The Steelers and Browns are struggling while the Ravens and Bengals are looking like playoff contenders.
The Steelers got a beat-down last week against the Cincinnati Bengals. It was a tough week for both the Browns and Pittsburgh as they lost in the AFC North game while the Bengals and Ravens emerged victoriously. It will be a tough pill to swallow for the losers this week as they are falling from playoff contention.
It is not completely gone when it comes to the Browns and Steelers playoff hopes but they are starting to fade quickly. It will take a big late-season run for them to get into the dance for all the marbles. They both have a tough schedule to finish out the year so the cards are stacked against them.
LA Chargers (6-5) vs Cincinnati Bengals (7-4), Sunday at 1 P.M. ET
The Bengals are on the upswing after destroying the black and gold this past Sunday. These cats are a good team that has used their infusion of youth to their advantage. Their ability to use the explosive offense and compliment that with a tough defense is something to respect.
Their run game has been consistent and one of the best and that opens up the passing game. Joe Burrow is feasting on defenses this season and has allowed for the Bengals to go from rebuilding to contenders in a shorter time than most expected. But their games are not getting any easier as games start to intensify.
They will play host to the LA Chargers that are seeking playoff aspirations. They are a young and upcoming team that has a high-profile offense. Justin Herbert is their franchise and he can beat you with his arm or legs. Their highly offensive fights against the Steelers and Browns earlier this season might be a precursor for this one as well.
Cleveland Browns (6-6), Bye Week
The Cleveland Browns enter a late bye week after a deflating loss against the Baltimore Ravens under the lights. It was a game that the away club was in the entire time but just couldn’t close it out. Baker Mayfield is not playing well and it could either be ability, a multitude of injuries, or both.
Another major factor for this team struggling is the lack of complementary football for their offense. They go as their running game goes and that has not been doing the job lately. Mayfield has not been able to take over games without a running game. He needs a running attack to take shots down the field. If they don’t accomplish that then this will get ugly before the season wraps up.
The bye week will allow this team to rest up some before they get ready for next week’s game. They stay home as they host the Baltimore Ravens. This is odd as they will face the Ravens in back-to-back games with a bye week in-between. They will have more time to prepare for this one but they will still have issues.
The Ravens are the best team in the AFC North by a slim margin because their defense causes turnovers that set up the offense to score points. This Browns team is not a playoff-caliber club at the moment but they have a chance to upset the incoming squad next weekend. They have the extra time to prepare and rest so they better come out swinging.
Baltimore Ravens (8-3) vs Pittsburgh Steelers (5-5-1), Sunday at 4:25 P.M. ET
The Baltimore Ravens have proved to be the best team in their division to this point. They have a chance to show that again as they get ready to face one of their toughest rivals on Sunday. The Pittsburgh Steelers will host them after getting beaten up by the Cincinnati Bengals just a week prior.
The Ravens should be licking their chops heading into Heinz Field against a suspect club but these games are normally closer than expected. The Steelers will try their best to salvage what is left of this season and that desperation could be scary to a contending team like Baltimore.
The recipe for an upset is there but the Ravens should be able to take care of business. They have a great offense and a defense that causes turnovers. They might not have the strongest team in the NFL but they find ways of winning each week. That is what a good team can do, they overcome adversity thrown at them.
Pittsburgh has been the opposite of that as they have found ways of losing close games and getting into giant holes that they have to crawl out of. It might be a close game on Sunday because this is the black and gold’s last shot but it could spell the end. This game means much more to the home squad than it does for the incoming group.
Baltimore Ravens (8-3) vs Pittsburgh Steelers (5-5-1), Sunday at 4:25 P.M. ET
It is the first meeting between these two clubs in 2021 and it is between two different spectrums. The Steelers head into this game completely gobsmacked after they took a beating on live television against the Bengals last week. The Ravens are on the opposite side as they continue to lead the AFC North division and win meaningful games.
The black and gold are reeling right now and it does not seem to be stopping anytime soon. They will finish this year with one of the toughest schedules and this week is no different. The Ravens will look to build on their division lead and try to emerge as one of the best teams in the conference.
The Steelers are just looking to gain confidence and hopefully pull off an upset to try and scratch their way back into the playoff picture. They have not shown much bounce-back ability thus far but maybe they can in this game. They could be without some key players and that will be a major question mark to keep an eye on as this week progresses.
T.J. Watt is in Covid protocols while Joe Haden and others are on the injury report. Those two starts potentially being out will be a major loss for the home club and will take away any chance for them to win. It is going to be a tough game for Pittsburgh to win even if Watt and Haden play.
The Steelers are as close to eliminated from the playoffs as you can get at this point in the season. They need to win this game if they want to keep pace with the rest of the AFC North.