Before I get to the AFC North, I’d like to address the biggest rumor in the NFL right now swirling around New Orleans. Roger Goodell appears to be ready to reduce the suspension on Vilma in exchange for him dropping the defamation of character lawsuit. This could mean that Goodell’s evidence isn’t as strong as he stated, or it could just mean he doesn’t want a long court battle. I tend to believe the former because when is the last time you heard NFL management backing down? The coaching situation is still screwed, however, as Saint’s management admitted they were guilty and they don’t have a leg to stand on. This development could be a ray of hope in the black cloud hanging over New Orleans right now, so on to the AFC North.
Pittsburgh Steelers – Tons of news out of Steelers camp this preseason. The first tidbit occurred early in the year when the Steelers dumped their old OC and hired Todd Haley to be the new one. Big Ben was reportedly unhappy with this decision as Haley came in and said they were going to focus on a run first attack. Everything of course is all rainbows and sunshine now, but I don’t buy it. You have one of the top 5 QBs in the league, and changing the offense to focus on the run is a bit like asking your champion racing horse to suddenly excel at dressage. Ben is going to want to pass the ball, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see a sideline blowup in a game they are losing. The second piece of news is that Pittsburgh’s only real deep threat, Mike Wallace, is in the middle of a holdout. If there is one team that doesn’t cave to holdouts it’s the Steelers. I’d be surprised if they sign him for what he wants, more than likely he will end his holdout and spend the season sulking or not come back until week 10 so he can get credit towards free agency. The third and perhaps most important piece of news is that Big Ben is playing with a “slight tear” in the rotator cuff of his throwing arm. Those do not heal without surgery and he has known about this injury since last November. Why he didn’t get it taken care of during the offseason is unfathomable. Roethlisberger is one of the most punished QBs in the NFL (he already has a sprained ankle from training camp) and there is a pretty good chance that slight tear is going to turn into a season-ending injury with as many hits as he takes, especially in a division known for bruising defenses. Chance of making the Super Bowl – 5%
Baltimore Ravens – Let’s start with the obvious, the Ravens defense is old. In NFL terms, they should be wrapped in bandages and put inside of a pyramid. They may play well early in the season but when the little injuries start piling up, guys like Lewis and Reed will be forced to sit out a few games and that could really hurt them in the stretch. You just aren’t the same player at 37 that you were at 27. Terrell Suggs has an Achilles injury and is on the inactive list, it is unknown if he will come back and play this season, so it’s a development worth watching. Joe Flacco is too streaky and inconsistent to depend on at the QB position and, unless he becomes more reliable, I don’t see this team even making the playoffs this year. Chance of making the Super Bowl – Did Wilbur grow wings yet?
Cleveland Browns – The Browns are a terrible team. They decided to once again start over at QB, this time drafting Brandon Wheedon, a 28 year old rookie who will be battle with such giants as Colt McCoy and Seneca Wallace for the starting QB spot. Remember Chris Weinke? Yeah, neither does anyone else except as a footnote in the history of terrible draft choices. When your rookie QB is ready for a Hair Club for Men endorsement deal, you might want to rethink your draft strategy. The only good news, maybe, is that the Browns have a new owner. I say maybe because he is/was a lifelong Steelers fan. So maybe you have a shot at turning around what has been a pretty incompetent organization and putting together something good and worth watching, but teams take time to build. Chance of making the Super Bowl – Yeah, uhh you can go back to the Dawg Pound. It’s gonna be a long year.
Cincinnati Bengals – Despite having one of the cheapest front offices in the NFL, the Bengals have stumbled into being a decent team. The Bengals were a top ten defensive team last year and I really like the way Andy “The Red Rifle” Dalton has developed as a QB. With the Ravens being old and the Steelers being in a bit of disarray, I believe this is the year the Bengals take the division, and how far they go after that rests on the continuing maturation of their QB. With the drama queens of the past gone (T.O., Chad Ochoson and even Carson Palmer), I think they are capable of a deep playoff run. Having said that, it’s still the “Bungals” so I am sure they will find a way to screw up a good opportunity to take the division. Chance of making the Super Bowl – 2.5%
Other Sporting News – The Olympics are in the track and field stage and Usain Bolt is still the fastest (and apparently the luckiest) man on the planet. NBC continues to suck at covering The Games but since people are tuning in every night they are ignoring any complaints while they sit on a pile of cash and count it out. Some rule changes will need to be made on the international level as we had blatant tanking in women’s badminton which got 4 teams sent home. A boxer from Azerbaijan was knocked down 6 times in one round and the judges not only awarded him the round, but gave him the decision (later it was overturned). A British cyclist went on TV and admitted to crashing on purpose so he could get a restart (they won the gold). A swimmer admitted to cheating but basically said “Everyone else does it, so I had to do it just to win”. I officially declare the spirit of fair play and competition dead at these games. Congratulations to Gabby Douglas for winning the gold medal in the all around, but boo on NBC for their coverage of the event.
Also, Terrell Owens (an aforementioned drama queen) has been signed by the Seahawks. Good luck with that.
Next Week – The AFC East, where I am forced to talk about the Patriots and Jets.
