The AFC North this season is going to be lopsided, the Ravens are the clear favourite, and there is no question about it. Here are my record predictions, a possible MVP for each team, and a prospect to watch.
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens will be a scary team to face this season, with Lamar Jackson entering his third season dominant as ever. Plus, the resurgence of Mark Ingram last season brought life to the Ravens. I expect them to continue to be prevalent this season and easily take the division.
Record Prediction: 12-4
MVP: Lamar Jackson (QB)
Lamar Jackson is easily the team MVP for the Baltimore Ravens, like last season, he tore apart NFL defences left, right and centre. Jackson, who finished last season with 3127 passing yards, 36 touchdown passes and only six interceptions. It’s clear why he won the MVP last season, and why he might win it this season. I predict that he will have similar numbers now with a full season under his belt and more experience.
Prospect: J.K. Dobbins (RB)
The Baltimore Ravens got a steal at the 55th overall pick in this year’s draft. J.K. Dobbins, who dominated at Ohio State last season, finishing with 2003 rushing yards, and 21 touchdowns. I expect him to have similar numbers in his rookie campaign and immediately impact the Ravens.
Cincinnati Bengals
Despite adding Joe Burrow, the Bengals are still going to be bad this year. Yes, drafting Tee Higgins was an excellent choice to give someone Burrow to throw the ball to the outside. However, their defence is still lacking, which will hurt their chances this season. I don’t expect the Bengals to be winning more than five games this season.
Record Prediction: 5-11
MVP: Joe Mixon (RB)
Joe Mixon will need to be a dominant star on the Bengals field to have a chance at winning four games this season. Mixon, who last season finished with 1137 rushing yards and five touchdowns. If the Bengals want a chance at winning any games this season, Mixon will need to have better numbers than he did last season.
Prospect: Joe Burrow (QB)
Joe Burrow had the most remarkable single-season in College Football history; no one will top what he did in one season. Burrow, who led LSU to a perfect 15-0 record a national championship, and finished the season with over 5000 yards passing 60 touchdowns and only six interceptions. Now, Burrow’s numbers will significantly drop during his rookie campaign this season, as no one in their rookie campaign will have numbers like Joe did during his final season. I expect him to finish the season with 3000 yards passing 25 touchdowns and five interceptions.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers will be good this season, but not great. I don’t expect the Steelers to rely on Ben Roethlisberger to lead them this season, as he is coming off a significant injury that will affect his performance this season. Plus, their offence is not good enough to challenge the high-powered defences around the league. That is why I see the Steelers winning no more than eight games this season.
Record Prediction 8-8
MVP: James Connor (RB)
James Connor has taken the NFL by storm and is a solid all-around player that is good for any team. Connor, who last season finished with only 464 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Now compared to other running backs, those are terrible numbers. However, I think that he was the best player on the Steelers last season. I expect him to have more substantial numbers this season, but not by much.
Prospect: Chase Claypool (WR)
Chase Claypool will be a massive boost for the Steelers, as they desperately needed a second-star wide receiver to pair with Juju Smith-Schuster. They did precisely that, as Claypool was a dominant force in College Football, and I expect him to do the same in the NFL. As last season Claypool finished with 1037 receiving yards, sixty-six receptions, and 13 touchdowns. He is going to make an immediate impact on the Steeler’s offence.
Cleveland Browns
There is no discussion on whether the Browns will be a contender this year or not as they are still the same old team and will continue to be the laughing stock of the NFL. I expect them to struggle this season and be at the bottom of the division. I don’t see the Browns winning more than three games this season.
Record Prediction: 3-13
MVP: Odell Beckham Jr. (WR)
Odell Beckham Jr. is the clear MVP for the Cleveland Browns; he is the team’s browns best player. As last season, Odell finished with 74 receptions, 1035 yards receiving and four touchdowns. Now those numbers aren’t great for any wide receiver in the league. However, he is on the Cleveland Browns, so his numbers make sense for his team. This season, I expect him to have similar numbers and continue to help win games for the Cleveland Browns.
Prospect: Jedrick Wills Jr. (OT)
Jedrick Wills Jr. is a much-needed boost for the Cleveland Browns, as with the loss of Joe Stanley, they desperately needed a solid offensive tackle to take his spot. Wills Jr. is the right man for the job, Wills JR. last season only surrendered one sack all season and only 3.5 quarterback hurries while only missing seven assignments on 771 snaps. He will have a solid rookie year for the Browns and help them win a couple of games.