The Baltimore Ravens are still perched at the top of the AFC North, but after four weeks the division picture has a twist: the Cleveland Browns are the team technically sitting in first place.
Baltimore moved to 3-1 with a win over the Tennessee Titans, a result that looked closer on the scoreboard than it really was. That’s enough to keep Jesse Minter’s club in prime position to take control of the division, especially if Lamar Jackson’s ankle injury doesn’t cost him much time after limiting him in Week 4. The early returns have been strong, and offensive coordinator Declan Doyle has the Ravens humming - the unit ranks in the NFL’s top 5 in most statistical categories.
There’s still a detail Baltimore has to clean up. The Ravens have yet to fully prove they can slam the door in the fourth quarter. Even so, this has been an encouraging opening month for a team that looks built to win the AFC North.
Cleveland, meanwhile, keeps finding ways to survive. The Browns edged the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-24 on Thursday night and now own the division lead on paper.
Deshaun Watson’s team has strung together another tight win, and while they still haven’t beaten a true contender, they’ve shown they can be a nuisance. Todd Monken has pieced together a workable offense despite limited tools, and at the very least the Browns have established themselves as a tough out.
That said, the real test still waits ahead. If the wheels come off in the coming weeks, Cleveland’s start will still have been a success. For now, the Browns have every reason to enjoy where they stand.
The Bengals are the team feeling the pressure to catch up. Cincinnati dropped a 22-17 decision to the Jacksonville Jaguars, and this time it wasn’t the defense that failed them.
After Ja’Marr Chase went down, Joe Burrow couldn’t get much going through the air. At 2-2, the Bengals now have a steep climb if they want to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2022.
The defense has improved enough to keep Cincinnati in games, but the offense has to wake up soon. Week 5 brings a useful chance to reset against the Miami Dolphins.
Then there’s Pittsburgh, sitting right where plenty of people expected at 2-2. The Steelers’ move on from Mike Tomlin hasn’t changed the same old problem: a team stuck in the middle. Aaron Rodgers has made things a little more entertaining over the last two weeks, but the offense remains a bottom-six group by EPA per play and success rate.
There may be room for Rodgers to settle in and play better, but the broader picture looks familiar. Pittsburgh’s ceiling still feels like the .500 range it has lived around for much of the last decade.
In Other News...
Ravens Suddenly Have A Tight End Depth Problem To Solve
A thin spot on the Ravens roster got a lot thinner Sunday, when Durham Smythe went down against the Titans with a torn Achilles and was ruled out for the rest of the season. The veteran tight end, signed this offseason at age 31, had already carved out a meaningful role in Baltimores offense, logging more than 100 snaps before the injury changed the picture at the position.
Now the Ravens are left leaning harder on rookie tight ends Matthew Hibner and Josh Cuevas, two players who may be asked to handle more than expected as the season moves along. Baltimore could also look outside the building for another veteran option, because the depth chart at tight end suddenly needs a solution, and it needs one quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Zay Flowers Looks Different In Baltimore For One Huge Reason
Zay Flowers has given the Ravens a jolt early this season, and it has come in a shape that looks a little different from what Baltimore got at times last year. Even after missing Week 2 with a hamstring injury and playing limited snaps in Week 3, Flowers has piled up 352 receiving yards, a figure that ranks seventh in the league, while also standing out in efficiency with one of the best yards-per-route-run marks among players with at least 20 routes.
The bigger change has been how the Ravens are using him. Offensive coordinator Declan Doyle has moved Flowers around the formation and into multiple roles across the field, which has pushed his target share up and made him harder to key on. Head coach Jesse Minter pointed to both Flowers versatility and Doyles creativity as reasons for the strong start, and the early results suggest Baltimore may finally be leaning into exactly what makes him most dangerous. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Suddenly Face A Bigger Lamar Jackson Concern Than Expected
Lamar Jacksons sprained ankle has quickly shifted the Ravens attention from a routine midweek injury update to a more immediate quarterback plan for Week 5. Head coach Jesse Minter said the issue is not expected to linger long-term, but Jackson is unlikely to practice this week, leaving Baltimore to prepare as if it may have to get by without its starter against the Atlanta Falcons.
Tyler Huntley is expected to take the first-team reps as the Ravens map out the week, which gives the team at least some stability while Jackson works through the injury. Even with the possibility of a return still hanging out there, the more realistic task now is getting Huntley ready and making sure Baltimore does not lose ground if Jackson is sidelined on Sunday. [Read more 🡒]