The AFC North was arguably football’s strongest division last year, and that doesn’t appear to be primed for change in 2015.
However, every team has a weakness or weaknesses.
Here’s a look at where the Ravens’ AFC North foes may be susceptible based on reports coming out of their cities:
Steelers – Secondary
Pittsburgh continues to go through a youth movement on defense. Possible future Hall of Fame safety Troy Polamalu and cornerback Ike Taylor, two players that have made big plays against Baltimore in the past, have retired. That’s paved the way for safety Shamarko Thomas, a lightly used former fourth-round pick heading into his third season, and a young group of cornerbacks. The Steelers drafted 5-foot-9 cornerback Senquez Golson in the second round. They’ll also rely on Cortez Allen and B.W. Webb, along with veteran William Gay. Pittsburgh ranked 27th in the league in passing yards per game allowed last year and hasn’t brought in highly-touted personnel to improve in that category.
Bengals – Quarterback
Cincinnati has a lot of talent, especially on offense with wide receivers A.J. Green and Mohamed Sanu and running backs Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard. That’s not to mention a big, physical offensive line. But the straw that stirs the drink, quarterback Andy Dalton, was inconsistent last year. The Bengals eventually took the ball out of his hands. Dalton threw for 895 fewer yards last year on 105 fewer attempts. He tossed 19 touchdowns to 17 interceptions after throwing 33 touchdowns and 20 interceptions the year before. Dalton had seven games last year in which he threw for fewer than 200 yards. He continues to struggle in crunch time, particularly the playoffs. That said, Baltimore can’t take him for granted, as some of his best games last season (567 yards in two games) came against the Ravens.
Browns – Passing Attack
Cleveland’s defense is its strength. The Browns have some young, talented running backs, as well. But it looks as if the Browns will have trouble moving the ball through the air once again. Veteran Josh McCown and Johnny Manziel, who had a rough rookie year, are vying for the starting quarterback job. Talented wide receiver Josh Gordon will serve a one-year suspension. The Browns added veteran Dwayne Bowe, but he hasn’t put up 1,000 yards since 2011 and didn’t score a single touchdown last year. Besides Bowe, their top receivers are Brian Hartline and Andrew Hawkins. Cleveland watched receiving tight end Jordan Cameron sign with the Dolphins. The Browns are never an easy win for Baltimore, so capitalizing on an inexperienced signal caller would help.
