It was a busy week around the AFC North division as each club besides the Steelers was in tight AFC matchups. The Bengals took on the young Houston Texans, while the Browns and Ravens were in a division battle. It was a fun weekend overall for football as plenty of games had games come down to the wire. Week 11 of competition will only make things more interesting.
Two teams around the AFC North division lost and the remaining two were able to win. Both the Steelers and Browns continue to gain some ground, while the Bengals and Ravens slipped some. Not much has changed in the division standings overall, but things continue to tighten up. This division is going to stay close until the last couple of weeks, or it might come down to the last game.
The Bengals were the only team to be knocked down in the standings
Many expected the Bengals to win this past Sunday as they took on the Texans at home. C.J. Stroud has been impressive in his rookie season, and that trend continued against Cincinnati. He showed poise and the ability to make plays downfield. It created a new dynamic that the Bengals' defense could not defend properly.
It was a high-scoring game, and one that the Bengals really couldn't afford to lose. They have a tough schedule down the stretch and will need to win games like this past week. It only gets tougher this week as they hit the road on a short week for Baltimore. Playing on a Thursday night is already a tough task to overcome, but playing a divisional game is tougher.
This seems as close to a must-win by the Bengals at this point in the season as any. Baltimore will not roll over at home, and they will be out for blood after losing last week against the Browns. This is a massive game that could affect the favorite to win the division before the season ends. It is a Thursday matchup, but this could be the game of the week.