How did AFC North – with four playoff contenders – become NFL's most cutthroat division?

Of the eight divisions in the NFL,–withfourplayoffcontenders– seven have two teams or fewer with a winning record.

The AFC North, in which all four teams are currently above .500, is the outlier.

If the 2023 NFL season ended after Week 9, the entire division would make the playoffs. The Baltimore Ravens (7-2), as the current division leader, would host the Cincinnati Bengals (5-3), in a rematch of last year's wild-card clash. The Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3) and Cleveland Browns (5-3) would have their own road games against division winners.

"There’s no doubt it’s the best division, it’s proven," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said in a news conference this week. "We know the teams; these teams are real."

Of course, there is still a half season to play, and the odds of the current standings holding as is over the next two months are improbable – since the league added a third wild-card team to each conference in 2020, no division has sent all of its participants to the playoffs. But the idea of three teams making the postseason isn't too far-fetched.

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Here's how the AFC North became the group to beat in 2023, and what each team must do in the second half.

Baltimore Ravens

The good: Just about everything. Aside from a couple of late-game collapses to the Indianapolis Colts (an overtime loss) and the Steelers – in a classic AFC North game highlighted by special teams scores – Baltimore has been splendid. The offense, under first-year coordinator Todd Monken, is still working out the kinks, but it's the best rushing unit in the league and is sixth in points per game (26.6). Quarterback Lamar Jackson is playing at a MVP level. And the defense has allowed nine touchdowns through nine games and is posting stats that rival the historic 2000 Ravens.

The bad: Injuries have prevented this team from reaching its heights under Jackson – in addition to his own ailments – and at the beginning of the season, it looked like a replay of the last two years. They've already had to play without cornerback Marlon Humphrey, left tackle Ronnie Staley and center Tyler Linderbaum, but all three have returned. Running back J.K. Dobbins is out for the year due to an Achilles injury.

The forecast: A healthy dose of divisional football. First, a date with Cleveland awaits, followed by a short week to face Cincinnati on "Thursday Night Football."

Pittsburgh Steelers

The good: At 2-0 in the division, the Steelers are the lone team to remain unblemished in intra-division play. T.J. Watt is still playing at an All-Pro level and is tied for second in the league with 9½ sacks. The defense as a unit is tied for second in turnover differential (+8).

The bad: The offense. Kenny Pickett has been banged up, and the second-year quarterback's play has been a warning to those overhyping preseason performances. Only the New York Jets average fewer first downs per game, and Pittsburgh is 28th in yards per play (4.69). Offensive coordinator Matt Canada has his own hashtag, and it's not for a good reason. The Steelers have a -30 point-differential and have been outgained in every game so far this season, with a total deficit of 790 yards.

The forecast: Two road games against Cleveland and Cincinnati to close out November followed by an easier stretch. But over the season's final three weeks, they'll face the Bengals, Seahawks and Ravens.

Cleveland Browns

The good: The Browns defense currently leads the league in the following categories

• Total yards allowed per game (234.8)
• Passing yards allowed per game (145.0)
• Sack rate (11.25%)
• First downs allowed per game (12.0)
• Third-down success rate (25.96%)

Myles Garrett (9½ sacks) is squarely in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation. Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz may have been the best hire of the offseason. Amari Cooper is perhaps the most underrated No. 1 wideout in the league. And the offense tops the league in time of possession per game (34:12).

The bad:The season-ending knee injury to Nick Chubb was a brutal loss, but the backfield duo of Jerome Ford and Kareem Hunt have filled in admirably – and by necessity. Deshaun Watson's right shoulder is the latest ailment for fans in northeast Ohio to dread.

The forecast: Watson returned last week against the Arizona Cardinals after missing more than a month, taking over for backup P.J. Walker. The defense is the obvious strength of the team, and the unit will have to live up to the first-half expectations to push Cleveland to the postseason.

Cincinnati Bengals

The good: They survived the "sky is falling" narrative that accompanied their 1-3 start while quarterback Joe Burrow was recovering from his training camp calf injury. Cincinnati has now won four straight, the last three coming against playoff-caliber teams (Seattle, San Francisco, Buffalo). Cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt has been a revelation, with three interceptions in his last four games.

The bad: The early-season trouble, and back-to-back losses to Cleveland and Baltimore to start the year, put them in a hole for various potential tiebreaker scenarios. Defensively, they allow 5.9 yards play, second-worst in the league.

The forecast: By winning percentage, Cincinnati actually has the easiest schedule remaining among the four AFC North squads. But every opponent on the slate, aside from the Texans and Colts, currently occupies a playoff spot.