The Baltimore Ravens left the Cincinnati Bengals in zero points in Week 15. After this dominant win, the AFC North is now looking more defined as a two-team race when it comes to the divisional title.
This is the AFC North standings right now:
- Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6)
- Baltimore Ravens (7-7)
- Cincinnati Bengals (4-10)
- Cleveland Browns (3-11)
The Steelers are yet to play their Week 15 game, which will be a Monday Night Football primetime game at home against the 6-7 Dolphins. For Baltimore, they need to pray that those Dolphins beat the Steelers to stay within distance. If that happens, the Steelers are still atop because of the tiebreaker, but the teams will face once again in Week 18, so the Ravens would be very alive.
The Steelers losing is not as far-fetched as it looks
Being at home against a team with a losing record should make things easier. However, there are two things to consider. One, the Steelers usually not win anything easy, all games are tight. Second, the Dolphins know how to run the ball and the Steelers are not having a great time stopping the run.
T.J. Watt #90 of the Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers have allowed over 200 rushing yards the last two games. To make it worse, they won’t have star edge rusher TJ Watt, who suffered a collapsed lung in the middle of the week.
The Ohio teams are eliminated
Both Ohio teams in the AFC North are already looking for places to go and have their vacations. Both the Browns and Bengals have no chances to go to the playoffs, even if they win out the remaining games on their schedules.
Hence, this is a two-team race for the AFC North and the playoff spot. It’s going to be either the Ravens or the Steelers. Curiously enough, both teams are alive and have long-tenured coaches that might leave, even if they qualify for the playoffs.
