In the final installment of the Ranking the Rooms: AFC North 2023 edition, I’ll take a look at how all four teams fared in the series and determine who the best team in the division is based on a points system for each position group, based on my initial rankings.
So, for the best team in the position group according to my rankings, I’ll give 4 points. Second place get 3 points, third gets 2 points, and last gets 1 point. I’ll take all the pieces from the series that I did and add them all up to determine who the best team is.
Does that make sense?
Before we get started, here’s one final reminder of how my rankings went:
OFFENSE
QB — Bengals, Ravens, Steelers, Browns
RB — Browns, Steelers, Bengals, Ravens
WR — Bengals, Browns, Steelers, Ravens
TE — Ravens, Steelers, Browns, Bengals
OT — Bengals, Browns, Ravens, Steelers
iOL — Browns, Steelers, Bengals, Ravens
DEFENSE
iDL — Browns, Steelers, Bengals, Ravens
EDGE — Browns, Steelers, Bengals, Ravens
OFF-BALL LB — Ravens, Bengals, Browns, Steelers
CB — Browns, Ravens, Bengals, Steelers
S — Steelers, Ravens, Browns, Bengals
SPECIAL TEAMS
Specialists — Ravens, Bengals, Steelers, Browns
Okay, here we go.
1. Cleveland Browns — 34 points
For the second year in a row, the Cleveland Browns are the paper champions of the AFC North in my Ranking the Rooms series here for Steelers Depot. The Browns scored 34 overall points in the series, landing first in position groups five times overall, including three times defensively.
On paper, the Browns look rather strong. Running back Nick Chubb, wide receiver Amari Cooper, guards Wyatt Teller and Joel Bitonio, defensive ends Myles Garrett and Za’Darius Smith, and cornerbacks Denzel Ward and Greg Newsome II are very good players in their own right. Cleveland is well built overall.
It will all come down to Deshaun Watson at quarterback. If he can be the guy the Browns thought they were getting last summer in the blockbuster trade with the Houston Texans, look out. But Cleveland knows all too well lately about preseason hype and not providing much return on that hype once the games actually start.
The Browns have a loaded roster overall. Now it’s up to head coach Kevin Stefanski to get the most out of them.
2. Cincinnati Bengals — 30 points
Much like the Browns, the Cincinnati Bengals are loaded top to bottom on paper. They are coming off of two straight AFC Championship Game appearances and have won the rugged AFC North in back-to-back seasons and aim to become the first team since the Steelers from 1994-97 to win the division title three years in a row. Even then the Steelers accomplished that feat when it was the AFC Central. No team in AFC North history has won the division title three straight seasons.
Cincinnati led the way offensively with 17 total points, led by quarterback Joe Burrow, wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd, and offensive tackles Orlando Brown Jr., Jonah Williams and La’el Collins holding down the top spots offensively at their respective positions in the rankings.
Defensively, the Bengals came in last with 13 total points, which caused them to fall behind the Browns in the overall rankings. The Bengals have paid a lot of money to key offensive pieces and have let some key defenders go in recent seasons, including star safety Jessie Bates II this offseason. They’ve drafted well on that side of the football, but there’s still quite a bit of development that needs to occur overall.
If the defense can get up to speed quickly in 2023 and match a loaded offense, this has the makings of another potential Super Bowl team.
3. Two-way tie between the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers — 28 points
The two most consistent teams in the AFC North are tied in last with 28 points. Ironic, isn’t it?
Both teams have gone through significant transitions in recent years and are still in the midst of some rebuilding overall.
Baltimore finished last on offense in the series with just 12 points, while Pittsburgh came in second with 14 points. Defensively though, the Ravens finished second with 16 points, while the Steelers scored 14 points.
On offense, the Ravens again hold down the top spot in the tight end rankings thanks to star Mark Andrews. Everywhere else they were middle of the pack and had three positions where they came in dead last: running back, wide receiver, and interior offensive linemen. It could be a difficult year offensively for Baltimore with a new offensive coordinator and some new faces in key spots.
The Steelers were pretty darn consistent across the board offensively, being average overall. Pittsburgh had three positions offensively (running back, tight end and interior offensive line) where it finished second, and two spots where it finished third, those being quarterback and wide receiver. The Steelers only finished last in the offensive tackle rankings, and with rookie Broderick Jones in the fold, they could see a significant improvement there next year.
Unsurprisingly, Baltimore was strong across the board defensively and on special teams, finishing first at off-ball linebacker with star Roquan Smith and veteran Patrick Queen, as well as first on special teams with kicker Justin Tucker. No brainer there. The Ravens finished second at cornerback and safety, giving the team some strength in the secondary. However, Baltimore was dead last at EDGE and interior defensive line. That could be a real issue for the Ravens.
I was shocked at the Steelers’ score defensively and on special teams with just 14 overall points. Pittsburgh finished second in the EDGE and interior defensive line rankings, but a dead last ranking at off-ball and cornerback certainly hurt, and really rendered having the top safety room a moot point.
While I had them scoring just 14 points on defense and special teams in the rankings, I think the Steelers are going to have a really solid defense once the games start. There are concerns on paper though, and that played out in the series.
With all that said, I am not picking the Browns to win the AFC North, even with them finishing well out in front in the series. I just don’t trust them enough yet to put all that talent together between the lines.
AFC North prediction, 2023:
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Cleveland Browns
- Baltimore Ravens
