Category Archives: AFC North
Bengals were the winners of the Palmer trade
Mike Brown worked one of the best deals in Cincinnati Bengals history when he traded quarterback Carson Palmer to the Oakland Raiders for their 2013 first round draft pick. With that pick the Bengals addressed a specific need on defense by picking up Dre Kirkpatrick.
The Bengals will also have a first or second round pick in 2014 based on the outcome of the Raiders record this season. Former head coach, Hue Jackson (a wide receivers coach with the Bengals from 2004 – 2006) worked this transaction personally with Bengals owner Mike Brown.
Todd Haley, Big Ben and the Steelers new look offense
Coach Todd Haley brings a trail of nothing but winning to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Haley was hired by the Steelers to replace Bruce Arians as the new Offensive Coordinator. When Haley was the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs he turned their program around and put the Chiefs in a position to be a playoff contender. He also helped the Arizona Cardinals, as their Offensive Coordinator, to get the team to their first division title and also to the team’s first Super Bowl (XLIII). Todd Haley is also the son of a former NFL player Dick Haley who spent 44 years with NFL and he was the Steelers Director of Player Personnel from 1971-1991.
Rookie Upshaw must produce for Ravens without Suggs
When the Baltimore Ravens drafted Courtney Upshaw in the second round no one expected the team to rely on him the way they now do. After an unfortunate injury to Terrell Suggs the pressure is now on Upshaw to produce says NFL columnist Clark Judge.
Next in line: 5 teams Los Angeles should court next
Yesterday it was announced that the Minnesota Vikings are staying in Minnesota for good. The Minnesota Legislator passed a Bill toward a new stadium and Vikings fans can now rejoice and celebrate the biggest win in Franchise history.
NFL Top 100: Will Joe Flacco be respected around the league?
The NFL Network last year started a new countdown list which was pretty popular among fans. The Top 100 list, a list of the best players currently in the NFL, as voted on by other players. Like any countdown list on NFL Network, there will always be a debate among what was ranked too high, too low and how a player or play didn’t make the list when it should have. I find the Top 100 very interesting, and I look at the list and can’t help but think that Joe Flacco will never earn the respect of his peers.
Steelers rookie Ikponmwosa Igbinosun: Player profile
The Pittsburgh Steelers seemingly ignored the defensive end position this offseason and in the NFL Draft. They did host future second round selection, defensive end Derek Wolfe (Denver Broncos) during the pre-draft visit portion of the process, but decided to pass on defensive ends with any of their nine selections. However, they did pick-up a couple of defensive ends as undrafted rookie free agents.
As Roethlisberger goes so do the Steelers
Ben Roethlisberger is the starting quarterback of a team that is known for stellar, top notch defense. With names such as Jack Lambert, Joe Greene, Franco Harris, James Harrison, Troy Polamalu the Steelers legacy has always been on the defensive side of the ball.
Big Ben has changed this thinking because no one in the NFL, not named Peyton, is as crucial to his team’s success or failure as Roethlisberger is to the Steelers.
The Steelers’ quarterback finished the year throwing for 4,077 yards, 21 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.
Terrell Suggs to miss 4-6 months of 2012 NFL season
Terrell Suggs, the Baltimore Ravens linebacker, will have to undergo a surgery to a partial tear of his Achilles and hence will have to sit out of four to six months of the 2012 National Football League season.
What a great 2012 NFL draft for the Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers made some great picks in the NFL draft this year. They drafted to bolster a battered offensive line and also to have some back up on an aging defense. They made picks for the positions where they had the most need. From a need standpoint, the Steelers had a successful draft in 2012. They also stayed with their model of drafting only the players that they believe to fit into the model of how the Steelers conduct their day-to-day operations as a business and as a team.
Ravens add Upshaw in round 2: Is he the steal of the draft?
The Baltimore Ravens didn’t have a pick in the first round of the 2012 NFL draft but thanks to all the teams that passed on former Alabama defensive end, Courtney Upshaw, the Ravens scored first round talent, early in the second round. In fact, Upshaw may very well turn out to be the steal of the draft.
Browns take QB at 22: What does that mean for Colt McCoy?
With the 22nd pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns selected quarterback Brandon Weeden out of Oklahoma State. What does that mean for current Browns QB Colt McCoy?
2012 NFL Draft: Grading the first round
1. Indianapolis Colts – Andrew Luck – QB, Stanford
Buffalo is still trying to replace Jim Kelly, Miami is still trying to replace Dan Marino, Cleveland has needed a Quarterback forever, yet somehow the Colts get fortunate enough to go from Peyton Manning to Andrew Luck without the down time that teams usually go through after losing a Hall of Fame Quarterback. Grade: A+
2. Washington Redskins – Robert Griffin III – QB, Baylor
The Redskins traded their second-round pick and three first-round picks (2012, 2013 and 2014) to move up four spots. Many may think that maybe too much but it’s not when your in a quarterback driven league. The Redskins will be a playoff contender thanks to this move and will surprise people this season because of it, the Quarterback carousel in Washington is over and now the challenge becomes, can Griffin survive the NFC East? Grade: A+
