NFL.com looks at AFC North

[Dadraftnick]

AFC North: Steelers clearly the hunted

Team previews: Bengals | Browns | Ravens | Steelers

By Ed Bouchette

Special to NFL.com

(With the NFL regular season set to kick off on Thursday, Sept. 7, NFL.com has put together an eight-part series previewing each team division by division. Here is the AFC North.)

Overview

Pittsburgh and Cincinnati staged an entertaining division race all season before the Bengals produced an upset by defeating the Steelers in Pittsburgh in December, and achieved their first winning season since 1990. Both finished 11-5, but that victory over the Steelers gave the Bengals the division title.

Division previews

AFC East

Pittsburgh, however, delivered the knockout blow in the playoffs in Cincinnati, coming back from a 10-0 deficit after quarterback Carson Palmer left with a severe knee injury. It was the Steelers' first playoff victory of three straight on the road that put them in the Super Bowl, where they became the first sixth seed to win the Super Bowl, claiming their fifth Vince Lombardi Trophy in the process.

Baltimore, expected to compete for a playoff spot, instead slipped to 6-10 while wracked with injuries and a cloudy quarterback situation. Cleveland won two of its last three to go 6-10 in what the Browns hope will be a rebirth under coach Romeo Crennel.

MOVERS AND SHAKERS

Baltimore and Cleveland, the teams on the bottom last season, open this year with two new starting quarterbacks from a year ago, one a ripened former league MVP, Steve McNair, and the other a second-year player from Akron, Charlie Frye. On the flip side, the Steelers and Bengals hold their breath as starting quarterbacks Ben Roethlisberger and Carson Palmer, two of the top three in NFL passer rating, return from severe injuries.

Ben Roethlisberger is back on the field already -- which bodes well for Pittsburgh.

The only team to stand pat -- with all things relative in the NFL's free-agency world -- was the team that would hope to, Pittsburgh. For the second straight season, the Steelers signed just one unrestricted free agent, safety Ryan Clark; but then, they won the Super Bowl in January and went 15-1 in 2004. They even kept the entire coaching staff together for a third straight season.

The other three division members were busy changing the pieces on their boards, especially the teams at the bottom, Baltimore and Cleveland.

McNair could change the Ravens' luck, if he can stay healthy. He and Peyton Manning shared the league MVP honors just two years ago. Baltimore also added defensive end Trevor Pryce and backup halfback Mike Anderson, and top draft pick Haloti Ngata of Oregon will start at tackle on one of the NFL's consistently good defenses.

You can't tell who is on the Browns without a scorecard after their many changes for a second straight season. Their biggest addition and now biggest loss was center LeCharles Bentley, who came from the Saints and then was lost for the season with a knee injury in the first practice. Three seasoned free agents will start -- linebacker Willie McGinest, receiver Joe Jurevicious and nose tackle Ted Washington. Frye started at the end of last season, taking over for Trent Dilfer, who was traded to San Francisco during the offseason.

Even Cincinnati, the division champ, added two new starters on defense -- safety Dexter Jackson and Sam Adams, a whale of a tackle. The Bengals sported one of the best offenses in the league last season (they won that game in Pittsburgh, for example, 38-31) and one of the worst defenses. They also lost middle linebacker Odell Thurman for the first four games for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Pittsburgh gave hope to everyone with its performance in each of the past two seasons. The Steelers did not win the division last year, then became the first sixth seed to win a Super Bowl. In 2004, they became the first team in the AFC to go 15-1 after they were 6-10 in 2003.

You don't think that gives Baltimore and Cleveland, tied at 6-10 last season, reason to believe? Then there's Cincinnati, which led or tied for first in the division wire-to-wire. The Bengals appear on the cusp of getting to a Super Bowl.

Still, there's no denying who the king of the jungle is in the AFC North.

"Pittsburgh -- they've been the bullies of our division for a long time," said McGinest, one of the North newcomers.

Palmer said this spring that he hates Pittsburgh.

"I guess everybody here hates Pittsburgh," McGinest said. "That's all I've been hearing."

Indeed, the Steelers are aware of that, just as they were last summer when they were coming off a 15-1 year.

"We have the target on our chests and a lot of people will be gunning for us," said Super Bowl MVP Hines Ward. "But that's what we want. It's only going to make us play harder. We're going to have to go out and match the intensity of our opponents. I think we're ready for the challenge."

Their biggest challenge again should come from Cincinnati, where the Bengals are primed to go over the top this year. It took them 15 years to rid the loser label, and coach Marvin Lewis has them right where he wants them. They all believe things would have been different had Palmer not been knocked out early in the playoff game against the Steelers.

"What we didn't do last year was get over the injury to one of our good players," Lewis said. "We have to learn to do that."

It still looks like a learning experience for the Browns, especially with a young quarterback, young receivers and an offensive line in transition. But the Ravens, picked by some to win this division a year ago, could be the surprise. They have a balanced offense behind a good line and that defense, which has been dominant for most of this century.

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"the Bengals appear on the cusp of getting to a Super Bowl" I agree with that.

"Still there is no denying who is the king of the jungle in the ACF North...Pittsburgh--They are the bullies of our division.."

We (the Cincinnati Bengals) led or were tied for the division the entire year,WE WON THE DIVISION, not the Steelers.

We were winning the playoff game when Carson Palmer's knee was taken out on purpose(which the refs on the Pitt payrole couldn't find it in them to call an penalty on).

Of the most vile Pittsburgh fans that I know, I can find none to telll me that the Super Bowl was not fixed in favor of the Steelers.

SO, there is denying who the king of the jungle is in the AFC North--if you think its Pittsburgh.

I KNOW who it is,its the BENGALS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHO DEY

[chrishcovga]

I have contacted the spirits from beyond, and after much deliberation with them these are what the spirits have told me to expect from this 2006 NFL season concerning the AFC.

1. The Bengals will win the division again going 11- 5.

2. The Steelers will struggle, Roethlesberger will continue to have problems throwing the ball with his now damaged thumb, coinciding with numerous injuries and the impending retirement of Bill Cowher, The Steelers finish 8-8.

3. The Ravens finish 7-9. McNair will look good early in the season before falling to another season ending injury. Kyle Boller will win a couple of games sparking controversy, but will return to his same old self after Jamal Lewis goes down with another nagging injury.

4. Cleveland 3-13. Probably not Charlie Frye's fault, but there is no offensive line, no threat at runningback, and the defense will be on the field too long.

COLTS: They will win their division, but They pose no real threat to Cincinnati.

Denver: They remain a solid team, but only a matter of time before team and coaching staff splits on Plummer vs. Cutler.

Jaguars: They will finish 9-7 good enough to make a late season playoff push, but not likely with injured Fred Taylor.

Chargers: The Philip Rivers experiment is a big success. Too bad their Secondary still sucks.

Chiefs: Larry Johnson will be run into the ground this year. He'll flirt with 2000 yards. But loss of William Roaf will hurt his chances.

Cincinnati wins its' first superbowl against the Eagles. Carson Palmer is named MVP of the game, after throwing for 310 yards and 3 TDs. The talk of the game will be how well the Bengal Offensive line has protected Palmer from the Eagles ferocious pass rush.

[Clackwoods]

I have contacted the spirits from beyond, and after much deliberation with them these are what the spirits have told me to expect from this 2006 NFL season concerning the AFC.

1. The Bengals will win the division again going 11- 5.

2. The Steelers will struggle, Roethlesberger will continue to have problems throwing the ball with his now damaged thumb, coinciding with numerous injuries and the impending retirement of Bill Cowher, The Steelers finish 8-8.

3. The Ravens finish 7-9. McNair will look good early in the season before falling to another season ending injury. Kyle Boller will win a couple of games sparking controversy, but will return to his same old self after Jamal Lewis goes down with another nagging injury.

4. Cleveland 3-13. Probably not Charlie Frye's fault, but there is no offensive line, no threat at runningback, and the defense will be on the field too long.

COLTS: They will win their division, but They pose no real threat to Cincinnati.

Denver: They remain a solid team, but only a matter of time before team and coaching staff splits on Plummer vs. Cutler.

Jaguars: They will finish 9-7 good enough to make a late season playoff push, but not likely with injured Fred Taylor.

Chargers: The Philip Rivers experiment is a big success. Too bad their Secondary still sucks.

Chiefs: Larry Johnson will be run into the ground this year. He'll flirt with 2000 yards. But loss of William Roaf will hurt his chances.

Cincinnati wins its' first superbowl against the Eagles. Carson Palmer is named MVP of the game, after throwing for 310 yards and 3 TDs. The talk of the game will be how well the Bengal Offensive line has protected Palmer from the Eagles ferocious pass rush.

LMFAO. RUSERIOUS? Sorry coach but the steelers are gonna finish either 9-7 or 10-6. The browns will not have a worse year than they did last year, not with all the additions and the coach Crennel running the show. Manning is one day going to stop choking and the Colts will pose a threat. I agree with all your other stuff including the Bengals winning the superbowl but it WILL NOT and I repeat WILL NOT be against the Eagles. They have no WR's and MCCNAB is almost as big a choke artist as Manning and Jim Kelly. I see them playing the Panthers, Seahawks, or in my longshot pick the Giants in the superbowl. I love the Bengals but don't count out the Bronco's either, they have a better team than last year and Jake the Mistake is going to get his s**t together because he doesn't want to hit the bench. Cutler is good and he will be an awesome qb in the league but not this year. I bought a Carson Palmer jersey and drafted him in the second round on my fantasy team so I have all the faith in the world that he will be back to lead us to the first of I predict at least three SuperBowl victories. Who DEY!

[SkinneymulleT]

Pittsburgh, however, delivered the knockout blow in the playoffs in Cincinnati, coming back from a 10-0 deficit after quarterback Carson Palmer left with a severe knee injury.

Idiot. As if his injury just randomly happened. Um, fail to mention the intentional cheap shot being the only reason they got anywhere,(oh yeah that and the fixed superbowl) another paid whore from the nfl.