The AFC North Is Up For Grabs

The AFC North Could Come Down to the
Steelers & Ravens - Surprise Surprise!

Heading into this past NFL Sunday it seemed like a foregone conclusion that the AFC North will be heading through M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, MD.  Everyone knew that the Ravens had been decimated by injuries on their defense, but they were still 5-1 with every other team hovering at or below .500.  Pretty nice cushion, eh?  However, heading into the Sunday Night Football game between the Steelers and Bengals the division all of a sudden seemed to be less decisive that it would be going to the Ravens.  After the Sunday Night game you could hear the talk and see the players as momentum shifted in the division.  Sure, the Ravens stand at 5-2 and still have a strong lead on the division, but the Pittsburgh Steelers have now taken some of that momentum away from the Ravens.

Listen, I realize it is just one game, but at the same point, that ONE GAME had some pretty big implications within the division.  Take a look at this.  The Ravens (with a stronghold on the division at 5-1) get demolished by the Houston Texans falling to 5-2.  The Steelers defeat the Bengals on Sunday Night Football and advance to 3-3.  With the Steelers already having their BYE week and the Ravens heading into their bye week licking their wounds from the butt whooping the Texans gave them now have things getting interesting.  If the Steelers are able to take care of the Redskins at home this Sunday, it would advance their schedule to 4-3, only one game behind the Ravens.  When the Ravens come off of the bye week, the have the following 5 games - @ Cleveland, vs Oakland, @ Pittsburgh, @ San Diego, vs Pittsburgh.  That isn't the scariest stretch, but those two games against the Steelers (seems like every year) could very well lead to the division winner.  On the flip side, the Steelers have the following 5 games ahead - vs Redskins, @ NY Giants, vs Chiefs (MNF), vs Ravens, @ Cleveland.  Again, these next 5 games for both teams could be HUGE when it comes to the implications of the division winner, but its never to early to speculate where these teams are heading. 

I didn't forget about the Bengals and Browns.  I just don't think either team will be doing anything but playing the role of "spoiler" at the end of the season.  Cincinnati also goes into the BYE week at the same time as Baltimore, but they are heading into that bye week with a 3 game losing streak in tact.  After the bye they have the following slate - vs Denver, vs NY Giants, @ Chiefs, vs Oakland, @ San Diego.  If the Bengals lose those first 2 games off of the bye week and they could be sunk at a 3-6 record.  Long fall from grace after starting the year 3-1.  The Browns have a tough road to hoe in front of them with games against the Chargers, Ravens, Steelers, Cowboys, and Raiders.  Even a tough as nails RB in Trent Richardson can't save this team. 

That essentially leaves the Steelers and Ravens again to battle it out for the AFC North crown.  When it comes to rising and falling stock these two teams can't be further apart.  The Ravens are sinking like a stone.  Everyone knew the defense wasn't going to be that great coming into this season, but now with injuries to Ladarius Webb, Ray Lewis, a banged up Ed Reed and Haloti Ngata and a surgically repaired Achilles tendon in Terrelle Suggs leaves this defense battered and staggering.  Even with the playmakers they still have, there are a TON of holes on the defensive side of the ball.  Pittsburgh on the other hand has their stock rising high.  After a disappointing start to the season with losses that NO ONE expected, they have shown the ability to rise to the occasion and win clutch games.  The Steelers are banged up as well on both sides of the ball, but they seem to be on the mend when it comes to their RB / OLine injuries.  When Troy Polamalu returns this team should be able to function on all cylinders.

Not much news from the AFC North that has been dominated by the Ravens and Steelers since the NFL re-organized the divisions.  Like I said earlier in this post, the next 5 games for the Bengals, Ravens, and Steelers very well could be the deciding factor in who is riding shotgun heading down the home stretch.  The AFC North isn't as dominant as last year, but neither is any AFC division.  All I know is that it should be exciting to see where these teams shake out.