Around the AFC North: Post-Week 1 Notes
By Connor Howe
Sep 13, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Cincinnati Bengals receiver A.J. Green (18) is defended by Oakland Raiders cornerback T.J. Carrie (38) in the second quarter at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The Cincinnati Bengals trounced the Oakland Raiders on Sunday, and with the other three teams in the AFC North losing their first games, the Bengals are already alone atop the AFC North. The Bengals showed huge promise against an underrated Raiders team that actually didn’t play as poorly as the score suggested, the Ravens lost a brutal game that they should’ve won in Denver, the Browns were obliterated in an easy matchup against the Geno Smith-less Jets and the Steelers lost a game they were expected to lose against the New England Patriots. Week 1 was a crazy week for football fans that makes all of us excited to see football season back. Here are a few links to takeaways from around the division.
Cincinnati Bengals (1-0)
Bengals Decimate Raiders in 33-13 Victory (Stripe Hype)
A.J. Green Extension: Contract Details (Stripe Hype)
Bengals’ Adam Jones on heated play: ‘I don’t back down from anybody’ (ESPN)
Bengals vs Raiders: Winners and Losers (Cincy Jungle)
Baltimore Ravens (0-1)
Ravens highest and lowest rated players: Week 1 (Ebony Bird)
Ravens: 3 takeaways from Baltimore’s depth chart (Ebony Bird)
Terrell Suggs of Baltimore Ravens to miss rest of season (ESPN)
Ravens vs Broncos Final Score: Knee-jerk staff reactions (Baltimore Beatdown)
Pittsburgh Steelers (0-1)
Steelers drop opener to Patriots: Instant reaction (Still Curtain)
Steelers News: Heyward, red zone, Brown (Still Curtain)
Pittsburgh Steelers can flourish without Le’Veon Bell, Martavis Bryant in Week 2 (ESPN)
Steelers vs. Patriots Week 1 statistical analysis (Behind the Steel Curtain)
Cleveland Browns (0-1)
Cleveland Browns drop another opener, fall to Jets 31-10 (Dawg Pound Daily)
Cleveland Browns lose to Jets: 5 takeaways from the defeat (Dawg Pound Daily)
Johnny Manziel in for Cleveland Browns after Josh McCown suffers concussion (ESPN)
The Grey Area (Dawgs By Nature)
It’s just week 1, so anything could happen. But for now, the AFC North looks like it could be up for grabs. Le’Veon Bell and Martavis Bryant are still suspended, Terrell Suggs is out for the season and the Browns are still the Browns. The Bengals only had a couple of negative takeaways from the first week, but a one-game lead isn’t ever secure, especially in the rugged AFC North.
Here are next week’s matchups:
1:00PM ET: San Francisco 49ers (0-0) at Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0)
1:00PM ET: San Diego Chargers (1-0) at Cincinnati Bengals (1-0)
1:00PM ET: Tennessee Titans (1-0) at Cleveland Browns (0-1)
4:05PM ET: Baltimore Ravens (0-1) at Oakland Raiders (0-1)