AFC North
The AFC North has long been the NFL’s most gritty and unpredictable division, and the 2025 season promises to be no exception. Last year, the division lived up to its reputation as the league’s toughest battleground, with competitive games even in what was considered a down year for this foursome of teams.
The Ravens ultimately secured another division crown — their second straight — behind an explosive offense and a defense that stifled opponents after a slow start to the year. With MVP candidate Lamar Jackson, and a stellar defense, back in the fold, Baltimore enters the season as the odds-on favorite to win the division again. However, winning it in 2025 won’t be as easy as it was in 2024.
***Top NFL Resources***
*Join thousands of other sports bettors and unlock access to picks, public betting splits data, & the VSiN live video broadcast by upgrading to VSiN Pro. Grab your first month for less than $10.*
The Bengals, despite battling injuries and defensive lapses, showcased their trademark offensive firepower last season. Joe Burrow and company will be knocking on the door in 2025. Cincinnati is hoping that the change from defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo to Al Golden — who was highly effective calling the shots for Notre Dame’s defense — will get the team back into contention.
Meanwhile, the Steelers and Browns each experienced rollercoaster campaigns last season, highlighted by question marks at the quarterback position, but both groups are hoping to be back in the mix in 2025, though that’s more likely for one than the other.
Pittsburgh has a real shot at making things happen in 2025, having added Aaron Rodgers and DK Metcalf on offense. If the Steelers are even half as good offensively as they usually are defensively, they could give the Ravens and Bengals a serious run for their money.
Conversely, this is likely a transition year for Cleveland. The Browns have talent on the defensive side of the ball, and playing at Huntington Bank Field is never easy. But Cleveland’s offense could be a mess. Kevin Stefanski is a proven play caller, but having Kenny Pickett or Joe Flacco under center doesn’t excite anyone. And rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders likely aren’t ready to contribute right away, so in a loaded division, this could be another messy year for the Browns.
Regardless, the AFC North offers the perfect storm of elite talent, storied rivalries and high-stakes drama — where every game can swing the playoff picture and no outcome is ever certain. Let’s break down each team’s outlook in detail.
—
Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens looked like a completely different team offensively in 2024, so there was hope they’d be able to get over the hump. Nope. Buffalo earned a 27-25 win over Baltimore in the AFC Divisional Round, with Mark Andrews dropping an easy catch on a two-point conversion attempt that would have tied the game up with a little over a minute remaining.
This year, the Ravens will be hoping that their fortunes will change. There’s some real scar tissue with this group, but all you can do is give yourself enough bites at the apple. Eventually it’ll happen. Perhaps this is the year.
Offense
How important was Derrick Henry? In addition to him rushing for 1,921 yards and 16 touchdowns, Baltimore finished first in the league in EPA per play (0.199) and second in Rush EPA per play (0.053). The Ravens weren’t awful offensively in 2023, but they became far more explosive with King Henry.
Of course, Lamar Jackson was MVP runner-up, throwing for 4,172 yards with 41 touchdowns and four picks, while also running for 915 yards and four scores. But having Henry barreling between the tackles opened up this offense. The running game became elite, the team thrived in short-yardage situations and the threat of the run made Jackson more dangerous than ever.
Baltimore shouldn’t skip a beat in 2025. Everybody from last year is back, and the Ravens also scooped five-time Pro Bowler DeAndre Hopkins. While his best days are behind him, Hopkins is still a big body that can contribute.
This is the most loaded group Baltimore has had in some time, and they have the right guy pushing all the buttons in coordinator Todd Monken.
Defense
The Ravens didn’t look like themselves the first half of last year, which probably had something to do with Mike Macdonald leaving for the Seahawks. Baltimore also saw some talent go out the door. But from Week 9 to the end of the regular season, the Ravens were second in the NFL in EPA per play allowed (-0.105).
Baltimore should be able to build on a strong second half of 2024, especially with Zach Orr in his second year as the team’s coordinator. He’s going to be more comfortable in 2025, and he has some more talent to work with.
The Ravens added some good defensive depth, plus they drafted a starting-caliber safety in Malaki Starks and a good pass rusher in Mike Green. On top of that, they were able to sign Jaire Alexander after the Packers released him. The two-time Pro Bowler was solid in coverage last year, and he adds to an impressive group of defensive backs.
Outlook
The Ravens don’t have a great schedule in 2025, but it’s hard not to go Over on 11.5 games. This team has won at least 12 games five times under head coach John Harbaugh, and this is arguably the most talented team he has ever had. If the Ravens can avoid the injury bug, they should have one of the best records in the AFC.
Pick: Over 11.5 Wins
—
Cincinnati Bengals
In 2021, the Bengals went 10-7, won the AFC North and went all the way to the Super Bowl, losing 23-20 to the Rams in a tight game. The following year, Cincinnati improved to 12-4, won the AFC North for a second straight year and then lost to Kansas City in the AFC Championship. It’s been all downhill since then.
The Bengals have gone 9-8 in back-to-back seasons, failing to make the postseason in both. Joe Burrow and the offense still have a ton of juice, and the front office invested heavily in keeping that group together. But the defense was a nightmare last year, and it’s unclear how things will look on that side of the ball in 2025. That’s not good for head coach Zac Taylor, who likely needs to show his bosses something in order to keep his job.
Offense
Many people thought Tee Higgins would be heading elsewhere this season, but the Bengals locked him in for four years, $115 million. The band is now fully back together for an offense that was seventh in the NFL in EPA per play (0.108) last year — and fifth (0.124) from Week 9 to the end of the regular season.
Joe Burrow was PFF’s second-best quarterback last year, finishing with a grade of 94.0 to go along with 4,918 passing yards and 43 touchdowns. With Burrow slinging it out to Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase, the best pass-catching duo in football, Cincinnati will be elite offensively again. That’s especially true with Chase Brown having emerged as a stud out of the backfield.
Defense
The Bengals defense was a mess last year. They were 28th in the NFL in Rush EPA per play allowed (0.000), making it way too easy for opposing offenses to set up short-and-manageable situations. That will have to change this year, but there are reasons to believe things will be better.
Al Golden’s Notre Dame defenses were dominant at every level, and just bringing in a new voice should be refreshing for Cincinnati. Lou Anarumo is a highly-respected defensive mind, but it’s clear that a change was needed.
The Bengals also added a productive linebacker in Oren Burks, who played well during the Eagles Super Bowl run. They also signed T.J. Slaton, who should help beef up the defensive line a bit. Cincinnati was also aggressive in targeting defensive talent in the draft, as the team took edge rusher Shemar Stewart 17th overall. The Bengals also used the 49th pick on linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr.
The Bengals just need Cam Taylor-Britt and DJ Turner II to grow, and they need to do it fast. This secondary needs to be better in 2025.
Outlook
Cincinnati’s offense can score with anyone, but did this team make the best use of its money in the offseason? Bringing back Higgins instead of identifying some quality defensive talent could end up being a big mistake. Also, is there any reason to trust that the Bengals will start the season better? They should beat the Browns to start the year, plus a home game against the Jaguars in Week 2 could mean a 2-0 start. But things get tough after that.
Pick: Under 9.5 Wins
—
Cleveland Browns
The Browns won 11 games twice in Kevin Stefanski’s first four years, and he won Coach of the Year in both of those double-digit win seasons. It felt like Cleveland was on the right path, but the Deshaun Watson trade changed everything. This team is coming off a 3-14 season in 2024, Watson hasn’t played well and he also happens to be recovering from an Achilles tear.
Cleveland will now have to navigate a tough schedule with one of the strangest quarterback rooms in the league. It’s a bit of a shame considering some of the studs on this roster. But we have seen Stefanski make chicken salad out of chicken poo before. Maybe he can do it again.
Offense
In Watson’s final year with the Texans, he had a PFF grade of 92.4. He was one of the best quarterbacks in football. Since then, it’s been nothing but poor play, off-field incidents and injuries for Watson, who has had a PFF grade of 67.3 or lower in each of his three years under center in Cleveland.
The Browns haven’t ruled out the possibility of Watson returning, but the team won’t be expecting much. He has been bad even when healthy, and he’s now approaching 30 years old — and has torn his Achilles twice. The mobility that made him a special player is waning, and he’s not a good processor anymore.
Cleveland does have some weapons. Jerry Jeudy and David Njoku are dangerous play makers, and rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr. is a player. The same goes for running back Quinshon Judkins, who was awesome in college. But none of that will matter without competent QB play.
Who will be under center? Cleveland would like for Kenny Pickett to win the job. But Pickett isn’t exciting anyone. And while Joe Flacco led the Browns to the playoffs two years ago, he’s 40 years old and didn’t have the same magic with the Colts last season. Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders don’t seem like viable options yet either.
Defense
Myles Garrett is still an elite player, as he’s coming off a season in which he racked up 14.0 sacks. Isaiah McGuire is another good player on the edge, and the team is expecting Mason Graham, the fifth pick in the draft, to be a stud when it comes to stuffing the run — and providing some pass-rushing juice from the inside.
Cleveland was 16th in the league in Rush EPA per play allowed (-0.091) last season, and it’s reasonable to expect the team to be a top-10 group in that regard in 2025. Rookie Carson Schwesinger should make an impact there, too.
The play in the secondary is more of a question mark. After a good 2022 season, Martin Emerson Jr. hasn’t looked like the same player in coverage, nor has Denzel Ward. And the Browns don’t have the firepower to keep up in high-scoring games.
Outlook
I sometimes like going Over on bad teams. People tend to underrate some of the weaker teams in the league, and Cleveland is more talented than your average division basement dweller. However, it’s hard to find even three good spots on the schedule. In fact, there’s a real chance that a December 7th date with the Titans will be the only game this year in which the Browns will be favorites. That makes the Under the only reasonable option.
Pick: Under 5.5 Wins
—
Pittsburgh Steelers
Everybody is tired of hearing about Mike Tomlin having never had a losing season, but it is an impressive stat. To have a winning percentage of .500 or better in 18 straight seasons says a lot about his ability to lead, especially considering the Steelers once started a man named Devlin “Duck” Hodges at quarterback.
Pittsburgh enters this year after having won 10 games in back-to-back seasons, and there is a little bit of buzz in the Steel City. While Russell Wilson wasn’t awful under center last season, Aaron Rodgers is in to man the quarterback spot. Sure, he’s 41 years old and collects checks from Pat McAfee, but he looked solid in the second half of last season and could give this offense a jolt — especially with the newly-acquired DK Metcalf on the outside.
Offense
Pittsburgh looked competent with Wilson at quarterback, but he had an underwhelming finish to the season. The team is hoping that Rodgers can take things to another level. Things didn’t work out in New York for the four-time MVP, but injuries had a lot to do with that. And Rodgers did show some real signs of life towards the end of 2024. In the final 10 games he played for the Jets, Rodgers threw for 18 touchdowns and four interceptions.
If Pittsburgh’s offensive line can keep Rodgers upright — which seems like a real possibility — this Steelers offense could be dangerous. Obviously, losing a talent like George Pickens is rough for a team that needs playmakers, but Metcalf is going to raise the level of the group himself. He has had three 1,000-yard seasons in the last five years, and his ability to take the top off a defense is something else.
Will the Steelers suddenly look like the Lions? No. But Pittsburgh had a negative EPA per play (-0.027) in 2024. The team should get back in the green in 2025.
Defense
Pittsburgh’s defense should be better in 2025 than it was in 2024, and the group was pretty tough last year. Things weren’t perfect by any means, but they finished ninth in EPA per play allowed (-0.019), and they went out and added Darius Slay on a one-year, $10 million deal. He should help stabilize a beatable secondary.
Pittsburgh also used the 21st pick in the draft on Derrick Harmon, who should immediately help the Steelers against the run.
It’s just hard to imagine this failing to be a top-10 defense, and the upside is there for it to be a top-five group. T.J. Watt is still as good as any pass-rusher in the league, and he’s not alone when looking for defensive stars on the depth chart.
Outlook
This Steelers team has a tough schedule. However, Pittsburgh has always been a very difficult place to play, and Tomlin has done nothing but pump out winning seasons. Is that really going to change with this roster? Rodgers is the best quarterback the Steelers have had since Ben Roethlisberger, and Metcalf is the best wideout the team has had since Antonio Brown. I’m obviously not a fan of the Rodgers circus, but this team has talent on both sides of the ball.
Pick: Over 8.5 Wins
