Bob Haynie: An Open Race For AFC North Title
I wrote this past Friday that the Baltimore Ravens had to a chance to assume control of the AFC North with a win over the Bengals in Cincinnati. After Baltimore's frustrating 27-24 loss on Sunday, the door is open for every club in the division to make a second half run at the title.
With the Steelers blasting the Colts and the Browns handling the Raiders over the weekend, the AFC North is the only division in the NFL in which all of it's team are above .500. Cincinnati is 4-2-1 while the Ravens and Steelers are both 5-3. Even the Browns have a winning mark at 4-3.
This coming Sunday, the Ravens travel to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers in a key game. While Baltimore and Pittsburgh faceoff, the Bengals and Browns both have relatively easy tests ahead of them. The Bengals will host the 1-7 Jaguars while the Browns are at home for the 1-6 Buccaneers.
There is chance the loser of the Ravens-Steelers game could find themselves in last place by late Sunday night. Of course, that wouldn't mean that playoff hopes are dashed. However, I'm sure that's not where Ravens' coach John Harbaugh expected his team to be in early November.
The race is on for supremacy in the AFC North as the leaves are falling all around.
What team will emerge as the best there is? It is a question that cannot be answered yet.
It will be fun watching things play out. That is for sure.