AFC North Preview – Week 17

by Joe Kuzma (joe_kuzma) on December 30, 2017

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

The Steelers, Browns, and Bengals destinies are all lined up to close out Week 17, but for one other team in the AFC North, the last week of regular season football could mean they get to play one more game beyond.

The Ravens are in a “win and in” situation with AFC North foe Cincinnati, a team who has spoiled their playoff hopes in the final game of the season for the last two years. Baltimore looks to get the chip off of their shoulder and continue their 2017 season with a victory, while the Cleveland Browns are still searching for their first win of the year.

And they may get it too, as the Steelers are rumored to be resting several of their starters in order to have a 100% healthy and rested team for a potential Super Bowl run.

Here’s a breakdown of the state of the AFC North headed into Week 17.

AFC North Standings

Week 17 AFC North Standings

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Browns/Steelers Preview

	Steelers	Browns
Last Week	L 27-24 vs. New England	W 34-6 at Houston
Coach vs. Opp.	Mike Tomlin: 2-1	Mike Tomlin: 18-3
PTS. For/Against	24.6/19.9	25.2/18.9
Offense	383.5	379.9 (3L)
Passing	Ben Roethlisberger: 340-532-4025 (2L)-26-14-92.2	Ben Roethlisberger: 360-561-4251 (2L)-28-14-93.4
Rushing	Le’Veon Bell: 307-1222 (1L)-4.0-8 (T3L)	Le’Veon Bell: 321-1291 (3L)-4.0-9 (T3L)
Receiving	Le’Veon Bell (RB): 80-627-7.8-2	Le’Veon Bell (RB): 85-655-7.7-2
Defense	307.8	302.4
Sacks	Cameron Heyward: 10	Cameron Heyward: 12
INTs	Sean Davis, Mike Hilton: 2	Sean Davis, Mike Hilton: 2
Take/Give	0 (18/18)	+2 (20/18)
Punting (Net)	Jordan Berry: 43.4 (39.7)	Jordan Berry: 43.7 (40.0)
Kicking	Chris Boswell: 128 (3L) (29/31 PAT; 33/36 FG)	Chris Boswell: 138 (3L) (33/35 PAT; 35/38 FG)

Game Notes

LEADER: Steelers lead all-time series, 71-58
LAST GAME: 9/10/17: Steelers 21 at Browns 18
STREAKS: Steelers have won past 5
LAST GAME AT SITE: 1/1/17: Steelers 27, Browns 24 (OT)
QB DE SHONE KIZER had pass TD & rush TD in last meeting. Has 2,580 pass yards, 2nd most by rookie in team history (BRANDON WEEDEN, 3,385 in 2012).
RB ISAIAH CROWELL rushed for career-high 152 yards
in last game at Pit. Has 100+ scrimmage yards in 2 of past 3 on road vs. division.
RB DUKE JOHNSON, JR. had 101 scrimmage yards (81 rec., 20 rush) last week. Has TD in 2 of past 3 vs. division. Has 6.6 yards per touch avg., 3rd highest among NFL RBs. Since entering league in 2015, has 1,666 rec. yards, most among NFL RBs. Is 1 of 2 RBs in NFL history (HERSCHEL WALKER) with 50+ catches & 500+ rec. yards in each of 1st 3 seasons.
WR JOSH GORDON has 21 catches for 319 yards (159.5 per game) & TD in his past 2 vs. Pit.
WR COREY COLEMAN had rec. TD in last meeting.
TE SETH DE VALVE had TD catch in last game at Pit.
LB CHRISTIAN KIRKSEY ranks 2nd in NFL with 132
tackles. Has 3 sacks & 6 TFL in past 3 at Pit. Aims for 4th road meeting in row with sack. Has 39 tackles (9.8 per game) in past 4.
LB JOE SCHOBERT ties for 4th in NFL with 130 tackles. Had 9 tackles in last meeting. Has 10+ tackles in 2 of past 3 on road. Kirksey (132) & Schobert (130) are only pair of NFL teammates with 125+ tackles each.
Rookie DE MYLES GARRETT had sack last week.
S DERRICK KINDRED had 1st career INT in last game vs. Pit.
DE CARL NASSIB aims for 3rd in row vs. Pit. with sack.
STEELERS won AFC North & earned 1st rd. bye. Can secure home-field advantage with win & NE loss.
QB BEN ROETHLISBERGER ranks 2nd in NFL with 4,251 pass yards & ties for 4th with 28 TD passes. Aims for 8th in row with 2+ TD passes. In past 4 vs. Cle., has 1,158 pass yards (289.5 per game) with 8 TDs & 98.4 rating. Has 100+ rating in 6 of past 7 home meetings. Aims for 3rd in row at home vs. Cle. with 350+ pass yards.
RB LE’VEON BELL ranks 2nd in NFL with 1,946 scrimmage yards & is 3rd with 1,291 rush yards. Is only player in Steelers history with 2 seasons with 1,900+ scrimmage yards. Has 744 scrimmage yards (124 per game) & 3 rush TDs in 6 career games vs. Cle. Has 90+ scrimmage yards in 13 consecutive home games. Had rush TD last week.
WR MARTAVIS BRYANT has TD catch in 2 of past 3 at home. Had 6 catches for 178 yards & TD in only career home game vs. Cle. (11/15/15).
Rookie WR JU JU SMITH-SCHUSTER has 189 rec. yards (94.5 per game) & TD catch in past 2. Ties for lead among rookies with 6 rec. TDs & ranks 2nd with 774 rec. yards.
TE JESSE JAMES had 2 TDs in last meeting.
DE CAMERON HEYWARD had sack in last meeting. Has 6.5 sacks in past 8 vs. Cle.
CB MIKE HILTON had career-high 3 sacks last week, most by NFL DB in single game since 2005 (ADRIAN WILSON).
Rookie LB T.J. WATT had 2 sacks & INT in last meeting.

On The Airwaves

TV: CBS (1:00 PM ET): Spero Dedes, Adam Archuleta
SIRIUS: 119 (Cle), 93 (Pit) | XM: 384 (Cle), 225 (Pit)

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Bengals/Ravens Preview

	Bengals	Ravens
Last Week	W 26-17 vs. Detroit	W 23-16 vs. Indianapolis
Coach vs. Opp.	Marvin Lewis: 17-12	John Harbaugh: 9-10
PTS. For/Against	17.3/21.5	24.5/18.1
Offense	275.3	304.9
Passing	Andy Dalton: 274-452-3098-22-12-86.3	Joe Flacco: 327-502-2938-16-12-81.4
Rushing	Joe Mixon (R): 160-530-3.3-4	Alex Collins: 192-895-4.7-5
Receiving	A.J. Green: 73-1061-14.5-8	Benjamin Watson (TE): 54-461-8.5-4
Defense	340.9	322.8
Sacks	Geno Atkins: 9	Terrell Suggs: 11
INTs	Many tied: 1	Eric Weddle: 6 (T2L)
Take/Give	-9 (13/22)	+17 (1L) (33/16)
Punting (Net)	Kevin Huber: 47.0 (41.1)	Sam Koch: 45.2 (40.5)
Kicking	Randy Bullock: 78 (27/29 PAT; 17/19 FG)	Justin Tucker: 132 (36/36 PAT; 32/35 FG)

Game Notes

LEADER: Ravens lead all-time series, 22-21
LAST GAME: 9/10/17: Ravens 20 at Bengals 0
STREAKS: Ravens have won 2 of past 3
LAST GAME AT SITE: 11/27/16: Ravens 19, Bengals 14
QB ANDY DALTON is 1 of 3 NFL QBs (PEYTON MANNING & CAM NEWTON) with 3,000+ pass yards (3,098) in each of 1st 7 seasons. In past 3 at Bal., has 967 pass yards (322.3 per game) with 5 TDs vs. 1 INT for 97 rating. Has 100+ rating in 2 of past 3 on road.
RB JOE MIXON (rookie) has rush TD in 2 of his past 3 on road.
RB GIOVANI BERNARD had 168 scrimmage yards (116 rush, 52 rec.) & rush TD last week. Has 130+ scrimmage yards in 2 of past 3. Has 288 scrimmage yards (96 per game) & TD catch in past 3 at Bal. Has 75+ scrimmage yards & TD in 2 of past 3 on road vs. division.
WR A.J. GREEN has 678 rec. yards (113 per game) with 6 TDs in past 6 meetings. In 4 career road games at Bal., has 579 rec. yards (144.8 per game) with 4 TDs. Has 1,061 rec. yards & is 2nd player in team history (CHAD JOHNSON) with 6 1,000+ yard seasons.
TE TYLER KROFT has 4 rec. TDs in past 6 on road.
TE C.J. UZOMAH had TD catch last week.
DT GENO ATKINS had sack in last meeting. In past 6 vs. Bal., has 8 TFL, 3.5 sacks & FF.
DE CARLOS DUNLAP had sack last week. Has sack in 2 of past 3 meetings. Has 5.5 sacks in 6 career games at Bal.
LB VINCENT REY has 18 tackles (9 per game) in past 2 vs. Bal. Had INT in Week 16.
LB VONTAZE BURFICT has 25 tackles (12.5 per game) with 3 TFL, 2 PD & INT in past 2 vs. Bal. Has 12+ tackles in 2 of past 3 road meetings.
CB DARQUEZE DENNARD has 7+ tackles in 2 of past 3 vs. division.
RAVENS can clinch playoff berth with win or loss by either Buf. or Ten.
QB JOE FLACCO completed 29 of 38 (76.3 pct.) with 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 109.2 rating in Week 16. Has 557 pass yards (278.5 per game) with 3 TDs vs. 1 INT for 89.6 rating in past 2 vs. division. Has 2+ TD passes in 3 of past 4. Has 2,938 pass yards & can become 1st player in franchise history with 8 career 3,000+ pass yard seasons.
RB ALEX COLLINS needs 105 rush yards for 1st 1,000 rush yard season. Has 5 rush TDs in past 6.
RB JAVORIUS ALLEN has 3 TDs (2 rush, 1 rec.) in past 4 vs. division.
RB TERRANCE WEST had 80 rush yards & TD in last meeting.
WR JEREMY MACLIN had TD in last meeting. Had 11
catches for 148 yards in 10/4/15 game vs. Cin. (with KC).
WR MICHAEL CAMPANARO had TD catch last week.
TE MAXX WILLIAMS had TD in Week 16.
LB C.J. MOSLEY ranks 4th in AFC with 126 tackles. Had 2 TFL last week. In past 6 vs. Cin., has 55 tackles (9.2 per game), 5 PD, 2 INTs & sack. Has 10+ tackles in 3 of past 4 vs. division.
S TONY JEFFERSON had 9 tackles & sack in Week 1 meeting.
S ERIC WEDDLE has INT in 3 of past 4 vs. division. Aims for 3rd in row at home vs. division with INT.
LB MATTHEW JUDON has 9 TFL & 3 sacks in past 5 at home.
LB TERRELL SUGGS had 2 sacks & FF in last meeting. Has 5 sacks & 3 FFs in past 4 vs. Cin. In past 4 at home vs. division, has 4 sacks & 4 FFs.