current run of the Steelers which include two Lombardi trophies. The question is simply this, Can this team muster up one more magical run or has father time finally caught up with them? PREDICTION: 9-7. The magic of Big Ben will keep this team in the playoff hunt for a while until late in the season and that is when the bully will now become the victim and suffer another season without a playoff appearance.
(3) Cleveland Browns- The Browns who started 0-2 last season under former QB- Brandon Weeden then shot to first place by week 6 of last season thank to the solid quarterback play of Brian Hoyer until a season ending knee injury and you can just about sum up the Browns season in three letters, OIC-Only in Cleveland as the Brownies finished the 2013 campaign with a 4-12 record , trading a #3 overall pick from 2012 in RB Trent Richardson to the Colts after week two of the season and the firing of coach Rob Chudzinski before he even got off the team bus after the last game in Pittsburgh and a owner who is under a federal investigation with his truck stop company Pilot J and you have the makings of a soap opera better than Dynasty, Dallas or All My Children! Don’t ask I had a sister who made me watch these shows as a kid. However last season was not a total loss as WR-Josh Gordon lead the league in receiving, TE-Jordan Cameron established into a dependable threat at the tight end position and the offensive line play was solid and you have a team that has some pieces to build around. Enter new head coach Mike Pettine former defensive coordinator o the Bills last season and the Jets from 2009-2012 along with free agent signings SS-Donte Whitner, LB-Karlos Dansby, WR-Andrew Hawkins, RB-Ben Tate and the drafting of CB- Justin Gilbert to go along side of Pro Bowl corner Joe Haden and last but certainly not least the drafting of QB-Johnny Manziel aka Johnny Football to be the future face of the franchise at the QB position and you have a team that could be on the rise in the division. The questions remain can a rookie in Manziel or the veteran Hoyer win the starting job at QB outright making a decision easier for the coaching staff. At the time of this report it was announced that the veteran Brian Hoyer will lead the Brownies into Heinz field on September 7th to start the season which in my
opinion is the smart move, but time will tell. PREDICTION: 8-8. This team has a defense has that I would gladly walk into a dim-lit alley with against the like of the Steelers and the Ravens and feel confident we would win the fight! However you do have to score in this league otherwise N-F-L can stand for Not For Long if you can’t score touchdowns but I feel the starting of Hoyer at the quarterback position will be a good thing and keep this team in games.
(4) Baltimore Ravens- The Ravens ended the 2012 season and that of Ray Lewis’ career on top by winning Super Bowl XLVII. Since then however, it has been a rough road starting with missing out on the playoffs last year the suspension of starting running back Ray Rice due to his assault of his fiancée at the time now his wife and a defense that is getting a little long in the tooth and an offense that at the moment does not pack a lot of punch and certainly won’t scare anyone in the AFC North. The one ace up their sleeve is their QB-Joe Flacco and WR- Torrey Smith who will still pose problems at times and defense that can still get up the field and wreck havoc from a pass rush standpoint but will it be enough to make it back to the playoffs? PREDICTION: 8-8 this team is going to drop some heartbreaking games in this division this season and if they cannot generate a consistent running game the it’s all on Flacco’s shoulders which may prove to be too much to handle.
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