Exiting Week 7, the Pittsburgh Steelers missed an opportunity to open a commanding AFC North lead. The team’s 33-31 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals naturally closed the gap, putting the Bengals in range of the Steelers’ divisional lead. With the Baltimore Ravens on a much-needed bye to get healthy, the Cleveland Browns finished off the week as the final AFC North team in action.
In a wet and windy Cleveland, the Browns rolled the hapless Miami Dolphins to a 31-6 victory.
Here’s a look at the updated AFC North standings.
AFC North Standings (Post Week 7)
1. Pittsburgh Steelers: 4-2 (1-1 vs division)
2. Cincinnati Bengals: 3-4 (2-0 vs division)
3. Cleveland Browns: 2-5 (0-3 vs division)
4. Baltimore Ravens: 1-5 (1-0 vs division)
Cleveland notched its biggest win since a 27-0 shutout over the Arizona Cardinals in 2023. Dominant on both sides of the football, rookie RB Quinshon Judkins bounced back after being shut down by the Steelers in Week 6. Judkins ran for three touchdowns, including a 46-yard score down the left sideline.
Defensively, the Browns sent Dolphins’ starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to the bench. Recently-acquired CB Tyson Campbell, picked off one of Tagovailoa’s passes for a 34 yard pick-six.
Tagovailoa finished with three interceptions and was pulled in the fourth quarter for rookie Quinn Ewers, making for one of multiple starters to be yanked during Sunday’s slate of largely uncompetitive games. Justin Fields and Geno Smith were benched, too, making way for Kenny Pickett to make his Las Vegas Raiders’ debut. He fumbled the ball away on the first snap.
Despite the Browns finishing with just over 200 yards of offense (though the team cruised late in the game and wasn’t trying to score), Cleveland walks away with a comfortable win to keep faint division hopes alive. It also puts them in sole control of third place ahead of the Ravens.
Pittsburgh’s loss to Cincinnati is well-documented. The Steelers’ defense struggled against QB Joe Flacco, WR Ja’Marr Chase, and WR Tee Higgins. Flacco was nearly flawless, throwing for 342 yards and three touchdowns, while Chase set a franchise record with 16 receptions. It also served as the most single-game catches against Pittsburgh in Steelers history.
Worse yet, Pittsburgh’s run defense wilted against a Cincinnati ground game that entered the night as easily the NFL’s worst. RB Chase Brown romped for over 100 yards and nearly 10 yards per carry as the Bengals ran up 142 yards on the ground.
One of the NFL’s most injured teams this season, the Ravens’ bye came at a good time. Baltimore is expected to get back QB Lamar Jackson in Week 8, giving the team hope it hasn’t had since his Week 4 hamstring injury. Since becoming the Ravens’ full-time starter in 2019, Baltimore is 4-11 in games in which Jackson does not play.
In Week 8, Baltimore returns to host the Chicago Bears. Cincinnati will host the New York Jets while Cleveland travels to Foxborough to take on the New England Patriots. The Steelers will finish off the weekend, hosting the Green Bay Packers Sunday night.
