The AFC North landscape changed on Sunday when the Cleveland Browns took out the Baltimore Ravens. While they’re still a half-game ahead of the Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers, the Ravens proved they’re not invincible. Cleveland also proved something, showing they have more fight than anyone realized as they won a game on the road despite being down 14 points in the fourth quarter.
As for the rest of the division, the Steelers and Bengals were also involved in one-score games. Cincinnati dropped a heartbreaker while Pittsburgh held on to upset Green Bay. With all that happening, let’s take a look at our current AFC North Power Rankings.
4. Cincinnati Bengals (5-4)
The Cincinnati Bengals started out slow and were just 1-3 following their first four games. They then reeled off four wins in a row, which included victories over the Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers. Suddenly, they looked like the team that had won the AFC North in each of the past two seasons.
That came to a halt in Week 10 when C.J. Stroud carved up their defense with 356 yards passing while Devin Singletary ran wild with 150 yards on the ground. Cincinnati stayed with Houston but in the end, a walk-off field goal gave the Texans the win. Now at 5-4, the Bengals are again the last place team in the division.
They do still have Joe Burrow, who is playing like himself again. But that’s not enough when the AFC North is so stacked. The Bengals secondary showed a lot of weakness in their latest loss and they’re also 0-2 in the division. They need a win over Baltimore and Pittsburgh over the next two weeks or they’ll be in danger of being left behind.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3)
Once again, the Pittsburgh Steelers found a way to win. They’re now 6-3 but continue to be one of the least impressive teams with a winning record. Having said that, they do deserve credit for being resilient.
In Week 10, they were out-gained by the Green Bay Packers but still pulled off a 23-19 win. They were by far the better team on the ground, which is what allowed them to pull off yet another one-score win. Since Kenny Pickett took over as their starting quarterback, winning close games has become the norm for the Steelers.
"Seemingly every single week. The Steelers (6-3) have ripped off nine straight wins in one-score games dating to last season. All six of their wins so far in 2023 have come by eight points or less, a trend that defies the logic of the ‘every game is a coin flip’ NFL.” — AP via ESPN
As it stands right now, they’re probably the least talented team in the division yet they keep finding ways to win. They’re also still tied for second place and just a half-game out of first. Plus, they're 2-0 in the AFC North and will play the Browns and Bengals on the road over the next two weeks. We’ll find out a lot more about this team during that span.
2. Baltimore Ravens (7-3)
For much of the season, the Baltimore Ravens have been in full control of the AFC North. They remain in first place even after their loss to the Browns this weekend but suddenly, they don’t feel like the toughest team in the North anymore. That feeling isn’t just due to them losing but it’s how it happened.
Cleveland gifted the Ravens seven points in the first quarter when Deshaun Watson threw a pick-six to Kyle Hamilton. They were then quickly up 14-0 when Keaton Mitchell ran a long touchdown. As Cleveland clawed their way back into the game, they again gave up a free touchdown when James Proche muffed a punt late in the game.
That score made it 31-17 in the fourth quarter in favor of Baltimore but they couldn’t hang on despite the two-score lead. Not only did they allow the Browns to march down the field and tighten the score up but they also threw a pick-six of their own. A missed extra point kept the Ravens on top by one but the offense stalled once again and they couldn’t keep the Browns out of range for the game winner.
Take out the two free touchdowns and Baltimore really had just a couple of chunk plays. In addition to Mitchell’s long touchdown, Odell Beckham had a 40-yard reception for a touchdown. Outside of that, they were thoroughly beaten by the Browns — in front of their wives and kids.
1. Cleveland Browns (6-3)
It doesn’t take long for the power to shift in the NFL. After the Browns lost to Seattle and fell to 4-3, it felt as though their season could start to go in the wrong direction. While that was going on, the Ravens were racking up wins. They even had a comfortable lead in the division after dismantling the same Seahawks that upset Cleveland in Week 9.
Then in Week 10, that all changed. Baltimore jumped out to a 14-0 lead but couldn’t hold on against the Browns. In the end, it was a 33-31 win for the road team who pulled within a half-game of the Ravens. Now, they have a real shot of winning their division for the first time since 1989.
The Cleveland Browns are suddenly in the driver's seat in the AFC North. Browns have not won a division title since 1989
— Jake Trotter (@Jake_Trotter) November 12, 2023
This wasn’t just a win for the Browns but something they can absolutely build upon. They gifted the Ravens two touchdowns — one on the pick-six and one when James Proche muffed a punt — but never lost confidence. Deshaun Watson also shook off a rough start, going 1-of-9 in the first quarter, to deliver an electric second-half.
They proved they can win due to the ground game, passing attack, or even the defense. Having said all that, there’s still room to get better. Cleveland cannot continue to start slow and expect to win crucial games down the stretch. They’ve proven they can take on anyone, now they just have to figure out how to get out of their own way.