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Landscape of the AFC North

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Will we see the power of balance shift in the AFC North?

  • No - Pitt has done enough to replace all they lost

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • No - Balt has lost big names but have done enough to remain on top

    Votes: 2 8.0%
  • Yes - Off-season was nothing flashy but Cincy will overtake Pitt & Balt

    Votes: 5 20.0%
  • Yes - Cleve has had an impressive off-season & will finally jump into the top 2

    Votes: 2 8.0%
  • Somewhat - Cincy is ready, Cleve is on upswing. It will be a tight race w/ all 4 teams

    Votes: 14 56.0%
  • No - Balt & Pitt are too good of organizations and Cincy & Cleve haven't proven anything yet

    Votes: 2 8.0%
  • Yes - Complete reversal w/ Balt & Pitt in 3rd & 4th due to revamping & aging

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Other - Name it.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    25
How do think the division will play out?

I think it'll be a tight race all the way around.

Pittsburgh has so many question marks offensively, specifically on the line. Baltimore is going to have to replace Boldin's consistency offensively, 2 sure fire hall of famers defensively, among other things.

Cincy will go as Dalton goes. He's going to have to continue to improve for them to overtake Baltimore. I love what the Browns have done & think they'll be well improved, specifically because of the coaching staff.

Overall though, Pittsburgh & Baltimore both find a way to make things work year after year lately and they won't fall too much.

I think Baltimore somehow finds a way to win the division again, followed by Cincy, the Browns, and the Steelers in what will be a fun year for the division.
 
I think it'll be a tight race all the way around.

Pittsburgh has so many question marks offensively, specifically on the line. Baltimore is going to have to replace Boldin's consistency offensively, 2 sure fire hall of famers defensively, among other things.

Cincy will go as Dalton goes. He's going to have to continue to improve for them to overtake Baltimore. I love what the Browns have done & think they'll be well improved, specifically because of the coaching staff.

Overall though, Pittsburgh & Baltimore both find a way to make things work year after year lately and they won't fall too much.

I think Baltimore somehow finds a way to win the division again, followed by Cincy, the Browns, and the Steelers in what will be a fun year for the division.

We're on the same page then.

Despite what Baltimore and Pittsburgh have lost, they're still top-notch organizations, with top-notch quarterbacks. Those two things alone should keep them in the hunt for the playoffs.

Will be a fun season of football for sure.
 
We're on the same page then.

Despite what Baltimore and Pittsburgh have lost, they're still top-notch organizations, with top-notch quarterbacks. Those two things alone should keep them in the hunt for the playoffs.

Will be a fun season of football for sure.

The bolded is the key, because Ben is 1 hit away from his career ending. If Ben goes down, Pittsburgh might fall more than I'm thinking.
 
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The bolded is the key, because Ben is 1 hit away from his career ending. If Ben goes down, Pittsburgh might fall more than I'm thinking.

Sorry, neither Flacco or Ben are "top-notch". They're just a notch above the average QB's of the league. They're no Brady, Manning, Rodgers. Ben when healthy is a blue chipper, while Flacco is still a red-chip player in the league.

Anyways back on to the division, the Steelers and Ravens have had their run and time of dominance, sure they have great ownership but eventually they're going to fall off. I understand that we've been seeing both of those teams dominate us over the last 10 years, but the division is turning over right now, at least in my opinion. I see so many more weaknesses in both of these teams than their teams of recent years.
 
Sorry, neither Flacco or Ben are "top-notch". They're just a notch above the average QB's of the league. They're no Brady, Manning, Rodgers. Ben when healthy is a blue chipper, while Flacco is still a red-chip player in the league.

Anyways back on to the division, the Steelers and Ravens have had their run and time of dominance, sure they have great ownership but eventually they're going to fall off. I understand that we've been seeing both of those teams dominate us over the last 10 years, but the division is turning over right now, at least in my opinion. I see so many more weaknesses in both of these teams than their teams of recent years.


Well I certainly hope you are right.

Without getting into a "who's a top QB" argument, I think it's safe to say Big Ben and Flacco are both very good quarterbacks, and I don't think that's true for Dalton and Weeden.
 
Well I certainly hope you are right.

Without getting into a "who's a top QB" argument, I think it's safe to say Big Ben and Flacco are both very good quarterbacks, and I don't think that's true for Dalton and Weeden.

I can agree Ben and Flacco are the top QB's in the division at the moment. Although Flacco has been the beneficiary of the Super Bowl Fallacy, where people instantly begin over-rating you because of a single playoff run.

But I truly don't see much that separates Flacco from Dalton, while I'd surely say Ben is the best QB in the division by a long shot. It's easy to think a team is going to be good because that's all you've seen the last decade plus from them, but there comes a time when they fall off for a while (maybe not for a long time, but definitely for a few years) and I think that's what is happening right now in Pitt and Baltimore. I like the youth of the Bengals and Browns a lot, while the Ravens and Steelers just keep getting a year older.
 
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Sorry, neither Flacco or Ben are "top-notch". They're just a notch above the average QB's of the league. They're no Brady, Manning, Rodgers. Ben when healthy is a blue chipper, while Flacco is still a red-chip player in the league.

Anyways back on to the division, the Steelers and Ravens have had their run and time of dominance, sure they have great ownership but eventually they're going to fall off. I understand that we've been seeing both of those teams dominate us over the last 10 years, but the division is turning over right now, at least in my opinion. I see so many more weaknesses in both of these teams than their teams of recent years.

I agree about both QB's, but at the very least you can say they've proven themselves. Though I do think Flacco will suffer a bit without Boldin.

I think we're already starting to see the Steelers fall off. They haven't addressed a horrid O-Line, their 2nd rd rookie RB will probably be their best bet as a starter, Ben is 1 hit away, and their 3rd rd WR is their #3 (unless they go with Burress there).
 
I don't get why Kiley & Booms were assuming this morning that the Steelers pick and (off topic) the Colts pick were going to be LATE 3rd and 4th rounders.

I could realistically see the Steelers having a worse record than last year, and the Colts were arguably one of the worst 11-5 teams ever (footballoutsiders actually gave them a worse "DVOA" rating than the Browns.)
 
I don't get why Kiley & Booms were assuming this morning that the Steelers pick and (off topic) the Colts pick were going to be LATE 3rd and 4th rounders.

I could realistically see the Steelers having a worse record than last year, and the Colts were arguably one of the worst 11-5 teams ever (footballoutsiders actually gave them a worse "DVOA" rating than the Browns.)

Plus, and I'm not sure if Kiley & Booms mentioned this point or not, but this wasn't our own 4th round pick we traded, it was Miami's, which was a mid 4th round pick, not an early 4th rounder like ours was.
 
Plus, and I'm not sure if Kiley & Booms mentioned this point or not, but this wasn't our own 4th round pick we traded, it was Miami's, which was a mid 4th round pick, not an early 4th rounder like ours was.

They most certainly did not.

They were also trying to compare investing a 6th rounder in a safety to investing a 4th rounder, and completely ignored the "it was a weak draft" likelihood.

I did not like the Lombardi hire, and thought he should have never had a GM job again after Jamarcus Russell, but understand that he already paid his penalty in that regard the last few years, and will put up with him.
 
I take it that all of you EXPECT Ben Roethlisberger to be out for the year with a hit. In that case, I'll alter it.

If Ben Roethlisberger is healthy ALL YEAR:
Bengals 11-5
Ravens 10-6
Steelers 10-6
Browns 6-10

If Ben Roethlisberger is about as healthy as last season:
Bengals 12-4
Ravens 11-5
Steelers 9-7
Browns 7-9

If Ben Roethlisberger is hurt ALL or MOST of the season:
Bengals 12-4
Ravens 11-5
Browns 8-8
Steelers 7-9 or 6-10
 
I take it that all of you EXPECT Ben Roethlisberger to be out for the year with a hit. In that case, I'll alter it.

If Ben Roethlisberger is healthy ALL YEAR:
Bengals 11-5
Ravens 10-6
Steelers 10-6
Browns 6-10

If Ben Roethlisberger is about as healthy as last season:
Bengals 12-4
Ravens 11-5
Steelers 9-7
Browns 7-9

If Ben Roethlisberger is hurt ALL or MOST of the season:
Bengals 12-4
Ravens 11-5
Browns 8-8
Steelers 7-9 or 6-10

Glass half empty.


glass_half_full1.jpg
 
Who has the worst qb back by far in the division? The Browns, well maybe not by far because Andy Dalton isn't very good. The Browns are building a solid team, but they don't have enough talent to make up for poor qb play. When the Browns get an above average qb, they can compete for the playoffs.
 
Who has the worst qb back by far in the division? The Browns, well maybe not by far because Andy Dalton isn't very good. The Browns are building a solid team, but they don't have enough talent to make up for poor qb play. When the Browns get an above average qb, they can compete for the playoffs.

Coming from the dude who watched a rookie play QB for one year with limited (youthful) weapons on that side of the ball.
 
Love how everyone thinks we HAVE TO have a good QB to compete for the playoffs. Did anyone watch this team in 2007 or no? Because it really doesn't seem like it. We had one of the worst starting QB's in the league and made him into a PRO BOWLER.
 

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