AFCN is the place to be

[BlitzburghRockCity]

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pitt.../s_471945.html

By Mike Prisuta
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, September 24, 2006


The first, in what should be a series of six marquee games, will be played today at Heinz Field, when the Cincinnati Bengals visit the Steelers.
It's the first elite-vs.-elite meeting in the AFC North Division, and it ought to be something to see, as it should when the Bengals and Ravens, and the Ravens and Steelers get together.

Can it get any better than that?

Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer thinks not.

"Everybody keeps talking about the NFC East being the toughest division," Palmer said. "I think we can go pound for pound with them. I think we can give any division a run for their money."

Palmer included the woeful Browns in his presentation for AFC North superiority -- "They're going to win a lot of games this year." -- which reveals that perhaps wide receiver Chad Johnson wasn't the only Bengals player knocked "a little loopy" last Sunday.

Still, the point is well taken.

The NFC East is the national media darling, mostly because New York, Philadelphia, Dallas and Washington are more heavily populated and more interesting places than Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Baltimore.

But the AFC North remains the place where the best football will be played this season.

The AFCN used to be one of the bottom basement divisions. Everybody always felt it was weak, and by in large it was. The browns have sucked forever, the bengals sucked for over a decade, the jags were ok but still young back then, the oilers/titans were competitive but by in large it was a fairly week division.

Now its full of talent everywhere, 2 playoff teams from last year, 2 undefeated teams this year and after this sunday there should be a 3 way tie for first place. It's definately the toughest division, that much is clear !

[Prosdo]

The AFCN is definitely coming up. I'm glad it is. It's going to make the Steelers that much better.

[Steelersfan]

It is a tough division. Only downfall is it will be tougher to make the playoffs with three teams beating up on each other. Whoever gets the upper hand against the other two with have a huge advantage for the division title.
So it starts today for us! Time to get up on them Bengals and Ravens!

[BlitzburghRockCity]

Got that right, with 3 teams right now playing for the top spot we need to stay with them and then work to separate ourselves as the year goes on.

[AZ_Steeler]

THE AFCN is probably the second toughest division in the league, right behind the NFCE. It's definitely one of the toughest divisions though and the teams are going to be beating up on one another.