It’s been a weird, chaotic NFL season thus far.
The fact the two of the three AFC North playoff participants were bounced during Wild Card week leaves me little to write about the division as a whole. I’ve already completed my required crowing about the collective power of the AFC North, which was thoroughly shattered over a weekend of mostly blowouts.
So we’ll just cover the games and provide any roster updates, coaching hires, and just general activity about your team that may pop up in the interim.
Hey, I’m trying.
Browns 14, Texans 45
The surging Browns and resurgent QB Joe Flacco couldn’t sustain their recent momentum, losing handily in Houston to the “What Rebuild” Texans and wunderkind QB C.J. Stroud.
Key numbers:
- 34-46, 307 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs – QB Joe Flacco
- 20 carries, 56 yards, 1 TD – the Browns’ entire rushing output
- 7 catches, 93 yards – TE David Njoku
- 4 catches 65 yards – TE Harrison Bryant
- 5 catches, 9 yards, 1 rec. TD – RB Kareem Hunt
- 9 tackles, 4 TFL – LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
- 4 tackles, 1 PD – CB Greg Newsome II
- 16-21, 274 yards, 3 TDs – Texans QB C.J. Stroud
- 6 carries, 96 yards, 1 TD – Texans WR Nico Collins
- 8 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT, 2 TFL, 1 FF – Texans LB Christian Harris
Key moment:
Flacco’s second “pick-six” (INT for TD) with roughly four minutes remaining in the third quarter thoroughly deflated the Browns, who lost all momentum and didn’t score again.
That’s a wrap:
The Browns have a lot to be proud of. Their defense should remain among the top units in the NFL for some time. Head Coach Kevin Stefanski delivered his best coaching job in 2023, guiding his team through multiple injuries and issues to land a playoff spot. Once again, QB remains an issue for this team heading into the offseason; we’ll see, again, whether returning starter Deshaun Watson can finally deliver on his contract’s promise.
Steelers 17, Bills 31
The grind-it-out, injury-riddled Steelers finally ran aground in Buffalo, stalling on several key drives and failing to stop the Bills and QB Josh Allen when they needed to most.
Key numbers:
- 22-39, 229 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, 2 carries, 16 yards – QB Mason Rudolph
- 12 carries, 37 yards, 2 catches, 15 yards – RB Najee Harris
- 5 catches, 76 yards – TE Pat Freiermuth
- 5 catches, 50 yards – WR George Pickens
- 4 catches, 48 yards, 1 TD – WR Diontae Johnson
- 10 tackles, 1 TFL – S Minkah Fitzpatrick
- 3 tackles, 1 sack – LB Alex Highsmith
- 21-30, 203 yards, 2 TDs, 8 carries, 74 yards, 1 rush TD – Bills QB Josh Allen
- 18 carries, 79 yards, 4 catches, 5 yards – Bills RB James Cook
- 11 tackles – Bills LB A.J. Klein
Key moment:
Josh Allen’s TD pass to athletic WR Khalil Shakir with 6:27 remaining in the game extended the Bills’ lead to 14 points and eliminated most of the Steelers’ comeback hopes.
That’s a wrap:
It was a decidedly weird year for the Steelers, who battled back to nab a playoff spot despite myriad offensive problems throughout the season. This offseason will be crucial for a team that still has to discern their direction at QB and several other key spots, most notably at offensive coordinator.
Those other guys
- THE RAVENS are favored by -9 over the Texans as of this writing, with the expectation that the line will drop somewhat before kickoff…head coach John Harbaugh didn’t cite specifics, but expects to “have most of our guys back” for Saturday’s game: “Some guys are good to go. Other guys are going to be more day by day.” One of those guys could conceivably be all-pro TE Mark Andrews, missing from the lineup since Week 11.
- THE BENGALS are beginning to deconstruct their injury-riddled 2023 season. With several notable pending free agents, the front office and players have their actual and proverbial work cut out for them…of particular note is the fate of WRs Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins, both of whom are integral to the Bengals’ excellent passing attack.
See y’all next week.
