2024 AFC North Betting Picks and Winner Predictions

 

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The start of the new NFL season is almost upon us, which means that it’s time to start getting serious about making predictions. Rather than getting into individual games, we are going to focus on futures bets for the moment, with individual divisions in the spotlight. As you all already know, some divisions are a good deal easier to predict than others, but there are a couple that very much appear to be wide open. I would put the AFC North into that category, as you could well make a case for all 4 teams. In fact, I would not be surprised to see 3 teams from this division make the playoffs. With all of that said, here is my NFL betting prediction for the final order in the AFC North.

NFL 2023 Season Picks for the AFC North Division

2023 NFL season | 104th season of National Football League in the United States
September 7, 2023–February 11, 2024

Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati Bengals Odds to Win AFC North Division: +150

The arrival of Joe Burrow almost instantly made the Bengals a Super Bowl candidate, especially when you consider the weapons that he now has at his disposal. Burrow picked up an injury that will see him miss the preseason, but he should be ready to go once the regular season rolls around. This is a guy that just knows how to win, and who carries the team on his back. The Bengals go as Burrow does, and if he can deliver the goods in the same way he has since landing in the NFL, the Bengals should once again win the North.

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Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh Steelers Odds to Win AFC North Division: +450

In my opinion, the big battle in the AFC North is for the second-place spot and what might well be a Wild Card slot. Like I said at the top of this piece, there is an argument to be made for each team in this division, but I think it will be the Steelers that land in the #2 slot. Last season was a transformative year for the Steelers, as they had to deal with salary cap issues and working in a new QB after the retirement of Big Ben. Kenny Pickett won the job and looked stronger as the season progressed. A great draft and solid offseason may well have turned the Steelers into a dark horse pick.

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Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore Ravens Odds to Win AFC North Division: +234

While the Ravens certainly have what it takes to win the North, I have some huge concerns about Lamar Jackson and his ability to finish a complete season. Like many mobile QBs before him, the injuries are beginning to pile up for Jackson, to the point where it looked like the Ravens might be ready to move on from him this past offseason. He signed a new deal and will be ready to go in Week 1, but can he avoid the injuries that have plagued him over the last couple of seasons? The Ravens season may well depend on his health.

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Cleveland Browns

Cleveland Browns Odds to Win AFC North Division: +380

The Browns took a massive risk when they went all out to get DesHaun Watson as their starting QB, and while it has only been one season, that move has yet to reap any sort of dividends. I have the Browns at the bottom of the pile here, simply because I don’t really know what to expect from Watson this season. Can he bounce back and get back to the form he displayed in Houston, or is this going to be another disappointing year for the Browns?

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Based on the 2020 NFL Season, AFC North teams will enter this season with the most difficult schedules in pro football. Also this season, the Pittsburgh Steelers aren’t one of the two favorites to win the division. Right now, the Baltimore Ravens are a slight chalk over the Cleveland Browns to take the AFC North title. Check out an odds assessment of the Ravens, Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Cincinnati Bengals to win the division crown. Let’s jump right into action so you can start planning your bets against their AFC Division odds.

2021 NFL Betting Odds & Picks for the AFC North Division

2021 NFL Season

Baltimore Ravens +130

Every off season, the Baltimore Ravens show promise. But like in most seasons, the 2021 Ravens shouldn’t live up to the promise.

Baltimore will be a good team, no doubt. But being good doesn’t always translate to a playoff spot. For starters, quarterback Lamar Jackson has yet to prove he can beat an opponent with his arm.

Jackson is a great dual-threat quarterback. But in 2020, defenses appeared to have figured out how to stop Lamar from dominating them on the ground. Unless LJ develops pocket passer skills, the Ravens won’t win the division.

Second, Baltimore’s defense, even though it’s loaded with name players, doesn’t scare anyone. Finally, the Ravens have the second most difficult schedule in the league. Baltimore must play against the Chiefs, Colts, Chargers, Raiders, Broncos, Rams, and Packers in addition to facing their AFC North rivals.

Ravens Offer Fair Odds: No

Cleveland Browns +140

Last season, Baltimore beat Cleveland twice. But the second Ravens victory was a 47-42 game. And, the game happened in the second half of the season when the Browns had discovered how to run opponents into the turf.

Cleveland’s rushing attack boasts the best offensive line in the NFL. Two terrific running backs, Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, spearhead the attack. Not only that, but Baker Mayfield had his best season in the NFL in 2020.

Mayfield threw just 8 interceptions to 26 touchdowns. He threw for over 3,500 yards. If Mayfield takes the next step, he could lead the Browns to a 28 to 30 points per game average.

Questions remain regarding the defense. However, the line, anchored by Jadeveon Clowney and Myles Garrett, should be one of the best in the league. The odds on Cleveland are fair.

Browns Offer Fair Odds: Yes

Pittsburgh Steelers +350

Pittsburgh heads into the season with the National Football League’s toughest schedule. The Steelers battle the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Buffalo Bills, and Green Bay Packers on the road.

With that being written, Pittsburgh will field a top five defensive unit. Also, Big Ben Roethlisberger got some help after the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted running back Najee Harris. A viable rushing attack should allow the Steelers control the clock.

The defense will keep Pittsburgh in games, and if any coach can get a team to play above its talent level, Mike Tomlin is that coach.

Steelers Offer Fair Odds: Yes

Cincinnati Bengals +1400

The Cincinnati Bengals don’t have an easy schedule. They must play teams from the AFC West and NFC North. But even though Cincinnati faces the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, and Green Bay Packers, they also face three of the worst teams in football.

Cincinnati plays against the Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars, and New York Jets this season. That should be three wins. If Joe Burrow comes back to the field one-hundred percent, and he and rookie WR Ja’Marr Chase click, the Bengals will upset some teams.

The odds don’t make Cincinnati an overlay. But the odds are fair. So if you want to back the longest shot on the board, go for it.

Bengals Offer Fair Odds: Yes

 

 

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The Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers have combined to win five straight AFC North titles. Will that run continue? The Ravens are favored on the NFL odds but there’s a major threat on the rise. Here’s a quick look at each team with their divisional odds.

NFL 2021 |AFC North Analysis and Odds

Baltimore Ravens (+135)

The Ravens’ two-year reign atop the AFC North ended last year when they finished 11-5 and tied for a second, a game behind Pittsburgh. Baltimore got hosed a couple of times schedule-wise due to COVID issues on other teams. Speaking of which, star QB Lamar Jackson is missing the start of training camp and practices because he has tested positive for the virus. It marked the second time that the former NFL MVP has tested positive for the coronavirus in the past eight months. Trace McSorley and Tyler Huntley are taking majority of the snaps at quarterback with Jackson out. Needless to say, if the Ravens were to lose Jackson for any stretch in the regular season, they would be up the creek. The have been the NFL’s highest-scoring team in Jackson’s first two full seasons as a starting quarterback. Baltimore, which has averaged 31.2 points in the regular season with Jackson, has totaled just 32 points in Jackson’s three postseason losses.

Cleveland Browns (+140)

The Browns are one of four active franchises in the NFL to never reach a Super Bowl but are a chic pick to get there this season finally. Three-time Pro Bowl WR Odell Beckham Jr. is ready to go. The Browns were 5-2 prior to his season-ending ACL injury in 2020, but Beckham’s numbers (23 receptions on 43 targets for 319 yards and three touchdowns) were well below his usual standards. Still, he led Cleveland with a 22 percent target share over the season’s first seven games. Beckham was not placed on the PUP list to start training camp. QB Baker Mayfield played so much better down the stretch after his so-so first two months under Kevin Stefanski. If Mayfield continues that level of play, look out. There are few teams with better overall talent.

Pittsburgh Steelers (+380)

It’s almost hard to believe that the Steelers started 11-0 last year as they finished 12-4, winning the division, but then were routed in the wild-card round at home by Cleveland. This is expected to be QB Ben Roethlisberger’s final season. Roethlisberger, who will be 40 in March, says coming back for another year is all about how he feels about the game and not about making a statement: “It’s not about proving anything.” Roethlisberger has familiarity in the form of receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster, Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool, James Washington and tight end Eric Ebron. The Steelers’ offense finished last in the NFL in rushing in 2020. They also became far too predictable, which led to the team promoting Matt Canada to offensive coordinator. Pittsburgh took running back Najee Harris with its first-round pick this year and Harris will immediately become the featured back.

Cincinnati Bengals (+1200)

The Bengals may well finish last again, but the future appears bright around second-year QB Joe Burrow. He was playing terrific football last year before going down with a season-ending knee injury. The Bengals are banking on the 2019 Heisman Trophy winner to be the catalyst to ending a playoff drought that stretches to 2015. In his rookie year, Burrow made 10 starts and completed 65.3% of his passes for 2,688 yards and 13 touchdowns with five interceptions. Burrow is full-go for camp but won’t play in any preseason games. He will be reunited with wideout Ja’Marr Chase, the No. 5 overall pick this year. The defensive line should be a strength with free agent additions Trey Hendrickson and Larry Ogunjobi. The last time Chase and Burrow were teammates they won a championship at LSU.

Expert Predicted Order of Finish

Cleveland, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati

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Let’s take a look at what is happening right now around the AFC North with just a few weeks until the start of the regular season and with each team’s NFL odds to win the division.

NFL | Division AFC North 2021

Baltimore Ravens (+115)

The Ravens selected University of Minnesota receiver Rashod Bateman with their first-round pick in this year’s draft, but he went down fairly early in camp with a groin injury that required surgery and it’s now looking like Bateman may open the season on injured reserve. Core muscle surgery generally takes 6-8 weeks to recover from. Any player who opens the year on injured reserve only has to miss three games nowadays. This is a bout of déjà vu for the Ravens. Six years ago, another Baltimore rookie receiver drafted in the first round suffered an injury in training camp. Initially, it was hoped Breshad Perriman would quickly return to the important role projected for him. But his knee injury lingered so long that Perriman never played as a rookie. He ended up being a bust. The Ravens play at the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday Night Football. Baltimore then hosts the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2 (Sept. 19) before traveling to face the Detroit Lions in Week 3 (Sept. 26).

Cleveland Browns (+160)

Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said that tight end Austin Hooper will have a larger role in the pass game this season. “We’re going to grow his role. He really understands now in Year 2 how we plan to use him,” said Stefanski, who expects Hooper to block less this year. Hooper ran routes with Baker Mayfield this offseason to “try to develop the chemistry that was lacking at times.” Hooper finished second on the Browns with a 46/435/4 line on 70 targets last season. That was a fairly disappointing season considering Hooper joined the Browns in free agency before last season on a four-year, $42 million contract, with $23 million guaranteed, that for a brief period made him the league’s highest-paid tight ends. The veteran was coming off a four-year stint with the Atlanta Falcons that saw him average 73 receptions for 723 yards and five touchdowns over his final two seasons.

Pittsburgh Steelers (+320)

The Steelers avoided disaster this week when top wideout Chase Claypool went down hard in practice, but he has avoided major injury. It’s being called a minor ankle sprain. It wasn’t the first time Claypool, a 2020 second-round draft pick, avoided a significant injury this preseason. He also had a hard landing after making a spectacular 45-yard catch in the Hall of Fame Game, but he didn’t miss any practice time. Claypool is coming off a breakout rookie campaign in which he recorded nine touchdowns and 873 yards on 62 receptions. The second-year wideout has taken all first-team reps during training camp. He’s also been one of four receivers who work primarily with Roethlisberger during individual drills.

Cincinnati Bengals (+2500<)

The best defensive player of late in camp for Cincinnati has been Larry Ogunjobi, who wasn’t healthy for the start of training camp. The man tabbed with replacing defensive tackle Geno Atkins after signing as a free agent has been dominant in the trenches, consistently applying pressure and disrupting the offense. “He’s been hell on us,” tight end EJ Uzomah said. “I don’t know if it’s fresh legs or not. But he’s a beast, I know that.” Ogunjobi, a fifth-year player out of Charlotte, signed a one-year deal with the Bengals back in March. Ogunjobi had 46 tackles and two sacks last year through 15 starts with the Browns. With D.J. Reader and prized offseason addition Trey Hendrickson also on the defensive line, it should be much improved.

 

 

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It may not yet be totally official, but every team in the NFL is now on the clock, as the 2020 Draft is now just a couple of days from starting. Every team in the league prepares as best they can for the draft, but they also all know that things can change very quickly. Players that they thought might still be available when their pick comes around may already be gone, which means that teams need to be fast on their feet while also ensuring that they get a player that can fit the holes that every team, no matter how good, currently has. There are certainly some teams that need more help than most, a couple of whom can be found in the AFC North. Everyone is playing catchup to the Baltimore Ravens this season, but can that gap be closed through the draft? Let’s take a look at what all 4 teams in the North might do in the 2020 Draft and their odds.

AFC North Mock Draft For 2020 Draft

Baltimore Ravens

Despite finishing the regular season with a 14-2 record and the #1 seed in the AFC North division, the Ravens will have come away disappointed after taking another early exit in the playoffs. They have their franchise QB in Lamar Jackson, but while the offense looked great, the defense looked shaky at times. Their weaknesses were exposed by the Titans in the playoffs, so look for Baltimore to shore up the center of the defense in an effort to limit the run, which was what ultimately killed them last season. The feeling is that the Ravens will take an LB, possibly Patrick Queen, while opting for an edge rusher in the second round.

Pittsburgh Steelers

That the Steelers somehow managed to go 8-8 last season with the number of major injuries the team had is nothing short of a miracle. Much of their success was down to the play of the defense, which is young and hungry. With that in mind, the Steelers are likely going to look to the offensive side of the football with their early picks, with their first pick coming in the second round. It would not be a total shock to see Pittsburgh take an RB with their opening pick, and if Jonathan Taylor is still on the board, he looks a good bet. Pittsburgh could also use a TE and a DT, and they may also be on the lookout for a QB to back up Big Ben.

Cleveland Browns

No team entered last season with more hype surrounding them than the Cleveland Browns. They were the sext dark horse pick that people were taking to win the North, but we ended up seeing the Browns being the Browns, as they slipped to a 6-10 record on the season. Cleveland needs help on the line on both sides of the football, and the talk is that they may be willing to part with Odell Beckham Jr. for draft picks. Cleveland could potentially load up with prospects this season, and while that might mean another year in the weeds, the hope would be that they would eventually build a winner, a little more quietly.

Cincinnati Bengals

After a run of 5 consecutive winning seasons, the Bengals have slowly drifted backwards over the past few years. The low point came last season, when they finished the regular season with a 2-14 record. It is going to take more than one draft to get this team back to winning ways, but Cincinnati should make a good start this season by taking QB Joe Burrow as the #1 pick in the draft. They are going to need to get him some O-Line protection and maybe another weapon, but the reality is that this team is a long way off from winning.

 

 

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While the Cleveland Browns failed to come close to living up to their preseason playoff expectations in 2019, the Baltimore Ravens finished tied for the best regular season record in the NFL. While Cincinnati finished with the worst record in all of football and Pittsburgh played some admirable football in the face of losing Ben Roethlisberger before the 2019 campaign, the AFC North could look a lot different in 2020 – or eerily similar than it did a year ago. Following a flurry of free agent moves, let’s find out how each team did during this year’s free agent signing period and what could lie ahead for each AFC North based franchise with their NFL Odds and Super Bowl Odds Updated.

AFC North Free Agency Thoughts Week 1

Let me start by saying that, with reigning MVP Lamar Jackson under center, Baltimore Ravens looks like a team that will challenge for Super Bowl berths for the next decade at the very least. The Ravens made a great addition by trading just a fifth-round pick for veteran defensive lineman Calais Campbell while making another smart move by putting the franchise tag on edge rusher Matthew Judon. Baltimore made another great addition to their defense by signing veteran defensive lineman Michael Brockers to replace Michael Pierce. The Ravens also added veteran cornerback Jimmy Smith on a one-year deal while re-signing safety Anthony Levine. Overall, the Ravens had a fine free agent signing period.

Cincinnati Bengals made a great move by using their franchise tag on perennial Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Green and they made another good move by signing veteran defensive lineman D.J. Reader and veteran cornerbacks Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander. Cincinnati will miss play-making tight end Tyler Eifert, but overall, the Bengals didn’t bungle it!

The Cleveland Browns made a great addition by signing veteran tackle Jack Conklin to help protect Baker Mayfield and they made another smart move by retaining running back Kareem Hunt to give them a nice running punch alongside Nick Chubb. Cleveland also made a handful of other signings on the offensive side of the ball, starting with the addition of veteran quarterback Case Keenum. The Browns also gave Mayfield a nice target to throw to in veteran tight end Austin Hooper. Cleveland didn’t suffer any very significant losses in free agency and that’s a good thing for a team that underachieved across the board a year ago.

As always it seems, the Pittsburgh Steelers made a bunch of wise and cost efficient moves by using their franchise tag on star linebacker Bud Dupree while signing fullback Derek Watt, guard Stefen Wisniewski and tight end Eric Ebron while trading for veteran defensive lineman Chris Wormley. Oh yeah, Pittsburgh also didn’t suffer any significant losses, so there’s that as well!

 

 

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Forget division titles. After running away with the AFC North division title by posting a league-high 14 wins a year ago, the Baltimore Ravens look like a team that will challenge for conference supremacy in the AFC for years to come. Led by reigning league MVP Lamar Jackson, Baltimore will look to claim their third straight AFC North division title this coming season. However, doing so should definitely be a bit tougher in 2020 as Pittsburgh gets back franchise quarterback Ben Roethlisberger after he missed the entire 2019 campaign and positive changes are taking place in Cleveland and Cincinnati. Now, let’s find out which teams are offering the best value against their AFC North division odds as we get set for the upcoming 2020 NFL regular season.

NFL AFC North Divisional Odds After Draft

Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens might have come up short of fulfilling their Super Bowl hopes a year ago, but after recording a league-high 14 wins during the regular season and watching star quarterback Lamar Jackson win the league’s MVP award, Baltimore will enter the 2020 campaign with hopes of winning Super Bowl 55 and nothing less. Baltimore finished the 2019 campaign ranked second in total offense and first in scoring (33.2 ppg) while also finishing fourth in total defense and third in points allowed (17.6 ppg).

To improve on both sides of the ball, Baltimore selected Ohio State running back J.K. Dobbins in the second round while adding Texas wide receiver Devin Duvernay and Mississippi tackle Tyre Phillips, both, in the third round. On the defensive side of the ball, the Ravens put their franchise tag on veteran linebacker Matthew Judon while selecting LSU linebacker Patrick Queen with the 28th overall pick in the draft and backing that up by adding Texas A&M defensive tackle Justin Madubuike and Ohio State linebacker Malik Harrison, both in the third round.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers had one of the best 2019 campaigns of any team in the league if you ask me. Yes, Pittsburgh went a modest 8-8, but that solid record was achieved with starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger sidelined for the entire 2019 season. Without their longtime starter under center last season, the Steelers finished 30th in total offense, 31st in passing and 27th in scoring (18.1 ppg). However, it would be foolish to expect that kind of productivity with Roethlisberger under center.

Pittsburgh signed veteran guard Stefen Wisniewski, veteran tight end Eric Ebron, fullback Derek Watt and tackle Zach Banner in free agency while picking Notre Dame wide receiver Chase Claypool in the second round, Maryland running back Anthony McFarland Jr. in the fourth round and Louisiana guard Kevin Dotson in the sixth round. The Steelers finished a stellar fifth in points allowed last season (18.9 ppg) and they added to their unit by drafting Charlotte linebacker Alex Highsmith in the third round, Maryland safety Antoine Brooks in the sixth round and Nebraska defensive tackle Carlos Davis in the seventh round. Make no mistake about it, Pittsburgh will be better in 20202 than they were a year if only because of the return of Big Ben!

Cleveland Browns

After falling well short of their 2019 playoff hype by going 6-10 last season, the Browns will be playing for their second head coach in as many season as former Minnesota offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski takes over for the one-and-done Freddie Kitchens. Cleveland needs to improve on both sides of the ball after finishing the 2019 campaign ranked 22nd in scoring (20.9 ppg) and 20th in points allowed (24.6 ppg). The good news is that it looks like the Browns did address some of their issues on both sides of the ball by signing veteran tight end Austin Hooper, tackle Jack Conklin and quarterback Case Keenum in free agency while selecting Alabama tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. with the 10th overall pick in the draft.

Cleveland also made some really nice additions on defense by signing veteran linebacker B.J. Goodson, safety Karl Joseph and safety Andrew Sendejo among others while picking LSU safety Grant Delpit in the second round, Missouri defensive tackle Jordan Elliott and LSU linebacker Jacob Phillips, both in the third round. More importantly, Cleveland looks like they finally got it right by hiring the widely-respected Stefanski. Now time will tell just how good the Browns and their talented roster will be in 2020.

Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati’s two-win season helped them land LSU quarterback Joe Burrow with the first overall pick in the draft, but they’ll need a lot more than their prized rookie if they want to improve this coming season. The Bengals did get another steal by selecting Clemson wide receiver Tee Higgins in the second round while adding two players that should be instant contributors in Wyoming linebacker Logan Wilson and Appalachian State linebackers Akeem Davis-Gaither. I also like Cincy’s free agent addition of veteran defensive tackle D.J. Reader and cornerback Trae Waynes, although they did add some other serviceable veterans as well. While Cincinnati got their guy in Burrow, I’m still unconvinced that Zac Taylor is the right guy for the job, plus I have no faith whatsoever in the Bengals’ poorly run front office. This is a team that is still a few years away from challenging anyone for anything if you ask me.

2020 Division Outlook

While I’m expecting Pittsburgh to be a lot better in 2020 than they were a year ago, right now, Baltimore clearly looks like the cream of the crop in the AFC North. Not only do that have an unstoppable dual-threat superstar leading them, but they are loaded on the defensive side of the ball and almost as stingy as they’ve ever been.

The Ravens are the easy pick to get it done in the AFC North in 2020 with the Steelers finishing second, Cleveland, third and Cincinnati bringing up the rear. There’s not a whole lot of guesswork that needs to go into making this prediction. Keep it simple and back the Super Bowl hopeful Ravens to get it done!

Pick: Baltimore Ravens

I think Baltimore should have done a bit more to address their lack of talent at the wide receiver position, the fact of the matter is that the Ravens are completely loaded on both sides of the ball. If Lamar Jackson can improve even more as a passer, there’s absolutely no reason why Baltimore can’t contend to reach Super Bowl 55. Sure, they’ll have a tougher way to go in the AFC North with Ben Roethlisberger back in Pittsburgh and both, Cleveland and Cincinnati looking like they’ll be better than they were a year ago, but Baltimore is still the cream of the crop in the division and I see no way they don’t reach the postseason this coming campaign. The bottom line is that backing Baltimore to win in all in 2020 is a great wager!

 

 

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The Cleveland Browns haven’t won a division title since way back in 1989 and their chances of taking the extremely tough AFC North this year got longer on Monday with the news that star wideout Odell Beckham Jr. was done for the season with a torn ACL suffered in Sunday’s wild win against Cincinnati. The Browns opened as 2.5-point home favorites on the NFL odds for Week 8 against the Las Vegas Raiders.

AFC North | 2020 NFL Expert Analysis

Beckham was hurt Sunday while attempting to chase down a Bengals defender following a Baker Mayfield interception. On the former Heisman winner’s first passing attempt, he tried to force a throw to Beckham down the sideline. The ball, however, was underthrown and picked off by Darius Phillips. Beckham turned around to chase the Cincinnati defensive back the other way, but crashed into Phillips and Cleveland fullback Andy Janovich, who also was trying to make the tackle.

The Browns were left with just three other active receivers: Jarvis Landry, rookie Donovan Peoples-Jones and Rashard Higgins. The latter two made large contributions down the stretch of a 37-34 victory.

Beckham recorded 23 catches for 319 yards and three touchdowns this season. He had three carries for 72 yards and a touchdown too. He is scheduled to earn $15.75 million next season and $12.971 million becomes fully guaranteed on the third day of the league year. It’s far from a sure thing that Beckham is even ready for the start of the 2021 season.

“Obviously, it’s a big loss,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said Monday. “As everyone knows, he is a huge part of what we do. Now we will just have to huddle up and find some different ways and find some different people and put them in that role. Ultimately, we are just trying to do what our players do best. That is our job to figure that out.”

Asked if the Browns need to make any external moves to address depth at wide receiver, Stefanski said, “I think we will see how that all plays out.” The NFL Trade Deadline is Nov. 3.

Then again, OBJ getting hurt isn’t all that news. Beckham Jr. played 43 out of a possible 48 games in his first three NFL seasons. But now Beckham will have played only 39 out of 64 games over the past four seasons.

It’s been a rough week or so for Beckham as he was recently banned from LSU’s facilities for two years after giving out $2,000 worth of $100 bills at the national championship game last season.

Cleveland (5-2) also remains without Pro Bowl running back Nick Chubb. He’s not expected back from a knee injury until Week 10.

BENGALS: Will Cincinnati have top running back Joe Mixon back this week? He missed Sunday’s game vs. the Browns with a foot injury and coach Zac Taylor said Mixon is considered “day-to-day.” Giovani Bernard took over as the featured back Sunday and rushed 13 times for 37 yards in the loss to the Browns, adding five catches for 71 yards and a touchdown. Left tackle Jonah Williams is in question this week vs. the Titans with a neck injury. The Bengals could also potentially be without C Trey Hopkins (concussion) on Sunday. Cincinnati is currently a 5.5-point home dog. Bengals rookie QB Joe Burrow has five 300-yard passing games this season, tied with Daniel Jones (2019) and Kyler Murray (2019) for the second-most 300-yard passing games by a rookie quarterback in NFL history. Only Andrew Luck (six games in 2012) has more.

RAVENS: Baltimore comes out of its bye week for a huge game Sunday vs. the unbeaten Steelers. The Ravens are 3.5-point home favorites. During their bye last week, the Ravens acquired defensive end Yannick Ngakoue from the Vikings in exchange for a 2021 third-round pick and 2022 conditional fifth-round pick. Ngakoue, who had five sacks for the Vikings through six games, joins a Baltimore front seven that has pressured the passer on 10.5 percent of its snaps in 2020 — the 13th highest rate in the league. It’s not clear yet if running back Mark Ingram will play this week as he’s dealing with a high ankle sprain.

STEELERS: Pittsburgh is the NFL’s last unbeaten team. In Sunday’s 27-24 win over previously unbeaten Tennessee, the Steelers scored a touchdown on the opening drive for the first time since Week 15, 2018. Dionte Johnson capped off the Steelers’ 16-play opening drive with an 11-yard touchdown, his first of two scores on the day. Prior to Sunday’s game, the Steelers and the Titans were the only two teams to not give up points on their opponents’ opening drives this year. Now, just the Steelers remain as the only team to keep opponents scoreless on their first possession.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers are a huge -375 favorite in the odds to win the AFC North division this 2018 season. Pitt returns a dynamic offense along with a Top 5 ranked defense. Should the Steelers be that big of a favorite, though? What’s the smart play to win the AFC North? Is there really a longshot that could beat the other 3 AFC North teams?

2018 AFC North NFL Betting Picks

Favorite: Pittsburgh Steelers

2018 AFC North Odds: -375

The Steelers are favorites for a reason. Pittsburgh’s offense remains one of the most dynamic in the NFL. Last season, the Steelers’ offense averaged 378 yards per game. That ranked third in the league. QB Ben Roethlisberger averaged 273.8 passing yards per. Pitt scored 25.4 points per.

But, although the defense did rank in the Top 5 in yards per game, 306.9, it yielded 45 points to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Pitt’s 42 to 45 AFC Divisional Playoff loss. Pittsburgh hasn’t done much to improve it’s defense.

If the Steelers’ D doesn’t come together, especially without linebacker Ryan Shazier, Pitt could be vulnerable this season.

Smart: Cincinnati Bengals

2018 AFC North Odds: +750

What’s wrong with the Cincinnati Bengals? The biggest problem Cincinnati had last season was with their offensive line. They had lost some strong offensive line players after the 2016 NFL Season. The players they used to rebuild the line couldn’t get it together.

With a new offensive line this season, Cincinnati should unleash RB Joe Mixon. Quarterback Andy Dalton and wide receiver A.J. Green will again provide one of the top QB/WR combinations in football.

The real reason to be bullish on the Bengals, though, is because the defense should be healthy enough to stop the run. If that happens, Cincinnati could win the AFC North.

Longshot: Cleveland Browns

2018 AFC North Odds: +900

No team went through as many changes this offseason as the Cleveland Browns. The biggest change is at quarterback and running back where the Browns shed the terrible signal-callers they had last season for steady Tyrod Taylor. Taylor will keep the QB seat warm until rookie Baker Mayfield is ready to start.

Cleveland also signed very good running back Carlos Hyde. What’s awesome is that Hyde is likely to back up rookie Nick Chubb. Chubb should immediately pay dividends. He’s got Todd Gurley type skills. As far as the wide receiver position is concerned, it doesn’t get better than Jarvis Landry. The former Miami WR has caught more passes in his first four seasons than any wide receiver in history.

Cleveland’s defense could take a huge leap forward after they drafted cornerback Denzel Ward. Sounds crazy, but the Browns have a shot at winning the AFC North.

 

 

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With Big Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers looking for a Super Bowl appearance at the very least in 2017 and every other team in the AFC North having more than their fair share of questions to answer, it’s easy to see why Pittsburgh has been installed as prohibitive favorites to win the generally, competitive division. Nonetheless, we have added the latest betting lines to win AFC North Division in order to help you make a smart decision during this season upcoming matches.

On the other hand, the big question for NFL betting enthusiasts as we get set for the start of the upcoming campaign is whether or not anyone can beat out the Steelers for the division crown this coming season.

A Closer Look at MyBookie’s Free Picks to Win the AFC North

The Favorite: Pittsburgh Steelers -140

The Steelers (11-5 SU, 9-6-1 ATS) won the AFC North last season in easy fashion, but have alternated division titles with Cincinnati over the last four seasons. Prior to that, Baltimore won back-to-back division titles in 2011 and 2012. Now, after posting an 11-5 record in 2016 and reaching the AFC Championship game before falling to eventual Super Bowl champion New England 36-17, the Steelers have their sights set on reaching Super Bowl 52 at the very least.

There’s plenty of good news, especially on the offensive side of the ball where the Steelers have arguably the most dangerous trio in the league in running back-to-back Le’Veon Bell, wide receiver Antonio Brown and future Hall of Fame quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The Steelers will also have gifted, but oft-troubled wide receiver Martavis Bryant back on the field after he missed all of 2016 with a drug-related suspension. Pittsburgh ranked seventh in total offense in 2016 and 11th in scoring (24.9 ppg) and they’ll almost assuredly be pretty explosive on offense again in 2017.

The Steelers re-signed several of their own free agents like backup quarterback Landry Jones and veteran linebacker James Harrison and added a handful of other veterans in free agency, though none were ‘big name’ players that will make an immediate impact.

Pittsburgh ranked a respectful 10th in points allowed last season (20.4 ppg) and added play-making Wisconsin linebacker T.J. Watt with their first round pick, former USC wideout Juju Smith-Schuster in the second round and both, cornerback Cameron Sutton and beloved Pittsburgh Panthers running back James Conner in the third round. Right now, it looks like all roads to the AFC North division title will go through Pittsburgh in 2017.

The Smart Pick: Cincinnati Bengals +220

I know the Cincinnati Bengals (6-9-1 SU, 6-10 O/U) took a big step backwards last season in falling to six wins, but I also believe they can bounce back in a big way in 2017 after making a series of really ‘smart’ moves this offseason.

After finishing a dismal 24th in scoring last season (20.3 ppg), head coach Marvin Lewis and Cincy’s front office needed some upgrades on offense and they did just that in the offseason. The Bengals added ‘super speedy’ wide receiver John Ross with the ninth overall pick in the draft and got arguably the steal of the draft (besides Deshaun Watson) in former Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon with the 48th overall pick.

After watching start after star, like A.J. Green, Jeremy Hill and Tyler Eifert all go down with significant injuries last year, the Bengals now look like they’ll have one of the most explosive offenses in the league in 2017.

As far as defense is concerned, Cincinnati was solid, but not outstanding in ranking 17th in total defense, 11th against the pass and an uninspiring 21st against the run. The good news is that the Bengals ranked an impressive eighth in points allowed by limiting the opposition to just 19.7 points per game. Despite their down year in 2016, Cincinnati looks more than capable of bouncing back in 2017 to challenge Pittsburgh for the AFC North division title.

The Longshot: Cleveland Browns +2300

I know the Browns (1-15 SU, 3-12-1 ATS) won just one game last year and that they’re a really long shot to reach .500, more or less win the AFC North, but they made some really positive moves this offseason that look like they put Hue Jackson’s team on the right track heading into 2017.

Not only did the Browns draft athletically gifted defensive end Myles Garrett with the first overall pick in the NFL draft, but they also added strong safety Jabrill Peppers and tight end David Njoku with their two other first round picks while also adding quarterback DeShone Kizer in the second round.

More importantly, after ranking 30th in total offense, 28th in passing, 19th in rushing and 31st in scoring (16.5 ppg), the Browns upgraded their offensive line in a big way be re-signing guard Joel Bitonio and bringing in Kevin Zeitler and J.C. Tretter in free agency.

Of course, the Browns also decided to add quarterback bust Brock Osweiler to compete for the starting job after he flamed out in stunning fashion in Houston last year while not deciding to take a look at free agent Colin Kaepernick, so there a still a few questions surrounding the competency of Cleveland’s front office. Still, all in all, Cleveland made some really nice decisions this offseason and have absolutely nowhere to go but up!

 

 

Previous Betting News

The best division in the NFL this season? One could make an argument for the AFC North as it has three likely very good teams in the Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens. True, the North also houses probably the NFL’s worst team in the Cleveland Browns. But the top trio is likely be better than any other division’s, and selecting a winning NFL pick seems like a hard task for pro football fans. So who will win the North? The Steelers are +120 favorites on the existing odds. The AFC North is the only division in the AFC that does not contain a charter team from the original American Football League. However, the Bengals were an AFL expansion team in the 1968 AFL season (the Steelers and Browns joined the AFC from the NFL in 1970).

A Look At the NFL Odds & Winning Picks for AFC North

The Smart Pick: Cincinnati Bengals

Last year, the Bengals became the first team in the AFC North (or when it was called AFC Central) to ever start the year 8-0, finishing the season 12-4 and winning the division for the second time in three years. Cincinnati clinched the division title in week 16 when the Steelers were upset by the 4-10 Ravens in Baltimore, quarterbacked by backup Ryan Mallett because starter Joe Flacco had been lost to a season-ending injury.

Cincinnati is a +220 second-favorite to repeat as division winner. This looked like a potential Super Bowl team last year with QB Andy Dalton having his best season of his five-year career until breaking his thumb on Dec. 13 against Pittsburgh. Dalton wouldn’t be back in 2015. The Bengals lost 18-16 to the Steelers in the wild-card round — the fifth straight year the Bengals have lost in that round. Chris Boswell kicked a 35-yard field goal with 14 seconds remaining. Pittsburgh moved into field goal position thanks to consecutive and really stupid 15-yard penalties on the Bengals, one on linebacker Vontaze Burfict and another on cornerback Adam Jones. Burfict dropped his shoulder and hit a defenseless Antonio Brown in the helmet as the All-Pro receiver came across the middle, and Jones lost his cool after getting into it with Steelers assistant coach Joey Porter. Basically, the team melted down on a national stage.

Thus the pressure is really on Coach Marvin Lewis this season. Lewis is 0-7 in his playoff career with Cincinnati and I don’t believe he survives another one-and-done. Cincinnati owner Mike Brown has been notoriously patient with Lewis, maybe to a fault. Only the Patriots’ Bill Belichick has been with his team longer than Lewis has been with the Bengals. The six longest-tenured coaches in the NFL (Belichick, Lewis, Mike McCarthy, Sean Payton, Mike Tomlin and John Harbaugh), all have Super Bowl rings, except Lewis.

The Favorite: Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers could have the best offense in the NFL this season even though No. 2 receiver Martavis Bryant will miss all of it. He violated the NFL’s substance abuse policy again — Bryant was suspended the first four games of last year. After returning from his four-game suspension, Bryant had a productive 2015 season for the Steelers, hauling in 50 receptions for 765 yards and six touchdowns in 11 games. With 17 total touchdowns over two seasons, Bryant’s value to the Steelers won’t easily be masked over. But as long as QB Ben Roethlisberger, Brown and running back Le’Veon Bell are healthy, this offense will be dynamic.

The Longshot: Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens are +300 on NFL odds to win the division. The plummeted to a 5-11 record last year, their worst ever under Harbaugh. But no team was hit harder by season-ending injuries and nearly every game the Ravens lost came down to the final possession. They were really, really unlucky. Harbaugh says his offensive players have made tangible strides under second-year coordinator Marc Trestman.

The Ultimate Darkhorse: Cleveland Browns

The Browns are +2800 on NFL lines to win the division. That’s just throwing your money away. They will finish last again.

Expert Prediction

I believe the Bengals have the most all-around talent in the AFC North so they are the choice on NFL picks.

 

 

Previous Betting News

While the Baltimore Ravens struggled through one of their toughest seasons in the John Harbaugh era, it’s quite possible that Baltimore could bounce back to join both, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh as legitimate Super Bowl title contenders in 2016. Then…there’s the Cleveland Browns.

Stop laughing for a minute because, the fact of the matter is that Cleveland will also improve its NFL odds thanks to the smart hiring of head coach Hue Jackson. Now, let’s find out what’s in store for all four AFC North Super Bowl 51 hopefuls.

NFL Betting Contenders for the 2016 AFC North Title

Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens had an injury-riddled season while falling to 5-11 in 2015, but they could bounce back in a big way if all goes well. The good news for Ravens fans and betting backers is the fact that this well-managed and well-coached franchise has had just five losing seasons since 1998, making them an almost certainty to get back to respectability at the very least.

Baltimore added a trio of veterans that will contribute right away in tight end Ben Watson, safety Eric Weddle and wide receiver Mike Wallace. The Ravens also drafted tackle Joe Stanley with the sixth overall pick, but they might have made a mistake by passing up on the gifted Laremy Tunsil, the top-rated offensive lineman in the draft.

The Ravens then grabbed a trio of defensive players with their next three picks and made a wise decision to nab former Navy star Keenan Reynolds in the sixth round. With the AFC North squaring off against four mediocre NFC East teams and two more mediocre AFC East teams, I believe nine or 10 wins could be very reachable.

Cincinnati Bengals

I like the Cincinnati Bengals (12-4) to get right back into Super Bowl title contention after a late-season injury to starting quarterback Andy Dalton basically derailed their Super Bowl chances a year ago.

Head coach Marvin Lewis has turned this once moribund franchise into perennial winners even if he hasn’t reached or won the ‘big one’.

The Bengals have won 52 games over the last five seasons, making them a virtual lock to reach the double-digit win mark again in 2016. Cincinnati also had a fantastic offseason by adding veteran linebacker Karlos Dansby, wide receiver Brandon LaFell and safety Taylor Mays in free agency before pulling off one of the better drafts of any team in the league.

The Bengals nabbed cornerback William Jackson with the 24th pick in the draft before nabbing two wide receivers (Tyler Boyd and Cody Core), a linebacker (Nick Vigil) and defensive tackle (Andrew Billings) that will all likely see significant playing time in 2016. Call me crazy, but I can easily see Cincy winning 11 or 12 games in 2016 to win the AFC North again.

Pittsburgh Steelers (10.5)

The Steelers (10-6) also saw their legitimate Super Bowl hopes go down the drain late last season because of injuries to key players including Le’Veon Bell, Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Bryant. No matter, the Steelers will contend again in 2016 simply because they’re well-coached and have excellent ownership that gives them a great chance to win each and every year.

Pittsburgh added gifted tight end LaDarius Green in free agency while also adding linebacker Steven Johnson, defensive end Ricardo Matthews and tackle Ryan Harris. The Steelers also added a trio of defensive players with their first three draft picks ad grabbed one of my favorite players in all of college football a year ago in former Temple U. star linebacker Tyler Matakevich.

If injuries don’t derail their plans, the Steelers could undoubtedly find their way into Super Bowl 51. I’ve got Big Ben and company winning 11 games in 2016 as they pond the snot out of their AFC and NFC East counterparts next season.

Cleveland Browns

The Browns (3-13) may not be laughingstocks much longer NFL fanatics!

Cleveland made a great hire by nabbing widely-respected offensive coordinator and former Oakland Raiders head coach Hue Jackson in the offseason and I expect the culture in Cleveland to change immediately behind the no-nonsense Jackson.

Not only that, but the Browns had what many believe is the No. 1 draft in the league this season. Cleveland nabbed gifted Baylor wide receiver Corey Coleman with the 15th overall pick before going on to add defensive ends Emmanuel Ogbah and Carl Nassib, offensive tackle Shon Coleman, quarterback Cody Kessler and former Arizona star linebacker Scooby Wright III, a playmaker that should have never last as long as he did in my opinion.

Cleveland also made a smart move to bring in RG3 and give him another shot to prove he can be a legitimate starting quarterback in the NFL and he’ll have every chance working under the offensive genius of Hue Jackson. The Browns also added linebacker Demario Davis, offensive lineman Alvin Bailey, safety Rahim Moore and linebacker Justin Tuggle in free agency.

Right now, I see no reason why the Browns can’t reach six wins in 2016.