If your a football fan looking for a tight divisional competition then look no farther than the AFC North, where there are three legitimate playoff teams and a bonafied SuperBowl contender. Always a tough division, this offseason has brought moves that should increase that toughness to epic proportions. Lets take a look at each teams major moves and give a projection on how they will finish the regular season.
Cincinnati Bengals: The Bengals were a surprise team last season, thanks mainly to the emergence of a consistent running game thanks to Bears castoff Cedric Benson. Cincinnati relied so heavily on the running game that when it came time to change it up and pass, they were less than effective. If their offseason moves are any indication, this won't be the case this season.
The Bengals have went out and shored up their receiving core by signing Antonio Bryant and Terrell Owens as well as drafting tight end Jermain Gresham and receivers Jordan Shipley and Dezmon Briscoe. This renewed attention to the passing game combined with their solid rushing attack makes the Bengals a dangerous threat to win the North.
Baltimore Ravens: The team to beat in the North, if not the whole NFL, the Ravens have went out this offseason and impressively shored up its own receiving corps in the hopes of another SuperBowl run. Baltimore has went out and got Anquan Boldin from the Arizona Cardinals and have also signed Dante Stallworth to go with the ever-steady receiving skills of Derrick Mason.
With this newly developed receiving corps combined with one of the most versatile backs in the games in Ray Rice, the Ravens are set to be offensive monsters this season. Oh, yeah, they also have a pretty good defense their in Baltimore as well.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Long known as the pride of the North, the Steelers have fell on hard times this offseason. They have traded their best receiver in Santonio Holmes to the New York Jets and are looking at life without their star quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, for the first four to six games. To top that off, they are also going to be without their top lineman, Willie Colon, who is out for the entire season due to injury.
The outlook is grim in Pittsburgh but this team is still basically the one that won the SuperBowl two seasons ago so you can't just dismiss them, no matter how rough a road they will have to travel.
Cleveland Browns: The Browns are in rebuilding mode, again, as they have went out and got Mike Holmgren to run their football operations. The first move they made was overhauling the quarterback position. Gone are Derick Anderson and Brady Quinn and in are Jake Delhomme, Seneca Wallace and rookie Colt McCoy.
There is a lot of young talent in Cleveland and a will to win that hasn't been evident for years. The Browns will need both if they are to be a factor in this season or years to come.
Division Predictions
- Cincinnati Bengals: 10-6
- Baltimore Ravens: 12-4
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 10-6
- Cleveland Browns: 7-9
