SB Nation's NFL site on the Pittsburgh Steelers, Behind The Steel Curtain, took a look at the Baltimore Ravens road to repeating as AFC North champs a lot tougher than it was winning the title last season.
Just like everyone else, they see an aging defense and the free agency losses and cannot imagine the team being as good as it was in 2011. They note that QB Joe Flacco couldn't get the job done but fail to acknowledge how well he played in the AFC Championship Game and it's hard to pin that loss on his shoulders.
For the past five years, they say the same thing everyone else does about Ray Lewis losing a step and now add Ed Reed to the mix, calling him "bitter" for his indecision about returning to play again. Ravens fans think otherwise. Yeas, we know Ray is not anywhere close to the guy he once was, but he still makes others around him better and you can be sure opposing QB's still make sure they know where he is when coming up under center.
BTSC and it's readers don't like the Ravens chances and sees the Steelers as well as the Cincinnati Bengals finishing ahead of them in 2012. It's funny how fans of their teams see both their team and their opponents through much different team-colored glasses.