Mattie T’s 2009 NFL Season Preview: AFC North

Since the Pittsburgh Steelers are the defending Super Bowl champs, i shall begin my 2009 NFL Season Preview with the AFC North. (in order of last year’s division finishes)

1. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4 last season, won Super Bowl XLIII)

Head Coach: Mike Tomlin (3rd year with team)

Mattie T’s Analysis: Ben Roethlisberger made the most important drive of his NFL career to seal Pittsburgh’s NFL record 6th Super Bowl win in February against Arizona. But do you realize that this man has been sacked 139 times (excluding postseason play) over the past 3 seasons? Even with his 6’5 & 241 pound frame, that is a lot of punishment to take as a quarterback.

The Steelers are also hoping for a more productive Willie Parker (791 rushing yards last season were lowest since rookie year) & a healthy Rashard Mendenhall (only played 4 games due to fractured shoulder) to provide a stronger running attack to help take pressure off Roethlisberger.

Santonio Holmes is on the threshold of his 1st career 1,000 yard receiving season & might get it with the depature of Nate Washington, who is now in Tennessee.

Also look for Limus Sweed to play a bigger role in the Steeler offense for 2009, providing that he wins the team’s 3rd wide receiver spot from Mike Wallace.

Defensively, i don’t think the Steelers will miss a beat. Pittsburgh was the AFC’s stingiest team last season in terms of rushing yards allowed per game (80.3), passing yards allowed per game (156.9) & ranked tops in the NFL allowing just 13.9 points per contest under longtime defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau.

The Steelers do have an interesting three-week stretch at the end of the season, where they will face a trio of viable playoff contenders in Green Bay, Baltimore & Miami in consecutive games.

Mattie T’s 2009 Prediction: 11-5

2. Baltimore Ravens (11-5 last season, lost to Pittsburgh in AFC Championship Game)

Head Coach: John Harbaugh (2nd year with team)

Mattie T’s Analysis: This team surprised a lot of people last season with the steady play of rookie quarterback Joe Flacco, who only missed FIVE snaps all season & earned a lot of praise from his peers around the league.

Flacco will have Derrick Mason back at wide receiver, as the 35-year veteran briefly retired before having a change of heart. Mason has gone over the 1,000 yard receiving mark in 7 of his last 8 seasons dating back to 2001.

Ray Rice has leapfrogged to #1 on the team’s depth chart at running back, but offensive coordinator Cam Cameron insists that both Willis McGahee & Le’Ron McClain will still be in the mix.

Baltimore has been in contact with retired offensive tackle Willie Anderson, who says that he’s content with retirement for now but wouldn’t rule out a return sometime during the upcoming season.

Defensively, the Ravens will have to cope with the losses of both Bart Scott & Jim Leonhard, who left along with former defensive coordinator Rex Ryan to join the New York Jets.

With the neck injury to Samari Rolle (will miss first 6 weeks of season), Dominique Foxworth will get a chance to start alongside Fabian Washington at cornerback.

Their schedule doesn’t look too difficult, but back-to-back meetings in Weeks 15/16 against the Bears & Steelers will determine if this team will have enough to overtake Pittsburgh for the AFC North crown.

Mattie T’s 2009 Prediction: 10-6

3. Cincinnati Bengals (4-11-1 last season, missed playoffs)

Head Coach: Marvin Lewis (7th year with team)

Mattie T’s Analysis: Any hopes of the Bengals being competitive in 2009 rests on the elbow & ankle of Carson Palmer, who is looking to regain his status as one of the league’s top quarterbacks.

He’ll have a new weapon to throw to this season, as Lavernues Coles will try to replace the departure of T.J. Houshmanzadeh, who is now with the Seattle Seahawks.

Palmer also hopes for a rejuvenated Chris Henry, who has wowed coaching staff during the preseason and vows to change his character, as he has been suspended for a total of 14 games over the last 3 seasons.

Cedric Benson is hoping for his first career 1,000 yard season at running back, as he rushed for a career-high 747 yards in 12 games for Cincinnati in 2008.

Cincinnati has already taken a huge hit to their offensive line with the injury of rookie tackle Andre Smith, who broke his right foot just days after ending his holdout. Smith is expected to start at right tackle once he’s fully recovered, as 2nd year Anthony Collins will have to fill the void for now.

The Bengals do have some interesting pieces on defense, which includes former USC standout Keith Rivers & new safety Roy Williams, who comes over after spending the previous 7 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys.

Chad Ochocinco is hoping that his name change results in better play, as his streak of 6 straight seasons of 1,000 receiving yards or more was snapped in ’08 with a disappointing 53 receptions for 540 yards.

The Bengals have a brutal 6 week stretch against 5 formidable playoff opponents from mid October to mid November in which they will face the Ravens, Texans, Bears, Ravens again & Steelers which will make or break their Wild Card chances.

Mattie T’s 2009 Prediction: 6-10

4. Cleveland Browns (4-12 last season, missed playoffs)

Head coach: Eric Mangini (1st year with team)

Mattie T’s Analysis: Apparently, Mangini is waiting until the morning of Cleveland’s season opener on September 13th against Minnesota to name his starting quarterback.

I think it will be Brady Quinn over Derek Anderson, as Quinn is younger & has more upside.

Outside of a career 2007 season in which he threw for a career-high 29 touchdown passes & totaled 3,787 passing yards, Derek Anderson has been nothing more then an average quarterback at best throughout his NFL career.

If the rumors are true that veteran Jamal Lewis will be released in the next couple of days, it will leave little used back Jerome Harrison as their top running back.

6-year veteran tight end Robert Royal will have big shoes to fill following the trade of Kellen Winslow, who was 2nd on the team last season in receptions (43) and receiving yards (428).

Mangini also indicated that he will use a mixture of wideouts behind Braylon Edwards, who led the team with 55 receptions for 873 yards last season.

Defensively, the Browns are anchored by linebacker D’Qwell Jackson, who led the league with 154 tackles last season.

Mattie T’s 2009 Prediction: 5-11

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