AFC North Preview – Week 5

by Joe Kuzma (joe_kuzma) on October 7, 2017

SCU’s AFC North Preview is a quick overview of the Steelers division opponents and their upcoming games.

The Cincinnati Bengals have finally won a game this season, by virtue of beating a Cleveland Browns team who is still winless. The 0-4 Browns will play a surprising 2-2 New York Jets team who just defeated the Steelers upcoming opponent, the Jacksonville Jaguars, last Sunday.

The Baltimore Ravens are also reeling, attempting to bounce back from back-to-back losses against the Jaguars and Steelers. They draw a West Coast road trip to face the Oakland Raiders, while the Bengals remain at home to host the Buffalo Bills.

This could be another interesting weekend where the Steelers have an opportunity to create more distance between themselves and the rest of the AFC North for division supremacy.

AFC North Standings

AFC North Standings Week 5

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Bengals Preview

BUFFALO BILLS		CINCINNATI BENGALS
LAST WEEK	W 23-17 at Atlanta	LAST WEEK	W 31-7 at Cleveland
COACH VS. OPP.	Sean McDermott: 0-0	COACH VS. OPP.	Marvin Lewis: 3-6
PTS. FOR/AGAINST	18.3/13.5 (1L)	PTS. FOR/AGAINST	16.0/16.8 (3L)
OFFENSE	284.3	OFFENSE	291.8
PASSING	Tyrod Taylor: 65-99-744-5-1-100.7	PASSING	Andy Dalton: 82-123-892-6-4-90.6
RUSHING	LeSean McCoy: 68-216-3.2-0	RUSHING	Joe Mixon (R): 52-136-2.6-0
RECEIVING	LeSean McCoy (RB): 21-163-7.8-0	RECEIVING	A.J. Green: 25-315-12.6-2
DEFENSE	306.5	DEFENSE	273.3 (3L)
SACKS	Jerry Hughes: 3	SACKS	Geno Atkins: 3
INTs	Micah Hyde: 3 (T1L)	INTs	Many tied: 1
TAKE/GIVE	+6 (T2L) (7/1)	TAKE/GIVE	-5 (3/8)
PUNTING (NET)	Colton Schmidt: 46.1 (40.4)	PUNTING (NET)	Kevin Huber: 47.0 (41.9)
KICKING	Stephen Hauschka: 31 (7/7 PAT; 8/9 FG)	KICKING	Randy Bullock: 22 (7/7 PAT; 5/6 FG)

Game Notes

LEADER: Bills lead all-time series, 16-12
LAST GAME: 11/20/16: Bills 16 at Bengals 12
STREAKS: Bills have won 3 of past 4
LAST GAME AT SITE: 11/20/16″
QB TYROD TAYLOR passed for TD last week. Aims for 3rd in row with 100+ rating. Since 2015, is only QB with 6,000+ pass yards (6,802) & 1,250+ rush yards (1,266).
RB LE SEAN MC COY had 108 scrimmage yards (76 rush, 32 rec.) last week. Aims for 3rd meeting in row with rush TD. Is 1 of 3 active players (MATT FORTÉ & FRANK GORE) with 9,000+ rush yards (9,170) & 400+ catches (403). RB MIKE TOLBERT is 1 of 5 active players in NFL with 30+ rush TDs (34) & 10+ rec. TDs (12).
TE CHARLES CLAY had 112 rec. yards last week, 2nd highest total in career. Has 6 TD catches in past 8. Ties for 2nd among NFL TEs with 2 TD catches & ranks 3rd with 227 rec. yards in 2017. Leads all NFL TEs with 3 catches of 25+ yards this season. WR ANDRE HOLMES ties for team lead with 2 TD catches.
DE JERRY HUGHES has 3 sacks, 4 TFL & FF in past
3. LB PRESTON BROWN aims for 3rd in row with 10+ tackles. LB LORENZO ALEXANDER had FF last week. Has sack in 2 of past 3. S MICAH HYDE had 2 INTs in Week 4, 1st career multi-INT game. Ties for NFL lead with 3 INTs. Rookie CB TRE’DAVIOUS WHITE had 52-yard FR-TD last week. Leads NFL with 8 PD. CB E.J. GAINES has 2 FFs, INT & 5 PD in past 3.
K STEPHEN HAUSCHKA has made 4 FGs of 50+ yards in past 2. Has made 3 FGs of 55+ yards in 2017, tied for 2nd most in NFL history.
QB ANDY DALTON completed 25 of 30 (83.3 pct.) for 286 yards with 4 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 146.0 rating last week. Has 3 career games with 4+ TDs & 0 INTs. Aims for 3rd in row with 120+ rating. Had rush TD in last meeting. In past 3 meetings, has 787 pass yards (262.3 per game) with 7 pass TDs. Has 100+ rating in 2 of past 3 vs. Buf.
RB GIOVANI BERNARD had 61-yard TD catch last week.
Is 1 of 4 NFL RBs with 2+ TD catches (2) in 2017. Has TD in 2 of past 3 meetings. Since entering league in 2014, RB JEREMY HILL has 29 rush TDs, tied for 2nd most in NFL.
WR A.J. GREEN aims for 3rd in row with rec. TD. In past
10 at home, has 908 rec. yards (90.8 per game) & 6 TD catches. WR BRANDON LA FELL has 65+ rec. yards in 3 of past 4 meetings. WR TYLER BOYD had TD catch in last meeting. TE TYLER KROFT led team with 6 catches, 68 rec. yards & 2 TDs last week.
DT GENO ATKINS leads all NFL DTs with 3 sacks in 2017. Has 4.5 sacks in past 4 at home. In past 3 meetings, DE CARLOS DUNLAP has 3 sacks, 4 TFL & PD. LB VONTAZE BURFICT had 13 tackles & sack in last meeting. LB NICK VIGIL had career-high 11 tackles & 1st career sack last week. Leads team with 32 tackles. LB VINCENT REY aims for 3rd meeting in row with 8+ tackles. CB DRE KIRKPATRICK had INT in last meeting. S CLAYTON FEJEDELEM had 1st career INT in Week
4. CB WILLIAM JACKSON leads team with 4 PD.

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Browns Preview

NEW YORK JETS		CLEVELAND BROWNS
LAST WEEK	W 23-20 (OT) vs. Jacksonville	LAST WEEK	L 31-7 vs. Cincinnati
COACH VS. OPP.	Todd Bowles: 2-0	COACH VS. OPP.	Hue Jackson: 1-1
PTS. FOR/AGAINST	18.8/23.0	PTS. FOR/AGAINST	15.8/26.8
OFFENSE	323.0	OFFENSE	296.0
PASSING	Josh McCown: 82-117-826-3-3-87.8	PASSING	DeShone Kizer (R): 73-142-764-3-8-50.9
RUSHING	Bilal Powell: 49-235-4.8-2	RUSHING	Isaiah Crowell: 46-134-2.9-0
RECEIVING	Jermaine Kearse: 18-182-10.1-2	RECEIVING	Duke Johnson, Jr. (RB): 20-207-10.4-0
DEFENSE	338.5	DEFENSE	328.0
SACKS	David Baas: 2	SACKS	Emmanuel Ogbah: 2
INTs	Terrence Brooks: 2 (T3L)	INTs	Derrick Kindred, Jason McCourty: 1
TAKE/GIVE	-3 (4/7)	TAKE/GIVE	-5 (5/10)
PUNTING (NET)	Lachlan Edwards: 46.1 (42.0)	PUNTING (NET)	Britton Colquitt: 49.7 (41.4)
KICKING	Chandler Catanzaro: 33 (6/6 PAT; 9/11 FG)	KICKING	Zane Gonzalez (R): 13 (7/7 PAT; 2/3 FG)

Game Notes

LEADER: Browns lead all-time series, 12-11
LAST GAME: 10/30/16: Jets 31 at Browns 28
STREAKS: Jets have won past 4
LAST GAME AT SITE: 10/30/16
QB JOSH MC COWN started 11 games for Cle. from 2015-16 & passed for 3,032 yards (275.6 per game) with 17 TDs. Has 100+ rating in 2 of past 3. Has 70.1 comp. pct. (82 of 117), 2nd highest in NFL.
RB BILAL POWELL rushed for 163 yards, incl. 75-yard TD last week. Aims for 3rd in row with rush TD. Has 75+ scrimmage yards in each of past 3 meetings. Rookie RB ELIJAH MC GUIRE had career-high 93 rush yards, incl. 69-yard TD in Week 4. Powell & McGuire are 5th pair of teammates with rush TDs of 69+ yards in same game & 1st since 2008. RB MATT FORTÉ has 350 scrimmage yards (116.7 per game) with 4 rush TDs in 3 career games vs. Cle. Has 13,946 scrimmage yards, 3rd most among active players.
WR ROBBY ANDERSON has 154 rec. yards (77 per game) & TD catch in past 2. WR JERMAINE KEARSE has 11 catches & 2 TDs in past 2 on road.
LB DEMARIO DAVIS had 99 tackles & 2 sacks with Cle. in 2016. Leads team & ranks 3rd in NFL with 40 tackles. LB DAVID BASS aims for 3rd in row with sack. DE KONY EALY had INT & career-high 4 PD last week. Had sack in only career meeting (12/21/14 with Car.). LB DARRON LEE aims for 4th in row with 7+ tackles on road. CB BUSTER SKRINE is 1 of 4 NFL CBs with 7+ INTs (7) & 3+ sacks
(3) since 2013. DE MUHAMMAD WILKERSON has 2.5 sacks in past 3 meetings. Rookie S JAMAL ADAMS is 1 of 4 NFL safeties with 3+ TFL (3) & sack in 2017.
QB DE SHONE KIZER (rookie) has completed 7 passes of 25+ yards in 2017, tied for 5th most in AFC. Has 2 rush TDs, tied for 2nd most among NFL QBs.
RB ISAIAH CROWELL had rush TD in last meeting. RB DUKE JOHNSON, JR. has 244 scrimmage yards (81.3 per game) with 2 rush TDs in past 3. Has 20 catches, tied for 5th most among NFL RBs. Is 1 of 3 NFL RBs (TODD GURLEY & CHRIS THOMPSON) with 200+ rec. yards
(207) & 2+ rush TDs (2). Led team with 9 catches in Week 4.
WR KENNY BRITT had 7 catches for 109 yards in his last game vs. NYJ (11/13/16 with Rams). Rookie TE DAVID NJOKU ties for 2nd among NFL TEs with 2 rec. TDs.
LB JOE SCHOBERT had career-high 11 tackles last
week. Has 8+ tackles in 3 of past 4. Leads team with 33 tackles. LB CHRISTIAN KIRKSEY had 12 tackles & TFL in last meeting. Since entering league in 2014, is 1 of 6 in NFL with 290+ tackles (298) & 9+ sacks (9.5). DE EMMANUEL OGBAH had 2 FFs, FR & sack last week. Aims for 3rd in row with sack. LB JAMIE COLLINS, SR. has 43 tackles (10.8 per game) with sack, INT, 2 TFL, FF
& FR in past 4 meetings. Aims for 5th meeting in row with 8+ tackles. Since entering league in 2013, is 1 of 2 in NFL
(LAVONTE DAVID) with 350+ tackles (365), 12+ sacks (12.5) & 10+ FFs (12). DT TREVON COLEY & rookie DT
CALEB BRANTLEY each had 1st career sack last week.

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Ravens Preview

BALTIMORE RAVENS		OAKLAND RAIDERS
LAST WEEK	L 26-9 vs. Pittsburgh	LAST WEEK	L 16-10 at Denver
COACH VS. OPP.	John Harbaugh: 3-2	COACH VS. OPP.	Jack Del Rio: 4-2
PTS. FOR/AGAINST	15.0/20.0	PTS. FOR/AGAINST	22.8/19.8
OFFENSE	269.8	OFFENSE	287.8
PASSING	Joe Flacco: 73-118-601-4-6-65.0	PASSING	EJ Manuel: 11-17-106-0-1-57.5
RUSHING	Alex Collins: 25-206-8.2-0	RUSHING	Marshawn Lynch: 45-151-3.4-1
RECEIVING	Benjamin Watson (TE): 16-146-9.1-1	RECEIVING	Jared Cook (TE): 16-170-10.6-1
DEFENSE	349.5	DEFENSE	347.8
SACKS	Terrell Suggs: 3	SACKS	Khalil Mack: 4
INTs	Many tied: 2 (T3L)	INTs	–
TAKE/GIVE	+2 (11/9)	TAKE/GIVE	0 (4/4)
PUNTING (NET)	Sam Koch: 44.3 (41.2)	PUNTING (NET)	Marquette King: 52.6 (1L) (47.5) (1L)
KICKING	Justin Tucker: 18 (6/6 PAT; 4/6 FG)	KICKING	Giorgio Tavecchio: 31 (10/10 PAT; 7/7 FG)

Game Notes

LEADER: Ravens lead all-time series, 6-3
LAST GAME: 10/2/16: Raiders 28 at Ravens 27
STREAKS: Raiders have won past 2
LAST GAME AT SITE: 9/20/15: Raiders 37, Ravens 33
QB JOE FLACCO passed for 298 yards with TD & rushed for TD in last meeting. In past 3 meetings, has 1,023 pass yards (341 per game) with 6 TDs vs. 2 INTs for 98.3 rating. Has 100+ rating in 2 of past 3 meetings.
RB TERRANCE WEST rushed for 113 yards with TD in last meeting. RB ALEX COLLINS led team with 82 rush yards last week. Has 164 rush yards (82 per game) in past 2. RB JAVORIUS ALLEN had 6 catches in Week 4, tied for 2nd most in his career. Ties for team lead with 16 catches.
WR JEREMY MACLIN has TD catch in 2 of past 4 on road. WR MIKE WALLACE had TD catch last week. Has rec. TD in 2 of 3 career road meetings. TE BENJAMIN WATSON had 80 rec. yards in his last meeting (12/2/12 with Cle.). Leads team with 146 rec. yards.
LB C.J. MOSLEY has 18 tackles in past 2 meetings. Had 12 tackles last week. Leads team & ranks 4th in NFL with 38 tackles. Aims for 8th in row with 8+ tackles. In past 5 vs. Oak., LB TERRELL SUGGS has 4 sacks, 3 TFL, 2 PD, FF & FR. Is franchise leader with 117.5 sacks. S ERIC WEDDLE had INT & 2 PD in Week 4. Is only active player with 25+ INTs (25) & 7+ sacks (7.5) since entering league in 2007. CB JIMMY SMITH had sack in last road meeting. S LARDARIUS WEBB had 3 PD in last game at Oak. Had sack last week. Is only NFL player with 2+ INTs (2) & sack in 2017. CB BRANDON CARR ties for 3rd in NFL with 2 INTs & ties for 4th with 6 PD.
QB EJ MANUEL has 1,312 pass yards with 7 pass TDs & rush TD in past 6 starts. Has 200+ pass yards in 5 of past 6 starts.
RB MARSHAWN LYNCH has 265 scrimmage yards (132.5 per game) with 2 rush TDs in past 2 meetings. In 9 career games vs. AFC North, has 930 scrimmage yards (103.3 per game) with 5 TDs (4 rush, 1 rec.) & pass TD.
WR MICHAEL CRABTREE had 3 rec. TDs in last meeting. In past 2 vs. Bal., has 199 rec. yards (99.5 per game) with 4 TDs. Has 354 rec. yards (88.5 per game) with 4 TDs in past 4 at home. WR AMARI COOPER had 109 rec. yards & TD catch in last home meeting. WR SETH ROBERTS aims for 3rd meeting in row with TD catch. WR JOHNNY HOLTON had 64-yard TD catch last week, his 1st career rec. TD.
DE KHALIL MACK had 2 sacks last week & has 4 sacks in past 3. Has 8 games with 2+ sacks since entering league in 2014, tied for 3rd most in NFL in that span. Had sack in last meeting. Has 7 sacks, 5 TFL, 3 FFs, 3 FRs, 3 PD & INT-TD in past 7 at home. DE MARIO EDWARDS, JR. had sack in Week 4. Has 3 sacks in past 4. LB BRUCE IRVIN had sack & FF in last meeting. Had sack last week. LB CORY JAMES had career-high 15 tackles & FF in last meeting. Leads team with 32 tackles. CB DAVID AMERSON has 46 PD since 2015, 2nd most in NFL. S KARL JOSEPH is 1 of 2 NFL safeties with 25+ tackles (27) & sack in 2017.