The AFC North and the NFC West are the two most intriguing divisions going into 2021, thanks to the quality of the teams from top to bottom — and the possibility that any of these teams could beat any of the other teams in a divisional matchup. The Baltimore Ravens are the favorites to win the division, mostly because sports betting enthusiasts see them as a more consistent team than the Cleveland Browns, although the Browns arguably have the better roster on paper. The Pittsburgh Steelers are the defending champions of the division, but concerns about aging quarterback Ben Roethlisberger have them the third betting choice. The Cincinnati Bengals are an exciting team with the return of quarterback Joe Burrow from injury, but they still have too many holes on both sides of the ball to be viewed as a contender.
Check out the latest NFL odds for each team to win the AFC North, along with our perspectives on their 2021 prospects.
NFL News: Picks to Win the AFC North
| Baltimore Ravens | +115 |
| Cleveland Browns | +150 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | +425 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | +2500 |
Baltimore has a ton of talent, none more ballyhooed than quarterback Lamar Jackson. He has emerged as a quality dual-threat quarterback, but when it comes to the playoffs, the hard truth is that he only has one playoff win — the wild-card round victory in Tennessee last season. The team made some additions up front on defense, but they still really haven’t solved the central problem that they have when it comes to making a deep run. When they get the early lead, they have the pounding, run-first rhythm to squeeze the life out of the opposition. However, if they fall behind, they can’t change their offensive rhythm and convert the sort of big plays to spark a comeback. When it comes to divisional play, though, they seem to have the number of the Browns and the Bengals. Will Cleveland be able to break through?
Cleveland made two huge additions to their secondary and brought Jadeveon Clowney to join their pass rush, alongside Myles Garrett. Garrett had a tough 2020, catching COVID-19 mid-season and never really getting back to full game health. Even now, Garrett is day to day with a hamstring injury, but that should be all settled by the start of the regular season. Could he break the sack record set by Michael Strahan now that Clowney will distract some of the opposition’s blockers? It’s entirely possible. The offense is still high-octane, with two quality tailbacks and all sorts of speedy targets for Baker Mayfield. I like the Browns to get through Baltimore and win the division this season.
Pittsburgh has a lot of questions on their roster. Can Ben Roethlisberger get his offense back to the form that they showed in their 11-0 start to 2020, instead of that skid that ended the season with a thud, with that home playoff loss to Cleveland? The Steelers’ strength last year was their defense; given the offensive riches that all three of their division opponents have on hand, can the Steelers clamp down again this year like they have in the past? The Steelers feel like a team fighting to keep their window of contention over, even though the window is gliding remorselessly downward.
Cincinnati needs to decide whether Joe Burrow is really ready to absorb NFL punishment again. He ruptured two ligaments in one knee after a hit during the game with Washington last year, bringing his rookie season to an end. Burrow looked hesitant at times in his early preseason action, and if the Bengals really see him as the future, it’s time for them to sit him until his knee is ready to go, because a few more games today is no reason to sacrifice his long-term health — and his long-term contributions to the team. When he is back and healthy, he will make defenses sweat, like he did in the Bengals’ near-win over Cincinnati last season.
NFL Betting Odds
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