AFC North Preview

By Tommy Dutch
Don Best Associate Editor

The North has three competitive teams but lacks a dominant member. A record of 8-8 could realistically win the division considering each team has several questions to be answered and their schedules are difficult. The North has the unenviable task of playing games against teams from the two best divisions in the league, the AFC South and NFC East.

Pittsburgh Steelers
Projected Record: 8-8

Mike Tomlin did a solid job in his first season as coach winning 10 games, but the Steelers faltered down the stretch losing four of their final five including a home playoff game against the Jaguars. Pittsburgh may struggle to get back to 10 wins after losing Pro Bowl guard Alan Fanaca and starting outside linebacker Clark Hagans to free agency. To make matters more difficult, the Steelers play one of the most difficult schedules in the NFL.

The Steelers will remain optimistic as long as quarterback Ben Roethlisberger remains healthy. His .709 winning percentage (39-16) is second to Tom Brady among active quarterbacks and he's coming off the best statistical season of his young career.

The Pittsburgh signal caller set a personal best with 32 touchdown passes and a 104.1 passer rating. His main receivers are returning but the offensive line may be starting to age. Roethlisberger has been sacked 93 times the last two seasons and the Steelers can't afford an injury to their starting quarterback.

The running game should be improved with the addition of first round draft pick Rashard Mendenhall. The former Illinois star will get his share of touches as a formidable backup to Willie Parker. Parker would have likely led the league in rushing last season if not for a broken leg on his first carry of the 15th game. The two-time Pro Bowler has rushed over 1,200 yards three times in his career.

The addition of Mendenhall and veteran Mewelde Moore should help keep Parker fresh and allow the Steelers to be more efficient in ball control situations. Last season, the Steelers were uncharacteristically bad at managing the clock late in games with the lead.

Receivers Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes both return to give Roethlisberger two valuable targets down-field. Holmes became the No. 1 guy last season with 942 receiving yards and 18.1 yards per catch. He is a legitimate down-field threat and the best candidate to make a game changing play on the Pittsburgh offense.

Ward is a seasoned veteran who has a knack for making the clutch play. He made 25 catches on third down and led the Steelers for the seventh straight season with 72 receptions. Limas Sweed was drafted in the second round out of Texas and may have an immediate impact as the third receiver.

The proud offensive line is the biggest question mark when the Steelers have the ball. Fanaca's departure further depletes last season's unit which was average at best. Marvel Smith and Kendall Simmons should be solid but the other three spots are a concern heading into the preseason.

The defensive line is tough but it lacks depth and could show signs of age as the season progresses. Pittsburgh's defense is built for stud linebackers and Haggans will be missed. However, team MVP James Harrison, LaMarr Woodley, Larry Foote and James Farrior will continue to be a strong unit.

The most important factor in determining the success of the Steelers' defense is the return of strong safety Troy Polamalu. The four-time Pro Bowl selection was bothered by injuries last season and contributed little. Polamalu needs to step up and be the leader of the otherwise young and inexperienced secondary.

Pittsburgh has a proud football franchise and will win its share of games, but this team is not dominant and has many questions to answer. A healthy season could result in a division championship and a return to the postseason, but the Steelers won't be able to keep up with the top teams in the AFC.

Cleveland Browns
Projected Record: 8-8

The Cleveland Browns enter the season in unfamiliar territory. Cleveland is expected to contend for the North title and be a playoff team in the AFC. Romeo Crennel is now in his fourth season at the helm and this is most promising team.

Last season, the Browns narrowly missed the postseason despite winning 10 games in the competitive conference. If the defense can improve as much in 2008 as the offense did in 2007, Cleveland will be playing into January.

Last season's turnaround started with the surprising emergence of quarterback Derek Anderson. The Browns started the season with Charlie Frye behind center but traded him following a 34-7 home loss to Pittsburgh in Week 1. Anderson was inserted as the starter and the offense immediately took off scoring 51 points in their Week 2 victory.

The Browns' offense became one of the best in the league under the guidance of Anderson. He threw for 3,787 yards and 29 touchdown passes but did show some vulnerability with 19 interceptions. Anderson was rewarded with a new contract and is clearly the No. 1 option this season, but if he struggles and the Browns don't play to expectations, look for backup Brady Quinn to get some snaps late in the season.

Jamal Lewis is the main man in the Cleveland backfield. He quieted many doubters by rushing for 1,304 yards and averaging 4.4 yards per carry last season. Lewis and the offensive line turned a questionable running game into an impressive attack.

Lewis will need to be a workhorse again in order for the offense to continue to thrive. The valuable back has the ability to put his head down to pick up the necessary yardage and is a valuable receiver out of the backfield. He caught 30 balls for 248 yards a season ago.

Anderson's breakthrough season resulted in big numbers for the receivers but there are questions to be answered entering the preseason. Braylon Edwards is clearly the No. 1 guy and Kellen Winslow is one of the best pass catching tight ends in the NFL. The tandem combined for 162 catches, 2,395 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2007.

Joe Jurevicius is coming off a 50 catch season but has expressed health concerns to the team and wishes to be the No. 3 option. Donte Stallworth was signed via free agency to start opposite Edwards. Stallworth lost his starting spot with New England last season and is with his fourth team in four years. Injuries to the wideouts could be costly, with little additional experience on the roster.

The defense must improve in order for the Browns to become one of the upper echelon of AFC teams. The 2007 Browns defense allowed 129.5 rushing yards per game. It was good for 27th in the league and was the eighth consecutive season the defense had yielded at least 129 yards per game.

Shoring up the defense has been the offseason focus. Franchise player, DT Corey Williams, has been brought in from Green Bay and talented but troubled DT Shaun Rogers is in from Detroit. The front line may be improved but the linebackers are unproven and the secondary is inexperienced.

The offense is dynamic and will have weeks where it puts up big numbers but this team may have too many questions to live up to the preseason hype.

Cincinnati Bengals
Projected Record: 8-8

The Bengals are one of the most difficult teams to figure out heading into the 2008 season. Unquestionably, the Bengals have a tremendous quarterback, game changing wide receivers and a proven coaching staff, but uncertainty in the running game, questions on the defensive side and the possibility of off-the-field distractions are more than concerning.

Cincinnati was one of leagues up and coming teams three seasons ago on its way to capturing the North title. However, the Bengals narrowly missed the postseason the following year and slipped all the way to 7-9 last season. They've gone from up and coming to dysfunctional and underachieving but there is hope for a big turnaround this season.

With Carson Palmer at quarterback, the Bengals always have a chance to win. Palmer set franchise records with 4,131 yards and 373 completions while throwing 26 touchdowns. He is one of the truly great down-field passers in the league but was prone to the interception last season. Palmer threw a career high 20 picks.

Running back Rudi Johnson may be the most important factor to a successful season. He's the only consistent threat in the Cincinnati backfield and must be healthy and efficient. Johnson was hobbled with a hamstring injury and rushed for just 497 yards and three touchdowns last season. He produced over 1,300 yards and 12 touchdowns in each of the previous three seasons.

Wide receiver is a bright spot for the Bengals, but an unhappy Chad Johnson could foil the entire season. T.J. Houshmandzadeh tied for the league lead with 112 receptions and earned a spot on the Pro Bowl team. Johnson has at least 1,150 yards receiving in each of the past six seasons and is still capable of being one of the most explosive players in the game.

The Bengals realize they may have issues at wideout in the near future and drafted three receivers including Jerome Simpson in the second round. The passing game should also get a lift with the addition of tight end Ben Utecht. The free agent from Indianapolis has caught 68 passed over the past two seasons.

The Bengals have gone to a youth movement to shore up the defense. They finished 27th in the league in total defense and may start as many as ten guys with four or less years experience. They must improve in order to be competitive. While several guys are new to the team or returning from injury, most lack experience.

First-round pick and former USC star Keith Rivers should start immediately at weak side linebacker. Defensive end Antwn Odom was signed from Tennessee, defensive tackle Patrick Sims was drafted in the third-round out of Auburn and linebacker Odell Thurman was reinstated by the NFL after a two year suspension.

The young and talented secondary is led by cornerbacks Johnathan Joseph and Leon Hall.

The Bengals have proven winners at head coach and quarterback and could easily win double-digit games, but there is also a possibility of dysfunctional attitudes causing the season to spiral out of control. More than likely the Bengals' discipline will be better, but drastically improving the team's win total will be difficult against a brutal schedule.

4. Baltimore Ravens
Projected Record: 3-13

First-year coach John Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron face a challenging campaign in Charm City. The Ravens will be able to stay competitive because of their excellent defense, but Baltimore has few options offensively and will have difficulty putting points on the board.

Steve McNair retired in the offseason leaving the Ravens with serious questions at quarterback. Kyle Boller is likely to start the season under center but second-year signal caller Troy Smith or rookie first-round draft pick Joe Flacco will get an opportunity if Boller struggles.

Boller has been reasonably effective in limited action throughout his career but has battled injuries and never seemed to have job security under former coach Brian Billick. He has one year left on his contract and may be put in the difficult position of helping groom the younger quarterbacks.

Willis McGahee rushed for over 1,200 yards in his first season as a Raven and is expected to carry the bulk of the load again this season. McGahee and rookie Ray Rice will have to produce on the ground to keep the offense out of third and long situations.

Derrick Mason is the leading receiver and is excellent on short precise routs. Baltimore lacks a down-field playmaker and needs to consistently execute on high percentage passes. Cameron may make TE Todd Heap a more integral part of the passing game, while the Ravens continue to look for improvement from wide receivers Mark Clayton and Demetrius Williams.

Complications are intensified because of the young and inexperienced offensive line. Jonathan Ogden retired, removing the only veteran presence from the unit. This year's line will attempt to find cohesiveness after being decimated by injuries a season ago.

The strength of the Ravens will once again be on the defensive side of the ball. Tackles Haloti Ngata and Kelly Gregg will jam things up in the middle and the talented corps of linebackers is excellent at defending sideline to sideline. Ray Lewis may have lost at a step but is still an intimidating defensive force and the leader of the unit.

Opposing teams will try to throw the ball down-field and the defensive backs need to be productive in order for the Ravens to be competitive. Veteran cornerbacks Chris McAlister and Samari Rolle are both over 30 and each missed extensive time last season due to injury.

The defensive backs' ability to stay healthy and effectively cover the opposition may be the most important factor in determining the success of the Ravens' season.

Baltimore has no choice but to begin a rebuilding process. The offense is lousy and the schedule is difficult. The Ravens may find themselves in a lot of games but winning many is doubtful.

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