AFC North Reaches Rare Parity as All Four Teams Sit at 2-1
Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Baltimore all hold winning records through three weeks, making the AFC North the only division in the NFL without a losing team.
The AFC North has become the only division in the NFL where every team owns a winning record through three weeks, after Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Baltimore all moved to 2-1 on the young season. The logjam at the top erases the early separation that had begun to form and returns the division to the kind of crowded race that has defined it in recent years.
The Steelers got there by holding off the visiting Bengals 30-27, a game that turned on a late defensive play. Pittsburgh's offense finally found its footing, piling up 411 total yards after a sluggish opening to the season. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers rebounded from a rough Week 2 outing, completing 19 of 34 passes for 292 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. Tight end Darnell Washington led the receiving group with three catches for 67 yards, including a 47-yard grab that set up a Chris Boswell field goal and a three-point lead with just over two minutes left.
Running back Jaylen Warren powered the ground game with 127 yards on 17 carries and added 49 more yards on three receptions. Wide receiver D.K. Metcalf scored for the first time this season on a six-yard catch, while Roman Wilson and Ben Skowronek hauled in Rodgers' other two touchdown passes. Cincinnati had a chance to answer, taking possession down three with a little over two minutes remaining, but Pittsburgh's defense delivered when it mattered. Defensive tackle Derrick Harmon strip-sacked Joe Burrow, and fellow tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day recovered the loose ball to seal the outcome. It was the Steelers' only sack of the day. Former Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen paced the defense with 13 total tackles.
The Bengals absorbed their first loss despite a strong statistical day from Burrow, who completed 28 of 37 attempts for 282 yards and three touchdowns. His late fumble overshadowed that production. Ja'Marr Chase led the offense with 98 receiving yards and a score, Tee Higgins added six catches for 90 yards and a touchdown, and tight end Mike Gesicki also found the end zone to go with 37 yards on three receptions. Running back Chase Brown led the rushing attack with 61 yards on 13 carries. Cincinnati's defense, which had been stout through two weeks, allowed 411 yards. Linebacker Demetrius Knight made nine tackles, defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence recorded both of the team's sacks to go with three tackles for loss, and Jordan Battle intercepted Rodgers while the Bengals trailed 17-10, a takeaway that helped produce a tie near the end of the half. Special teams proved costly when Ke'Shawn Williams muffed a punt that Pittsburgh recovered while Cincinnati led 27-24 in the fourth quarter. The Steelers converted the short field into a 36-yard field goal to tie the game.
Cleveland won its second straight, beating the Carolina Panthers 21-18 at home. Quarterback Deshaun Watson built on the previous week's momentum, completing 16 of 30 passes for 144 yards and two touchdowns while adding 45 yards on 11 carries. Second-year tight end Harold Fannin Jr. caught both scoring passes and led the team with 51 receiving yards on seven catches. Running back Quinshon Judkins paced the ground game with 70 yards on 18 carries. Linebacker Quincy Williams led the defense with nine total tackles, and the unit sacked Panthers quarterback Bryce Young three times, with two coming from defensive tackle Mason Graham and defensive end Isaiah McGuire. Safety Ronnie Hickman intercepted a pass. Former Ravens wide receiver Tylan Wallace left with a knee injury and is in danger of missing Thursday's game against Pittsburgh.
Baltimore bounced back from a disappointing Week 2 loss with a 34-31 win over the Dallas Cowboys in Brazil. Quarterback Lamar Jackson continued his strong start, completing 15 of 20 attempts for 186 yards and two touchdowns while rushing six times for 50 yards. The decisive moment came on a 26-yard completion to wide receiver Zay Flowers, who led the team with 84 receiving yards on five catches, with just seven seconds left in regulation. Jackson called timeout with one second remaining, setting up kicker Tyler Loop for a walk-off field goal that delivered the win.
With all four clubs level at 2-1, the division race offers no early favorite. The coming weeks will test whether Pittsburgh's offensive revival holds, whether Cincinnati can clean up the late-game mistakes that cost it a road win, whether Cleveland's defense can keep carrying a modest passing attack, and whether Baltimore's road resilience translates into a sustained run.
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