The Pittsburgh Steelers improved to 4-1 this week, defeating the Cleveland Browns 23-9 in dominant fashion. With the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals also losing Sunday, the Steelers gained an even bigger lead in the AFC North race.
The losses by their rivals this week made it three weeks in a row now where every AFC North team except for Pittsburgh lost.
It has been a nightmare season for the rest of the division, and it has given the Steelers a nice cushion as they prepare for their schedule to ramp up in difficulty. Will it be enough to fend off any challenge from a battered Ravens team? Or perhaps a Joe Flacco-led Bengals squad? It's unfortunately not a guarantee.
Pittsburgh Steelers cannot let off the gas despite losses from the rest of the AFC North
I would love to say I am 100% confident that the Steelers will win the division, but we have plenty of history that suggests that it's not a guarantee quite yet. Just last season, Pittsburgh was 10-3 and in the driver's seat for the AFC North crown, holding a two-game lead over the Ravens in Week 14.
Five straight losses later (including two at the hands of Baltimore), and the Steelers came up empty-handed in the playoffs once again. Thanks to the Ravens' complete collapse this season, it's far less likely that the same scenario will happen again, but it's not impossible.
Star quarterback Lamar Jackson should be fully healthy following their Week 7 bye, and their remaining schedule is one of the easiest in the NFL. That is also the case for the rest of the division, although it's mostly due to having multiple games left against each other.
Cincinnati didn't look much more imposing with Flacco at QB this week, but they have the talent on offense to at least compete if they can figure things out along their offensive line. Still, it's hard to imagine they can win enough games to make Joe Burrow's potential December return something to worry about.
It would take truly monumental failure by Pittsburgh to lose their spot atop the AFC North, as even going .500 (6-6) the rest of the way would likely be enough to fend off even a herculean effort by either the Ravens or Bengals. Fans are rightfully hoping it won't even be a conversation by the time December rolls around, but you never can be sure with this organization.