The AFC North is arguably the best division in the NFL. The Cincinnati Bengals, Baltimore Ravens, and Cleveland Browns all have very good rosters and extremely good quarterbacks which will make it difficult for the Pittsburgh Steelers to win the division. Despite this, according to BetMGM, most of the public is betting on the Steelers to win the North.
After EDGE rusher Alex Highsmith signed an extension today, BetMGM tweeted that almost 33 percent of bets on the winner of the AFC North are on the Steelers. Despite having the most bets on them, the Steelers currently have the lowest odds to win the division at +500, but that may be why bettors are bullish on them.
Given how tight the AFC North is, if the Steelers win the division, they would provide a bettor with making the most money. Another reason people may be inclined to bet on the Steelers is the history of the AFC North. Since the division’s inception in 2002, no team has won the division three times in a row, and the Bengals have the opportunity to do that this season. History says that likely won’t happen.
Looking at Baltimore, the Ravens have a strong team on paper but in recent years All-Pro quarterback Lamar Jackson has struggled to stay healthy and without him they have struggled. Throw in that the Ravens have a new offensive coordinator and there are a lot of unknowns around how they may look this season.
Moving to Cleveland, the Browns may have the highest ceiling of any team in this division. They always look great on paper but almost never seem to get it done on the field. However, now they have quarterback Deshaun Watson, who has shown that he has the ability to be a top quarterback in the league. He does have question marks surrounding him though, as last year he struggled after being out of football for over a year. In addition, they are the Browns. Without trying to be disrespectful it always seems that if something could go wrong for that franchise, it does.
There are a lot of unknowns with other teams minus the Steelers and Bengals this year. Pittsburgh may have the perceived lowest ceiling but it also has the highest floor. If Watson doesn’t bounce back or Jackson gets hurt the Ravens and Browns may bottom out. No matter who the Steelers have at quarterback they can finish .500. The Steelers have a potentially elite defense and showed they can win playing their style of football down the stretch in 2022. Add in that quarterback Kenny Pickett is expected to take a second-year jump, and it is not surprising why many people are betting on Pittsburgh. The roster is solid, with even Colin Cowherd saying they have one of the best in football, and the return on betting on the Steelers is high.
Given the odds at +500 and the potential with Pittsburgh, it is no surprise that so many people are betting on the Steelers to win the AFC North. The Bengals are favorites for a reason, they’ve gotten to the Super Bowl and AFC Championship Game two years in a row, but it isn’t always fun to bet on a favorite. “Go big or go home,” and many bettors see putting money on the Steelers as a way to “go big.”
