The AFC North race looks a little different than people expected when the season started. The Baltimore Ravens were favorites, but their season has mostly been a disaster. They were even 1-5 at one point. While they’ve started to improve, sitting at 3-5 currently, they’ve still got a long way to go to overtake the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North. Analyst John Breech doesn’t believe that Baltimore is going to be able to do that.
“I just have a tough time seeing the Ravens going 7-2 in their final nine games,” Breech said recently on CBS Sports HQ. “And I think the Steelers might be better than people think. We saw them beat the Colts on Sunday. They’re getting a little bit better. I like Pittsburgh to win the division and Baltimore left out of the playoffs.”
The Ravens dug themselves a deep hole. Lamar Jackson missing multiple games due to a hamstring injury didn’t help, either. However, they shouldn’t be counted out yet.
Jackson is one of the best quarterbacks in the league, and he’s healthy now. Derrick Henry is having another solid season, too. He’s got 629 yards and six touchdowns in eight games. Additionally, the rest of the Ravens’ roster is starting to recover, too. Their defense was banged up, but it’s starting to return to form.
Also, the Ravens’ schedule doesn’t look too difficult in the coming weeks. Their next four games are against the Minnesota Vikings, Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and Cincinnati Bengals. None of those teams have a winning record right now.
Meanwhile, the Steelers are currently in a tough stretch in their schedule. Their next four games are against the Los Angeles Chargers, Bengals, Chicago Bears, and Buffalo Bills. Two of those teams are among the AFC’s best, the Bears are 5-3, and the Steelers already lost to the Bengals earlier this season. Therefore, the AFC North race could get a little tighter within the next few weeks.
The top spot in the division might come down to the two Ravens-Steelers games later this season. Their first matchup will be in Week 14. They’ll meet again in Week 18, the final week of the regular season.
The Steelers led the AFC North for most of last season. Then they suffered a skid down the stretch that included a loss to the Ravens. That opened the door for Baltimore to take the division crown. Something similar could happen this year, although the circumstances are slightly different. While Breech is confident in the Steelers, the battle for the AFC North title is far from over.
Recommended for you