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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, August 24, 2003

AFC North Outlook

Baltimore Ravens
  • Sept. 7 at Pittsburgh, 7 a.m. HST
  • Sept. 14 Cleveland, 7 a.m.
  • Sept. 21 at San Diego, 10:15 a.m.
  • Sept. 28 Kansas City, 7 a.m.
  • Oct. 12 at Arizona, 10:15 a.m.
  • Oct. 19 at Cincinnati, 7 a.m.
  • Oct. 26 Denver, 8 a.m.
  • Nov. 2 Jacksonville, 8 a.m.
  • Nov. 9 at St. Louis, 3:30 p.m.
  • Nov. 16 at Miami, 8 a.m.
  • Nov. 23 Seattle, 8 a.m.
  • Nov. 30 San Francisco, 8 a.m.
  • Dec. 7 Cincinnati, 8 a.m.
  • Dec. 14 at Oakland, 11:05 a.m.
  • Dec. 21 at Cleveland, 8 a.m.
  • Dec. 28 Pittsburgh, 3:30 p.m.

Cleveland Browns

  • Sept. 7 Indianapolis, 7 a.m. HST
  • Sept. 14 at Baltimore, 7 a.m.
  • Sept. 21 at San Fran., 10:15 a.m.
  • Sept. 28 Cincinnati, 7 a.m.
  • Oct. 5 at Pittsburgh, 2:30 p.m.
  • Oct. 12 Oakland, 7 a.m.
  • Oct. 19 San Diego, 7 a.m.
  • Oct. 26 at New England, 8 a.m.
  • Nov. 9 at Kansas City, 8 a.m.
  • Nov. 16 Arizona, 8 a.m.
  • Nov. 23 Pittsburgh, 8 a.m.
  • Nov. 30 at Seattle, 11:15 a.m.
  • Dec. 8 St. Louis, 4 p.m.
  • Dec. 14 at Denver, 11:05 a.m.
  • Dec. 21 Baltimore, 8 a.m.
  • Dec. 28 at Cincinnati, 8 a.m.

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Sept. 7 Denver, 7 a.m. HST
  • Sept. 14 at Oakland, 10:15 a.m.
  • Sept. 21 Pittsburgh, 7 a.m.
  • Sept. 28 at Cleveland, 7 a.m.
  • Oct. 5 at Buffalo, 7 a.m.
  • Oct. 19 Baltimore, 7 a.m.
  • Oct. 26 Seattle, 8 a.m.
  • Nov. 2 at Arizona, 11:05 a.m.
  • Nov. 9 Houston, 8 a.m.
  • Nov. 16 Kansas City, 8 a.m.
  • Nov. 23 at San Diego, 11:15 a.m.
  • Nov. 30 at Pittsburgh, 8 a.m.
  • Dec. 7 at Baltimore, 8 a.m.
  • Dec. 14 San Francisco, 8 a.m.
  • Dec. 21 at St. Louis, 8 a.m.
  • Dec. 28 Cleveland, 8 a.m.

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Sept. 7 Baltimore, 7 a.m. HST
  • Sept. 14 at Kansas City, 7 a.m.
  • Sept. 21 at Cincinnati, 7 a.m.
  • Sept. 28 Tennessee, 7 a.m.
  • Oct. 5 Cleveland, 2:30 p.m.
  • Oct. 12 at Denver, 10:15 a.m.
  • Oct. 26 St. Louis, 8 a.m.
  • Nov. 2 at Seattle, 11:05 a.m.
  • Nov. 9 Arizona, 8 a.m.
  • Nov. 17 at San Francisco, 4 p.m.
  • Nov. 23 at Cleveland, 8 a.m.
  • Nov. 30 Cincinnati, 8 a.m.
  • Dec. 7 Oakland, 8 a.m.
  • Dec. 14 at New York Jets, 8 a.m.
  • Dec. 21 San Diego, 11:05 a.m.
  • Dec. 28 at Baltimore, 3:30 p.m.

Outlook

STEELERS

  • LAST YEAR: Kordell Stewart was benched and Tommy Maddox, right, replaced him at QB. Rallied to beat Cleveland in wild-card game but lost in overtime to Tennessee.
  • STRENGTHS: Passing, with Maddox throwing and Hines Ward, Plaxico Burress and Antwaan Randle-El catching. Defensive front seven is strong, and TE is deep.
  • WEAKNESSES: Secondary was largely responsible for defense allowing 30 or more points eight times, more than in any game in 2001.
  • Top additions: TE Jay Riemersma, OT Todd Fordham, G Calvin Collins, WR Chris Doering, LB Cliff Kriewaldt.
  • Rookies to watch: S Troy Polamalu, DE Alonzo Jackson.
  • Key losses: QB Kordell Stewart, OT Wayne Gandy, K Todd Peterson, S Lee Flowers, WR Terance Mathis, LB John Fiala.
  • Goals: RB Jerome Bettis needs to convince coaches he's not through. Marvel Smith must replace Gandy. QB Maddox is on his own now.

BROWNS

  • LAST YEAR: Slipped into playoffs in final week of the season, first postseason appearance in their new incarnation. Lost to Pittsburgh, 36-33, in the wild-card round, blowing a 17-point lead.
  • STRENGTHS: Rookie RB William Green rushed for 887 yards after a slow start. WRs Kevin Johnson, Quincy Morgan, Dennis Northcutt and Andre Davis provide plenty of targets for QBs Tim Couch and Kelly Holcomb.
  • WEAKNESSES: Young group of LBs must replace veterans released in salary cap dump. Secondary in a year in which Browns play many of the league's top WRs.
  • Top additions: LB Barry Gardner, defensive coordinator Dave Campo.
  • Rookie to watch: C Jeff Faine.
  • Key losses: LB Jamir Miller, LB Earl Holmes, TE Mark Campbell, CB Corey Fuller, C Dave Wohlabaugh, G Tre Johnson.
  • Goals: Coach Butch Davis must handle QB controversy after naming Kelly Holcomb starter over Tim Couch. Can former top picks Courtney Brown and Gerard Warren play up to potential?

RAVENS

  • LAST YEAR: Despite extensive salary-cap related purge and loss of LB Ray Lewis to shoulder injury midway through season, youthful Ravens stayed in playoff contention.
  • STRENGTHS: Defense, which returns almost everyone from unit that was good even without Lewis.
  • WEAKNESSES: Little QB experience. Chris Redman, whose first year as starter was cut short by injury, has edge over rookie Kyle Boller and Anthony Wright.
  • Top additions: WR Marcus Robinson, CB Corey Fuller, OT Orlando Brown, WR Frank Sanders, linebackers coach Mike Singletary.
  • Rookies to watch: LB Terrell Suggs, Boller.
  • Key losses: QB Jeff Blake, WR Brandon Stokley, FB Sam Gash.
  • Goals: Find out whether Redman is ready. Orlando Brown returns after three years out nursing eye injury. Singletary tries to make Suggs a linebacker and connect with superstar Lewis.

BENGALS

  • LAST YEAR: Repeatedly shuffled QBs, finished with worst record in franchise history, replaced coach Dick LeBeau with Marvin Lewis.
  • STRENGTHS: Running game featuring Corey Dillon, deep corps of receivers led by Chad Johnson.
  • WEAKNESSES: QB Jon Kitna is prone to mistakes, secondary is thin.
  • Top additions: Head coach Lewis, LB Kevin Hardy, DT John Thornton, DL Carl Powell, TE Reggie Kelly, CB Tory James, DE Duane Clemons, QB Shane Matthews, S Rogers Beckett.
  • Rookies to watch: QB Carson Palmer, G Eric Steinbach, WR Kelley Washington, CB Dennis Weathersby.
  • Key losses: LB Takeo Spikes, QB Akili Smith, S Cory Hall, FB Lorenzo Neal, QB Gus Frerotte.
  • Goals: Kitna must convince coach Marvin Lewis he should remain the starter. Fans will push Lewis to see rookie Palmer. Lewis retools defense.