AFC North: Rounding up the Week 8 games in a tight division
With the AFC North still very much undetermined heading into the second half of the 2018 NFL regular season, Week 8 could very well determine which teams in the division have what it takes to push successfully forward and set themselves apart. While the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns will face-off at Heinz Field, the Baltimore Ravens will go head-to-head with the Carolina Panthers and the Cincinnati Bengals will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After the Steelers jumped to the top of the division while their AFC North rivals all took losses in Week 7, the upcoming games couldn’t be much more important.
Ravens will need outstanding defense against Panthers
In Week 7, Baltimore came very close to pulling out a win over a New Orleans Saints team that has boasted the top offensive production in the league with Drew Brees as their signal-caller. While the Ravens defense was able to keep things mostly under control, they’ll be called on yet again this week to find a way to get Joe Flacco and the offense back on the field against a Panthers defense that has an edge. Carolina quarterback Cam Newton was able to engineer a comeback last week against the Philadelphia Eagles that got his team right back into the NFC South race and the Panthers would love to hold onto that momentum.
A key matchup to watch is how Carolina’s receiving corps, who have been less than spectacular as of late, do against the Ravens’ second-ranked pass defense. Newton is always a dual threat and Christian McCaffrey will be called on to get the run game going, but this could be a game that sees Ravens defensive captain C.J. Mosley bounce back after missing time due to injury in the last two weeks. Mosley, tied for the team led in tackles, would benefit from improved play from Patrick Onwuasor. Onwuasor had four total tackles against the Tennessee Titans and two sacks but was limited to a single tackle last weekend.
With solid pressure, Mosley and Onwuasor could keep Newton pinned in the pocket and less likely to use his legs to scamper for yardage, forcing a few potentially dangerous throws down the field. The Ravens are thin at cornerback, with Anthony Averett, Brandon Carr, Marlon Humphrey, and Jimmy Smith all dealing with injuries. Defensive back/linebacker Anthony Levine is dealing with a hamstring that could factor into the personnel John Harbaugh uses to stop the Panthers offense as well.
Game Info
Date: Sunday, Oct. 28
Kickoff: 1:00 p.m. (EDT)*
Location: Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, NC)
TV: CBS
Radio: 98 Rock | WBAL 1090 AM (Baltimore market)
Bengals look to end two-game skid with win over Buccaneers
Cincinnati had a rough past two weeks. After losing a tough game against AFC North rival Pittsburgh, they were blown out by the Kansas City Chiefs on the road in Week 7. To keep their playoff hopes alive, the Bengals desperately need to maintain control of the game on Sunday against a 3-3 Buccaneers team that has seen its share of up and down moments this season. The Bengals will make their stand in front of their home crowd at Paul Brown Stadium.
Injuries are hampering Cincinnati. Center Billy Price is trending in the right direction but is unlikely to dress this weekend. Giovani Bernard (knee), Nick Vigil (knee), Tyler Kroft (foot), and Darqueze Dennard (sternoclavicular) are all expected to be sidelined for another week as well. Add Vontaze Burfict (hip), John Ross (groin), Bobby Hart (back), and Dre Kirkpatrick (Achilles) to the list of players that are in various states of injury/recovery and the Bengals are in a bit of a desperate situation to find healthy personnel to take the field.
Quarterback Andy Dalton will have a tough time getting any offense going if Hart can’t play because Jake Fisher, who would likely take his spot, is also dealing with a back issue. That would force the Bengals to slide Cedric Ogbuehi into the starting right tackle spot. Thankfully, Dalton has been able to get the ball out quickly this season. Per Pro Football Focus, Dalton has been getting the pass off in 2.35 seconds (the league average is 2.53 seconds). He’ll need to maintain that tempo to prevent the Bucs defense from creating pressure that stalls the Bengals offense.
If Geno Atkins, Carlos Dunlap and Carl Lawson can amp-up their combined ability and harass Jameis Winston and a weak Buccaneers offensive line, things could definitely swing in Cincinnati’s favor.
Game Info
Date: Sunday, Oct. 28
Kickoff: 1:00 p.m. (EDT)*
Location: Paul Brown Stadium (Cincinnati)
TV: FOX
Radio: 700WLW • ESPN 1530 • 102.7 WEBN (Cincinnati market)
Browns and Steelers look for definitive winner in second meeting
What no one on either the Cleveland or Pittsburgh team wants on Sunday is a rematch that results in the same result as their Week 1 season opener – a game that ended in a tie after the two teams were unable to secure a win during the overtime period. While the Browns have seen several overtime periods since that first game, players sent packing from their roster to other teams, and opportunities lost, the Steelers have quietly put back-to-back wins together, jumped to the top of the division during their bye in Week 7 (while everyone else in the division took a loss), and gather momentum heading into the second half of the season.
Baker Mayfield may have proven that he’s the undisputed leader of the Browns offense, his teammates haven’t given him much help. Between all Cleveland receivers, 8.6 percent of catchable passes thrown their direction have ended up as drops, per Pro Football Focus – the worst rate in the NFL through seven weeks of play. That makes the run game with Nick Chubb as the primary back, that much more important for the Browns to get kick-started on Sunday.
The Steelers know that keeping Ben Roethlisberger upright and clean is as important as generating a balanced offense, so watch for one of the best offensive lines in the league to play tough in the trenches as they focus on eliminating Myles Garrett from the equation. Garrett has spent more plays rushing the passer than any other edge defender this season and is ranked sixth (31 total pressures) among all players at that position in the NFL. Getting James Conner involved early in the game and developing a pounding ground game will balance out the amount of pressure the Browns can afford to throw at Big Ben.
Game Info
Date: Sunday, Oct. 28
Kickoff: 1:00 p.m. (EDT)*
Location: Heinz Field (Pittsburgh)
TV: CBS
Radio: SNR • WDVE 102.5 FM • WBGG 970 AM (Pittsburgh market) and ESPN 850 • 92.3 The Fan • 98.5 WNCX (Cleveland market)
* Week 8 games are susceptible to flex scheduling by the NFL
