Sports betting aficionados, when considering the direction of the NFL’s AFC North Division in 2010, will have a difficult choice to make, that is if they are not watching UFC 116 Betting. Will the Cincinnati Bengals claim the division, or will it be the Baltimore Ravens?

Yes, that question might seem surprising, but at least for 2010, it will be hard to think otherwise. The Pittsburgh Steelers, winners of two of the past five Super Bowl titles, are simply not positioned well for the upcoming campaign, not with the departure of Santonio Holmes and the loss of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for at least one-fourth of the regular season, if not more. The Steelers have a lot of issues and deficiencies to deal with, so the debate in the Northbet concerns the Bengals and the boys from Baltimore.

The Ravens loaded up on defense in the 2010 NFL Draft and are trying to build a unit as nasty as the group that brought the franchise its one Super Bowl title back in the 2000 season. The Ravens didn’t win the North last year (the Bengals did, of course), but they advanced farther in the postseason than any other team from the North. They’ll be very tough to deal with, especially if quarterback Joe Flacco can cut down on turnovers and regain the form he exhibited in his stellar 2008 season.

If Cincinnati is to win the North, NFL betting gurus will need to see one thing in particular from coach Marvin Lewis’ team: a dramatically improved passing game. Despite the presence of Carson Palmer under center, Cincy’s aerial attack really never got going in 2009. In a home-field wild card playoff loss to the New York Jets, the Bengals’ vertical game was nowhere to be found. Yes, the Jets have the league’s best secondary, but Cincinnati’s lack of passing potency still rated as a notable disappointment. If the addition of downfield pass-catching tight end Jermaine Gresham can loosen up defenses, perhaps Cincy will come out on top in the North. The smart money, though, should rest with the Ravens.