SCU’s AFC North Preview is a quick overview of the Steelers division opponents and their upcoming games.

With the Steelers firmly supplanted as the King of the North, a few other teams in the AFC North look to close out their 2017 season on a positive note.

In Cincinnati, Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis is stepping down after a disappointing season. (And in my opinion, a disappointing tenure as their head coach.) They’ll face a Detroit Lions franchise fighting to make a postseason push.

Another team attempting to make a playoff run is the Baltimore Ravens. At 8-6, they could enter as a Wild Card team if they win the remainder of their games. It starts this weekend with a matchup against the Colts.

Can the win-less Browns finally get a victory? They play the Chicago Bears, who haven’t been known to be the hottest team this season. However, that game is being played at Soldier Field, which doesn’t bode well for rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer.

Here’s a breakdown of the state of the AFC North headed into Week 16.

AFC North Standings

Embed from Getty Images

Bengals Preview

	Bengals	Lions
Last Week	L 34-7 at Minnesota	W 20-10 vs. Chicago
Coach vs. Opp.	Marvin Lewis: 3-0	Jim Caldwell: 1-1
PTS. For/Against	16.6/21.8	25.6/24.2
Offense	268.9	340.9
Passing	Andy Dalton: 247-411-2860-21-11-87.1	Matthew Stafford: 332-501-3920 (3L)-25-9-99.1
Rushing	Joe Mixon (R): 157-518-3.3-4	Ameer Abdullah: 151-513-3.4-3
Receiving	A.J. Green: 67-980-14.6-8	Golden Tate: 82-885-10.8-4
Defense	345.5	362.3
Sacks	Geno Atkins: 9	Anthony Zettel: 6.5
INTs	Many tied: 1	Darius Slay: 7 (1L)
Take/Give	-9 (12/21)	+6 (27/21)
Punting (Net)	Kevin Huber: 47.5 (41.3)	Sam Martin: 43.7 (38.8)
Kicking	Randy Bullock: 64 (25/27 PAT; 13/15 FG)	Matt Prater: 116 (35/36 PAT; 27/31 FG)

Game Notes

• LEADER: Bengals lead all-time series, 8-3
• LAST GAME: 10/20/13: Bengals 27 at Lions 24
• STREAKS: Bengals have won past 5
• LAST GAME AT SITE: 12/6/09: Bengals 23, Lions 13
• QB MATTHEW STAFFORD ranks 3rd in NFL with 3,920 pass yards & ties for 5th with 25 TDs. Has 2,492 pass yards (311.5 per game), 13 TDs & 5 INTs for 107 rating in his past
  8. Has 3 consecutive games with 25+ att. & 75+ comp. pct., tied for 2nd longest streak in NFL history. Passed for 357 yards with 3 TDs & 0 INTs for 96.6 rating in last game vs. Cin.
• RB THEO RIDDICK has 3 rush TDs in past 3. Aims for
  3rd in row vs. AFC with TD. Since 2015, leads NFL RBs in receptions (181) & ranks 2nd in TD catches (10).
• RB AMEER ABDULLAH has 3 TDs (2 rush, 1 rec.) in past 4 on road.
• WR GOLDEN TATE has 33 receptions for 395 yards (79 per game) & 2 TDs in past 5 on road. In his past 3 vs. AFC, has 252 rec. yards (84 per game) & TD. Since 2013, is 1 of 5 in NFL with 400+ catches (426) & 5,000+ rec. yards (5,004).
• WR MARVIN JONES, JR. spent 4 seasons with Cin. (2012-15) & had 15 TD catches. Ties for 4th in NFC with 8 rec. TDs. Has 433 rec. yards (86.6 per game) & 3 TDs in past 5.
• DE EZEKIEL ANSAH has 6 sacks, FF & FR in past 8 on road.
• CB DARIUS SLAY leads NFL with 7 INTs & ties for 1st with 20 PD. Has 3 INTs, 5 PD & FR in past 2.
• CB QUANDRE DIGGS had sack & INT last week. Aims for 3rd in row with INT.
• LB TAHIR WHITEHEAD leads team with 95 tackles. Has 17 tackles & FR in past 2.
• LB JARRAD DAVIS leads NFL rookies with 79 tackles. In only NFL rookie with 70+ tackles (79) & sack (2).
• QB ANDY DALTON has 2+ TD passes & 0 INTs in 3 of past 4 at home. In only career meeting, completed 24 of 34 (70.6 pct.) for 372 yards with 3 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 135.9 rating. Has 2,860 pass yards & can join PEYTON MANNING as only QBs with 3,000+ pass yards in each of 1st 7 seasons.
• RB JOE MIXON (rookie) has 316 scrimmage yards (105.3 per game) & rush TD in past 3 at home. Ranks 5th among rookie RBs with 784 scrimmage yards (518 rush,
  266 rec.).
• RB GIOVANI BERNARD had rush TD in Week 15. Has 95+ scrimmage yards in 2 of past 3. Has TD in 2 of past 3 vs. NFC.
• WR A.J. GREEN had 6 catches for 155 yards, incl. 82- yard TD, in last meeting. Has 394 rec. yards (78.8 per game) with 2 TDs in past 5 vs. NFC. Is 1 of 4 in NFL with 950+ rec. yards (980) & 8+ TD catches (8). Can become 2nd player in team history (CHAD JOHNSON) with 6 1,000+ rec. yard seasons.
• WR BRANDON LA FELL had 9 catches for 98 yards in last game vs. Det. (11/23/14 with NE).
• TE TYLER KROFT ties for 3rd among AFC TEs with 5 TD catches.
• DT GENO ATKINS had 2 sacks in Week 15, his 9th career multi-sack game. Has 9 sacks, 2nd most among NFL DTs. Since entering league in 2010, has 61 sacks, most among NFL DTs.
• LB VINCENT REY had team-high 11 tackles last week.
• LB VONTAZE BURFICT aims for 5th in row vs. NFC with 10+ tackles.
• S SHAWN WILLIAMS had INT last week. Has INT in 2 of past 3 vs. NFC.

On The Airwaves

• TV: FOX (1:00 PM ET): Thom Brennaman, Chris Spielman, Jennifer Hale (Field reporter)
• SIRIUS: 157 (Det), 81 (Cin) | XM: 386 (Det), 81 (Cin)

Embed from Getty Images

Browns Preview

	Browns	Bears
Last Week	L 27-10 vs. Baltimore	L 20-10 at Detroit
Coach vs. Opp.	Hue Jackson: 1-0	John Fox: 3-1
PTS. For/Against	14.8/25.9	16.7/21.0
Offense	308.1	295.7
Passing	DeShone Kizer (R): 221-410-2398-9-19-59.4	Mitchell Trubisky (R): 162-271-1822-7-7-77.8
Rushing	Isaiah Crowell: 179-788-4.4-2	Jordan Howard: 245-1069-4.4-7
Receiving	Duke Johnson, Jr. (RB): 61-537-8.8-3	Kendall Wright: 50-558-11.2-1
Defense	331.7	323.2
Sacks	Myles Garrett (R): 5	Akiem Hicks: 8
INTs	Jason McCourty: 3	Eddie Jackson (R): 2
Take/Give	-25 (11/36)	-3 (19/22)
Punting (Net)	Britton Colquitt: 48.1 (40.7)	Pat O’Donnell: 46.7 (39.3)
Kicking	Zane Gonzalez (R): 61 (22/23 PAT; 13/18 FG)	Mike Nugent: 13 (4/5 PAT; 3/3 FG)

Game Notes

• LEADER: Browns lead all-time series, 9-6
• LAST GAME: 12/15/13: Bears 38 at Browns 31
• STREAKS: Bears have won past 2
• LAST GAME AT SITE: 11/1/09: Bears 30, Browns 6
• QB DE SHONE KIZER (rookie) has 4 TD passes in past 2 vs. NFC. Ties for 2nd among NFL QBs with 5 rush TDs.
• RB ISAIAH CROWELL has 193 rush yards (96.5 per game) in past 2. In past 6 vs. NFC, has 644 scrimmage yards (107.3 per game) with 3 rush TDs. Is 1st Browns RB with 700+ rush yards in 3 consecutive seasons since MIKE PRUITT (1979-81).
• RB DUKE JOHNSON, JR. had rush TD last week. Aims for 3rd in row with TD. Averages 6.4 scrimmage yards per touch, highest among AFC RBs. Is 1 of 2 RBs (HERSCHEL WALKER) in NFL history with 50+ catches & 500+ rec. yards in each of 1st 3 seasons. Since entering league in 2015, leads NFL RBs with 1,585 rec. yards.
• WR JOSH GORDON had 43-yard TD catch in last meeting.
• Rookie TE DAVID NJOKU has 3 TD catches in past 6 on road. Ranks 3rd among rookie TEs with 4 rec. TDs.
• WR COREY COLEMAN aims for his 3rd in row vs. NFC with TD .
• LB CHRISTIAN KIRKSEY has 31 tackles (10.3 per
  game) in past 3. Aims for 7th in row vs. NFC with 7+ tackles.
• LB JOE SCHOBERT has 43 tackles (10.8 per game), 4 TFL, 2 sacks & FF in past 4 on road. Schobert (125 tackles) & Kirksey (124) are only pair of NFL teammates with 100+ tackles each.
• Rookie DE MYLES GARRETT has sack in 2 of his past 4 on road.
• CB JASON MC COURTY has 9+ tackles in 2 of past 3. Is 1 of 4 AFC CBs with 50+ tackles (55) & 12+ PD (13).
• DT TREVON COLEY had sack last week. Has TFL in 2 of past 3.
• QB MITCHELL TRUBISKY (rookie) passed for 314 yards & TD last week, his 1st career 300+ yard game. Has 99.1 rating in his past 4 home starts. Aims for 5th in row at home with 0 INTs.
• RB JORDAN HOWARD ranks 2nd in NFC with 1,069
  rush yards. Has 827 scrimmage yards (137.8 per game) & 6 TDs (5 rush, 1 rec.) in 6 career games vs. AFC. Since entering league in 2016, ranks 3rd in NFL with 2,382 rush yards.
• Rookie RB TARIK COHEN has 233 scrimmage yards (77.7 per game) in 3 career games vs. AFC. Ranks 4th among rookie RBs with 45 receptions.
• RB BENNY CUNNINGHAM had TD catch in Week 15.
• WR KENDALL WRIGHT has 17 catches for 188 yards (94 per game) in past 2. Had 8 receptions for 133 yards & TD in last game vs. Cle. (10/16/16 with Ten.). Has 3 TDs in 3 career games vs. Cle.
• DE AKIEM HICKS leads team with career-high 8 sacks. Ties for 2nd in NFC with 15 TFL. In his past 7 at home, has 5 sacks & 2 FRs.
• CB KYLE FULLER ties for 2nd in NFC with 16 PD. Is 1 of 2 NFL players with 60+ tackles (65) & 15+ PD (16). Aims for 8th in row at home with PD.
• LB DANNY TREVATHAN has 37 tackles (9.3 per game) in his past 4. Has 26 tackles, sack & FR in his past 3 vs. AFC.
• LB LAMARR HOUSTON had 2 sacks last week. Aims for 4th in row with sack. Has 3 sacks & FF in 3 career games vs. Cle.
• S EDDIE JACKSON leads NFL rookies with 2 defensive TDs (1 INT, 1 FR).

On The Airwaves

• TV: CBS (1:00 PM ET): Tom McCarthy, Steve Beuerlein, Steve Tasker (Field reporter)
• SIRIUS: 119 (Cle), 135 (Chi) | XM: 383 (Cle), 227 (Chi)

Embed from Getty Images

Ravens Preview

Ravens	Colts
W 27-10 at Cleveland	L 25-13 vs. Denver
John Harbaugh: 1-3	Chuck Pagano: 1-0
24.6/18.3	16.1/26.3
303.6	286.2
Joe Flacco: 298-464-2701-14-12-79.1	Jacoby Brissett: 245-411-2769-11-7-81.7
Alex Collins: 174-844-4.9-5	Frank Gore: 220-793-3.6-3
Benjamin Watson (TE): 49-421-8.6-4	Jack Doyle (TE): 71-611-8.6-3
324.7	381.5
Terrell Suggs: 11	Jabaal Sheard: 5.5
Eric Weddle: 6 (T2L)	Rashaan Melvin: 3
+17 (1L) (33/16)	+4 (19/15)
Sam Koch: 45.4 (41.3)	Rigoberto Sanchez (R): 44.9 (42.5)
Justin Tucker: 121 (34/34 PAT; 29/32 FG)	Adam Vinatieri: 91 (19/21 PAT; 24/27 FG)

Game Notes

• LEADER: Colts lead all-time series, 8-3
• LAST GAME: 10/5/14: Ravens 13 at Colts 20
• STREAKS: Colts have won 7 of past 8
• LAST GAME AT SITE: 12/11/11: Ravens 24, Colts 10
• QB JACOBY BRISSETT rushed for TD in Week 15. Is 1 of 5 NFL QBs with 2,500+ pass yards (2,769) & 4+ rush TDs (4). Has 7 TD passes in past 5 on road.
• RB FRANK GORE is 1 of 2 players in NFL history (HOFer EMMITT SMITH) with 12+ consecutive seasons with 1,000+ scrimmage yards (1,009). Ranks 8th in NFL history with 17,501 career scrimmage yards & all 7 ahead of Gore are enshrined in Pro Football Hall of Fame. Has 75+ scrimmage yards in 3 of past 4 on road.
• WR T.Y. HILTON had 9 catches for 90 yards in last meeting. In past 3 on road, has 246 rec. yards (82 per game) with 3 TDs. Since entering league in 2012, has 78 25+ yard catches, most in NFL.
• TE JACK DOYLE has TD in 3 of past 5 on road. Ranks 2nd among NFL TEs with 71 catches.
• WR KAMAR AIKEN had 9 TD catches in 3 seasons with Bal. (2014-16).
• LB ANTONIO MORRISON had team-high 12 tackles last week.
• S MATTHIAS FARLEY aims for 3rd in row with 9+ tackles. Is 1 of 3 AFC safeties (RESHAD JONES & JORDAN POYER) with 85+ tackles (86) & 2+ INTs (2).
• DT JOHNATHAN HANKINS had sack in Week 15. In last game vs. Bal. (10/16/16 with NYG), had 5 tackles, 3 TFL & sack. Is 1 of 4 AFC DTs with 40+ tackles (43) & 2+ sacks (2).
• LB JABAAL SHEARD had sack last week.
• LB BARKEVIOUS MINGO had sack in Week 15.
• Rookie CB KENNY MOORE II had 1st career INT last week.
• QB JOE FLACCO passed for 288 yards with 1 TD vs. 0 INTs for 90.2 rating & had rush TD in Week 15. In past 2 home meetings (incl. playoffs), has 4 TDs vs. 1 INT for 112.3 rating. Needs 4 TD passes to become 1st QB in franchise history with 200+ career TD passes.
• RB ALEX COLLINS has 5 rush TDs in past 5. In past 3 at home, has 298 scrimmage yards (99.3 per game) with 3 rush TDs.
• RB JAVORIUS ALLEN led team with 70 rush yards in Week 15.
• RB DANNY WOODHEAD had 83 scrimmage yards (47 rec. 36 rush) in his last game vs. Ind. (10/14/13 with Chargers).
• TE BENJAMIN WATSON had 74 rec. yards, incl. 33-yard TD, last week. Has TD in 2 of past 3. Has 2 TD catches in past 3 at home.
• WR MIKE WALLACE has 277 rec. yards (92.3 per game) in past 3. In 2 career games vs. Ind., has 14 catches for 259 yards (129.5 per game) with 2 TDs.
• S ERIC WEDDLE ties for 2nd in NFL with 6 INTs. Had INT in Week 15. Has 4 INTs in past 6. Had 41-yard INT-TD in 11/28/10 game vs. Ind. (with Chargers).
• LB C.J. MOSLEY had FF & 3 PD last week. Had 14 tackles & INT in last meeting. Is 1 of 2 in NFL (BOBBY WAGNER) with 120+ tackles (121) & 2+ INTs (2).
• LB MATTHEW JUDON had sack & 3 TFL last week. Is 1 of 3 AFC LBs (VON MILLER & JUSTIN HOUSTON) with 15+ TFL (15) & 7+ sacks (7).
• LB TERRELL SUGGS has 6.5 sacks in past 6.
• DT BRANDON WILLIAMS had FR-TD last week.

On The Airwaves

• TV: NFLN (4:30 PM ET): Greg Gumbel, Trent Green, Jamie Erdahl (Field reporter)
• NATIONAL RADIO: Westwood One: Scott Graham, Mike Mayock, Scott Kaplan (Field reporter) | SIRIUS: 88 (WW1), 82 (Ind), 83 (Bal) | XM: 88 (WW1), 82 (Ind), 83 (Bal)

 

Statistics and game information courtesy of the Pittsburgh Steelers and/or National Football League.