Last season, the AFC North came down to the final game. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens battled to the bitter end, and it took a rookie’s missed field goal at the buzzer to separate the two. Over the past five seasons, the Bengals and Ravens have split the division crown, except for last season. With the AFC North appearing to be open for the taking, will we see Pittsburgh repeat as champion, or will Cincy or B-More return to glory?

4th Place: Cleveland Browns (1-16)

Finishing in last place in the AFC North, the Cleveland Browns. Going through their schedule, there were only three games, at most, that I could see them winning. I don’t believe they have enough experience on the offensive end to contend. They are in a bad situation they have put themselves in. Maybe if they get a serviceable quarterback or one of the young guys can develop into something, they’ll be a borderline playoff contender.

Cleveland is a few seasons away from that. They do have a few nice pieces, including linebacker Carson Schwesinger, who just won Defensive Rookie of the Year, defensive end Jared Verse, and Denzel Ward on the defensive side of the ball. On the offensive end, rookie receivers Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion will look to be the splash of the team moving forward. As previously mentioned, this team is still a few years away.

3rd Place: Cincinnati Bengals (9-8)

I am not buying into the hype surrounding the Cincinnati Bengals. Every season it’s “This offense is going to be one of the best in the NFL, and the defense will be better than the previous season.” It’s never the case. Joe Burrow hasn’t won 10+ games in three seasons and has only played in that many or more games once in the past three years. It always appears that this is the year they return to glory and become a contender to win the AFC North.

I like the acquisition of defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. He should help in the running game, but losing Trey Hendrickson is a massive blow. Who’s going to get to the opposing team’s quarterback? Free-agent signing Boye Mafe, who was on the Seahawks last season? The guy who only had two sacks? I don’t think their defense will be much improved from last year. I don’t even have to bring up their horrendous offensive line.

2nd Place: Baltimore Ravens (12-5)

The Baltimore Ravens have a lot of turnarounds heading into the season. From moving on from Jim Harbaugh to hiring his brother’s DC from the Chargers, Jesse Minter, to replace him, to hiring Declan Doyle as the offensive play caller, this is an important season for Lamar Jackson and the Purple and Black. Will we see Action Jackson return to an MVP candidate?

Let’s start with their offense. B-More had plenty of talent walk out the door. From three-time Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum to talented tight end Isaiah Likely, they left in free agency. Was Likely a dominant player during his tenure? No, but still a young and electric tight end. Linderbaum will be missed. When you lose one of the best centers in the NFL, that leaves a big hole in the offensive line.

My biggest question mark on their defense is defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike. He only played in two games last season due to a career-threatening neck injury. When healthy, he was dominant in the running game. How will he look coming off neck surgery? We will have to wait and see.

With all that being said, there are plenty of reasons for the NFL world to believe in the Baltimore Ravens, not just as AFC North contenders, but as one of the teams that can hoist the Lombardi Trophy. However, there are too many variables for me to pick them to win the division.

AFC North Champions: Pittsburgh Steelers (12-5)

The AFC North will come down to the last game of the season, and I believe the Pittsburgh Steelers will reign victorious once again. This is the best team Pittsburgh has had in five years. Mike McCarthy will bring an offensive mindset to an organization that has been stuck in the mud for five seasons, outside the top 12 in scoring.

With this being Aaron Rodgers‘ last season, will we see him squeeze out whatever juice he has left? It starts with the offensive line in front of him. I expect them to take a leap. I don’t see a scenario where the O-Line is worse than last season. The core of the line has been together for the past two years. The line will be better and keep the future Hall of Famer upright.

I love the additions this team has made in the offseason, bolstering the defensive back end with Jamel Dean and Jaquan Brister while trading for receiver Michael Pittman and signing thousand-yard rusher Rico Dowdle. The team appears to be giving it one last hurrah in order to squeak out a 2016 Denver Broncos-esque Super Bowl, and the best way to do that is by having another home game in the postseason by winning the AFC North.

Final Thoughts

We know this has been one of the best divisions in the NFL for the 2000’s. The AFC North has been home to Super Bowl contenders and some winners. It should come down to the last game of the season again between the Ravens and Steelers, with Pittsburgh squeaking out a win and the North. Who do you see winning the division? Will we see a repeat AFC North winner?

As always, thank you so much for checking out my preview and predictions for the AFC North! Be sure to check out our other amazing content here at New Leaf News! Thank you for making us part of your day, and look forward to seeing you again soon.