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With Week 5 of the NFL schedule officially in the books, at least for the AFC North, it’s time to take a look back at those teams who call the AFC North home to see how they fared and what the standings look like after this week’s action.
The first goal for each team in the NFL is to win its division. Doing so guarantees both a playoff spot and a home playoff game, so even these early-season games are important when it comes to divisional rankings.
Let’s take a spin around the AFC North to check on the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Week 5 Results
Cleveland Browns - 12
Baltimore Ravens - 9 (OT)
Yes, you read the above score correctly. The Browns, at home, made just enough plays and somehow were able to get out of their own way to beat the Ravens. The win was their second of the season, but also muddies the waters in the AFC North divisional race. Talk about a letdown loss for Baltimore after their big win over Pittsburgh in Week 4.
Cincinnati Bengals - 27
Miami Dolphins - 17
The Dolphins at one point held a huge lead in this game — only for them to remember they were the Dolphins and to squander the lead. Give credit to the Bengals for making the necessary plays to win, but the Week-6 game matching the Steelers and Bengals will be gigantic.
Pittsburgh Steelers - 41
Atlanta Falcons - 17
The first complete win of the 2018 regular season for the Steelers. It was a pleasure to watch offense, defense and special teams work in unison for once. I don’t want to hear about the Falcons’ defense because their offense is considered one of the best in the league — and they scored just 17 points.
Week 6 Schedules:
Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals - Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
Los Angeles Chargers at Cleveland Browns - Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
Baltimore Ravens at Tennessee Titans - Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
AFC North Standings
Cincinnati Bengals - 4-1
Baltimore Ravens - 3-2
Cleveland Browns - 2-2-1
Pittsburgh Steelers - 2-2-1
Let us know what you think about the division after Week 5 in the comment section below. Do you see this being a powerhouse division? Which teams are contenders and which ones are nothing more than pretenders?