Written by Rohit Ghosh
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AFC North: 2015 NFL Previews
Why do we think AccuScore’s NFL picks are the best around? Look at the numbers
The consistently-dominant AFC North enters the 2015 season ready to cement itself as the baddest division out there. In the last seven years, which division has sent the most number of teams to the postseason? The AFC North (15). To take it a step further, the AFC North has sent at least two teams to the playoffs in six of those seven years.
Just as Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Marvin Jones said recently, other divisions have it much easier - specifically when looking at divisional faceoffs.
AccuScore has picks against the spread and on totals for all games: ALL NFL Week 1 Picks and Updated Odds
Pittsburgh's Improvement on D
Just how bad was the Steelers' defense last year? It was its worst in Expected Points Metric in the history of the statistic. Despite Ben Roethlisberger throwing for league-highs and leading the offense to possibly its best season since he was drafted, the Steelers came up short in the wild-card round to the Baltimore Ravens.
With Big Ben still in the fold, and Antonio Brown and Le'Veon Bell ready to dominate, the Steelers are on the cusp of a long postseason run. According to ESPN, however, the Steelers have the strongest strength of schedule in 2015.
After drafting a linebacker in the first round, Pittsburgh knows the young defense has nowhere to go but up. Keep an eye out for a much more balanced Steelers team in 2015.
With Kubiak gone, can Flacco succeed?
The biggest storyline surrounding the Ravens entering the 2015 season is how successful Joe Flacco can be with the departure of offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak. They were practically a match made in heaven; Kubiak's emphasis on the run game and play-action sets highlighted Flacco's strengths.
With Marc Trestman now in the fold, all eyes in Baltimore will be on the offense. Any hiccups early on will magnify the fact that the team just doesn't have very many proven passing targets. NFL Special: Use coupon code "NFLmonth" for 25% off membership (limited time offer): Click Here to become a member today!
Related:
2015 NFC East Preview
2015 NFC South Preview
2015 AFC South Preview
2015 AFC East Preview
