NFL Preview - A Quick Look At The AFC North
August 29th, 2008 at 3:09 pmBy Chris
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Alright, the NFL Preview is making its next stop in the AFC North, one of the friendlier divisions when it comes to football. No hatred here among the respective team fans. None whatsoever. What can you expect from the Northern part of the AFC?
More Bengals drama, a further fall of the Baltimore Ravens (seems like it’s been a long time since that Super Bowl), waiting to see if the Browns are for real and oh yeah, another Pittsburgh Steelers division title, taking the franchise up to 19 total.
And with that, we’re off:
Pittsburgh Steelers
Outlook
The sky is blue, the water is wet, the grass is green and the Pittsburgh Steelers will win the division they are in. Some things are like clockwork and the football team from the Steel City is one of them. We could marvel at the 18 division titles or the six conference championships or the five Super Bowl trophies. Yes, we could do all these things but, since we are talking about 2008, what are the Steelers going to do this year?
Looking at this team as a whole — best defense in the NFL last year, stout running game, Super Bowl-winning quarterback, a capable group of receivers — the Steelers have the makings of a team capable of representing the AFC in February’s Super Bowl. Ben Roethlisberger has established himself as one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL after throwing for over 3000 yards and 32 touchdowns. This should only improve as Santonio Holmes becomes more and more of a deep threat, taking pressure off of Hines Ward.
The Steelers running game should be even better when you mix a rookie Rashard Mendenhall in with a Fast Willie Parker and if their defense can improve their pass rush, the Steelers might be the best team in the AFC no one is talking about. While the NFL-watching world focuses on New England, Indianapolis, and San Diego, the Steelers will sit quietly in the background, winning games and division titles, waiting for the playoffs.
With all that in mind, the Steelers could very well be on their way to a 13-3 season, but they seem to lose a game or two you don’t expect.
Put me down for 11-5 and a trip the AFC Conference title.
Hottest Steelers Cheerleader
No such animal anymore ever since the Steelerettes were retired in 1969. Because of that, I have to rely on the blogosphere and lo and behold, it certainly didn’t disappoint:
Go Steelers indeed.
Cleveland Browns
Outlook
The question concerning Cleveland Browns fans is was last year a fluke? Was Derek Anderson a flash-in-the-pan? Can we actually make the playoffs? If the answers to these questions are going to turn out in favor of the Dawg Pound gang, the defense has to produce first. If it doesn’t, it won’t matter how legitimate Derek Anderson is or how explosive the offensive attack is. Much like the Houston Texans, if you can’t stop a team after you’ve scored, flashy offenses don’t mean much.
The defense was remodeled in the off season by trading for Shawn Rogers and Corey Williams. These two represent 66.6 percent of the defensive line. If they can anchor the Browns 3-4 alignment successfully, the playoffs will be within grasp. Another area of concern is the defensive secondary The Browns ranked in lower-half of the league when it came to stopping the pass. If they want to see what the playoffs look like after all these years, that’ll have to improve as well.
As for the offense, unless it gets decimated by injuries, will be just as explosive as last year, if not more. Granted, the Browns won’t sneak up on anyone in 2008, but they have a lot of talent for Derek Anderson, something that should help him avoid a “sophomore” slump — not that he’s not a second-year player, but last year was his best in the NFL. Let’s see how he responds when defense scheme for his tendencies. Questions about Jamal Lewis’ durability linger, but if he can reproduce last year’s rebirth, things will be good in Cleveland. Of course, having players like Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow to throw the ball to helps as well.
Expect a 10-6 year with Browns making the playoffs for the first time … ever? since 2002.
Hottest Browns Cheerleader
Again, no such animal, which is pretty disappointing. Because of that, I’m going with Brady Quinn’s girlfriend, who I’m not even sure he’s dating anymore.
It’s a battle of the whitest smiles in the Quinn household apparently.
Cincinnati Bengals
Image courtesy of Spur of the Moment Concepts
Outlook
There’s nothing like seeing promise go to waste. Just ask Marvin Lewis, the beleaguered head coach of the Bengals. Three seasons ago, it looked like the franchise finally turned the corner after making their first appearance in the playoffs since the Bronze Age. Fast forward two full seasons later, and you have a team that’s on the borderline of looking at “what could have been.”
While there is talent on the field, especially on the offensive side of the ball, it just doesn’t look like it’s going to coalesce long enough to build anything significant. Chad Johnson is still too worried about headlines, celebrations and last name changes. Chris Henry is still with on a team that, for some reason, can’t seem to resign one of their most productive players in T.J. Houshmandzadeh. But Mike Brown goes out of his way to give Henry chance after chance after chance.
That’s not the way to run a successful franchise, even if you are making money at the ticket gates. The idea is to build a winner. Getting rich has to be secondary if not tertiary or lower.
But hey, let’s be optimistic and say the offense will get it together and Mike Brown resigns Whosyourmama — well, the defense is still a shell of an NFL team. After ranking in the latter half of each major defensive category, the Bengals tried to address their needs in the offseason. Hopefully for their sakes, Keith Rivers isn’t a bust like so many high Bengal picks before him — Dan Wilkinson, Akili Smith and Dave Klingler to name a few.
Taking a step back and taking it all in, it’s hard to be nice to the Bengals by giving them a .500 or better record and until they prove it on the field and not with their mouths, I’m not going to either.
6-10 with another trip the top of the draft.
Hottest Bengals Cheerleader
Thank goodness. An AFC North team that gets the whole cheerleading wave. Say hello to Ben-Gal Lindsay. She also looks like fun.
At least the Bengals get cheerleaders right.
Baltimore Ravens
Outlook
When your choices for starting quarterback includes a player with only four games worth of experience and a rookie with absolutely no experience, you might be in for a long, long season. Welcome to the 2008 Baltimore Ravens.
Because of an injury to Kyle Boller, the Ravens are down to Troy Smith and Joe Flacco as their potential starting quarterback. Flacco was drafted to be the quarterback of the (near) future for the Ravens, but if Troy Smith falters, the future could be here a lot sooner than expected. And when you look at the offensive weapons each has to utilize — that is, not much — you start to understand this could be a long season for a team once recognized by its defense.
In order to make 2008 better than the last, the Ravens wide starting receivers need more than five total touchdowns. It would also help if tight end Todd Heap remained healthy. If he does, maybe he can improve on that one touchdown catch he had last year because the quarterback — whoever it is — is going to need him.
As for the Ravens defense, what can you say? Ray Lewis is still the emotional leader, Ed Reed is still ridiculously talented and the rest of the secondary remains formidable. However, their window of opportunity — as well as their youth — is coming to an end. Yes, the Ravens will still get after teams, but you can’t expect them to completely shut everyone down like they did in years past. Age doesn’t work that way, especially in the NFL.
Until the quarterback situation improves, it’s hard to see the Ravens doing much that their defense doesn’t provide for them and Ray Lewis and company just aren’t that dominant nowadays (they allowed 24 points a game last season).
5-11.
Hottest Ravens Cheerleader
Well, the Ravens got the cheerleaders right, but their presentation is absolutely horrible. Maybe we can have a roster next season? Since I don’t know who’s who, I settled on the pic advertising their swimsuit calendar.
Next up, the AFC West.
Stumble it!
August 29th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
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