NFL’s AFC North race tightens after Week 6 wrap
Week 6 of the 2023 NFL regular season for the AFC North is a wrap after Sunday’s performances. The division, considered by many analysts to be the league’s toughest this season, sees the race for the title tighten even more after wins by the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, and Cleveland Browns occurred while the Pittsburgh Steelers waited-out the bye.
We look at where the AFC North currently stands in the league and how Week 6’s results may factor into the divisional race overall.
The Standings
| Team | Record | DIV | PCT | PF | PA | STRK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ravens | 4-2-0 | 2-1 | .667 | 133 | 91 | W1 |
| Steelers | 3-2-0 | 2-0 | .600 | 79 | 110 | W1 |
| Browns | 3-2-0 | 1-2 | .600 | 95 | 77 | W1 |
| Bengals | 3-3-0 | 0-2 | .500 | 100 | 126 | W2 |
The Steelers are the only team to go undefeated, so far, in the division. The Bengals have yet to beat a divisional opponent. Those numbers are subject to change, of course, as this race heats up even more with the upcoming regular season schedules of all four AFC North teams.
The Browns took their bye in Week 5, the Steelers in Week 6. The Bengals get their bye in Week 7, but the Ravens will get a bye much later in Week 13.
Week 6 was a divisional showcase
It would be hard to argue that the AFC North was not filled with talent, especially after the show three teams put on in Week 6. The Ravens opened Sunday morning action in London by edging out the Tennessee Titans, 24-16, with a Lamar Jackson TD pass and six Justin Tucker field goals. The Browns defense put Brock Purdy on notice as they handed the San Francisco 49ers their first loss of the season. The Bengals defense was able to stop Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos offense twice, late, to grab a 17-13 steal.
To say that the AFC North put other teams “on notice” may be a bit too strong of a statement, but they certainly made it clear that the division is competitive for any opponent.
Upcoming schedule
Pittsburgh’s next opponent (Week 7) is the Los Angeles Rams, on the road in California. The Rams are currently in third place in the AFC West with a 3-3 record.
Baltimore will next face the 5-1 Detroit Lions at home. Analysts are quite reactive to how the Lions have played this season, and – with the Ravens’ win due to the sheer number of field goals in Week 6 – there are already numbers showing Detroit will be favored in the matchup.
Cleveland will travel to Indianapolis to face a 3-3 Colts team. Both teams have quarterback concerns; the Browns started quarterback P.J. Walker while the Colts were led by Gardner Minshew in a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The next divisional matchups will be, as follows:
- Week 10: Cleveland at Baltimore
- Week 11: Pittsburgh at Cleveland, Cincinnati at Baltimore
- Week 12: Pittsburgh at Cincinnati
- Week 16: Cincinnati at Pittsburgh
- Week 18: Cleveland at Cincinnati, Pittsburgh at Baltimore
What will create wrinkles in the divisional race will be how the Steelers, Ravens, Bengals, and Browns handle the long period of play without rest against the remaining conference and non-conference opponents.
Currently, the toughest opponents on the remaining schedule remain the Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, and their own division rivals. That isn’t to say that any opponent these four teams face will be unable to find a weakness to exploit, that injuries won’t come into play, or that a myriad of other NFL anomalies can’t occur.
One area all four divisional teams could use a boost in is offensive scoring. It should prove interesting to see how these rivals jockey for position, especially offensively, as they enter a long stretch of play.
