AFC North Week 9 Recap
Week 9 comes to an end tonight, and the race for the lead in the AFC North is as tight as ever! There is no room for error, as the divisional leader only has a half-game lead over its rivals. All four teams played and won this weekend, and going forward, no team can afford to lose ground as the second half of the season begins to ramp up. Let’s take a look at how each team took care of business.
Pittsburgh Steelers 20, Tennessee Titans 16
Photo Credit: Matt Freed, Associated Press
The Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3) took on a Tennessee Titans (3-5) team who seemed to have found their franchise quarterback in Will Levis, the second-round pick in the 2023 draft out of Kentucky. Levis shockingly led the Titans to a win at home against the Atlanta Falcons (4-4), going for 238 yards and four touchdowns.
The Steelers came prepared, as their defense held Levis scoreless through the air and kept former All-Pros Derrick Henry (75 yards, 1 TD) and DeAndre Hopkins (4 rec, 60 yds) under control for most of the game. Pittsburgh only allowed three points in the second half and held Tennessee scoreless in the 4th quarter.
Now the Steelers’ offense is still in question, as many wonder if Kenny Pickett (160 yds, 1 TD) is the quarterback of the future, but the Steelers’ defense has been stifling, only allowing an average of 15.7 points per game. If the Steelers are to win this division, they will be led by TJ Watt and that monstrous defense.
Cleveland Browns 27, Arizona Cardinals 0
Photo Credit: Jason Miller, Getty Images
The Cleveland Browns got their QB back in Deshaun Watson as they shut out the 1-8 Cardinals, who just recently traded their starting quarterback Josh Dobbs to the Minnesota Vikings. The Cardinals’ season has been abysmal, to say the least, as Kyler Murray is still recovering from an ACL tear last December. With eight losses on the season already, one has to wonder if there is any point in bringing back Murray this year and just having him prepare for next season.
Watson had a strong outing against Arizona, throwing for 219 yards and two touchdowns. Amari Cooper was a benefactor of this game, catching five balls for 139 yards and a touchdown. This has arguably been Watson’s best game in a Cleveland uniform, as he has struggled to find his timing and rhythm throughout the season. Watson has been in and out of the lineup due to injuries, and yet Cleveland has managed to win four games in a row now with a rotating QB, an almost impossible task for any team.
With two divisional games approaching against the Ravens and Steelers, the Browns have a chance to seize control of their division. It’ll come down to competent QB play from Watson and a suffocating defense led by Myles Garrett.
Baltimore Ravens 37, Seattle Seahawks 3
Photo Credit: Michael Owens, Getty Images
Baltimore (7-2) continues their win streak against the Seattle Seahawks (5-3), demolishing them 37-3 in a home win. This game was shaping out to be a slow, sloppy defensive game after the first quarter, with both teams struggling to get the ball downfield. From the second quarter on, Baltimore opened up the floodgates and scored back-to-back touchdowns while only allowing a field goal with 59 seconds left in the quarter. That was the last time Seattle would see points go up on their side of the board, as Baltimore scored 23 unanswered points from that point on.
Lamar Jackson did not have the MVP showing we have been accustomed to, only throwing for 187 yards and no TDs. Nope. The Ravens won the game on the ground, rushing for a combined 298 yards and three touchdowns on an average of 7.27 yards per carry. Odell Beckham Jr. caught his first touchdown of the season and his first in 21 months.
On the other side of the ball, Baltimore’s defense dominated Seattle’s offense (see a trend in this division?), stifling the Seahawks both through the air and on the ground. Geno Smith only threw for 158 yards with no touchdowns and an interception. The ground game was no better, only rushing for twenty-eight yards on fifteen carries for an average of 1.53 yards per carry.
The Ravens may need to win out if they plan on maintaining their lead in the division, as the rest of the AFC North is hot on their trail.
Cincinnati Bengals 24, Buffalo Bills 17
Photo Credit: Dylan Buell, Getty Images
After being written off by most pundits due to another 1-3 start to the season, The Cincinnati Bengals (5-3) are back once again, beating the Buffalo Bills (5-4) on Sunday night 24-17. With a win last night, Cincinnati continues their win streak, winning four in a row and four of their last five.
Joe Burrow has been hampered with a calf injury, limiting his mobility and ability to make plays out of the pocket. Ja’Marr Chase suggested before the season the team should shut Burrow down for the first five weeks, yet they decided to play him, and Burrow did not look like the MVP-level quarterback we have come to know. Burrow has since returned to form, throwing for 348 yards and two touchdowns. Burrow spread the wealth to eight different receivers, with Tee Higgins having himself a day, catching eight balls for 110 yards.
Defensively, the Bengals made Josh Allen work for his touchdowns. Allen ran for a touchdown early in the game and was held without a touchdown until the waning minutes in the fourth quarter with a strike to Stephon Diggs. Allen also threw an interception to Cam Taylor-Britt and almost threw another in the back of the endzone. Safety Nick Scott forced rookie tight-end Dalton Kincaid into a crucial fumble in the redzone; a play that could have swung the pendulum in Buffalo’s favor.
AFC North Standings:
Baltimore Ravens (7-2)
Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3)
Cleveland Browns (5-3)
Cincinnati Bengals (5-3)