Ravens still in first place in the AFC North as division rivals stumble
By Kristen Wong
All AFC North teams fell in Week 10, save for the Cincinnati Bengals who were on a bye. The Baltimore Ravens lost just like the rest of them, but they still remain at the top of the division.
Baltimore fell first, succumbing to a surprisingly feisty Miami Dolphins team on Thursday night, which gave the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns a chance to get ahead in the division race.
On Sunday, the Steelers tied the lowly Detroit Lions in a nearly unwatchable and bizarre overtime anti-thriller while the Browns got slaughtered by Mac Jones and the New England Patriots just one week after their own demolition of the Dallas Cowboys.
After Week 10’s results, the 6-3 Ravens remain in first with exactly one more win than each of their division rivals.
The Steelers sit in second with a 5-3-1 record, the Bengals in third, and the Browns in last.
All things considered, it was a good week in terms of Baltimore leading the AFC North battle.
The Ravens lost in Week 10, but their division rivals lost worse
In terms of Baltimore cementing their team identity ahead of a deep playoff run, head coach John Harbaugh still has a lot of work to do.
Lamar Jackson just came off one of his worst career performances to date, and the Ravens offense struggled to find its groove all game against the Dolphins.
Wide receiver Sammy Watkins returned, but he still needs to be kneaded into the starting lineup to complement the talents of Marquise Brown and Rashod Bateman.
The offensive line has been serviceable in light of recent injuries, but Baltimore may consider making some changes to the O-line after their dreadful protection of Jackson against Miami’s blitzes.
The Cincinnati Bengals also stand to profit from Week 10 and may return even stronger after the bye.
Cincinnati holds an important tiebreaker over the Ravens, having beaten them earlier this season, and if their offense starts clicking again, the Bengals would be a legitimate competitor for the AFC North crown.
Next. 5 Ravens who have offered almost nothing to the team in 2021. dark
Needless to say, the Ravens can’t afford another loss, nor another lackluster team performance as seen in Week 10. The rest of the AFC North failed to capitalize on Baltimore’s misstep, but next week, the Ravens may not be so lucky.