The AFC North got tighter in a hurry in Week 6, and the biggest shakeup came in Baltimore. The Ravens dropped a last-second game to the Browns, 13-10, while the Steelers kept pace with a 26-19 overtime win over the Buccaneers. That leaves the division crowded at the top and the margin for error shrinking fast.
At the moment, Cleveland sits alone at No. 1 in the power rankings. The Browns’ 4-2 start has not exactly come with style points - they own one of the NFL’s worst point differentials - but Todd Monken’s group keeps finding a way to finish the job.
The schedule may help them keep grinding out wins, too. Of their next five opponents, only the Steelers have a winning record, and Cleveland already beat them once.
Next up is a Sunday, Oct. 25th trip to the Titans.
Baltimore is right behind them at No. 2, and the story there is all about waiting on Lamar Jackson. His absence has slowed the Ravens lately, but Jesse Minter’s defense is starting to look like the real deal.
Since Week 4, Baltimore ranks seventh in EPA per play and fourth in success rate on that side of the ball. If the offense snaps back to the form it showed before Jackson went down - fourth in EPA per play and second in success rate through Week 4 - the Ravens could end up with elite production on both sides.
Their next chance to make a statement comes Sunday, Oct. 25th at home against the Bengals.
Pittsburgh checks in at No. 3 after another win that was useful more than dazzling. The Steelers’ victories this season haven’t exactly screamed dominance, with the Week 3 win over Cincinnati standing out as the best of the bunch, but they’re still 4-2.
Aaron Rodgers is settling into Mike McCarthy’s offense, and Patrick Graham’s defense has played like a top-ten unit. They may not have the offensive punch to truly run down Baltimore, but they’re not handing out anything easy.
The Steelers host the Saints on Sunday, Oct. 25th.
Cincinnati rounds out the group at No. 4, and the bye week may end up mattering a lot for the Bengals. NFL seasons can turn on what a team figures out during that break, and Cincinnati’s path back to contention may depend on rediscovering its offensive identity, especially on the ground. With the Ravens coming up in Week 7, the Bengals need that reset to pay off quickly.
In Other News...
Ravens Face A Costly Colts Debate After Cam Jurgens Trade
The Ravens offensive-line conversation has already changed once this season with the arrival of center Cam Jurgens, and now the bigger question is whether Baltimore wants to keep shopping in Indianapolis. With the Colts moving on from general manager Chris Ballard after a 2-4 start, the league has started to wonder whether they could listen on some major veterans before the deadline, and that has naturally put a few familiar names in the spotlight for a team that is always looking for protection upgrades.
For Baltimore, the appeal is obvious, but so are the complications. The idea of pursuing Quenton Nelson or DeForest Buckner has been floated, yet the cost in both contract money and draft capital makes any move tricky, especially for a team that has already invested to shore up the middle of its front. Around the league, analysts do not sound uniform on whether such a swing is realistic or even wise, which leaves the Ravens with a tempting possibility and no easy path to making it happen. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Already Face An Uncomfortable Question About Their Costly Signing
The Ravens made a significant commitment to John Simpson in March 2026, handing the guard a three-year, $30 million deal to help stabilize the interior of the offensive line. It was the kind of signing that usually comes with an expectation of immediate reliability, especially for a team trying to keep its offense on schedule and its quarterback protected.
Through six weeks, though, the early returns have been uncomfortable. Simpson has drawn scrutiny for uneven play and a tendency to get flagged, and the broader concern is whether Baltimore is getting the kind of value it expected from one of its pricier offseason investments. For a team that built the contract around dependability, the first month and a half has left the Ravens with a question they would rather not be asking this soon. [Read more 🡒]
Lamar Jacksons Ravens Return Outlook Just Put Week 7 In Doubt
Lamar Jacksons absence has already stretched through two games, and now the next checkpoint comes with Week 7 looming against Cincinnati. The Ravens quarterback has been out since Week 4 with an ankle injury, and head coach Jesse Minter said Jackson could potentially practice this week, a sign that Baltimore may be getting closer to learning whether its offense can have its centerpiece back on the field.
For now, the status remains unsettled, which leaves the Ravens in a familiar holding pattern heading into a divisional matchup. If Jackson is not able to go against the Bengals, Tyler Huntley is expected to step in at quarterback, keeping Baltimores game plan in flux until the practice week reveals more. [Read more 🡒]