08-03-2017, 03:04 PM
For those who pay ANY attention to the 'heads', OR those that like the entertainment!!
Nate Davis, USA Today:
AFC NORTH
Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4): With the exception of an October foray to Kansas City, which concludes an opening stretch of four of six on the road, Pittsburgh's most challenging non-divisional games will occur at Heinz Field.
Baltimore Ravens (9-7): Maybe a little heat on John Harbaugh after missing postseason three of the past four years. Tough break hosting the Steelers on Oct. 1 just seven days after playing in London. (NOTE: In our projection, the Ravens were seeded ahead of the Chargers due to a superior record in common games played.)
Cincinnati Bengals (5-11): The offensive line's outlook is troubling, to say the least, especially with three consecutive road games against stout defensive teams (Jacksonville, Tennesee, Denver) in November. And will Marvin Lewis' lame duck status only ratchet up the pressure on a team that tends to underachieve when it counts most?
Cleveland Browns (4-12): Even if they only improve by three games in the win column — not insignificant — expect this outfit to be far more competitive as its nucleus of talent continues to coalesce.
Johnathan Jones, Sports Illustrated:
PROJECTED RECORD: 12–4
The Steelers boast the best offensive trio in football in Ben Roethlisberger, Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown; had Bell been healthy, his team likely would have put up more of a fight in the 2017 AFC title game in January. This season, Pittsburgh should start 5–0 before facing Kansas City with games against the Browns, Vikings, Bears, Ravens and Jaguars on the slate.
Pivotal game: Week 15 vs. Patriots. By this point both teams should be in the playoffs with their division titles (almost) wrapped up. The Patriots have participated in the past six AFC title games, so the odds are good that the Steelers will have to get past New England in the postseason. The best way to prepare for the Patriots in January is to play them in December.
PROJECTED RECORD: 9–7
The Ravens are in danger of missing the playoffs for the third straight year for the first time since 1997–99, which means that John Harbaugh’s seat is very much getting warm. Baltimore was active in free agency but mostly on the defensive side of the ball; Joe Flacco needs more than Danny Woodhead signing to improve from the 21st-ranked scoring offense in the league.
Pivotal game: Week 8 vs. Dolphins. Baltimore closes the first half of its schedule with a Thursday night contest against Miami, coming off a trip back from Minnesota on just four days rest. At this point, the Ravens will already be playing catch-up to the Steelers—can they stay in the mix, or will they fall even further behind?
PROJECTED RECORD: 9–7
Here’s another AFC North team with a coach who could be on the hot seat. Marvin Lewis is the second-longest tenured coach in the NFL today, but he won’t be able to afford missing the playoffs in consecutive years on top of five years of wild-card futility. The Bengals caught some tough breaks last season by losing seven of nine by a possession. Starting the season against Baltimore, Houston, Green Bay, Cleveland and Buffalo could give the Bengals a 4–1 start going into their bye.
Pivotal game: Week 17 at Ravens. This game could decide who gets a wild card and who stays home. Both the Bengals and Ravens will have to deal with a competitive AFC West, so nine wins may not cut it for a wild-card berth.
PROJECTED RECORD: 2–14
There’s cause for some optimism in Cleveland, but you have to know this season won’t bear much fruit in terms of wins. The Browns strengthened their offensive line and continued to add to their receiving corps even after years of mistakes at that position. They didn’t screw up the top pick and got versatile Jabrill Peppers. I appreciate Cleveland not forcing the issue at QB, but I have a bad feeling Brock Osweiler will be the starter come Week 1.
Pivotal game: Week 11 vs. Jaguars. I considered being sarcastic and saying there is no pivotal game on the schedule for the Browns this year... But remember the emotion in Hue Jackson’s face when they beat the Chargers on Christmas Eve 2016? Cleveland has to build on the one-win season in order for tanking to work. There aren’t many Ws on the schedule, but Jacksonville is the first winnable game for the Browns.
Hank Gargiulo, ESPN Analytics:
2017 AFC North Projections
TEAM WINS LOSSES WIN DIVISION
Steelers 10.1 5.9 56.0%
Ravens 8.8 7.2 25.0%
Bengals 8.3 7.6 18.4%
Browns 4.8 11.2 0.6%
The AFC North is once again set to be a tough division, with only the Browns not projected to finish .500 or better. The Steelers are the preseason favorite to take the division for a second straight year, with the Ravens and Bengals fighting for second place. If the division title race comes down to the final week of the season, take note that Pittsburgh faces Cleveland for the third consecutive season, while the Ravens will host the Bengals in what our projections suggest could determine a wild-card berth.
Tadd Haislop, Sporting News:
1. Pittsburgh Steelers (13-3)
2. Baltimore Ravens (9-7)
3. Cincinnati Bengals (6-10)
4. Cleveland Browns (2-14)
The Steelers and Ravens figure to reinforce the division's reputation as one of the NFL's most competitive. The Bengals hope to crash their rivals' playoff-hopeful party and bounce back from a six-win season after four prior years of double-digit wins. The Browns, of course, just hope to win more than one game.
Nick Wright, Fox Sports
Pittsburgh Steelers
Record: 11-5
Wins: Browns, Vikings, Bears, Jaguars, Bengals, Colts, Titans, Packers, Ravens, Texans, Browns
Losses: Ravens, Chiefs, Lions, Bengals, Patriots
Spin: The Steelers are a flawed team. But they have one of the five best coaches in Mike Tomlin, one of the five best quarterbacks in Ben Roethlisberger, one of the five best wide receivers in Antonio Brown and one of the five best running backs in Leveon Bell.
Baltimore Ravens
Record: 9-7
Wins: Browns, Jaguars, Steelers, Bears, Titans, Texans, Lions, Colts, Bengals
Losses: Bengals, Raiders, Vikings, Dolphins, Packers, Steelers, Browns
Cincinnati Bengals
Record: 9-7
Wins: Ravens, Texans, Browns, Bills, Jaguars, Browns, Steelers, Bears, Lions
Losses: Packers, Steelers, Colts, Titans, Broncos, Vikings, Ravens
Spin: This looks like a team that missed its window.
Cleveland Browns
Record: 3-13
Wins: Jets, Jaguars, Ravens
Losses: Steelers, Ravens, Colts, Bengals, Texans, Titans, Vikings, Lions, Bengals, Chargers, Packers, Bears, Steelers
Spin: Just a dreadful football team.
Nate Davis, USA Today:
AFC NORTH
Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4): With the exception of an October foray to Kansas City, which concludes an opening stretch of four of six on the road, Pittsburgh's most challenging non-divisional games will occur at Heinz Field.
Baltimore Ravens (9-7): Maybe a little heat on John Harbaugh after missing postseason three of the past four years. Tough break hosting the Steelers on Oct. 1 just seven days after playing in London. (NOTE: In our projection, the Ravens were seeded ahead of the Chargers due to a superior record in common games played.)
Cincinnati Bengals (5-11): The offensive line's outlook is troubling, to say the least, especially with three consecutive road games against stout defensive teams (Jacksonville, Tennesee, Denver) in November. And will Marvin Lewis' lame duck status only ratchet up the pressure on a team that tends to underachieve when it counts most?
Cleveland Browns (4-12): Even if they only improve by three games in the win column — not insignificant — expect this outfit to be far more competitive as its nucleus of talent continues to coalesce.
Johnathan Jones, Sports Illustrated:
PROJECTED RECORD: 12–4
The Steelers boast the best offensive trio in football in Ben Roethlisberger, Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown; had Bell been healthy, his team likely would have put up more of a fight in the 2017 AFC title game in January. This season, Pittsburgh should start 5–0 before facing Kansas City with games against the Browns, Vikings, Bears, Ravens and Jaguars on the slate.
Pivotal game: Week 15 vs. Patriots. By this point both teams should be in the playoffs with their division titles (almost) wrapped up. The Patriots have participated in the past six AFC title games, so the odds are good that the Steelers will have to get past New England in the postseason. The best way to prepare for the Patriots in January is to play them in December.
PROJECTED RECORD: 9–7
The Ravens are in danger of missing the playoffs for the third straight year for the first time since 1997–99, which means that John Harbaugh’s seat is very much getting warm. Baltimore was active in free agency but mostly on the defensive side of the ball; Joe Flacco needs more than Danny Woodhead signing to improve from the 21st-ranked scoring offense in the league.
Pivotal game: Week 8 vs. Dolphins. Baltimore closes the first half of its schedule with a Thursday night contest against Miami, coming off a trip back from Minnesota on just four days rest. At this point, the Ravens will already be playing catch-up to the Steelers—can they stay in the mix, or will they fall even further behind?
PROJECTED RECORD: 9–7
Here’s another AFC North team with a coach who could be on the hot seat. Marvin Lewis is the second-longest tenured coach in the NFL today, but he won’t be able to afford missing the playoffs in consecutive years on top of five years of wild-card futility. The Bengals caught some tough breaks last season by losing seven of nine by a possession. Starting the season against Baltimore, Houston, Green Bay, Cleveland and Buffalo could give the Bengals a 4–1 start going into their bye.
Pivotal game: Week 17 at Ravens. This game could decide who gets a wild card and who stays home. Both the Bengals and Ravens will have to deal with a competitive AFC West, so nine wins may not cut it for a wild-card berth.
PROJECTED RECORD: 2–14
There’s cause for some optimism in Cleveland, but you have to know this season won’t bear much fruit in terms of wins. The Browns strengthened their offensive line and continued to add to their receiving corps even after years of mistakes at that position. They didn’t screw up the top pick and got versatile Jabrill Peppers. I appreciate Cleveland not forcing the issue at QB, but I have a bad feeling Brock Osweiler will be the starter come Week 1.
Pivotal game: Week 11 vs. Jaguars. I considered being sarcastic and saying there is no pivotal game on the schedule for the Browns this year... But remember the emotion in Hue Jackson’s face when they beat the Chargers on Christmas Eve 2016? Cleveland has to build on the one-win season in order for tanking to work. There aren’t many Ws on the schedule, but Jacksonville is the first winnable game for the Browns.
Hank Gargiulo, ESPN Analytics:
2017 AFC North Projections
TEAM WINS LOSSES WIN DIVISION
Steelers 10.1 5.9 56.0%
Ravens 8.8 7.2 25.0%
Bengals 8.3 7.6 18.4%
Browns 4.8 11.2 0.6%
The AFC North is once again set to be a tough division, with only the Browns not projected to finish .500 or better. The Steelers are the preseason favorite to take the division for a second straight year, with the Ravens and Bengals fighting for second place. If the division title race comes down to the final week of the season, take note that Pittsburgh faces Cleveland for the third consecutive season, while the Ravens will host the Bengals in what our projections suggest could determine a wild-card berth.
Tadd Haislop, Sporting News:
1. Pittsburgh Steelers (13-3)
2. Baltimore Ravens (9-7)
3. Cincinnati Bengals (6-10)
4. Cleveland Browns (2-14)
The Steelers and Ravens figure to reinforce the division's reputation as one of the NFL's most competitive. The Bengals hope to crash their rivals' playoff-hopeful party and bounce back from a six-win season after four prior years of double-digit wins. The Browns, of course, just hope to win more than one game.
Nick Wright, Fox Sports
Pittsburgh Steelers
Record: 11-5
Wins: Browns, Vikings, Bears, Jaguars, Bengals, Colts, Titans, Packers, Ravens, Texans, Browns
Losses: Ravens, Chiefs, Lions, Bengals, Patriots
Spin: The Steelers are a flawed team. But they have one of the five best coaches in Mike Tomlin, one of the five best quarterbacks in Ben Roethlisberger, one of the five best wide receivers in Antonio Brown and one of the five best running backs in Leveon Bell.
Baltimore Ravens
Record: 9-7
Wins: Browns, Jaguars, Steelers, Bears, Titans, Texans, Lions, Colts, Bengals
Losses: Bengals, Raiders, Vikings, Dolphins, Packers, Steelers, Browns
Cincinnati Bengals
Record: 9-7
Wins: Ravens, Texans, Browns, Bills, Jaguars, Browns, Steelers, Bears, Lions
Losses: Packers, Steelers, Colts, Titans, Broncos, Vikings, Ravens
Spin: This looks like a team that missed its window.
Cleveland Browns
Record: 3-13
Wins: Jets, Jaguars, Ravens
Losses: Steelers, Ravens, Colts, Bengals, Texans, Titans, Vikings, Lions, Bengals, Chargers, Packers, Bears, Steelers
Spin: Just a dreadful football team.
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