The AFC North is both one of the most boring and one of the most interesting divisions in football.
Are Joe Flacco, Andy Dalton, Ben Roethlisberger and Brian Hoyer particularly exciting quarterbacks? No.
Is having the Bengals win the division again only to lose in the first round of playoffs particularly exciting? No.
But there are scenarios in play for all four teams to somehow win this division (with maybe the exception of the Browns, but it could happen), and there’s going to be some fun storylines to follow in the division this season.
Team Quick Notes
Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals remained largely unchanged — for better or for worse. Some fans would have liked to see a shake-up on offense to try to propel this team past the first round of the playoffs, while some are perfectly comfortable rolling with Andy Dalton at quarterback. Dalton received what looks like a huge extension, but is actually just a new deal that basically just says he’s the quarterback for at least the next two or three seasons. This is still one of the better defenses in the AFC, and A.J. Green is still there, which is always great.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Like the Bengals, the Steelers are essentially the same team from last season, while losing Emmanuel Sanders at wide receiver and adding Ryan Shazier, who already looks like he fits in as a Steelers linebacker. It looks like Le’Veon Bell and LeGarrette Blount are safe from any suspensions after their recent arrest, but there are still questions surrounding Pittsburgh’s offensive line. Even if everyone stays healthy, Ben Roethlisberger could have a tough time staying upright, and their best lineman, Maurkice Pouncey, has a history of missing time.
Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore’s offense could have the highest upside in this division. They added Steve Smith at receiver, and after Ray Rice’s suspension is up in Week 3, the running game could bounce back from last season in Gary Kubiak’s new zone-blocking scheme. Kubiak’s offense so far looks almost exactly like it did with the Houston Texans — and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. As long as the offensive line can hold up, Flacco is the kind of quarterback who will step up and play to the level of those around him, but he will fall off if his teammates have down years.
Cleveland Browns
Cleveland’s outlook just got that much worse with the announcement that Josh Gordon will miss the entire season with a marijuana suspension. Both Hoyer and Johnny Manziel looked below-average in the preseason, and without Gordon, Jordan Cameron becomes the top pass-catching target. The Browns will rely heavily on their solid defense and power running game to win low-scoring games, but unless Hoyer and Manziel has a crazy season, the Browns could be headed for last place once again.
Ranking the Quarterbacks
1. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
Roethlisberger has played on some fairly average teams, allowing him to fly under the radar in quarterback rankings. But he is still a guy who can lead a team to a Super Bowl. He had an up-and-down 2013 season, but by the halfway point of the season, he had developed a great rhythm with Antonio Brown and they almost made the playoffs.
2. Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals
Say what you want about Dalton in the playoffs, but in the regular season, I’d rather have him over Flacco. His deep passing is a concern, even with Green, but he can find anyone over the middle of the field. Under pressure, he is prone to bad decisions, but when he has time, Dalton’s mechanics are incredibly solid and if he sets his feet, he can complete almost any pass inside the numbers.
3. Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens
My biggest concern for Flacco is how dependent he is on the players around him. Could he have a much better statistical season than Dalton and Roethlisberger? Yes. But on pure quarterback skills alone, Flacco struggled with accuracy last season without safety nets Anquan Boldin and Dennis Pitta. His arm strength is great, but he has a propensity to make poor decisions and his accuracy will drop off if Steve Smith and Torrey Smith don’t have great years.
4. Brian Hoyer, Cleveland Browns
If this was only based on the three games Hoyer played for the Browns, it’d be tempting to place him higher than Flacco. But seeing him in the preseason puts him at the bottom of this list. He was missing receivers all over, and didn’t have a single big play in the preseason even with Gordon on the field. After his ACL injury last season, Hoyer also seems to be tentative to be aggressive on the field, favoring his knee. If he can get past that and feel free to sling it down the field to Cameron and Miles Austin, he could bounce back, but it’s unlikely.
Ranking the Running Backs
1. Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati Bengals
Entering his second season, Bernard is already the favorite back in the division. He can make defenders miss in the open field, and catches balls out of the backfield. Plus with younger legs, there’s no reason why you wouldn’t want him starting for your team.
2. Le’Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers
He doesn’t have breakaway speed, but he is a great between-the-tackles back. He can also catch out of the backfield, and saw the field last year better than you’d expect out of a rookie. My biggest concern with Bell is his numbers from last season could have been more of a product of opportunity than skill.
3. Ben Tate, Cleveland Browns
Injury issues aside, Tate is a very physical back who can bowl over defenders. He’s the feature back in Cleveland and if he plays in 14 games, he could be looking at a 1,000-yard season.
4. Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens
His low center of gravity allows him to stay on his feet when facing contact, but he often went down on the first tackle attempt last season. His acceleration is not what it used to be, but he could improve with a revamped offensive line.
5. Bernard Pierce, Baltimore Ravens
A natural big-play guy, Pierce is a threat to rip off a big run at any time. But as an every-down back, he’s not powerful enough to pick up the gritty yards. He’s also not a very patient running back, so he has a tendency to get ahead of his blockers and fail to see open holes.
Ranking the Receivers
1. Josh Gordon, Cleveland Browns
Sure Gordon isn’t playing this year, but he’s still technically on the team, and is still the most talented receiver in the division, even over Green.
2. A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals
Each year he’s been in the league, Green’s total yards has increased, and he’s had 11 touchdowns in each of his past two seasons. So, he’s pretty great.
3. Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers
Brown makes up for his small size with great speed off the line. As long as he can beat corners at the snap and make sure they don’t push him around, Brown can go for 1,300 yards this year. The touchdown production may not be there again because he’s not a great red zone target, but the big play ability is amazing.
4. Torrey Smith, Baltimore Ravens
Smith has developed into more of a route-runner over time, but he’s still mainly a one-trick pony, running deep and hoping that Flacco can get it to him. Still Smith, is clearly the No. 1 receiver in Baltimore, even with Steve Smith there.
5. Steve Smith, Baltimore Ravens
For whatever it’s worth, Smith is going to play with one heck of a chip on his shoulder. He’s not nearly the receiver he used to be, but he’ll certainly use whatever is left in the tank to show up the Panthers for cutting him.
Ranking the Tight Ends
1. Jordan Cameron, Cleveland Browns
Cameron fits the Jimmy Graham-like new wave of tight ends in the league. He can run basically any route, and with Gordon gone for the year, Cameron is “the” guy in Cleveland.
2. Dennis Pitta, Baltimore Ravens
Pitta is much less of a wide receiver type than Cameron, but he is a great possession receiver over the middle. If he can play in all 16 games, Pitta could be the pass catcher with the most targets for the Ravens, even with both Smiths on the field.
3. Heath Miller, Pittsburgh Steelers
“Heath Miller is still in the league?” you’ll ask to yourself. Miller is as reliable as they come, and he won’t be making any big plays anytime soon, but he is a trustworthy red zone target for Big Ben.
4. Tyler Eifert, Cincinnati Bengals
Eifert is more talented than Miller, but with Jermaine Gresham still on the roster, Eifert’s growth will be stunted this season and won’t see the field as often. Come a year or two, though, Eifert could be the No. 2 pass catcher the Bengals have been looking for.
Ranking the Rookies
1. Justin Gilbert, Cornerback, Cleveland Browns
2. Ryan Shazier, Linebacker, Pittsburgh Steelers
3. C.J. Mosley, Linebacker, Baltimore Ravens
4. Terrance West, Running Back, Cleveland Browns
5. Jeremy Hill, Running Back, Cincinnati Bengals
6. Terrence Brooks, Safety, Baltimore Ravens
7. Martavis Bryant, Wide Receiver, Pittsburgh Steelers
8. Johnny Manziel, Quarterback, Cleveland Browns
Ranking the Offensive Lines
1. Cleveland Browns
2. Cincinnati Bengals
3. Baltimore Ravens
4. Pittsburgh Steelers
Ranking the Defensive Lines
1. Cincinnati Bengals
2. Baltimore Ravens
3. Cleveland Browns
4. Pittsburgh Steelers
Ranking the Linebackers
1. Baltimore Ravens
2. Pittsburgh Steelers
3. Cleveland Browns
4. Cincinnati Bengals
Ranking the Secondaries
1. Cleveland Browns
2. Cincinnati Bengals
3. Pittsburgh Steelers
4. Baltimore Ravens
Overall Offensive Rankings
1. Cincinnati Bengals
2. Pittsburgh Steelers
3. Baltimore Ravens
4. Cleveland Browns
Overall Defensive Rankings
1. Cleveland Browns
2. Cincinnati Bengals
3. Pittsburgh Steelers
4. Baltimore Ravens
Final AFC North Power Rankings
1. Cincinnati Bengals
2. Baltimore Ravens
3. Pittsburgh Steelers
4. Cleveland Browns