Will the AFC North be another runaway for the Baltimore Ravens or will the return of Ben Roethlisberger make this division interesting? Those are a couple of the big questions going into this AFC North season. The Ravens are the prohibitive favorites at almost -200 with the Pittsburgh Steelers second at +350 followed by the Cleveland Browns (+475) and the always-rebuilding Cincinnati Bengals (+2000).
After winning the division with a 14-2 record last season, the Ravens laid an egg in the Divisional Playoff round. QB Lamar Jackson broke out and was a unanimous MVP, but had another disappointing postseason outing. The Ravens did well in the Draft and also in free agency to improve the defensive front.
AFC North Standings [2019]
| AFC | NORTH | W | L | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Ravens | 14 | 2 | 0 |
 | Steelers | 8 | 8 | 0 |
 | Browns | 6 | 10 | 0 |
 | Bengals | 2 | 14 | 0 |
The Steelers had a quiet offseason that included not having a first round draft pick. This is still a solid team all-around and the return of Big Ben will only help this team that just missed the playoffs at 8-8. Roethlisberger had three tendons reattached after major elbow surgery, so he is a HUGE question mark. The Steelers have the second-easiest schedule in the league but the last four weeks could pose a challenge – @Buffalo, @Cincinnati, Indianapolis, @Cleveland.
Cleveland needs to get off to a good start because they play four of their final six games on the road with home dates versus the Ravens and Steelers mixed in. The good news is, most of those road games are winnable.
The Bengals should be an interesting watch only because of QB Joe Burrow, the No. 1 player taken in April’s Draft. There’s no doubt he will struggle at times with basically nothing around him and the schedule is brutal.
Odds to Win AFC North:
Baltimore Ravens -190
Pittsburgh Steelers +350
Cleveland Browns +475
Cincinnati Bengals +2000
Season Win Totals:
Baltimore Ravens 11.5 o115
Pittsburgh Steelers 9 o130
Cleveland Browns 8.5 o160
Cincinnati Bengals 5.5 o135
Jay’s Season Win Total Best Bet: I know Lamar Jackson choked in the playoffs, but what a regular season he had. This is a really good team and they’ll want to prove that last year was no fluke. They also got better in the offseason. 11.5 wins is high, but I think they can easily win 12 games. Take the OVER 11.5 -115. The Browns UNDER 8.5 +140 is also a play I will be taking.
Jay’s Pick to Win Division: Obviously if I’m predicting the Ravens to win 12 or more games, they’re the choice to win the division. The Steelers have the only shot, but I worry about Roethisberger’s elbow and his age at this point. Baltimore is too good. Lay the -190 on them.
To see more odds and props for the AFC North, click here.
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