Dawgs By Nature
The Pittsburgh Steelers were the only team in the AFC North that was on a bye this weekend, but the Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals, and Baltimore Ravens all played this Sunday. The Browns lost a close one across the pond, the Ravens got routed at home despite sending out their B-team, and the Bengals looked outmatched against the Detroit Lions.
Let’s make this quick, shall we?
If you were expecting the Pittsburgh Steelers to be in first place in the AFC North at the end of Week 5, you are either a diehard fan of the team, a mythical creature or lying right now.
Considering how the rest of the division looks, it’s not a surprise at all. 3-1 is better than being 1-4.
However, the eye test matters and the Steelers haven’t looked as impressive as their record indicates. The three wins are against the New York Jets (who might be one of the worst teams in the league), New England Patriots (who lost due to multiple self-inflicted wounds) and the Minnesota Vikings (who were banged up across the board). Their lone loss came against the Seattle Seahawks (who are a legit playoff contender in the NFC).
It’s fair to question how good the Steelers are, but the team being 3-1 in a division in disarray is ideal for them.
Going into the season, I had the Baltimore Ravens as my favorites to win the division. Five weeks in, and I’m not sure if this team is going to be able to get out of the hole they are in. Yes, the team is banged up across the board, but that doesn’t excuse the lack of fight that this team showed in their loss against the Houston Texans.
The team feels lost right now and they are searching for answers. Could the team benefit from getting key players back, such as quarterback Lamar Jackson, linebacker Roquan Smith and safety Kyle Hamilton? Yes, but this team has deeper issues. The defense is horrific, while the offense seems to be fundamentally broken? I don’t see things getting better for the Ravens at this point. Could things change? Potentially, but not right now.
For the past three weeks, the Cincinnati Bengals have looked underwhelming as a whole. It’s far too often that the Bengals come out flat and at some point, it falls on coaching. Head coach Zac Taylor is the worst head coach in the AFC North. Convince me otherwise. His lack of an adequate game plan without quarterback Joe Burrow needs to be talked about more.
Quarterback Jake Browning has been atrocious, but Taylor could help Browning out to some degree. I would be surprised if Taylor is still on the team next season, as he’s been atrocious so far this season, and at some point, change has to be considered. Will firing Taylor solve the problems that are plaguing the Bengals right now? Not necessarily,...
