Baltimore Ravens: Baltimore is of course coming of the heartbreaking loss to the Patriots in the AFC Championship game last year, but don't fret Baltimore fans they have a good shot of returning there this season. This is pretty much the same Baltimore team that has been in place for a while. There is a great chemistry on both sides of the ball and they know what is expected of them to win and put themselves in a position for a potential championship run. The only problem I can foresee is the absence of Terrell Suggs, who was tore his Achilles tendon in the off-season and will miss at least a majority of the season. He is a huge factor on defense, but I am confident that Baltimore has the talent to replace him and won't allow their who team to crumble while he's gone.
Cincinnati Bengals: Cincinnati was one of the surprise teams last year. They snuck into the playoffs behind solid play from rookie quarterback Andy Dalton and future superstar wideout A.J Green. I expect the Bengals to keep improving while Dalton and Green continue to grow as players.This offseason they addressed some key issues in the draft that should help them the defensive side of the ball. They took promising corner Dre Kirkpatrick in the first round and underrated defensive tackles Devon Still and Brandon Thompson in the second and third rounds respectively. These moves add a lot promise to a subpar Bengals defense who struggled at times last year. In free agency, they took a gamble signing BenJarvus Green-Ellis to replace the effective yet troubled Cedric Benson at running back. Green-Ellis was decent with New England, but he has never been the lone feature back before so this will provide a very interesting challenge for the Bengals. The Bengals are a solid team, but they are a few years away from being a serious contender.
Cleveland Browns: The Browns have been a perennial doormat in the otherwise really strong AFC North and I don't really see that changing this season. There are some signs of hope for the future after this seasons draft. This hope has come in the form of Trent Richardson, who I believe is the most promising running back to enter the league since Adrian Peterson. Like Peterson, he's got power and speed and should be a nightmare for opposing defenses. Richardson is really about the only bright spot on an otherwise lackluster Browns team. Rookie Brandon Wheeden has a strong arm, but at 28 (he will be 29 in October) he's older than current star quarterbacks such as Aaron Rodgers and Matt Ryan. Wheeden has bust written all over him (Chris Weinke ring a bell anyone?) and he definitely is not the franchise quarterback the Browns are looking for. Even if Wheeden plays well, he has a lack of weapons in the passing game and the Browns have no defense to fall back on. I honestly feel really bad for Browns fans, unless a miracle happens, there looks to be no end in sight for your suffering.
Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers like the Ravens are getting old. But unlike the Ravens they are also beat-up. The amount of injuries they had last season was staggering and it cost them a run in the playoffs. Going into this season, veterans James Harrison, Casey Hampton, Max Starks and Rashard Mendenhall are all banged up and with the exception of Mendenhall are getting up there in terms of age. These guys are all vital to the team and if they're are not 100%, it could be highly detrimental to the Steelers. Another lingering issue is signing number 1 wide receiver Mike Wallace (who is holding out and has not nor has any intention of showing up to training camp without a new deal in place). The Steelers have other playmakers at wide receiver in Antonio Brown and Emanuel Sanders, but Wallace is the most dangerous threat they have and that could ruin a lot of the explosiveness the Steelers offense has. That being said, Pittsburgh is a veteran team and amongst the few that come out and play even with these problems on and off the field. They still have Ben Rothelisberger, who is still an elite leader and a lot of firepower and depth on both sides of the ball (including a pretty deadly running back attack of Issace Redman, Johnathan Dwyer, and if healthy, Rashard Mendanhall.) If they are still banged up, they should get a wild card spot and if they are at full strength, they could contend for the AFC title. Should be another unpredictable and exciting year for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Predictions for the AFC North standings:
1.Baltimore Ravens (12-4)
2.Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6)
3.Cincinnati Bengals (9-7)
4.Cleveland Browns (4-12)
No comments:
Post a Comment