Northern Exposure: When Seeking NFL's Best Division, Look at AFC North

(Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Two Super Bowl titles, six playoff appearances, nine postseason victories, and the league’s two best defenses.

The AFC North’s accomplishments the past four years are unmatched by any division - and it’s not even close considering the 2008 AFC Championship Game was the third meeting between the Steelers and Ravens last season.

The NFC South? It’s impressive that all four teams finished at least 8-8 last year, but how did the playoffs turn out for the Falcons and Panthers?

The NFC North? Until Jay Cutler’s arrival in Chicago, the Big 12 had better quarterback play than the Vikings, Bears, and Lions.

The AFC South? Its two playoff teams had two quick exits.

The AFC East? How long has it been since the Bills, Dolphins, or Jets won a playoff game?

And the AFC West? I’m surprised the Raiders’ mascot doesn’t wear two eye patches to avoid seeing his team's appalling play, and with the way the Broncos and Chiefs play defense, the league should ban them from national television.

But as the AFC North, largely behind the play of the Steelers and Ravens, has separated itself from the rest of the NFL, the competitiveness within the division has made it much harder for each team to make the playoffs.

It comes down to simple math: The easiest way for a team to make the playoffs is by winning its division, which means each team has a 25 percent chance of qualifying for the postseason.

Each division is constructed as a hierarchy; the difference in the AFC North is there’s more space separating the squads. Last year, the Steelers won 12 games in the regular season and the Ravens posted 11. Meanwhile, Cleveland and Cincinnati each had four victories.

The Ravens’ 11 victories would have been good enough to claim the AFC East or West, yet because they are grouped with the league’s best team (Pittsburgh), they were at a disadvantage. As soon as the Ravens lost to the Steelers in Week 15, it was clear they were only going to make the postseason as a wild card.

"Hate is a strong word. I think it is more a respect thing," said Ravens safety Ed Reed when asked his feelings of the Steelers. "They know we play hard, and we know they play hard. It would be something if one of those guys or one of us said we didn’t respect them, because it would be a lie. At the end of the day, I believe that both teams are true fans of football and know that in our conference, we’re going to play football regardless of anything."

But what happened in 2008 doesn’t necessarily indicate what will happen in 2009. The additions by the division’s teams has strengthened the group, making it tougher for each to achieve separation. Let's take a look at the future for each of these franchises:

Pittsburgh Steelers

At 27, Ben Roethlisberger is the youngest quarterback to win two Super Bowls and has the luxury of the league’s top-ranked defense (237 yards allowed per game), which features linebacker James Harrison, the reigning Defensive Most Valuable Player, linebacker James Farrior and safety Troy Polamalu.

The running game should receive a boost with the return of Rashard Mendenhall, a first-round pick in 2008 who broke his shoulder against the Ravens in Week Four, causing him to spend the rest of the season on injured reserve.

Cleveland Browns

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: A coach by the name of Eric Mangini takes over a struggling team and voila! He gets them into the postseason in his first season. Don’t be surprised if the same magic Mangini used on the Jets in 2006 works in Cleveland.

After all, Cleveland was expected to win the division last year after soaring to 10 wins in 2007 before a series of injuries decimated the depth chart. One of the team’s best defensive players, end Robaire Smith, was sidelined 14 games. Quarterbacks Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn

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