The AFC North and NFC North are loaded, to an unprecedented extent in NFL history.
All eight teams in the two North divisions are above .500 after Week 7. Never before has the league had two divisions with every team having a winning record heading into Week 8.
The Browns lead the AFC North at 5-2 because they have the head-to-head tiebreaker with the 5-2 Steelers. The Bengals are 4-2 and the Ravens are 4-3.
The Vikings are 6-0, the only remaining undefeated team in the NFC. The Bears are in second place in the NFC North at 5-2, followed by the Lions at 4-2 and the Packers at 4-3.
If the playoffs started today, the Browns would be the No. 3 seed in the AFC. The Steelers would be the No. 6 seed and the Bengals would be the No. 7 seed. The Ravens would be out of the playoffs.
In the NFC, the Vikings would be the No. 1 seed and the three other teams would be the three wild cards: The Bears would be the No. 5 seed, the Lions would be No. 6 and the Packers would be No. 7 — as they have been each of the last three years.
We’re a long way from the playoffs, but right now, it looks like most of the biggest games down the stretch will be played in the North.
The Ravens were in complete control for the first half of Sunday’s divisional matchup with the Bengals.
But Cincinnati flipped the script for the game’s final 30 minutes, scoring touchdowns on five consecutive possessions to defeat Baltimore, 35-13.
The Bengals did next to nothing on offense for the first half of the contest, with Baltimore dominating time of possession 22:20 to 7:40. Joe Burrow was just 6-of-12 passing for 43 yards and Tee Higgins did not have a catch over the first 30 minutes.
But everything changed in the third quarter, as Burrow got things going with a 6-yard touchdown to Mike Gesicki. Then he tossed a 13-yard touchdown to Higgins, giving Cincinnati a 14-13 lead.
It didn’t stop there, as Samaje Perine’s 1-yard touchdown increased the lead after a turnover on downs. Ja’Marr Chase got in the action with a 2-yard touchdown midway through the fourth quarter. And Burrow tossed his fourth score after the defense picked off Tyler Huntley, firing a 16-yard TD to Drew Sample.
Burrow finished 22-of-30 for 292 yards with four touchdowns, exiting the game with just under five minutes left in the fourth quarter with the outcome all but official. Joe Flacco came in for mop-up work against his former team.
Higgins caught six passes for 148 yards with a TD. Chase had five receptions for 62 yards with a score.
While the Ravens were 8-of-11 on third down in the first half, they didn’t convert one again until there was just over a minute left in the game — finishing 9-of-16 in the category.
On the injury front, Bengals tight end Erick All (knee) and safety Kyle Dugger (quad) were both ruled out. Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith had to exit early in the fourth quarter with a knee issue.
Now at 4-2, the Bengals will face the Titans at home next weekend.
The 4-3 Ravens will be on the road to face the Bills in Week 8.
Though the Bengals were thoroughly dominated in the first 30 minutes of Sunday’s matchup with the Ravens, they were down just 13-0 at halftime.
They’ve come back to take the lead with just two possessions in the third quarter.
Joe Burrow finished Cincinnati’s first drive of the second half with a 6-yard touchdown to Mike Gesicki. Then after a Baltimore three-and-out, Burrow connected with Tee Higgins for a 13-yard touchdown to make the score 14-13 with 4:29 left in the third quarter.
Burrow was just 6-of-12 for 43 yards at halftime. He’s now 15-of-22 for 143 yards with two TDs.
Higgins, who did not have a catch in the first half, now has four receptions for 61 yards with a score.
On the injury front, Ravens ight guard Vega Ioane has been downgraded to out with a knee injury.
Though Lamar Jackson is missing his third consecutive game with a high-ankle sprain, the Ravens’ offense has been plenty effective. But scoring field goals instead of touchdowns has kept the Bengals within striking distance.
The Ravens have a 13-0 lead at halftime.
Baltimore has been able to control the ball and the clock with long drives. The team scored quickly to open the game, with Zay Flowers taking a screen 48 yards for a touchdown. Then Tyler Loop hit a 34-yard field goal to cap an 18-play, 78-yard possession that took 11:00 off the clock in the second quarter.
Another 13-play, 82-yard drive took 6:09 off the clock and finished with a Loop 24-yard field goal late in the second period. The Ravens had a shot to extend that lead, but Ja’Kobi Lane couldn’t haul in a Tyler Huntley pass in the end zone on third down.
Huntley is 15-of-21 for 215 yards with a TD so far. Flowers has been particularly effective, catching six passes for 120 yards.
The run game has not gotten going much, however, with Derrick Henry registering 32 yards on 13 carries.
Baltimore leads in time of possession 22:20 to 7:40.
Cincinnati’s offense had just three first downs, 59 total yards, and was 2-of-6 on third down in the first half. Baltimore had 12 first downs, 258 yards, and was 8-of-11 on third down.
With so few plays, the Bengals have paltry offensive numbers. Joe Burrow, who has been heavily pressured, is 6-of-12 for 43 yards. Ja’Marr Chase has two catches for 23 yards. Tee Higgins doesn’t have a catch on one target.
Ravens right guard Vega Ioane is questionable to return with a knee injury. Emery Jones Jr. came in to replace him at the position.
The Bengals will receive the second-half kickoff.
Zay Flowers has done it again.
The young receiver had an impressive catch-and-run for a 48-0yard touchdown, giving the Ravens an early 7-0 lead over the Bengals.
Baltimore was facing third-and-9 after a short run by Derrick Henry and an incomplete pass to Rashod Bateman. So the team drew up a screen pass, with Tyler Huntley quickly hitting Flowers on the right side.
Flowers made a couple of defenders miss and zoomed up the middle of the field, outrunning Cincinnati’s defenders for a long touchdown.
It was the longest touchdown pass of Huntley’s career.
Flowers now has three receiving touchdowns this season.
