10 bold predictions for the 2020 NFL season

MIAMI, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 02: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots looks on prior to Super Bowl LIV between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs at Hard Rock Stadium on February 02, 2020 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

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PITTSBURGH, PA – DECEMBER 15: Head coach Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks on during the game against the Buffalo Bills at Heinz Field on December 15, 2019, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) /

8. Contrary to popular belief, the Steelers will win the AFC North

Pittsburgh was able to finish its 2019 campaign with an 8-8 record in using Mason Rudolph and Delvin Hodges as its quarterback tandem. Veteran quarterback Ben Roethlisberger may not return to peak form following injury, but he will not need to. A 38-year-old Roethlisberger should be crafty enough to contribute at least three more victories to the win column.

This analysis is not going so bold to predict that the Baltimore Ravens will be just an average football team. But teams that set an incredibly high bar for themselves often have a difficult task in replicating the previous year’s performance. For the Ravens, that’s 14 wins. Baltimore will not win 14 games — they will be victorious in 10 or 11.

Head coach Mike Tomlin has a long history of winning and has never been a coach reliant on one side of the football. He’s defensively-minded by trade but generally has an astute offense to accompany his ball stoppers. Heck, in 2019, Pittsburgh boasted the NFL’s fifth-best defense in allowing 19 points per game.

Roethlisberger will restore the offense to a 12th or better unit via points scored with the help of pass-catchers JuJu Smith-Schuster, Dioante Johnson, James Washington, Eric Ebron, and Vance McDonald. The running game will be serviceable with James Conner, Jaylen Samuels, and Anthony McFarland Jr. We know the defense will be there.

After that, the Ravens will be good, but not great, and Pittsburgh will win the division for the first time since 2017.

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