LogFAQs > #968585176

AFC North

1. Pittsburgh Steelers
2. Cincinnati Bengals
3. Baltimore Ravens
4. Mexico City Browns

Decent but not elite at any of the three phases of the game, the Steelers effectively bring back the same team sans a modest improvement at CB. That might just be good enough in this division. They will be without QB Mike Glennon for a good chunk of the season, and given how rookie QBs (backup is a rookie) tend to fare, that will put the onus on the average Christian McCaffrey to be better than that. They do have a first-half schedule featuring some great or much improved defenses that could feast on this offense. As a whole though, their schedule is likely to be one of the easiest in the leagues, so they can make a run in the second half. There's not a lot to be excited about this team outside of a couple individual players, but boring can be good in terms of football success, and that's just maybe what's in store for the Steelers this season.

The Bengals, as I have mentioned numerous times in Discord, had the league's top offense last season. QB Andy Dalton has a revelation for them, and former #1 overall pick HB Derrick Henry led the league in rushing YPC. There's a good receiving corps, and the OL was beefed up in terms of starters. While it would be a lot to ask for them to repeat as #1, they should remain great on that side. The defense is the only question mark. They spent some resources on the secondary, and the front seven youth has shown some improvement. The Bengals haven't made the playoffs since S9, but this season looks like an opportunity to end their drought. They easily have the highest ceiling out of any team in the division, but because the defense has been iffy the past few seasons, I want to temper my expectations and take a need-to-see-it-to-believe-it approach.

The Ravens, like the Patriots, have a an elite OL and running game with question marks elsewhere. Maybe that's being a bit unfair to the Ravens who have won the division for five straight seasons and are coming off of another great defensive season and have a pair of quality pass-catchers in WR Michael Crabtree and TE Eric Ebron. Still, I am a little down on them coming into the regular season. While QB Kirby Freeman was not a good fit for the team, a rookie starting QB gives me greater concern especially with the high bust rate at the position. Sam Darnold could turn out fine, but the odds are very high he will not have a good rookie season. The defense also loses three starters. Maybe DE Stephon Tuitt won't be missed, but MLB Sam Crooks and CB Zachary Bowman certainly will. The Ravens tend to be a team that stymies opposing offenses without much of the playmaking stats (sacks, INTs, FFs/FRs). Losing SS Damontae Kazee for roughly a third of the season isn't a huge blow, but it doesn't help when they have lost quite a bit of defensive talent.This could be the season the defense takes a considerable step backwards. I hope it doesn't since we have a newer user in charge of them, but it's just a feeling.

The Browns did more to set up for future seasons and try to remain competitive in the interim than construct a playoff caliber team this season. They are one of the few teams I feel confident will not be in the playoffs, but I am excited to see what kind of impact former MVP and two-time SB champion QB Josh Portis will have on this offense. They definitely needed a jolt and for their OL to improve. Dual-threat QBs have a long history of doing just that, with Bobby Reid in Tampa Bay being a recent example. The defense has pretty much hit rock-bottom in their short era of playing in a 3-4 defense. Unless they see a considerable improvement, I would strongly consider this being the final season in that base defense.