If you’re wondering why I left out the Cleveland Browns in the title, I have a quick explanation…
The Browns have too much turmoil within their organization for me even to discuss the possibility of them winning the AFC North. Their quarterback has not shown any remorse for 24 sexual assault cases and will likely miss the entire season. To make matters worse, Kareem Hunt has requested a trade, which would be a significant blow to the team’s rushing attack.
Nick Chubb will receive the majority of the carries, but having Hunt spill the feature back will make this offense more efficient. Hunt is talented enough to be an RB1 in many franchises, so look for his unhappiness to spill throughout the entire organization.
Cincinnati shocked the football world a year ago, winning the division and dancing all the way to the Super Bowl. If a few plays went their way last February, they could’ve easily hoisted the Lombardi Trophy.
Baltimore is coming off a disappointing campaign where they went 8-9 on the season and rounded out the AFC North. Lamar Jackson only played in 12 games, and he wasn’t efficient during his time under center.
Jackson built up his biceps in the offseason and the Ravens made some improvements to the team, putting them first in Vegas to win the division. However, the Bengals went to the Super Bowl last season, returned nearly the whole team, and patched the issues they encountered in 2021.
I believe bookmakers are missing the mark in the preseason odds. Cincinnati finished ninth in the final Quality Stats Power Rankings of 2021. A large reason for their success was quarterback Joe Burrow, who played at an extremely high level with little to no protection.
Burrow and the Bengals finished fifth in Real Quarterback Rating, the most indicative stat of championship football teams. They also finished second in Offensive Passer Rating, which goes hand in hand with Real QBR. The amazing part about these rankings is the fact that the Bengals struggled in the trenches.
The team had Joe Mixon, a Pro Bowl running back, but only was 15th in Offensive Rusher Rating. The primary reason for this was a bad offensive line unit that ranked 16th in Offensive Hog Index. To demonstrate how bad this was, the Giants were 15th in the NFL.
However, the Bengals signed OT La’el Collins, Ted Karras, and Alex Kappa to anchor the offensive line. Karras and Kappa have both won Super Bowl championships in their tenure blocking for Tom Brady.
Cincinnati made improvements on defense, but this is one area of the team in question. Although, the team found a way not to break throughout the 2022 season, establishing themselves as a top tier defense within their own territory. The Bengals scored tenth in the final Bendability ranking for the 2021 season, which is a critical stat to winning championships.
The Baltimore Ravens finished 20th in Real Quarterback Rating. Jackson isn’t responsible for all the blame because he only played in 12 games, but he wasn’t efficiently leading the team. Jackson went 7-5 as the starter throwing 16 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.
Throwing has always been a concern for Jackson as he has made a living in the NFL scrambling from the pocket. The quarterback hoisted the MVP in 2019, but it seems defensive coordinators have caught on to the 25-year-old’s mobility in the pocket.
If Jackson cannot deliver this season, the Ravens will struggle immensely. Outside of Jackson, the team also dropped the ball. The offensive line was average at best, and the defense was constantly burnt in the back end.
The unit finished 27th in Defensive Real Quarterback Rating, proving they struggled to contain elite offensive talent. They also finished 13th in Defensive Rusher Rating which wasn’t terrible, but this strength was overlooked by poor secondary performances.
Baltimore selected Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton in the first round this season, to headline the best draft class of 2022. Although, if the franchise is relying on defensive rookies to win a division, it may not end well.
The Ravens ended the 2021 Quality Stats Power Rankings in 21st, depicting what the team did throughout the year. I believe Jackson will improve, but this may not be enough for the team to surpass the Bengals for the AFC North title.
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Tanner Kern breaks down the biggest news from the NFL world, discusses fantasy football stategy, and gives his future bets for the 2022 season on the debut of the CHFF Show.