When the 2025 season started, the Baltimore Ravens looked like the clearcut favorites to win the AFC North. Today, they’re still favored to win the division, but confidence in them is fading by the week. The Ravens are currently dealing with a slew of key injuries, including to Lamar Jackson. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Steelers are 3-1 and have the lead in the AFC North. However, former NFL corner Chris Harris Jr. thinks the Ravens could make a comeback in the division.
“The good thing is, [the Ravens are] in a bad division right now,” Harris said Monday on Up and Adams with Kay Adams. “The Browns aren’t playing too well, the Bengals, we see what Jake Browning is doing out there, throwing interceptions everywhere, and can we truly trust the Steelers. So, they still have a chance…
“Can we really trust Aaron Rodgers for the rest of the season? He’s playing solid right now, but I think everybody can believe that the Ravens can go on a nice little winning streak once they get Lamar [Jackson] back.”
It’s fair to say that the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals aren’t serious threats to win the AFC North. The Browns are going through a rebuild, and the Bengals will be missing Joe Burrow for most, if not all, of the season. That leaves the Steelers as the Ravens’ biggest competition for the division title.
During that same podcast, Harris went into more depth on his concerns about Rodgers.
“Aaron Rodgers is playing good. It’s just, can he be consistent all year long? At his age, 40-plus, taking the hits, and can he do that for the whole totality of the season? That’s my only question.”
Rodgers’ durability has been a concern since the Steelers first signed him. While he played every game last year, there’s no telling how much punishment he can take. He’s near the end of his career, and his body has a ton of wear and tear on it. If the Steelers can’t protect him, then they could be in serious trouble.
Through four games, Pittsburgh hasn’t exactly shut those concerns down, either. Their offensive line had a rough start to the year, with Rodgers being sacked seven times in their first two games.
However, more recently, that unit has done a better job. Rodgers hasn’t been sacked in their last two games. The Steelers’ offensive game plan has helped with that, too. Rodgers has gotten the ball out of his hands quickly, which has played a factor in neutralizing opposing pass rushers.
The division race is far from over, though. Last season, the Steelers held the AFC North crown for most of the year, but they totally collapsed over their last few games. That opened the door for the Ravens to take the number one spot. That same thing could happen again. The Steelers can’t become complacent. Once they have Jackson back, the Ravens could turn things around.
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