AFC North Preview and Predictions: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh

The AFC North is going to come down to a few happenings in the NFL.  Ben Roethlisberger will be missing the first 4 games of the season.  Will the Ravens use Ray Rice more than last year?  Who are the real Bengals?  Can the Browns compete in this hard knocks, defensive mindset division?

Baltimore Ravens - Will the Ravens use Ray Rice more than last year.  If they do, then they will be very successful.  He can run, he can catch, and he can gain tons of yards after first contact.  If they use him to his strengths, then he will help Joe Flacco and the passing attack.  I think Baltimore is a strong team, with a strong defense, and a better offense than last year, if used correctly.  The Ravens play in a strong division, but with the Steelers missing Big Ben, it will be to their advantage.  The Ravens finish 11-5

Cincinnati Bengals - Last year the Bengals started out strong and slumped near the end of the season.  The question is, "who are the real Bengals?".  I think the Bengals we saw near the end of the 2009 season is the Bengals we will see in 2010.  They play a real tough schedule, against some teams who have bettered themselves.  In order to make the playoffs this seasons, then they will need to pull of some upsets.  The Bengals finish 6-10.

Cleveland Browns - Cleveland has put a rest to the controversy at quaterback, that they have had for years.  With the addition of Jake Delhomme, they have bettered their chances within the division.  I still do not think it is enough.  They have made progress, but they will need to make a few more moves after the 2010 season to be able to compete.  Cleveland has a tough schedule within the division and a few games outside the division.  They will compete more than last year, but not by much.  The Browns finish 6-10.

Pittsburgh Steelers - Alright Steelers fans, I know you will burn me for writing this, but you are already in a hole.  With Ben Roethlisber missing the first 4 games of the season, the Steelers will have to claw their way up the standings.  The first 4 games are crucial and I feel the Steelers will be facing opponents that will benefit from the absence of Big Ben.  In my opinion, I feel the Steelers lose all 4 games to open the season, but at best I say they could go 1-3.  With Ben's return, the Steelers will need to pull of a 9-3 record at the least to overcome the bad start, and I do not see that happening.  The Steelers are a good team, but the suspension of Roethlisberger will be proving tragic.  The Steelers finish 7-9.

AFC North Standings 2010

Baltimore - 11-5
Pittsburgh - 7-9
Cincinnati - 6-10
Cleveland - 6-10

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AFC South Predictions
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