Thanksgiving has come and gone, but a season of hope has arrived for the Cincinnati Bengals. Meanwhile, in Baltimore, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh, coal dust appeared on the newly hung Christmas stockings in Week 13.
With five games remaining, the AFC North is still up for grabs for all four teams. Each of the four teams has fatal flaws, as evidenced by the division being one of two, along with the NFC South, to have no team with a positive point differential.
However, the AFC North is the worst in the most crucial stat, wins. It is the only division without a team with a winning record. As a result, the division champ is far from determined, and the playoff representative, whichever team it turns out to be, will be flawed.
Here are the AFC North power rankings before a critical Week 14 weekend.
4. Browns chasing wins while Cleveland has hopes for QB
Unfortunately for Shedeur Sanders and the Cleveland Browns, the rookie quarterback could not repeat his Week 12 winning performance against the San Francisco 49ers, as the Browns lost 26-8.
The Browns heavily relied on their sensational rookie running backs Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson. As a team, they rushed for 138 yards on 31 carries.
Sanders did not have a sensational outing, throwing for 149 yards and one touchdown while completing 64% of his passes. Yet he still has many fans in his city and across the NFL.
However, he might not have a fan in one of his wideouts.
Shedeur Sanders has two starts. In those two starts, Jerry Jeudy has 4 catches, 2 dropped passes, and 1 fumble.
— Hovah76 (@hovah76) November 30, 2025
Through 10 games with Dillon Gabriel and Joe Flacco, Jeudy had 28 catches with 8 drops, a lousy 2.8 catches per game average, and this is how he disrespects his QB. pic.twitter.com/IP6Ov09pT4
Despite the change at QB, the Browns remain one of the worst offenses in the NFL, ranking 29th in scoring. The three teams below them, the Saints, Raiders, and Titans, have all been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.
Spectacularly, the Browns, mathematically, still have a chance at reaching the postseason. However, it is more likely that they end up with the first overall draft pick than a playoff berth.
Speaking of the draft, the Browns would pick fifth if the season ended today. With that pick, they could go with their next, next franchise QB. And that is what is happening in the latest mock drafts.
Tankathon’s updated 2026 Mock Draft has the Elves selecting Oregon quarterback Dante Moore with the fifth overall selection.
The Browns will have a few options. Pushing Moore for Cleveland’s potential future signal caller will be Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza and Alabama’s Ty Simpson.
Cleveland now has time to evaluate its QB room while zeroing in on college players to see whether they want to move on or stay the course with Sanders or Dillon Gabriel at the helm.
But if the Browns want to have a choice of one of those collegiate QBs, they should not have the bright idea to start winning games.
Fortunately for their chances of winning, but unfortunately for the draft position, the Browns face the Tennessee Titans this Sunday in a game that Cleveland should win.
3. Burrow’s back as Bengals’ defense has its best outing
For the Cincinnati Bengals, this week’s conference power rankings are akin to the Miami Hurricanes’ chances of making the college football playoffs over Notre Dame.
Yes, the Bengals won against the Ravens. However, they do not have enough wins to overtake them in the rankings or the standings. Yet.
Nevertheless, it is a start.
Cincinnati was the only team in the division to earn a win in Week 13. With Joe Burrow making his return to the starting lineup after a turf toe injury, the Bengals defeated Baltimore 32-14.
Even with their win, the Bengals have the worst point differential in the division and the fourth-worst in the league. Their 374 points allowed are last in the NFL.
But Cincinnati’s defense has looked better over the past couple of games, thanks in part to individual performances from players like Joseph Ossai, who stepped up at a critical moment in the season.
The Bengals’ defense gave up 26 points to an excellent New England Patriots offense before getting greedy against the Ravens, allowing only 12 points on Thanksgiving.
Furthermore, the Bengals can hang their hat on having the best division record at 3-1. With games against the Ravens and Browns left on the schedule, Cincinnati has a chance to earn the critical divisional record tiebreaker if it comes down to that when determining who the AFC North Champion will be.
But before we get too far ahead of ourselves, Cincinnati must take on the Buffalo Bills on Sunday in another must-win contest for the Bengals if they want to keep their slim hopes of making the playoffs a possibility.
2. Steelers tied at top, but vibes falling
Aaron Rodgers wasn’t the only one left battered and bruised for the Steelers against Buffalo. So were their playoff chances. But like their starting QB, not all is lost for Pittsburgh.
Despite their 26-7 loss to the Bills, they share first place in the North with the Ravens. However, their two-game losing streak and -8 point differential land them in the second slot of this week's power rankings.
And, as has been the case after most losses, the Steelers fans made sure their voices reached the front office, with chants of “Fire Tomlin” raining down once the game was in hand.
Fire Tomlin chants loud and clear at Steelers game. The city has finally had enough pic.twitter.com/GNkLkUDLJt
— Simon Ince (@SirSimon43) December 1, 2025
Not to tell Pittsburgh what or how to think, but the fans might want to be careful for what they wish for.
On Sunday, the Steelers travel to Baltimore in a game that could ultimately determine the king of the North. If the Steelers win that game, the fans will change their tune, and the division will have a decidedly much different ring to it.
On the other hand, if the Ravens win, the shouts to move on from Tomlin will get louder than ever in Pittsburgh.
1. Ravens reign by default, for now
Before the season began, the Baltimore Ravens were already counting the AFC North Championship as their own. And that was the expectation of most who cover and talk about the NFL. But the season has proved much more challenging than expected.
Much like what might happen with the division, the Ravens find themselves perched atop the AFC North Power Rankings by default.
And while their standing is up, the vibes are down in Charm City.
With their loss to the Bengals, the Ravens fall to 6-6 overall and 2-1 within the division.
Like in Pittsburgh, the Ravens fans are upset. However, their frustration spreads evenly among the quarterback, head coach, and offensive coordinator.
Both Derrick Henry and Keaton Mitchell were on the scoresheet, but it was Rasheen Ali who led the RB corps in snap count.
— Nic Mason (@British_Raven19) December 1, 2025
Coming up against one of the worst run defences in the NFL, the Baltimore Ravens only managed 123 yards on the ground!
Pure Todd Monken negligence. pic.twitter.com/UuZzzQaqwv
But the Ravens will not have to wait long to attempt regaining their standalone grip on the division, as they will face the Steelers in Week 14 in what will be the second leg of three consecutive games against divisional foes.
The topsy-turvy nature of the division continues. With none of the teams separating themselves from the pack, in the end, one of the four must earn the title of the 2025 Kings of the North.
Hopefully, the Bengals can leap and catch the title before the Ravens fly away with it. But with the Bengals, Ravens, Steelers, and even the Browns still not eliminated, the crown is still up for grabs through 12 games.