Final AFC North Standings

[kevnz]

Well, we've talked a lot about where the talking heads think we'll finish in the division. But how does everyone else see the AFC North finishing up.

Here's my picks.

Baltimore 11-5 They are the champs until we beat them, and the defence they've got is about as good as their offense is bad

Cincinnati 9-7 As much as I'd like to say we'll be division champs I think we are a year away from beating Baltimore but our offense has a real shot at being very special

Pittsburg 7-9 They have a chance at either being competative, or having the wheels fall off, I think the wheels fall off but not until late and let's face it, they have two wins in the bag cause they play cleveland twice

Cleveland 3(or less)-13 Where to start? They finished at 5-11 last year and have a real shot at being worse this year. The O-line is terrible and they are gonna go get Jeff Garcia hurt. The defense? What defense...Their front four can't stop anyone. I think that someone will brake Jamal Lewis' rushing record this year, and they'll break it against the Browns. The corners they've got aren't much of anything...But then that pretty much describes the Browns.

[chrishcovga]

Guess I'll join in on the madness

1. Cincinnati - 9-7, play .500 ball before a series of midseason wins pushes Cincy over the top.

Why they win: 4-2 in the division. ESPN crew say, good job Marvin Lewis, but they're still the Bungles cause they didn't win more games than Baltimore!

2. Baltimore - 9-7, Inconsistencies on offense, and distractions/injuries to defense bring them down. - Key Losses, to Cleveland, hurt them in bid to repeat as division champs.

3. Pittsburgh - 8-8, - Tommy turnover will be better, and Duce will have a couple of big games, but youth and lack of talent in the secondary will do them in again. Whispers abound that maybe giving Cowher an extension wasn't the best idea!

4. Cleveland - 6-10, too many problems from head to toe on this team.Suggs returns to his oft-injured form of college. Jeff Garcia realizes that he has no o-line half way through first quarter of week 1. Winslow = distraction by week 8, and pulls a Corey Dillon walking off the field after he drops a sure game winning touchdown - refusing to go back in and be boo-ed at!

[cima]

Baltimore won't finish ahead of us.

Don't forget...Ray Lewis is the Madden 2005 coverboy. He will be struck down with injury and the Ravens D will fall with him.

Bengals=AFC North Champs!

[Indycat]

Cincinnati 10-6 home 7-1 away 3-5 the added speed and athleticism will move the defense into the top 10 of the NFL

Baltimore 8-8 emphasis on illegal contact after five yards will take some teeth out of the defense and they don't have the talent on offense to win the shoot outs

Pittsburgh 8-8 a return to the ball control offense Cowher likes will get them some wins

Cleveland 2-14 cleveland stinks

[BengalBax]

Baltimore 10-6 : Defense is just too strong, offense is not great but with that defense and coaching they will be fine. Weak division, no problems going 10-6

Cincinnati 7-9 : Too young on defense, Palmer will have growing pains. Will lose a lot of close games.

Pittsburgh 7-9 : Maddox will hurt the team in the beginning, Big Ben will start by midseason. WIll be competetive though due to great coaching.

Cleveland 5-11 : Another ho-hum season. Garcia will not be a starter in this league after this year.

[Scottishbengal]

OK, I'll play!

Cincy 10-6: Bengals take the AFCN crown - a new era has dawned and a post season match comes to Cincinnati.

Baltibore 9-7: A waning defence is still good enough at times but not for the whole season. Inability to move the ball and score points with their O is their downfall.

s**ttsburgh 7-6: Mediocrity continues

Cleveland 5-11: The AFCN bottom feeders (in more ways than one) and although they poke their heads up out of the pan they're still in the sh1t

[Turi]

s**ttsburgh 7-6: Mediocrity continues

What? Do we tie the two remaining games?

[ckj414]

Here is the way I see it...

Baltimore 11-5: Defense still solid, and I think their offense will actually be improved this season. Still nothing special through the air, but there was nowhere to go but up. I don't think the distractions catch up until next season.

Cincinnati 8-8: I think we begin to see the signs of something special in Cincinnati, but that defense is going to put Carson Palmer and the Bengals offense in some tough spots.

Pittsburgh 7-9: Maybe 6-10. I really think the Steelers are fading. I just don't see the talent on either side of the ball to compete, except at WR.

Cleveland 4-12: This is a team in a tailspin...and they won't get out of it until they get the head coach and front office situations under control. Butch Davis isn't the answer.

Sorry, this isn't the least bit scientific, just the way it seems the season will shape up to me. Go ahead, flame away about the Bengals record, I understand...

[HoosierCat]

OK, my $0.02...

Baltimore 9-7. The Ravens are still the best team in the AFCN, tho that's a bit like being the best-looking girl in the 300-lbs.+ weight class. Jamal remain a dominant RB, perhaps the league's best, but won't duplicate last year's 2,066 performance. Passing game still sucks. But the Ravens D forces enough turnovers and short fields to get them over .500 and into the playoffs...where they again go one-and-done.

Cincinnati 8-8. Long-suffering Bengals fans suffer some more. The defense improves, but only a bit, while the offense backslides, but again only a bit. Net/net, the two cancel each other out and the Bengals roll to their second straight .500 season.

Cleveland 7-9. The Clowns look better than they are thanks to a late-season surge against SD, Miami, and Houston (their last three opponents). Thanks to the weaknes of the AFCN, they'll still have a chance to make the playoffs but the others will all likely be out of contention.

Pittsburgh 3-13. Ask not for whom the bells tolls, it tolls for thee, Cowher. The o-line is junk; Maddox won't be able to hit Burris, Ward, or Randel El because he'll be too busy getting pummeled. That's the only reason Cheeseligburger won't be starting by the end of October, because Pitt would like him to live through the year. Staley is not the answer. Their secondary makes ours look like a Pro Bowl squad, and Pitt fans are doing more wishin', hopin' and prayin' about their LBs than we do about ours. Annoyingly, at least one of their victories will come against us, since Cowher will just roll out that Bengal-killing Bus and watch the yards pile up.

[ackley1]

Cincinnati 10-6: Maybe it's wishful thinking but I'm picking us to take the division. :player:

Baltimore 9-7:They may have a good D but Bowler still hasn't proven himself as a QB. Plus I hate the Ravens so I just can't pick them to when the division.

Pittsburgh 7-9: Rothlenburger(don't know how to spell his name) will be starting by week 7.

Turds 5-11: O-Line sucks, D sucks, and I hate them.

[wookie]

s**ttsburgh 7-6: Mediocrity continues

What? Do we tie the two remaining games?

I'm sure you realize he typed in a 6 rather than a 9, might be cause he's hanging upside-down.

Also, you may want to check your schedule but the Steelers play 16 games like everyone else so they would have to tie the remaining 3 games to go 7-6.

My thoughts as an optimistic Bengal fan:

Bengals 10-6 - Defense will step up this year and start to show they can play together. Offense has enough weapons that if the D is struggling they can put together some sustained drives that eat up the clock and keep opposing offenses off the field. 9-7 might be more realistic, but I'm trying to be positive.

Ravens 9-7 - the offense just isn't ready to take this team to the top again. They are still the team to beat with their D and will win several games strictly from their defense scoring points and keeping the opposing offenses out of the endzone.

Steelers 7-9 - just missing a .500 season due to the improved play in the AFCN and losing both games to the Bengals and Ravens, getting a split with Cleveland. Pittsburgh has a better Offense than Defense and thats not saying much. Ben R. will be the starter by mid-season at the latest.

Browns 4-12 - not enough on either side of the ball, they will win a couple of home games, and MAYBE a road game. The defense will allow good running backs 150+ a game, and the corners will victimized all year long. Garcia will not be the savior, but he may be the reason they don't go 2-14.

[Bobcat Bengal]

I'm so tired of everyone predicting who'll be where before the season has even begun. Maybe that s**t works in the NBA, NCAA, or MLB, but it doesnt seem to fly much in the NFL. Ever heard of the Carolina Panthers? Let's refresh your memory: The year before last, they were 1-15. I can only wonder who predicted what as far as a finish for those guys.

I mean, if you're gonna go and predict the WHOLE season, why even bother to play it? Just g'head and crown Baltimore the AFC Champs and lets see if they can make it to another Super Bowl.

The season is full of suprises; ask the Chiefs, Saints, and Seahawks.

[Bobcat Bengal]

And Ackley, what the f**k is that in your avatar? It's blurry as hell, I'm guessing its you and someone else at a stadium somewhere?

[BengalszoneBilly]

I'm so tired of everyone predicting who'll be where before the season has even begun. Maybe that s**t works in the NBA, NCAA, or MLB, but it doesnt seem to fly much in the NFL.

Tate, this predicting/hoping thing don't work there either! I mean who actually picked Detroit to whip the Lakers like they did in the NBA? Nobody really has a clue, including myself!

[Bobcat Bengal]

True. But that's not gonna stop people from gazing into their crystal balls or their magic 8 balls though.... If I had to pick anyone's guess, maybe it'd be JDitty, I mean, he's the one in Vegas, so I bet he already placed his bets on the season.

Just for fun, anyone got an inkling of who'll bein the Final Four this year?

[bengalsfan33]

Steelers

Bengals

Ravens

Browns

You heard it here first, Pittsburgh is winning it this year.

[Sox]

s**ttsburgh 7-6: Mediocrity continues

What? Do we tie the two remaining games?

LOL at the math whiz correcting someone else's addition.

[jditty47]

pittsburgh will not win the division. Ill bet u 100 bucks on that.

Terry - id tell u my bets but if i tell them, they wouldnt come true

[wookie]

Terry, the whole predicting thing is for fun. Its why football pools are so popular, and if you think about it how Fantasy leagues survive. Your pick a player or a teams Defense based on how you THINK they will perform that year and then see what happens.

Plus, if you nail it you get bragging rights.

[WeWin]

Cinci 9-7

Balti 8-8

Pitts 7-9

Clev 7-9

[TippCityRick]

My 2 cents

Browns 3-13 - No talent on either line spells doom. Can't stop run and Garcia can't find anyone cept KWII open (I may not like his attitude, but he's the real deal folks).

Steelers 5-11 - Big Ben will be starting week 11 after Maddox is hurt buy a certain Cat wearing number 90! (btw Ben, a proud Redhawk is also the real deal. Him chuckin' it for the Steelers is one of the worst things I've ever had to endure on a draft day)

Ravens 8-8 - Are fine until Jamal is out for a period mid season - Boler gets hurt and they're finished.

Bengals 8-8 - We win division by going 5-1 in the division (losing to Baltimore at home) and winning at Baltimore in December when they are without Jamal. Oh yeah, Ray goes down in week 3 here (blessed Madden curse) but they rise up and win on adreniline.

We are still a year away from being dominate (Dline help wanted!!), but we sleepwalk into the playoffs.

[Jam31]

Ravens 12-4 - League's best defense and best running game are too much for AFC North.

Bengals 9-7 - Palmer and Rudi are legit, defense is not

Pittsburgh 6-10 - About 12 or 13 INT's by Tommy until Big Ben takes over

Cleveland 4-12 - 4 wins is being optimistic.

[skyline]

Ravens 12-4 - League's best defense and best running game are too much for AFC North.

Bengals 9-7 - Palmer and Rudi are legit, defense is not

Pittsburgh 6-10 - About 12 or 13 INT's by Tommy until Big Ben takes over

Cleveland 4-12 - 4 wins is being optimistic.

I can see the Ravens winning 10 games. 12 seems to be a bit high...

[Scottishbengal]

s**ttsburgh 7-6: Mediocrity continues

Apologies for my over anxious digit - operator error reigns supreme on my keyboard!

Of course the final readings will be 7-9.

With Cincy taking both matches against the Steelers with our X-Factor secret weapon .... "The Ben-Gals", who, after a night out on the hard liqour, not removing any of their facial hair to any degree, and performing the "dance of the sagging thong", distract the Pittsburgh team to an unholy extent and are worth an extra 10points per game to Cincy.

If you don't believe this caan happen then just check out the "girls" themselves!

[Jam31]

Ravens 12-4 - League's best defense and best running game are too much for AFC North.

Bengals 9-7 - Palmer and Rudi are legit, defense is not

Pittsburgh 6-10 - About 12 or 13 INT's by Tommy until Big Ben takes over

Cleveland 4-12 - 4 wins is being optimistic.

I can see the Ravens winning 10 games. 12 seems to be a bit high...

I know but I can stretch can't I???