AFC North No. 4: Pittsburgh Steelers -- Kenny Pickett (and Matt Canada)
An encouraging offensive outing from Kenny Pickett and the Steelers does little to sway their position in an uber-competitive AFC North. Through three weeks, Pickett has looked more lost out there on the field this season than perhaps any other season. And per the media's perception, Matt Canada isn't doing him any favors.
Canada is only a few putrid performances from becoming persona non grata in the Steelers building. Mike Tomlin may hold a different opinion of his offensive coordinator, and it's only September, but the third-year offensive coordinator has already lost the faith of the Steelers fanbase. We think it's only a matter of time until he loses the locker room, too (see: Zach Wilson).
If the Steelers' offense continues to make minor improvements throughout the season, great. Good for them. Our thinking is that the much-maligned OC continues to struggle to build a consistent and balanced offense, the Steelers never truly find their rhythm, and they continue to coast on the coattails of their mediocrity on the ocean floor of the AFC North.
Some sluggish starts -- like that of the Chiefs and Bengals -- can be overlooked. With a young and green team like the Steelers, how they start could very well be how they end.
AFC North No. 3: Cleveland Browns -- Deshaun Watson (Karma's a b---h)
At least the Steelers didn't give up a boatload of valuable draft picks for a rusty arm.
In the first three weeks of the season, the Browns' defense has legitimately looked like the best unit in the league, ranking 1st in several categories. The offense tells a wholly different story.
Deshaun Watson has played so poorly to start 2023 that some are wondering if the Browns will try to offload him just two years into his Cleveland career. The ex-Texans quarterback has thrown for 678 yards and recorded four touchdowns against two interceptions. His "get right" game may have been in Week 3's 27-3 win over the Texans, when Watson helped Amari Cooper record his biggest game of the season.
The offensive turnaround for the Browns doesn't look so certain yet, though. Cooper has to keep establishing himself a deep threat. David Njoku needs more scripted touches. Watson can't take too long to throw the ball and can't miss the easy throws.
Jerome Ford and Kareem Hunt will have no problem absorbing Nick Chubb's snaps, and the new-look defense will probably continue to thrive under Jim Schwartz. But this is the AFC North, and nearly every team has a top-tier defensive unit. It's going to be the offensive play that sets teams apart, and unfortunately for the Browns, Watson looks like a shell of the franchise quarterback they expected him to be.
AFC North No. 2: Cincinnati Bengals -- A sloppy and inefficient offensive script
There's no shortage of memes out there comparing the Bengals before they paid Joe Burrow to the Bengals after they paid Joe Burrow. Obviously, the money has nothing to do with Burrow's performance (his calf does), yet the troubling question still lingers: Why do the Bengals look so bad?
Cincinnati mustered three touchdowns through three weeks. Worse teams with far less talent have done better than that. Burrow finally re-ignited his spark with Ja'Marr Chase in Week 3's victory against the Rams, and for many Bengals fans, it was simply a relief to see Burrow on the field following rumors that he may miss some time due to his calf issue.
Until Burrow fully recovers, the offense will have to adapt to Burrow's limited mobility, and we're just not sure that Zac Taylor and Brian Callahan are up to the task.
The 2022 MVP candidate has completed just 10 percent of 15-plus yard passes compared to 51.3 percent last year. The Bengals' deep passing game has been so nonexistent that Cincy gave Chase more snaps in the slot against the Rams to at least get him involved.
Without those explosive deep passing plays, and with Burrow significantly hindered in his off-script creativity, the Bengals' season could get a lot worse before it gets better. We can trust that Burrow will rediscover his natural rhythm with his wideouts this season, and the likes of Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd may eventually challenge the Dolphins for the best pass-catching group in the league.
What we're not quite sold on is Taylor and Callahan's ability to scheme efficient plays for Burrow as he continues to heal from injury. They've adapted to midseason wrinkles before, but for some reason, this year feels different.
AFC North No. 1: Baltimore Ravens -- Their inability to close out games
Injuries have devastated the Ravens' roster in 2023, but that's no excuse for their Week 3 loss to the Colts.
Justin Tucker finally looking human doesn't trouble us. It's the Ravens' inability to close out games that may hurt their long-term playoff chances in 2023.
Last year, the Ravens lost too many games that they should have won (blown leads to the Dolphins, Giants, Jags, etc.). This year, those ghosts may be starting to haunt a talented Ravens squad that, due to unfortunate injuries, has no margin for error.
In their recent 22-19 overtime defeat to the Colts, the Ravens had four total chances to win the game. Twice in regulation, when Tucker proved to be a mere mortal after all and failed to convert a 61-yard field goal. Twice in overtime, when the Ravens just needed a few first downs to put their future back in the G.O.A.T. kicker's hands (or legs, really). Tucker never got a shot at redemption as Lamar Jackson and the offense failed to connect in the clutch moments.
Yes, the referees deserve some blame for their questionable calls. Yes, the wet field contributed to Tucker's unexpected miss. At the end of the day, the Ravens have no one to blame but
A vindictive Lamar Jackson opening up a new dimension of the team's passing attack (with the help of new OC Todd Monken) is the main reason the Ravens top this list. Yet given the Ravens' recent history of losing games they should have lost, one has to wonder whether these mistakes will catch up to them later in the season.
Their No. 1 ranking is fragile and teetering on the team's results in these next few weeks when Baltimore takes on two divisional rivals. A couple more losses in trap games could see the Ravens looking up from second place instead of looking down from their wobbly pedestal.
