AFC North Quarterback Carousel: Can Lamar or Burrow Lead the Late-Season Charge?
If you’ve been following the AFC North this season, you know it’s been anything but predictable. Outside of the Steelers, who’ve somehow managed to keep their quarterback situation steady, the rest of the division has been a revolving door under center.
The Browns, Ravens, and Bengals have each turned to three different quarterbacks-thanks to a mix of injuries and underwhelming performances from backups. But now, with Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow back in action, the division race is heating up at just the right time.
Let’s break down how these two franchise quarterbacks are looking post-injury-and what it means for the wild finish ahead.
Lamar Jackson: Still Battling, Still Dangerous
Lamar Jackson’s season took a hit back in Week 4 when he strained his right hamstring against the Chiefs. He missed three games, and while he’s been back on the field, he hasn’t been fully healthy.
Since returning, he’s been a regular on the injury report-dealing with knee, ankle, and toe issues. And it’s showing in his play.
One of Jackson’s most dangerous traits is his ability to gash defenses on the ground, especially on designed quarterback runs. But those have taken a major dip:
| Lamar Jackson on Designed QB Runs | Pre-Injury | Post-Injury |
|---|
| Attempts per Game | 3.0 | 1.8 | | Yards per Attempt | 6.3 | 3.5 |
| Broken + Missed Tackles per Attempt | 0.25 | 0.11 | | Total Points | 2 | -2 |
The Ravens have understandably dialed back the designed runs, and when they do call them, the results just aren’t the same. Jackson’s ability to make defenders miss-once a weekly highlight-hasn’t been there.
Scrambles tell a similar story. He’s actually scrambling a bit more than before, but the explosiveness is missing:
| Lamar Jackson on Scrambles | Pre-Injury | Post-Injury |
|---|
| Attempts per Game | 2.3 | 2.8 | | Yards per Attempt | 10.0 | 5.4 |
| Broken + Missed Tackles per Attempt | 0.33 | 0.29 | | Total Points | 9 | 3 |
The good news? He’s still willing to run. That confidence in his legs is important-not just for his own rhythm, but because the threat of a scramble keeps defenses honest and opens up the passing game.
But even through the air, Jackson hasn’t looked like himself. Since Week 9, among 36 quarterbacks with at least 50 pass attempts, he ranks second-to-last in On-Target Percentage at 61%. That’s a tough pill for a Ravens team that needs him to carry more of the load.
Baltimore’s defense, long a staple of their identity, hasn’t been able to pick up the slack. They’re in the bottom half of the league in Total Points allowed against the pass, and they’ve struggled to generate pressure-ranking in the bottom five in both pressure rate and sack rate. In short: this isn’t the kind of defense that can bail out a struggling offense.
If the Ravens want to win the division, they’ll need Jackson to find another gear-injuries or not.
Joe Burrow: Back on the Field, Not Quite Back to Form
Joe Burrow’s return from a Grade 3 turf toe injury required surgery and a hard plate in his shoe, but he didn’t look like a guy being eased back into action. In his first game back-the Bengals' Thanksgiving win-Burrow dropped back 48 times. That’s not a quarterback being protected; that’s a quarterback being trusted.
Let’s compare his Week 1 performance to his Thanksgiving return:
| Joe Burrow - 2025 Season | Pre-Injury | Post-Injury |
|---|
| Dropbacks | 28 | 48 | | On-Target Percentage | 91% | 79% |
| Total Points per Play | 0.19 | 0.17 |
His accuracy dipped a bit, but the overall efficiency barely moved. That’s a strong sign for a guy coming off surgery. He’s not favoring one side of the field, and the Bengals aren’t limiting the playbook.
Still, it wasn’t vintage Burrow. And much like Baltimore, Cincinnati can’t afford to wait long for their star QB to return to top form.
The Bengals’ pass defense has been downright brutal. They rank dead last in Total Points in pass coverage-with a staggering gap between them and the next-worst unit.
Their pass rush hasn’t helped either, sitting near the bottom in pressure and sack rates.
If Cincinnati is going to make a run, it’ll be on Burrow’s shoulders. The margin for error is razor-thin.
Steelers in the Mix, But Slipping
The Steelers looked like they might run away with the division early on, but now they’re tied with the Ravens at 6-6. Injuries haven’t spared them either-Aaron Rodgers has been dealing with a left wrist issue that caused him to miss time and then flared up again upon his return. And while Rodgers has been underwhelming overall, Pittsburgh needs him healthy just to stay afloat.
The Road Ahead: Who Gets Right First?
This division could come down to a simple question: which quarterback finds his pre-injury form the fastest?
History suggests it usually takes around four games for a quarterback to get back to full speed after a significant injury. That gives Burrow a narrow window to shake off the rust. Jackson didn’t miss quite that much time, but the lingering nature of his lower-body injuries might be a bigger obstacle than the time he missed.
The Bengals head to Buffalo next before a rematch against the Ravens in Cincinnati-a game that could very well decide the division. If Burrow can fast-track his recovery and Jackson can rediscover his explosiveness, we’re in for a heavyweight finish in the AFC North.
One thing’s for sure: this division isn’t going to be won by defense. It’s going to come down to which star quarterback can carry their team across the finish line.