The Pittsburgh Steelers emerged from the AFC North as a Wild Card to go on to an unprobable run all the way through Super Bowl XL. And it appears the road to the playoffs will be just as tough, if not tougher, this year.
The Bengals appear to be back to nearly full strength with the amazing recovery of QB Carson Palmer. And the Ravens received a shot in the arm with the addition of former league co-MVP Steve McNair, who should make the team an immediate contender for the division crown.
Meanwhile, the Steelers have suffered through some health issues and personnel losses of their own that could see them stumble out of the gate. And if they are forced to rely on Charlie Batch at QB for an extended period, this team is likely to be buried in the division by midseason. As with all the teams, of course, health will be a huge deciding factor for the defending champs.
Here's how I see things playing out in the AFC North.
Cincinnati Bengals
Prior to the Cincinnati Bengals third preseason game, it seemed the entire city of Cincinnati was holding its breath in anticipation of quarterback Carson Palmer’s return to the field following a devastating knee injury suffered in last year’s playoff loss. And as Palmer picked apart the secondary of the Green Bay Packers in his first action of the preseason, you could almost feel a sigh of relief surrounding the franchise.
The Bengals can strike as quickly as any team in the league, but they can also pound the ball on the ground if they choose to. It’s no secret, however, the success of the Bengals this season hinges a great deal on Palmer returning to his place among the very best QBs in the league. The offensive unit has the benefit of returning all 11 starters, but Palmer is the key playmaker. Read more...
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens bounced back into the division picture when they added QB Steve McNair during the offseason. Despite battling injuries the past couple of years, he adds veteran leadership and stability to the position that wasn‘t there under Kyle Boller. His addition to the team is as big off the field as it is on, and although he‘s not the player he was two years ago, he still has the experience and ability to get the Ravens back into the playoffs. Keeping McNair healthy, however, will be paramount to the Ravens’ success this year.
The problem is, the offensive line is probably the biggest concern on the team. The group played poorly last year, but the front office brought back the entire starting unit anyway. The play of LG Edwin Mulitalo and LT Jonathan Ogden has dropped off in recent years, and the right side of the line needs to make big strides this year. The trio of Brian Rimpf, Tony Pashos and Keydrick Vincent simply didn’t get the job done, and the team may lean heavily on rookie guard Chris Chester to help rectify the problem. Regardless of who plays on the line, however, if these guys can’t protect the quarterback consistently, it won’t matter who’s taking the snaps from center. Read more...
Pittsburgh Steelers
The defending Super Bowl champs return pretty much intact, assuming quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's health concerns become a thing of the past soon. The team will already be without his services for at least the first game, possibly more. And they can't afford to get off to a slow start in what should be a very tough division.
The team did lose veteran leader and goal-line back Jerome Bettis to retirement, and trick play specialist Antwaan Randle El was lured away by the Redskins via free agency. And with Hines Ward missing all the preseason with a hamstring injury, the Steelers' receiving corps is looking mighty thin.
So things aren't all rosey in the land of steel as we approach the start of the 2006 regular season, and I believe it will show early.
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns have been struck by a ton of bad luck since re-joining the league, but this season they could finally become one of the most improved teams in the league. However, they face a very tough division schedule and are probably still a year away from competing inside the division. There's no denying this team still has a lot of questions to answer, but they also have a few more pieces in place to help turn this squad around.
Defensively, Romeo Crennel has brought in some key players that better fit his 3-4 base defense. Their front seven appears to be solid, but the secondary still needs some work and could become a problem.
Charlie Frye has established himself as the starting QB, and if a couple of their young weapons can develop as expected, the Browns could be surprisingly efficient on offense. With the defending Super Bowl champion Steelers and the explosive Bengals in the division, however, a playoff run is probably not in the picture this year. Read more...
