Mark Cannizzaro previews the AFC North as The Post gives division-by-division breakdowns ahead of the 2022 NFL season.
1. Cincinnati Bengals
Coach: Zac Taylor
2021 record: 10-7
O/U wins: 9.5
Key additions: OT La’el Collins, C Ted Karras, TE Hayden Hurst, S Daxton Hill, CB Cam Taylor-Britt
Key departures: TE C.J. Uzomah, WR Auden Tate, DT Larry Ogunjobi
First-and-goal: The Bengals addressed protecting QB Joe Burrow with the signings of Karras, Collins and Alex Cappa. Combine that with Burrow and his skill-position weapons, and the Bengals’ offense will be even better in ’22. If you recall the Super Bowl, Burrow was chased all game by the Rams defense. This was a message for Cincinnati, which spent the ’21 offseason building up its skill positions (they passed on tackle Penei Sewell in the draft and took receiver Ja’Marr Chase). This year’s offseason mission has been to protect Burrow, who was sacked 51 times in the regular season and 19 more times in the postseason last year.
Joe Burrow on the field with the Bengals Getty ImagesFourth-and-long: The Bengals went from a six-win team in 2020 to the Super Bowl in ’21. They won’t be taking anyone by surprise in ’22. How will this young team handle being the hunted? There may be some minor early-season health questions with Burrow having appendix removal surgery and receiver Tee Higgins having a March procedure to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder.
Cann’s Call: 11-6. Last year, the Bengals got hot at the right time and rode the late-season momentum all the way to the Super Bowl. The confidence from a ride like that is priceless and has to help them in ’22.
2. Baltimore Ravens
Coach: John Harbaugh
2021 record: 8-9
O/U wins: 10.5
Key additions: S Marcus Williams, S Kyle Hamilton, T Morgan Moses, C Tyler Linderbaum, TE Charlie Kolar
Key departures: WR Marquise Brown, WR Sammy Watkins, DT Brandon Williams
First-and-goal: The Ravens were a mess on defense last season, yielding an NFL-high 4,742 passing yards and 31 passing touchdowns. Thanks to a rash of injuries, the Ravens were ranked 25th — their lowest rating since 1997 — and gave up a league-high 16 plays of 40 yards or more. Defensive coordinator Wink Martindale was fired, Williams was signed and Hamilton was drafted, plus the Ravens got younger and more athletic on the defensive line.
Ravens QB Lamar Jackson Getty ImagesFourth-and-long: QB Lamar Jackson needs to be a better passer. Last year, he ranked 23rd in passer rating (87.0), was 22nd in completion percentage (.644) and he threw a career-high 13 interceptions. The Ravens finished third in the NFL in rushing yards last season, but for about 600 fewer yards and six fewer TDs than in 2020. A reason for that? Running backs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards were lost for the season before Week 1 with knee injuries, forcing the Ravens to look to journeymen Devonta Freeman, Latavius Murray and even Le’Veon Bell to fill in. Baltimore looks to reestablish its rushing attack in ’22 with Dobbins and Edwards on track to return. In the offseason, the Ravens made the offensive line a priority after the team allowed a franchise-record 57 sacks last season, signing Moses and drafting Linderbaum in the first round.
Cann’s Call: 10-7. The key is Jackson, who is coming off missing the final four games in 2021 and is entering the final year of his rookie contract, seeking a new deal. If no deal is struck, there’s a question whether it becomes a distraction for him. If he can avoid that, the Ravens should be a playoff team.
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3. Pittsburgh Steelers
Coach: Mike Tomlin
2021 record: 9-7-1
O/U wins: 7.5
Key additions: QB Mitch Trubisky, QB Kenny Pickett, WR Miles Boykin, WR George Pickens
Key departures: QB Ben Roethlisberger, WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR James Washington, WR Ray-Ray McCloud
First-and-goal: RB Najee Harris had a great rookie year in ’21 with 1,667 yards from scrimmage (second among NFL RBs behind only Jonathan Taylor) and 10 touchdowns. He ranked second in the league with 307 carries last year and led all RBs with 74 catches. Defensively, pass rusher T.J. Watt leads the way. Despite nagging injuries in ’21, he managed to produce 22.5 sacks and was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
Fourth-and-long: For the first time since 2005, the Steelers will play with a starting quarterback not named Ben Roethlisberger. This is a great unknown for Pittsburgh. Trubisky, who had an uneven four seasons in Chicago before spending last season in Buffalo as Josh Allen’s backup, has another chance to be a starter, but Pickett, who had an impressive summer, is not far from starting. The 20th-overall pick in the draft completed 67.2 percent of his passes for 4,319 yards, 42 TDs and seven interceptions in 2021 at Pitt. The NFL, of course, will be a different animal for him.
Mitch Trubisky and Kenny Pickett after a Steelers preseason game USA TODAY SportsCann’s Call: 7-10. Tomlin is one of the best head coaches in the league. If he can lead this team to the playoffs with the QB change, he deserves to be Coach of the Year. The change from Big Ben, even though it was time for him to retire, will prove to be too much for the Steelers to overcome.
4. Cleveland Browns
Coach: Kevin Stefanski
2021 record: 8-9
O/U wins: 8.5
Key additions: QB Deshaun Watson, QB Jacoby Brissett, WR Amari Cooper, WR David Bell, K Cade York
Key departures: QB Baker Mayfield, WR Jarvis Landry, TE Austin Hooper
First-and-goal: The Browns return their top three RBs from 2021 — Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt and D’Ernest Johnson — which will help the unsettled quarterback situation. Chubb has averaged 5.3 yards per carry since 2018. Hunt, who missed nine games last season, is the speedster in the group. Johnson produced 534 yards and 5.3 YPC in 2021. Defensively, the Browns have a Defensive Player of the Year candidate in Myles Garrett. Cooper, who has produced more than 1,000 receiving yards in five of the past seven seasons, is a big offseason pickup.
Fourth-and-long: Watson, whom the Browns paid a guaranteed $230 million, will miss the first 11 games of the season serving a suspension. That means Brissett is the QB, a player who has had an uneven career to date.
Cann’s Call: 7-10. There’s simply been too much turmoil that’s surrounded the franchise this offseason, particularly at the QB position. It’ll prove to be too much to overcome.






