AFC North Part One: Paradigm Shift

The AFC North has always had a reputation as a rough and tumble division.  The Steelers built their legacy on strong defensive teams, the Ravens have been among the toughest on defense since they entered the league, and the Bengals have made a recent commitment to building a great defense.  The Browns shouldn't be looked at as pushovers either, as they've made some upgrades in order to regain a competitive team in this division.  Despite the Steelers recent dominance, the Bengals have secured their place as a division contender and Baltimore is never to be counted out.  This division could end up being up for grabs late in the season, and should be one of the better stories to watch as the season progresses.

Baltimore Ravens

2009 Record: 9-7, Second in Division
2009 Playoff Record: 1-1
Key Losses: Quinn Sypniewski, Samari Rolle
Key Additions: Ken Hamlin, Walt Harris, Anquan Boldin

For a long while now when you thought of the Ravens, you thought defense.  They were a defense-oriented team when they moved from Cleveland, they were defense-oriented when they won the Superbowl, and they've been defense-oriented ever since.  That all changed last season with the emergence of Joe Flacco and Ray Rice as elite players at their positions.  Baltimore was usually favored to make the playoffs based on their defensive strength, now they're favored based on their offensive strength.  That doesn't mean defense won't factor into things, but it might not be as big of a plus as Ravens fans think.  Many of their defensive stars are getting old, and there has been a question for the past couple of years as to if this defense can replace its veterans and still maintain their edge.  Offseason additions to the offense will ensure that the birds will get to the playoffs, but can their defense carry them the distance in January?  It's a question that could haunt this team until they prove they can repeat the success of their predecessors from a decade ago.

The good news for the Ravens is that they have virtually no turnover due to releases.  Their only two were listed above, and only Rolle is a significant loss.  The bad news are the losses they're sustaining due to injury.  Their star special teamer, Brendon Ayanbadejo, is still on injured reserve and their star safety, Ed Reed, could miss a significant chunk of the season.  The good news for the Ravens is that they made significant investments to help with these losses, including Walt Harris and Ken Hamlin.  Both players are all-stars when performing at their peak.  Like many others on this team, though, including another defensive standout in Ray Lewis, they are aging and at increased risk for injury.  It seems that the Ravens have been very susceptible to the injury bug recently anyways, and if one of these players goes down it could mean the end of their hopes of going deep into the playoffs.  The defense is otherwise solid, finishing in the top 10 in all major defensive categories besides sacks.  They've also made a significant investment there, as they drafted two defensive linemen in the second round and signed a couple more off the street.  The Ravens' defense is looking good on paper, fans only need to hope it stays that way for 16 games or more.

In the past offense would have been a question mark, but this year looks different.  They've been steadily improving on that side of the ball, with a star player at left tackle, quarterback, and a dangerous trio at running back.  They made a huge splash on the offensive side by getting Anquan Boldin in the offseason, and he will definitely benefit perennial workhorses Todd Heap and Derrick Mason.  They also signed speedster wideout Donté Stallworth to give them an option in the deep game, but he's going to be sidelined for much of the season due to injury.  They could be looking at options to replace him in that role, but they also could be looking to replace him with current roster players.  It doesn't look like the injury will significantly alter their chances of winning right now, but they still look better with him on the field than they do with him on the sidelines.

Still, this offense should be explosive under Flacco.  Amid all the hype of young quarterbacks Matt Ryan, Matthew Stafford, and Mark Sanchez the past couple of seasons, Flacco remains the one who stands out above the rest.  He has some very impressive numbers, and with more offensive weapons at his disposal he should thrive this year.  Of course he hasn't been perfect and he still needs to take one last step before reaching the level of other young standouts like Tony Romo and Aaron Rodgers, but he is well on his way there.  He, Boldin, and Rice ensure that this team will be solid during the regular season, and they should ensure a playoff berth.  Despite all the talk about great quarterback play winning Superbowls, though, I'm still sold on the notion that defense wins them.  For all the success their offense will have their defense will have to step up, especially in the post-season.

Baltimore is a solid team top to bottom.  They have some slight injury questions, but they have no glaring holes on either side of the ball.  If their defense plays as well as they did last season they should have no reason to worry at all, as their offense is primed to be one of the better in the AFC.  By no means are their games the toughest in the league, either, and they match up very well against many of their opponents.  They could generate six to eight games outside of their division alone, and if they play their division well they could have one of the best records in the league.  That's no easy feat, as the Steelers and Bengals each look tough coming off great seasons, but Baltimore looks to have done enough to secure the Division crown this year.