Arkansas Bengal Posted April 25, 2014 Report Share Posted April 25, 2014 AFC North predictions Steelers have the talent to overtake the Bengals By BRENT SOBLESKI Last season was the first time since 2007 the AFC North didnt produce a pair of playoff teams. The Cincinnati Bengals claimed their first division crown since 2009. The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens finished with 8-8 records, and out of the Wild Card. Now, those teams hope to overtake the Bengals, while the Browns attempt to leave the divisions basement. Here is how the division is expected to finish: 1. Pittsburgh Steelers After an 0-4 to start the season, the Steelers found their rhythm. The team finished 8-4 and lost a tie-breaker to be the sixth seed in the AFC playoffs. The Steelers can take that late-season momentum into this season. The Steelers only play six games where the opponent had winning record in 2013. Ben Roethlisberger is still the best quarterback in the division. The team seemed to settle on a starting five along its offensive line as the season wore on. And an aging defense got a little bit younger with the free agent additions of Mike Mitchell, Cam Thomas and Arthur Moats. 2. Cincinnati Bengals The Bengals have never achieved back-to-back division titles in the teams history. It will be difficult to do so this fall after the team replaced both coordinators. The team also lost Michael Johnson, Anthony Collins and Andrew Hawkins in free agency. And the jury is still out on quarterback Andy Dalton. The Bengals can prove their mettle when they play the Steelers twice in the month of December. The AFC North will likely be decided during those two games. 3. Baltimore Ravens The Ravens became the third Super Bowl winning team to miss the playoffs the following year in the past five years. The team overhauled the offense after Jim Caldwell became the Detroit Lions head coach. Enter former Houston Texans head coach Gary Kubiak and his zone-blocking scheme. It wont be an easy transition. But the team faces three teams that will pick in the Top 4 of Mays NFL draft to end their season. If they can keep in contention, the Ravens will be ready for the stretch run. 4. Cleveland Browns The last time the Browns posted a winning record was in 2007. As a result, the team is starting over yet again. New general manager Ray Farmer and head coach Mike Pettine is now tasked with turning around the franchise. The NFL schedule-makers didnt do the Browns any favors with games against the Steelers, Saints and Ravens to open the seaoson before a Week 4 bye. Until they find a legitimate starting quarterback, the Browns will continue to reside in the AFC Norths basement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HairOnFire Posted April 25, 2014 Report Share Posted April 25, 2014 The team finished 8-4 and lost a tie-breaker to be the sixth seed in the AFC playoffs. The Steelers can take that late-season momentum into this season. Losing a tie-breaker and missing the playoffs hardly qualifies as momentum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scharm Posted April 25, 2014 Report Share Posted April 25, 2014 I call that Dead Steel worker bounce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Dub Posted April 25, 2014 Report Share Posted April 25, 2014 Losing a tie-breaker and missing the playoffs hardly qualifies as momentum. I don't know what it would take for the Stoolers not to be at the top of the offseason power rankings every year. Kinda like how they're the biggest cheapshot artists in the NFL & had their team doctor quit in disgrace after being caught with industrial quantities of HGH, yet remain "classy". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scharm Posted April 25, 2014 Report Share Posted April 25, 2014 Perceptions are hard to change. When given the chance Steeler punters should be targeted. Scores should be run up etc. Displaying good sportsmanship gets the bengals overlooked and good ole stiller football pimped Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Dub Posted April 25, 2014 Report Share Posted April 25, 2014 Perceptions are hard to change. When given the chance Steeler punters should be targeted. Scores should be run up etc. Displaying good sportsmanship gets the bengals overlooked and good ole stiller football pimped They're going to keep playing us that way until we give them a reason not to.. No doubt in my mind that it'll be our guys that get flagged for it, and our team getting all the negative press afterwards. That hit on Huber was the last straw for me, though. They've been pulling this same bush-league shit for years & people love them for it. Payback is long overdue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleeds Orange Posted April 25, 2014 Report Share Posted April 25, 2014 The Bengals have never achieved back-to-back division titles in the teams history. "Technically", they may not have won back to back division titles, but they had the best record in the AFC North in both 1981 and 1982. In fact, they had the best overall record in the NFL those two years combined. The strange playoff setup in the strike-shortened 1982 season was all that kept them from another official division title, because they were clearly the best team yet again. Damn Freeman McNeil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcarpenter62 Posted April 25, 2014 Report Share Posted April 25, 2014 1. Fuck the steelers. 2. I have no idea who this Brent is that wrote the article, but he should have just wrote the real reason that he picks those dirty bastards... b/c they are the steelers and the bengals are the bengals. The only thing that surprises me is that the ravens aren't listed ahead of the bengals too. 3. I don't want to come across as even the slightest bit irritated by this... b/c I could really give 2 shits where anyone picks teams to finish. 4. Fuck the steelers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scharm Posted April 25, 2014 Report Share Posted April 25, 2014 "Technically", they may not have won back to back division titles, but they had the best record in the AFC North in both 1981 and 1982. In fact, they had the best overall record in the NFL those two years combined. The strange playoff setup in the strike-shortened 1982 season was all that kept them from another official division title, because they were clearly the best team yet again. Damn Freeman McNeil. Yeah that sucked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkansas Bengal Posted April 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2014 1. Fuck the steelers. 2. I have no idea who this Brent is that wrote the article, but he should have just wrote the real reason that he picks those dirty bastards... b/c they are the steelers and the bengals are the bengals. The only thing that surprises me is that the ravens aren't listed ahead of the bengals too. 3. I don't want to come across as even the slightest bit irritated by this... b/c I could really give 2 shits where anyone picks teams to finish. 4. Fuck the steelers. Sorry I forgot to include the link--it was from USA Today: http://q.usatoday.com/2014/04/23/afc-north-predictions-baltimore-ravens-cincinnati-bengals-cleveland-browns-pittsburgh-steelers/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluhartz Posted April 25, 2014 Report Share Posted April 25, 2014 1. Fuck the stealers. 2. Fuck the stealers. 3. Fuck the stealers. 4. Fuck the stealers. This works too, I have made just a couple slight modifications for you.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scharm Posted April 25, 2014 Report Share Posted April 25, 2014 Back to back north titles would only result in the bengals being predicted 3rd in 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|SF2| Posted April 25, 2014 Report Share Posted April 25, 2014 Well, the Dallas Cowboys won 5 division titles in a row from 1992-1996 so they should be favored to win it every year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyrid Posted April 26, 2014 Report Share Posted April 26, 2014 Sobleski is a Browns fan. I suspect a lot of people will pick against us due to losing Zimmer and the fact that our 1st place finish means we play NE and Denver while nobody else in the division does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B.A.B. Posted April 26, 2014 Report Share Posted April 26, 2014 Sobleski is a Browns fan. I suspect a lot of people will pick against us due to losing Zimmer and the fact that our 1st place finish means we play NE and Denver while nobody else in the division does. Yeah. 2nd place is still a good shot at making it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le Tigre Posted April 26, 2014 Report Share Posted April 26, 2014 Hard-hitting journalism. "Why? Just 'cuz." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-GoBengals- Posted April 29, 2014 Report Share Posted April 29, 2014 injuries change everything, if everyone is healthy on all teams, i dont think there is a team below 7-9 or 8-8.. but aside from the division which i expect 3-3 at best in, we face the saints, patriots, broncos, panthers, colts, and i would expect the texans and falcons to have thier shit together too.. 3-3 in the division and splitting those games would have us at 10-6 or 9-7. which would bring it down to head to head most likely.... i wouldnt be shocked at an 8-8 season.. or a 10-6 season.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|SF2| Posted April 30, 2014 Report Share Posted April 30, 2014 injuries change everything, if everyone is healthy on all teams, i dont think there is a team below 7-9 or 8-8.. but aside from the division which i expect 3-3 at best in, we face the saints, patriots, broncos, panthers, colts, and i would expect the texans and falcons to have thier shit together too.. 3-3 in the division and splitting those games would have us at 10-6 or 9-7. which would bring it down to head to head most likely.... i wouldnt be shocked at an 8-8 season.. or a 10-6 season.. 10-6 against this schedule would be very good. Would prepare them for playoffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saphead Posted May 2, 2014 Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 Any 'momentum' from last season means exactly jack shit this season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparky151 Posted May 2, 2014 Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 Yeah, the "momentum" from 2013 was lost after the playoff game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigboi Posted May 4, 2014 Report Share Posted May 4, 2014 They're going to keep playing us that way until we give them a reason not to.. No doubt in my mind that it'll be our guys that get flagged for it, and our team getting all the negative press afterwards. That hit on Huber was the last straw for me, though. They've been pulling this same bush-league shit for years & people love them for it. Payback is long overdue. Marvin Lewis is not that kind a coach, to tell his players to get payback and this is not the first this has happened to the Bengals and they never do anything about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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