1 PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Ben Roethlisberger
| September |
| 10 Tennessee (W) |
| 20 at Chicago (L) |
| 27 at Cincinnati (L) |
| October |
| 4 SAN DIEGO (W) |
| 11 at Detroit (W) |
| 18 CLEVELAND |
| 25 MINNESOTA |
| November |
| 1 bye |
| 9 at Denver |
| 15 CINCINNATI |
| 22 at Kansas City |
| 29 at Baltimore |
| December |
| 6 OAKLAND |
| 10 at Cleveland |
| 20 GREEN BAY |
| 27 BALTIMORE |
| January |
| 3 at Miami |
With an impressive win over San Diego to pull them to .500, the defending champs look to be back on track despite injuries to running back Willie Parker and safety Troy Polamalu. Directing Pittsburgh to an exciting victory over the Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII, Ben Roethlisberger continues to provide fine leadership. If Jeff Reed’s early shaky kicking turns around and the injuries abate, with a deep defense look for the Steelers to be in the Super Bowl hunt again this year.
2 BALTIMORE RAVENS
Ray Lewis
| September |
| 13 KANSAS CITY (W) |
| 20 at San Diego (W) |
| 27 CLEVELAND (W) |
| October |
| 4 at New England (L) |
| 11 CINCINNATI (L) |
| 18 at Minnesota |
| 25 bye |
| November |
| 1 DENVER |
| 8 at Cincinnati |
| 16 at Cleveland |
| 22 INDIANAPLOIS |
| 29 PITTSBURGH |
| December |
| 7 at Green Bay |
| 13 DETROIT |
| 20 CHICAGO |
| 27 at Pittsburgh |
| January |
| 3 at Oakland |
In perhaps his best play in a brilliant career, Ray Lewis’s game-saving tackle of Darren Sproles in a win at San Diego is symbolic of how the Ravens can dominate with their defense and now that they have a decent offense, both their upcoming games against the Steelers ought to be real dogfights.
Joe Flacco has a strong run-by-committee to fall back on while opening things up with Derrick Mason, so Baltimore is also poised to be among the Super Bowl contenders late into the process.
3 CINCINNATI BENGALS
Carson Palmer
| September |
| 13 DENVER (L) |
| 20 at Green Bay (W) |
| 27 PITTSBURGH (L) |
| October |
| 4 at Cleveland (W) |
| 11 at Baltimore (W) |
| 18 HOUSTON |
| 25 CHICAGO |
| November |
| 1 bye |
| 8 BALTIMORE |
| 15 at Oakland |
| 29 CLEVELAND |
| December |
| 6 DETROIT |
| 13 at Minnesota |
| 20 at San Diego |
| 27 KANSAS CITY |
| January |
| 3 at NY Jets |
In a tough division that has a couple heavyweight contenders that they must play twice each, the Bengals have their work cut out for them as they also have some challenging road games outside their division including the Vikings and the Jets.
Carson Palmer has a terrific weapon in receiver Chad Ochocinco, but if Cincinnati hopes to reach their first playoff since ’05, they’ll need better results from running back Cedric Benson and help from defensive newcomers like safeties Roy Williams and Chris Crocker as well as tackle Tank Johnson.
Eric Mangini
| September |
| 13 MINNESOTA (L) |
| 20 at Denver (L) |
| 27 at Baltimore (L) |
| October |
| 4 CINCINNATI (L) |
| 11 at Buffalo (W) |
| 18 at Pittsburgh |
| 25 GREEN BAY |
| November |
| 1 at Chicago |
| 8 bye |
| 16 BALTIMORE |
| 22 at Detroit |
| 29 at Cincinnati |
| December |
| 6 SAN DIEGO |
| 10 PITTSBURGH |
| 20 at Kansas City |
| 27 OAKLAND |
| January |
| 3 JACKSONVILLE |
The winless Browns really don’t need the distraction of player fisticuffs off-site, thus they traded Braylon Edwards to the Jets after his nightclub “fight” with LeBron James’ friend.
Former Jets coach Eric Mangini has tried to bring a sense of direction and discipline to a once-proud franchise that went from 10-7 in 2007 to 4-12 and now still searching for their first win of this season.
An unsettled question at quarterback and in a tough division could make this a long cold year in the Dawg Pound.
Steelers under Big Ben are right on track to repeat as NFL champs.
Roethlisberger has stepped up to really be the best QB in the league, especially from a leadership point of view.
Pittsburgh shows why it is such a great franchise. It pulls together and goes deep when there are injuries to starters. They have character and Tomlin is a great coach.
Ray Lewis is the man and with Flacco providing some scoring punch, Baltimore will fight Pittsburgh down to the wire.