Who Will Win the AFC North?

Kyle: I think Ravens will win the North, by virtue of having the easiest overall schedule of the four teams in that division. The best thing about them getting in the playoffs is that their secondary is so beaten up with injuries, that my usual fear of them is almost completely gone. Pittsburgh can’t stop anybody and Cincinnati has Andy Dalton as QB- enough said. I wish I had the stones, or was enough of a troll,  to pick Cleveland, because I love Johnny Manziel and I think he is going to be a star (provided there is a game plan that maximizes his skill set), but their last game is on the road at Baltimore and those idiots will be chanting the White Stripes at a deafening decibel.

Rick: The AFC North champion, in my opinion, is going to be the Pittsburgh Steelers. I was very impressed with the way Pittsburgh played against the Bengals in the second half. Pittsburgh does have to go to Atlanta this week, but has their final two games at home and the Bengals still have to play the Broncos in Denver. Ben Roethlisberger has had a good season, but LeVeon Bell is a difference maker out of the backfield both rushing and receiving. While it’s not the Steelers defense of old, I would trust Ben Roethlisberger over Andy Dalton any day of the week.

Raj: That division is so close, it’s scary. Ultimately though, I think the Baltimore Ravens will come out of that division on top. The Ravens are that one team that has struggled in certain games but then dominated other games. When you compare the remaining schedules for the other 3 AFC North teams, Baltimore has a strong chance at winning out all their remaining games. They have the Jaguars at home, the Texans on the road, and the Browns at home. The Bengals have to deal with the Browns, Steelers, and Broncos. The Steelers have to deal with the Bengals, Falcons, and Chiefs. And the Browns have to deal with the Bengals, Ravens, and Panthers. Considering that Cincinnati and Cleveland are playing each other plus one other division opponent, it really comes down to Pittsburgh and Baltimore for the division crown. The Steelers’ schedule is significantly harder when compared to the Ravens’. Therefore, give the AFC North crown to Baltimore but please pray that they don’t play the Patriots in the playoffs. The last team I want to see the Pats play is them.

Derek:  The Bengals currently have a slight advantage thanks to their tie with Carolina, but have the toughest schedule of all four teams.  Baltimore, on the other hand gets to play the Jaguars, Texans, and Browns.  It’s essentially their division to lose.  Unfortunately for the Patriots, it could mean that a #4 seeded Ravens team could be heading to Gillette in the Divisional Round to play a #1 seed Patriots squad.  Of all four teams, you’d have to give the Ravens the best chance of winning a road playoff game in Foxboro as they’ve done so twice in the past five years.