09-05-2021 Ravens Preview - Flipbook - Page 25
NFL2021
AFC North
BALTIMORE
RAVENS (12-6)
Projected 2021 win
total: 11
LAST YEAR: The Ravens won five of
their first six games, then recovered
from a midseason slump to win five in
a row down the stretch. They also won
a playoff game for the first time in six
seasons, but their offense fell flat in
a 17-3 loss at Buffalo that ended their
season. Baltimore ranked No. 1 in rushing
for a second straight season. QB Lamar
Jackson rushed for 1,005 yards, and two
other players eclipsed 700. However, the
Ravens were dead last in passing.
IMPORTANT ADDITIONS: WR Sammy
Watkins, T Alejandro Villanueva, G Kevin
Zeitler, G Michael Schofield, T Ja’Wuan
James, TE Josh Oliver, S Geno Stone.
IMPORTANT LOSSES: T Orlando Brown
Jr., LB Matthew Judon, C Matt Skura, WR
Willie Snead, G/T D.J. Fluker, RB Mark
Ingram II, WR Dez Bryant, WR De’Anthony
Thomas, LS Morgan Cox, QB Robert
Griffin III, WR Chris Moore, DE Yannick
Ngakoue, DE Jihad Ward, CB Tramon
Williams Sr., DB Pierre Desir.
NOTES: Baltimore brought in Watkins
to shore up the passing game, and the
Ravens also drafted receiver Rashod
Bateman in the first round. It’ll be
important for Jackson to develop
chemistry with those two as quickly as
possible. Left tackle Ronnie Stanley’s
return from an ankle injury will be worth
watching, especially after Baltimore
traded Brown to Kansas City for a package
of draft picks. There’s also been plenty of
chatter about a contract extension for
Jackson, although he’s not due to become
an unrestricted free agent until 2023.
EXPECTATIONS: The Ravens are 35-13
over the past three regular seasons. The
question is whether Baltimore can take
the next step to contend with Kansas
City for a Super Bowl berth. Buffalo and
Cleveland are on the rise, and division rival
Pittsburgh is coming off a 12-4 season. In
a conference where eight teams went at
least 10-6 last season, there isn’t much
room for error. But the Ravens have a
proven running game and a 24-year-old
quarterback who has won an MVP.
CLEVELAND
BROWNS (12-6)
Projected 2021 win
total: 10
LAST YEAR: Finally, the breakthrough.
Despite a lack of traditional offseason
due to the COVID-19 pandemic, first-year
coach Kevin Stefanski helped the Browns
end 18-year playoff drought. Then, with
Stefanski quarantined after testing
positive for the coronavirus, Cleveland
beat rival Pittsburgh in the wild-card
round for its first postseason win since
1994. The Browns lost to Kansas City in
the divisional round. Quarterback Baker
Mayfield rebounded from a concerning
2019 season and solidified himself as the
franchise’s long-term answer by throwing
31 touchdown passes (including playoffs)
and displaying needed maturity and
leadership. RB Nick Chubb rushed for 1,067
yards and scored 12 TDs despite missing
four games with a knee injury. Cleveland’s
offense carried the team despite losing
star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to a
season-ending knee injury in Week 7.
IMPORTANT ADDITIONS: DE Jadeveon
Clowney, LB Anthony Walker, S John
Johnson III, CB Troy Hill, DT Andrew
Billings, DE Takk McKinley, rookie CB Greg
Newsome II, rookie LB Jeremiah OwusuKoramoah, DT Malik Jackson.
IMPORTANT LOSSES: DT Sheldon
Richardson, DT Larry Ogunjobi, DE Olivier
Vernon, LB B.J. Goodson, S Karl Joseph, S
Andrew Sendejo.
NOTES: The Browns picked up the
fifth-year contract option on Mayfield,
but situation could become a distraction
if not resolved quickly — or if he struggles
early. Chubb, CB Denzel Ward and RG
Wyatt Teller also are eligible for longterm deals. Beckham has made a quick
recovery and appears to be full go.
EXPECTATIONS: Sky-high. Loaded with
offensive weapons, one of league’s best
lines, and a revamped defense led by
All-Pro end Myles Garrett has made the
Browns legitimate AFC title contenders.
Mayfield could take another step in his
second season with Stefanski, voted AP
Coach of the Year. Cleveland’s 1-2 punch
with Chubb and Kareem Hunt gives the
offense unique balance.
PITTSBURGH
STEELERS (12-5)
Projected 2021 win
total: 9
LAST YEAR: The Steelers used a
franchise-best 11-0 start to their fourth
AFC North title since 2014. QB Ben
Roethlisberger threw for 33 touchdowns
in his return from right-elbow surgery
that cut short his 2019 season. Rookie
WR Chase Claypool was sensational at
times to offset the worst rushing attack
in the league. The NFL’s third-ranked
defense led the league in sacks for a
fourth straight year but wore down late
in the season. So did everyone else.
Pittsburgh went 1-5 down the stretch,
culminating in a blowout home playoff
loss to Cleveland.
IMPORTANT ADDITIONS: RB Najee
Harris, OG Trai Turner, TE Pat Freiermuth,
C Kendrick Green, OL BJ Finney, QB
Dwayne Haskins.
IMPORTANT LOSSES: C Maurkice
Pouncey, RG David DeCastro, LT
Alejandro Villanueva, LB Bud Dupree, CB
Steve Nelson, DB Mike Hilton, TE Vance
McDonald, RB James Conner, LB Avery
Williamson, offensive coordinator Randy
Fichtner.
NOTES: Roethlisberger took a pay cut
to return for an 18th season. He’ll do
it playing behind a totally revamped
offensive line. Pouncey retired, DeCastro
was cut and Villanueva left in free agency.
The three combined for 17 Pro Bowls. The
collective resumes of their replacements
are thin by comparison save for Turner,
who signed in June just hours after
DeCastro was released. The offense
will also have to adjust to Matt Canada,
promoted after Fichtner was let go in
January.
EXPECTATIONS: Roethlisberger did
not come back so he could be feted by
rocking chairs at visiting stadiums in what
could be a farewell tour. The Steelers
believe their window to be a legitimate
Super Bowl contender remains open
as long as he’s behind center. A running
game bolstered by Harris’ arrival would
certainly help take the pressure off a
short-passing game that became far too
predictable after Thanksgiving.
25
The balance of power in
the AFC North shifted in
2020. Now we’ll see if the
Browns can continue to
top that new hierarchy, or
if the Steelers climb back.
CINCINNATI
BENGALS (4-11-1)
Projected 2021 win
total: 6.5
LAST YEAR: Coach Zac Taylor’s second
season began with great optimism and
fizzled to a close, just as his first season
had in 2019. There were reasons for hope
in 2020 with Heisman Trophy winner
Joe Burrow taking over at quarterback.
After showing exciting flashes of what
could be, Burrow suffered a seasonending knee injury in Week 11. Premier
running back Joe Mixon went out with
a foot injury, and the offensive line was
decimated. A late-season moral victory
came when they upset playoff-bound
Pittsburgh on“Monday Night Football”on
Dec. 22, and beat Houston the next week,
but the familiar problems were on display
again in a season-ending pummeling by
Baltimore.
IMPORTANT ADDITIONS: WR
Ja’Marr Chase, OL Riley Reiff, DL Trey
Hendrickson, DT Larry Ogunjobi, CB
Chidobe Awuzie, CB Mike Hilton, OT
Jackson Carman, DE Joseph Ossai.
IMPORTANT LOSSES: WR A.J. Green, RB
Giovani Bernard, DL Geno Atkins, K Randy
Bullock, OL B.J. Finney, OL Bobby Hart, DL
Carl Lawson, CB William Jackson, LB Josh
Bynes, CB LeShaun Sims.
NOTES: Goals are simple: get Burrow
back to 100% after his knee injury and
rehab. Make sure Mixon can carry the
load at running back after rehabbing an
injured foot.
EXPECTATIONS: With Burrow, Mixon
and other key players healthy again and
a retooled offensive line, the Bengals
should be much better. WR Chase, the
No. 5 overall draft pick, rejoins former
LSU teammate Burrow as an explosive
weapon and deep threat. Another
problem area, the defensive line, was
upgraded with the addition of DE
Hendrickson and DT Ogunjobi. A halfdozen new assistant coaches will shake
up things. Taylor got a vote of confidence
from ownership after the disappointing
2020 season, but this may be his last
year in charge if there isn’t significant
progress.
— Associated Press