The AFC North has been overshadowed by the NFC North to this point in the season, however this division is formidable and clearly the best in the AFC.
There's probably just a small difference between this division and their NFC equivalents. The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals are at the top of the division with 6-2 record, while the Browns are in third place with a 5-4 mark. The injury-plagued Baltimore Ravens are in fourth with a 4-5 record. The NFC North has three teams with six victories, while the first-place Chicago Bears have seven.
The Steelers and Bengals are meeting Sunday night to determine the leader in the division. The Steelers have taken advantage of another memorable season from quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The 42-year-old announced that he would be retiring at the end of the season, and he has come through for head coach Mike McCarthy.
Rodgers has completed 175 of 288 passes for 1,871 yards with 13 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. He has always been known for his remarkable accuracy, and while he may no longer be at his peak, he is completing 60.8 percent of his passes. The years have slowed him down a bit when it comes to running out of the pocket, and that's something that Rodgers wants to avoid.
The Bengals are surging as they prepare for this game against their division rivals. They have won four straight games after a 2-2 start and they are anxious to establish their explosive offense against the nasty Steelers defense.
The Steelers defeated the Bengals 30-27 when the two teams met in Pittsburgh in Week 3.
Dynamic QB Joe Burrow will throw for 250-plus yards and 3 TDs
There's little doubt that Joe Burrow is among the most gifted quarterback in recent memory. Burrow has been troubled by injuries in recent years, but he is healthy and has been showing off his remarkable skill level through the first half of the season.
Burrow has completed a shocking 74.0 percent of his passes. He has connected on 219 of 296 passes for 2,386 yards with 23 TDs and 6 interceptions. He appears to be in the lead when it comes to the race for this season's Most Valuable Player award.
Burrow has a remarkable 1-2 punch at the wide receiver position with Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase dominating opposing defensive backs.
Higgins has caught 48 passes for 758 yards with 6 TDs, and he uses his speed and big-play ability to light up the scoreboard on a regular basis.
Chase may be the best receiver in the NFL, although Jaxon Smith-Njigba of the Seattle Seahawks gives him a solid run for the title. Chase has 53 receptions for 647 yards and 7 TDs. Burrow will always look for Chase when the game is on the line.
In addition to Higgin and Chase, tight end Mike Gesicki is an excellent red zone weapon, and he could be dangerous in this game. He has caught 26-252-6 through eight games.
Rodgers will throw a pair of TD passes to his tight ends
The Steelers don't have the superstars at the wide receiver position that the Bengals possess, but Rodgers has demonstrated that he doesn't need the same kind of big plays that the Bengals regularly produce.
Wideout DK Metcalf is leading the Steelers in reception. He has caught 33 of 65 targets for 378 yards with 1 TD. More has been expected from Metcalf, and he needs to play more consistently in the second half of the season.
The most productive receivers the Steelers have for red zone activity are tight ends Darnell Washington and Pat Freiermuth. Washington uses his size and strength to catch the ball in the end zone. He has 19 receptions for 254 yards and 3 TDs. Freiermuth has a bit more range than Washington, and he has caught 25-235-4.
Running back Jaylen Warren has also demonstrated that he can catch passes out of the backfield in addition to his solid ground attack. Warren has caught 25-294-1, and he is also the team's leading rusher 704 yards, a 5.9 yards per carry average and 2 TDs.
T.J. Watt will try to limit Burrow's production with 2.0 sacks
If the Steelers are going to hold the Bengals' offensive production in check, it will almost certainly involve a powerful game from outside linebacker T.J. Watt. He leads the Bengals with 7.5 sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss. He also has 3 passes defensed, 1 interception that he returned for a touchdown, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery.
Linebacker Payton Wilson is also a key contributor with a team-leading 69 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 3 passes defensed, 1 interception and 1 fumble recovery.
The Steelers rank 7th in total defense, as they are allowing 305.6 yards per game. They are even better as a scoring defense, ranking 4th and allowing just 18.0 points per game.
If the Steelers are going to keep the Bengals in check and prevent Burrow from having a huge game, Watt & Co. will have to come up with a peak effort here.