Ravens' Division Losing Its Mystique

The AFC North has spent decades dining off of their reputations as one of the gruffest divisions in the NFL, sparking numerous competitive duels between the same few teams every season. Several of the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns have usually their sights set on playoff glory, but they always had time to diverge into a battle in the mud with one of their rivaling neighbors.

They've all maintained that grimy edge through the first five weeks of this regular season, but none of those four teams are scaring any serious franchises. Football Power Index has this division graded at -12.2 overall, good for the worst mark of any four-team grouping in the sport.

Though the Ravens only account for a quarter of the division, their demise plays a greater role in the reputational slippage than anything else.

They've owned the northern standings for the vast majority of the Lamar Jackson era, standing tall behind their MVP of a quarterback and usually-stingy defense to win the division title in three of his four seasons as Baltimore's fully-healthy starter. They were looking to build off of two consecutive crowns and 25 regular season wins between the 2023 and 2024 campaigns, but their nightmare of a start has thrown off any semblance of balance.

Their 1-4 finish through the first five games has sent them plummeting to the bottom of the AFC North, let alone the conference rankings. That puts them in the same territory as the Browns, who've posted an identical mark despite entering the season with as little hope of contending as any team in the association.

Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterback Aaron Rodgers — Sep 28, 2025; Dublin, Ireland; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) and defensive tackle Cameron Heyward (97) leave the field after an NFL International Series game against the Minnesota Vikings at Croke Park. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Steelers have instead presumed ownership of the division, but the power index barely let them into the league's top half. They're not fooling anyone with a 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers at the helm, even if they are being strategic in their reliance on the aged legend. Their usual lack of weapons, slipping defense and disappointing point differential all serve as marks of a middler, and they've benefitted from an early bye week by sitting out this past weekend as their three division-mates all lost.

The Bengals were expected to challenge the Ravens for AFC dominance, but they, too, have been cursed by injury. While Baltimore's hurting everywhere, the Bengals will have to trek on without their own franchise quarterback in Joe Burrow, and their desperation to salvage the season has already shown in their trade for a the stand-in Joe Flacco, yet another 40-year-old field general to account for.

The division has fallen a long way fast, and though injuries make for the simplest excuse, the Ravens' rapid fall from the inner circle of contenders has robbed one of the NFL's most storied regions of its intrigue.

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