Poll: Who's not returning to the playoffs?
July, 3, 2012
7/03/12
12:00
PM ET
By
Jamison Hensley | ESPN.com
ESPN is currently running a two-week series on five teams that could make the playoffs that didn't last year and five teams that made the playoffs last year but won't this season.
Why the focus on five teams? Well, that's been the trend for the past 16 seasons. Dating back to 1996, at least five teams have qualified for the playoffs that missed the postseason before.
This impacts the AFC North significantly because three teams in the division -- the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals -- made the playoffs last season. So, which team is the unlikeliest to return to the postseason from the AFC North?
The Bengals haven't put together back-to-back winning seasons since 1981-82. The Steelers are installing a new offensive system under Todd Haley and could be without two starters to begin the season (nose tackle Casey Hampton and running back Rashard Mendenhall). And the Ravens will be without Terrell Suggs, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, for a large chunk of the season and might not see running back Ray Rice until the end of the preseason because of the franchise tag.
Go ahead and register your vote. Let me know what you think in the comments section below or drop me some mail.
This impacts the AFC North significantly because three teams in the division -- the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals -- made the playoffs last season. So, which team is the unlikeliest to return to the postseason from the AFC North?
The Bengals haven't put together back-to-back winning seasons since 1981-82. The Steelers are installing a new offensive system under Todd Haley and could be without two starters to begin the season (nose tackle Casey Hampton and running back Rashard Mendenhall). And the Ravens will be without Terrell Suggs, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, for a large chunk of the season and might not see running back Ray Rice until the end of the preseason because of the franchise tag.
Go ahead and register your vote. Let me know what you think in the comments section below or drop me some mail.
- ESPN AFC North Blogger
- A University of Maryland graduate
- Lives in the Baltimore area with his wife
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Jamison Hensley
Hensley joined ESPN.com in 2011 after covering the Ravens for The Baltimore Sun for 11 years. A graduate of the University of Maryland, he lives in the Baltimore area with his wife and son.
You must be signed in to post a comment