With the exception of the Steelers, it’s pretty safe to say the AFC North is in freefall.
It can also be said that the Steelers have faced one of the easiest schedules in the NFL to date. That schedule doesn’t appear any more difficult this week, with the Steelers facing the struggling Bengals and a familiar recent addition, veteran QB Joe Flacco, in Cincinnati Thursday evening. For head-scratching reasons known only to him, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin expressed confusion regarding the Bengals’ inter-division trade with the Browns for Flacco.
One might say fear. Fear of Flacco.
But that’s this week. Last week’s action is below. Enjoy.
Browns 9, Steelers 23
Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers (21-30, 235 yards, 2 TDs) threw to eight different receivers and two second-half scores to seal a game in which they never trailed.
Rodgers was aided by a rushing attack that managed 100 collective yards, led by RB Jaylen Warren’s 52. WR D.K. Metcalf (4 catches, 95 yards, 1 TD) provided the bulk of the receiving yardage, and TE Connor Heyward (1 catch, 12 yards, 1 TD) pulled in the team’s other touchdown.
In a dubious game plan, Browns rookie QB Dillon Gabriel (29-52, 221 yards) was inexplicably tasked with 52 passing attempts in only his second career start, with barely more than a nod to the rushing attack (17 combined carries, 65 yards). Gabriel did connect with nine different receivers on the day, one more than his Pittsburgh counterpart, but with far less effect, with the leading receiver being rookie TE Harold Fannin Jr. (7 catches, 81 yards). WR Jerry Jeudy added 5 catches for 43 yards.
The Steelers received their best defensive effort of the season against the suspect Browns offense, led by S Deshon Elliott’s 12 tackles and the team’s six sacks, including two by CB Jalen Ramsey. LB Nick Herbig added two sacks, and while edge T.J. Watt only added a half-sack to his total, his three QB hits and near-constant harassment of Gabriel set the tone for the afternoon.
The Browns, conversely, only managed to hit Rodgers a total of three times, with no sacks. LB Devin Bush and Carson Schwesinger led the team in tackles, with nine and eight respectively. DE Myles Garrett added two tackles but little else.
Rams 17, Ravens 3
Ravens games are historically ugly and low-scoring, but the results generally skew towards a Baltimore win. Not so Sunday, as the Ravens continued to struggle in almost every aspect of the game against a beatable Rams team.
QB Cooper Rush (11-19, 72 yards, 1 INT) struggled much of the afternoon until being mercifully pulled in the fourth quarter for backup QB Tyler Huntley (10-15, 68 yards, 3 carries, 39 yards), who provided a spark but no points. The Ravens finally saw a solid rushing day from RB Derrick Henry (24 carries, 122 yards) that was soured by a key late second-quarter stretch in which the team failed to run TE Mark Andrews (4 catches, 24 yards, 3 carries, 2 yards) into the end zone twice, prompting a ill-advised Henry run off-tackle on fourth down, which was easily stymied by the Rams. The Ravens never seriously threatened again.
The Ravens were somewhat better defensively. Led by the interior LB duo of Trenton Simpson and rookie Teddye Buchanan (9 tackles each), the team surrendered just 74 yards rushing and 181 passing, but again failed to close out opposing drives on third and fourth downs. The team also suffered from several key penalties at crucial times, extending the chances for a wounded Rams offense missing all-world WR Puka Nacua for most of the afternoon.
Bengals 18, Packers 27
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