AFC North saw a split of evens in the opening weekend of regular season. The AFC North division saw a week of very close results. The Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals all lost by a single point.
AFC North saw a split of evens in the opening weekend of regular season. The AFC North division saw a week of very close results. The Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals all lost by a single point.
The Ravens will play the Browns in Week 2 for the second divisional match of the season and this is the Browns’ second consecutive AFC North opponent. The Bengals will face another conference opponent, while the Steelers host an NFC West team.
In Week 1, the Ravens lost despite a 15 point lead over the Buffalo Bills in the final quarter. Baltimore was dominant offensively throughout the game, and held the Bills in check until the final minutes. The Ravens were three-and out twice, with a lost fumble between. During this time the Bills scored sixteen consecutive points.
Before this, the Ravens had racked up almost 500 yards of total offense, led by Lamar Jackson’s, Derrick Henry’s, and Zay Flower’s dynamic performances. The Ravens must now pivot from a crushing loss and try to bounce back against the Browns in a crucial matchup. This matchup is a good example of the Ravens’ talent advantage, as they are favored by more than 10 points.
The Browns are well-versed in the Ravens, but divisional games have a tendency to be unpredictable. Joe Flacco, the Ravens’ long-time starter, is a familiar face to their starting quarterback. It will be Flacco’s first return to Baltimore as part of an opponent team. Emotions will be high.
To have a stronger defensive performance, the Ravens will need to limit explosive passing plays. They’ll also want to focus on Jerry Jeudy or David Njoku. The Ravens can also improve their performance from last week by causing more disruption when rushing the quarterback and forcing turnovers. As usual, the primary goal of the offense is to limit Myles Garrett’s ability to wreck games.
The Browns also had a good chance of winning last week, just like the Ravens. The Browns came up short in their attempt to upset the Bengals due to costly mistakes. Overall, the Browns were able to hold their own, but they played particularly well on defense. The Browns limited the Bengals’ explosive offense to less that 10 net yards total in the second half.
The Ravens’ offense, which is also dynamic and potent, will be a tough challenge for their defense to meet. Cleveland won four out of seven previous matchups against the Ravens including a 29-24 win at home last year. The Ravens haven’t had the same success in Baltimore where they’ve only won once since 2020.
To win on the road, the Browns must force turnovers and manage the clock in order to keep the Ravens as far away from the field as possible. The Browns could make this matchup competitive if they can establish the run, hit a few chunk plays and hold up on defense.
The Browns were not able to run the ball very well in Week 1. They managed only 49 yards total on 24 carries. The Ravens’ run defense is much stronger than that of the Bengals, so it will be a challenge for them to gain more ground in this match. The Bengals’ average of just 2.0 yards per carry isn’t bad, but it could be worse.
By narrowly beating the Browns, the Bengals avoided another Week 1 disaster. The Bengals will be happy that they are not starting the season 0-1 again. However, this game shows that there is still much work to do before Week 2. It will be a priority to get their offense back on track. This includes the passing attack which is the engine for their team.
Burrow’s 113 passing yard total and Ja’Marr chase and Tee Higgins’ five catches out of nine targets combined is not a recipe to success. Chase Brown did not have a great stat line, either. He ran 21 times and only gained 43 yards against the Browns. The Bengals want Brown to be the focal point of their offensive but they will have to create more running lanes to balance their run-pass offense.
In Week 2, they’ll be facing the Jacksonville Jaguars. They are 1-0 and beat the Carolina Panthers last Sunday by 16 points. The Bengals will be able find more success offensively against the Jaguars compared to Carolina. Jacksonville’s defense, especially their secondary, was a concern going into the season. The Bengals will challenge their cornerbacks by air.
In Week 1, the Bengals’ defense, which is often criticized, was disruptive with numerous turnovers, sacks and pass deflections. It will be important to maintain that level of play against the Jaguars’ talented offense. The Bengals will have a better chance of winning if they can keep the ball from Trevor Lawrence.
Aaron Rodgers’ debut with the Steelers and their new look offense was impressive in Week 1. Rodgers delivered four touchdowns and was very accurate in the air on his way to a 34 point performance. Pittsburgh has been waiting for a passing-game offensive explosion like this for a while.
Defensively, the Steelers are still a work in progress. The Steelers, despite adding several new pieces to their secondary, struggled against Justin Fields and his Jets offense. The Steelers allowed 182 yards rushing and four touchdowns. The Steelers won by just two points after a fourth-quarter performance of 17 points and a comeback effort.
The Steelers are now returning home to face a Seattle Seahawks squad that is looking to bounce back from a slow offensive performance in Week 1. Seahawks is a team that is primarily defensive, led by ex-AFC North head coach Mike Macdonald. They have a strong front-seven with talented secondary. The Seahawks will be a formidable opponent for the Steelers and a test of how far they can go from their last-week success.
Sam Darnold is not as athletic or as a runner like Fields but he has the ability to push the ball forward. The Steelers must focus on Jaxson Njigba. This rising star is the Seahawks No. 1 wide receiver. 1 pass-catcher. Darius Slay and Jalous Ramsey will also be tested to cover Cooper Kupp, a veteran. The Seahawks are also going to try and establish a strong run-stopping strategy early on.