Overall: The Patriots showed last year that the NFL is still about scoring points. The Bengals can score points as well as anyone in the league, keeping them in games every week. Defensively, the Bengals must get better and probably will improve to a degree. A 9-7 record with a near miss on a postseason berth appears to be the path.
Browns (2007 Record: 10-6)
Offense: The surprise offense of 2007 will be back and better than ever in 2008. Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow Jr. form one of the best WR/TE combo’s in the NFL.
Adding speedy Donté Stallworth should only open up the field for Edwards and Winslow, giving QB Derek Anderson options everywhere.
Teams have had a full offseason to study this offense, particularly Anderson. Defensive coordinators get paid to make adjustments on guys like him, but they practiced on Tony Romo last season, and it didn’t appear to work too well. The Browns have too many offensive weapons for his play to decline significantly.
I kept hearing that Jamal Lewis had found the fountain of youth last season while he rushed for 1,300+ yards and nine scores. Lewis is actually only 28 going on 29 in August. A fresh start in Cleveland has certainly rejuvenated Lewis, but upgrades have turned a subpar offensive line into one of the better groups in the AFC.
With defenses pinning their ears back to get to Anderson, linebackers chasing Kellen Winslow down the seams, and Edwards/Stallworth running deep on corners and safeties, Lewis’ job will be to pound the ball early to set the tone, then salt the game away against a tired defense.
It worked last season to the tune of 10 wins. With an even better offense this season, expect more of the same.
Defense: Cleveland was among the most active offseason movers, acquiring the aforementioned Stallworth and trading for DTs Corey Williams and Shaun Rogers.
Corey Williams is ideal for the DE position in the 3-4 defense, and he has the potential to be an eight-to-10-sack player at that position. Rogers, on the other hand, remains an unknown. If he commits himself and plays hard every down, he can be a force at the nose against the run and pass.
ILB’s Andra Davis and D’Qwell Jackson could both be 100-tackle players with Williams and Rogers eating up blockers in the middle.
The Browns' defensive backfield will be filled with “could be’s” in 2008. Second-year corners Eric Wright and Brandon McDonald have tremendous potential and talent, but neither has started for a full season.
Veteran safeties might mask the inexperience on the outside, but Brodney Pool and Sean Jones have a combined three full seasons of experience at safety.
All you need to know about the Browns' passing defense can be seen in the film of the 51-45 victory over the Bengals last season, where they gave up 401 yards and six touchdowns to Carson Palmer and that offense.
To be fair, things did get better in Cleveland after the Cincy game. The Browns gave up just two 300-yards-passing games and kept their opponents under 200-yards passing in the final three weeks of the season.
Overall: Romeo Crennel’s bread and butters is defense. The 2008 offseason reflected that and fans in the Dog Pound hope it pays dividends. The Browns should score enough points to win every week, but with a young defense, there will be hiccups along the way.
The schedule is tough and many of the big games will be on the road for the Browns. Another 10-6 record could be on the way, this time earning the Browns a Wild Card berth, likely as the fifth seed.
Ravens (2007 Record 5-11)
Offense: Optimism abounds with offensive specialist Cam Cameron on board in Baltimore, giving the Ravens the kind of mind on offense they already have on defense in Rex Ryan. BUT who is going to run that offense?
In five seasons with the Ravens, former first-round pick Kyle Boller has a 56.9 percent completion percentage and a passer rating of 71.9. Troy Smith quarterbacked the Ravens all the way to the Dolphin’s first and only win of the season. Oh, and Joe Flacco has never taken a snap in the NFL.
Cam Cameron may be one of the best offensive minds in football, but he’s no magician.
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