The AFC North has always been one of the toughest divisions in football. It's a division based on toughness and physicality. Since the division's inception in 2002 from the AFC Central, no team has won the division in three straight years. However, the Baltimore Ravens have the inside track with their roster to be the first team to win the division in back-to-back-to-back years.
They'll have competition from the Cincinnati Bengals and the Pittsburgh Steelers, like in most years, but Baltimore is the favorite in this division thanks to their roster—one with the best quarterback, running game, and defense in the division.
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In the eyes of many NFL analysts, the Ravens should win the AFC North for the third year in a row, and Bleacher Report's Moe Moton thinks so too. Moton also believes the Ravens will be competing for the top seed in the AFC with a 14-3 record. It would be the third time in the last seven seasons that Baltimore would get the AFC's top seed. Moton wrote:
"Two-time league MVP Lamar Jackson and two-time rushing champion Derrick Henry will lead the Ravens to back-to-back AFC North titles."
"They should have plenty of help from their defense. They may allow the fewest passing yards and touchdowns because of their elite secondary, which features All-Pros Marlon Humphrey and Kyle Hamilton, two-time Pro Bowler Jaire Alexander, budding second-year cornerback Nate Wiggins and rookie first-round safety Malaki Starks."
"The stacked roster will compete for the No. 1 seed in the AFC."
He has the Steelers at 11-6, the Bengals at 9-8, and the Cleveland Browns at 2-15. Pittsburgh is hoping to stay competitive with new quarterback Aaron Rodgers and a stout defense looking to bounce back after struggling in the second half of last year. The Bengals offense will score points, but it's their defense that will be the question of how they perform. As for the Browns, they are in a rebuilding phase as they try to sort out their quarterback situation.
If Baltimore plays their cards right, they will win the division and maybe even earn the top seed again. The Ravens play both the Bengals and Steelers twice through the last six weeks of the season, so like always, the AFC North will come down to the last few weeks of the year.