When the 2025 season started, the Baltimore Ravens looked like the clear-cut favorites to win the AFC North. They’re still favored to win the division, but confidence in them is fading by the week. The Ravens are dealing with a slew of key injuries, including to Lamar Jackson. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Steelers are 3-1 and lead the AFC North. However, former NFL corner Chris Harris Jr. said the Ravens should not be counted out.
“The good thing is, [the Ravens are] in a bad division right now,” Harris said Monday on Up and Adams with Kay Adams. “The Browns aren’t playing too well, the Bengals, we see what Jake Browning is doing out there, throwing interceptions everywhere, and can we truly trust the Steelers? So, they still have a chance.
“Can we really trust Aaron Rodgers for the rest of the season? He’s playing solid right now, but I think everybody can believe that the Ravens can go on a nice little winning streak once they get Lamar [Jackson] back.”
It’s fair to say that the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals aren’t serious threats to win the AFC North. The Browns are going through a rebuild, and the Bengals will be without Joe Burrow for most, if not all, of the season. That leaves the Steelers as the Ravens’ biggest competition for the division title.
“Aaron Rodgers is playing good. It’s just, can he be consistent all year long?” Harris said. “At his age, 40-plus, taking the hits, and can he do that for the whole totality of the season? That’s my only question.”
Rodgers’ durability has been a concern since the Steelers signed him. While he played every game last season, there’s no telling how much punishment he can take. He’s near the end of his career, and his body has endured a ton of wear and tear. If the Steelers can’t protect him, they could be in serious trouble.
Through four games, the Steelers haven’t exactly allayed those concerns down. Their offensive line had a rough start to the year, with Rodgers being sacked seven times in their first two games.
However, more recently, that unit has done a better job. Rodgers hasn’t been sacked in the Steelers’ last two games. The Steelers’ offensive game plan has helped with that, too. Rodgers has gotten the ball out of his hands quickly, which has played a factor in neutralizing opposing pass rushers.
The division race is far from over, though. Last season, the Steelers held the AFC North lead for most of the year, but they collapsed over their last few games. That opened the door for the Ravens to overtake them. That same thing could happen again. The Steelers can’t become complacent. Once they have Jackson back, the Ravens could turn things around.
