In a tightly contested division like the AFC North, the Pittsburgh Steelers are forced to rely on the Cincinnati Bengals, the Baltimore Ravens, and the Cleveland Browns to beat each other up in order to stay firmly in the pack (and sometimes even ahead of the competition).
Because of this, Lamar Jackson's looming status is about to have a ripple effect on the entire division.
During the Ravens' Week 4 contest against the Tennessee Titans, Jackson exited the game just before halftime after sustaining an ankle injury. This was later diagnosed as a sprained ankle. NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported on Tuesday that Jackson 'could end up missing multiple games' depending on how rehab goes.
"Ravens QB Lamar Jackson is dealing with a sprained ankle that gives him only an outside chance to play Sunday against the Falcons, sources say. Jackson could end up missing multiple games based on how rehab goes, but the injury is not considered long-term or surgical," Rapoport posted on X.
The Pittsburgh Steelers could witness a massive AFC North shakeup, depending on Lamar Jackson's status
Jackson getting injured is nothing new. However, to say the Ravens are better with him would be a gross understatement. In the 17 career games he has missed, Baltimore is just 6-11 (35.2% win rate). In these games, they put up a mere 17.6 points per game, lose by roughly four points per contest, and have a third-down conversion rate of just 38.7 percent.
On the other hand, when Lamar plays, the Ravens are an astonishing 79-32 in the regular season (71.1%% win rate) while having some of the most high-powered offenses in the NFL in recent years.
So how does this matter for the Steelers and the AFC North race?
The Ravens are preparing for a road game against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 5, and it looks unlikely that Jackson will be able to go this week. But things get really interesting from there. Baltimore plays at Cleveland in Week 6, then at home against the Bengals in Week 7—two huge divisional games.
If Jackson misses one or both games against the Browns and Bengals, they could potentially drop two AFC North matchups in a row. This would cause a seismic shift in the standings. Depending on Jackson's health, the Ravens could go from a 3-1 team entering Week 5 to last in the division after Week 7.
And things wouldn't get any easier from there. Baltimore plays on the road against the Buffalo Bills in Week 8, and they will host the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 9.
Unfortunately, Jackson's looming status could be a good thing for the Steelers or a bad thing.
If the Ravens drop games against the Browns and Bengals, it means Baltimore will be forced to work its way back up in the divisional standings. However, it also means that Cleveland and Cincinnati are winning football games, which could make it an even more tightly contested AFC North race down the stretch.
Either way, if Lamar Jackson winds up missing multiple games, as Rapoport suggests could be the case, it is sure to have a ripple effect on the AFC North. Let's hope it works out in the Pittsburgh Steelers' favor in the end.
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