AFC North Preview – Week 15
SCU’s AFC North Preview is a quick overview of the Steelers division opponents and their upcoming games.
The Steelers already have a playoff spot secured by virtue of clinching the AFC North with their last two victories over the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals.
However, the Ravens aren’t completely out of the picture yet at 7-6, and have a date this weekend with a Cleveland Browns team that won one game since Disney started releasing Star Wars movies! They could win out through the next three weeks and make their claim for a wild card spot.
The Cincinnati Bengals are all but done, with several key injuries and a disappointing 5-8 record. They draw the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.
Here’s a breakdown of the state of the AFC North headed into Week 14.
AFC North Standings
Bengals Preview
| Bengals | Vikings | |
|---|---|---|
| Last Week | L 33-7 vs. Chicago | L 31-24 at Carolina |
| Coach vs. Opp. | Marvin Lewis: 2-1 | Mike Zimmer: 0-0 |
| PTS. For/Against | 17.4/20.8 | 23.8/18.1 (3L) |
| Offense | 277.2 | 369.3 |
| Passing | Andy Dalton: 236-389-2747-21-9-90.4 | Case Keenum: 270-404-2983-18-7-96.2 |
| Rushing | Joe Mixon (R): 157-518-3.3-4 | Latavius Murray: 155-586-3.8-5 |
| Receiving | A.J. Green: 65-950-14.6-8 | Adam Thielen: 80-1161 (T3L)-14.5-4 |
| Defense | 345.5 | 293.4 (3L) |
| Sacks | Carl Lawson (R): 7.5 | Everson Griffen: 13 (3L) |
| INTs | Many tied: 1 | Harrison Smith: 3 |
| Take/Give | -8 (11/19) | +2 (15/13) |
| Punting (Net) | Kevin Huber: 47.7 (41.4) | Ryan Quigley: 42.0 (40.0) |
| Kicking | Randy Bullock: 63 (24/26 PAT; 13/15 FG) | Kai Forbath: 107 (26/31 PAT; 27/32 FG) |
Game Notes
- LEADER: Series tied, 6-6
- LAST GAME: 12/22/13: Vikings 14 at Bengals 42
- STREAKS: Bengals have won 2 of past 3
- LAST GAME AT SITE: 12/13/09: Vikings 30, Bengals 10
- QB ANDY DALTON has 10 TD passes vs. 1 INT for 96.5 rating in past 5. In only career meeting, completed 27 of 38 (71.1 pct.) for 363 yards with 4 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 136.2 rating. Has 120+ rating in 2 of past 3 vs. NFC.
- RB JOE MIXON (rookie) has rush TD in 3 of his past 5. Ranks 5th among rookies with 784 scrimmage yards. RB GIOVANI BERNARD had 130 scrimmage yards (68 rec., 62 rush) in Week 14. Has 226 scrimmage yards (113 per
game) in past 2. Has TD in 2 of past 4 vs. NFC. - WR A.J. GREEN had 97 rec. yards & 2 TDs in last meeting. Has 4 TDs in past 5. In past 4 vs. NFC, has 31 catches (7.8 per game) for 364 yards (91 per game) & 2 TDs. Is only player in NFL history with 950+ rec. yards in each of 1st 7 seasons. WR BRANDON LA FELL had TD catch in Week 14. Had 107 rec. yards, incl. 79-yard TD, in 10/13/13 meeting (with Car.). Has TD in 2 of past 3 vs. NFC. WR TYLER KROFT has 4 rec. TDs in past 5 on road.
- DE CARLOS DUNLAP has 3.5 sacks in past 4. Has 1.5 sacks & 5 PD in past 3 vs. NFC. Since entering league in 2010, DT GENO ATKINS has 59 sacks, most among NFL DTs. DE MICHAEL JOHNSON had 2 sacks last week. Has 3 sacks in past 2 vs. NFC. LB VINCENT REY had sack, FF & INT- TD in only career meeting. LB VONTAZE BURFICT had 2 sacks in last game vs. Min. Aims for 5th in row vs. NFC with 10+ tackles. S GEORGE ILOKA had INT in last meeting. Rookie LB JORDAN EVANS had career-high 10 tackles last week.
- QB CASE KEENUM has 1,661 pass yards (276.8 per game) with 13 TDs & 5 INTs for 102.6 rating in his past 6. Has 100+ rating in 4 of past 5. Aims for 4th in row with 2+ TD passes.
- RB LATAVIUS MURRAY has 208 rush yards (104 per
game) & 3 TDs in past 2 at home. Has 5 rush TDs in his past
7. RB JERICK MC KINNON has 2 TDs (1 rush, 1 rec.) in past 3 at home. - WR ADAM THIELEN ties for NFC lead with career-high 1,161 rec. yards. Has 632 rec. yards (105.3 per game) & 4 TDs in his past 6. WR STEFON DIGGS has 396 rec. yards (99 per game) & 4 TDs in his past 4 at home. TE KYLE RUDOLPH has 4 TD catches in his past 3. Aims for 4th in row with TD. Has 19 TD catches since 2015, tied for 2nd most among NFL TEs.
- DE EVERSON GRIFFEN ranks 3rd in NFL with career- high 13 sacks. Had 1.5 sacks in last game vs. Cin. Has 7 sacks & FF in his past 5 vs. AFC. Aims for 4th in row vs. AFC with sack. DE DANIELLE HUNTER has 4 sacks in his past 4 at home. Aims for 3rd in row at home with sack. DT LINVAL JOSEPH led team with 10 tackles & had sack in Week 14. S ANDREW SENDEJO had INT last week. Has 21 tackles (7 per game) & INT in his past 3 at home. S HARRISON SMITH has 1.5 sacks, 2 INTs & 5 PD in his past 5 at home. Since 2014, leads NFL safeties with 8 sacks.
On The Airwaves
- TV: CBS (1:00 PM ET): Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts, Evan Washburn (Field reporter)
- SIRIUS: 119 (Cin), 135 (Min) | XM: 386 (Cin), 226 (Min)
Browns & Ravens Preview
| Ravens | Browns | |
|---|---|---|
| Last Week | L 39-38 at Pittsburgh | L 27-21 (OT) vs. Green Bay |
| Coach vs. Opp. | John Harbaugh: 17-2 | Hue Jackson: 0-3 |
| PTS. For/Against | 24.5/18.9 | 15.2/25.8 |
| Offense | 298.1 | 311.4 |
| Passing | Joe Flacco: 272-422-2413-13-12-78.0 | DeShone Kizer (R): 201-373-2252-9-17-61.2 |
| Rushing | Alex Collins: 162-825-5.1-5 | Isaiah Crowell: 174-716-4.1-2 |
| Receiving | Benjamin Watson (TE): 45-347-7.7-3 | Duke Johnson, Jr. (RB): 56-497-8.9-3 |
| Defense | 329.2 | 328.3 |
| Sacks | Terrell Suggs: 11 | Myles Garrett (R): 5 |
| INTs | Eric Weddle: 5 (T3L) | Jason McCourty: 3 |
| Take/Give | +13 (2L) (29/16) | -21 (11/32) |
| Punting (Net) | Sam Koch: 45.6 (41.3) | Britton Colquitt: 48.5 (40.5) |
| Kicking | Justin Tucker: 112 (31/31 PAT; 27/30 FG) | Zane Gonzalez (R): 57 (21/22 PAT; 12/17 FG) |
Game Notes
- LEADER: Ravens lead all-time series, 28-9
- LAST GAME: 9/17/17: Browns 10 at Ravens 24
- STREAKS: Ravens have won past 4
- LAST GAME AT SITE: 9/18/16: Ravens 25 at Browns 20
- QB JOE FLACCO completed 25 of 34 (73.5 pct.) with 2 TDs & 97.3 rating in last meeting. Aims for 4th meeting in row with 2+ TD passes. Passed for 269 yards with 2 TDs in Week 14.
- RB ALEX COLLINS had career-high 166 scrimmage yards (120 rush, 46 rec.) & rush TD last week. Has 5 rush TDs in past 4. Aims for 3rd in row with 95+ scrimmage yards. RB JAVORIUS ALLEN had 2 rush TDs last week. Had 101 scrimmage yards (66 rush, 35 rec.) & TD catch in last meeting. Has 80+ scrimmage yards & TD in 2 of past 3 vs. Cle. RB DANNY WOODHEAD has 230 scrimmage yards (115 per game) in his past 2 vs. Cle.
- WR JEREMY MACLIN had TD in last meeting. Aims for 4th in row vs. Cle. with TD catch. Has TD in 2 of past 4 vs. division. TE BENJAMIN WATSON has 90+ rec. yards in 2 of past 3 vs. Cle. WR MIKE WALLACE has TD catch in 2 of past 3 on road. WR CHRIS MOORE had TD last week.
- LB C.J. MOSLEY had season-high 14 tackles in Week 14. Has 10+ tackles in 4 of past 5 vs. division. S ERIC WEDDLE had INT in last meeting. Aims for 4th in row vs. Cle. with INT.
LB TERRELL SUGGS ties for 3rd in AFC with 11 sacks. Had sack in last meeting. Has 6.5 sacks & 2 FFs in past 5. Has
6.5 sacks & 5 FFs in past 8 vs. division. Rookie LB TYUS BOWSER had sack & INT in last meeting. Had sack last week. LB MATTHEW JUDON has 4 sacks in past 5. Had FF last week. CB LARDARIUS WEBB had INT in last game vs. Cle. Has sack, INT & 2 PD in past 2 meetings. - QB DE SHONE KIZER (rookie) had career-high 3 TD passes & 99.4 rating in Week 14. Has rush TD in 2 of past 4 vs. division. Ties for lead among NFL QBs with 5 rush TDs.
- RB ISAIAH CROWELL rushed for 121 rush yards last week. Has TD in 2 of past 3 at home vs. Bal. RB DUKE JOHNSON, JR. had TD catch last week. Aims for 3rd in row at home with TD. Is only NFL RB with 50+ catches in each of past 3 seasons.
- WR JOSH GORDON had TD catch in Week 14. Has 154 rec. yards (77 per game) in past 2. WR COREY COLEMAN had TD last week. Has rec. TD in 2 of his past 3 at home. Had career-high 104 rec. yards & 2 TDs in only career home game vs. Bal. Rookie TE DAVID NJOKU had rec. TD in last meeting. Ranks 3rd among rookie TEs with 4 TD catches.
- LB CHRISTIAN KIRKSEY tied for team-lead with 10 tackles last week. Has 10+ tackles in 3 of past 4 at home. Has 29 tackles (9.7 per game), 2 TFL & sack in past 3 meetings. LB JOE SCHOBERT ranks 2nd in NFL with 120 tackles. Has 9+ tackles in 7 of past 8. Aims for 3rd in row vs. division with 10+ tackles. Schobert (120 tackles) & Kirksey
(111) are only pair of teammates with 100+ tackles each. Rookie DE MYLES GARRETT has 3 sacks in past 4 at home. Ties for 3rd among rookies with 5 sacks. CB JASON MC COURTY had INT & FF in last meeting. Has INT in 2 of past 3 vs. Bal. LB JAMES BURGESS, JR. has 24 tackles (12 per game) in past 2 at home. Had sack in last meeting.
On The Airwaves
- TV: CBS (1:00 PM ET): Tom McCarthy, Steve Beuerlein, Steve Tasker (Field reporter), Melanie Collins (Field reporter)
- SIRIUS: 93 (Bal), 132 (Cle) | XM: 380 (Bal), 225 (Cle)
Note: The Baltimore Ravens play the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football.
Statistics and game information courtesy of the Pittsburgh Steelers and/or National Football League.
