Arkansas Bengal Posted July 17, 2015 Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 AFC North Q&A: Who will win the division? Today's question: Who will win the division, and how many teams from the division will make the playoffs? Jeremy Fowler, Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers are loaded. The offense has a chance to be Ben Roethlisberger’s best top to bottom, and the defense has to improve from its No. 25 rankings in yards-per-rush allowed and interceptions. And to think the Steelers still won 11 games with that defense. This is their year until proved otherwise. They should win the division. Baltimore will have another Baltimore year -- quietly win 10 games, catch a few teams in the playoffs. It will play meaningful games in January. The Bengals get left out here despite a winning record. Spots in the AFC are limited. The Broncos, Colts and Patriots should be locks. Either San Diego or Kansas City should get in, or both. That leaves Baltimore and Pittsburgh fighting for the last one or two spots. Baltimore has a manageable schedule, but the revolving door at the playmaker spots, plus a new coordinator, could cause a slow start for Joe Flacco. Coley Harvey, Cincinnati Bengals: Because of how weak the AFC North is expected to be this season with games against the strong AFC West and NFC West, it’s unlikely that the division will send three teams to the playoffs like it did last year, especially with the travel element added to the challenge. That said, it’s still possible two teams come out of the division: the Bengals and Steelers. As good of a draft as the Ravens had, they still don’t seem as strong at present as Pittsburgh. The Bengals basically bring back the same team they had a year ago. Consistency and stability can help, that’s for sure. As for the ultimate division champ? Until someone dethrones them, it’s hard picking against the Steelers, another team that brings back a number of players in key positions. Jamison Hensley, Baltimore Ravens: The Ravens are going to be the only team that makes it out of the AFC North this season. Last season, three teams reached the playoffs largely on a schedule that included eight games against the soft AFC South and NFC South divisions. Playing the west divisions is going to be an increased challenge just based on the extended travel alone. The Steelers’ downfall is going to be their defense. The Bengals didn’t take the necessary step forward this offseason after a fourth straight one-and-done in the postseason. And the Browns should struggle with the lack of a legitimate passing attack. That leaves the Ravens, who added young playmakers (wide receiver Breshad Perriman and tight end Maxx Williams) in the draft and upgraded on defense (safety Kendrick Lewis and cornerback Kyle Arrington) in free agency. It won’t be easy. The first team to 10 wins takes the division this season. Pat McManamon, Cleveland Browns: The AFC North has had at least one wild-card team in every season but one since 2008, with two wild-card teams in two of the last four years. This season, the AFC North has a difficult task of playing the AFC West and NFC West, which will eliminate one wild-card team. Pittsburgh loses Le’Veon Bell for three games due to suspension but gets to face New England without Tom Brady in the opener. The Steelers have too much talent not to win the division. The question then is the wild-card team. It won’t be Cleveland, but it will be Cincinnati. A.J. Green is healthy, Jeremy Hill is a force and the Bengals' defense improved as last season went on. Pittsburgh will win the division and Cincinnati will be a wild-card team. http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/84937/afc-north-qa-who-will-win-the-division Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dautcom08 Posted July 17, 2015 Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 People seem to really be underestimating the affect the departure of Dick LeBeau will have on that Stealers defense, that was already old and not very good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted July 17, 2015 Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 People seem to really be underestimating the affect the departure of Dick LeBeau will have on that Stealers defense, that was already old and not very good. And underestimating the impact of getting Eifert and Jones back, and of Geno being healthy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PutWittyNameHere Posted July 17, 2015 Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 People seem to really be underestimating the affect the departure of Dick LeBeau will have on that Stealers defense, that was already old and not very good. You'd be amazed by how many Pittsburgh fans wanted Lebeau fired, and that goes as far back as 4-5 seasons ago. I didn't want him fired, by any means, but I do feel that his schemes were getting a little stale. His replacement is Keith Butler, who has worked with Lebeau for 10 years. The expectation (read:"hope") is that Butler is going to be using many of the same fundamental schemes and principles Lebeau did, but putting a few new twists in to help modernize the defense. That said, I do expect the Pittsburgh defense to suck this year, but I don't think it's going to be because Lebeau left. It's going to be because we have almost zero talent at CB, and only slightly more than that at safety. I do think our front 7 will be better than a lot of people expect. But for the defense as a whole to be effective, they're going to have to apply constant pressure to the QB, and I just don't think that front 7 is quite to that point, yet. Maybe in a year or two if our young guys keep developing, but I don't see it happening this season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HairOnFire Posted July 17, 2015 Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 Steelers deserve to be considered frontrunners. On paper the Bengals are a much better team than the one that played last season. Not sure the Ravens can say that as confidently. Browns may no longer be two years away from being two years away....but they're still not close. Looks like 3 teams fighting for 2 spots. Bengals won't be a favorite but they've got a good shot to 5-peat. Who Dey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Dub Posted July 17, 2015 Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 I didn't want him fired, by any means, but I do feel that his schemes were getting a little stale. His replacement is Keith Butler, who has worked with Lebeau for 10 years. The expectation (read:"hope") is that Butler is going to be using many of the same fundamental schemes and principles Lebeau did, but putting a few new twists in to help modernize the defense. We had the same hopes for the Zimmer->PaulieG transition and you saw how that worked out. Maybe your guy will be less anxious to make a name for himself by blitzing on 3rd & long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted July 17, 2015 Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 Stealers deserve to be considered frontrunners. On paper the Bengals are a much better team than the one that played last season. Not sure the Ravens can say that as confidently. Browns may no longer be two years away from being two years away....but they're still not close. Looks like 3 teams fighting for 2 spots. Bengals won't be a favorite but they've got a good shot to 5-peat. Who Dey. The Browns are a QB away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HairOnFire Posted July 17, 2015 Report Share Posted July 17, 2015 The Browns are a QB away. People have been saying that since 1993. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted July 18, 2015 Report Share Posted July 18, 2015 People have been saying that since 1993. They haven't had one since Bernie retired. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparky151 Posted July 18, 2015 Report Share Posted July 18, 2015 The Browns are a QB away. and 2 WRs and a TE away too. Other than signing Hawkins last year, they've ignored their glaring needs at receiver. Josh Gordon can't be counted on and after that they don't have much talent. They could have taken Odell Beckham and Teddy Bridgewater in the 2014 draft but Browned it up with Gilbert and Manziel. You'd be amazed by how many Pittsburgh fans wanted Lebeau fired, and that goes as far back as 4-5 seasons ago. I didn't want him fired, by any means, but I do feel that his schemes were getting a little stale. His replacement is Keith Butler, who has worked with Lebeau for 10 years. The expectation (read:"hope") is that Butler is going to be using many of the same fundamental schemes and principles Lebeau did, but putting a few new twists in to help modernize the defense. That said, I do expect the Pittsburgh defense to suck this year, but I don't think it's going to be because Lebeau left. It's going to be because we have almost zero talent at CB, and only slightly more than that at safety. I do think our front 7 will be better than a lot of people expect. But for the defense as a whole to be effective, they're going to have to apply constant pressure to the QB, and I just don't think that front 7 is quite to that point, yet. Maybe in a year or two if our young guys keep developing, but I don't see it happening this season. Steelers were dumb to overpay Cam Heyward instead of using that money on a free agent CB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le Tigre Posted July 18, 2015 Report Share Posted July 18, 2015 Win our home games in the division...sweep one of the three...we win. They have the same if not worse outside of division schedule. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|High School Harry| Posted July 18, 2015 Report Share Posted July 18, 2015 The Browns are a QB away. Many people are saying that about us, too. Just sayin' :whistle: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Dub Posted July 18, 2015 Report Share Posted July 18, 2015 Many people are saying that about us, too. Just sayin' :whistle: Yeh but in our case they mean away from a championship Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|SF2| Posted July 18, 2015 Report Share Posted July 18, 2015 The Browns are a QB away. The entire organization is a cluster fuck. The recent drafts have been complete and Predictable train wrecks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PutWittyNameHere Posted July 19, 2015 Report Share Posted July 19, 2015 and 2 WRs and a TE away too. Other than signing Hawkins last year, they've ignored their glaring needs at receiver. Josh Gordon can't be counted on and after that they don't have much talent. They could have taken Odell Beckham and Teddy Bridgewater in the 2014 draft but Browned it up with Gilbert and Manziel. Stealers were dumb to overpay Cam Heyward instead of using that money on a free agent CB. Nah, that Cam Heyward contract is a good one for us. Cam has gotten better and better every year and may end up being just as good as Aaron Smith. It's rare to find a 3-4 DE that is good against the run, but can also collapse the pocket, and that's a big luxury in a 3-4. No, the real crime was paying Cortez Allen to be our starting CB, only to watch him get repeatedly burned and ultimately dropped down to our #5 CB (or even benched in some cases). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le Tigre Posted July 19, 2015 Report Share Posted July 19, 2015 Yeah, but I would wager highly you go to a Stealer board, and you won't find threads ad nauseum about Cortez Allen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HairOnFire Posted July 20, 2015 Report Share Posted July 20, 2015 Cortez Allen Mega thread? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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