NFL Debate #53: AFC North

[Cory]

Go.

[Doug E Fresh]

Now I can say GO BROWNS!

[CHINasty]

Steelers. That is all.

Better hope Josh Gordon has a horseshoe up his ass.

[Mike Powers]

Ravens return to form.

[GM Franchise]

Went with the Ravens but I do think this will be a close division race.

[Cory]

IF they can retain Josh Gordon, the Browns are going to surprise people this year.

Hoyer was a good QB in his starts last season, plus Manziel would be a great option too....so their solid with a lot of upside if Johnny Football pans out at the QB position. Ben Tate is going to have a big year behind the best offensive line in the division, which is key too if Manziel plays. I believe Ben Tate and Toby Gerhart (Jags) are poised for excellent seasons.

Gordon/Burleson/Hawkins are a good corps, throw Miles Austin and if Jordan Cameron can be more than a one season wonder.....I guess the same goes for Gordon too, they have weapons. As I said before, the Browns have a very good offensive line, and maybe the most underrated front sevens in football. They lost TJ Ward, but Whitner makes up for some of that, and Haden/Gilbert are going to butcher INT machines in Flacco/Dalton.

The Ravens are by far the least likely IMO. Flacco is trash, Ray Rice is trash, and outside of Torrey Smith and Dennis Pitta I dont like any of their receivers. Their O-line is average, their Defense is solid at best and aging.

The Steelers are solid, but I dont see much upside. Big Ben IMO is the 3rd best QB in the AFC behind Brady/Manning and I like Bell/Blount at RB and Brown/Moore and rookie Martavis Bryant at WR and Heath Miller is as solid of a TE as ever. Their O-line is right there with Cleveland,  but their D-Line and secondary is what separates them from my pick, THE BROWNS, from winning. Their D-Line isnt great, and their secondary is too old. Crazy talent at the LB position with rookie Shazier, Jarvis Jones, Jason Worilds and Lawrence Timmons, but they dont negate their weak front 3 and secondary.

The Bengals ride on Dalton, who is in a contract year....which either causes a player to go off and earn a pay day or fall under the pressure, which I think Dalton will do. I like Andy Dalton from his days at TCU, called him a sleeper in the draft.  Bernard is a dynamic back, AJ Green is the best W/O in the division (his consistency > Gordon) and complementary WR in Jones/Gresham/Eifert. Their O-Line is on par with Browns/Steelers, they have the best D-Line in the division with Atkins/Dunlap highlighting it, a star LB in Burfict and above average secondary with rookie Dennard and old farts Terrance Newman and Leon Hall....their safeties are a little weak.

I think it'll be a tough battle between Browns, Bengals, and Steelers but Its time for the Browns to win IF they can keep Gordon....if not I'll lean more towards the Bengals to win the division in a tough battle either way...very evenly matched division here.

[T-Bonizzle]

Ravens last? HA you're funny. Ravens shall be back on top no problem.

[Jon]

I think the Steelers is the pick here for me. For everyone that says Big Ben has regressed, I just haven't seen it. He still is a very capable QB and I like the weapons he'll have this season. Antonio Brown and I think you'll see a much improved season from Markus Wheaton. Additions of Lance Moore and Heyward-Bey and the drafting of Bryant give the Steelers a formidable reciring corps.

The return of a hopefully healthy Puncey should help improve an O-Line that was pretty awful last season, especially in the run game. I liked the addition of Blount, who gives them a big bodied 3rd down/goalline back and the drafting of speedster Dri Archer, who they can use as a receiving option and returner.

Defensively, I think Shazier was a great pick and I expect him to play very well his rookie season. I hope 2013 first rounder Jarvis Jones starts living up to his hype as I was very high on him coming out of Georgia. Reports though say he showed up to camp no bigger then last season.

I think this is a close division race as realistically, anyone of this four teams could emerge. But I like the Steelers to finish 10-6 on the season and beat out the Ravens, who I think finish second. I feel the Bengals regress a bit from last season and the Browns are still a bit away from finding their identity.

No doubt though, this will be a fun divisional race to watch.   

[Doug E Fresh]

No one here has faith in the Bengals lol

[Jon]

No one here has faith in the Bengals lol

The man that goes by Hondo certainly does.

[T-Bonizzle]

This poll is the only place the Browns will excel at this season...savor it Dougie

[The TeeJ of Philly]

There's a lot of questions in the division: Are the Brown going to be the 3-2 Browns from last year that looked pretty damn good. Are the Bengals going to be the same without Zimmer and Gruden? Are the Steelers finally too old? Are the Ravens just overachievers?

Going with the Bengals because Lewis is still there and while Zimmer and Gruden may not be, they still have the most talent in this division. I think 10-6 was the record to win this division according to someone in the thread, I agree, I see a 10-6 Cincy winning it.