Memorandum
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- Delaney Sawyer
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- Sports·5 min to read
- Re
AFC North Reaches Week 3 With All Four Teams Tied at 2-1
ReAFC North Reaches Week 3 With All Four Teams Tied at 2-1
The Steelers, Bengals, Browns and Ravens all sit at 2-1, making the AFC North the only division in the NFL where every team has a winning record through three weeks.
The AFC North has become the only division in the NFL where every team holds a winning record through three weeks, with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens all sitting at 2-1. The logjam at the top of the standings follows a Week 3 slate that produced a narrow Steelers win, a Browns home victory and a Ravens comeback in Brazil.
The Steelers defeated the visiting Bengals 30-27 at Acrisure Stadium, powered by an offense that finally found its footing. Pittsburgh racked up 411 total yards after a slow start to the season. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers rebounded from a poor Week 2 outing, completing 19 of 34 passes for 292 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Tight end Darnell Washington led the receiving corps with three catches for 67 yards, including a 47-yard grab that set up a Chris Boswell field goal and gave Pittsburgh a three-point lead with just over two minutes remaining.
Running back Jaylen Warren had a productive day, rushing for 127 yards on 17 carries and adding 49 yards on three receptions. Wide receiver D.K. Metcalf scored his first touchdown of the season on a six-yard catch, while Roman Wilson and Ben Skowronek hauled in Rodgers' other two scoring passes. The Steelers' defense sealed the game when defensive tackle Derrick Harmon strip-sacked Joe Burrow, and fellow defensive tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day recovered the fumble to end the contest. It was Pittsburgh's only sack of the day but the decisive one. Former Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen led the defense with 13 total tackles.
Cincinnati's first loss of the season spoiled a strong statistical performance from Burrow, who completed 28 of 37 attempts for 282 yards and three touchdowns. Wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase led the offense with 98 receiving yards and a score, while Tee Higgins added six catches for 90 yards and a touchdown. Tight end Mike Gesicki also caught a scoring pass, and running back Chase Brown paced the ground game with 61 yards on 13 carries. The Bengals' defense, which had been stout through two weeks, allowed 411 total yards. Linebacker Demetrius Knight led the team with nine tackles, and defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence recorded two sacks and three tackles for loss. Jordan Battle intercepted Rodgers while the team trailed 17-10, setting up a game-tying score before halftime. Special teams proved costly when Ke'Shawn Williams muffed a punt that Pittsburgh recovered, leading to a game-tying 36-yard field goal after Cincinnati had led 27-24 in the fourth quarter.
The Browns won their second straight game, beating the Carolina Panthers 21-18 at home. Quarterback Deshaun Watson completed 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 rushed for 70 yards on 18 carries. Linebacker Quincy Williams led the defense with nine tackles, and Cleveland sacked Panthers quarterback Bryce Young three times, with two sacks from defensive tackle Mason Graham and defensive end Isaiah McGuire. Safety Ronnie Hickman intercepted a pass. Former Ravens wide receiver Tylan Wallace left the game with a knee injury and is in danger of missing Thursday's matchup against the Steelers.
Baltimore bounced back from a 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 passes for 186 yards and two touchdowns while rushing six times for 50 yards. The highlight came on a 26-yard completion to wide receiver Zay Flowers, who led the team with 84 receiving yards on five catches, with 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 teams at 2-1, the division race is as tight as it can be entering Week 4. The Bengals, Browns and Ravens will look to keep pace, while the Steelers aim to build on their offensive breakthrough. The only certainty is that the AFC North has become the NFL's most competitive division through the first three weeks.
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