AFC North: Predicting the standings

Vincent Rapisardi

Dec 28, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and Cleveland Browns head coach Mike Pettine speaks after the game at M&T Bank Stadium. Baltimore Ravens defeated Cleveland Browns 20-10. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

So camp for many teams has started, so it’s time to make predictions. Is it a bit early, considering a preseason game hasn’t even been played yet? Yeah, but that’s just the nature of the sports talk business.

More from Dawg Pound Daily

This has always been a black and blue division – having a lot to with location. If you don’t have a defense and a good run game, good luck. When you start playing November and December games in this division, you better have those things going for you.

This is an extremely competitive division, and for years its been a coin toss between the Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Baltimore Ravens. That won’t change, sorry Cleveland Browns fans.

I know you guys don’t want to hear this, but what better game to watch than a good old Ravens/Steelers Sunday night game on NBC? Well, let’s stop beating around the bush and actually get this thing going. Without further ado, here is my prediction for how the AFC North shakes up in 2015.

Next: 4. Cleveland Browns

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.

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

Jan 3, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) throws a pass during an AFC wild card playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

3. Pittsburgh Steelers

Record: 9-7

I think some may be surprised that I’m expecting the Steelers to finish third in the AFC North, but here’s my feel on them right now.

One, have you seen their schedule? They play teams like New England, Denver, Seattle, Arizona, San Diego, Indianapolis, and Kansas City – Not to mention, the Bengals and Ravens twice. There is almost no break in their schedule, and after a while, it could really fatigue this group throughout the entirety of regular season.

Secondly, they’re in that phase that every team goes through at one point or another, and that is the rebuilding stage. It’s not a team-wide rebuild, but rather just a defensive rebuild, after a decade of dominance with the likes of Troy Polamalu, Casey Hampton, Ike Taylor, and others.

In a league where three wide receiver sets are so prevalent, how are they going to cover anyone? Cortez Allen at one point last year was benched, even after receiving a contract extension, and he so happens to be the team’s number one cornerback.The front seven is also loaded with younger players that still haven’t proven their worth just yet. I have a real concern with this group.

Offensively, they were electric last season. Ranking second in the league in yards, with two of the league’s best at both wide receiver and running back, in Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell. Ben Roethlisberger set a career high in passing yards and completion percentage, and just looks like a completely different quarterback now entering his fourth season with Todd Haley as his offensive coordinator. I still see this team as a wildcard contender, but they have too many questions defensively for me to buy in on them as a serious super bowl contender.

Next: 2. Cincinnati Bengals

Jan 4, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton (14) throws a pass in the 2014 AFC Wild Card playoff football game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

2. Cincinnati Bengals

Record: 10-6

Andy Dalton gets a ton of flak for being a boring quarterback, but he’s been to the playoffs all four years of his career. He’ll never be Tom Brady, but he’s more than serviceable.

What I love about this team, is their line play on both sides of the ball. Both lines are full of depth, which can’t go unnoticed in a league where attrition has a lot to do with either the success or demise of a team. Not to mention a draft class this past offseason, that could easily be the best when we look back in two-to-three years from now.

In the first three rounds, they selected two offensive lineman in Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher that project to be long-term starters, as well one of the bigger steals in the draft with the selection of linebacker, Paul Dawson. Already with a healthy roster, these players are just a plus. No pressure, just assets.

With the breakout of Jeremy Hill at running back last year, and Gio Bernard entering his third season, Cincy now has a dynamic duo that compliment each other perfectly. With a receiving group that includes A.J. Green, Mohamed Sanu, and a healthy Marvin Jones, this offense can hit you in many ways.

This team is just too sound not to be a playoff team in 2015. Will they be legitimate contenders for a title? Probably not, because after all, the Marvin Lewis-Dalton combination has been pitiful in the postseason, but hey, something’s gotta give.

Next: 1. Baltimore Ravens

Jan 3, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) talks to Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh (R) during a stoppage in play against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second half during the 2014 AFC Wild Card playoff football game at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

1. Baltimore Ravens

Record: 11-5

The Ravens are one of those teams that are boring, yet steady, and successful. John Harbaugh is one of the two or three best coaches in football, and has only missed the playoffs once in his seven years with the team.