After two weeks, the AFC North doesn’t have a team that looks fully convincing. The Bengals are the only undefeated club in the division, but even that comes with a long list of caveats. Cincinnati has won twice, yet the offense still hasn’t found its rhythm, and the team is leaning heavily on its defense to keep things together.
That’s not exactly the profile of a runaway contender. The Bengals opened by beating the Houston Texans and then handled the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2, but both wins came with a familiar theme: the opposing quarterback helped them out.
Baker Mayfield threw an interception and overthrew multiple receivers against Cleveland, then followed that up by giving Cincinnati four turnovers in Week 1, including three fumbles. Even with the record, the Bengals’ start doesn’t feel especially imposing.
Cleveland, meanwhile, has reason to feel better about where it stands than the standings suggest. The Browns beat Mayfield in Week 2 and have plenty to build on heading into Week 3, even as a home underdog. Official AFC playoff standings still have Cleveland at the bottom of the division because of tiebreakers, but the bigger point is that the Browns are at least showing something to work with.
The Steelers are making the opposite case. Pittsburgh has been dragged around by its offense, which has looked rough enough that quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw his coaches under the bus in Week 2.
The one win on the board came because the Steelers faced the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1, and even that game was close. For a team that’s supposed to have some staying power, the offensive performance has been downright ugly.
Baltimore has its own questions. The Ravens controlled the Indianapolis Colts on the road in Week 1, but then followed that with a home loss to the New Orleans Saints.
The issue isn’t some glaring breakdown so much as the lack of big plays on offense, especially with WR Zay Flowers out. Derrick Henry finished with 68 yards on 16 carries, a 4.3 average, while Lamar Jackson went 21 of 31 for 235 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
Jackson also ran for just 34 yards on four carries in Week 2.
The Saints, for their part, won despite barely running the ball. Tyler Shough carried the passing load, going 27 of 34 for 252 yards and a touchdown, and he also scored on the ground.
So yes, the Bengals are unbeaten. But nobody is handing them the crown yet.
The Steelers look like a mess on offense and could unravel fast with an aging roster. The Ravens have already lost their main explosive player to injury, along with WR Jakobi Lane.
And after two weeks, the idea that the Browns might actually have a real shot in the AFC North doesn’t sound so far-fetched anymore.
In Other News...
Todd Monken Sends Clear Message After Browns Silence Early Doubts
After the Browns steadied things with a Week 2 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Todd Monken had little interest in letting one rough opening act define the conversation around his team. The Cleveland coach went back to the criticism that followed the Week 1 loss, and he framed it around a remark from former Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, using it as a springboard to address the early doubts head-on.
Monken did not dispute that the Browns were poor in the opener, but he pushed back on the idea that it should become the team's identity. His message was simple enough: the only real way to change the public view is to play better, and the Browns have already shown they are trying to do exactly that. Tomlin later answered with a little humor of his own, adding another layer to a storyline that has quickly moved beyond one bad Sunday. [Read more 🡒]
Browns May Have Found Something Big In Their Rookie O-Line
The Browns left Tampa with a 23-19 win, and one of the most encouraging developments came up front, where rookie tackles Spencer Fano and Austin Barber helped steady an offensive line that was under pressure in a tight game. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, neither rookie allowed a pressure, a strong early sign for a unit that has leaned on youth and had to adjust quickly. Fano, the Browns 2026 first-round pick, has already flashed the kind of upside that made him a premium selection, while Barber has stepped into a starting role because of an injury and handled the assignment well.
Todd Monken has been quick to praise both players for the way they have contributed through the first two games, and it is easy to see why the Browns are paying attention. For a team trying to build stability at the line of scrimmage, getting reliable play from two rookies this early matters, especially when one arrived with first-round expectations and the other had to seize an opportunity the hard way. If this level of play holds, Cleveland may have uncovered a lot more than just a promising spot start. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Rookie Is Forcing A Bigger Question About Clevelands Passing Game
Denzel Boston has quickly given the Browns something they have been searching for at receiver: a young target who can win with size, strength and a steady physical edge. In his first two games, he has already topped 50 receiving yards and found the end zone once, production that fits the kind of role Todd Monken once helped carve out for Mike Evans in Tampa Bay.
The comparison matters because Cleveland still has bigger questions at quarterback and in the broader passing game, but Boston is making it harder to treat the receiver room as a secondary issue. If he keeps showing he can be a consistent, high-end pass catcher early in his career, the Browns may have to think more seriously about how much more is possible through the air, regardless of who is delivering the ball. [Read more 🡒]