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AFC
CENTRAL |
| Jim's
Outlook |
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Cyd's
Outlook |
TENNESSEE
TITANS
Outlook: Don't think players notice each others' bods? When Eddie George did a swimsuit shoot for Sports
Illustrated last year he was ever-so-slightly out of shape, and his teammates ribbed him the whole season. Eddie's back down to 4%
body fat and is the key for the Titans, who have gone a league-best 26-6 the past two seasons with a Super Bowl appearance. While 13-3 seems a bit ambitious this year, a division title is still in the cards. A healthy Steve McNair and George are the linchpins of an offense that needs to find a way to develop a big-play passing game. Receivers Derrick Mason and Kevin Dyson need to prove their big-time. Don't worry about the defense: It's stout, physical and well-coached, and keeps Tennessee in
every game. New kicker Joe Nedney is poised for a banner season and Adelphia Stadium provides an enormous home-field advantage.
Forecast: If the Titans can effectively throw the ball, a Super Bowl title is within their grasp. But I see a lot of 16-13 games, enough to get a No. 2 seed in the AFC, but lack of big plays dooms them in AFC title game at Denver. |
1 |
BALTIMORE
RAVENS
Outlook: Jamal Lewis is out.
Doesn’t matter. This team is extraordinary and have the look
of a real dynasty. After a Super Bowl run, many teams start to
get dismantled, with veterans looking for more money than their
team simply can’t afford. Not the Ravens. Their biggest loss
was safety Kim Herring, who didn’t even start in the playoffs.
Plus, they lost only one coach, their receivers coach, and that
was one of the weakest pieces of this team. The Ravens made
improvements at quarterback, offensive tackle and tight end,
plus a return of 11 of their top 12 defensive players.
Forecast: 11-5. Another Super Bowl
victory. Billick for President buttons start popping up. |
BALTIMORE
RAVENS
Outlook: My favorite moment in HBO's terrific documentary on the Ravens came when coach Brian Billick warned his players against allowing anyone in their rooms.
``Not fathers, mothers, girlfriends, BOYFRIENDS,'' Billick said to much tittering.
Tell us more. Only two players were irreplaceable for the Super Bowl champs: Ray Lewis on defense and Jamal Lewis on offense. Jamal, who rushed for more than 1,300 yards in his rookie season, is done with a knee injury and with him went their chance to repeat. Teams don't win titles with mediocre backs, which is all the Ravens have now. The pressure is now on new QB Elvis Grbac, a guy who has never responded well while under the gun. Look for Elvis to throw for four TDs one week, and throw a killer interception the next. The defense will be excellent (Ray Lewis is the best defender in football) but I expect it to be a tad less effective without a running game to burn the clock and keep them fresh; the Ravens held the ball an average of seven more minutes a game last year. Sideline bonus: Shots of kicker Matt Stover without his helmet.
Forecast: A certain playoff team, the Ravens will feel the lack of a running game when it counts--late in the season, when the weather turns and passing becomes difficult. A first-round home playoff win against the Raiders, then it's over and out in a divisional game at Denver. |
2 |
JACKSONVILLE
JAGUARS
Outlook: After a couple years atop
the division, the Jags took a step back with a 7-9 season that
left a bad taste in all of Jacksonville’s mouths. After a
fourth place finish, an easier schedule faces them – with a
Monday night game against Green Bay on December 3 that will
decide whether they go to the playoffs or not. They still have
their offensive skill players in tact, with Brunnell, Smith and
Taylor leading the way. This was the best team that didn’t
make the playoffs last year. That won’t happen again.
Forecast: 9-7. Back in the playoffs. |
PITTSBURGH
STEELERS
Outlook: This isn't a particularly exciting team in a fairly boring division. Having trouble falling asleep? Drink warm milk and watch a Steelers-Browns game. You'll doze like a baby. The Steelers finished strong last year, winning 4 of 5 and just missing the playoffs. The pieces are there for a wild card berth: solid running game and special teams and a tough defense. I expect quarterback Kordell Stewart to rebound and complete the puzzle.
Forecast: Pittsburgh sneaks in as the last playoff team and loses wild card weekend at Indy. |
3 |
TENNESSEE
TITANS
Outlook: Oh, Tennessee. This is
simply a boring team. Part of putting them third is that I
simply don’t like them. They’re just awful to watch. The
other part is having watched them lose two receivers and replace
them with no one – having seen them lose FB Lorenzo Neal, a
key to George’s running game, and replaced him with no one.
Then you have the karma cut – kicker Al Del Greco, whom the
team blamed for their playoff loss to Baltimore. I will rejoice
in every Titans loss this season – and, with Miami,
Cincinnati, Jacksonville, Baltimore and Tampa Bay making up
their first five, they could be 0-5 by Columbus Day.
Forecast: 8-8. They were .500 for three
straight season - back to square one. |
JACKSONVILLE
JAGUARS
Outlook: I've disliked Jacksonville since its 1996 playoff win at Denver, when Mark Brunell and Tony Boselli credited God with their win. Religious holy rolling is endemic in sports, but this went further than most. Seems like God's getting
payback this year. The Jags were forced to cut some $40 million in payroll costs to get under the salary cap and it will cost them in talent and depth. Stud tackle Leon Searcy up and left as did guard Rich Tylski. Look for QB Brunell to run around a lot. There is still talent in RB Fred Taylor and wideouts Keennan McCardell and Jimmy Smith. The defense looks fairly ordinary, especially in the secondary. The Jaguars play 6 of 9 games on the road at one stretch. Who does the NFL schedule? Rand McNally?
Forecast: This team can be dangerous in spots. But you don't lose the depth the Jags did and make the playoffs. A .500 season would be a success. |
4 |
PITTSBURGH
STEELERS
Outlook: Last year, the Steelers
found themselves. They became something they hadn’t been in
several years: a team. Kordell Stewart is now their quarterback.
Jerome Bettis is their go-to running back. And Plaxico Burruss,
after being plagued almost the whole season with a badly injured
wrist, is ready to dominate downfield. Their defense, despite a
couple losses including Levon Kirkland, should still be one of
the best in the AFC. If this team was in the NFC or AFC East, I’d
put them in the playoffs. But, they’ve still got to contend
with three better teams in the Central.
Forecast: 7-9. Next year, they will be a very
dangerous team. |
CINCINNATI
BENGALS
Outlook: When your QBs are Jon Kitna, Akili Smith and Scott Mitchell, you know there's trouble in River City. Wasn't Tony Banks available? Smith has probably looked the best in preseason, mainly because injuries have kept him on the bench and he shines in comparison. Typical Bengals--draft a needed defensive lineman Justin Smith in the first round then can't sign him. Same old Bungels. Corey Dillon and Peter Warrick provide some juice on offense, but their talents get wasted without an effective quarterback. The defense played better at year's end but is simply stretched too thin.
Forecast: The schedule's easy, but six wins
would be a cause for riots. |
5 |
CINCINNATI
BENGALS
Outlook: Cincinnati could be the big
surprise of the season, unless they continue to start Akili
Smith. The bust of the 1999 draft, Smith should go the way of
Cade McNown and find himself on the trading blocks. In QBsJohn
Kitna and Scott Mitchell, the Bengals have two quarterbacks who
can help them step up to the next level. Running back Corey
Dillon, now with FB Lorenzo Neal in the backfield, will have a
break-out season; and, with WR Peter Warrick, the best player in
the 2000 draft, there will be a 1-2-3 offensive punch that will
create some great shoot-out games against the likes of
Jacksonville and Denver.
Forecast: 5-11. If a defense shows up, they
could get six or seven wins. |
CLEVELAND
BROWNS
Outlook: Poor, adorable Tim Couch. His running back is James Jackson and his best receiver is Kevin Johnson. Not exactly Jim Brown and Jerry Rice. The Browns drafted for defense again even though they have no skill players to help Couch. The defense has some talent and this could be a good team ... in 2003.
Forecast: Mostly cloudy with a chance of lake-effect snow. |
6 |
CLEVELAND
BROWNS
Outlook: There is no sudden
turnaround season, like the Jags and Panthers had, in store for
the Browns this year. They simply do not have the talent or the
coaching staff to pull it off. Foge Fazio as their defensive
coordinator? He did NOTHING in Minnesota. How he has a job is
indicative of these Browns. While they have made some great
draft picks in Tim Couch and Courtney Brown, they screwed up
this year by passing on LaDainian Tomlinson – something they
will regret. Gerard Warren will be a find defensive tackle, but
this was the one team that needed Tomlinson more than the
Chargers. Look for Couch to continue to improve – but, with no
one to throw to, he can only improve so much.
Forecast: 4-12. I just don't see any reason
to get excited about them. |
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