(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
The first preview and prediction featured the AFC East. The East has a coach on the hot seat and a rookie with high expectations starting at quarterback.
The AFC East also has one of the best teams in the NFL the New England Patriots. The Patriots return Tom Brady after miss 2008 to a knee injury.
New England should win the East this season. Still there could be a surprise if another big name player goes down to an injury.
The 2009 NFL preview and predictions moves on to the AFC North the home of the defending Super Bowl champions. The Pittsburgh Steelers own more Super Bowl victories than any other NFL franchise.
The AFC North will be another battle between the Steelers and the Ravens. The Browns and the Bengals are trying to catch up and dethrone the top two teams.
Here is the AFC North preview and predictions in order of finish.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Prediction 13-3
The Steelers are one of the best run organizations in the NFL and return nearly the same team from last year. The whole core of last year’s Super Bowl team is back to make another run at a championship.
The Steelers still have Mike Tomlin as head coach, Ben Roethlisberger at quarterback, and Hines Ward at receiver. Oh, do not forget the Steelers defense will be pretty much the same as last season.
The Steelers are the favorites but as last season showed us it does not take much to derail a Super Bowl run. Your wide receiver shoots his self in the leg or a star quarterback goes down and your championship hopes go with them.
The Steelers open the at home against the Titans in the first NFL game of 2009. Next Pittsburgh is on the road for two straight weeks at Chicago and at Cincinnati.
Pittsburgh closes out the first quarter of the season at home against the Chargers. A 3-1 to 2-2 start should not surprise anyone.
The second quarter of the season gives the Steelers a chance to harass a rookie quarterback on the road versus the Lions. Pittsburgh gets a home game against the Browns the next week.
In potential Super Bowl preview the Vikings come to Pittsburgh with Brett Favre behind center. After the Vikings is a bye week then a trip to Denver to take on the Broncos.
Half way through the season and Steelers could be 6-2 to 5-3 and in good position for the second half of the season. The third quarter of the season begins with a home game against the Bengals.
The Steelers get a road game against the Chiefs and stay on the road the next week against division rival the Ravens. Pittsburgh returns home to play the Raiders in the twelfth game of the season.
The last quarter of the season starts with a trip to Cleveland to play the Browns. Then the Steelers get two home games in a row against the Packers and Baltimore.
Pittsburgh closes the season out on the road in a warm weather game in Miami. The Steelers should win but the Dolphins are always tough at home.
The Steelers should defend their division title and finish the season with a solid 12-4 to 13-3 record. Pittsburgh will make the playoffs and get a chance to defend their title from last season.
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