Your weekly AFC North standings recap. It was a tough week in the division for everyone not named the Pittsburgh Steelers as the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns were all defeated. The Steelers took care of their business to improve their lead in the division.
The Steelers were able to outscore the Bengals in an AFC North battle at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, while the Ravens dropped a tough one to the Philadelphia Eagles as kicker Justin Tucker continues to struggle. Then, on Monday night, the Cleveland Browns went to Denver to take on the Broncos and came up short in a shootout of their own, falling 41-32.
Here are the updated AFC North standings.
AFC NORTH STANDINGS
1. Pittsburgh Steelers: 9-3
2. Baltimore Ravens: 8-5
3. Cincinnati Bengals: 4-8
4. Cleveland Browns: 3-9
Pittsburgh remains the No. 3 seed in the AFC. They’d play the Ravens in the Wild Card round if the playoffs began today.
The Steelers and the Bengals were the first up in the division in Week 13 on Sunday, meeting in a huge AFC North clash with the Steelers coming off of a stinging defeat to the Browns in Week 12 on Thursday Night Football, and the Bengals coming off of a bye week and needing a win to keep their slim hopes alive on the season.
Russell Wilson turned back the clock for the Steelers though and out-dueled Bengals’ QB Joe Burrow on the road, throwing for 414 yards and three touchdowns, leading the Steelers to their best offensive output in years. Wilson connected with 10 different receivers on the day and did all that while shaking off an early pick-6 on a play that likely should have been flagged for illegal contact from Bengals’ defensive back Cam Taylor-Britt.
Wilson was dialed in throughout the performance and had his second-highest yardage output of his career, just behind the 452 yards he passed for in 2017 against the Houston Texans while in Seattle.
Along with Wilson’s big day, the Steelers defense forced three turnovers and saw rookie linebacker Payton Wilson return a fumble for a touchdown, leading to the shootout win as the Steelers got back on track in the division and all but ended the Bengals’ season.
After the Steelers beat the Bengals, the Ravens took on the Philadelphia Eagles in a pivotal matchup in the 4:25 window and promptly dropped another game as kicker Justin Tucker continued his struggles.
Tucker has missed eight kicks on the season and his misses Sunday played a key role in the Ravens dropping what appeared to be a winnable game. The Ravens, after playing some great football in the middle part of the season, appear to be in a bit of a funk, having dropped two of their last three games, and now apparently have a new headache entirely with the Diontae Johnson situation.
Finally, in Denver on Monday Night Football, two Broncos’ pick-sixes helped them secure a critical win over the Browns. Their 41-32 gives them strong Wild Card footing as Denver looks to make their first postseason appearance since winning the Super Bowl in 2015.
Following an early Cleveland missed field goal, Denver got on the scoreboard first. Rookie Bo Nix led a 12-play drive that featured two third down conversions to WR Courtland Sutton before RB Javonte Williams took the ball over the goal line from 2-yards out to make it 7-0.
The Browns answered with a quick touchdown. QB Jameis Winston hit WR Elijah Moore for a 44-yard gain into the Broncos’ red zone before finding TE David Njoku for an 8-yard touchdown the next play. Cleveland took a lead mid-way through the second quarter on a Dustin Hopkins field goal.
After trading punts, Denver pulled itself together and drove down for another touchdown. Rookie receiver Troy Franklin got the Broncos down to the 1-yard line before FB Michael Burton took a dive over right side for the score, the third of his ten-year career.
Winston attempted to lead a scoring drive. He did but for the other side. Underrated EDGE rusher Nik Bonitto, who came into the game with 10 sacks, made a play in coverage this time, stepping in front of a Winston pass and running back the interception 70 yards the other way for the pick-six. Denver grabbed a 21-10 lead.
It’s the 13th pick-six Winston has thrown in his regular season career, sixth-most of any active player (Matthew Stafford “leads” the league with 30).
In typical Winston fashion, he didn’t shrink. He fired downfield fastballs before throwing a change-up to TE David Njoku, a touch end zone throw that Njoku made a great contested catch for the touchdown. Cleveland closed the gap 21-17 at the half.
The third quarter was bonkers as both teams traded long touchdown passes. Nix uncorked a dime downfield to speedster WR Marvin Mims for a 93-yard touchdown, the Broncos’ longest passing score since Jay Cutler in 2008.
Winston hit a big play of his own, finding an open WR Jerry Jeudy for a 70-yard touchdown of their own to bring it back to 28-25 after the Browns’ two-point try was true, also caught by Jeudy.
Jeudy finished the game with 235 yards receiving in a heroic effort against his former team. Denver traded Jeudy to Cleveland this past offseason.
After trading punts, the Broncos tacked on a field goal to make it 31-25 late in the third quarter. An interception by Cleveland CB Denzel Ward off Nix set up the Browns’ next scoring drive in the fourth quarter. A 17-yard conversion on 3rd and 15 set up a touchdown catch by RB Nick Chubb, open in the left flat, to tie the game at 31. Cleveland’s extra point gave them a 1-point lead with 8:57 remaining.
Denver answered with a long drive that bled into the final three minutes of the game. Facing 4th and 1 on the Browns’ 9 with 2:57 to play, Payton considered going for it. But he ultimately settled for a field goal to take a 34-32 lead.
Winston had the chance to answer one more time. One play after a perfect throw on third-and-long to hit Moore along the sideline, Winston throw behind him and was picked by Ja’Quan McMillian who got up and ran it back for the Broncos’ second pick-six of the day.
That gave Winston his 14th pick-six of his career, tying him with Joe Flacco for fifth-most of any active quarterback.
Winston threw a final pick, his third of the night, in the Broncos’ end zone with 40 seconds as Denver officially clinched their victory.
Cleveland finished the game with over 500 yards of offense, joining Pittsburgh as the only two teams to achieve it in Week 13. The Steelers and Browns will play a rematch in Week 14 after seeing each other two weeks ago. Baltimore will have a late bye week while Cincinnati play the Dallas Cowboys next Monday night.
