by Andy | Sep 10, 2010 | 2010 NFL Season Preview
We didn’t get quite the same participation from bloggers representing AFC North teams as we did teams from the AFC South. But as you read the write-ups you’ll see the two who did answer our call are just as passionate as anyone about their teams.
As with the South, I’ll start with my picks and then let the bloggers have their say.
Andy Tellijohn, Zoneblitz.com
Baltimore
Cincinnati
Pittsburgh
Cleveland
The Anquan Boldin pickup was huge and I am a huge fan of Ray Rice at running back. I think the offense now has the weapons to A) make Joe Flacco a true, top-notch quarterback in the league and B) potentially match the strong play the Ravens’ defense has displayed for years, which is good because the one thing I think could hurt the Ravens is the secondary. There are some good wideouts in Cincinnati and Pittsburgh, cough, cough, who will be effective when Ben Roethlisberger returns.
I think the Bengals and the Steelers are about equal. The difference will be those first four games. If Dennis Dixon/Charlie Batch can keep the team at 2-2 or better the Steelers will push for the playoffs and maybe the division. If Roethlisberger returns to a 1-3 or 0-4 team, the Steelers will miss the playoffs. The Bengals will hang right there with the best, though I think they are just a notch short of the Ravens heading into the season.
I like some of the things Cleveland is doing right now but it’s a tough division and it’s going to take another year or two before some of those changes pay off.
Here’s what our blogger friends think will happen:
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by Andy | Sep 10, 2010 | 2010 NFL Season Preview
Zoneblitz officials this year decided we wanted to put out some sort of preview issue but that we also wanted to do something different. So we contacted bloggers who cover each NFL team.
We contacted close to 70 blogs asking if they’d like to participate. We heard back from some and were turned down by a few. But we worked too hard on putting this together to not publish what we did receive, as did those who put the time into giving us responses — in fact when asked for a few sentences or a paragraph, many submitted as much as a page.
A big thank you to those who followed up and followed through. I’m very appreciative of your time.
We’ll kick off our NFL preview with a look at the AFC South, the lone division where a representative from each team in the division answered our call. And over the next couple days we’ll get the rest of the responses up as well.
Thank you again.
Andy Tellijohn, www.Zoneblitz.com
Indianapolis
Houston
Tennessee
Jacksonville
The way I see it the Colts have been the star of the division so long that I won’t believe they aren’t until I see it. Houston is up and coming but they have been for the last couple years. I need to see them do it before I’ll pick them to do so.
Houston and Tennessee will battle for second. It’ll be neck and neck and I could see this one going either way. In the end I give Houston the edge, but it’s by a coin flip.
Jacksonville has a smattering of skill topped of course by Maurice Jones Drew. I think there are too many weaknesses in too many spots for them to emerge from the cellar this season.
For the celebrity blogger perspectives, click here:
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