AFC North
Team	Hoge's analysis
	The Pittsburgh Steelers will be loaded on both sides of the ball again this season. I expect their offense to be even more explosive this year. You just have to look at all of the 3-4 defenses this year to show you how daunting the Steelers' defense is. I expect them to be as strong, if not stronger than last season. The flexibility with that 3-4 defense, with all of their pressure packages and things they can do with their slants, stunts and twists to stop the run, is what it makes the Steelers unique.
	To rank the Cincinnati Bengals closely behind the Steelers, I took two things into consideration: last season was quarterback Jon Kitna's and offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski's first in Cincinnati. It was also the first season for a lot of the Bengals' wide receivers. This season, the Bengals have a young pool of players who will have matured a year. They can be compared to any of the top five ground games in football. And with the additions of corners to their top 10 defense, the Bengals have the ability to be a top-five defense. The Bengals can play smash-mouth football and that's what you have to do to win in this division. They definitely have the skills. I expect them to be better as a team. Kitna may not be the best QB in football, but he does do a good job of managing games and maximizing the personnel around him. I think the Bengals have enough players and talent to be a borderline playoff team.
	The Cleveland Browns need a running back. And although William Green has potential to be a special back, he's still young and without a lot of playing experience. How they manage and use him early in the season on the end run, could really be the difference in this team because that's where they seem to fade away. If the Browns can get a running game going, Tim Couch may become the quarterback he has the potential to be. A solid running game is the one thing he hasn't had to complement and take the pressure off him. If the Browns can fix weaknesses on their offensive and get a running game going, they have the potential to be explosive. Defensive coordinator Foge Fazio didn't get enough credit for one of the best coaching jobs last year, but that defense just wore down at the end. So, the Browns will need greater depth up front -- especially the defensive line position. If they're going to play the Bengals and Steelers twice, they'll have to stop the run and control the ground game. If they can improve in that area, they'll be much improved from last season.
	It's no secret that the Baltimore Ravens are playing with young and inexperienced players, and there are a lot of question marks on offense. They'll compete and try to be as good as they can be, but offensively, they just won't be a threat right now. The quarterback position is still a mystery. The Ravens will be one dimensional, provided that Jamal Lewis comes back as the Jamal Lewis that left -- which is not a certainty. Defensively, Baltimore still has some players and going to the 3-4 will maximize their talent. By the end of the season, Peter Boulware may be considered the best defensive player in football. From rushing the quarterback, to stopping the run, to playing coverage, the 3-4 will maximize everything Boulware can do, and the Ravens will take advantage of his versatility. Which, in turn, will lend to Ray Lewis being a better player as well. They'll be able to use Lewis in more facets than they have in the last couple of seasons. They lost a leader in Rod Woodson but the Ravens still have some top-line defensive players. But how well that offense controls the ball will be a determining factor. Last year showed when you're on the field a lot, no matter how great you are, you get worn down -- that's just the way it is. That offense needs to keep the defense off the field so we don't see them fade away.