Even though the Cincinnati Bengals won the AFC North last season, the Pittsburgh Steelers have typically been the dominant team in the division over the last half-decade. With Baltimore on the rise, however, this could definitely change. Let’s take a look at the AFC North in 2010.

Cincinnati Bengals. Some have speculated that the division-winning 2009 Bengals were a fluke. The Bengals defense was one of the stronger units in the league last year and they should be strong again in 2010, which could keep them in the divisional race. The main problem, though, is on offense. Carson Palmer is supposed to be much better than he actually is and who knows how strong Cedric Benson will be in his second season as a full-time running back; Benson also could be facing disciplinary action from the NFL for off-field incidents. After scoring only 14 points more than their opponents – by far the worst differential out of 2009 division winners – the Bengals look like a .500 team.

Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens are one of the scariest teams in the league. Last season, they scored 130 points more than their opponents, which was a better point differential than playoff teams Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles and the Arizona Cardinals. The Ravens also had an impressive playoff win in Foxboro against the Patriots last season, providing a bit of postseason experience for young quarterback Joe Flacco. In running back Ray Rice, the Ravens also have one of the most explosive players in the league that helps sell tons of NFL tickets.

And that was last year. This season, the Ravens will have wideout Anquan Boldin to throw the ball to after Cialis Professional bringing him over from Arizona in the offseason. Boldin’s presence will give them a legit number one and let Derrick Mason move to the number two slot, where he should be very effective. Even though the Ravens defense is getting up there age-wise, they still have plenty of talent at all three levels and continue to be one of the best units around. Ray Lewis may have lost a step but he’s still a fierce leader that demands excellence from the other players on defense. If Joe Flacco can take a step up, something he has the talent to do, then the Ravens have the skill and playmakers to make a serious playoff run.

Cleveland Browns. It’s probably going to be a rebuilding year for the Browns, which happens every now and again for most teams in the NFL. Getting rid of both Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn could be the right move for the long-term if Mike Holmgren doesn’t believe that either is a viable starter, but that leaves them in a precarious position for 2010. Jake Delhomme is a solid quarterback to step in week one, but no one has any delusions that he’s going to be leading the Browns back to the playoffs. It’s going to be a struggle for the Browns to score points all season long and it will be hard for them to get out of the basement.

Pittsburgh Steelers. With Ben Roethlisberger’s suspension at the beginning of the season, the Steelers will have to rely on either Dennis Dixon or Byron Leftwich to get the job done at the beginning of the year. After not reaching the playoffs in 2009, the Steelers didn’t add enough to their struggling defense to make them overcome Big Ben’s suspension or the more talented Ravens. A healthy Troy Polamalu will make a huge difference in the secondary but they’re going to have lots of competition from the AFC East for a Wild Card spot.

Overall: The division looks to be Baltimore’s to lose. On paper, they aren’t just one of the best teams in the division but one of the best in the league. The Bengals and Steelers are two quality teams that won’t be handing over the division, but it doesn’t seem like they have the talent and depth to match the Ravens, who are a dark horse to go to the Super Bowl.

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