The season preview continues and this division includes an intriguing one. If I did this blog just a day or or two ago it would be completely different than it is now. This division is usually very competitive and now that the Browns have a defense it is more so now. Let's dive into the preview.
1. Cincinnati Bengals:
2013: 11-5, 1st in the AFC North, lost in the wildcard round of playoffs.
Key Losses: James Harrison, Kyle Cook, Andrew Hawkins, Anthony Collins, Michael Johnson, Brandon Ghee, OC Jay Gruden, DC Mike Zimmer
Key Additions: Marshall Newhouse, Jason Campbell. Darqueze Dennard, and Jeremy Hill.
Toughest Match ups: New England Patriots, Denver Broncos,
Indianapolis Colts, and the New Orleans Saints.
2014 Outcome:
This is more of a default pick than anything. I do think that the Bengals probably have the best overall team in the division. They just seem to be lacking once playoff time comes around. They will be hurt by the losses of both their coordinators. Especially Jay Gruden who helped Mold Andy Dalton into a quarterback that nobody thought was possible. Yes Dalton came up short in the playoffs but he was a guy that threw for 33 touchdowns and over 4,000 yards. I also love Giovanni Bernard and the drafting of running back Jeremy Hill will make for an effective run game. The Bengals didn't make too many moves in the offseason but they still remain the overall best team in the division. Also Dalton has looked tremendous in preseason. It may be the preseason but it has to be good to see the offense do well after losing their defensive coordinator. I see them going 10-6.
2. Pittsburgh Steelers:
2013: 8-8. Second in the AFC North. Didn't make playoffs.
Key Losses: Al Woods, Emmanuel Sanders, Ziggy Hood, Jericho Cotchery and Jonathon Dwyer
Key Additions: Lance Moore, Mike Mitchell, Darius Heyward-Bey, LeGarrette Blount and Arthur Moats.
Toughest Match ups: New Orleans Saints, Indianapolis Colts, and Kansas City Chiefs.
2014 Outcome:
This ranking changed because of what happened yesterday. I was ready to put the Steelers as the division winners because they had a great running game and their defense is getting better. I saw rookie linebacker Shazier going crazy in their last preseason game and expected big things this year. Then yesterday came and starting running back Le'Veon Bell and back up Blount were caught with the possession of marijuana. So now the Steelers are without a run game unless rookie Dri Archer steps up.
The Bengals had the better team overall but I was expecting the Steelers to win because of how good Roethlisberger is and how easy their schedule is. But if you look at last years team, they really struggled in the beginning of he season without Bell because of there lack of a viable running game. they Steelers went 0-3 without Bell and picked it up after he returned from injury.
The Steelers also lost their 2nd and 3rd best receivers last year in Sanders and Cotchery. That is a lot of production to make up between guys like Markus Wheaton and Martavis Bryant.If the Steelers schedule wasn't so easy than I probably would have picked them to finish 3rd in the division. I see the Steelers finishing 9-7.
3. Baltimore Ravens
2013: 8-8. Third in the AFC North. Didn't make the playoffs.
Key Losses: James Ihedigbo, Michael Oher, Eugene Monroe, Brandon Stokley, Corey Graham, Daryl Smith, Arthur Jones, Dallas Clark.
Key Additions: Steve Smith, Owen Daniels, Justin Forsett, Aaron ross, C.J. Mosley.
Toughest Match ups: Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Indianapolis Colts, San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins, rest of AFC North.
2014 Outcome:
The Ravens haven't added much to a team that underachieved last year. It would seem odd if the Ravens were as bad as last year but i can't see them being to much better.
Steve Smith will add some quality at WR but there was a reason the Panthers traded him. He has something left in the tank but he is no where near the #1 wide out he used to be. Owen Daniels will also help the tight end situation along with Dennis Pitta being completely healthy this year. There is also no way Ray Rice repeats last year's stink fest.
They had to give Joe Flacco a huge contract and haven't been able to reload there team on the defensive side. Now the load is on Flacco to play like Peyton Manning and I just don't believe that can happen. I do believe in Flacco to a certain point though. Obviously he has shown that he can win, but only in the right situation. Flacco is a quarterback who can take a great team somewhere but he isn't a quarterback that makes your team great regardless of who is around him.
So I see the ravens going 8-8 or 7-9 only because they have an easy schedule as well.
4. Cleveland Browns
2013: 4-12. Last in the AFC North. Didn't make the playoffs.
Key Losses: Oriel Cousins, Shawn Luavao,
Willis McGahee, T.J. Ward, Davone Bess, Jason Campbell, Greg Little, Brandon Weedon,
D’Qwell Jackson
Toughest Match ups: New Orleans Saints, Indianapolis Colts, Carolina Panthers, the rest of the AFC North, Probably everybody on the schedule.
2014 Outcome:
The Browns are going to be bad again. At first it seemed like the Browns were going to be a little bit better because they drafted Johnny Manziel, the defense was still stout, and Josh Gordon and Jordan Cameron looked like dominant offensive forces. Now Josh Gordon might be gone for at least good portion of the year if not the whole year because of a failed drug test. Also Johnny Manziel couldn't beat out a quarterback that has looked pretty awful in the Browns quarter back competition.
I still believe the defense will make the Browns a tough out under new head coach Mike Pettine. Pettine made the Bills defense one of the better defenses in the league despite the lack of recognition. So teams will have a hard time scoring on the Browns in 2014 but the Browns will probably struggle to score. Their run game is still suspect although Ben Tate is somewhat proven, he is also somewhat a lock to get hurt this year. Bryan Hoyer hasn't impressed as a quarterback and although Manziel has the higher ceiling, even if he eventually starts, there will be some growing pains that he'll have to overcome. The Browns might get out of there long stretch of ineptitude one year but this is now that year. They will probably go 5-11.
2013: 11-5, 1st in the AFC North, lost in the wildcard round of playoffs.
Key Losses: James Harrison, Kyle Cook, Andrew Hawkins, Anthony Collins, Michael Johnson, Brandon Ghee, OC Jay Gruden, DC Mike Zimmer
Key Additions: Marshall Newhouse, Jason Campbell. Darqueze Dennard, and Jeremy Hill.
Toughest Match ups: New England Patriots, Denver Broncos,
Indianapolis Colts, and the New Orleans Saints.
2014 Outcome:
This is more of a default pick than anything. I do think that the Bengals probably have the best overall team in the division. They just seem to be lacking once playoff time comes around. They will be hurt by the losses of both their coordinators. Especially Jay Gruden who helped Mold Andy Dalton into a quarterback that nobody thought was possible. Yes Dalton came up short in the playoffs but he was a guy that threw for 33 touchdowns and over 4,000 yards. I also love Giovanni Bernard and the drafting of running back Jeremy Hill will make for an effective run game. The Bengals didn't make too many moves in the offseason but they still remain the overall best team in the division. Also Dalton has looked tremendous in preseason. It may be the preseason but it has to be good to see the offense do well after losing their defensive coordinator. I see them going 10-6.
2. Pittsburgh Steelers:
2013: 8-8. Second in the AFC North. Didn't make playoffs.
Key Losses: Al Woods, Emmanuel Sanders, Ziggy Hood, Jericho Cotchery and Jonathon Dwyer
Key Additions: Lance Moore, Mike Mitchell, Darius Heyward-Bey, LeGarrette Blount and Arthur Moats.Toughest Match ups: New Orleans Saints, Indianapolis Colts, and Kansas City Chiefs.
2014 Outcome:
This ranking changed because of what happened yesterday. I was ready to put the Steelers as the division winners because they had a great running game and their defense is getting better. I saw rookie linebacker Shazier going crazy in their last preseason game and expected big things this year. Then yesterday came and starting running back Le'Veon Bell and back up Blount were caught with the possession of marijuana. So now the Steelers are without a run game unless rookie Dri Archer steps up.
The Bengals had the better team overall but I was expecting the Steelers to win because of how good Roethlisberger is and how easy their schedule is. But if you look at last years team, they really struggled in the beginning of he season without Bell because of there lack of a viable running game. they Steelers went 0-3 without Bell and picked it up after he returned from injury.
The Steelers also lost their 2nd and 3rd best receivers last year in Sanders and Cotchery. That is a lot of production to make up between guys like Markus Wheaton and Martavis Bryant.If the Steelers schedule wasn't so easy than I probably would have picked them to finish 3rd in the division. I see the Steelers finishing 9-7.
2013: 8-8. Third in the AFC North. Didn't make the playoffs.
Key Losses: James Ihedigbo, Michael Oher, Eugene Monroe, Brandon Stokley, Corey Graham, Daryl Smith, Arthur Jones, Dallas Clark.
Key Additions: Steve Smith, Owen Daniels, Justin Forsett, Aaron ross, C.J. Mosley.
Toughest Match ups: Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Indianapolis Colts, San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins, rest of AFC North.
2014 Outcome:
The Ravens haven't added much to a team that underachieved last year. It would seem odd if the Ravens were as bad as last year but i can't see them being to much better.
Steve Smith will add some quality at WR but there was a reason the Panthers traded him. He has something left in the tank but he is no where near the #1 wide out he used to be. Owen Daniels will also help the tight end situation along with Dennis Pitta being completely healthy this year. There is also no way Ray Rice repeats last year's stink fest.
They had to give Joe Flacco a huge contract and haven't been able to reload there team on the defensive side. Now the load is on Flacco to play like Peyton Manning and I just don't believe that can happen. I do believe in Flacco to a certain point though. Obviously he has shown that he can win, but only in the right situation. Flacco is a quarterback who can take a great team somewhere but he isn't a quarterback that makes your team great regardless of who is around him.
So I see the ravens going 8-8 or 7-9 only because they have an easy schedule as well.
4. Cleveland Browns
2013: 4-12. Last in the AFC North. Didn't make the playoffs.
Key Losses: Oriel Cousins, Shawn Luavao,
Willis McGahee, T.J. Ward, Davone Bess, Jason Campbell, Greg Little, Brandon Weedon,
D’Qwell Jackson
Key Additions: Anthony
Armstrong, Miles Austin, Earl Bennett, Nate Burleson, Karlos Dansby, Andrew
Hawkins, Ben Tate, Donte Whitner, Isaiah Trufant
Toughest Match ups: New Orleans Saints, Indianapolis Colts, Carolina Panthers, the rest of the AFC North, Probably everybody on the schedule.
2014 Outcome:
The Browns are going to be bad again. At first it seemed like the Browns were going to be a little bit better because they drafted Johnny Manziel, the defense was still stout, and Josh Gordon and Jordan Cameron looked like dominant offensive forces. Now Josh Gordon might be gone for at least good portion of the year if not the whole year because of a failed drug test. Also Johnny Manziel couldn't beat out a quarterback that has looked pretty awful in the Browns quarter back competition.
I still believe the defense will make the Browns a tough out under new head coach Mike Pettine. Pettine made the Bills defense one of the better defenses in the league despite the lack of recognition. So teams will have a hard time scoring on the Browns in 2014 but the Browns will probably struggle to score. Their run game is still suspect although Ben Tate is somewhat proven, he is also somewhat a lock to get hurt this year. Bryan Hoyer hasn't impressed as a quarterback and although Manziel has the higher ceiling, even if he eventually starts, there will be some growing pains that he'll have to overcome. The Browns might get out of there long stretch of ineptitude one year but this is now that year. They will probably go 5-11.
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