Middling Bengals see Ravens reclaim perch atop AFC North power rankings

The Cincinnati Bengals joined the Steelers and Ravens in winning their games over the weekend. The Browns did not fare as well.

The AFC North and the NFC North are the only two divisions in which every team has a winning record through five games. They, along with the NFC East, are the only divisions in which three teams have positive point differentials thus far this season.

While the AFC North power rankings saw some movement this week with a new team at the top, little separates the rivals through the first five games other than their records within the division.

4. Bengals still paying for Steelers loss

Even though everyone expected the Bengals to win against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, nothing is guaranteed in the NFL. So the team should celebrate the win, especially after a loss and as the team heads into a bye week.

Any time a team can add a point to the win column in the NFL, it should not be taken for granted. And that win did not come without its fair share of issues, as Joe Burrow’s fourth-quarter face would attest. 

The Bengals remain in the hunt after fighting through the heat that reached 114 degrees on their sideline to defeat the Dolphins 31-24.

Joe Burrow was very effective, throwing for 190 yards and four touchdowns, three in the first half despite his sideline frustrations. And Ja’Marr Chase did what Ja’Marr Chase does and had an incredible touchdown catch, which was the personification of “bleep it, Chase is down there somewhere.”

One of the biggest complaints from last week's game was Cincinnati's failed attempt to run the ball against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Bengals ran for only 23 yards on 15 carries and managed one touchdown in that game. 

Cincinnati’s rushing attack looked competent after last week's struggles, running for 117 yards on 31 carries, with Samaje Perine leading the way with 68 yards on 14th attempts.

The Bengals are second in the division with a +19-point differential, scoring 128 points, the second-most in the North. Nevertheless, their 0-1 record in the division, including a head-to-head loss against the Steelers, keeps them fourth in this week's power rankings.

The Bengals return from their bye to face the Baltimore Ravens in two weeks for what will be a must-win game if they don't want the division to slip away by falling 0-2 in the North.

3. Steelers win, but don’t advance

The Pittsburgh Steelers bounced back from their loss to the Cleveland Browns by beating the Indianapolis Colts 34-22.

Aaron Rodgers was efficient again, keeping Father Time at bay for another week. He completed 22 of 31 passes for 235 yards and three touchdowns.

A sizable chunk of Rodgers’ passing yards came from one play in which running back Jaylen Warren had a catch in a run of 80 yards for a touchdown.

Warren was Pittsburgh's MVP, running the ball 15 times for 101 yards and a touchdown, while averaging 6.7 yards per carry. The Steelers back finished the game with two touchdowns and 188 all-purpose yards.

Pittsburgh’s offense did its part, making sure that former Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo is not in the running for a coaching position in 2027.

The Steelers’ defense was not spectacular, but it held the Colts to 22 points and forced Indianapolis to settle for field goals several times. Still, individual players made incredible defensive plays while accumulating 11 passes defended.

The Steelers are tied with the Bengals for the fewest points allowed in the AFC North. And they will take their relatively stingy defense to Tampa Bay to face the 1-4 Buccaneers on Sunday. 

2. Browns let Jets off tight leash

While the Bengals got to play in sunny Miami, the Cleveland Browns had to travel to rainy New Jersey to take on the New York Jets. Unfortunately, the Dawgs didn't seem to appreciate the rain, especially on offense and special teams.

Special teams bit Cleveland in the fourth quarter when they missed an extra point. They also had a punt snap go over their punter's head with four minutes left, setting the Jets up for a go-ahead touchdown.

Quarterback Deshaun Watson was a lot less efficient than he had been over the past couple of games, completing 15 passes on 33 attempts for 155 yards and one touchdown. He threw for an underwhelming 4.7 yards per attempt.

However, it is understandable that Watson’s focus was taken away in the pocket, given that the Jets got to him for eight sacks and 13 additional QB hits. Three of those came from rookie David Bailey, who Cleveland inexplicably forgot to block on one occasion.

Watson also fumbled three times, losing one. As a team, Cleveland fumbled five times and lost two, as the elements played a significant role. The Jets also fumbled four times and lost two. 

But those nine fumbles were not all just a result of bad weather, but also good defense and hard hitting throughout the contest. 

As a result of the loss, the Browns fall to 3-2 but still have a 1-0 record in the division courtesy of their win over the Pittsburgh Steelers last week, which is why they still must go ahead of the Steelers in this week's power rankings.

The Browns next face the Ravens, with a chance to go 2-0 within the division and capture first place outright.

1. Ravens soar without Lamar

No Lamar Jackson, no problem for the Baltimore Ravens against the Atlanta Falcons as Snoop Huntley led them to a 30-23 overtime victory.

On a play we thought only Zac Taylor could call, the Falcons tried to block edge rusher Tavius Robinson with tight end Kyle Pitts, resulting in a disastrous outcome. Michael Penix was injured on what could have been a game-winning drive.

Penix returned for one snap before overtime, but couldn't finish the game. That meant the Ravens had to face Tua Tagovailoa in overtime, which predictably ended with a game-sealing interception to Kyle Hamilton. 

The Ravens now have the division’s longest winning streak with three in a row. Their +27-point differential also leads the North, as do their 146 points scored. 

The Ravens are the only AFC North team that hasn’t played a divisional game. However, that changes when they travel to Cleveland to face the Browns on Sunday.

Admittedly, these power rankings would be different if they were league-wide. But because we are keeping this within the division, head-to-head record takes precedence, which is why the Bengals remain fourth and the Browns edge out the Steelers thanks to their Week 4 win over Pittsburgh.

As we head into Week 6 and the second week of byes, only three AFC North teams will play next weekend, with the Bengals watching how it plays out.

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