AFC North Power Rankings Week 6: Steelers knock off Ravens during Browns bye

Week 5 gave the Cleveland Browns some time to rest as they were on their bye. At 2-2, they watched as the Cincinnati Bengals went to Arizona to take on Josh Dobbs and the Arizona Cardinals while the Pittsburgh Steelers hosted the Baltimore Ravens.

Cincinnati handled their business with a 14-point win over the Cardinals. As for Baltimore, they had their game in control for 30 minutes but allowed the Steelers to hang around — and paid for it when Kenny Pickett hit George Pickens for a go-ahead touchdown.

Now with the dust settled, let's see how each team stacks up in our Week 7 AFC North Power Rankings.

4. Cincinnati Bengals (2-3)

After an 0-2 start the Bengals hoped they had turned a corner with a three-point win over the Los Angeles Rams in Week 3. Then, in Week they were shocked by the Tennessee Titans who knocked them off 27-3.

That loss had many worried about whether or not Joe Burrow should be on the field. No one is denying he's one of the most dangerous passers in the game but his calf injury was clearly limiting him.

In Week 5, he started to look like himself again though. Burrow threw for 317 yards and three touchdowns as the Bengals won 34-20. Their defense was also playing well, picking off Josh Dobbs twice with Cameron Taylor-Britt returning one for six.

While they have to feel better about their chances heading into Week 6, they have three tough games coming up with Seattle, San Francisco, and Buffalo up next. They're also 0-2 in the division, which has them at the bottom of our AFC North Power Rankings.

3. Cleveland Browns (2-2)

One week ago, it felt as though the sky was falling for the Cleveland Browns. They lost in ugly fashion to the Baltimore Ravens but even worse, there was some drama after the game.

Deshaun Watson was a late scratch which led to the Browns turning to Dorian Thompson-Robinson. The game plan seemed as though it was never altered and Kevin Stefanski shed some light on that subject when he said Watson was medically cleared to play but made the call to sit.

There were even rumors that some of Watson's teammates were frustrated after hearing all week that he would play.

This has led to another "sky is falling" tone around Berea but there's really no reason to panic. At 2-2, Cleveland is still in the mix and has several winnable games on the schedule after the bye. They also gained some ground in the AFC North without playing a game with the Pittsburgh Steelers coming back to beat the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.

Cleveland is now in third place in the division but should be able to make a run if they can get things back on track. They'll have a crack at each team in their division and a couple of revenge game wins could be enough for them to shock the Ravens.

2. Baltimore Ravens (3-2)

After taking out the Cleveland Browns last week, the Baltimore Ravens had a huge opportunity this weekend. That win meant they were 2-0 in the AFC North and were set to face the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Winning would put them at 4-1 on the season and they would have secured a win over each team in the division. And for the first 30 minutes, they were in control. That changed when Jon Harbaugh rolled the dice right before the half.

Up 10-3 and well within range for a Justin Tucker field goal, Harbaugh decided to go for it on fourth-and-two from Pittsburgh's 23. They were unable to convert and the Steelers' defense gained some confidence — and Baltimore never scored again. They even stopped then near the goal line when Joey Porter, Jr. picked off a pass from Lamar Jackson intended for Odell Beckham, Jr.

Eventually, they gave up a late touchdown and Pittsburgh was able to send them home with a loss. Baltimore is now 3-2 and falls to second in the North. They also come in second in our AFC North Power Rankings after the defeat.

Next week, they have a showdown with the Tennessee Titans as they're featured in the NFL International Series. The two teams will face off in London and we've all seen that teams can sometimes play flat when they travel that far, which could spell trouble for the Ravens.

1. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2)

When the Pittsburgh Steelers lost 30-7 to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 1, it was easy to believe they were in for a rough season. But then, they knocked off Cleveland in Week 2 on Monday Night Football — and were aided by 14 points scored courtesy of their defense.

They also found a way to defeat the Las Vegas Raiders 23-18 but then they were picked apart by the Houston Texans 30-6. That loss again showed they have some flaws but they were able to bounce back in Week 5 at home against the Ravens.

Down 10-3 at the half, they clawed their way back and made it 10-8 with a safety thanks to Miles Killebrew and a short field goal from Chris Boswell. They finally took the lead when Kenny Pickett found George Pickens downfield for a 41-yard touchdown.

Joey Porter, Jr. sealed it when he intercepted a pass intended for Odell Beckham, Jr. A field goal with under a minute to go made sure there was no miracle win for the Ravens.

After five games, they're now 3-2 and in first place in the AFC North with a record of 2-0 in the division. They've proven that while they might not have an explosive offense, they can find a way to win if their defense keeps them close. And that's something they can do often.

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