NFL: Predicting the AFC’s division winners

AFC North

1. Pittsburgh Steelers: 10-6

Despite losing their first four games, the Steelers were a 41-yard Ryan Succop field goal away from grabbing the AFC’s second wild card spot last season. This year, I see the Steelers getting off to a quicker start and finishing first in a very winnable division.

Ben Roethlisberger knows, just as head coach Mike Tomlin does, that his legacy can’t afford another 8-8 season. The defense is aging, but the offensive weapons surrounding Big Ben are aplenty. Combine that with the league’s eighth-easiest schedule, and Pittsburgh should get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2011.

2. Baltimore Ravens: 9-7

Like the Steelers, the Ravens also finished 8-8 in 2013 and were eliminated from playoff contention on the last day of the regular season.

But didn’t the Ravens’ 2013 season make perfect sense? It was the classic Super Bowl hangover, especially for a team that had such an emotional road to New Orleans and Super Bowl XLVII. Joe Flacco got paid big in the offseason and lost the motivation he had before winning a Super Bowl, and it resulted in the worst season (19 touchdowns to 22 interceptions) of his career.

My thinking: 2014 Joe Flacco will be out to prove that the playoff run two years ago — which really had more to do with him than it did Ray Lewis — was anything but a fluke. Even in spite of the Ray Rice drama, the Ravens will sneak into the playoffs as a wild card and, as always, will have the potential to cause havoc once they get there.

3. Cincinnati Bengals: 8-8

The Bengals, I would argue, have one of the AFC’s three most talented rosters, something that would be more significant if they had anyone but Andy Dalton at quarterback. Dalton self-imploded against the San Diego Chargers in the Wild Card round this past January, and I wouldn’t be shocked if that game carries into this season and Dalton has a Matt Schaub-like meltdown. Also keep in mind: the Bengals have games at New England, at Indianapolis, at New Orleans, at Tampa Bay, and vs. Denver.

4. Cleveland Browns: 4-12

By awarding Brian Hoyer the starting quarterback job over Johnny Manziel, the Browns have already crushed their chances at being relevant in 2014. Hoyer might be the safer bet, but Manziel — the most exciting college quarterback I’ve ever seen — is the one who could potentially spark the Browns into being this season’s surprise team. He can’t do that on the bench, though.