AFC North: Predicting the standings

Dec 28, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Connor Shaw (9) leads the offensive huddle against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports

4. Cleveland Browns

Record: 7-9

I know I write for Dawg Pound Daily, but that doesn’t mean I have to sugar coat your Cleveland Browns. I wrote a couple weeks ago, that this team has a championship roster, and I stand by what I wrote. But, you can’t tell me that even with this roster, that starting Johnny Manziel or Josh McCown will give you a legitimate shot at winning this division.

Related: Cleveland Browns training camp – Day 1 

I can tell you right now, just because the rest of the division is being quarterbacked by Andy Dalton, Ben Roethlisberger, and Joe Flacco, I’d take them over Cleveland. You can give me the Trent Dilfer scenario all you want, – we’ve all heard it – this team won’t be a playoff team in a tough AFC.

I still have no idea what their young backfield is going to do, especially when there is zero threat in the pass game. Just like a hitter in baseball that takes their problems into the field, the same goes for many situations in football. You can have a great defense, but an offense that continuously goes three-and-out and doesn’t sustain drives. Leading to the defense being overworked, and unproductive. That’s what scares me with this team. I could see them playing very well defensively, but also asked to compensate for the failures of the offense.

Plus, in close games, you have two rookie kickers who have never kicked in the NFL before vying for the starting job. How is that going to work if you’re playing a tight late-Novemeber game in Pittsburgh? It has to worry many surrounding the team, and hopefully the team adds a veteran kicker before camp starts. A team like this needs to be nearly perfect with the finer details, because of their lack of playmaking skills on offense.

Next: 3. Pittsburgh Steelers