For the first time this season, the Pittsburgh Steelers are the favorites to win the AFC North with -125 odds.
The Steelers defeated the Cleveland Browns , 23-9, on Sunday to improve to 4-1. Pittsburgh is currently atop of the AFC North, ahead of the Cincinnati Bengals (2-4), Baltimore Ravens (1-5) and Cleveland Browns (1-5).
The AFC North is 2-9 in the last three weeks. The two wins came from just the Steelers.
The Ravens were tabbed as Super Bowl favorites prior to the start of the season, but a slew of injuries and horrendous defensive play as left Baltimore at 1-5 through six weeks. The Ravens have allowed 41, 17, 38, 37, 44 and 17 points in six games. The defense took a step forward against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, allowing just 17 points. But without quarterback Lamar Jackson (hamstring) the offense put up only three points. The Ravens benched starting quarterback Cooper Rush in favor of Tyler Huntley in the fourth quarter.
Following the Ravens' bye in Week 7, Baltimore plays the Chicago Bears , Miami Dolphins , Minnesota Vikings , Cleveland Browns and New York Jets . On paper, that's a pretty favorable schedule for the Ravens to get back in the AFC playoff picture. Jackson is also expected to return after the bye.
On Sunday, the Bengals lost to the Green Bay Packers , 27-18. It was Joe Flacco 's first game with Cincinatti after being traded by Cleveland, and he was pretty solid. He completed 29 of 45 passes (64.4) for 219 yards with two touchdowns, no interceptions, and a passer rating of 90.9.
The Steelers travel to Cincinnati to face the Bengals on Thursday Night Football in Week 7, while the Browns host the Miami Dolphins.
Bengals star wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase is treating Thursday night as a must-win.
"Just the rankings we got going on right now. We know the Steelers are going to try to come in and raw dog us and kill us. But we going to be ready for that challenge and we going to be waiting for it," Chase said .
Despite the early lead in the AFC North, Steelers strong safety DeShon Elliott is just focusing on one game at a time.
"Bro, I don't give an f*** about Baltimore. It's still early in the season, we got to handle our games one day at a time, one game at a time, literally," Elliott said after Sunday's win. "Last year, we were 8-2 at one point at time and we started s******* the bed. We got to keep stacking these wins."
Alan Saunders and Brendan Howe provided reporting from Pittsburgh.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Odds: Steelers in Driver's Seat to Win AFC North
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