The Raven's QB Joe Flacco has become the passer Baltimore has sought after for years. Their defense, akin to the Steelers, will be stingy all season. Pittsburgh will start the season with Byron Leftwich at QB, a capable back-up who would be a starter on many other teams. If the Steelers defense closed out games in the fourth quarter and their special teams unit was not abhorred, they probably would have won the North last year. Those areas will be the determining factor between a .500 club and a playoff contender. Cleveland will be the surprise team of '10. Veteran QB Jake Delhomme brings stability and a newly found running game will keep the pressure off their defense. After a 1-11 start last year, they closed out the season with four wins. That was no fluke.

The AFC South will be a complete mirror image of the NFC East, three probable playoff contenders and the fourth, no pushover by any stretch. Jacksonville, just a couple years removed from being Super Bowl contenders, watched their defense allow 300 or more yards in 14 of 16 games. QB David Garrard does not scare defenses and that allows them to contain their running game. The Titans recovered admirably in '09 after their 0-6 start and finished with an 8-2 mark after reinserting Vince Young at QB. Young performed exceptionally well but by the time this took place, there was no pressure for the playoffs. Young has not seen a critical game since '07 and add that to his off-the-field woes, 2010 may be his make or break year.

The Colts have made the playoffs for the last eight years. QB Peyton Manning never gets injured and has a bad game maybe once a year. All streaks come to an end and this may be the year. With a brutal schedule and Manning's age starting to be whispered about, Indianapolis may have serious competition for not only the division but a wild-card position. Everyone saw '09 as Houston's year. They were only a year off. Houston started the first half at 5-3 and promptly went on to lose four straight division games to all but kill any hope of their 1st playoff berth. After closing out the year with four wins to stand at 9-7, the Texans hold the inside track to upending the Colts. If QB Matt Schaub is given a running game to keep the defense honest, anything is possible. Their defense is young, energetic and opportunistic in the takeaways.

The AFC West is…well San Diego's…what a shock! Denver started the season at 6-0 but faded fast, finishing at 8-8. If the Chargers pull away early, they may not fare well in January. It does not help their NFC divisional opponents will be the West.


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