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Pittsburgh Steelers are on a steady decline: Tony Grossi's AFC North preview
Published: Thursday, July 22, 2010, 1:12 AM Updated: Thursday, July 22, 2010, 8:12 AM
Tony Grossi, The Plain Dealer

As NFL training camps prepare to open next week, Plain Dealer pro football and Browns beat reporter Tony Grossi takes a closer look at Cleveland's rivals in the AFC North Division.

No team in the AFC North suffered a worse off-season than the Pittsburgh Steelers.

To wit:

• Franchise quarterback Ben Roethlisberger drew nationwide and civic scorn, plus a six-game NFL suspension, following accusations that he sexually assaulted a 20-year-old woman March 5 in Milledgeville, Ga.

• Receiver Santonio Holmes, MVP of the team's 2008 season Super Bowl championship, was traded to the Jets after an off-field transgression in March.

• Right tackle Willie Colon and receiver Limas Sweed were lost for the season after suffering Achilles tendon injuries in off-season practices. Charles Scott, a rookie tackle who may have competed to fill Colon's starting spot, broke a bone in his foot working out and will need three months to recover from surgery.

Then came news that top draft choice Maurkice Pouncey, a natural center expected to start at right guard, is the focus of an NCAA investigation of the Florida football program. That won't affect Pouncey's NFL career, of course, but it piled on the bad news for a franchise that has declined steadily since winning the Super Bowl in the 2008 season.

At a youth football camp in Pittsburgh last week, Kevin Colbert, the Steelers' director of football operations, said: "We know we have a huge challenge ahead of us. We didn't have the type of off-season that we're proud of."

Related stories
Baltimore Ravens plan to be in the running for title
Cincinnati Bengals have experts ... and history ... working against them
Roethlisberger may have his suspension lifted after four games. In his place, the Steelers plan to use Byron Leftwich, who appeared in five games for them in their most recent Super Bowl year. Leftwich was immobile when he was 24 -- six years ago. His effectiveness behind an offensive line in disrepair is a huge question mark.

As always the case with Pittsburgh, there are fewer questions on defense. Draft selections Jason Worilds and Thaddeus Gibson will be phased in gradually as situational rushers, per the Steelers Way. But with age creeping up on their formidable defensive front and rock-solid linebacker James Farrior, who is 35, the Steelers need to have an offense on the rise, not on the descent, to remain an elite contender.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS


Full camp opens: July 30, Saint Vincent College, Latrobe, Pa.


2009 result: 9-7, missed playoffs.


2009 vs. Browns: 1-1. 27-14 in Pittsburgh, 6-13 in Cleveland.


2010 outlook: Back to the pack.


2010 uncommon opponents: Tennessee and Oakland.


Rookie to watch: OL Maurkice Pouncey. The Florida center, who had higher rankings than the Browns' Alex Mack in 2009, will break in as a starting guard.


Veteran to watch: QB Byron Leftwich. Reacquired in a trade with Tampa Bay in April, the immobile passer will start while Ben Roethlisberger serves a six-game league suspension.


Training camp issues: How will Roethlisberger's off-season troubles affect his relationship with teammates while coaches ready Leftwich for the season opener? How does the depleted offensive line scramble to protect the immobile Leftwich? Can safety Troy Polamalu prepare for the season without suffering another injury?

Cincinnati Bengals have experts ... and history ... working against them: Tony Grossi's AFC North preview
Published: Monday, July 19, 2010, 11:48 PM Updated: Thursday, July 22, 2010, 8:09 AM
Tony Grossi, The Plain Dealer



CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cincinnati Bengals head to training camp on July 28 in an enviable position.

They're the defending champions of the Browns' division and are not the favorites to repeat. Most preseason prognosticators have greater respect for Baltimore. That sentiment removes a small burden from the team and replaces it with a convenient motivating chip.

Why do few believe in the Bengals?

The previous time the Bengals won the division in 2005, they followed with an 8-8 season and missed the playoffs. In fact, the Bengals have not made playoff appearances in back-to-back seasons in 28 years. Somehow, they will self-destruct, goes the thinking.

There's also the perception that quarterback Carson Palmer, 30, is on a decline that began with his knee injury in the 2005 playoffs and worsened with an elbow injury in 2008. The statistics support the contention.



View full sizeJoshua Gunter / PDAntonio Bryant, who played for the Browns in 2004 and 2005, is the new go-to receiver for the Bengals.
But even if Palmer has seen his better days, here are some reasons not to count out the Bengals:

• The additions of free agent Antonio Bryant, and rookies Jordan Shipley and Jermaine Gresham, give Palmer more receiving weapons than he's had in his career in Cincinnati.

• The defense under coordinator Mike Zimmer rose to fourth in overall yards, seventh against the rush and sixth against the pass -- a top-10 hat trick it hadn't accomplished since 1983.

• They're getting back pass-rush specialist Antwan Odom, who had eight sacks in three games last year before suffering a season-ending Achilles tendon injury.

The Bengals play in the first NFL preseason game Aug. 8 in Canton. It would not surprise themselves, at least, if they're also playing in the last postseason game, Feb. 6, in Dallas.

Cincinnati Bengals

Full camp opens: July 28, Georgetown College, Georgetown, Ky.

2009 result: 10-7, lost to Jets in wildcard.

2009 vs. Browns: 2-0; 23-20 in Cleveland, 16-7 in Cincinnati.

2010 outlook: Playoff contender.

2010 uncommon opponents: San Diego and Indianapolis.

Coming Tuesday: A look at the Baltimore Ravens
Rookie to watch: WR Jordan Shipley, third round. Colt McCoy's favorite receiver at Texas will battle Andre Caldwell for the team's key slot receiver role. Coaches envision him as a Wes Welker type.

Veteran to watch: WR Antonio Bryant. The one-time Brown hit the jackpot in free agency with a four-year contract for $28 million. He's the new go-to guy for Carson Palmer.

Training camp issues: Is Adam (nee Pac Man) Jones ready to put his troubles aside and contribute as a nickel cornerback and return specialist? Will defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer assimilate 2009 draft picks Michael Johnson and Rey Maualuga into a 3-4 look? Will former Ohio State standout Mike Nugent or Dave Rayner replace kicker Shayne Graham, who gagged twice in a playoff loss against the Jets?

Baltimore Ravens plan to be in the running for title: Tony Grossi's AFC North preview
Published: Wednesday, July 21, 2010, 2:30 AM Updated: Thursday, July 22, 2010, 8:12 AM
Tony Grossi, The Plain Dealer

As NFL training camps prepare to open next week, Plain Dealer pro football and Browns beat reporter Tony Grossi takes a closer look at Cleveland's rivals in the AFC North division.

The Baltimore Ravens are "all in" this season. They don't have to state their Super Bowl expectations. Their actions speak clearly to them.

After falling short offensively in the playoffs in two straight seasons behind rising quarterback Joe Flacco, the Ravens made two substantial investments to put the team over the top.

•They traded two draft picks to Arizona for prolific wide receiver Anquan Boldin, and then signed him to a four-year contract with $10 million in guaranteed money.

• They signed veteran free-agent quarterback Marc Bulger to a one-year deal that is worth, reportedly, at least $3.8 million and potentially as much as $5.3 million.

The latter move spoke volumes about Baltimore's expectations. If Flacco is lost for any time because of injury, the Ravens don't want their season derailed.

Bulger, 33, was the most accomplished quarterback available in the NFL after the St. Louis Rams released him to hand their team's future to top draft pick Sam Bradford. If Flacco lost any time because of injury, the Ravens did not want to rest their playoff hopes in the unproven hands of Cleveland native Troy Smith or John Beck.

In Baltimore this week, Flacco expressed concern for his buddies' future and hoped the arrival of Bulger doesn't create "tension" in the quarterback meeting room during training camp. You'd expect club officials to shrug off Flacco's comments. Most observers in the NFL feel the acquisition of Bulger was a brilliant, if expensive, insurance policy.

The Ravens were the most recent team to make it to, and win, a Super Bowl predominantly on defense. That was in the 2000 season. The league has steered ever more toward offense since then, and Baltimore's moves are an admission that the club cannot get where it wants exclusively with defense.

That said, the major weakness of the team heading into camp remains its defensive secondary. They do have some prospects to work with, but the Ravens did not rush for help there. They must feel if the offense is more explosive and forces opponents to play catch-up, the secondary will be good enough.




Baltimore Ravens

Full camp opens: July 28, McDaniel College, Westminster, Md.

2009 result: 10-8, lost to Colts in divisional playoff.

2009 vs. Browns: 2-0; 34-3 in Baltimore, 16-0 in Cleveland.

2010 outlook: Super Bowl contender.

2010 uncommon opponents: Denver and Houston.

Rookie to watch: DT Terrence Cody. The 360-pound-plus defensive tackle from Alabama was taken in the second round to stuff the run on first and second downs and free up Haloti Ngata to pressure the quarterback.

Veteran to watch: WR Anquan Boldin. In seven seasons in Arizona, Boldin averaged 84 catches for 1,074 yards and six touchdowns playing second fiddle to Larry Fitzgerald. Now he's "the man."

Training camp issues: Is second-year tackle Michael Oher ready to take over as Joe Flacco's blind-side protector on the left side? Will safety Ed Reed miss most of training camp and part of the season after undergoing hip surgery in the off-season? Will young cornerbacks Lardarius Webb and Cary Williams develop quickly enough to fill the only void on defense?

P.M. Cleveland Browns links: Haden a holdout? McCoy a washout?
Published: Wednesday, July 21, 2010, 5:26 PM Updated: Wednesday, July 21, 2010, 5:36 PM
Starting Blocks, The Plain Dealer

Cleveland, Ohio -- Mike Florio of profootballtalk.com is reporting that it seems likely that rookie defensive back Joe Haden will not be in camp when rookies report on Friday.

When Browns coach Eric Mangini on Monday's edition of "The Dan Patrick Show" . . . Mangini expressed optimism that the team's top three draft picks -- cornerback Joe Haden, running back Montario Hardesty and quarterback Colt McCoy -- would sign their contracts in time for camp. (We forgot to mention second-rounder T.J. Ward.)

But the rookies report Friday, and camp opens several days later. And while it's possible that Hardesty and McCoy will be signed, Haden's deal presents a couple of challenges.

For starters, Haden is represented by a relatively inexperienced agent, Malik Shareef. Then there's the fact that Haden is operating out of the same No. 7 overall slot occupied in 2009 by receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey, to whom the Raiders paid a whopper of a deal – five years, with $23.5 million guaranteed.

The floor for Haden's deal will be set by another Raiders' top-ten pick, linebacker Rolando McClain. It would be foolish not to wait and see whether the Raiders do another foolish deal.


Um, Joe and Malik, Starting Blocks advises not holding your breath. The Raiders are the same Raiders who paid JaMarcus Russell $61 million to stink up Oakland (coincidence that the Raiders share colors with a skunk? We think not!). Mike Holmgren is not Al Davis.

Colt not the ride the Browns need?
Apparently, Geremy Graham doesn't think Colt McCoy is . . . nah, we can't say it. Too easy. Let's just say that the bleacherreport.com contributor doesn't think McCoy is going to be the savior Browns fans apparently feel he may be.

It's hard to say this, because he is a class act, but Colt McCoy just doesn't have what it takes to win in the city of Cleveland.

That is too much to ask of even Peyton Manning, let alone Colt McCoy.

Colt McCoy was a fantastic college quarterback, there is no arguing that, but he played under a system which wasn't a pro-style offense like the West Coast offense he will face in Cleveland.

That is a tough transition for any college quarterback to make, even someone who was as successful during college as Colt McCoy.

His arm strength is average at best, which means he is going to have lots of trouble completing passes at the highest level where athletes are faster and stronger than they have ever been.

Another knock to McCoy is his fragility.

In the 2009 BCS title game, he looked to continue his winning ways holding the reins in Texas, but the sheer physicality for the Alabama defense proved to be too much for McCoy.

They bullied McCoy from the starting whistle, knocking him out of the game on just the fifth play from scrimmage.

This is just a taste of what he will face when he plays with the big boys in the NFL. The athletes are bigger, meaner, and more ferocious.

Could you imagine what is going to happen to Colt McCoy when he plays against the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers?

Graham may be right. But a decent line and a good running back make any quarterback better. The Browns have a better than average line, anchored by a potential Hall of Famer in Joe Thomas, and a good, deep corps of running backs with Jerome Harrison and (if he signs) Montario Hardesty.

Plus, Texans like overwhelming odds. Remember the Alamo!

With the CBA uncertainty, I'm expecting most 1st rounders to be holdouts this year.

Why? This is quite likely to be the last big year for massive rookie contracts... I'm expecting that the agents will try to push it for all they can.

I have a tough time taking things about Colt McCoy too seriously. Not only has the guy not played an NFL down, but he's a 3rd round pick.

Should we expect him to succeed? Yes, definitely. But, this isn't like we mortgaged our future on him with a 1st or even 2nd round pick.

Did we pass up some other guys who may have contributed sooner/better than McCoy? Possibly.

But IMHO, the kid was worth a 3rd round pick. If he pans out to be a stud, then we look like geniuses. If he is average to above-average, I'm ok with that. If he flops, what have we lost?

I mean, I know that since the Browns picked him, in the eyes of the press, he's going to suck and the Browns are the dumbest team ever for wasting such a valuable pick on him.

I'm just excited that we've got some football coming soon.

I more or less agree with you - McCoy was a low-risk, high-reward selection and I'm not counting on him to be a saviour -I haven't given him much thought since we drafted him. We didn't gamble a lot to get him, so even if he's average it was a good pick.

Agreed, Prpl. They will milk the cash cows till they drop this year. So how do we go forward from a year like this? Money is weird and not much guidance it seems going forward.

I've been a little worried about Haden's contract situation. With his slotting (same as Heyward-Bay from last year) and since his position is equivalent to a WR (somebody said that and it makes sense), he and his agents could have big big dollar signs in their eyes. That little blurb about him having an inexperienced agent is news to me. Then again, the whole negotiation process is such a cluster-f anyway, his inexperience won't delay things much more than they already are.

I'm sure that things will get done, but I'm expecting some serious drama before then end.

Like someone said above, with a lockout and new CBA looming, I'd expect a lot of late signings for 1st rounders this year. And since we don't expect Haden to start at CB game one, I'm not too worried. It will hurt his progression for sure but.....oh well, it's to be expected with his slotting, the Raiders factor, and the CBA.