Call your Shots: AFC NORTH

[Mike]

Here's mine:

1. Cincinnati Bengals- Most talented team in the division
2. Pittsburgh Steelers- Expecting a good year from Bell but defense must improve
3. Baltimore Ravens- 3 team race for division
4. Cleveland Browns- No Gordon will hurt but last place team with or without him


Go....

[LU Cardinal]

1. Pitt
2. Baltimore
3. Cincy
4. Browns

[eagle eye]

1. Cincy - Look at the numbers on Andy Dalton. He has had a bit of trouble in the playoffs I think the Bengals have the best talent in the division.
2. Baltimore - I hate Joe Flacco. I think he's tremendously overrated but Ozzie Newsome is the best GM in football. The Ravens always seem to have enough talent to be in the playoff hunt. John Harbaugh is a damn good coach too. (Wild Card team)
3. Cleveland - Yep, I'm going Cleveland. They have a very solid defense and if Brian Hoyer stays healthy (he's coming off a torn ACL last season) I like Cleveland's chances. They'll have a relatively easy schedule and don't forget Hoyer was 3-0 in the 3 games he started before his injury. I'm counting on new head coach Mike Pettine bringing a fresh outlook. The firing of team president Joe Banner and GM Michael Lombardi was a good thing on so many levels. The Browns under new leadership did a nice job in the draft and they signed just about every tier 2 WR on the free agent market including former Cowboy Miles Austin. If the Browns know more about how to take care of hammies better than Dallas then Austin could be a real steal for Cleveland. Okay, I stepped out there and made a calculated and bold prediction!
4. Pittsburgh - Big Ben has been showing signs of wear and tear on his body the last couple of years. Because of his size and strength he has stood in the pocket, or thereabouts, and taken a lot of punishment. Plus, the O-line isn't what it used to be and the defense is showing signs of age too. A healthy Troy Polomalu is a difference maker but he's had trouble staying healthy as well.

I think this division is one of, if not, the best in the AFC. You could argue that the AFC West is right there but for outright smash-mouth toughness it's hard to beat the AFC North.

[\m/]

Always go with the best QB's

1. Pittsburgh- Big Ben
2. Ravens- Joe Flacco
3. Cincy- Andy Dalton
4. Cleveland- John Manziel

[Twin Daddy]

This is, to me, probably the toughest division to call in all of the NFL. I'd be shocked if there's a 12-win team in this bunch, and I'd be surprised if all of them (including the Browns) didn't win at least 6-7.

So...

1. Baltimore -- Last year, Baltimore managed to nearly sneak into the playoffs despite having an atrocious offensive line and horrible running game. Flacco took most of the blame in the press, but it's awfully tough to win when your line stinks and your two best receiving targets are injured or gone. This year, improvements in the roster will take them over the top... barely... on a tie-breaker with...

2. Pittsburgh -- Last year, Pittsburgh came an "interesting" officiating call from ending up in the playoffs, despite looking horrible early in the season--in no small part due to line injuries and the lack of any NFL-caliber running back on the roster prior to Le'Veon Bell returning mid-season. They'll have better luck--and much better RBs--this year, and improve enough to get to 10 wins.

3. Cincinnati -- I just think at some point the horrific flops in the playoffs that have become Andy Dalton's signature will kill his confidence during the regular season. This team isn't bad by any means, but I think this is the year the Bengals realize they should have cut bait on Dalton after last season.

4. Cleveland -- The Browns are building an awfully solid roster from top to bottom. Hoyer played well in limited action last year, largely because he wasn't Brandon Weeden. Sometimes, a quarterback is so bad that even replacing him with an utter journeyman is a great improvement--see the Cardinals last year vs. the Skelton-House-of-Horrors in 2012-13, or even the Jaguars when they replaced the godawful Blaine Gabbert with Chad Henne. Hoyer, Henne and Carson Palmer aren't All-Pro types by any measure, but compared to what they replaced, they looked like Tom Brady. As for Manziel, I think he'll play well if he gets in, but I expect his career to be hampered by injuries--the NFL has broken far bigger guys than Manziel who have tried to make a living as a mobile quarterback.

[Hey Guy]

Cincy

Baltimore

Cleveland

Pittsburgh

[Hey Guy]

By the way. Josh Gordon had a long appeal and is working with the First team as of this morning. He may not be suspended. Appeal resumes today.