The Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals. These are the four teams that highlight the AFC North. With a combined 17 wins, they are the second most winning division in the NFL, behind only the NFC West. The AFC North division is looking to be one of the best in the league, and will continue to do so. Who has the most likely chance to win this division? This article will objectively take look at each team in the AFC North.
Outlook on AFC North, One of League’s Most Competitive Divisions
The Ravens and Steelers will face off in a classic divisional rivalry this Sunday. This game will play a major factor in who will take the division championship at the end of the regular season, considering neither team’s schedule is particularly difficult. The other two teams in this division, the Browns and Bengals, have already matched up twice this year, with the Browns sweeping the series, winning by less than one score each time. This division will prove to be very close, but below is a breakdown of each on both offense and defense.
Pittsburgh Steelers: 6-0
Offense
The Steelers are undoubtedly one of the best teams in the NFL right now. Their offense has been extremely efficient, with one of the best receiving corps in the league. Future Hall of Fame quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has had plenty of help on offense, the highlight being rookie wide receiver Chase Claypool. Claypool was predicted by many to be this year’s “steal of the draft,” and so far, he has been just that. Claypool had a big game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 5, finishing with seven receptions for 110 yards and a whopping four total touchdowns. Alongside Claypool, the Steelers receiving corps features Juju Smith-Schuster, Diontae Johnson, and James Washington. This group of players is arguably one of the top receiving corps in the league, and is a major part of what makes their offense so dangerous. To compliment this elite receiving corps is running back James Conner, who has proven to be effective for them in the backfield. In each game where Conner has had more than fifteen carries, he finished with over 100 yards and one touchdown.
Defense
On the other side of the ball, Pittsburgh continues to be one of the best all-around defenses in the league. They have yet to allow a one hundred yard rusher, which is incredible considering they have faced running backs like Saquon Barkley, Miles Sanders, Kareem Hunt, and most impressively, Derrick Henry, who they held to less than eighty yards on the ground. Their secondary is great as well, but has not played up to its full potential quite yet. Teams may look to exploit this weak secondary play as the season progresses. However, their elite pass rush may have something to say about that. Defensive Player of the Year candidate and All-Pro T.J. Watt, along with top-tier pass rusher Bud Dupree, highlight the Steelers defensive line, and cause a major problem for opposing offensive lines looking to give their quarterback time to pass on the Steelers.
Overall, the Steelers have been one of the league’s most well-rounded and elite teams. They will be a force to be reckoned with as this season progresses, and can definitely make it deep into the playoffs. They are a definite contender in the AFC North, and are the most likely candidate to win it as of right now.
Baltimore Ravens: 5-1
Offense
The Baltimore Ravens have also looked very good through their first six games. They have beaten bad teams very dominantly, unlike the Steelers who tend to play down to bad teams consistently. The Ravens offense has yet to find its rhythm from last year, however, from when it rushed for the most yards by any team in NFL history. Reigning MVP Lamar Jackson has not played at his best level to this point, and his receiving corps has not helped him do so. Ravens number one receiver Marquise Brown has been mediocre at best so far this season. His best game was Week 1 against the Browns, when he had six receptions for 101 yards, including one deep ball he caught. All in all, the Ravens offense has been off so far, and that was most obvious in their loss against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 3, and in their Week Six win against the Eagles.
Defense
On the other hand, the Ravens defense has been absolutely amazing this season. Their defense has allowed an average of 17.3 points per game, as opposed to Pittsburgh’s 19.7. They have forced the most fumbles in the NFL, and have the longest active streak of having at least one turnover per game. The Ravens also recently traded for Pro Bowl defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, who should make a huge impact on their struggling pass rush, and should strengthen their run defense even more. As for the secondary, the Ravens have the best cornerback duo in the NFL, with All-Pros Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Peters highlighting the group.
The Ravens secondary is indisputably one of the best in the league, and has played to that level so far this season. The weak pass rush caused them to struggle against the pass this season, but the addition of Ngakoue will definitely help in that area. Last but definitely not least, rookie linebacker Patrick Queen has been a major force on the Ravens defense. He is the leading candidate for Defensive Rookie of the Year because of his extraordinary performance so far. Queen has forced two fumbles (on Nick Chubb and Joe Burrow). He also has two sacks, two fumble recoveries, and a defensive touchdown. He and Humphrey have been quite the linebacker-cornerback duo this season. This Ravens defense will assuredly continue to be elite, and will be even better now with the addition of Yannick Ngakoue.
Cleveland Browns: 5-2
Offense
The Cleveland Browns have been extremely inconsistent this season. In both of their losses, to the Steelers and Ravens, they gave up 38 points and only scored one touchdown. However, in their five wins, they scored an average of 37.4 points per game. The Browns offensive line has been one of the best in the league, and former Heisman Trophy winner and first overall pick Baker Mayfield has played well for the most part. However, the Browns have lost their two biggest stars, in their Pro Bowl running back Nick Chubb, and Pro Bowl receiver Odell Beckham Jr. Beckham is out for the season, whereas Chubb is projected to return in the near future. Regardless, the Browns offense looks great, and their next man up is not a significant downgrade at either position, with Kareem Hunt as the Browns backup running back, and Jarvis Landry as the Browns next receiver in line after OBJ. The Browns offense should not suffer too much from the Beckham injury, but they are most likely looking for Chubb to return as soon as possible.
Defense
The Browns defense has been mediocre at best so far this season, however. Defensive end Myles Garrett has been one of the few bright spots of that defense, and he is looking to be the frontrunner for the Defensive Player of the Year award. But the rest of the defense has not performed as well, allowing an average of 31.6 points per game. Cornerback Denzel Ward has yet to make the impact that Cleveland expects him to, and free safety Andrew Sendejo has perhaps been one of the most unproductive players on the Browns. The Cleveland defense will need to step up if the Browns want to be serious playoff contenders this season.
Cincinnati Bengals: 1-5-1
Offense
Finally, the Cincinnati Bengals, who are among the worst teams in the NFL. The Bengals offense highlights rookie quarterback Joe Burrow, who is coming off the best college season by a quarterback in NCAA history. Burrow has not performed poorly in the NFL, but rather he needs more protection from the offensive line. The Bengals receiving corps is one of the few bright things about their team, with Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins highlighting the group. A.J. Green has not played the way he has in prior years, but Boyd and Higgins have made up for that. Joe Mixon is also a great running back for them and he is arguably one of the top 10 running backs in the league. Regardless of this, they have only scored an average of 23.3 points per game.
Defense
The Bengals defense has been absolutely atrocious, however. They have no significant playmakers besides Carlos Dunlap (traded on Wednesday to the Seattle Seahawks)and Jessie Bates, who are both average at their best. Their defense is statistically bottom five in rush defense, and they also have a bottom 10 pass defense. Though coaching may be a major issue, the Bengals really need to upgrade their roster. While they won’t contend in 2020, the Bengals can most definitely be a serious contender in 2-5 years if their front office can make the right moves.
The AFC North is one of the most competitive divisions in football and will continue to be so for years to come. It will be interesting to see how many teams will make the playoffs from this division, and who will get the home playoff game by winning the division.
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