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NFL 2000 PREVIEW

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AFC CENTRAL
2000 Preview and Photo Links Below

How Jim Sees It How Cyd Sees It

1. Tennessee Titans
What's to Like: Eddie George is Superman in the backfield. ... Jeff Fisher is a terrific coach. ... Titans got a steal in the draft with Syracuse LB Keith Bulluck. ... They showed they could win tough games last year. ... Adding Carl Pickens gives them a big-time receiver.

What's Not to Like: Will Yancey Thigpen stay healthy? ... Steve McNair must prove he can win a game with his arm. ... Players must guard against overconfidence.

What They'll Look Like by Season's End: Titans lose AFC Title game at Indy.
1. Jacksonville Jaguars
What's to Like: The pickup of Hardy Nickerson from Tampa Bay is one of the best pick-ups of the off-season. Add the recent re-signing of Tony Brackens, and the defense with the fewest points allowed last year should be even better. The loss of RB James Stewart will hurt, but they still have Fred Taylor and a mobile Mark Brunell - should be enough of a running game for a team that will have one of the best passing games in the League.

What's Not to Like: As mentioned, they lost James Stewart. That blows. And, this team will have a tougher schedule than last year (though still the easiest in the division). You're going to hear lots of nonsense about the Titans having the Jaguars' number. We'll see after this season.

What They'll Look Like by Season's End: 13-3. Jaguars repeat as divisional champs but lose in the divisional round of the playoffs.

2. Baltimore Ravens
What's to Like: Awesome young defense led by Peter Boulware, Michael McCrary and Ray ``I Hang Around With the Wrong Guys" Lewis. ... Great pickup in TE Shannon ``Flex'' Sharpe who will be Tony Banks' go-to guy. ... coach Brian Billick seems to have a clue. ... August pickup of fullback Sam Gash gives them a terrific blocker.

What's Not to Like: Can Tony Backs deliver or is it back to those 10 of 23, 3 int. days? ... Will the defense hold its tongue if the new offense starts slow?

What They'll Look Like by Season's End: The Ravens take a step into the NFL's upper echelon with their first playoff appearance since the move to Baltimore. 2. Baltimore Ravens
What's to Like: One of the most improved teams from week 1 to week 17 last season was the Baltimore Ravens. While quarterback Tony Banks has faltered in the past in St. Louis and last season, look for him to rebound and have a career year (which still isn't saying much for him). Ray Lewis has shown character since the trial and, with that behind this team, they will be focused on football. They got a big offseason signing in Shannon Sharpe.

What's Not to Like: Tony Banks, if you're not convinced. But, I am. Their running game will need some help

What They'll Look Like by Season's End: 11-5. This is one of the teams everyone will be talking about come playoff time. They could swipe the divisional crown from the Jags and, dare we say it, be this year's surprise team in the Super Bowl?

3. Jacksonville Jaguars
What's to Like: When healthy Fred Taylor may be the game's best running back. ... Hardy Nickerson, an Ex-Buc, was a terrific pickup at linebacker. ... Kicker Donald Hollis and punter Bryan Barker are darned cute.

What's Not to Like: In 2 AFC title game appearances ('96 and '99) the Jags have scored a total of 20 points and Mark Brunell has thrown killer interceptions in the end zone in each. Not a good sign for a team where only a Super Bowl title will do. ... The players seem to hate coach Tom Coughlin and may unconsciously dog it so he heads to Notre Dame in 2001. ... This team is battered and bruised and could have a down year.

What They'll Look Like by Season's End: Coughlin blows a gasket as the Jags go out in the first round. 3. Tennessee Titans
What's to Like: They made the Super Bowl last year. Ummmm....they made the Super Bowl last year. What else? Oh yeah - they made the Super Bowl last year.

What's Not to Like: Why is everyone forgetting that this team was a .500 team that had one break-out year? Eddie George will be crying when he sees what the loss of Jon Runyon means to this team. McNair will come back down to earth just like Kordell Stewart after his one break-out year.

What They'll Look Like by Season's End: 9-7. Titans back down to earth and miss the playoffs.

4. Cincinnati Bengals
What's to Like: Rookie Peter Warrick will be electric as a receiver and returner. ... Nose tackle Tom Barndt will toughen the defensive line. ... Getting Corey Dillon signed means the Bengals have a running game.

What's Not to Like: Let's see ... steady receiver Darnay Scott is out for the year, which puts a lot of pressure on Warrick. ... Is Akili Smith the QB of the future or David Klingler II?

What They'll Look Like by Season's End: The Bengals will be fun to watch on offense and will pull a few surprises, but seven wins would be progress. 4. Pittsburgh Steelers
What's to Like: They got one of the best wide receivers in the draft in Plaxico Burress. But, how's he going to get the ball? Not much more to like about the Steelers. Look for Kent Graham to start at quarterback by Week 4 - which will give this team a huge boost on offense.

What's Not to Like: Kordell Stewart. Their schedule. Kordell Stewart. Their schedule. Kordell Stewart.

What They'll Look Like by Season's End: 6-10. This team could finish with just four or five wins this season as they play in an improved division with a tough non-divisional schedule.

5. Pittsburgh Steelers
What's to Like: Watching Jerome Bettis run in snow is like seeing a mack truck careen down the street on ice. You'd hate to be a linebacker. ... WR Plaxico Burress may bring some pop into Pittsburgh's passing game.

What's Not to Like: Kordell Stewart has regressed since his super '97 and has been awful in the preseason ... The defense, once feared, looks pretty ordinary.

What They'll Look Like by Season's End: The Terrible Towel is only used for crying in another sub-.500 season. 5. Cleveland Browns
What's to Like: Their attitude. In the off-season this club has seemed to be focused and quietly building a team, instead of chasing sex offenders and drug dealers. Quarterback Tim Couch is the real deal. Courtney Brown will bring a great deal of help to the defense.

What's Not to Like: They're still just a second-year team, and they're not going to do what the Jags and Panthers did in 1996. They don't have a running game to speak of, despite the pick-up of Erict Rhett from the Ravens.

What They'll Look Like by Season's End: 6-10. They will continue to improve, and just might pull off six wins. Look for them to be twice as good in December as they were in September.

6. Cleveland Browns
What's to Like: Second-year QB Tim Couch is tough, talented and adorable. ... No. 1 pick Courtney Brown will have an immediate impact on the defensive line.

What's Not to Like: With their best lineman Orlando Brown almost blind (he was the one hit by the ref's flag), who will protect Couch? ... No much of a running game to speak of. ... Ty Detmer's injury puts added pressure on Detmer, who has not had a good preseason.

What They'll Look Like by Season's End: They'll double their wins from two to four. 6. Cincinnati Bengals
What's to Like: If Peter Warrick, an amazing player with an amazing future, were with any other team, I'd say watch out for that team. Then the Bengals drafted him.

What's Not to Like: If the
starting and backup quarterbacks for every other divisional team goes out in the first week. .. the Bengals would still have Akili Smith and would still finish with about four wins.

What They'll Look Like by Season's End: 2-14. Look for one of the worst records in football ... and coach Bruce Coslet FINALLY out.