This season, we’ve decided to use one word (some real, some made up) to describe the mindset, outlook or position that each team is in heading into 2016.
Drop your your prediction for the AFC North, possibly the hardest division to predict, in the comment section below!
Baltimore Ravens- Wellness
Health is a prerequisite for any team planning to make a deep playoff run, in any sport. This is especially true for football. So when basically any and every Ravens player worth a damn limped off the field last season, we knew it wasn’t their year. The result? A top 10 pick, which they spent on offensive lineman Ronnie Stanley. BMore also brought in Mike Wallace to run the 9-routes Torrey Smith used to run and Eric Weddle to play the role of 2016 Ed Reed.
Many people are down on the Ravens this year, but those people would be mistaken. They’re confusing an injury-riddled season with a team that lacks talent. Four years ago they actually won the Super Bowl. Two years ago, the Ravens almost made the Super Bowl. The majority of the primary players from that team is still wearing purple and black— there’s no way this team is that bad all of a sudden. A 4-0 preseason record echos that fact. The Ravens will compete for another playoff spot, but to get there they’ll need to somehow negotiate their challenging December schedule where they’re at New England, home versus Philly, at Pittsburgh and at Cincy to end the season.
Cincinnati Bengals- Character
Five or so years ago, the word “character” would’ve meant something much different to the Cincinnati Bengals. In this context, back then it would’ve focused on the type of player brought in by this organization. Now it refers to the moxie required from this group to go to the playoffs five straight years and not win a single game, or to have a playoff W signed, sealed and delivered against an arch rival last winter only to GIVE IT BACK.
Contrary to popular belief, the Bengals have been one of the most stable franchises in football over the last half decade. Marvin Lewis has died 1000 deaths on the sidelines, yet he remains head coach. Andy Dalton is one bad break from officially becoming the NFL’s answer to Charlie Brown. Overall though, this team is highly talented on both sides of the ball.
The loss of former offensive coordinator Hue Jackson may have a negative impact, but the top to bottom talent is hard to deny. Still, the Jeremy Hill fumble and the Vontaze Burfict celebration penalty are the signs of what appears to be your run of the mill curse. But the curse doesn’t seem to be preventing the Bengals from getting into the playoffs.
Cleveland Browns- Deliverance
Hue Jackson was hired to replace Mike Pettine as coach. The whole front office was overturned. And between all that and the new quarterback, the entire Browns organization may be contemplating sitting out the National Anthem with Colin Kaepernick.
But none of that matters. Why?
LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and the Cleveland Cavaliers ended Cleveland’s 52-year major professional sports championship-less odyssey. The pressure is off now. The Land is feeling good. The Cleveland Monsters — the city’s minor league hockey team — won the AHL’s Calder Cup two weeks before the Cavs took the title. Stipe Miocic is the UFC heavyweight champion and will defend his title in Cleveland on Saturday night. The Cleveland Indians are rolling towards an AL Central division crown and a playoff birth. Nas made a movie about the city. Even Steve Harvey bounced back nicely from the Miss Universe debacle.
Everything is coming up Cleveland!
And then there’s the Browns— the Fredo Corleone of NFL franchises. If there was ever something that would truly put this streak of good Cleveland fortune to the test, it’s their football team who is now on their 25th starting quarterback (I think, I’ve seriously lost count, yet I can name them all) since returning to the NFL 17 years ago. But Robert Griffin III was never as bad of a QB as his exit from our nation’s capital would suggest. RG3 has been humbled considerably and now has everything to prove. For what it’s worth, he’s looked solid in preseason and his deep ball is as deadly as ever.
Draft aside, I like the move because I was personally buying stock in #RGIII last year. Although he could easily get crushed because Browns.
— HipHopSportsReport (@HHSReport) March 24, 2016
With Hue Jackson defecting from the Bengals to take over the Browns (in reverse Paul Brown fashion) and RG3, the Browns finally have a coach/QB combination that is not afraid to attempt to have a vertical passing game. Terrelle Pryor has shined in preseason action as a receiver, while Josh Gordon has looked like his old self (he won’t be back until Week 5 due to his post-suspension suspension, something I still cannot understand). Throw in first round draft pick/touchdown machine Corey Coleman and Pro Bowl tight end Gary Barnidge, and the Browns weaponry is actually better than probably 50% of the league’s…but then there’s the defense.
The Browns defense will be so bad, they’re not even worth the paragraph I was going to write on them. Just know they suck, and the best thing they did was dump former first round busts Barkevious Mingo and Justin Gilbert (rookie edge rushers Emmanuel Ogbah and Carl Nassib do show signs of promise though).
Where does that leave us? Well, the Browns will finish 5-11 this year. Still not where you want to be, but better than Brian Billick’s absurd position.
Sidebar: He’s an ass.
If Cleveland won three games with Mike Pettine, Josh McCown and Johnny Manziel last season, they can win five with a new front office (albeit one I questioned), a competent coach and RG3. But if things get ugly early, future HOFer Joe Thomas could be on the move.
But hey, at least the pressure is off.
Pittsburgh Steelers- Maturity
Everybody’s trendy pick to make the Super Bowl.
Wait, haven’t we heard this before?
The Steelers have been the sexy pick to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl for each of the last three years (at least). It’s somewhat understandable— they have a QB that’s won two, a coach that’s won one, the best receiver in football bar none, an explosive offense and the pedigree required to convince people they could actually do it again. But anything beyond a cursory examination of this team reveals some deep-seated flaws. For one, the Steel Curtain was about as intimidating as a shower curtain last year. They ranked 21st in total defense. Even worse, they also ranked 21st in pass defense. Pittsburgh’s secondary has been in shambles for years now. It’s hard to imaging the Steelers of all teams ditching their entire defensive identity and chucking their way to a championship. Sure, they’re good at it, but it’s not who they are; it’s not what they’ve built.
Speaking of quarterbacks, Ben Roethlisberger is 34 and has missed time in four of the last six seasons. Regardless of what Terry Bradshaw may care to admit, he’s also slightly more careless with the football and in the pocket that he’s given credit for. Ultimately, the Steelers — who probably have the most buttoned up front office in the sport — need to grow the hell up before they win anything. Le’Veon Bell and Martavis Bryant can’t keep getting busted with that loud in the car. Mike Tomlin can’t trip people on the sidelines, and he can’t keep getting away with saying “I take full responsibility” in the presser after each loss. Dirtbag assistant coaches like Joey Porter can’t leave the field to mix it up with opposing players. And Big Ben must continue to walk the straight and narrow.
Can they do it? Sure. Some injury luck would go a long way for this team, but in the end, this defense is a little too questionable to invest a Super Bowl pick. Honestly, can you name one player on this defense that didn’t play college ball at THE Ohio State you’d for sure want on your team? Oh, and Tom Brady owns the city of Pittsburgh, so good luck getting by the Pats in the playoffs.
This division sent three teams to the playoffs two seasons ago. Given how close they are, the two squads I see playing into January are the ones with the defenses I trust most.
Justin’s AFC North Champ: Baltimore Ravens
Kenneth’s AFC North Champ: Cincinnati Bengals
Anthony’s AFC North Champ: Cincinnati Bengals