Power ranking the QBs of the AFC North: Steelers starting to fall behind

Joe Burrow (9) drops back to hand off to running back Joe Mixon (28) in the second quarter of the NFL Week 3 game between the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Joe Burrow (9) drops back to hand off to running back Joe Mixon (28) in the second quarter of the NFL Week 3 game between the Pittsburgh Steelers.
2 of 4
Steelers
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8). Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

2. Ravens QB Lamar Jackson

The top two quarterbacks in the AFC North are very clear right now, and I have flip-flopped them in my power rankings as of late. This doesn’t mean that Lamar Jackson isn’t an incredible football player. While his team has yielded very similar results as the Bengals so far despite a sub-par roster, Jackson is currently my second-best QB in the division.

Like Joe Burrow, Jackson has also been careless with the football at times — throwing 5 interceptions to just 10 passing touchdowns. However, Jackson’s production could have been much better this year had it not been for some terrible drops deep down the field by Marquise Brown and company.

In reality, Jackson is a nightmare for opposing defenses to stop. Through his first 7 games of the 2021 season, the Baltimore Ravens quarterback has averaged 8.6 yards per attempt and churned out a 97.7 passer rating. In addition, Jackson has chipped in 480 yards and 2 scores on the ground.

I have a feeling these top two quarterbacks are going to be fighting for the title of “best QB in the AFC North” for many years. Right now, I’ll give the slight edge to Burrow for his stellar performance early.

Schedule