NFL Futures Betting – Immaturity and Age Plague AFC North

Tight NFL Futures Odds in Messy AFC North

The AFC North is consistently one of the most grueling division in all of football, and with the recent arrivals of big names in the group, things are going to get ever more intriguing.

There is perhaps no other division filled with more question marks on, and off, the field.

Baltimore Ravens (-115 odds to win AFC North)

Using a late press by the shifty Ray Rice, the Ravens ranked fifth in rushing yards per game last season with 137.5 ground gains in 2009. The team went 9-7 ATS but was horrible on the road against the NFL betting line.

Baltimore will be hoping that the sudden arrival of Anquan Boldin, along with Donte Stallworth, will give Joe Flacco the tools he needs at receiver to provide a more balanced offensive attack.

The one part that of the Ravens that makes them a no-no bet is the aging defense. Ed Reed may still be one of the best safeties in the game, but he’ll be 32-years old by the time the season gets under full swing and his speed will deteriorate.

Ray Lewis is already 35-years old, and the fiery leader is already aging in dog years, a fact that was belabored last years by NFL experts.

Can the defense support its new, blossoming offense? I’m not so confident.

Pittsburgh Steelers (+210 odds to win AFC North)

Everything that was great about the Pittsburgh Steelers has suddenly vanished.

Ben Roethlisberger will miss six games to start the season with a suspension, Santonio Holmes was kicked off the plane for his excesses baggage (literally and figuratively) and the Steelers have suffered a massive blow on the offensive line with the loss of a starting offensive tackle.

All those issues may be more than the grizzled Steeler Nation can handle and although the NFL division winner odds are somewhat attractive for their return, it’s unfathomable to think that this team can survive six games as a new-look team.

I have serious questions about the reliability of the passing game now, but I’m still not sure what to make of a rushing attack that seemed lifeless last season.

Cincinnati Bengals (+300 odds to win AFC North)

Carson Palmer and Cedric Benson led the stunning Bengals to the AFC North title last season, but sudden issues around Benson have surfaced making his season a question mark. Will he miss a few games? You’ll have to wait and see.

What makes this team attractive is the arrival of Antonio Bryant, who will play alongside Chad Johnson.

They’re eerily similar on the field, so using two flanks may not be the best option for the Bengals, but they’re getting desperate as Carson Palmer gets older. Best value on the board.

Cleveland Browns (+1500 odds to win AFC North)

The Cleveland Browns are run by a new manager, Mike Holmgren, who has been brought in specifically to erase the decades of doubt and embarrassment that this team has endured.

Why he thought that Jake Delhomme’s 30 interceptions over the last two years would fix that for the fans is completely unfathomable unless he has a crystal ball. Unfortunately, when you talk about Cleveland, dumb moves seem to be the norm.