With four weeks to go, the tightest division in the NFL, both in the standings and the odds, is the AFC North. At 9-4, the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals are tied for first place in what has set up to be a two-challenger competition for the throne to be named King of the North in the AFC.
With a game in hand head-to-head, the Ravens are slight favorites, -135 at BetMGM, with the defending AFC Champion Bengals not far behind at +110. Tied for third (or last) at 5-8, the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers are both off the board but could have a say in who’s crowned.
Last season’s North winner, the Bengals, have won five-straight games to catch the Ravens, the longest active winning streak in the AFC. Next up is Tampa Bay this Sunday in South Florida. With the Bucs at 6-7, Cincy is a 3.5-point road favorite against Tom Brady’s team.
With a 2-3 division record, as well as a trip to New England and a matchup against the top-seeded Buffalo Bills upcoming, this Sunday’s game is a must-win for Joe Burrow and Company. A victory in Tampa would give the Bengals back-to-back ten-win seasons for the first time since 2012-15.
On a roll of their own, the Ravens have won six of seven games. They are 3-0 against the AFC North, including a 19-17 win over Cincinnati on a last-second game-winning field goal by Sir Justin Tucker, two significant factors favoring Baltimore’s claim to the throne.
This Saturday, they can improve to 4-0 in the division at the Browns as a 2.5-point favorite. If the Ravens pull it off, they would be the NFL’s latest “worst to first” story, something the league has had in 17 of the past 19 seasons. Baltimore was 8-9, tied for third/last place with the Browns last season.
After Cleveland, the Ravens will host the Atlanta Falcons in Week 16 and the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 17, games in which they expect to be a healthy favorite. That soft schedule also plays into Baltimore’s favorite status.
If the division champ still isn’t settled by the time we reach Week 18, it will set up the battle of Paycor as the Ravens visit the Bengals to close out the regular season.
