The Cleveland Browns looked like they might have had a shot to compete in the AFC North a couple of weeks ago, as quarterback injuries have ravaged the division.
The Baltimore Ravens had been missing Lamar Jackson while the Cincinnati Bengals’ Joe Burrow got hurt earlier in the season and remains sidelined.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have shown signs of regression despite a solid performance from Aaron Rodgers, giving the Browns a narrow opening to make some noise in the division.
Still, the AFC North is beginning to resemble its familiar form from recent seasons.
The Bengals and Steelers remain in the playoff picture, but both appear to be a tier or two below the league’s true Super Bowl contenders.
With Week 9 on the horizon and Cleveland on bye, the team was given incredibly low odds and just a 2.8% chance to come away with the AFC North division title via Jared Dubin of CBS Sports.
The number on the right gives the implied probability.
Ravens -145 (59.2%)
Steelers +200 (33.3%)
Bengals +650 (13.3%)
Browns +3500 (2.8%)
The Ravens make sense as the clear favorites to win the AFC North, as Jackson is back on the field and the defense has started to show signs of life after dealing with a rash of injuries.
The Steelers could make another late-season run, but there are still questions about their run defense.
The Bengals have an uphill climb after losing Burrow so early in the season, though their offense looks much more potent with Joe Flacco under center.
It would be unfair to expect Cleveland to make a real postseason push as the roster is in desperate need of upgrades in several key areas.
For now, fans will likely have to look forward to another high draft pick come the 2026 NFL Draft.
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