent attendance.

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The NFL's Injured-Reserve (IR) list was created as a way for teams to make room on their roster for a healthy player while maintaining rights to an injured player under contract.

Among other things, a player placed on the IR receives the remainder of the money owed to him in that season, but is no longer eligible to play for the remainder of the year.

The NFL is currently in negotiations to tweak that rule, allowing a player to return to the roster from the IR at a point in the season.

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In an ongoing effort to ensure (the guise of) safety in the NFL, the league's ownership group by way of its competition committee has approved a rule, taking effect in 2013, that will require all players to wear knee and hip pads.

Many players forego that equipment now, usually citing a lack of comfort and need.

The league said the year delay in putting the rule into effect gives equipment manufacturers time to enhance their products, in an effort to alleviate players' concerns with comfort.

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