In the last part of Location of the rooms: AFC North 2023 edition, I will take a look at how all four teams fared in the series and determine who the best team in the division is based on a points system for each position group, based on my initial rankings.
So for the best team in the position group according to my rankings, I give 4 points. Second place gets 3 points, third place gets 2 points, and last gets 1 point. I take all the pieces from the series that I made and put them all together to determine who the best team is.
Does it make sense?
Before we get started, here’s a final reminder of how my placements went:
CRIME
QB — Bengals, Ravens, Steelers, Browns
RB — Browns, Steelers, Bengals, Ravens
WR — Bengals, Browns, Steelers, Ravens
TE — Ravens, Steelers, Browns, Bengals
OT — Bengals, Browns, Ravens, Steelers
iOL — Browns, Steelers, Bengals, Ravens
DEFENSE
iDL — Browns, Steelers, Bengals, Ravens
EDGE — Browns, Steelers, Bengals, Ravens
OFF-BALL LB — Ravens, Bengals, Browns, Steelers
CB — Browns, Ravens, Bengals, Steelers
S — Steelers, Ravens, Browns, Bengals
SPECIAL TEAMS
Specialists – Ravens, Bengals, Steelers, Browns
Okay, here we go.
1. Cleveland Browns – 34 points
For the second straight year, the Cleveland Browns are the paper champions of the AFC North in my Ranking the Rooms series here for Steelers Depot. The Browns scored 34 overall points in the series, landing first in position groups five times overall, including three times defensively.
On paper, the Browns look pretty strong. Running back Nick Chubb, wide receiver Amari Cooper, guards Wyatt Teller and Joel Bitonio, defensive ends Myles Garrett and Za’Darius Smith, and cornerbacks Denzel Ward and Greg Newsome II are very good players in their own right. Cleveland is generally well built.
It all comes down to Deshaun Watson at quarterback. If he can be the guy the Browns thought they got last summer in the blockbuster trade with the Houston Texans, look out. But Cleveland knows all too well lately about preseason hype and doesn’t pay off much on that hype once the games actually start.
Overall, the Browns have a loaded roster. Now it’s up to head coach Kevin Stefanski to get the most out of them.
2. Cincinnati Bengals – 30 points
Like the Browns, the Cincinnati Bengals are loaded top to bottom on paper. They are coming off two straight AFC Championship Game appearances and have won the tough AFC North in back-to-back seasons and are aiming to become the first team since the Steelers from 1994-97 to win the division title three years in a row. Even back then, the Steelers accomplished that feat when it was the AFC Central. No team in AFC North history has won the division title three consecutive seasons.
Cincinnati led the way offensively with 17 total points, led by quarterback Joe Burrow, wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd, and offensive tackles Orlando Brown Jr., Jonah Williams and La’el Collins holding down the top spots offensively . on their respective positions in the ranking.
Defensively, the Bengals finished last with 13 total points, which caused them to fall behind the Browns in the overall rankings. The Bengals have paid a lot of money for key offensive pieces and let go of some key defensive players in recent seasons, including star safety Jessie Bates II this offseason. They have drawn well on that side of the football, but there is still a lot of development that needs to happen overall.
If the defense can quickly get up to speed in 2023 and match a loaded offense, this has the makings of another potential Super Bowl team.
3. Two-way tie between Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers — 28 points
The two most consistent teams in the AFC North are tied for last with 28 points. Ironic, right?
Both teams have gone through significant transitions in recent years and are still in the process of rebuilding overall.
Baltimore finished last offensively in the series with just 12 points, while Pittsburgh came in second with 14 points. Defensively, however, the Ravens finished second with 16 points, while the Steelers scored 14 points.
On offense, the Ravens once again hold the top spot in the tight end rankings thanks to star Mark Andrews. Everywhere else, they were in the middle of the pack and had three positions where they came in dead last: Running back, wide receiver and interior offensive linemen. It could be a tough year offensively for Baltimore with a new offensive coordinator and some new faces at key positions.
The Steelers were pretty consistent across the board offensively, being generally average. Pittsburgh had three positions offensively (running back, tight end and interior offensive line) where it finished second and two positions where it finished third, they were quarterback and wide receiver. The Steelers finished just last in the offensive tackle rankings, and with rookie Broderick Jones in the fold, they could see a significant improvement there next year.
Not surprisingly, Baltimore was strong across the line defensively and on special teams, finishing first at off-ball linebacker with star Roquan Smith and veteran Patrick Queen, as well as first on special teams with kicker Justin Tucker. No brain there. The Ravens finished second at cornerback and safety, giving the team some strength in the secondary. However, Baltimore was dead last at the EDGE and the interior defensive line. That could be a real problem for the Ravens.
I was shocked by the Steelers’ scoring defensively and on special teams with only 14 total points. Pittsburgh finished second in EDGE and interior defensive line, but ranking dead last at off-ball and cornerback certainly hurt, and it really made having the top safety room an issue.
While I had them scoring just 14 points on defense and special teams in the rankings, I think the Steelers will have a really solid defense once the games start. However, there are concerns on paper and it played out in the series.
With all that said, I’m not picking the Browns to win the AFC North, even when they finish well ahead in the series. I just don’t trust them enough yet to put all that talent together between the lines.
AFC North Prediction, 2023:
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Cleveland Browns
- Baltimore Ravens