Week 12 in the AFC North, the Ravens took the number one spot. The Steelers stumbled in a frustrating loss to the Bears, the Bengals let one slip away against a Patriots team they should’ve handled, and suddenly the middle of the division looks shaky again. Meanwhile, Baltimore took care of business against the Jets, looking every bit like the AFC contender they want to be, and the Browns surprised everyone with a gritty win over the Raiders to keep their season alive. Here are the biggest takeaways for each AFC North team after Week 12.
Cincinnati Bengals:
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Bengals Joe Flacco (16) enters the field before their game against the Bears at Paycor Stadium on Sunday November 2, 2025. Credit: © Phil Didion/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Joe Flacco’s magic ran out
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Joe Flacco came into Cincinnati and completely changed them for the first few weeks by just slinging the football all over the field. Since those first 4-5 games, Joe Flacco has just been bad; he turns the ball over multiple times a game and just does not have what it takes now that defenses know what to expect.
The Bye Week was Massive for the defense
The Bengals, since the bye week, have been a completely flipped team; the defense has completely stepped up their game, and the offense has been bad. The bye week was massive for the defense, getting their stuff together so they can actually win games without having to score 40 points.
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Cleveland Browns:
Nov 16, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) runs for a gain during the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images
Maybe Shedeur is an Upgrade Over Dillon Gabriel
Shedeur Sanders did not look great by any means, but he looked solid. A problem is that when he was in college, he had high accuracy, and that seems to be an issue in the pros. He was able to get the Browns to the end zone more than Dillon Gabriel, which is more important than anything else.
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The Defense is truly scary
The Browns defense is one of the units that fluctuates week to week in the NFL., They struggle to be consistent, but when they are on their game, they are one of the best units in the NFL. Myles Garrett is coasting to his second Defensive Player of the Year and is leading this defense well.
Baltimore Ravens:
Lamar Jackson
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) comes off the field after the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
Lamar Has Been Off since returning from injury
Lamar has been off since returning from his injury. There is no real reason that can be pinned, but he just has not been putting up the same numbers as he has been through the rest of his career. You can feel that the offense is still missing his dynamic playmaking.
The defense is what turned the season around
The Ravens defense has been awesome these past few weeks. They had a really rough start to the season, but since then, they have been locked in. The Ravens seem to have put it together at the right time, and heading into the playoffs, they will be a very scary unit to go against.
Pittsburgh Steelers:
Sep 21, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Marcus Jones (25) attempts to tackle Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren (30) during the fourth quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
The Steelers need to rely on the run game
The Steelers need to rely on the run game more than anything else; they are at their best when Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell are the motors for the offense. The Steelers also need to just run the ball so they are able to control the clock; they need their old defense out there as little as possible.
The playmakers the Steelers acquired are useless
The Steelers acquired DK Metcalf and Jonnu Smith this offseason with the hopes of true change coming, but that is absolutely not what happened. They are just missing something; they have a lot of guys who can make plays, but there is no consistency on this offense outside the tight end room.
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