AFC North

AFC North Standings:

Pittsburgh Steelers: 5-1

Baltimore Ravens: 3-3

Cleavland Browns: 2-4

Cincinatti Bengals: 0-7

October 19, 2008.

Looks like the Steelers might run away with the Divison. I’ll start with the Browns game against the Redskins. With a low scoring game and poor pass performance by Derek Anderson it looks like an easy win for the Redskins. The Browns get a fumble late in the fourth and score with it. 17-14, was the final. A disapointing loss for the Browns, but all the same, did they deserve to win, with that performance?

Ravens game. Looks like their offense might be ready to hit a roll. Rookie Joe Flacco looks sharper and their defense isn’t #1 but they still are good. Interceptions helped them out and good field position. The Ravens never really were in a problem this game and took it away.

Steelers at Bengals game. Here is the Steelers coming out party. 38-10. Big Ben was sharp, 2 touchdowns. 3rd string running back Mewelde Moore, 120 yards, 3 touchdowns. The bengals couldn’t go against the Steelers defense. Not when their now ranked #1 in the league allowing the fewest yards per game. We now know how good the Outside linebackers are. James Harrison and Lamarr Woodley each had 2 sacks. Harrison is now in second place in the league and Lamarr, 4th. Backup Middle Linebacker Lawrence Timmons also had 2 sacks in place of injured Larry Foote. We also know the Steelers have depth, with a declining Deshea Townsend cornerback Bryant McFadden steps up, knocking away key passes throughtout with tough hits. This takes the Steelers to a 5-1 record coming up on a tough game against the Giants.

October 17th, 2008.

Last year’s AFC North divisional winner was Pittsburgh. Again this year it looks like it also will be the Steelers. Despite facing a schedule with an oppenets win percentage of .593, the hardest schedule in the league, the Steelers are still 4-1 so far. After a hard game against Philidelphia, Pittsburgh beat both Baltimore and Jacksonville with a third string running back, a sore quaterback and a banged up #2 ranked defense. The other team who was expected to do well this season was the Browns. They got off to a disapointing start then beat the 0-3 Bengals. They beat the Defending Super Bowl Champions, the New York Giants after Eli Manning threw 3 interceptions. At 2-3 they have some say in the AFC North.

The Ravens were trying to bounce off of a 3-13 season. The defence has carried this team to Super Bowl 35 and playoff games. They started off 2-0 then had a post-poned game due to Hurricane Ike. They went on Monday Night into Pittsburgh and lost in over time 23-20. Then they went to Indiana and got beat by the Colts 31-3. Their head coach, Jon Harbaugh is hoping the rookie out of Delware, Joe Flaco, can really boast their struggling offense.

The Bengals had a playoff birth in 2005 until Kimo VonOleffen rolled into Carson Palmer’s leg taking him out of the game. Since then the Bengals haven’t been the same. A 4-12 season last year, and wide receivers wanted to be traded. So far they are 0-6 and face a tough game against Pittsburgh this Sunday. Unless their defense can turn it around, they aren’t going anywhere.