Changing Of The Guard: 2008 AFC North Prediction

I recently took a glimpse and wrote about the 2008 season schedule for the New England Patriots and might I say what a gift.

I thought I'd find out which team I believe has the toughest schedule coming up in 2008.

That team has to be the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Home Games: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Houston, Indianapolis, Dallas, N.Y. Giants, San Diego.

Away Games: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Philadelphia, Washington, New England

Only five of these teams did not qualify for the playoffs last year, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Houston, Philadelphia. Cleveland just barely missed a spot in the Wild Card slot.

Compare this to the Patriots' schedule, the Patriots play nine teams this upcoming season who failed to make it to the second season.

With the Cleveland Browns improving at lightning speed, the AFC North is really just a two team donnybrook. I don't foresee the Baltimore Ravens or the Cincinnati Bengals challenging for anything but the bottom.

Just having a tough schedule doesn't guarantee absolute failure, injuries and many other factors are all key as we all know, but the Steelers are up against some talented and upcoming teams as well as proven teams.

I just think the schedule will be too tough to overcome. 

I predict the Pittsburgh Steelers go 7-9, miss the playoffs and the Cleveland Browns reign supreme in the AFC North.