It was an even record for the AFC North division as two teams lost and the other two were victorious. Week 9 of competition will not get any easier for these four clubs that call the north home. Things have gotten tighter in the standings, and some teams are on a positive track while others seem to be starting to show some true colors.
The Steelers and Browns have a lot of question marks moving forward and it seems like an uphill battle for them. Both the Bengals and Ravens are starting to show good things that should help both clubs stay in the playoff hunt during the remainder of the season. We are now officially crossing into the important part of the season here and these teams know it.
4th: Cincinnati Bengals will make a run for the AFC North divisional crown
They might be sitting in last place right now, but the Bengals are playing some of the best football of any of the four clubs in the north. They are losing the tie-breakers even though they do have the same record as the Browns and Steelers right now. Cincinnati is on an upswing in their play and that trend should get them plenty of wins to end the year.
Joe Burrow is the big reason for the Bengals change this season after dealing with a nagging calf injury. He seems to be back to as healthy as he can possibly be going into the pivotal part of the NFL season. That is bad news for the rest of the division as it will likely cause the Steelers and Browns to sink when they play Cincinnati again.
Next up is under the lights on Sunday night at home against a tough Buffalo Bills squad. This could be an AFC playoff matchup preview here. Both offenses have struggled in certain games, but both also have solid defenses that go unnoticed sometimes. It should be a tough battle that comes down to whoever has the ball last.
3rd: Cleveland Browns suffered a setback in the standings after last week
It was a tough loss last week on the West Coast for the Browns. They held a late fourth-quarter lead but could not stop the Seahawks in crunch time. It allowed for Geno Smith and company to march down the field and score a game-winner. This was another tough loss for the Browns after they seemed to be in good position to win that contest.
Each week will be the same conversation for Cleveland until they get a definitive answer this year. Who will be their starting quarterback? Deshaun Watson is hurt, but he has not played well since getting injured. P.J. Walker is a journeyman who has been playing well since getting the nod to start. That magic does seem to be wearing off some.
The Browns cannot realistically imagine Walker being a quarterback who leads them to the playoffs this year. He has been good enough, but that trend will likely fall to the wayside. They are like the Steelers in that they hope their defense keeps them in games that they will not try to lose on their own. It cost them a couple of contests thus far.
Week 9 will bring the Arizona Cardinals to town. It should be an easy win this week for Cleveland -- no matter if Watson or Walker starts at quarterback. This should allow them to stay in the heat of the divisional race in front of them for now. The biggest concern is whether they will be able to keep pace with their question at the most important position in football.
2nd: Pittsburgh Steelers are starting to fall apart heading into Week 9
Very little to like from this past game for the Steelers. It was their own fault they lost, no matter how much the team barks at the refs. Those calls seemed to be one-sided, but no matter what they cannot force the Steelers to be that bad. Pittsburgh has not seen a football club this bad in a long time, but then again, they haven't seen one luckier either.
Jacksonville dismantled this team last week, and even if all of the calls on the Steelers dissipated, it still would have been bad. The defense for Pittsburgh had no restraint against the Jaguars other than their turnovers. The offense was silent all game other than their long drive that resulted in three points. Things are ugly with this football team.
Kenny Pickett has been the root of the problem for this offense and the excuses are running thin on him. He is an older (new) quarterback that might need more time to develop but Will Levis just showed last week that a young quarterback could show positive things and have big games still. You can learn and still have a strong game once and a while.
Pickett has failed that and now it will surprise most if he can go after suffering a rib injury on Sunday. It's a short week for the Steelers as the Tennessee Titans come to town. It seems like it will be more of the same for the black and gold this week no matter if it's Pickett or Mitch Trubisky starting. Expect the defense to look foolish and hope for turnovers to try and spark the offense.
1st: Baltimore Ravens are starting to pull away from the rest of the division
Baltimore extended their lead in the standings after a seven-point victory against the Arizona Cardinals. It was a controlled win that saw some tempers flare on the sidelines with some of the Ravens' offensive weapons. They were able to gain a lead and never give it away, but that winning mentality doesn't seem to be surrounded by everyone in that club.
Lamar Jackson is playing at a high level right now, and it doesn't seem like he will be slowing down anytime soon. Unless an injury occurs, it seems like the Ravens should be able to get into the playoffs this year. It will come down to them and the Cincinnati Bengals when it comes to who wins the AFC North division.
Baltimore has flaws around their club, especially with some of their egos on offense. That could lead to distractions and issues moving forward. Their defense is well-rounded, but their defensive line can still be a concern going forward. They have all the tools to push their cushioned lead further, they just need to keep stacking wins.
Things will not be any easier this week as they host the Seattle Seahawks. The team from the other side of the country is a tough club that stays in games and battles to the very end. Baltimore is similar in that respect, and this should be a playoff-like atmosphere. The Ravens have the advantage at home, but they need to be careful not to lose this one.