The Baltimore Ravens extended their lead in the AFC North last week, beating the Arizona Cardinals in a close game. They get another great chance to extend it again this week as the entire division has a tough slate of games in Week 3. But if the Ravens can keep themselves undefeated this weekend, they could find a comfortable lead atop the AFC North as they go into three consecutive battles with division rivals.
The entire AFC North faces questions heading into this weekend and the perfect tests in front of them. Each team will likely show who they really are this week, giving us a better idea of just how competitive they’ll be in 2019.
Let’s take a closer look at each Week 3 matchup for the AFC North and preview the games separately.
Baltimore Ravens (2-0) at Kansas City Chiefs (2-0):
Baltimore got matched up against one young and exciting quarterback last week and they’ll get yet another again this week. Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes is considered by many to be the best in the league now, rivaling Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson in every major passing stat. While the two will never be on the field at the same time, it’s being eyed up as a battle between two young stars.
While the Ravens’ offense has grown by leaps and bounds over last season, the Chiefs’ offense has refined their high-flying act to near perfection. Baltimore’s defense showed some signs of trouble last week when spread wide. Kansas City’s defense hasn’t been very good all-around but they’ve almost always been working with a lead. It’ll be a test for both teams to slow these offenses down.
Cincinnati Bengals (0-2) at Buffalo Bills (2-0):
Cincinnati came back down to Earth last week after a close loss in Week 1 to the Seattle Seahawks. They got absolutely decimated by the San Francisco 49ers to the tune of 41-17. They can’t seem to find any success on the ground and quarterback Andy Dalton hasn’t had A.J. Green to help bail him out. Meanwhile, the defense has been a sieve both against the run and pass.
They’ll get a somewhat surprising test against the undefeated Bills. Buffalo returns this season with an impressive defense and an offense that finally has some weapons around quarterback Josh Allen.
The Bengals will really determine the type of year they’re going to have in this one. A win over Buffalo will show they might have more fight than many gave them credit for. A loss will likely point them in the direction of a full rebuild instead.
Pittsburgh Steelers (0-2) at San Francisco 49ers (2-0):
With quarterback Ben Roethlisberger out for the season and currently winless, Pittsburgh looks dead in the water already. They’ll turn to Mason Rudolph, likely finding out if he’s the heir to Roethlisberger or if they need to go back to the draft board next year. They’ll get a tough test right out of the gate as San Francisco is off to a quick start.
There are still questions surrounding the 49ers after two games. Though they have outscored their opponents 72-34, it hasn’t been the toughest competition along the way. Many are also wondering if quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo can answer for his downright awful preseason and rather mediocre start to the season. The Steelers will hope the trade for former Miami Dolphins cornerback Minkah Fitzpatrick helps out their defense and puts Garoppolo in his place.
A third-straight loss could cause Pittsburgh to implode on themselves. Their schedule doesn’t really get much easier ahead of their Week 7 bye, facing off against the Ravens and Los Angeles Chargers over that time. An 0-6 start isn’t out of the question for the reeling Steelers — It’s up to them to put a stop to the slide now.
Los Angeles Rams (2-0) at Cleveland Browns (1-1):
Cleveland got themselves into the win column last week, making them just the second team to find a win so far this season in the AFC North. But it was against a beat-up New York Jets team that wasn’t looking like a playoff contender before all their injuries. This week, the Browns return to real competition by taking on the Rams.
Los Angeles looks like they never stopped working following their loss in Super Bowl LIII to the New England Patriots. They’re coming off two strong wins, including a pretty hefty whooping on the New Orleans Saints last week.
If the Browns are even half as good as their fans and pundits made them out to be, they’ll remain competitive for all 60 minutes. If they’re the same Browns that went 7-8-1 last season with loads of talent but little substance, this won’t be close.
