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AFC North 2025 Preview: Ravens, Steelers, Bengals, Browns Predictions
The Ravens stood tall in an otherwise unpredictable AFC North last year.
The Steelers started hot and landed the AFC’s No. 7 seed despite losing their last four. The Browns stumbled, and the Bengals finished with five straight wins, narrowly missing the playoffs.
Gavin Babbitt has your DAZN News breakdown of the AFC North and predicts how the standings will shake out.
Baltimore Ravens
DAZN BET Division Odds: 8/13
2024 Record: 12-5
The 2024 Ravens owned the league’s most efficient offense. Baltimore averaged more than 424 total yards per game and won their second consecutive division title. They fell to the Bills in the divisional round .
Lamar Jackson and John Harbaugh enter their eighth season together. Jackson is in the third year of his 2023 contract extension and coming off his best NFL season.
Michael Owens/Getty Images
The Ravens’ backfield features Derrick Henry, Justice Hill, and Keaton Mitchell behind a familiar offensive line. Expect another great running performance. Baltimore is elite in explosive runs and yards before contact. Jackson is the most lethal running quarterback in the NFL.
Baltimore’s pass-catchers will enjoy plenty of one-on-one reps with the threat of its running game. Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, and Mark Andrews all have tenure with Jackson.
The team added DeAndre Hopkins in free agency . This will benefit Flowers out of the slot in particular. Jackson will be efficient with his arm with better weapons; he threw 10 touchdowns for each interception last season.
Defensively, the Ravens’ strength is stopping the run. Nnamdi Madubuike and Travis Jones both return in their late 20s after excellent seasons. Odafe Oweh is joined by second-round pick Mike Green on the edge; this is a duo to watch. Linebackers Roquan Smith and Kyle Van Noy complete a superb front seven.
Kyle Hamilton is arguably the NFL’s best safety and will play with first-round pick Malaki Starks on the back end. Limiting yardage through the air and after the catch is this unit’s challenge. Jaire Alexander comes in to play with Marlon Humphrey defending the boundaries.
The Ravens have the means for another dominant regular season. Their test will come in January against the Bills or the Chiefs. They are Super Bowl worthy.
Pittsburgh Steelers
DAZN BET Division Odds: 11/2
2024 Record: 10-7
The Steelers started 8-2, but finished losing five straight, including a Wild Card matchup with the Ravens.
In his 19th season in Pittsburgh, Mike Tomlin welcomes four-time league MVP Aaron Rodgers at quarterback . The Steelers’ passing game has a completely new look. DK Metcalf and Jonnu Smith were both acquired via trade and extended.
Pittsburgh threw the ball at the fourth-lowest rate last season, but these personnel changes trend toward the air. Metcalf can dominate the target-share; he is joined by Robert Woods and Calvin Austin at receiver. Veteran tight end Pat Freiermuth could be a key contributor over the middle.
The Steelers rank among the bottom three teams in offensive line spending against the salary cap. They need improvement from right tackle Broderick Jones and will plug in Calvin Anderson on the left side after missing most of last season.
Jaylen Warren and third-round pick Kaleb Johnson will be the running backs. The thin track record here is another reason the throwing volume could jump.
T.J. Watt is now the NFL's second-highest-paid pass-rusher. He leads an adequate defense in Pittsburgh. Watt and running-mate Cameron Heyward are joined up front by rookie Derrick Harmon to handle the pass-rush.
The second level features Alex Highsmith on the edge and Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson at linebacker. They are backed by a new secondary. Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay join Joey Porter Jr., adding depth to a unit that forces turnovers. Juan Thornhill has big shoes to fill at safety, replacing Minkah Fitzpatrick.
The Steelers won’t give up many points, but their offense must gel quickly. Pittsburgh needs to give Aaron Rodgers time to throw. The run game will need to exceed expectations for them to keep pace with the Ravens.
Cincinnati Bengals
DAZN BET Division Odds: 5/2
2024 Record: 9-8
The Bengals sputtered out to a 1-4 start last season. They were in damage-control mode all year. The offense was great through the air, but the soft running game and defense kept them out of the postseason.
Joe Burrow is an MVP candidate with a wealth of targets. The receivers in Cincinnati were paid handsomely this offseason. Ja’Marr Chase, arguably the best wideout in the league , became the NFL’s highest-paid receiver, and the team re-signed Tee Higgins to keep the dynamic duo together.
Burrow will throw in high volume and set the league pace in touchdown throws. Chase has 46 touchdowns in four seasons; he will not disappoint after getting his new deal.
Running back Chase Brown has Pro Bowl potential after breaking out last year. He needs better execution from his line and explosive runs to get there. Four of five starting offensive linemen return, and they must revamp run-blocking on the edges. Cincinnati did not perform well running to the outside in 2024.
After an uncertain offseason, the Bengals have sorted out their contract issues on defense. Trey Hendrickson restructured his deal after leading the league in sacks last year. First-round pick Shemar Stewart and TJ Slaton join him up front in what should be an improved defensive line.
At linebacker, Logan Wilson is joined by rookie Demetrius Knight Jr. in a unit that should be steady, if unspectacular.
This secondary has to improve. Cam Taylor-Britt, DJ Turner, Daxton Hill, and Geno Stone must allow fewer touchdowns through the air for this defense to hold its own.
The Bengals' offense has the potential to be dynamic. Relief from the contractual fumes on defense opens the door for them to return to contention in the AFC. Cincinnati has a mid-level strength of schedule.
Cleveland Browns
DAZN BET Division Odds: 28/1
2024 Record: 3-14
The Browns were unsuccessful in 2024. They allowed yardage and points at a high clip defensively. On offense, they did next to nothing well. However, two of three wins came in the division against the Ravens and Steelers.
At quarterback, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders were selected in the third and fifth rounds , respectively. Deshaun Watson‘s play was abysmal last year. Joe Flacco is back after leading Cleveland in passing in 2023. Flacco has been named the starter ahead of his 18th NFL season.
The majority of this offensive line is back. Cornelius Lucas was signed in free agency to play left tackle. The group will block for lead back Jerome Ford. Big runs and success in short yardage were scarce in 2024. This is likely to be an issue that leads to more offensive struggles.
Jerry Jeudy and David Njoku are Cleveland’s best playmakers. Both are talented, but will presumably see a rotation at quarterback that limits consistency.
Myles Garrett has his extension . He is arguably the best pass-rusher in the league and is set for a huge year. The Browns took Mason Graham fifth overall and linebacker Carson Schwesinger in the second round . Both should help the defense improve.
Denzel Ward, Greg Newsome, and Grant Delpit return in the secondary. Ward is the most trustworthy, but Newsome must improve in a contract year after allowing a passer rating of 120.7 last season.
Cleveland is up against three superior teams in their division. If the offense doesn’t climb out of the league basement, the Browns will fail again.
Summary
The AFC North always produces quality football.
The Ravens are ready for another excellent year and have arguably the NFL’s best player, Lamar Jackson. The Bengals have sorted their contract issues out and can focus on Week 1 without distraction.
The Steelers are working with an aging roster, while the Browns are struggling near the bottom of the league. The North will have two playoff teams, both of which will be dangerous.
2025 Projected standings
- Ravens: 13-4 (AFC Champions) (Super Bowl 60 Champions)
- Bengals: 11-6
- Steelers: 7-10
- Browns: 3-14
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