AFC NORTH

[OhioU_Stlrs_Fan]

with the way our division is panning out, anyone else thing that the AFC North is the best division in the AFC?

i mean there are 3 solid squads at the top of the division, and our bottom feeder has to be the best bad team, i mean talent wise.

[Big Virgil]

I guess you could make an argument for that, but I'd have to go with the South, especially if we beat Balty tonight.

Indy, Titans, and Jacksonville.  Titans don't seem that good on paper, but they only have two losses and will be ahead of Pittsburgh if they lose to Balty tonight.  Jacksonville, I think, is better than Cleveland, but arguably so.

Both wild cards will come out of the South, unless Cleveland keeps on their tear.  

Indy = Indy

Titans = Steelers

Jags = Browns

Baltimore

Texans = Bengals

[VThrilla18]

Titans = Steelers? Are you kidding me?

[LambertsFrontTeeth]

I'd like to think we're better, but the Titans certainly aren't bad.  And Jeff Fisher has always had our number. Frankly, both the Titans and the Jags give me a headache;  they always play lights out against us...

 

[jonzr]

I'd like to think we're better, but the Titans certainly aren't bad.  And Jeff Fisher has always had our number. Frankly, both the Titans and the Jags give me a headache;  they always play lights out against us...

That Titans defense is pretty salty.  If Young can continue to improve, etc, they'll be someone to contend with in that division.  Jax seems to have taken a step back on both sides of the ball - no QB, the DL, while once dominant, is aging.  If they ever had a window it's closing faster than hell.  Hell, even Houston is approaching .500 for the season.  

I'd probably go with the AFCS at this point, but that can change.  

I'm still confused by the Brownstains:  are they really 5-3?  How is this possible?
 

[Preacherman0]

Um...no.

Indy = Indy

Titans = Steelers

Jags = Browns

Baltimore

Texans = Bengals

You're the man Big Virgil, but I gotta go against you on this one.

Jags=no David Garrard, and their defense just got smoked yesterday

Titans=Vince Young throwing for about 37 yards a game.  At some point that's going to bite you in the butt.  (Cee Seeward, Krodel)

I don't think anyone, other than Indy, in that division is any better than we are.  That said, I'm not sure our division is any better top to bottom than theirs.  The Browns are playing great, but they still can't stop anyone.  Jags (usually), Titans, and Colts all have great D--and I'll take defense over offense any day.

And as we see on MNF, the Ravens aren't all that great on defense.

[Ohio_is_for_Buttlovers]

I'd like to think we're better, but the Titans certainly aren't bad.  And Jeff Fisher has always had our number. Frankly, both the Titans and the Jags give me a headache;  they always play lights out against us...

I'd like to think that Jeff Fischer had Cowher's number.  Tomlin is undefeated against the Titans!

[dcity21]

The south is better, at least at this point cuz i'm still not convinced that the Bungals are dead in the water.. They are still a dangerous team, maybe not as dangerous as Houston once Johnson is back..

And the Steelers would absolutely destroy the Titans.. This team just does not lose to running teams and that is the only way the Titans can possibly get it done.. Beyond that i think the Steelers vs. Colts is a better matchup than most national media types would give it credit.

YET, right now that Jags (with Garrard who i close to being back) and Titans are better teams than the Ravens and Bengals..

This is how i see it...
Colts
Steelers





Titans, Browns
Jags

Bengals (yeah that's right i really still think this team is better than the Ratbirds)
Texans (with Andre Johnson)
Ravens

ANd i'm guessing the Brownies (look at their schedule, i really don't see them winning less than 4 of those games and 9 may be enough, even though i think they are more likely to win 10) and Titans take down the WC with a strong push from the Bills.. who still play the Browns and Jags and the NFC eat minus the Cowgirls, if they can cleanup on the NFC. which is possible they could be looking at 9-7, 10-6 b/c they still have 2 games VS Miami..


 

[Finnegans Wake]

I think dcity's got it right.  

Good breakdown.

[Hercules50]

I agree that, right now, the consensus that the top tier of the NFL is New England and Indianopolis, with a gap between them and the rest of the league, is not accurate.

I would put the Patriots on a tier by themselves.

I think the Colts are joined by the Steelers on the second tier (even though our loss to Denver is looking worse and worse)

And the Cowboys, Giants, Packers, Titans and Jags are on the next tier. One could argue that the NFC teams are as good as Pittsburgh, but I think they have glaring weakness as opposed to the Steelers being more balanced.

Of all those teams on the 3rd tier, the one I think could really storm the top of the league, actually, is New York. Their defense seems to be getting better each week, and they've developed a very phsyical O-Line which can make up for Eli's inconsistency.

This picture could change dramatically if the Steelers somehow lose to the Browns. But a win against Cleveland will make the Steelers 10-2 by the time they play New England.

[Preacherman0]

I would put the Patriots on a tier by themselves.

Honestly, I don't see anyone beating the Patriots.  As much as I hate it, they won by cheating/Tom Brady when they didn't have the best talent in the league.  Now they have the best talent.  This is not coaching genius, it's the fact that all Brady has to do is chunk it up and someone is going to run under the ball.  Give him that ability to go with his already annoyingly stellar ability, and that makes them almost unstoppable.

I think the Colts are joined by the Steelers on the second tier (even though our loss to Denver is looking worse and worse)

What concerns me is two very, very bad losses on the road.  Obviously we are dominant at home, but we've got to show we can get it done on the road as well.