Week 11 proved to be a moving week for a few teams in the AFC North power rankings. For several weeks the division had a mini logjam with three teams knotted up with identical records. But there's now a clear separation between the top and the bottom of these power rankings.
The NFL scheduling department set up a mini tournament in Week 11 for the league’s blood and guts division. With all four teams involved in head-to-head matchups, only two teams would exit the week trending upwards. The mini-tournament began on Thursday Night Football when the Baltimore Ravens took on the Cincinnati Bengals, followed by the Cleveland Browns hosting the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.
How the AFC North stacks up after Week 11
No. 4: Cincinnati Bengals (5-5)
Week 11 could not have been any rougher for the Bengals. Sure, they lost to the Ravens, but that loss pails in comparison to the real loss they suffered on Thursday Night Football. The Bengals will now be without their starting quarterback Joe Burrow for the remainder of the 2023 season.
Burrow tore a ligament in his right wrist in the second quarter against the Ravens. It was obvious from the instant reaction from Burrow in the moment that the injury was serious. After a failed attempt at throwing on the sideline where the Pro Bowl quarterback couldn't even grip the ball, Burrow was shut down for the evening.
Joe Burrow can’t throw 😱 pic.twitter.com/daz5R26CJW
— McNeil (@Reflog_18) November 17, 2023
The next day it was confirmed that Burrow’s wrist injury was season-ending, and that the quarterback would likely need surgery. Now, the Bengals are turning to Jake Browning to lead their offense. Cincinnati will have an opportunity to claw back into the AFC playoff picture next week when they take on the current seventh seed, the Steelers. Already 0-3 inside the AFC North, and 1-5 in the AFC, another conference loss could prove to be too much to overcome.
No. 3: Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4)
The Steelers suffered a loss to their archrival the Browns in Week 11. To add insult to injury, they lost to Cleveland in the same manner that they have won all of their games in 2023. It was a tight, grimy, low-scoring affair that came down to the final seconds.
The loss broke the second-place tie that the Steelers shared with Cleveland and relegated them to third place in the AFC North. But, unlike Cincinnati, the Steelers still occupy a playoff spot currently. Sitting at a respectable 6-4, including 2-1 inside the division 4-2 inside of the conference, the Steelers could still manage to beat up on a weaker schedule and find themselves in the AFC playoffs.
Pittsburgh is an uneven team, with an offense that struggles to move the football and an opportunistic defense with a few elite players at key positions. The Steelers' offense is not completely devoid of talent, there is enough to work with in the skill position rooms to be a problem for opposing defenses. If the Steelers could just get average play out of their quarterback, Kenny Pickett, this could be a double-digit win team. Then the only question would be, are 10 wins enough to earn you a spot in the postseason in the AFC?
No. 2: Baltimore Ravens (8-3)
Technically the Ravens remain in first place of the AFC North currently, and had they beat the Browns in Week 10, they would be sitting at No. 1 in these power rankings. However, Week 10 is not far enough in the rearview mirror for it not to be a deciding factor when the records are as close as they are. But Baltimore remains one of the best teams not only in the AFC North but the league as a whole.
The Ravens are perhaps the most complete team in the AFC North. The fact that they still have their franchise quarterback Lamar Jackson gives them an advantage that no one else inside the division currently enjoys. Add that advantage to the fact that they have one of the best defenses in the league and it puts them in pretty rarified air.
Sitting at an impressive 8-3, the Ravens are within striking distance of the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC playoff picture. However, Baltimore is facing a tough schedule to finish out their season, with all four of their final games coming against teams that are currently occupying playoff spots. It's easy to envision the Ravens dropping a couple of games down the stretch but given the fact that they have won eight games already, you can expect Baltimore to still be around come mid-January.
No. 1: Cleveland Browns (7-3)
We are now at back-to-back weeks for the Browns occupying the top spot in these AFC North power rankings. The Browns have won three games in a row, including back-to-back wins inside of the AFC North. This is the first time since the birth of the AFC North in 2022 that Cleveland has beaten all three divisional opponents in the same season.
Sitting at 7-3 overall, with a 3-2 record inside of the division and a 5-2 record inside of the AFC conference, the Browns currently occupy the fifth-seed spot in the playoff picture. The Browns have several quality wins on the season, with five of their wins coming against teams with a .500 or better record. However, they now have the easiest schedule remaining of all of the AFC North teams.
Cleveland is led by their ferocious defense. Myles Garrett is playing at a Defensive Player of the Year level, with several of his defensive mates performing at pro bowl levels. Unfortunately, the Browns lost their franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson for the season, and now the unit is led by rookie signal caller Dorian Thompson-Robinson. The defense supplies the floor of this team, and if they are to realize their ceiling, DTR and this offense will need to find their footing over the final seven games.
Admittedly, the Browns and Ravens are neck and neck for the top spot in this power ranking. But as previously mentioned, the fact that the Browns beat the Ravens in their recent head-to-head matchup is the deciding factor for who owns top billing in the NFL’s blood and guts division. With a back-to-back road trip on the horizon, Cleveland will need to keep stacking wins to remain in the top spot.