AFC North Preview – Week 12
SCU’s AFC North Preview is a quick overview of the Steelers division opponents and their upcoming games.
While the Pittsburgh Steelers have a comfortable lead in the AFC North, two teams, the Cincinnati Bengals, and the Baltimore Ravens have kept pace to keep their playoff stakes alive. The Ravens currently sit at 5-5 in the final Wild Card spot in the AFC, while the Bengals aren’t mathematically eliminated (just yet).
The Cleveland Browns are 0-10, and due to the lack of quality teams in the AFC, could still make the playoffs. (If something like 46 other things happens!)
Here’s a preview of this week’s AFC North games.
AFC North Standings
Bengals/Browns Preview
| Browns | Bengals | |
|---|---|---|
| Last Week | L 19-7 vs. Jacksonville | W 20-17 at Denver |
| Coach vs. Opp. | Hue Jackson: 0-3 | Marvin Lewis: 21-8 |
| PTS. For/Against | 15.0/25.9 | 16.9/19.9 |
| Offense | 300.7 | 265.6 |
| Passing | DeShone Kizer (R): 148-282-1555-5-14-54.0 | Andy Dalton: 183-296-2158-16-8-90.7 |
| Rushing | Isaiah Crowell: 129-459-3.6-2 | Joe Mixon (R): 127-370-2.9-3 |
| Receiving | Duke Johnson, Jr. (RB): 46-414-9.0-2 | A.J. Green: 48-743-15.5-6 |
| Defense | 313.7 | 323 |
| Sacks | Myles Garrett (R): 4 | Geno Atkins: 6 |
| INTs | Jason McCourty: 3 | Many tied: 1 |
| Take/Give | -17 (11/28) | -7 (10/17) |
| Punting (Net) | Britton Colquitt: 48.9 (41.4) | Kevin Huber: 47.7 (40.6) |
| Kicking | Zane Gonzalez (R): 40 (16/17 PAT; 8/12 FG) | Randy Bullock: 42 (18/20 PAT; 8/10 FG) |
Game Notes
- LEADER: Bengals lead all-time series, 49-39
- LAST GAME: 10/1/17: Bengals 31 at Browns 7
- STREAKS: Bengals have won past 6
- LAST GAME AT SITE: 10/23/16: Bengals 31, Browns 17
- QB DE SHONE KIZER (rookie) aims for 3rd in row with pass TD. Has 4 rush TDs, tied for 2nd among NFL QBs. Aims for 3rd in row on road with rush TD.
- RB ISAIAH CROWELL has rush TD in 2 of past 3 at Cin. In past 5 on road, has 427 scrimmage yards (85.4 per game) with rush TD. RB DUKE JOHNSON, JR. had TD catch in Week 11. Had rush TD in last meeting. Leads all NFL RBs with 1,462 rec. yards & ranks 2nd with 160 catches since entering league in 2015. Is 1 of 5 players with 400+ rec. yards (414) & 200+ rush yards (240) in 2017.
- WR COREY COLEMAN led team with career-high 6 catches for 80 rec. yards last week. TE SETH DE VALVE has TD in 2 of past 3 on road vs. division. Rookie TE DAVID NJOKU has TD catch in 2 of past 4 on road. Ties for 4th among rookies with 3 rec. TDs. WR KENNY BRITT aims for his 3rd in row on road with TD. Has 6 TDs in his past 8 on road.
- LB CHRISTIAN KIRKSEY has 55 tackles (11 per game), 2 sacks & 2 FFs in past 5. Is 1 of 2 in NFL (DEMARIO DAVIS) with 80+ tackles (87) & 3+ sacks (3). Kirksey (87) & LB JOE SCHOBERT (86) rank 1st & 2nd in AFC in tackles. Schobert has 10+ tackles in 4 of past 5. Had 11 tackles in last meeting. Rookie DE MYLES GARRETT had FR last week. Has 4 sacks in his past 5. LB JAMES BURGESS, JR. had 16 tackles, 3 TFL & sack last week. Rookie DT CALEB BRANTLEY had sack in last meeting. CB JAMAR TAYLOR had 1st career FF in Week 11.
- QB ANDY DALTON has 7 pass TDs vs. 0 INTs for 103.3 rating in past 4. In past 5 meetings, has completed 99 of 132 (75 pct.) with 13 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 136.2 rating. Passed for 286 yards with 4 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 146 rating in last meeting. Aims for 6th in row vs. Cle. with 100+ rating.
- RB JOE MIXON (rookie) has rush TD in 2 of past 3. Ranks 5th among NFL rookies with 577 scrimmage yards. RB GIOVANI BERNARD had 61-yard TD catch in last meeting. Aims for 4th in row at home vs. Cle. with 85+ scrimmage yards. Is 1 of 4 RBs with 200+ catches (205) & 8+ rec. TDs (8) since entering league in 2013.
- WR A.J. GREEN has 165 rec. yards (82.5 per game) with 2 TDs in past 2. Had TD in last meeting. In past 3 vs. Cle., has 360 rec. yards (120 per game) with 3 TD catches. In past 6 at home vs. division, has 686 rec. yards (114.3 per game) with 4 TDs. WR BRANDON LA FELL had TD catch in last home meeting. TE TYLER KROFT had TD catch last week. Had 2 TDs in last meeting.
- LB VONTAZE BURFICT had 12 tackles, sack & FF in Week 11. In past 4 at home vs. division, has 40 tackles, 3 TFL & INT. DE CARLOS DUNLAP had 2 sacks last week, his 15th career game with 1.5+ sacks. Has 5 sacks in past 6 meetings. DT GENO ATKINS has 4.5 sacks in past 6 vs. division. LB NICK VIGIL had career-high 11 tackles & sack in last meeting. CB DRE KIRKPATRICK had 101- yard INT return in Week 11.
On The Airwaves
- TV: CBS (1:00 PM ET): Andrew Catalon, James Lofton
- SIRIUS: 108 (Cle), 121 (Cin) | XM: 384 (Cle), 226 (Cin)
Ravens Preview
Game Notes
| Ravens | Texans | |
|---|---|---|
| Last Week | W 23-0 at Green Bay | W 31-21 vs. Arizona |
| Coach vs. Opp. | John Harbaugh: 4-2 | Bill O’Brien: 1-0 |
| PTS. For/Against | 21.3/17.1 (3L) | 26.7/26.2 |
| Offense | 279.8 | 350 |
| Passing | Joe Flacco: 209-319-1734-9-11-74.4 | Tom Savage: 66-125-732-4-3-71.2 |
| Rushing | Alex Collins: 113-570-5.0-1 | Lamar Miller: 162-604-3.7-2 |
| Receiving | Javorius Allen (RB): 40-198-5.0-2 | DeAndre Hopkins: 62-879 (3L)-14.2-9 (1L) |
| Defense | 306 | 344.8 |
| Sacks | Terrell Suggs: 7.5 | Jadeveon Clowney: 8 |
| INTs | Eric Weddle: 4 (T3L) | Andre Hal: 3 |
| Take/Give | +8 (T3L) (23/15) | -5 (14/19) |
| Punting (Net) | Sam Koch: 45.5 (40.8) | Shane Lechler: 49.5 (3L) (42.1) |
| Kicking | Justin Tucker: 79 (19/19 PAT; 20/23 FG) | Ka’imi Fairbairn: 63 (27/29 PAT; 12/14 FG) |
- LEADER: Ravens lead all-time series, 6-2
- LAST GAME: 12/21/14: Ravens 13 at Texans 25
- STREAKS: Texans have won 2 of past 3
- LAST GAME AT SITE: 9/22/13: Ravens 30, Texans 9
- QB TOM SAVAGE completed 22 of 32 (68.8 pct.) with 2 TDs vs. 1 INT for 97.1 rating last week. Aims for 4th in row with TD pass.
- RB LAMAR MILLER had 83 scrimmage yards (61 rush, 22 rec.) & TD catch in Week 11. Has 3 TDs (2 rec., 1 rush) in past 4. Is 1 of 5 AFC RBs with 600+ rush yards (604) & 250+ rec. yards (264). Has 207 scrimmage yards (166 rush, 41 rec.) in past 2 meetings.
- WR DE ANDRE HOPKINS had TD catch last week. Leads NFL with 9 rec. TDs. Has 335 rec. yards (167.5 per game) with TD in past 2 on road. Aims for 6th in row on road with 7+ catches. WR WILL FULLER V ties for 2nd in NFL with 7 TD catches. WR BRUCE ELLINGTON has TD in 2 of past 3 on road. TE C.J. FIEDOROWICZ had TD in only career meeting.
- DE JADEVEON CLOWNEY had 2 sacks last week. Has 5 sacks & 9 TFL in past 4. Aims for 5th in row with sack. In past 5 on road, has 5 sacks, 10 TFL, 2 FFs & 2 FRs. LB BENARDRICK MC KINNEY had 2 TFL last week. Is 1 of 4 NFL LBs with 240+ tackles (249) & 8+ sacks (8) since entering league in 2015. S ANDRE HAL had INT in Week
11. Is 1 of 4 AFC safeties with 45+ tackles (45) & 3+ INTs (3). CB KAREEM JACKSON had 2 INTs in last meeting. CB JOHNATHAN JOSEPH has 2 INTs, incl. INT-TD, in past 4 meetings. Is 1 of 2 active players (TERENCE NEWMAN) with 25+ career INTs (28) & 150+ PD (165). - QB JOE FLACCO completed 22 of 28 (78.6 pct.) with TD last week. Has 5 pass TDs in past 4.
- RB ALEX COLLINS had rush TD in Week 11. Has 341 scrimmage yards (85.3 per game) in past 4 at home. Ranks 2nd in AFC with 5.04 yards per carry avg. RB DANNY WOODHEAD is 1 of 3 RBs (DARREN SPROLES & MATT FORTÉ) with 275+ catches (275) & 15+ rec. TDs (17) since entering league in 2009. RB JAVORIUS ALLEN is 1 of 5 RBs with 350+ rush yards (385) & 40+ catches (40) in 2017.
- TE BENJAMIN WATSON is 1 of 5 AFC TEs with 35+ catches (39) & 2+ TDs (2). WR JEREMY MACLIN has TD catch in 2 of past 3 at home. Has 278 rec. yards (92.7 per game) with 2 TDs in past 3 vs. Hou. WR MIKE WALLACE aims for 3rd in row with TD. Had 77 rec. yards in last game vs. Hou. (10/2/11 with Pit.). Is 1 of 3 active players (JULIO JONES & DE SEAN JACKSON) with 500+ career catches (510) & 15+ yards per catch avg. (15).
- LB MATT JUDON had 2 sacks & FF last week, his 3rd career multi-sack game. Has 3 sacks in past 2. LB C.J. MOSLEY has 50 tackles, 4 TFL, 2 FFs & INT-TD in past 5 at home. S ERIC WEDDLE had INT last week. Aims for 3rd in row with INT. LB TERRELL SUGGS had 2 sacks & FF in Week 11, his 20th 2+ sack game. Is 1 of 5 active players with 20 career 2+ sack games. Is franchise leader with 122 sacks. S LARDARIUS WEBB is 1 of 2 NFL safeties (JORDAN POYER) with 2+ sacks (2) & 2+ INTs (2).
On The Airwaves
- TV: ESPN (8:30 PM ET): Sean McDonough, Jon Gruden, Lisa Salters (Field reporter)
- NATIONAL RADIO: WW1: Kevin Harlan, Boomer Esiason | SIRIUS: 88 (WW1), 81 (Hou), 83 (Bal) | XM: 88 (WW1), 81 (Hou), 83 (Bal)
Statistics and game information courtesy of the Pittsburgh Steelers and/or National Football League.
