With the Monday night game still to play, it's safe to say that the Cincinnati Bengals having a shot to win the AFC North is just one of many weird subplots in the NFL playoff picture.
Once the Bengals lost in Week 11 to the Steelers at Pittsburgh and again to the Patriots the next game, the postseason seemed hopeless. Now that the wheels are falling off for aging legend Aaron Rodgers after Sunday's awful 26-7 home loss, the division is suddenly for the taking.
Joe Burrow pretty much prophesied this when he said the North was "wide-open" in his first presser post-turf toe surgery. That was before he came back on Thanksgiving to help destroy the Ravens 32-14.
Let's break down Cincinnati's shockingly possible road ahead to reigning supreme in the AFC North and hosting a playoff game. I can't believe I'm typing those words.
AFC North playoff picture just got a lot tighter after banged-up Aaron Rodgers' Steelers loss to Bills
So look, it's clear that Rodgers isn't himself as he deals with multiple fractures in his left wrist. Two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson was just quarterbacking a Ravens offense that surrendered five turnovers to the Bengals on the holiday, in prime time, at home.
Against all conceivable odds, Joe Burrow looks like he might be the healthiest QB in the division amongst the teams who still have a chance to win.
Even better? Rodgers appears to know the end is nigh, and won't go down without throwing his teammates under the bus!
Rodgers on how to get more production in the pass game: “When there’s film sessions. Everyone shows up. When I check to a route. Run the right route.” Jeez. pic.twitter.com/5xySoddKOy
— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) December 1, 2025
So the Ravens and Steelers meet in Week 14, both sporting a 6-6 record as Baltimore holds the tiebreaker. They'll square off again in the regular-season finale.
Since Cincinnati has already split its two-game set with Pittsburgh, the ideal scenario is for the Ravens to win this coming Sunday. That'd set up a situation where the Bengals can beat Baltimore in Week 15 to pull of the sweep, secure the critical head-to-head tiebreaker.
Either team is going to lose. As long as the Bengals take care of business at Buffalo in Week 14, the opportunity will be there the next game to pull as close to one game back in the North with three games remaining.
The great news about the last few contests after the Bills and Ravens is that Cincinnati won't face a foe with a current winning record. A road game against the 5-7 Dolphins precedes two home matchups against the Cardinals and Browns, who both sport 3-9 records.
Meanwhile, again, the Steelers and Ravens will knock one or the other out for good in Week 18. Baltimore has a tough closing stretch, too, against the 10-2 Patriots in Week 16 and a road trip to Green Bay thereafter.
Pittsburgh draws the Dolphins at home in Week 15's Monday night tilt, followed by road games at Detroit and Cleveland. Would it be shocking to see this iteration of the Steelers lose at least two of those? I don't think so.
It's quite possible the AFC North champ has an 8-9 record. No team would be a bigger threat to the rest of the conference than Cincinnati, though.
Whatever it looks like, just get Joe Burrow and this surging Bengals defense into the playoff tournament. Nobody will want any part of them if they keep trending like they are.