AFC North
Baltimore
Getting Anquan Boldin from the Cardinals is huge
Wow, flying around in the off season and bringing in wide receivers Donte Stallworth and Anquan Boldin to go with veteran possession receiver Derrick Mason is a huge score for a team that many feel will represent the AFC in the next Super Bowl.
Boldin, a three-time Pro Bowler, accentuates an offensive that does well on the ground running by committee. All-purpose back Ray Rice had a brilliant pro-bowl year (1,339 yards and caught 78 passes for another 702 yards, giving him 2,041 yards from scrimmage to rank second in the NFL behind Chris Johnson). Add in Willis McGahee and Pro Bowl blocking fullback Le’Ron McClain and it is easy to see that quarterback Joe Flacco has everything he needs including some great protection led by tackles Michael Oher and Jared Gaither.
Defensively, coach John Harbaugh has some terrific performers up front in the middle with Pro Bowl tackle Haloti Ngata and former heavyweight wrestler, noseguard Kelly Gregg who plays with outstanding leverage well honed from his former endeavor.
Ed Reed is still a mad man roaming in back and middle linebacker Ray Lewis continues to be the punishing soul of the Ravens defense.
WEEK DATE OPPONENT TIME (ET)
1 Mon, Sep 13 at NY Jets 7:00 PM
2 Sun, Sep 19 at Cincinnati 1:00 PM
3 Sun, Sep 26 Cleveland 1:00 PM
4 Sun, Oct 3 at Pittsburgh 1:00 PM
5 Sun, Oct 10 Denver 1:00 PM
6 Sun, Oct 17 at New England 1:00 PM
7 Sun, Oct 24 Buffalo 1:00 PM
8 BYE
9 Sun, Nov 7 Miami 1:00 PM
10 Thu, Nov 11 at Atlanta 8:20 PM
11 Sun, Nov 21 at Carolina 1:00 PM
12 Sun, Nov 28 Tampa Bay 1:00 PM
13 Sun, Dec 5 Pittsburgh 8:20 PM
14 Mon, Dec 13 at Houston 8:30 PM
15 Sun, Dec 19 New Orleans 1:00 PM
16 Sun, Dec 26 at Cleveland 1:00 PM
17 Sun, Jan 2 Cincinnati 1:00 PM
Pittsburgh
Coach Tomlin has a lot to ponder
No team ahs had more off-field, off-season issues than the Steelers.
Head coach Mike Tomlin’s new deal comes with some questions he must face if he is to return his squad to a potential Super Bowl team again.
Who will pick up the slack after losing former Super Bowl MVP wideout Santonio Holmes to the Jets? What will be the physical and mental state of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger after serving his suspension the first few games of the new season? Will he have the respect of the locker room anymore? Has father time caught up with Troy Polamalu where injuries start visiting a little more often?
In the end, it must be remembered that Pittsburgh has 20 starters back from Super Bowl XLIII, that is a good nucleus to have.
WEEK DATE OPPONENT TIME (ET)
1 Sun, Sep 12 Atlanta 1:00 PM
2 Sun, Sep 19 at Tennessee 1:00 PM
3 Sun, Sep 26 at Tampa Bay 1:00 PM
4 Sun, Oct 3 Baltimore 1:00 PM
5 BYE
6 Sun, Oct 17 Cleveland 1:00 PM
7 Sun, Oct 24 at Miami 1:00 PM
8 Sun, Oct 31 at New Orleans 8:20 PM
9 Mon, Nov 8 at Cincinnati 8:30 PM
10 Sun, Nov 14 New England 8:20 PM
11 Sun, Nov 21 Oakland 1:00 PM
12 Sun, Nov 28 at Buffalo 1:00 PM
13 Sun, Dec 5 at Baltimore 8:20 PM
14 Sun, Dec 12 Cincinnati 1:00 PM
15 Sun, Dec 19 NY Jets 4:15 PM
16 Thu, Dec 23 Carolina 8:20 PM
17 Sun, Jan 2 at Cleveland 1:00 PM
Cincinnati
Coach Tomlin has a lot to ponder
Aiming to fill a major hole in their aerial attack, the Bengal management really stocked up. Picking up tight end Jermaine Gresham and wide receivers Jordan Shipley and Dezmon Briscoe, Carson Palmer will also have Terrell Owens in his sights downfield. Chad Ochocinco is still the main man deep.
Cedric Benson is the key to the running force with Bernard Scott and Brian Leonard spelling him.
The defensive peg is a deep linebacking group starting with middle linebacker Dhani Jones, who has led the team in tackles the last two seasons. Jones is entering his 11th season but hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down.
Going from worst-to-first and taking the second division title under Coach Marvin Lewis means a tougher schedule. Road games against the Jets and Ravens could be telling about where this team truly is. Perhaps a home playoff loss to the Jets is all the motivation they need.
WEEK DATE OPPONENT TIME (ET)
1 Sun, Sep 12 at New England 1:00 PM
2 Sun, Sep 19 Baltimore 1:00 PM
3 Sun, Sep 26 at Carolina 1:00 PM
4 Sun, Oct 3 at Cleveland 1:00 PM
5 Sun, Oct 10 Tampa Bay 1:00 PM
7 Sun, Oct 24 at Atlanta 1:00 PM
8 Sun, Oct 31 Miami 1:00 PM
9 Mon, Nov 8 Pittsburgh 8:30 PM
10 Sun, Nov 14 at Indianapolis 1:00 PM
11 Sun, Nov 21 Buffalo 1:00 PM
12 Thu, Nov 25 at NY Jets 8:20 PM
13 Sun, Dec 5 New Orleans 1:00 PM
14 Sun, Dec 12 at Pittsburgh 1:00 PM
15 Sun, Dec 19 Cleveland 1:00 PM
16 Sun, Dec 26 San Diego 8:20 PM
17 Sun, Jan 2 at Baltimore 1:00 PM
Cleveland
Mike Holmgren has a lot of work ahead of him
Mike Holmgren brings a fine pedigree as a new executive in the Browns front office, but on the field does quarterback Jake Delhomme have any gas left in the tank?
Perhaps it will be a moot point if Texas Longhorn top choice Colt McCoy picks up the offense quickly, but in reality he is not likely to even start soon.
Coach Eric Mangini’s future is still hanging by a thread after an embarrassing 2009 that required a close of 4 wins just to finish with a 5-11 record.
How bad were the Browns? They were dead last in team offense and second-to-last in team defense.
Without adding any significant impact players at even one skill position, look for things to be very cold in Cleveland.
WEEK DATE OPPONENT TIME (ET)
1 Sun, Sep 12 at Tampa Bay 1:00 PM
2 Sun, Sep 19 Kansas City 1:00 PM
3 Sun, Sep 26 at Baltimore 1:00 PM
4 Sun, Oct 3 Cincinnati 1:00 PM
5 Sun, Oct 10 Atlanta 1:00 PM
6 Sun, Oct 17 at Pittsburgh 1:00 PM
7 Sun, Oct 24 at New Orleans 1:00 PM
8 BYE
9 Sun, Nov 7 New England 1:00 PM
10 Sun, Nov 14 NY Jets 1:00 PM
11 Sun, Nov 21 at Jacksonville 1:00 PM
12 Sun, Nov 28 Carolina 1:00 PM
13 Sun, Dec 5 at Miami 1:00 PM
14 Sun, Dec 12 at Buffalo 1:00 PM
15 Sun, Dec 19 at Cincinnati 1:00 PM
16 Sun, Dec 26 Baltimore 1:00 PM
17 Sun, Jan 2 Pittsburgh 1:00 PM
