The AFC North picture tightened in a hurry after Week 5, but Baltimore still sits alone at the top.
An overtime escape against Atlanta pushed the Ravens to 4-1 and left them in first place heading into Week 6, while Cincinnati and Pittsburgh kept pace with wins of their own. Cleveland, meanwhile, watched its three-game run end in a frustrating loss that shoved the division into a crowded race behind Baltimore.
Baltimore needed every bit of Tyler Huntley’s resilience to survive the Falcons. Filling in for the injured Lamar Jackson, Huntley finished 24 of 32 for 201 yards and two touchdowns, then delivered the biggest play of the day himself.
He pulled the Ravens back from an eight-point hole in the final minute of regulation, hitting Devontez Walker for a 7-yard score with 40 seconds left. Derrick Henry then powered in the two-point conversion to force overtime, and Huntley finished the comeback with a 1-yard quarterback sneak to win it.
The Ravens also got a huge day from Henry on the ground. He ran for 102 yards against an Atlanta defense that entered the game ranked first against the run. Baltimore had to work through stalled drives and settled for three first-half field goals, but safety Kyle Hamilton’s interception of Atlanta backup quarterback Tua Tagovailoa sealed the result and kept the Ravens alone in first.
Pittsburgh, though, looked every bit like a team refusing to let the division get away. Jaylen Warren turned in a huge all-purpose outing, piling up 188 yards from scrimmage and scoring twice in a 34-22 win over Indianapolis.
He provided the early jolt with an 80-yard catch in the first quarter, then broke free again for a 50-yard touchdown run in the third. With Rico Dowdle sidelined by a toe injury, Warren has stepped into a bigger role for the Steelers, and this was the kind of performance that changes an offense.
Aaron Rodgers added another steady outing, going 22 of 31 for 235 yards and three touchdowns. Two of those scores went to Pat Freiermuth, while Pittsburgh kept answering every Colts push and never let Indianapolis seize control. The Colts had their chances, but five field goals told the story of drives that never fully turned into touchdowns.
Cincinnati also flashed the kind of offense that can make this division miserable for opponents. Joe Burrow threw four touchdown passes in a 31-24 win over Miami, including a 45-yard strike to Ja’Marr Chase that stood out as the day’s most explosive throw. Burrow went 23 of 32 for 190 yards and spread the ball to nine different receivers, with Chase finishing with six catches for 77 yards after missing practice time during the week because of a concussion.
The Bengals’ scoring came from all over. Mike Gesicki, Tanner Hudson and Samaje Perine each caught touchdown passes, and Cincinnati’s defense did its part early by helping build a 21-7 halftime lead.
Safety Jordan Battle intercepted Miami quarterback Malik Willis twice in the second quarter, while Dohnte Meyers opened the game with an 81-yard kickoff return that set up Cincinnati’s first touchdown. Miami made things uncomfortable late, trimming the margin to seven in the final minute, but a missed extra point and an unsuccessful onside kick ended the comeback.
The win moved Cincinnati to 3-2, and now the bye week arrives at the right time before a massive Week 7 trip to Baltimore.
Cleveland’s slide came in the ugliest fashion possible: a rain-soaked 17-12 loss to the Jets. The Browns had won three straight, but the offense never found enough rhythm, and Deshaun Watson took a beating behind a shaky protection plan. He was sacked eight times and completed just 15 of 33 passes for 155 yards.
Watson did briefly put Cleveland in front with a 29-yard touchdown pass to rookie Denzel Boston midway through the fourth quarter, but Andre Szmyt missed the extra point, leaving the Browns exposed. The fatal blow came on special teams after the defense forced a New York punt.
A high snap flew past punter Corey Bojorquez, the Jets recovered deep in Browns territory, and Braelon Allen cashed it in three plays later with a 22-yard touchdown run to put New York ahead with a little over three minutes left. Cleveland still had one last shot, but Watson was strip-sacked on fourth down to finish it off.
So after five weeks, Baltimore leads the division, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati are right behind, and Cleveland is trying to regroup after a loss that felt like a missed opportunity. The Bengals, because they are the only team with a loss and no wins in division play, sit in last place in the AFC North heading into Week 6. A Bengals win at Baltimore in Week 7 would go along way in their race for the division lead, but a loss could put them in a deep hole if the Ravens also win this week vs. the Browns.
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