There are going to be many tightly contested divisional races in the NFL this year. However, one division stands out from the rest, and that is the AFC North. This division has four teams that can all compete for a playoff spot, and all could easily finish with a winning record. Let’s take a deeper dive into this division, and how it may shake out.
The Best Division In Football
Baltimore Ravens
This is a loaded roster. Baltimore won the division last year and made an appearance in the AFC Championship Game. Superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson is coming off of his second career MVP and has shown no signs of regression. The Ravens signed workhorse running back Derrick Henry in the offseason as well. Henry has rushed for at least 1,000 yards in five of his last six seasons, and the only season he missed this mark was when he got injured and only played in eight games. The passing attack has always been Baltimore’s biggest question mark. Zay Flowers and Mark Andrews are their two best pass catchers, but both are coming off of mediocre seasons. Flowers is entering his second season, so his growth will have a big impact on Baltimore’s ceiling.
Defensively, the Ravens have the best unit in the division. Last season, this defense led the league in sacks, finished 4th in opponent yards per game, and first in opponent points per game. Baltimore dominated defensively, against both the run and pass. Linebacker Patrick Queen left in free agency to sign with the Steelers, and this is a significant loss. However, there is still no reason to believe this won’t be a top-five unit again this season as most of the other members of last year’s defense are returning. Kyle Hamilton is one of the best safeties in football, and Roquan Smith is an absolute force at linebacker.
Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati is coming off of a disappointing season. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati’s franchise quarterback, played in just 10 of the team’s 17 games last season, which contributed to the struggles of the team. After making the AFC Championship Game in 2022, and the Super Bowl in 2021, the Bengals are primed for a bounce-back season. In 2022, this team was seventh in the league in points per game, 11th in yards per game, 5th in first downs, and seventh in passing yards per game. With a healthy Joe Burrow, there’s no reason this offense can’t repeat this production, and become a top 10 unit once again.
The Bengals were not only elite offensively in 2022, but they were also elite defensively. They allowed the fifth-fewest points per game in the league along with the fifth-fewest rushing yards per game. However, this unit has been vulnerable through the air in the past. Teams will look to exploit this when matching up against Cincinnati, and it will be an important area for the Bengals to improve on if they want to return to contention.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh has been far from elite for quite a few years, but their coach is still Mike Tomlin. Mike Tomlin doesn’t have losing seasons. He hasn’t had a losing season in any year with the Steelers, dating back to when he was hired as head coach in 2007. Now that Kenny Pickett is no longer the quarterback, there is some hope that the Steelers’ offense can finally make some noise. The team brought in veteran quarterback Russell Wilson to be the starter. Justin Fields, traded from Chicago, will serve as the backup. Both of these players should fare better than Pickett did in Pittsburgh. Watch out for a breakout season from wide receiver George Pickens. Pickens had a very promising rookie year with Pickett as his quarterback. With Diontae Johnson no longer on the team, Pickens should have no competition for targets, especially with an upgrade at quarterback.
The Steelers have always been built on tough defenses. Last year was not much different. With a lackluster offense, the Pittsburgh defense stepped up and carried the load for most of the season. This unit embodied a bend but don’t break approach to defense. This means that they are willing to give up yards as long as they hold opponents out of the end zone. This led to a team that ranked 8th in opponents allowed per game but 21st in opponent yards per game. Nevertheless, this defense’s ability to hold people out of the end zone was a major reason the Steelers went 10-7 and snuck into the playoffs. TJ Watt continues to be one of, if not the best pass rusher in the league. Look for him to continue to disrupt opposing offenses.
Cleveland Browns
The Browns actually had a good season last year, and it flew somewhat under the radar. However, in order to make another playoff appearance, the offense has to improve. Deshaun Watson disappointed in his first full season as the Browns quarterback and dealt with injuries. When Watson got hurt, Joe Flacco took over at quarterback and did a solid job. Flacco had a 90.2 quarterback rating in six starts for Cleveland. However, Flacco struggled with interceptions which stalled many drives and led to points for opponents. The Browns ranked 18th in passing yards per game, but 13th in rushing yards per game. This is encouraging as star running back Nick Chubb is back to being fully healthy, and will look to boost this rushing attack. Watson will be the quarterback once again this season, and he will have to step up in order for the passing game to open up the running game.
Not much needs to be said about this elite defense. They ranked first in yards allowed per game by a wide margin, 10th in rushing yards allowed per game, and 2nd in passing yards per game. This defense was dominant from top to bottom and was the main reason the Browns made the playoffs. If they can get some offensive improvement, this team has the potential to be a dark horse contender.
Prediction
All four teams in this division could very well finish with a winning record once again. Last year, the Ravens won the division followed by the Browns, Steelers, and lastly the Bengals. With a healthy Joe Burrow, it is doubtful the Bengals finish last again. This will be a rollercoaster of a season for these teams and their fans. This division could very well come down to a tiebreaker.
- Bengals (12-5)
- Ravens (12-5)
- Browns (10-7)
- Steelers (9-8)
Main Image: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
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