The AFC North continues to be one of the weirdest divisions in all of the NFL, the Steelers fell to the Bengals on the road in a close Thursday Night Football game on a last second field goal. The Ravens had a much needed bye to get healthy and prepare for the rest of the season, while the Browns had a great confidence boost in shutting down the Dolphins offense and putting up a solid 31 points.
Cincinnati Bengals:
Oct 12, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco (16) reacts after a successful two point conversion in the fourth quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
Joe Flacco will lead the Bengals to the playoffs
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Joe Flacco has a tendency to do his best when he can come into a difficult situation and just sling the football. He has been given the perfect opportunity to do so with the Bengals, he is surrounded by great weapons who can catch the ball and make plays from anywhere. The offense will only improve as his rapport with his receivers improves, the defense is the only concern for the Bengals.
Jamarr Chase is still the best receiver in the NFL
Jamarr Chase proves why he is the best receiver in the NFL again and again, when someone wants to come and take his crown he takes it right back. To have 16 receptions against a really solid defense is just insane, he can continue to be the motor for this offense, he is special and does things only few people can do. The Bengals are a significantly better team when he is on the field and making plays.
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Cleveland Browns:
Sep 14, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) drops back to pass during the second half against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images
When the defense is locked in, they are the best in the NFL
The Browns have one of the best defenses in the NFL and when they are playing at the top of their game they are the best, both from a schematic and talent standpoint. The Browns have it all and can fluster any quarterback who struggles under pressure, this just happened to be Tua Tagovailoa this week. He looked completely out of it and the Browns were putting him in a box.
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They still lack weapons
While the Browns scored 31 points, their offense still struggles from an efficiency standpoint, they are unable to consistently move the ball and a big issue is the weapons they have. They lack any serious playmakers that the defense has to take seriously, the offense was put in great positions all game. A big reason for the run game inefficiencies is that the defense can stack the box and not worry about the outside receivers.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Aaron Rodgers (8) runs off the field during the second half against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.
Aaron Rodgers (8) runs off the field during the second half against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium – Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Aaron Rodgers is what will hold the team back or propel it forward
This game was a tail of two halves for the Steelers, Aaron Rodgers played the first half and looked nothing like himself. The second half was a different person, he was precise and even able to avoid sacks outside the pocket and get the ball to his playmakers. Coming into the season, Rodgers had the pressure of providing for the offense and we saw in this game that when he is on, the Steelers are nearly unstoppable.
Age is becoming a problem with the defense
The Steelers have a very talented defense with big names on all three levels, but a major concern coming into the season was the overall age of the defense. The big names on the defense are all over 30 years old and there was a fear that their production may go down, we definitely got a glimpse of this as Jamarr Chase and Joe Flacco were torching the Steelers all game long.
Baltimore Ravens
Sep 28, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) scrambles during the first half against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
The Ravens went into their bye week struggling, with plenty of injuries and playing well below expectations. Although Lamar Jackson could return this week, it doesn’t change the fact that their defense has been terrible, and the hole they have dug themselves in the standings could be too big to overcome.
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