It’s funny how quickly things can change in the NFL.
One minute, the Cincinnati Bengals were down and out and projected to get one of the first five picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. And the Pittsburgh Steelers were runaway favorites to win the AFC North.
Then, after the Bengals knocked off the Steelers 33-31 Thursday night, Cincinnati finds itself only 1 ½ games out of the division lead and closing fast.
The Bengals (3-4) host the winless Jets Sunday afternoon, then host the Bears in Week 9 before a much-needed bye in Week 10.
Pittsburgh (4-2) will entertain Green Bay in the Sunday night game before hosting the Colts in Week 9 and then facing the Chargers in L.A. for Week 10. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that the Bengals are leading the AFC North coming out of the bye week, given how difficult of a stretch the Steelers are facing.
Oh, and Week 11? The Steelers host the Bengals in what could be the most important AFC North game in the 2025 NFL season.
Meanwhile, Cleveland (2-5) finally put together a solid effort on both sides of the ball in throttling the Miami Dolphins 31-6.
Quikshon Judkins rushed for three touchdowns and the Browns (2-5) scored more than 17 points for the first time in 12 games, becoming the first Browns’ running back with three rushing scores in a game since Nick Chubb in 2022. Meanwhile, the defense held an opponent to a touchdown or less for the first time in almost two years.
Quarterback Dillon Gabriel, whose ascension to starting quarterback paved the way for the Bengals to acquire Joe Flacco, completed 13/18 passes for 116 yards en route to his first NFL win.
Judkins finished with 84 rushing yards on 25 carries, including a 46-yard score early in the second quarter that gave Cleveland a lead it would never relinquish. The Browns picked off Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa three times and scored 21 points off four total turnovers. Tagovailoa completed just 12 of 23 passes for 100 yards.
The Browns travel to New England on Sunday to take on an ascending Patriots team that is currently in first place in the AFC East, one-half game ahead of the Bills.
The Baltimore Ravens had a bye week after suffering four straight losses, the last three coming after quarterback Lamar Jackson suffered a hamstring injury in the third quarter of the loss to Kansas City.
Jackson returned to practice this week and is expected to start Sunday against the Bears as the Ravens (1-5) attempt to get their season back on track. If they’re going to get back in the playoff mix, this is a must-win game for the Ravens, who would fall to 1-6 with a loss.
AFC North Standings Week 8
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