The AFC North has become a division of quarterbacks.

Defense still matters and running is necessary in December, but the once black-and-blue division is defined by big-armed, statuesque quarterbacks who can stand in the pocket and make every throw on the field.

Is it any mystery why the Browns are in their third rebuilding project of the decade? As the rest of the division has established its franchise quarterbacks, the Browns are further away than on the day they drafted Tim Couch with the first pick of the expansion era.

Carson Palmer was the No. 1 overall pick in 2003 and is one of the best pure passers in football. He brings the Bengals to the lakefront today.

Ben Roethlisberger, the 11th pick in 2004, has already won two Super Bowls for the Steelers and has never lost to the Browns.

Joe Flacco, the 18th pick in 2008, was the final piece for the Ravens. The kid from Delaware was the first rookie to win two road playoff games and legitimizes an offense that held back Baltimore for years.

“Those guys are great quarterbacks,” Browns cornerback Eric Wright said. “That’s what this division is all about. Just tough games, tough matchups.”

Then there’s the Browns.

The move last week from Brady Quinn to Derek Anderson illustrates just how much ground the Browns need to make up.

They’ve had eight different Week 1 starters in 11 years of existence, and this week’s change is the sixth in-season switch.

No. 1 picks (Couch, Quinn) failed, reliable veterans (Jeff Garcia, Trent Dilfer) flopped and unlikely heroes (Kelly Holcomb, Anderson) faded. Quinn or Anderson still might emerge as a franchise leader, but it’s far from guaranteed.

“It’s been obvious we haven’t really had a mainstay at quarterback,” guard Eric Steinbach said. “The longer you have one guy and keep him at that position for a while, everything around him’s going to become more comfortable.”

Trends and fads come and go in the NFL, but one thing is constant: A good QB is a must for consistent success.

Steinbach has spent his entire seven-year career in the division, the first four with the Bengals. He’s had a front-row seat for the transformation of the AFC North into a who’s who of quarterbacks – outside of Cleveland.

When the Browns made their last playoff appearance in 2002, Couch and Holcomb were at the helm and they held their own among quarterbacks in the division. Jon Kitna started for Cincinnati, Jeff Blake for Baltimore and Tommy Maddox for Pittsburgh.

One by one, the rivals addressed the position, and success against the Browns followed.

Palmer sat and watched his rookie year, took over as the starter in 2004 and is 6-2 against Cleveland. He was hurt much of last year and the Bengals went 4-11-1.

“Having him back, he gives us ability, leadership, knowledge of the game, everything you’re used to from your starting quarterback,” Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis said.

“He’s been the guy they’re trying to build that team around for so long,” Steinbach said. “With the franchise guy back in the lineup, they can take a little bit more of a breather.”

Flacco started right away as a rookie and last week improved to 3-0 against Art Modell’s old franchise. After some initial growing pains, he has led the Ravens to 29 points a game since Oct. 19, which ranks second in the NFL.

“He does a great job reading coverage,” defensive back Mike Adams said. “He’s the real deal.”

The Browns didn’t have a shot at Palmer or Flacco. The same can’t be said for Roethlisberger. Butch Davis didn’t like the Findlay native and Miami of Ohio alum and drafted tight end Kellen Winslow II instead.

The Steelers are 10-0 against the Browns since Roethlisberger fell into their laps.

“You got a quarterback like that, it helps you win a few more games and makes the offense more at ease, knowing you got a guy back there,” Steinbach said.

Quinn’s three-game flameout thrust the Browns’ glaring weakness back into the spotlight.

Former general manager Phil Savage thought he had the long-term answer when he traded a 2008 first-round pick to draft Quinn out of Notre Dame in 2007. Quinn sat for much of his first two seasons, and when he finally won the job this year, he couldn’t muster a first down as the Browns were blown out three straight games.

“Whether it’s Matt Ryan in Atlanta or Joe Flacco or (Mark) Sanchez in New York, you notice that their whole teams have really produced,” Quinn said before he was benched. “When you look at the situation each quarterback walked into they had a solid group around them and they’ve been able to progress very well as a team.”

If Quinn – or Anderson – can’t establish himself over the final 13 games this season, coach Eric Mangini will spend the offseason chasing after what his three rivals already possess.

Until he succeeds, the Browns will never be on equal footing in the AFC North: a division of quarterbacks.

Contact Scott Petrak at 329-7253 or spetrak@chroniclet.com.

TODAY

• WHO: Cleveland vs. Cincinnati
• TIME: 1 p.m.
• WHERE: Cleveland Browns Stadium
• TV/RADIO: Channel 19; WMMS 100.7-FM

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