2013 AFC North Projections

The past few seasons have seen the Baltimore Ravens on the cusp of a championship, but it all came together in 2012 as the Ravens won the Super Bowl for the second time in franchise history. Now the Ravens are looking for an encore, but the road back will be more difficult than usual.

Middle linebacker Ray Lewis who was the heart and soul of this football team has retired. Safety Ed Reed signed with the Houston Texans and after wide receiver Anquan Boldin was released, he signed with the San Francisco 49ers.

Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome did manage to retain the services of quarterback Joe Flacco who is coming off of an MVP performance in Super Bowl 47. Newsome has been one of the best in the NFL as far as drafting talent so the Ravens won’t skip a beat as much as most people are expecting them to; albeit the leadership of Reed, Lewis, and Boldin was vital in last season’s Super Bowl run.

The Ravens will start the season on the road against the Denver Broncos which isn’t customary for the defending champs, but Ravens head coach John Harbaugh will have his squad up to the task of attempting to defend their crown.

The only thing that has held the Cincinnati Bengals back from being with the NFL’s elite teams in the past few seasons is their inability to get past the Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North. This inability has also relegated the Bengals to a wild card slot in the past two seasons where they have opened up the playoffs on the road only to have an early exit as they were eliminated by the Houston Texans. For Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis, he is hopeful that this is the season that his team can not only win the AFC North, but hopefully that the Bengals will get their first playoff victory since 1990.

In his two seasons in the NFL, Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton has made all 32 starts and he is on the cusp of being a good quarterback in this league. Wide receiver A.J. Green is a match-up nightmare as this could be the year in which he records 100 receptions.

The Bengals were a middle of the pack team last season in rushing as they were 18th in the NFL, but those numbers should improve this season. Running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis gained 1,094 yards rushing in his first season with the Bengals and he will have help in the backfield with the addition of rookie running backs Rex Burkhead and Giovanni Bernard.

Lewis has made a name for himself in the NFL for being a good defensive mind. Last season the Bengals were 6th in total defense and 7th in sacks with 46. The Bengals have a big and physical defensive line with defensive ends Carlos Dunlap, Michael Johnson, Robert Geathers, and defensive tackles Devon Still, Geno Atkins, and Domata Peko. Middle linebacker Rey Maualuga struggled in the leadership role last season, but Lewis signed former Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker James Harrison who is a two-time Super Bowl Champion which could help.

It won’t take us long to see what the Bengals are made of as they will open the season on the road against the Chicago Bears before they host the Steelers and Green Bay Packers.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have won more Super Bowl Championships (six) than any other NFL team, but they are currently staring mediocrity right in the face. The Steelers went 8-8 last season as they posted their first non-winning season since 2006 and it is back to the drawing board for Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin and crew.

The Steelers had the top defense in the NFL last season, but they were minus-10 in turnover margin which partially explains why this was a .500 team in 2012. Safety Troy Polamalu has declared himself to be healthy, but you wonder at the age of  whether or not his body will be able to hold up for the riggers of another NFL season.

The Steelers will go where their quarterback Ben Roethlisberger takes them. Roethlisberger was sacked 30 times last season and he hasn’t made all 16 starts in the regular season since 2008 which was the last time that the Steelers won the Super Bowl. In protecting Roethlisberger, the Steelers running game must improve as they were 26th in rushing last year which is unacceptable in Western Pennsylvania. That duty falls on the offensive and veteran running back Johnathan Dwyer who will split carries this season with rookie running back Le’Veon Bell.

If the Steelers cannot protect Roethlisberger and run the football, they will once again be watching the playoffs from home this season.

It has been 15 years since the Cleveland Browns returned to the NFL and as we are entering the 2013 season, the Browns have their seventh different head coach which is a clear illustration as to why this franchise has only had two winning seasons over that stretch.

Rob Chudzinski is the Browns new head coach and it is his job to get the most out of quarterback Brandon Weeden. Weeden was up and down in his rookie campaign of 2012 as he threw 17 interceptions to only 14 touchdowns. 

The Browns were 24th in the NFL last season in passing as the offense was carried by their dynamic running back Trent Richardson. In his first season in the NFL, Richardson rushed for 950 yards primarily against defenses that were designed to stop him. Richardson is a punishing running back who will have to alter his style as he and other offensive players will no longer be allowed to lower their helmet to take out a defender in the open field.

Three of the Browns first four games are against playoff teams from 2012 as they will be on the road against the Ravens and Minnesota Vikings before hosting the Bengals.

This is going to be another long season for the Browns.