AFC North: Each Team’s Path To A Division Title

Baltimore Ravens

A wise man once told me “if you want to get ahead in this world, you have to zig when everyone else is zagging” and that is the 2019 Baltimore Ravens in a nutshell. Bucking the pass-happy trend of today’s NFL and turning back the clock to run the ball and play defense era.

Offense:

Lamar Jackson is the driving force behind this change in offensive philosophy, setting pretty much every rushing record for a QB last year, however, he needs to improve his accuracy and downfield throwing abilities if this experiment is really going to work. The Ravens went out and got him downfield threats in Hollywood Brown and Myles Boykin in the draft to go along Chris Moore, Willie Snead, and breakout TE Mark Andrews. A stable of bruising running backs is what makes this offense. Gus Edwards and Kenneth Dixon aren’t flashy but will wear you out. Mark Ingram’s arrival in free agency adds another horse, sprinkle in speedster Justice Hill in the draft and this group is deep and more diverse than last year.

Defense:

The Ravens lead the league in total defense and were only behind Chicago in scoring defense. The offseason was not kind to this unit. CJ Mosley left for New York, Za’Darius Smith, who lead them in sacks, left for Green Bay. Terrell Suggs the emotional leader and last connection to the black and blue Ravens left for Arizona. Eric Weddle was cut. That is a lot of talent lost, but the cupboard is never bare in Baltimore. Safety Earl Thomas came in free agency to bolster one of the best secondaries in the league with Marlon Humphrey, Brandon Carr and Jimmy Smith all returning. The front seven does have some talent in Michael Pierce, Brandon Williams, Patrick Onwuasor is a star in the making, Matthew Judon is going to get his chance to break out outside.

Special Teams:

When you go with the run the ball and play defense game plan you better have good special teams. The Ravens don’t have good special teams, they have GREAT special teams! Justin Tucker is the most accurate kicker in NFL history. Get to the opponents 35 and it’s pretty much a guaranteed 3 is a luxury not too many teams have. Sam Koch pinned half his punts inside the 20-yard line last year. Cyrus Jones is electric in the return game but has to hold on to the ball.

Outlook:

The zig to the NFLs zag, can it really work? I don’t know but it’s going to be fun to watch. NFL defenses have gone lighter and faster, so can they hold up against this power running attack? Getting an offseason to figure some things out will help the league. Starting out with Miami and Arizona should get them off on the right foot. Lamar Jackson is the key, improve his accuracy, add in some big plays down the field and the Ravens have a shot at repeating as division champs.

By: @SteelCurtainPEH

Cincinnati Bengals

The AFC North currently has four members: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, and Pittsburgh Steelers. This year, the Cincinnati Bengals will win the AFC North title. Okay, I know that sounds crazy, it seemed more crazed as I typed it. However, stranger things have happened, haven’t they? Tom Brady won a Super Bowl at 41 years old, Seattle passed at the goal line, and there was a magical coin that didn’t flip (obscure Packer/Cardinal reference). 

The AFC North is full of youth and explosive offenses. The Browns will be led by the exuberant Baker Mayfield, while the Ravens have the playmaker, Lamar Jackson. Pittsburgh has JuJu Smith-Schuster and everybody’s favorite comeback story, James Conner. While the Bengals have what all those teams lack; experience. 

Offense:

The Bengals are bringing back longtime quarterback Andy Dalton to lead this offense. He will once again be paired with the electric A.J. Green on the outside. He also has second-year running back Joe Mixon, who will be looking to take a step forward. 

Coaching:

The wildcard that could be the reason this team wins the AFC North is Zac Taylor. Taylor is a disciple from Sean McVay’s coaching tree and is looking to do to the Bengals what McVay did to the Rams. McVay was able to take a 4-12 Rams team and make them 11-5 in just one season. Taylor will bring fresh ideas to an offense that has been mediocre under Marvin Lewis for the last decade.

Outlook:

Analyzing the competition, we see that the Browns have a roster that is constantly on the edge of imploding because of their numerous divas. There is a possibility that the Steelers’ quarterback is too old to play and can retire on a whim. There is also a chance that the Lamar Jackson experiment fails miserably in Baltimore. If all these things happen, and Zac Taylor revamps the offense, then the Cincinnati Bengals will win the AFC North.

By: Ryan Gosling (@rygosling)

Cleveland Browns

The Browns will take the AFC North for the first time in…um, ok moving on. Let’s get right down to why they will take the AFC North this year, quarterback Baker Mayfield. Mayfield is coming off a rookie season that set multiple franchise records, along with the NFL rookie record for touchdown passes. He accomplished all of this without the second reason the Browns will win the division, a superstar at wideout. John Dorsey rectified that with the addition of superstar Odell Beckham Jr.

Offense:

OBJ brings a legit superstar wideout to what is now a deep group of pass-catchers. With the focus on stopping OBJ’s best-friend and star slot receiver, Jarvis Landry will be free to do damage in the short passing game. Also benefiting will be tight end David Njoku and fellow wideout Rashard Higgins with more one on one match-ups. A talented group like this spreads the defense opening holes for the run game. Leading us into the third reason the Browns will rise to the top, the rushing attack.

With all the attention given the passing attack, most forget the talent in the Browns backfield. With a rare blend of speed and power, Nick Chubb and his 5.2 yards per carry will lead the way in the run game. After trading Duke Johnson, Dontrell Hilliard will spot Chubb in the run game and provide a threat catching the ball out of the backfield. That is until former rushing champ Kareem Hunt is available in week nine. The Browns have one of the most explosive offenses in the game heading into the season. The scary part is the defense might be just as good.

Defense:

Myles Garrett leads a defense that finished second in the NFL in takeaways last year but had only 37 sacks. They were also in the bottom half of nearly every other defensive statistic. While the stats are a bit deceiving, if you are a DVOA fan, the need for improvement is evident. Queue GM John Dorsey’s signing of Sheldon Richardson and trade for Olivier Vernon. Combine that with Garrett and Larry Ogunjobi, and you end up with one of the best front fours in the NFL. With the added talent and better health, this defense has a chance to outshine the offense in 2019.

Outlook:

With no lack of confidence leading the way is franchise quarterback Baker Mayfield and one of the most talent-laden rosters in the NFL expectations will be high. This group is up to that challenge and in turn, will be celebrating a division title for the first time since Bernie Kosar. Enjoy the ride Cleveland you deserve it.

By: Josh Brown (@WeirdJBronavich)

Pittsburgh Steelers

The 2018 Pittsburgh Steelers dysfunctional season came to the most poetic ending I’ve ever seen, without Antonio Brown suited up for disciplinary reasons and having just defeated the Bengals, the players huddled near midfield watching the Jumbotron begging the once woeful Browns to knock off the Ravens in Baltimore, only to see the comeback fall short, just like their playoff hopes.

Offense:

The drama continued into the offseason. Addition by subtraction? I’m not quite ready to go there just yet, losing two All-Pros for a couple of 3rd rounders and a fifth-round pick? Not ideal, however football is the ultimate team sport and losing the drama and adding some chemistry couldn’t hurt, right? What did they ever win with them? They have won two Super Bowls with Ben Roethlisberger and I think the offseason may have lit a fire under the future hall of famer. He will lead a much more diversified offense without having to “feed Antonio Brown” JuJu, James Washington, Donte Moncrief, Jaylen Samuels, Vance McDonald will all play large parts in the passing game, sprinkle in a little Benny Snell to add some toughness back into the running game and I think they can keep up the offensive explosion in Pittsburgh.

Defense:

The traditional trademark of the Pittsburgh Steelers has been defense and this one holds the keys to the success or failure of the season. Moving up in the draft to land Devin Bush and filling the gaping hole left by Ryan Shazier was the splash defensive move and the one this defense badly needed. The defensive line is strong and six deep. The additions of Bush and Barron at the second level to pair with Pro Bowler TJ Watt and Bud Dupree makes them fast and deeper. The secondary will never be confused as the best in the league, but pressure up front makes them better and they have won Super Bowls with less talent in the back end.

Outlook:

The Browns are the sexy pick with their shiny new toys and brash QB and it’s understandable. However, the Steelers love the underdog/doubted role and flying under the radar, with a rejuvenated hall of fame QB and maybe one of the fastest defenses in the NFL makes me think they go 10-6 and win the North.

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By: @SteelCurtainPEH